Sold Dollywobbler's Bluebird - Buy an award winner! £SOLD

[D Spares & Tyres]

I remember these as a kid and though those vents by the back light were great... I used to draw cars a lot and for a while they all had those vents....

[Felly Magic]

Really am wishing you good luck with this Ian, looks a nice roomy engine bay to work in

[dollywobbler]

Incredible to think that I have two cars on my driveway, both launched in 1986, and both British-built. Yet only one looks like it's from the 1980s...

 

Incidentally, 1986 was also the year my 2CV was built. Remember when car buyers actually had a choice? 

[Jim Bell]

Lovely. What are the louvres at the rear actually for?

[junkyarddog]

Front. The previous U11 was RWD.

 

 

 

No,U11's are FWD.

The previous model built up to '84 was RWD though.

[dollywobbler]

No,U11's are FWD.

The previous model built up to '84 was RWD though.

 

Good point! See? That's how confusing things are.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Lovely. What are the louvres at the rear actually for?

 

to enable kidnapped prostitutes to breath in the boot

[Jim Bell]

to enable kidnapped prostitutes to breath in the boot

But theyre already dead. Inside.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Lovely. What are the louvres at the rear actually for?

Impressing 8 year old boys

[junkyarddog]

Good point! See? That's how confusing things are.

Not really,the U11 went from '84-86,the T12 86-88 T72 88-90 then the Primera replaced the Bluey line.

[dollywobbler]

Not really,the U11 went from '84-86,the T12 86-88 T72 88-90 then the Primera replaced the Bluey line.

 

Yes, but the T12 wasn't a Bluebird at all, the U12 was, but it wasn't sold here. Neither of those were available as an estate, so the U11 kept going until 1990. Then the Primera took over, only the estate version of that was actually a Japanese-built Avenir. Easy!

[hairnet]

pervs

 

ps driveway - no track

[UmBongo]

Lovely. What are the louvres at the rear actually for?

 

To give us something to think about 30 years on.

 

Crazy Japanese designers.

[PhilA]

I liked both mine. Original exhaust was abysmal. About as free breathing as a terminal asthmatic. Replaced with a standard Bosal steel exhaust from the flexi back for sixty quid. Set the tappets up, get the timing spot on and even with the Nikki carb (twin barrel woo) they're frugal and moderately rapid.

 

Well specced car for the price. Enjoy!

 

Phil

[Spottedlaurel]

It would appear that I saw this very Bluebird near Milton Keynes back in July 2013. Don't think I got a photo, but it must have been when I was regularly visiting somewhere over that way for work back then.

 

The vents just ahead of the rear light were a carryover from the previous-gen Stanza T11 (which, as DW notes above, is actually what 'our' Bluebird followed-on from).

 

1983 Datsun Stanza 1.6GL (T11), April 2002 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Although it was only the 5dr hatchback that had them, T11 saloons and 3dr hatchbacks didn't. Nissan obviously felt it was an exciting feature that should be carried-on and would entertain people on a beige and brown car forum in the future.

[junkyarddog]

It is interesting to wonder why Nissan chose to split the Blubird into two seperate model lines,

the U12/T12.

Maybe something to do with setting up the UK factory,and cost cutting?

[dollywobbler]

Well, the T12 was built in Japan too, though it's hard to see why. The Auster (T12) would have been a direct competitor with the Japanese Bluebird (U12).

 

Anyway, I'm starting to wonder about the standard of the MOTs on this car...

 

As Giffer Mods go, that's my new benchmark! A mountaineering clip held to the broken seatbelt bracket with insulation tape. QUALITY.

[bramz7]

Do all the windows open? My OAP spec BX estate has one sealed with sealant and another has all the buttons taped over....

[dollywobbler]

Do all the windows open? My OAP spec BX estate has one sealed with sealant and another has all the buttons taped over....

 

Yes, they appear to operate perfectly. The sunroof looked like it had never been opened, but is fine. Everything feels nicely robust, in a way a Daimler doesn't. That's not great is it?

 

As for the seatbelt, it failed the MOT in 2012! So it's been passing in that state since then. The mind boggles...

[dollywobbler]

Still a while until I can start work on the engine, but have started soaking the manifold studs and nuts ahead of time.

[dollywobbler]

I also forgot to mention that the delivery driver had been stopped and someone tried buying the car from him!

[dollywobbler]

In other news, this door was attached to the delivery truck. But what car is it from?

[Vince70]

I'm going Ford could it be a Granada MK1 door but I'm not 100% as handle doesn't look right.

 

My Uncle had a boggo spec Bluebird hatchback new as he was to tight to pay out for a LX ( I think it was called a premium) and it never put a foot wrong in the 12 years he owned it.

I think the at the time you could get a fantastic trade in deal on your old car and he parted his MK3 cortina estate in for it and I was amazed anyone would take it let alone pay for the car as it was just pop riveted plate and isopon and had only been fit for the scrap yard 10 years previous.

 

Another uncle of mine had the earlier model bluebird which he adored as it was his only car he bought new and he kept that for 15 years and when he sold it there was a queue as it was still as new and had only done about 30000 miles and it replaced an orange Datsun called a 180 if I remember but I never did see another on the road.

 

I remember my dad buying his Austin Ambassdor at the same time and after that motor my dad could see why everyone was going over to jap cars.

[dollywobbler]

A common thought, but no. 

[John F]

Dunno why, but it looks like it could come from a big '70s Opel to me...

 

I'm probably wrong though.

[dollywobbler]

You're both in the right country...

[Vince70]

Volkswagen K70

[barefoot]

Did you know that the K70 shared it's doors with the RO80?

[Eddie Honda]

So, the final resort. Shiply. Buy £300 car, spend £227 getting it delivered. What a WINNAH!

 

FTFY

[Junkman]

Did you know that the K70 shared it's doors with the RO80?

Did you know that it actually did not?

However, the VW K70 is an NSU development.