Description
The Datsun 17T Pickup, produced in 1938, was one of Nissan’s earliest commercial vehicles and a key part of the company’s pre-war development of utility transport. It was based on the Datsun 17 sedan, sharing many mechanical components but modified with a cargo bed for light-duty hauling. As such, it marked a foundational step in Nissan’s evolution toward building the dependable pickups it would become known for in later decades.
The 17T featured a 722 cc side-valve inline-four engine, producing approximately 16 horsepower. While modest, this output was suitable for the vehicle’s intended role as a compact utility truck for urban deliveries and small-scale transport in Japan’s growing industrial and commercial sectors. Power was delivered to the rear wheels through a 3-speed manual transmission.
Design-wise, the 17T retained the basic styling of the Datsun 17 passenger car at the front, including the simple, upright grille, round headlamps, and minimal body detailing. The cab was compact, with room for two occupants, and featured a metal dashboard, basic controls, and little in the way of comfort or amenities—typical for utilitarian vehicles of the time.
The pickup bed was constructed with metal sides and a wooden floor, and it was suitable for carrying small loads, tools, or agricultural products. Payload capacity was limited by modern standards, but the 17T served its purpose well in a period when even basic mechanized transport was a step forward for many small businesses and farms.
As Japan approached full-scale involvement in World War II, production of civilian vehicles like the 17T was sharply reduced. Many units were requisitioned or adapted for military use, and very few examples of the 17T are believed to have survived the war years.
Though not widely known today, the Datsun 17T Pickup is historically important as one of Nissan’s earliest forays into commercial vehicle production. It laid the groundwork for the postwar Datsun pickup series that would later achieve global success, particularly in export markets like North America and Australia.
Today, the 17T is a rare and virtually extinct vehicle, mostly remembered through historical archives, museum pieces, and period advertisements. Its legacy is that of a pioneering utility vehicle that helped shape the practical and reliable reputation Datsun and Nissan pickups would go on to earn in the decades that followed.