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Tanks rolling in Africa - Safari Datsun 1800 SSS E test

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Created on June 1, 1973

Reading time 7min

Written by:

Herbert Völker

Photos:

Nissan Motor Company

8

Nissan Motor Company

8

Datsun Bluebird 1800 SSS-E (1973) - Platz 2 für Harry Kallström an der 21. East Africa Safari Rallye

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Datsun 1800 SSS-E (Bluebird U 610) (1973) - mit Startnummer 9 auf den zweiten Platz an der 21. East Africa Safari Rallye

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Datsun 1800 SSS (1973) - an der 21. East African Safari Rallye belegt Kallström zeitgleich mit dem siegreichen 240 Z von Mehta den zweiten Platz

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Datsun 1800 SSS (1973) - an der 21. East African Safari Rallye fährt Kallström den schweren Viertürer auf den zweiten Platz

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Datsun 1800 SSS (1973) - an der 21. East African Safari Rallye - Harry Kallström erreichte überraschenderweise den 2. Platz

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Datsun 1800 SSS (1973) - an der 21. East African Safari Rallye

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Datsun 1800 SSS (1973) - an der 21. East African Safari Rallye - Harry Kallström erreichte überraschenderweise den 2. Platz, zeitgleich mit Mehta auf dem 240 Z

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Datsun Bluebird (1974) - Safari Rallye

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Summary

The Datsun 1800 SSS E, which only failed to win the 21st East African Safari in 1973 due to a special feature of the regulations, but came second at the same time as a thoroughbred racing car, was not actually a hot car. Herbert Völker tested the fourth-placed rally car, which reminded him of a tank, for Auto Revue at the time. This report reproduces the original wording of the now 40-year-old test report and shows the car in contemporary archive photos.

This article contains the following chapters

On the road in the rally car
Descended from the Bluebird series
Everything is secret
Fuel-injected engine with anti-rally characteristics
Not really fast
Strong vibrations
Everything there
Solidly built to be strong
Steering wheel artistry
Severe understeer
Modest appearance
Getting through as the highest maxim

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Two years ago, after the Safari, I drove the winning car, a Datsun 240 Z. I was quite impressed by the car's handling qualities and performance, which also won this year's Safari in almost unchanged form, although the drivers were of the opinion that the car was no longer quite competitive and that Datsun would soon be taking a creative break from the sport. After this year's safari (editor's note: 21st East African Safari Rally of 1973), I was naturally interested in the car that would have won by a hair's breadth, which would have beaten the comparatively belligerent 240 Z despite its completely bland appearance: the four-door 1800 SSS-E saloon.

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