Peter Brock is loved throughout the world of motor racing for many different reasons. Chevrolet fans adore him for penning the initial sketch of what eventually became the striking 1963 Corvette Stingray, Ford enthusiasts respect him for transforming the Shelby Cobra into the Cobra Daytona Coupé, which became the first American car to win the FIA’s GT World Championship, while Datsun devotees will never forget his Brock Racing Enterprises team and, in particular, the number 46 BRE 510 race car.
This little coupé somehow destroyed the much-fancied superstars of small-saloon racing such as BMW, Fiat, Volvo and defending champions Alfa Romeo, in the Sports Car Club of America’s under-2.5-litre Trans Am series. Brock turned the Japanese-market economy car into a full-blown racing machine in just five weeks. It went from the showroom floor to victory lane, storming past the others as if they were standing still.
Originally, the 510 was designed to increase sales in the American market, but during the development phase of the car, the president of Datsun US, Yutaka Katayama, didn’t just want it to be a mere transportation device. He was keen on improving the brand’s image and wanted it to be a car with a sporty nature and spirited performance.
It took some persuading, but eventually Nissan executives agreed to make the 510 a far better handling and responsive car than they had planned and, as a result, 400,000 units sold in its first year in production in 1968. By 1970, it boasted a fully independent suspension, an almost perfect weight distribution and a peppy 1.8-litre four-cylinder L-series engine mated to a four-speed manual gearbox.
But Katayama didn’t stop there. He wanted to prove it was worthy on the track too and he struck a deal with BRE to give the 510 some serious firepower. The team shaved weight by giving it a fibreglass bonnet and boot and then got to work on stiffening up the chassis. MacPherson struts with coil springs and telescopic shocks were added and they swapped the tranny for a close-ratio five-speed.
The naturally aspirated engine was revitalised by a Weber carburettor and with the compression raised from the stock 9.5:1 to 12.8:1, it now produced a meaty 185bhp. Two cars were built for competition and when it hit the Trans Am scene in 1971, the underdog lined up against several storied marques and not too much was expected from it.
Driver John Morton had faced some difficult challenges during his career, but this one was the toughest of them all. However, he drove the wheels off his number 46 car that season and won his class, even though the Datsun trailed Alfa by 15 points with just four races remaining. It was against all odds and it took serious grit and determination, but the BRE team, despite being rookies in the series, emerged victorious.
The 510 had come of age and legendary status was attained, thanks to the rawness of its chassis and the fabulous wail of the crisp four-cylinder L16 engine. Brock said, “it was the most beautiful thing I ever heard.” The following year, the 510s were readied for another gruelling series and Morton, along with second driver Mike Downs, secured the championship for Datsun again.
The mighty little number 46 BRE Datsun 510 had written its name in the history books by the time the BRE team was disbanded in the Seventies. It didn’t do too badly... for a beginner.
