QotW: How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?

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This coming weekend will be the ninth Japanese Classic Car Show. In those nine years, awareness of vintage Nihon steel has grown in leaps and bounds. They are acknowledged by mainstream media that used to willfully dismiss them, values of the cars themselves are rising, and we have heated debates about collectability.

How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?

One of the things we enjoy about the Japanese car scene is that it has none of the snobbery that plagues traditional collector cars. Anyone can afford to join in the fun and mingle amongst fellow enthusiasts. Having said that, the cars we know and love will only increase in value and rarity as time goes on. We’d like to see more cars preserved for posterity, but we also realize that not everyone can resist the tuning bug. With that in mind, we’d like to see more faithful, period correct mods. Japanese car culture runs deep, and there is much heritage waiting to be honored and discovered. Each year there’s more of that at JCCS. We can’t wait to see what turns up this Saturday.

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “Which JNC should remain stock?

Mazda Savanna RX-7 SA22

The most compelling case this week was made by Beans regarding the first-gen Mazda Savanna RX-7. We think this car was popular enough that it’s in no real danger of being modded to oblivion, but the argument was a touching one.

Oh such a good QotW!!
You got my attention with the RX-3 wags pic, and while I am building a replica from an 808 my vote would have to be…. a 1979 series 1 RX-7 Savanna GT.
The tartan interior combined with bright green metallic paint and fender mirrors would make me so proud to have parked in my garage. There is one at the Mazda museum that I would donate a kidney for!! Too many of these cars get modified in every style from massive rims and candy paint to fiberglassed touring car wannabe racers rather than be appreciated in the standard form with its sleek style and shape. They are one car that unlike many others did not look like anything else when it was released into the big wide world. And hey they still look sporty 34 years later. I could go on all day about its positives but sometimes short n sweet is best. Cheers guys.

Omedetou, Your comment has earned you a rare Hot Wheels x JNC Super Speeders mystery pack Mazda RX-7!

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29 Responses to QotW: How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?

  1. J3wman says:

    I would like to see more people crossover from one marquee to another all my Toyota friends are Toyota only and my Honda friends seem to migrate to Subaru but nothing else. One of my best friends is Mazda to the bone and refuses to get anything else, even after his protege5 and mk1 rx7 blew up he passed up 9000 Hondas and nissans until he finally found a protege as a daily. It took him a month of no car to find it. I love brand loyalty I sleep with a Honda flag and a zdyne p28 on my wall but those snobs who own old ferraris and alfas wouldn’t scoff at a fiat or a Morgan. Why should a Nissan guy scoff at a 626 turbo?

    • pstar says:

      In contrast, I find that Japanese car “enthusiasts” are usually pretty open to all Japanese brands. Compared to the classic American fans. European fans tend to be loyal to a country instead, but same thing otherwise. I might actually like to see a little bit MORE brand enthusiasm. There seem to be an awful lot of schmucks out there who are totally indifferent to whether they wind up with a 510, 240Z, AE86, RX7, 240SX, Supra, Skyline, Evo, WRX, etc. They just want to jump on the trendy bandwagon. These are the stupid fatlace/hellaflush/nike posers.

      I would like to see them desert the JNC “scene” and go back to their stupid t-shirt and shoe collections.

  2. Jim-Bob says:

    I would like to see the inclusion of early to mid 90’s Japanese cars in the mix. Cars like the S13, B13 and B14 Sentra SE-R, Swift GT, EG Civic and Integra should be included in any discussion of nostalgics.

    • pstar says:

      I agree. Some arbitrary fixed 25 year cutoff date doesn’t even make sense. Its the kind of stuff that governments bureaucrats come up with. Why 25 years exactly? Why not 35? 20? 15? 15-20 years is what comprises a human “generation”, like Generation X, right?

      I think a good rule of thumb for classic status is if you can see a nice one and think “Wow, thats a nicely preserved example”. Nobody is probably going to think that about a 350Z. It would stand out more at this point if a Z33 was all beat down and haggard. The S14 is the opposite. Therefore, S14 = classic, Z33 =/= classic.

  3. Brian says:

    I would really like to see more JNCs on sale at the dealership. All new AE86s, RX-3s and hakosukas in the dealership, straight from the factory and their respective model years.

    Who could complain except the hipsters who like to ruin widespread fun for everyone else?

    “I used to be really into old J-tin, but then it became all mainstream.”

  4. cesariojpn says:

    Make the scene more affordable.

    Alot of car cultures require a shit-ton of money to “be in,” even JNC’s in some cases. What needs to happen is a fallback to what made Japanese cars famous in the first place; a cheap mode of transportation. Emphasis on stock. Emphasis on accessibility.

