An (Almost) Childhood Dream: Building a Datsun 510 Wagon

Building a Datsun 510 might as well have been in my blood. My dad has owned 510s since he was in school, the 510 narrowly beating out his other top choice — the Saab 900. After narrowly escaping dooming himself and his future sons to a lifetime of Saabing, he promptly did what every good Datsun owner has done since the car first hit American race tracks. He wrenched.

Fast forward to December of 2010 and his son — me! — would become the proud owner of the famous Japanese econobox’s least-loved triplet: a deep blue 1972 Datsun 510 wagon.

 But I’m getting ahead of myself, the 510 definitely did not look like this when I came to own it.