Remember your heritage Datsun!

To Americans in 1958, Japan was thought of a country that produced cheap transistor radios and toys. But this was about to change when Nissan Motor Company decides to set foot on American soil and sell a couple of automobiles under the Datsun brand. 50 years later and still chugging along, Nissan/Datsun has grown and taken its share of the automobile market. This long history leads me to Murrieta, California which is hella far from the comforts of Los Angeles, but is the location of the Datsun Heritage Museum. September 12-14 was the grand opening of the museum to the public. I opted to see this museum on the first day of it’s opening on Friday the 12th. Located in a nondescript building in an industrial area of Murrieta, kinda reminds of the Toyota Museum. Coinciding with the celebration of the grand opening, will be the be the birthday Yutaka Katayama aka Mr. K, El Presidente of Nissan U.S.A. What an awesome present. Happy Birthday Katayama san!

Upon entering we are greeted in a small office area, but the sign above the door says it all.

In the back is a warehouse where all the vehicles and memorabilia are housed.

It wouldn’t be a Datsun Museum without their most widely known vehicle, the infamous Z.

There was also an ultra rare, if not the only one in America, 1936 Datsun Phaeton. It’s amazing well it’s preserved. It’s even sporting Yokohama tires.

A very clean Nissan Patrol.

Which is even sporting Takata belts.


In this ad Roy Rogers, aka King of the Cowboys, owned one. As a kid, I used to watch reruns of black and white tv series.

The last 300ZX has also found its home at the museum.

Mr. K making sure no one steals his stuff or he'll cut you!

A real RHD Bluebird for all you hardcore JDM geeks. Though I would have to say the Phaeton would be the ultimate JDM cause no one can get it, unless you got some real cash.

There were many bits of memorabilia history here.

Though I’m not sure why this Zoom-Zoom button is here. I think that was a another automobile company slogan, which shall not be mentioned. But they make engines that go roundy round.

It would be cool if they had some captions on their pictures. I’m sure they have a story of their own to tell.

A small library is available if you ever need to do some research on your favorite Datsun.

Even if you don’t own a Nissan it’s definitely an interesting place to visit. For all you Nissan/Datsun owners, here is your mecca. To learn more please visit their website.

For the rest of the pics click.