My Eleanor is the one that got away. It’s the one I didn’t even know I wanted until I couldn’t have it. It’s a 1969 Datsun 510 wagon. It’s that stupid little white hoonwagon that I now have an unhealthy obsession for.
An obsession that spans craigslist ads in 4 states, Ebay and various want-ads. Turns out 510 wagons are extremely hard to find, at least in my neck of the woods. I mean you can find them but most are either rolling rust-buckets full of parts or heavily modified drift monsters. Sure this one needs a fair amount of work. It has rust here and there, the interior is shot and there are probably an unhealthy amount of miles on the clock, but this little guy is the perfect place to start with a project.
The more I thought about this car (and going to egg the guys house for not returning my calls) the more I realised that I had actually spent a significant portion of my youth in a similar 510 and somehow forgotten about it. Growing up, my best friend’s mother had a faded grey wagon with a monster front bumper and she took us everwhere in it. What I wouldn’t give to know what she did with it. 
And so the search continues, someday I will have my Eleanor.
What's Your Eleanor? – Jo Schmo edition
About
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A meticulously maintained, garage kept, unmolested, red with tan leather E30 318is 2 door coupe. It had about 220k on it but you couldnt tell. The owner was a friend who is a BMW technician.
He actually called me to let me know he was going to sell it because he just picked up an E46. I stupidly let it pass and kept my stupid Grand Marquis that I had literally just purchased….
FML. -
The 197? BMW 2002 (or 1600) my sister offered me when I was 18. Redish paint one orange door manual gearbox. It still hurts me to think about it.
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So it did sell? Blast! Well, keep your chin up, buddy, down a cocktail in its memory, and continue the search. The allure of our Eleanor only grows stronger with time, struggle, and dedication to the cause.
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Let's just say that with the exception of the initial email to the guy, I haven't heard back.
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That. Sucks. I'm sorry, man.
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These little 510s have always tempted me. My dad had one before they adopted me, and traded it in on a brand new VW Rabbit for my mom at about the same time; so if I saw it, I was too young to remember. But I do remember the little Datsun pickup he had that rusted right through the front fenders, and somehow they've remained connected in my mind. I want one, and i want one just like that. Well, I'd be okay with buying a drift monster, actually.
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I would settle for a drift monster as well but the typical prices are well out of my budget.
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Well Jo, take solace in the fact that the one pictured also appears to be a bit of a rustbucket, and there's gotta be one in a garage somewhere that's been loved and cherished, just waiting for the day that you're ready to take it on. Don't worry, bro, sometimes things just work themselves out. You will find your dreamwagon.
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Wow. That's an awesome choice man, but I can't remember the last time I've ever seen one. Consider another set of eyes on the hunt for you though… can't promise I'll troll the nets for one but I'll look a little extra close at the lots around here for you from now on.
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Not sure where you are or what your budget is but check out craiglook.com
http://craiglook.com/cars.html?q=datsun+510+wagon
Good Luck-
Hey, Schmo, there's one in Flagstaff! Quick, send coupeZ600 five hundred bucks and have him get it for you! Go down and get it in the spring.
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I noticed this in one of them: "4spd, tranny"
As in, two separate items? That's, um, interesting.
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Sounds like my 1500cc 1968 VW Beetle. I sold it for $3500 a couple years ago and now wish I had that instead of the '05 MINI with 123,000 miles after 5 years. At least if the engine and/or tranny blew up on the VW it wouldn't cost me 5 large like it would with the CVT non-S I have now. Hindsight is always 20/20.
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you sold it and didn't tell ME!!! Ahhhhh! I could use a 68 in the collection…sigh
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