Datsun Sports / Roadster History

Datsun's Fairlady-based sports roadster, known in the US as the Datsun 1500, 1600, and finally 2000, was produced through the 1960s and gave Nissan its first taste of sports-car success in North America. The SPL/SRL series shared mechanical roots with the Bluebird sedan but wore a traditional open-top body.

The most capable version, the Datsun 2000 (SR311, US code SRL311), launched in early 1967 with a 2.0-liter twin-cam engine producing around 135 hp and a five-speed manual — uncommon for a production car of the era. It outpaced the contemporary MGB and racked up ten national SCCA championships across the roadster line before production ended in 1970 as the 240Z arrived to take the sports-car torch.