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For Shs5.5m, Sayire restored his Nissan Datsun
To service or restore a vintage car, Sayire emphasises the importance of hiring a mechanic who understands old car technology. PHOTOS/ROLAND D. NASASIRA
What you need to know:
First was the brake system which had rusted and had to be replaced. Then, after fixing dents and replacing the front shock absorbers, the car was repainted. The fuel tank was also washed on top of replacing the tyres and the rims.
Allan Sayire’s love for vintage cars started in his childhood. He had always admired his father, the late John Zabangi’s Nissan Datsun 120Y which he had acquired in 1978. In his old age, Zabangi asked his children, among them Sayire, to ensure that they maintain the 45-year old Datsun in roadworthy condition.
Because it had been parked for a while, Sayire had to carry out some repairs, a restoration journey that started in late 2022 and lasted three months. First was the brake system which had rusted and had to be replaced. Then, after fixing dents and replacing the front shock absorbers, the car was repainted. The fuel tank was also washed on top of replacing the tyres and the rims.
“I did not change much of the interior which had its original seats with leather covers. A family mechanic offered to clean the carburetor on top of other minor repairs. Surprisingly, the engine was still functional. I only had to flush it to get rid of solidified oil particles before adding new oil. On average, it cost me approximately Shs5.5m to restore the car,” Sayire says.
To service or restore a vintage car, Sayire emphasises the importance of hiring a mechanic who understands old car technology. PHOTOS/ROLAND D. NASASIRA
Mechanics
To service or restore a vintage car, Sayire emphasises the importance of hiring a mechanic who understands old car technology. An experienced mechanic, he says, makes car restoration less stressful because they understand key parts that a vintage car requires, on top of sourcing spare parts at affordable prices. In Sayire’s case, the spare parts were bought from Katwe and Kisekka markets, both Kampala suburbs.
On average, Sayire spends Shs110,000 to service his car. However, for major service that involves replacing any parts such as the oil filter, lubricants such as engine oil and the air cleaner that costs Shs40,000, the cost increases to Shs150,000.
“The Datsun 120Y is one of the best cars I have driven because after service, it does not experience any major mechanical issues. It runs on basic technology that does not require computer diagnosis to find a mechanical fault. And since I do not drive it every day or share it with anyone, I service the Datsun after every 10,000km,” Sayire explains.
Performance
Because of its old age, on average, Sayire’s Datsun covers approximately 13kms per litre of fuel and not the expected 18km per litre of fuel when it is still in tip-top condition. The furthest he has driven it is to Jinja City in eastern Uganda and confirms that it has better fuel economy compared to the other cars such as the 2002 model Toyota Harrier and the Toyota Noah 1998 model Field Tourer he previously owned.
“I have driven a manual Nissan Datsun Pick-up 120 but the uniqueness of the Datsun 120Y is its better fuel economy. When driving, enthusiasts admire and appreciate it because they are not many on the road. I only drive it at the weekend when there is less traffic on the road,” he adds.
Running on a 1200cc four cylinder manual transmission engine with four gears, the Datsun’s ground clearance allows you to drive on any rough road, especially upcountry. Even when it rains, you can still drive smoothly on a slippery road or any road terrain without feeling the engine dragging. Unlike modern cars, the car’s body was made of a strong metal that makes it durable.
Wisely choose your mechanic
John Burrows Lumu, who also owns a Nissan Datsun, says the advantage of vintage cars over modern cars is that they (vintage cars) sometimes swap parts with some car brands. For instance, there are some Peugeot brands that can use engines of certain Toyota brands and still function optimally.
“If you are to carry out any spare part swapping, research about it and let it be done by a mechanic with a reputation, image and brand to protect because it is challenging to source for spare parts for these cars. If you have a mechanic who understands these cars, hold onto them because they understand the mechanical history of your car and will always do the right thing,” Lumu advises.
