The Datsun DB-4 was a four door sedan
that replaced the two door Datsun DB-2 in 1951. No DB-3 model was built,
the numbering system instead went from the DB-2 straight to the DB-4. The
DB-2 was a 2 door and the DB-4 is a 4 door, but the model naming has nothing
to do with the number of doors they had as they followed this car with
the DB-5 and DB-6, neither of which has 5 or 6 doors.
The DB-4 was built on a slightly longer chassis than the previous DB-2
to give it extra space for the four door body. The front of the car remains
largely unchanged except for the grille, but everything from the firewall
back is all new. The shape of the windscreen opening has been changed,
and the glass now has curved edges rather than the straight edged glass
on the previous model. The rear windscreen is fairly narrow, on the later
DB-5 and DB-6 models there rear windscreen is much wider and wraps around
the side of the rear pillar, coming within about three inches of the rear
door opening. At the front the grille design is significantly different.
Instead of having a set of chrome plated horizontal bars like the previous
model, the DB-4 now has a pressed steel grille that is painted the same
colour at the rest of the car. The grille now incorporates a pair of indicators.
Above the grille there is a wide chrome and red strip with the Datsun name
in the middle. A large round badge sits above that.
The DB-4 continues to use the 722cc 20hp Type 7 side valve
engine. It was replaced with the more powerful Datsun DB-5 in 1953. |
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