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Under the 1936 Automobile Manufacturing
Industry Law, which was designed to protect and nurture the automobile industry,
Nissan Motor Company acquired designs for large passenger cars and production
facilities from the Graham Paige Corporation of the United States. Starting in
1937, the Nissan 70 model was manufactured and sold. Initially, only sedans were
produced, but later a convertible was also manufactured, and a total of about
5,500 units of both types were produced. |
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Today the name Datsun is associated
with a Nissan small truck series. Datsun has been a familiar Nissan brand small
car for more than 50 years since its creation in 1932. Two years later Datsun
became the first automobile in Japan to be mass produced using conveyor belts.
In 1932, production was only 150 vehicles, but it peaked in 1937 at more than
8,000 vehicles. Until voluntary restraints were imposed on production, the Datsun
series was a best seller with production including trucks exceeding 36,000 vehicles.
This Model 16 was launched in 1937. The sales price at the time was ¥2,100. |
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The first front-wheel-drive car in
Japan is believed to be the Roland, manufactured in 1931 by renowned motorcycle
rider Kazuo Kawamada. An improved model, the Tsukuba, was produced by Tokyo Jidosha
Seizo for three years starting in 1935. It came in three body types-(sedan, hooded
wagon, and truck) and about 130 units were manufactured. The car was named after
Mt. Tsukuba in the Kanto area.
[Loaned by Mr. Masatoshi Omura] |
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