Kidney, Anyone?: 1974 Datsun 710 Race Car

Did you go to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this year and feel left out because you didn’t own a classic racer of your own? Did you also wonder if it was possible for the Datsun 710 to be desirable and cool? Well, this 1974 Datsun 710 race car is the answer to both of those questions. You now have a chance to get your own Datsun race car and it proves that the 710 is just as cool as any other Datsun.

This Datsun went live earlier this week on Bring-a-Trailer and we had our resident Datsun racing expert Glenn Chiou confirm that it is in fact an era correct racer, restored by Classic Datsun and with late 70s racing provenance. The seller includes several photocopies of its logbook. It raced in SCCA GT-2 in era with most of its pedigree at tracks around Quebec. Its numbering suggests that it was in the B Sedan category. The car was able to achieve 29 top-five finishes during its 57-race career. and won a GT-2 championship.

Overall the car appears to be very well maintained and features a number of cool period touches, like the rear windshield straps and that funky 1970s white, red and blue Datsun racing livery. The original team was able to secure Datsun factory backing for their racing campaign, which the paint job represents. It’s also worth noting that not only does the hood have pins in it, but so does the trunk; these are just cool little touches you don’t see on modern racers.

The seller has done mild modifications to the car with the addition of a front spoiler, new mirrors and a windshield. A previous listing for the car notes that the engine was rebuilt in 2012 and that the safety equipment is all up to spec, as of 2014. The car is still able to compete in vintage car racing, as it did during the 2018 RMMR races at Laguna Seca last year, so it’s safe to bet that all of the safety equipment is still within spec.

It also appears that the wheel color has changed over the winter. Also updated is a new dashboard with AutoMeter gauges in it. That’s a good thing, though; as cool as the original gauges look, it’s not worth getting a look at the internals of the engine scattered across the track if they failed to warn you of a pending catastrophe.

Around the rear wheels have over fenders showing a small scrape on them. Don’t expect a concours car, but rather a car that you can use for your own motorsport adventures. The car is remarkably well preserved otherwise and has clearly had all of the love and attention that it deserves.

The L18 engine has been modified to run on 110 octane leaded racing gasoline. It sports a set of large Solex 50mm side-draft carburetors, a FIA cylinder head, a tubular exhaust manifold, upgraded ignition and cooling systems, among other modifications. The list of engine modifications continues, but the result is 212.8 horsepower at 7,200 rpm through a CR ratio 5-speed racing transmission.

Underneath, the car looks flawless. The jackpoints and pinch welds appear to be well preserved, and even surface rust on the exhaust hardware is largely absent. This is a good sign that the car has lived a good life and has been well cared for.

See the full auction on Bring A Trailer for additional information. The auction ends on Tuesday May 14. if you do purchase this car, let us know in the comments and there might be some Japanese Nostalgic Car swag in your future.