Nissan President

1965 - 150 Series

The Nissan President is a huge car by Early Datsun standards. At over 5 metres long it is just 1/2 a metre shorter than a Cadillac Eldorado from the same year. Combine that sheer size with it's 4 litre V8 engine and you end up with the biggest, fastest, most powerful and most expensive Nissan built up 'till that point in time.

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The Nissan President 150 was released in October 1965, and it replaced the 50 series Nissan Cedric Special, which was the long wheel base six cylinder version of the standard Cedric. The President was a bold and dramatic design, much lower and significantly longer than the Cedric Special, it was an imposing sight, especially on the streets of 1965 Japan, where a Bluebird was still considered a reasonably big car. It's styling could best be described as being cosmopolitan, it looked almost as if you had got an Italian to design a Lincoln. In the true American tradition, the President has chrome everywhere. It had big wrap-around chrome bumpers, it had huge chrome sill covers, an ornate chrome grille, chrome window frames, chrome strips, chrome mirrors, badges, handles, hubcaps, trim pieces, there was chrome everywhere. If it could be unbolted from the car it was chrome plated.

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Inside the car it was pure opulence. There were a few different trim levels, but the majority of the cars sold were in what was called "Spec-D", which was the "Full Power Equipment" specification. This meant that you got electrically operated seats, power windows, twin air conditioners, central door locking, lights everywhere, leather upholstery, remote control auto-tuning radio, and lots more. Just like the exterior, there was chrome everywhere. A "Spec-C" version was also built that didn't have the Full Power Equipment package.

Just like the exterior of the car, the engine bay was impressive as well, as it housed what was then the biggest Japanese passenger car engine ever built. The engine was the new Nissan Y40, which was a 3983cc OHV 90 degree V8 which produced 178hp, and did so with whisper quietness and was almost completely vibration free. I have sat in a President and you can't tell that the engine is actually running. All V8 Presidents had a 3 speed automatic transmission.

A "Spec-B" version was also available, which was fitted with the H30 OHV inline 6 cylinder engine carried over from the 50 series Cedric Special. This engine was 2974cc in size and produced 130hp. This version also had the 3 speed auto. The "Spec-A" version had the H30 engine mated to a 3 speed column change manual gearbox.

 The Nissan President 150 was in production from October 1965 until August 1973. During that time very little changed. In 1971 the outside mirrors were moved closer to the front of the car and the location of the windscreen wipers were altered to increase the area of the screen they swept. The 150 was replaced by the President 250 series in 1973, which had a larger 4.4 litre V8. The 250 was replaced by the HG50 series President, which was also sold as the Infiniti Q45.

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Model Variations

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Nissan President 6 Cylinder Version

Fitted with the 2974cc H30 series engine.

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Nissan President V8 Version

Fitted with the Y40 3983cc engine.

1965 Nissan President Specifications

Length - 5045mm
Width - 1795mm
Height - 1460mm
Wheelbase - 2850mm
Weight - 1625kg
Top speed - 185kph
3 speed Borg Warner Auto
Final Drive - 3.15:1

6 Cyl. Engine Specifications

OHV 6 Cylinder
Model - H30
Capacity - 2974cc
Bore & Stroke 87x83mm
Power - 120bhp@4400rpm
Torque- 22.5kg-m@2800rpm
Compression - 8.2 : 1
Carburettor - Hitachi VCB-42-1 dual throat down draught

V8 Engine Specifications

OHV 90deg. V8
Model - Y40
Capacity - 3983cc
Bore & Stroke 92x75mm
Power - 178bhp@4800rpm
Torque- 221ft/lb@3200rpm
Compression - 9.0 : 1
Carburettor - Hitachi KHA-342-IE dual throat down draught

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