Datsun Roadster Information from Rallye Enterprises, Ltd.

Body Colors

ENGINE COLOR Most if not all of the G-15 engines and brackets were painted black. The R-16 and the U-20 came in a dark blue-green color. After recently seeing some original pictures of the elusive "turquois" color used on early 60's Datsuns I believe the later engines were painted either in the "Nissan Blue." or a color between the two. The turquoise used as a car color was much lighter than the turquoise or blue-green that was used on the engines. The "car-color" turquoise is similar (or identical) to the color found on some of the transmission shifter brackets. These two colors share a similarity in that something painted "Nissan Blue" and viewed indoors, looks like the color "Turquoise" viewed in the sunshine. Without an example of each part in your hand it can be difficult to be sure of which color you are looking at. Of course, it is possible that neither of these colors is "Turquoise" or "Nissan Blue." To photograph these colors we used a couple of parts that are new (circa 1967) and that were still wrapped or boxed to prevent light hitting the paint. I took photos both in the sunshine and indoors to give you an idea of what the parts may look like in your garage and outside. I then took the part and compared it to what the monitor was showing the color to be, and modified the color on the monitor to match the part. Every monitor shows colors at least slightly different, but this is about as close as we can get. (Sure beats trying to describe it to you on the phone!) I have found both new production and old production parts that use either of the colors. One person's "blue" is another's "green". In our 28 years of looking at roadsters and parts I've only seen two assembled new factory engines, and both of them were the darker of the darker turquoise. All of the new shortblocks I've seen came unpainted. Personally, I think these are hideous colors for an engine to live with. For you "originalophiles" you will probably hate this but LIVE A LITTLE! Competition orange, pink, basic black or RED! Or even a decent shade of BLUE will probably get you more complements than the where-did-you-get-that-color turquoise. Down inside the engine bay the turquoise looks very dark. "Turquoise", Viewed Indoors "Turquoise", Viewed in Sunlight "Turquoise", Viewed Indoors "Turquoise", Viewed in Sunlight "Nissan Blue", Viewed Indoors "Nissan Blue", Viewed in Sunlight UPHOLSTERY COLOR Black for most of the cars, but 65-70s that were painted white or black came with a red interior. This red was dark if viewed indoors and brighter in the sun. Some of the earlier 1500's could have come with red interior regardless of the exterior, even if it was sky blue! The 3-seater 1500's used a brighter red. 65-70 Red, Viewed Indoors 65-70 Red, Viewed in Sunlight