The Engine that Drove the Datsun Fairlady 1500

The name ‘Fairlady’ conjures up images of flying horses, astride Apollo’s racetrack. It also refers to a Southern chivalrous tradition – but that’s beside the point. As a famous song begins, ‘There’s a girl in New York City, who calls herself the human trampoline…’ The fair lady in this case is the Japanese Nissan Datsun 1500 SGL Coupe, known better as the Fairlady SGL 1500 (or Sports 1500). Announced in June 1962, it hit the market in Japan in that year’s November, and appeared in the US in 1964. With a selling price of $1,858 ($16,280 today), it boasted elegant lines by Albrecht Goertz, a 58hp four-cylinder engine, four-seating, English leather seating, and bucket seats, among other features. But that wasn’t all. By March 1964, the Fairlady SGL 1500 was also available with a $1,998 ‘SBC’ option ($17,320 today), packed with a 223bhp or 230bhp (depending on the model year) high-compressionsix-cylinder motor. It was the ‘SBC’ option that earned the Fairlady its reputation for raw, impersonal power. The question is: where did this power originate? What drove it? The engine that powered the Fairlady SGL 1500, and all of its variants except the ‘SBC’ option, was an established model of motor that debuted as a show car at the Akita air base in June 1959. This air base is located in Japan’s Akita Prefecture, 251 miles north of Tokyo, and served as one of the main locations for US air cavalry in the Home Islands. The new engine’s first exhibition emerged at a time when many of its spectators also attended another event, a sporting event that captivated the land on television, radio and in the daily press. It was the Tokyo Olympics of 1964.

To unearth the engine at the heart of the Datsan Fairlady 1500 is to excavate the layers of automotive history, in search of the beating heart that drove a legend. This is not about specifications, power or torque; it is about celebrating the engine that launched Nissan’s sports car heritage.

The Revival of a Legend: Understanding the E1 Engine

Unwrapping the E1: The Engine That Started It All

The miniature 1,186-cc E1 four-cylinder engine began its odyssey in 1961 and, despite being overshadowed by its successors, remains a testament to simple, dependable performance, one that kick-started a 10-year, three-engine dynasty.

From E1 to G-Type: The Evolution of Nissan's Engine Excellence

That transition from the first E1 to the introduction of that Type-G engine in the Datsun Fairlady 1500 was, like a beautiful girl on the outside, but cut and focused on the inside, truly a great leap. The E1 engine produced a grand total of 54 horsepower, which in comparison with the Type-G engine with its 1,488 cc displacement and dual carburetors – 79 horsepower! – shows Nissan was ready to make the leap.

The Engine That Redefined Sports Cars: The Type-G Engine

The Mechanics Behind the Magic: A Deep Dive into the Type-G Engine

In other words, the Type-G engine was not some ambiguous ‘four-cylinder, seven-twin’ engine as the UK press lied, but a work of art. Its cast-iron block and fettled S.U.-style carburetors in the fuel induction system comprises a work of precision engineering that harmonised durability with performance. It’s what endeared the Fairlady 1500 to the history of racing.

Power, Performance, and Prestige: The Legacy of the Type-G Engine

With the Type-G under its hood, the Datsun Fairlady 1500 didn’t just race. It roared across finish lines, winning races, and entering the annals of history as Japan’s first true sports car. The engine left its mark on the world beyond the track, making the Fairlady 1500 one of the most important Nissans of its day and setting the stage for its successors – the next generation of Nissan sports cars.

A Heritage of Innovation: From Fairlady to Z-Car

The Road from Fairlady 1500 to Z-Car: A Legacy Continued

In the development of the Z-cars from the Fairlady 1500 onwards, Nissan’s deep commitment is clear. The pioneering, raw spirit of the Type-G lives on in the high-powered modern engines that now grace the Nissan Z series. As a result of this blending of pioneering history with the future, today we are treated to exciting cutting-edge engines such as the new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre biturbo V6 being developed as the next generation top-spec direct-injection petrol power unit – a shining example of how creativity can feed on itself. The advantages of continuity are there for all to see.

The Z-Car Phenomenon: How the Fairlady 1500's Engine Redefined a Brand

The 2024 Nissan Z, with its twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 making 400 horsepower, does not break that lineage. Nor does it break the spirit of technological progress and innovation that the Type-G stood for. Rather, that ethos informs and continues to guide Nissan’s work on sports cars.

The E1 Engine: A Symbol of Start and a Legacy of Performance

In conclusion, the E1 engine may have been out-developed by its more powerful younger siblings. However, the development of the E1 and every step forward since in Nissan’s engines have set the benchmarks for the auto world. From the E1 to the Type-G, the cars and engines built by Nissan pushed the industry forward and the brand with it. In a proper circle, the past and present of technology meld together to form a way forward. For Datsun, it is a future where Fairladies meld with homegrown ingenuity, creating a path forward that seeks continuity respecting its past. The Datsun Fairlady 1500 is driven by the heart and ingenuity of the past. It carries the legacy of hard work and innovation into our technological present, a legacy that will endure.