WORDS: JADEN MARTIN PHOTOS: NZ PERFORMANCE CAR19
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PAYING THE ULTIMATE RESPECT TO ‘OLD CAR’
STYLING WITH A PERIOD-CORRECT DATSUN 1600O
ld cars (kyusha in Japanese) have carved out a rather
special space within the automotive community.
Despite being the earliest generation in a long list
of rapid automotive development over the last few
decades — which typically means that they’re slower,
poorer handling, less reliable, and more dangerous — old cars not
only continue to exist today but also to thrive. Why? Automakers
don’t make ’em like they used to. Back when most of those that can
be considered kyusha were designed, it was an analogue world. A
designer’s strongest tool was the pencil, and endless sheets of paper
were sacrificed in the pursuit of perfection. That physical connection
allowed them to craft elegant shapes, perfect flowing lines, and sharp
panel terminations that are simply impossible to replicate behind a
keyboard. Metal framework and wooden bucks directly influenced
styling cues, and panels were stitched together by human hands, not
robotic arms repeating precoded instructions.