Datsun DA

The first post-war vehicle built was the Datsun 1121, which was a small truck based on the pre-war Datsun 17T truck. This went into production in August 1946. Just over a year later, in November 1947, the first passenger car since the war entered production. This model was called the Datsun DA.

The Datsun DA was a very, very basic vehicle. It was based on the 1121 truck, which used the chassis and mechanicals of the Datsun 17T, but with a new body. The body itself was crude and rough, it was little more than a 1121 truck with a rough sedan body grafted onto it. All the beautiful ornate details of the pre-war models was gone. Chrome was impossible to get, so none was used. The complex grille of the pre-war model was replaced with a sheet of steel with holes punched in it.

At the time the DA was introduced it had a very squared off flat back panel. Towards the end of it's production run the rear of the car was redesigned, and has a much rounder shape with was very similar to the back of the Datsun DS model that was built after the DA. The bonnet and engine cover design for the DA were carried over from the Datsun 17T truck, and not from the 17 sedan. The 17 sedan had a horizontal line of vents along the side of the engine cover, while the 17T truck had a series of near vertical vents, which is what the DA used.

The engine used was the old pre-war Datsun type 7 engine, with was a 722cc side valve four cylinder that produced 16hp. All of the other mechanicals remained unchanged as well.

The Datsun DA may have been a rather crude and austaire little car, and was only in production for less than a year, but it was an important first step in the return to proper passenger car production. The Datsun DA was in production from November 1947 until mid 1948. It was replaced with the Datsun DS.