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1966 Datsun Sunny B10
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With the introduction of each new model the Datsun Bluebird slowly grew in size until it could no longer be regarded as a small car anymore. By 1966 Nissan were well underway with their plans for the 510 series Bluebird, which would be larger again than the 410 series. Nissan recognised that in their quest to build bigger cars to appeal to the export markets they were in danger of loosing their share of the small car market on which their success was built.
  The answer to this dilemma was the B10 series Datsun Sunny. The Sunny was introduced in April 1966, and at first was available only as a two door sedan, but later in it's life the range would expand to include a four door sedan, a wagon, a panel van, a pickup and a fastback coupe. The B10 was sold in Japan and most of Asia as the Datsun Sunny, but in most other countries it was sold as the Datsun 1000. The Sunny name was chosen by a contest that Nissan held in 1966. Over eight million entries were received and the name was announced 19 February 1966 at the Sendagaya Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
 The B10 Sunny was a very quaint and stylish little car, many of the styling features and crisp lines were reminiscent of Nissan's CSP311 Silvia coupe, which had gone on sale the year before. The car featured very large windscreens for a car of it's size, which when combined with it's delicate and thin roof pillars, gave the car a light and airy look. The inside of the car was fairly basic, though reasonably well presented. The lower section of the dashboard was painted the same colour as the body, and on top of that was a black padded dash top.
The first model Sunny B10 had a grille that featured seven horizontal bars and three vertical bars. The grille had a tall and narrow shield shaped emblem in the middle with a D in the centre. The tail lights on this model are a rectangular shape situated horizontally. The layout of the tail light has a stop light, then a reversing light and then an indicator.
 The second version of the B10 Sunny came out in 1968. Everything on this car was pretty much the same as the 1966 model except for it's grille. The grille on this model has four wide horizontal bars, each with two thin horizontal bars between them. It also had 19 vertical bars. There is a wide and short shield shaped emblem in the middle of the grille. In countries were it was sold as a Sunny there is an S in the emblem, in countries where it was sold as a 1000 it has a D. The second version uses the same tail lights as the 1966 model.
 The third and final version has a different grille again. This grille has three wide horizontal bars, and each of these bars has a thin bar above and below it. The tail lights on this model are different. The layout of the tail light has an indicator, then a stop light and then a reversing light.
In countries were the B10 was sold as a Sunny the badges on the side say Sunny, and on the back the badge says Sunny 1000. In countries were it was sold as a 1000, the badges on the side and back say Datsun. DeLuxe versions of all cars have a shield under the side badge that says deLuxe and a rectangular deLuxe badge under the rear badge. 
 Mechanically the B10 was interesting. Bizarrly for a late 1960s vehicle, it used an ancient transverse leaf spring front suspension design. This was an odd throwback in design, as every other passenger car since the turn of the decade had a much more modern independant front suspension design. The engine used was the new Nissan A10 engine, which was a 988cc pushrod 4 cylinder engine that produced 62hp. The A series engine was an all new engine based loosly on the old E series "Stone" engine, but vastly improved, with it's alloy head and four intake ports. The A series engine was a little gem, it was smooth, it reved way past 6000rpm, and most importantly it was totally reliable. These little engines are virtually indestructable.
 The Datsun Sunny B10 was in production from April 1966 to January 1970. It was replaced by the Datsun Sunny B110, also known as the Datsun 1200.
A sales brochure for the 1969 Datsun Sunny B10
 
A sales brochure for the Automatic version
1966 Datsun Sunny B10 Specifications  
Length - 3800mm   
Width - 1445mm   
Height - 1345mm   
Wheelbase - 2280mm   
Weight - 625kg  
Top speed - 135kph

Final drive - 4.11:1
Engine Specifications 
Model - A10
OHV 4 Cylinder
Capacity - 988cc  
Bore & Stroke - 72x59mm  
Power - 62hp@6000rpm
Torque - 61ft/lb@4000rpm
Compression - 8.5 : 1
Transmission - Floor change 4 speed 
 
Model Variations
 
Datsun Sunny B10 - 1966 
The first model Sunny B10 had a grille that featured seven horizontal bars and three vertical bars. 
 
Datsun Sunny B10 - 1968  
The 1968 version of the B10 Sunny came out in 1968. Everything on this car was pretty much the same as the 1966 model except for it's grille. The grille on this model has four wide horizontal bars, each with two thin horizontal bars between them. It also had 19 vertical bars. 
Datsun Sunny B10 - 1969  
The 1969 version has a different grille again. This grille has three wide horizontal bars, and each of these bars has a thin bar above and below it.
Datsun Sunny B10 Two Door Sedan 
The two door sedan has front bucket seats that tilted forwards to allow access to the back seat. The two door sedan is the most common of the B10 series.
Datsun Sunny B10 Four Door Sedan 
Later in the production run a four door sedan was also added to the range.
Datsun Sunny KB10 Coupe 
In 1969 the beautiful little coupe was added to the B10 Sunny range. It had the same 988cc OHV 4cyl. A10 engine as the sedan but with 66hp, thanks to a bigger carb and different cam. Only in production for a year and a half, it was replaced in May 1970 by the blander KB110 Sunny Coupe. 

More information about the coupe can be found on the Datsun KB10 page.
Datsun Sunny B20 Pickup 
A pickup based on the B10 was introduced in 1967, called the B20. More information about this vehicle can be found on the Datsun B20 page.
Datsun Sunny VB10 Van  
A delivery van version was also actually introduced at the same time as the original Datsun B10 sedan, in 1966, a year before the B20. It had a rear seat that folded down to give it a full length flat floor. Nissan seemed to be unsure about how to market this vehicle and they constantly altered their description of it. Some years it was sold as a commercial vehicle and it was marketed as a delivery van, at other times it was sold as a passenger car 3 door station wagon. The reality is that it did both jobs equally well.
Datsun Sunny B110  
The B20 ended production in February 1971 and was replaced with the Datsun B120. The B120 had the 1171cc 70hp Nissan A12 engine. This vehicle continued in production for a staggering 37 years, with production finally ending in 2007.
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