Closing date for April issue -> February 17
Datsun 120A: The Yellow Peril of 1974
When you think of Datsun, a smile might appear on your face. For Bert Kampherbeek, a true enthusiast of small Datsuns from the 70s, it means much more. His 120 Datsun 1974A Coupé is not just any car – it is a rust-free piece of nostalgia, which is a rarity in itself.
By: Max the Warrior
“Almost everything on these cars is susceptible to rust,” says Bert. “From wheel arches to subframes – it all disappears quickly. That’s why this yellow Japanese is only driven in dry weather and gets a thorough drying after a rainy drive.”
A yellow danger awake
Normally the Datsun 120A is in hibernation, but for the photos it was allowed to wake up briefly. A little brake cleaner in the air filter, and the 1200 cc engine growls softly to life. At the time, the brochure called it a “romantic and impetuous little sports car” – and that it remains, even after fifty years. The cockpit, with a fully padded dashboard, still feels like you are sitting in an American mini-fastback.
The perfect project in the shape of a Datsun 120A
Bert completely restored the car, with the help of his son Hendri and his wife. “Hendri replaced all the gaskets and seals, and my wife sandblasted every screw and had everything countersunk. It’s really a family project,” he says. Still, Bert isn’t entirely happy with the new paint. “The yellow is just a little too red. Not like the original. But hey, it still suits her.”
What makes this Datsun 120A so special? For Bert, the answer lies in nostalgia. His first car was a Datsun 100A, and since then the brand has not let him go. His shed is now full of examples of his “first love”.
A Datsun 120A is rare and special nowadays
Datsuns like this are almost extinct in the Netherlands. Of the 25 registered copies, only five Datsun 120A copies are still drivable. That makes this car extra special. And if you see a bright yellow Datsun driving by? Then there is a good chance that it is Bert's beloved coupe. But she often stays safely at home, away from wet roads and winter salt.
Practical maintenance
Although this Datsun has undergone a restoration, maintenance remains important. Bert calls moisture the biggest enemy. “With this one, I immediately drilled a small hole at the lowest point of the mudguards, so that water doesn’t stand a chance,” he explains. The engine block, which looks spotless, has been thoroughly checked. “Everything that had to be replaced has been replaced,” he says. His son Hendri, who is a car mechanic, helped with the technical aspects, while his wife patiently made every screw look like new again.
Authentic down to the last detail
Bert loves originality, even if it means being creative. The round taillights of the Datsun 120A, for example, were no longer available. “I fixed them up with polyester and filler,” he says proudly. But not everything works out perfectly. “The imitation mudguard I bought didn’t fit properly. That kind of thing stings, but it’s part of the job.”
A rare sight
If you see a Datsun 120A Coupé, chances are it’s this one. “I hardly ever drive one, but when I do, I really enjoy it,” says Bert. His passion for the cars of the past is obvious. And if you ask him why Datsun? The answer comes quickly: “My first car was one, and you never forget that.”
Read more about it in Auto Motor Klassiek
Are you curious about the full story of Bert's Datsun 120A, the other and restoration photos? The January issue of Auto Motor Klassiek is now available at newsstands!
(The article continues below with the photos.)
What a beautiful example. My first car was a yellow 100A, had a lot of fun with it. After having owned several motorcycles and therefore a fair amount of trade-in value, I spent it on the purchase of a Datsun 120AFll. This was the biggest mistake of my life, after two months for 75 guilders to the scrapyard. Rotten subframe, these were then reimbursed by the importer. But when I came for it, Datsun dealers in the Netherlands had declared more subframes than there were Datsuns AFll's sold in the Netherlands. Based on that, I decided never to buy a Japanese car again in my life. Japanese motorcycles, and I have been doing that for more than 40 years now.
This car is sooooo beautiful. For me magical and ultimate. And so well restored. That's how I like it. Can I get in touch with this man? I'd love to hear from you
Dear “techies”, stop once and for all with spraying brake cleaner and/or starter pilot in a properly running engine. You break so much with that stuff. If the engine won’t start normally, something is wrong. Fix that, in the worst case some petrol in the intake.
Hi Ted, I also use startpilot. I would like to know what exactly you break when you use it.
The police in Leeuwarden also had 2 Datsun 1200s.
I used to drive an Opel Manta A and my girlfriend a white Datsun 120A coupe that we quickly sprayed blue. Funny enough my girlfriend drove the Manta more during the week and I drove the Datsun, a small funny car that I had a lot of fun with. It was a small funny and cheap car only parts were terribly expensive. Too bad they were so super sensitive to rust and that the rear axle was rotten through and we had to get rid of it.
My first car was a red Datsun 1200 two-door.
The haircut was of course much nicer.
Drove almost 10 (fun) km in 40.000 months.
I had just got my driver's license and couldn't resist driving long distances in the evenings and on weekends.
Apart from having to replace the contact points a few times, nothing else broke.
Rusted already in the brochure, and the oil came out through the exhaust. Nice model further with a lot of (fake) luxury inside, which the Germans did not have. So for little money little quality, and the German for much more money….
Again… a photo of the iconic rear wouldn't go amiss.
with this…
That's absolutely right, but of course those photos can be found in AMK itself, just like photos of the restoration itself.
Apart from the sensitivity to rust, it was of excellent quality.
An uncle of mine who lived in the South of France drove a similar 80A in the early 120s, which already had 450.000 km on the clock and was still super reliable.