Datsun 123 Truck

1956 123 Model

The Datsun 113 was in production from June 1956 through until September 1957.
Visually there is little to distinguish the Datsun 123 from the previous 122 model. Externally the only change is to the front indicators. The 122 had tall oval shaped indicators either side of the grille, on the 123 these have been replaced with very small round ones.

The only other difference between the 122 and the new 123 is the gearbox, but this represented a major change for the vehicle.
The 122 used a 4 speed floor change gearbox that was a copy of the unit used in the Austin A40 Somerset, which Nissan was building under licence at the time. For the 123 Nissan introduced their own gearbox, which was a column change 4 speed gearbox with synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th speeds.
The new Nissan designed gearbox was also 10kg lighter than the old Austin box.
The column shift was seen as a major benefit in the Asian markets, as it would allow for three people to be seated in the front bench seat, but three full-sized European/American bodies would never be able to be comfortably accomodated across a narrow Datsun.

The new Nissan designed gearbox was also 10kg lighter than the old Austin box.

The column shift was seen as a major benefit in the Asian markets, as it would allow for three people to be seated in the front bench seat, but three full-sized European/American bodies would never be able to be comfortably accomodated across a narrow Datsun.

The dashboard stayed essentially the same as the previous model, with only a slight alteration to accomodate the shaft of the column change that ran parallel to the steering column. The body featured a new floor, with a much lower transmission tunnel. It continued to use the 860cc D-10 side valve engine. All other mechanicals were identical to the previous 122.

The grille on the 123 remained the same as the one used on the 122, with 4 wide horizontal bars and a wide chrome vertical bar in the middle.

Model Variations

Datsun U123

The U123 was a double cab version of the 123 truck. It featured two rows of seats and a substantially smaller cargo area.

Datsun 123

The standard pickup model.

Datsun AV123

The AV123 was a delivery van version of the 123 truck. It was fitted with a single front bench seat and no rear seats. A 5 door wagon version of the 113 sedan was also made, which can be found on the Datsun 113 page.

Datsun 113 Sedan

The 123 truck was based on the same chassis and mechanicals as the Datsun 113 series, which included a sedan and a wagon. More information about these vehicles can be found in the Datsun 113 section.

1956 Datsun 123 Specifications

Length - 3742mm
Width - 1466mm
Height - 1612mm
Wheelbase - 2220mm
Weight - 840kg
Top speed - 85kph
Transmission - Floor change 4 speed

Engine Specifications

OHV 4 Cylinder
Model - D-10
Capacity - 860cc
Bore & Stroke 60x76mm
Power - 25bhp@4000rpm
Torque- 37ft/lb@2400rpm
Compression - 6.3 : 1
Carburettor - Hitachi Solex VA-26-2 26mm single throat downdraught
Final drive - 6.43:1

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