The previous model Nissan 80 truck
was less than successful for Nissan. The 80, which was an American Graham
Paige truck design built by Nissan, failed to be durable enough for the
rigours of military use and suffered reliability issues, mainly in it's
undercarriage. The production of the 80 ended in 1941, by which time Japan
was under military control.
The replacement for the Nissan 80 would
be a very different truck, and a design Nissan had forced upon them by
the military. From 1941 onwards Nissan were required to build a standardised
specification truck, which was a more conventional long bonnet type truck.
This truck was little more than a copy of the American 1937 Chevrolet truck,
with a more basic grille design. At the same time Toyota were required
to build exactly the same truck in their factory. Toyota's version of this
truck would be called the Toyota GB, and Nissan's would be called the Nissan
180. The major difference between the two trucks would be the mechanicals.
Toyota would use it's own engine and gearbox on it's GB, while Nissan would
continue to use it's type A 3670cc 85hp side valve 6 cylinder engine, which
was the old Graham Paige engine used in the Nissan 80 truck. Whilst the
steering and suspension on the old Nissan 80 may have been unreliable,
the engine was fine, and would serve the 180 well. Rather confusingly,
Toyota's engine was also called the type A, though it was smaller, at 3389cc
and only produced 62hp.
The Nissan 180 was in production from
1941 until January 1952, and it changed considerably during it's long production
run. The first ones to roll off the production line were a rather nicely
finished truck. Most of the design was pretty much the same as the Chevrolet
truck, but the Nissan 180 had a grille that was a semi-cylindrical shaped
pressed steel panel with thirteen horizontal slots, where the Chevrolet
had a much more ornate chrome plated grille. As the war drew on steel was
becoming increasingly harder to find, and as a result they started to leave
off any panels deemed unnecessary, including engine covers, bonnets, side
steps, and even guards. Eventually the supply of steel became critical
and Nissan began to build the majority of the cabin and body section from
timber.
After the end of hostilities Nissan
restarted production again building the original version of the Nissan
180. By the end of the 1940s most materials were available in Japan again,
and for the final few years the 180 sported a bold chrome plated grille
with a Nissan badge cast into the top bar.
At the time the 180 went into production
a bus version was also built, designated the Nissan 190. The 190 bus was
built up until 1949 when it was replaced by the Nissan 290 bus. No Nissan
280 model truck was built, the 180 was followed by the 380 in January 1952. |
A sales brochure for the Nissan 180
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1941
Nissan 180 Specifications
Length - 5895mm
Width - 2000mm
Height - 2005mm
Wheelbase - 4724mm
Weight - 2631kg
Top speed - 75kph
Transmission - 4 speed Floor
change |
Engine
Specifications
Model - A
SV 6 Cylinder
Capacity - 3670cc
Bore & Stroke 82x114mm
Power - 85hp@3400rpm
Torque- unknown
Compression - 5.7 : 1
Carburettor - unknown
Final Drive - 6.167:1 |
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