Fully Refurbed To Better Than New!
We stumbled across this fully restored Datsun pickup truck at a local market event. Nick, the owner and builder, is a British expat who has already put over 30,000 km on it—and it still looks as good as the day it was built. In fact, it’s probably better built now than when it left the factory. 60s, 70s, and even 80s factory build quality could sometimes be “vague” at best. Not this one though. It has been completely rebuilt to a higher standard than ever. It’s a real testament to Nick’s skills and his obvious talent for doing things properly.
From the moment we walked up to this truck, it was clear it had been built right. The bodywork is perfectly straight, the paint finish is top quality, the engine bay immaculate, and even the hidden areas—like under the wheel arches—are spot on. When we see an old pickup where the bed is as clean as the outside panels, we know it’s a good one. And truthfully, there aren’t many this clean around anymore.
30,000km Later and Still Immaculate!
Nick sent us some build photos that really show how much work goes into bringing an older truck up to this level of quality. The effort was immense, but the results speak for themselves—and they were absolutely worth it.
Straight to the Eye
When a car fan scans their eyes down the side of an older vehicle and all the panels are perfectly straight, it’s a sure sign the rest of the build has been done properly. That’s exactly what we noticed the moment we first laid eyes on this one
Back to Bare Metal
Most repaints on older vehicles are done using the filler method—but not this one! It was taken right back to bare metal to ensure every last trace of rust was removed. From there, the panels were finished with only the absolute minimum filler required. It’s this meticulous approach that has kept the truck looking so clean, even after 30,000 km on Thai roads.
The Heavy Work
When we see these kinds of photos from the owner, we can only imagine the hours of hard, dirty preparation work that went into it—done in the brutal Isaan heat, no less. Hats off to Nick
Foam and Family
