Nissan Heritage Collection spotlight: Datsun Fairlady 1200 Roadster
Situated in the basement of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, the Nissan Heritage Collection houses a number of production and concept vehicles significant to the brand’s U.S. operations. This is the third story in a series that will highlight select vehicles in the collection.
The lengthy and thrilling heritage of Nissan sports cars in the U.S. dates back to the early 1960s, when the arrival of the Datsun Fairlady 1200 Roadster in North America kicked things into high gear. This small convertible may not have dominated the car market in sales volume, but it marks several important firsts for Nissan in the U.S.
The Fairlady 1200 Roadster was the first export of a Datsun sports car by Nissan to North America. Datsun had sold cars stateside since 1958, but prior to this model only trucks and passenger cars were available in the brand’s small American dealer network. The Fairlady was championed by legendary Nissan executive and sports car enthusiast Yutaka Katayama – known as “Mr. K” and widely recognized as the father of the Z sports car.
This 1961 Datsun Fairlady 1200 Roadster in the Nissan Heritage Collection was purchased by the company in 1997
This car is also notable as the first to use the “Fairlady” name, a badge that has continued to grace decades of Nissan sports cars (outside the U.S. market) ever since. The name’s origins have a lyrical origin story: Katsuji Kawamata, at the time Nissan Motors Chairman, saw the Broadway musical “My Fair Lady” on a visit to the U.S. and was inspired to name a car after the stage hit.
The Fairlady 1200 Roadster is notable as the first export of a Datsun sports car by Nissan to North America.
Based on the mechanical underpinnings of the contemporaneous Datsun 223 truck, the Fairlady seen here has a 59-horsepower, 1.2-liter inline-four engine and a four-speed manual transmission. Its appealing, curved bodywork conceals a four-seat interior, while mechanical highlights include drum brakes, torsion bar front suspension and leaf spring rear suspension.
This Fairlady is one of just 217 1961-1962 models brought to the U.S.
Of course, this car was just the first in a long line of sports cars that drew driving enthusiasts’ attention to Datsun and Nissan. The more powerful Datsun Fairlady 1500 soon followed, while in 1969 the arrival of the original Z sports car – called “Fairlady Z” in its home market – kicked off seven generations of sports car heritage and excitement that continues with today’s Nissan Z.
The Nissan Heritage Collection is currently open via private tour only.
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