RE: Collector Car

[pkort@cis.picker.com]

>I'm still curious about the original question: Why are Datsun roadsters
>not as highly valued as MGB's or MGA's, etc.

1) Consider that the large part of the US population  is of European descent.
2) The European car manufactures were well established during W.W.II, when many
a GI were introduced to small sport cars.
3)  Far fewer GIs were actually in Japan and at the time the Japanese were not
mass producers of cars. ( Although it is mentioned in Mr. K's book that many GIs
were impressed with Nissan's small trucks after the war).

Jump now to the US in the early fifties and even the sixties;
     VW's were sold in every state. Often you could find a dealer selling one of
the 'Big Three' and a few European models side by side.  Many foreign car
dealers carried several brands side by side.  European cars came in on the east
coast and could get to more of the population with fewer dealers.  And even
though European cars were not quite up to todays quality standards, they would
run with US traffic.
     Nissan concentrated on the west coast - less densely populated.  Mr. K did
not want his cars displayed with other makes; a Nissan dealer only sold Nissans.
The first Nissans and Toyotas to reach the us market were not capable of freeway
speeds and the brakes were worst!

And I am thankful for all that so I can now drive a rare car at bargain prices!

Paul
OROC

Special note to 'stickerman' :  That should make up for the penny I held back
yesterday!!