Nissan is an interesting car company. They have slapped their Datsun/Nissan/Infiniti badges on everything from the common Altima to the legendary GT-R and 510, as well as the questionable Murano CrossCabriolet.
While popular models such as the 240SX, 350Z and 510 have achieved cult-like status, less popular models continue to have modest followings — and they finally got their chance to shine at the 2017 Nissan Jam.
At an event where R32 Skylines are so common that one might assume they were sold at U.S. dealers, you'd think it would be pretty difficult to stand out from the crowd. Fortunately there were a variety of forgotten but loved Datsun/Nissan/Infiniti models on display at Orange County's La Palma Park.
1. B210
The B210 never reached the popularity of the 510 and Sentra with which it shares its lineage, but there were a few examples present.
One standout was this unmodified, mint condition B210 coupe.
2. NX2000
The B13 Sentra SE-R-based NX2000 never saw the same following, although they shared many of the same parts. Not only is the NX2000 rare, but this one had a mint condition set of rare SSR Chevlon Mesh wheels and one of the few body kits available for the NX.
3. Maxima Wagon
Another forgotten version of a popular car is the Maxima Wagon — from the days when boxy wagons filled mall parking lots.
4. M45
It wasn’t just older models that jogged my memory. Who remembers the first-gen M45 with its 340 hp V8?
5. Juke
How about the Juke, which is still available in dealers? It's hard to forget a slammed Juke with a huge intercooler and front splitter, canards and more.
6. R33 GT-R
The R32 GT-R is now 25 years old and eligible to be legally sold and registered in the United States. Though there were a dozen R32s at Nissan Jam, they seemed common enough to make the R33 GT-R look extremely rare at the event. On white TE37s, this R33 looked straight out of the original Gran Turismo.
7. S12 200SX
Everyone knows of the S13 240SX, but long before that was the S12 200SX. This S12 featured period correct mods such as a body kit, sound system in the trunk and mesh wheels.
8. 260Z
Speaking of period correct, this 260Z looked as if it came straight out of the '80s. Molded Kaminari wide body, 3.2-liter engine with triple Mikunis — not extreme by today's standards, but the 8- and 10-inch wide wheels must have been insane by '80s standards.
9. Datsun 521 Pickup
The Datsun 521 pickup truck was one of the first imported trucks to arrive on American shores in the late '60s. This light green example had been given new life, 50 years later.
A closer look under the hood revealed the stock L16 motor had been swapped with power from Toyota’s 3S-GE Beams motor with color matched valve cover.
10. Hardbody
Speaking of trucks, the Datsun 720 and Nissan D21 Hardbody was one of the most iconic trucks of the '80s. Nissan Jam had a few flavors to choose from, like this SR20-swapped Hardbody and 720 Sunrader RV, complete with all the creature comforts one would need for a life off the grid (a bed, kitchen, fridge, microwave, TV and solar panels to power it all...).
And my favorite: this Hardbody lowrider straight out of the '80s.
Vinyl roof, air brushed paint, wire wheels...
Check out the full sound system and engraved metal work. The attention to detail was immaculate. They definitely don’t build show cars like they used to.
11. 240Z Sport Wagon
The 240Z Sport Wagon was never put into production but was something envisioned by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the designer of the original 240Z.
Z car restoration expert Jay Ataka finally put the design into reality in 2014 by using a 1978 260Z, three rusty shells and a lot of custom fab work.
12. 240SX Hatchback
Oddly enough, of all the GT-Rs and Z cars at Nissan Jam, the one that I was most surprised to see was a pristine S13 hatchback. Although it wasn’t the sportier SE model, this base 240SX hatchback looked as if it had just rolled out of the dealer lot — no signs of wear on the driver seat, no mismatched body panels, not a single eBay “performance part” and no stickers. In this day and age, with so many S13s being chopped up and trashed as drift cars, this might be the rarest example of a 240SX in existence.
The stock model makes the slightly lowered S13 with JDM Type X parts next to it look extreme.
