Rusty Datsun Truck is a Turbocharged Sleeper with 241 HP at The Wheels

Pure joy when you combine a tiny truck with SR20

The coolest Datsun pickup truck is here. This Datsun 1300 is a custom-built truck that combines race car-inspired design with strong JDM expertise. This turbocharged beast was built by the owner over the course a year, with the help of his grandfather. We’re proud to say that the Datsun 1300 is the most thrilling we’ve ever seen.

They are known in America as pickup trucks. In Australia, they are called Utes. But, in South Africa, they are known as Bakkies. Truck enthusiasts all over the world work together to build custom-made trucks that reflect their vision of the ideal truck. Many Americans envision a monster truck that is lifted with massive chrome wheels and led lighting. This is a far cry from the small Bakkies in South Africa.

Rusty datsun truck is a turbocharged sleeper with 241 hp at the wheels

Rohan Estrisen, Datsun 1300 owner, had a dream. Rohan Estrisen wanted to build a practical bakkie that was rugged and had a motorsport-inspired driving experience. Rohan started his build with a Datsun 1300, which needed some restoration. Rohan worked with his grandfather to clean the exterior paint and apply a new clear coat.

Rohan selected the legendary SR20 inline-4 Nissan engine to power his dream Datsun. The tiny, single-turbo SR20 2.0-liter engine puts out 214 horsepower (160 Kilowatts). This is thanks to an upgraded turbocharger and a robust fuel supply. This tiny engine is paired with a manual transmission, which sends power to the rear wheels. This allows for incredible burnouts. This little truck’s turbocharger noise is JDM perfection in an unusual package.

Rohan made sure that the package was reliable, as with all great builds. Rohan is able to make small improvements to his truck thanks to an advanced ECU and conservative power level. He can also work his way up to higher levels of power. We can’t wait to see what this tiny bit of JDM truck goodness has in store for us.