The Datsun 520 was the compact half-ton pickup Nissan built from May 1965 to May 1968, when a facelift turned it into the 521. Simple, cheap and tough, the 521 was the first compact half-ton pickup sold in the United States, and it prepared the ground for the far more successful 620.
Datsun 520 at a glance
| Maker | Nissan (Datsun), Japan |
|---|---|
| 520 production | May 1965 – May 1968 |
| 521 production | June 1968 – 1972 |
| Bodies | single cab, long-wheelbase single cab, double cab, delivery van |
| Engines | 1.3 L J13 (67 hp), 1.5 L J15 (77 hp), later 1.6 L L16 (95 PS) |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual, column shift |
| Top speed | about 125 km/h with the 1.3 |
| Rear axle | solid, leaf-sprung |
| Badges | Datsun 1300, 1500 or 1600 on the front wings |
| Model codes | 520 and L520, G520 long wheelbase, U520 double cab, V520 van |
| Replaced by | Datsun 620, from 1972 |
History of the Datsun 520
The 520 replaced the Datsun 320 in May 1965 and used the new 1.3-litre Nissan J13 engine, which gave 67 hp and pushed the truck to roughly 125 km/h through a four-speed, column-shifted gearbox. The 420 designation that should have come next was skipped, because it sounds like the Japanese word for rude or impolite. Cars built in 1965 and 1966 had a single headlamp on each side; from 1967 the 520 was redesigned with quad headlamps.
Four body styles were listed: the single-cab 520, with an L520 left-hand-drive version, the long-wheelbase G520, the double-cab U520 and the delivery van V520. The letter G marked the long-wheelbase models. Front-wing badges read “Datsun 1300”, a grille emblem simply saying “D” was added in 1966, and late in 1967 the truck received a slightly changed chrome grille with a distinct frame. Larger 1.5 and 1.6-litre engines were also offered.
In June 1968 the facelifted 521 arrived with a so-called flat-deck style: a flattened bonnet and front wings and a new grille. It used the J13 or the larger J15 of 77 hp, and later the 95 PS L16, always with a solid rear axle. From the front a 520 looks much like a Datsun 410 or 411, because the two share most of their sheet metal. Van and double-cab versions continued as the V521 and U521.
The 521 was the first compact half-ton pickup sold in the American market, in 1968, and it carried badges reading “Datsun 1300”, “Datsun 1500” or “Datsun 1600” depending on the engine. It stayed in production until 1972, when the more modern 620 took over. In 1968 Nissan also began to share the heavier end of the market with the Cabstar, a cab-over truck built on the chassis of the third-generation Nissan Junior.
Design and features
- Half-ton payload: a small truck built for work, with a simple leaf-sprung rear axle.
- Quad headlamps: fitted to the 520 from 1967.
- Flat-deck facelift: the 521’s flattened bonnet and new grille.
- Several bodies: single and double cabs, a long-wheelbase version and a van.
- American breakthrough: the 521 was the first compact half-ton pickup sold in the US.
Datsun 520 versions
- 520 (1965–1968): the original, with single headlamps and later quad lamps.
- 521 (1968–1972): the flat-deck facelift with J13, J15 or L16 engines.
- G520 and G521: long-wheelbase versions.
- V520 and V521: delivery vans.
The 520 followed the earlier Datsun truck line and was replaced by the Datsun 620. More models are in the Datsun collection.
Sources
- Datsun truck, English Wikipedia: 520 and 521 history, engines, body codes
- Datsun 520, German Wikipedia: production years, engine output, top speed
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