Datsun 510 Interior Upgrade Guide: Parts and Fixes

The short version

Upgrading a Datsun 510 interior comes down to four areas: the steering column cover, the gauges, the dash and console trim, and the small period pieces that are almost impossible to find used. Reproduction parts now cover most of them, from a steering column cover at $115 to $150, to a bolt-in Speedhut gauge adapter at $175, to complete full gauge kits from $1,069. Most fit the factory openings with no cutting. This guide walks each area in the order most owners tackle it, and points to the exact part for your year, including the JDM SSS Bluebird variants.

Why the 510 interior needs attention

The Datsun 510 cabin is simple, upright and driver-focused, and that simplicity is exactly why worn interior parts stand out. There is no clutter to hide behind. A cracked steering column cover or a foggy gauge sits right in your eyeline every drive.

Fifty years has not been kind to the original plastics. The 510 used thin ABS and vinyl-era trim that grows brittle, fades and cracks under sun and heat cycling, and many pieces were low-production to begin with. Some parts, the SSS Bluebird cluster surrounds, the dealer-option accessories, were rare when the cars were new and are effectively unfindable today. That is the gap reproduction parts fill: not just replacing what broke, but making available what the used market no longer has.

Two things make the 510 especially rewarding to refresh:

Small cabin, high impact. A handful of parts covers most of what you see and touch, so a modest budget changes the whole feel.
Strong parts availability now. The 510 has one of the better-supported interiors in the classic Datsun world, so most common failures have a direct-fit answer.

Steering column covers: the first thing to fix

The steering column cover is the most visible cracked part in a 510 cabin, and it is usually the first upgrade worth making. It sits directly below the wheel, so age shows immediately.

The right cover depends on your year and transmission, and there are distinct reproductions for each:

1970 to 1973 manual left or right hand drive: the 510 reproduction steering column cover at $150.
1968 to 1969, left or right hand drive: the early 510 column cover at $115, sized for the earlier key cylinder.
1970 to 1971 automatic: the automatic column cover at $136, which accounts for the different column shape on automatic cars.

All three are reproductions of the factory part with the correct texture and mounting points, so they install with the original hardware. Confirm your exact year and whether the car is manual or automatic before ordering, because the covers are not interchangeable across those splits.

While you are working at the column, the small 1968 to 1969 ignition cylinder trim at $41 is a cheap way to finish the area, since that trim ring is another piece that yellows and cracks and is rarely found intact.

Gauges: keep the look, fix the accuracy

Original 510 gauges are charming and, after fifty years, frequently inaccurate. The upgrade path keeps the factory dash layout while putting modern, reliable instruments behind it.

The cleanest route is a bolt-in adapter that fits modern gauges into the factory openings. The 510 Speedhut gauge adapter at $175 does exactly that, mounting modern Speedhut gauges in the stock locations with no cutting or fabrication. If you want to add a gauge the 510 dash never had, a boost or wideband reading on a swapped car, the 510 air vent gauge adapter at $45 holds a gauge in the dash vent without touching the cluster.

For a complete instrument overhaul, the 510 full gauge kit at $1,069 supplies a matched set of modern gauges with the adapters to fit them, so the whole cluster is upgraded as one coordinated unit rather than assembled piecemeal.

A note on senders, because it catches people out: modern gauges rarely read correctly on the original 510 sending units, since the resistance ranges do not match. Plan to either calibrate the new gauges to your existing senders or replace the senders to suit, rather than assuming a new gauge will read right out of the box.

The SSS Bluebird cluster: the JDM variant

If you have a 510 SSS Bluebird, want to upgrade your standard 3 gauge cluster to this, its instrument cluster is a different and rarer proposition, and there are dedicated parts for it.

Three options cover the SSS dash:

SSS Bluebird aftermarket gauge cluster from $275, left or right hand drive, for the 1968 to 1969 cars.
SSS Speedhut gauge dash cluster from $425, which fits modern Speedhut gauges into the SSS cluster shape.
SSS Bluebird full gauge kit at $1,430, which includes both the gauges and the dash for a complete, ready-to-install unit.

