Affordable cars & trucks have more value. Let me explain that… using this slammed 1971 Datsun 521. Jakob’s just 21 years old. He bought this old truck for cheap & brought it back to glory… which is kind of an anomaly for today’s youth. Meaning – you don’t see that as much as you used to. Maybe because…
Back in the day, cars were way more affordable…
Not only that, they were easier to wrench-on & more expressive. Less sensor/software-driven. And those combos allowed there to naturally be young gear heads. Having a car gave you freedom. But having a cool car gave you freedom AND identity. Cars & trucks allowed the youth to express themselves & find themselves. To tinker & explore creative passions. And to overcome obstacles, experience successes… and build substance, pride, work ethic, & discipline. Yeah – there was also some edginess & defiance to car culture. But when you mixed all those ingredients together, it gave the gear-head youth character, grit, intrigue, & individualism. Traits that enriched their careers, relationships, families… and the overall vibrance of the world we live in. Charisma was held at a higher value than convenience. Can the same be said today? Cut to present day – and new vehicles are vastly less interesting… and absolutely more expensive & complicated.
So what are we losing when we lose affordable vehicles?
What are we REALLY losing? How are we setting up the youth, and how are we shaping the creative culture of our future landscape? Put it like this: When everything has an easy-button, how do we truly learn about ourselves? Where does our character come from? That’s why there’s unmeasured value in affordable cars. It’s not just a car, it’s how you approach life. So kids – take this argument to your mom/dad, and convince them to help buy you that sh¡tbox on marketplace lol.
New doors would be opened…
If the automotive industry would find their punk rock balls & offer affordable lifestyle vehicles to young buyers again. But without the auto industry’s help (which we’re seemingly not getting), I think it’s crucial that we give the youth the tools and the lens they need to see the madness & radness in the affordable vehicles of yesteryear. There is a lot of substance here in this old Datsun 521 pickup, and a lot of different automotive cultures blended together.
Truck & photos by Jakob Nairn
71 Datsun 521
Exterior
Pandem sideskirts and rear spats. Custom front lip. Lowrider lace paint on roof. Custom tucked rear bumperettes. Tucked license plate frame. OEM replica fender mirrors. Rolled fenders.
Wheels & Suspension
Epsilon Mozzer EF2 wheels (15×9 -38 front & 15×9.5 -43 rear). Tires are 195/50/15 front & 175/55/15 rear. To get the truck low, the front torsion bars have been cranked down with no front shocks or sway bar. In the rear, the secondary leaf was flipped on top of the primary leaf. 3-inch blocks were added, and 4-degrees of pinion angle shims. The Datsun truck also has a custom 1-inch under-bed frame notch.
Interior
Shave & painted dash. Nardi wood grain steering wheel. Mooneyes accessories. Custom speaker box with two 5.25 speakers and Ruiner strobe light module. 7 ball shifter. Door-pulls from a Datsun 320. All powder-coated pedals & brackets.
Engine
Cammed L18 engine. 32/36 Webber carb. KA 5-speed transmission with adapter to fit a L-series bell housing. Koyorad radiator. Front disc brakes. Dual brake master cylinder (non boosted).
Big thanks to…
datsin_motorsports / exquisiteautohaus / eazye180 / jakes_makes
Clubs
Devious_miniz / Stanced_minitrucks
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