1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
NIPPY PICK-UP
Page 87
Page 89
Page 90
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Clatsun test by Bill Brock. Pictures by Steve Back
HE pick-up truck, a specialit vehicle with a limited Ipplication, does offer some idvantages over the Inclosed parcel van: easy iccess from three sides is mailable and the cargo is not estricted either by the ieight of the roof or door menings.
It finds little success as a lelivery vehicle owing to the ack of security when left Jnattended, but is popular in he farming, construction and ;ervice industries.
Just such a vehicle, the Datsun 1 ton pick-up, has been 3n test with CM. At first glapce it appears only a little larger than many vehicles with less than half its payload capacity.
Cargo area
• The car type front end is mounted separately from a cargo area, which in the event provided room to spare when loaded to the maximum weight with our test load.
The tailgate, secured by two robust-looking, easy to operate over-centre latches, folds down to an almost vertical position arrested by rubber stops protecting the rear light clusters or can be secured in any intermediate position by the two plastic sleeved chains.
Set in the horizontal position it may serve as an extension to the ribbed steel floor area at a height of 0.69m (2ft 3in), a little on the high side for easy loading. The side panels are 0.4m (15.7in) deep and are unbraced except in the area above the wheel arches. Directly behind the cab a simple guard frame extends the bulkhead to the full height of the roof line while the top lip of the slightly bowed side panels and tailgate are equipped with rope hooks regularly spaced.
The cab • Each of the side doors is equipped with wind-up windows supplemented with quarter lights and vision to the rear is assisted by a full-width rear window, but the wing mirrors, rigidly mounted on each wings, can easily become unsighted if knocked and might be improved if replaced with the spring-back type.
Front side and • tail lights styled into the body line are well protected. The twin headlamps for dip and main beam, also recessed behind the body line into the front grille, provided good night vision, while the direction indicator lamps include an additional satilite unit mounted on each front wings so that it is visible by a vehicle approaching on a path of 90 degrees.
Inside the cab is very carlike, but one unusual feature is the bench seat, commonly used in cars in the early Sixties, often
vehicles having columnchange gear linkage allowing for seating room for three people.
However, as the Datsun has a floor-mounted gear change lever only two people can be accommodated in comfort. Ad: justment to the squab, fore and aft, allows for some variation,
catering for different leg lengths, but for me it needed to be set to the rearmost position.
The backrest, which can pivot forwards to expose the vehicle jack and handle, is set in a very erect position. This, combined with fairly basic upholstery and a hard suspension, contributed to my discomfort at an early stage.
Instrumentation
• The thinly padded facia, finished in a dull black plastic covering, includes a good sized glove box and a parcel shelf on the passenger side. The controls of the heater, centrally mounted, were easily understood and simple to operate, providing the required output.
Instrumentation is basic, being confined to an odometer with mileage trip, temperature and fuel gauge, but is backed up by a number of warning lights for ignition, oil pressure, main beam and handbrake.
Only two spokes span the steering wheel in which the horn press button, extending to almost the full diameter, is positioned. When activated the tinny note is more likely to embarrass the driver than warn off other traffic.
Braking
• From the outset I was quickly made aware that the footbrake response was very fierce and in the initial unladen condition needed extreme care to avoid locking the wheels. This condition improved a little with half a load, but even with the full weight on board there was too little progression in the early stages of brake pedal movement.
Maximum readings resulting from the performance tests were high and as the front axle always locked up first the vehicle pulled up in a straight line. However, the first few applications of each day had to be made with caution as there was a tendency for the truck to pull to the right when the brakes were cold.
Steering
• Even in the laden condition the steering seemed light, but it was the rear end that could be made to break away first when at its lightest. On the fast motorway sections buffeting from side winds and larger slab-sided vehicles was very noticeable, at speeds above about 88km /h (55mph) but did not seem to affect my journey times to any great degree. Slow speed manoeuvrabilit in situations where the full loi was needed, was poor and was caught on more than oi occasion having to take second bite unexpectedly.
Hill starts from a standst were only just possible on a 1 4 gradient but the mechanic advantage of the handbral was sufficient to hold tt vehicle on a 1 in 3 slope facir in either direction.
Not surprisingly, the st springs provided a harsh ric but the 1,600 cc (98cui petrol engine proved to equal to the job in providing th acceleration needed to keep t. with other traffic, not just built-up areas, but on the opE roads too.
Around the small van te route I was able to record fu consumption for all three loz conditions. Unladen the pick-t. returned 8.9Iit/ km (31.7mp at an average speed of 41 km/ (25.6mph), half laden 9. lit/km (29.9mpg) at 42km/ (26.4mph) and at maximu weight 11.59 lit/100k (24.4mpg) at 40 km/ (25.1mph) running on lo grade petrol.
Day to day routine inspe tions of oil, water and batte present no problems, while tt twin brake master cylind reservoirs and the clutch resE voir can also be checked visibl A complete replacement tyr oil filter mounted vertical alongside the block looks par cularly easy to service. IF pipework on the nearside is bit untidy, not helped by a fu filter placed high up on th bulkhead.
Summary
• The Datsun pick-up is a srrt vehicle with a big load capacit with good acceleration Icy severe braking response. Th fuel consumption is not exce tional and the ride is harsh. B priced at a total of £2,199..c including £162.96 VAT it mu still be value for money.