These are the parts that essentially do not exist on the used market in usable condition, which is the whole reason they are worth knowing about. If you are building an SSS, or want to make your car look like an SSS, sort the cluster early, since it defines the dash.

Dash, console and the pieces you cannot find used

Beyond the column and gauges, a few 510-specific pieces finish the cabin and solve problems the used market cannot.

Double DIN console bezel. For anyone fitting a modern head unit, the 510 double DIN console bezel at $175 adapts the console to a double DIN opening cleanly, rather than hacking the original.
Under-dash storage tray. The 510 and 620 under-dash storage tray at $275 reproduces a rare dealer-option accessory that adds usable storage and a period-correct touch few cars still have.
Rear-view mirrors. The reproduction 510, 620 and 1200 rear-view mirrors from $75 replace the pitted, hazed originals that are almost never found clear.

None of these require modifying the car, and each addresses something the classic 510 market genuinely lacks rather than duplicating parts you can source elsewhere.

Where to start and what to budget

Sequence the work by what you see most and what costs least, and the interior comes together without a single large outlay.

Under $300, the essentials. A steering column cover ($115 to $150), the ignition cylinder trim ($41) and a set of mirrors (from $75) refresh the most visible wear for the least money.
$300 to $700, the functional layer. Add the Speedhut gauge adapter ($175), the under-dash tray ($275) and the double DIN bezel ($175) for real usability gains.
$1,000 and up, the full instrument overhaul. A complete gauge kit ($1,069), or the SSS full kit ($1,430) on a Bluebird, replaces the entire cluster with modern instruments.

For anything the catalog does not yet cover, or a custom piece for your specific build, the Custom Garage can design it. Browse everything for your car in the Datsun 510 collection.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important interior parts to replace on a Datsun 510?

Start with the steering column cover, since it is the most visible cracked part and sits directly in your eyeline, at $115 to $150 depending on your year. After that, the gauges are the highest-impact upgrade for both looks and accuracy. Small period pieces such as the ignition cylinder trim and rear-view mirrors are cheap finishing touches that are hard to find used in good condition.

Do Datsun 510 reproduction parts fit without modification?

Most do, since they are made to the factory dimensions and use the original mounting points. The steering column covers are year and transmission specific, so a manual cover will not fit an automatic column and vice versa, and the early 1968 to 1969 covers suit the smaller key cylinder. Always confirm your exact year and configuration before ordering.

Can I fit modern gauges to a Datsun 510 without cutting the dash?

Yes, a bolt-in gauge adapter fits modern gauges into the factory openings using the stock locations, with no cutting or fabrication. The 510 Speedhut gauge adapter is $175, or a full gauge kit at $1,069 supplies matched gauges and adapters together. Note that modern gauges usually need their senders matched or the gauge calibrated, because the original 510 sender resistances do not line up with modern instruments.

Are the SSS Bluebird interior parts different from a standard 510?

Yes, the SSS Bluebird uses a different instrument cluster, and it has dedicated parts because those pieces are extremely rare on the used market. Options range from an aftermarket cluster from $275 to a complete SSS full gauge kit at $1,430 that includes both gauges and dash. If you are building an SSS, address the cluster early since it defines the dash layout.

What is the under-dash storage tray for a Datsun 510?

It is a reproduction of a rare factory dealer-option accessory that mounts under the dash to add storage, priced at $275 and shared with the 620. Few original cars still have one, so the reproduction is often the only practical way to add this period-correct feature. It installs without modifying the car.

How much does a full Datsun 510 interior refresh cost?

The visible essentials, a column cover, ignition trim and mirrors, come to under $300. Adding functional upgrades such as a gauge adapter, storage tray and double DIN bezel brings the total to roughly $700. A complete instrument overhaul with a full gauge kit pushes it past $1,000, or past $1,400 for the SSS full kit. You can stage the work over time rather than doing it all at once.

Refresh your 510 cabin with parts made to fit it.

From steering column covers to complete gauge kits, including the rare SSS Bluebird pieces, everything for your car is in the Datsun 510 collection. Need something we do not list yet? Start a request through the Custom Garage.

Nicholas Clark is the founder of Lunar Loox, where he designs and manufactures precision interior components for classic Datsun and Nissan chassis.