    So no resto-mods, no stance, no drifting, no “Because Racecar,” no mods, no anything. Basic car maintenance and upkeep. Allow the stock appearance to shine. Someone should be able to go to a show, park their car, and not compete with someone who has “contacts” in GLORIOUS NIPPON obtaining the hard to find JDM boot cover for the MT shifter or some wannabe Takumi Fujiwara that has sent 10 AE86’s to the scrapyard since he keep sending them into walls and is slowly sending #11 to the scrap.

  5. friends,

    I would love to be there in your country and see firsthand the wonders of these cars, here in my country, Brazil, is very rare to see one of these, especially those that are prior to the 80s.

    still well that exise this site to know and admire the beautiful and Nostalgics Japanese cars.

    Best regards,

  6. I’d like to see more historic race categories formed outside of Japan. For example here in Australia there are a very limited number of JDM cars that can race in historics (fortunately I own one!). The reason for this is that aside from Australia being one of Japan’s primary export markets in the 1960’s the manufacturers mostly raced the bog stock items due to homologation rules. This meant that cars like the 1600GT Corona didn’t make it on the track…

    So in summary I’d like to see historic racing that allows for some of the Japan GP type cars to race here!

  7. acbpanda says:

    I’d like to see the JNC Scene evolve in Variety, not all of us need Hachis or S13s, we need more variety, there is plenty now yes, but if we don’t get more variety, Hachis and S13s will take over, variety as in, the lesser known brands, Suzuki and Isuzu, they need some love too.
    Daihatsu as well, overall variety and care for the lesser brands would be better.

    • pstar says:

      How can S13s and Hachis take over, when there are already few of them and less and less of them every year? You should be more worried about Miatas and EF/EG civics eventually “taking over”. But really, where do you expect this variety to come from?? The cars aren’t even out there, if they were, your complaint wouldn’t exist in the first place. Do you expect people to just 3d print themselves a Piazza or something?

      • j3wman says:

        ^^MR2, Supra, Corona, Suzuki Swift, Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan 200sx, Z31 300ZX, Subaru anything before the impreza/legacy, Isuzu Piazza, Tercel, 323, etc
        Theyre out there I know what you mean, i have an 86 Subaru GL-10, id love to see them get more love but i also love people saying “wtf is that, its awesome!” most of the people reading this probably just popped open a new tab and are googling “subaru gl-10”. Thats part of the beauty of these cars, theres so much unknown awesome stuff thats yet to be come mainstreamly discovered and we have the power to show the world the beauty of these machines.

  8. Kevin says:

    I am hoping classic JDM cars are more accepted into the mix of domestic/North American cars and car shows. Too many times I find local car shows that cater to USDM only. I was even told Japanese cars are not welcome at one show I tried to attend. Their loss. I feel as a lot of older car collectors retire from the “American muscle” scene, the younger generation will move in with their styles and preferences.

    • pstar says:

      Those shows don’t have European cars either. And on the other side, not many import/Japanese events are welcoming to Mustangs and Camaros. And Brit/German/Italian car events are rarely even welcoming to other European countries, let alone American or Japanese cars.

      I wouldn’t worry about a collapse of the American muscle scene or it being overtaken by youngsters with 510s. Totally different circles.

      Really this is like complaining that Lollapalooza doesn’t do enough to accomodate country or classical music.

  9. Alvin says:

    I want to see a greater following of Japanese cars in general on the East coast. I’ve been to local shows and there were even British cars, but the strongest showing is usually American muscle. Which is great, but I barely see anything Japanese. It’s always American muscle and maybe German and British cars.

  10. Tim says:

    I’d like to see more replacement part support. Here on the east coast rust is a serious problem and finding replacement panels for some cars can be difficult at best. Ideally, I’d like to see it where someone makes good, easily available replacement panels for JNCs like the ones offered for Camaros and Mustangs

    • Victor says:

      He beat me to it! Replacement parts are ridiculously hard to come by. Brake Master Cylinder in the RX2 has been leaking since the day we got it running again, fortunately its rebuild able but I can’t even find a rebuild kit for it, had to settle for one made for a different car. Then there’s the problem of replacing interior parts. Replacing the vinyl from the seat covers is no big deal if you just want it to look nice and clean, but recovering seats to make them as close to original that you can’t tell the difference is impossible, finding vinyl with the same patterns is hard, and they only come close to what the original pattern was, its never exact or almost exact, which sucks because the same pattern is on all of the plastic trim in the car. All in all, The struggle is real

    • pstar says:

      You guys nailed it. Dashes, body panels, trim, fasteners, fabric, glass, decals, etc.

      Japanese classics really need an amateur/home restoration boom. Obviously owners have to want their cars in oem/showroom condition first for that to happen. Not necessarily stock, but just that level of quality and finish.

  11. pedro says:

    I would like companies to support the 70s honda civics nobody makes parts for them anymore it’s near to impossible to find wheels, tires and and struts shocks my friends are looking for 4×120 wheels but nobody make them.

  12. Serg says:

    100% agree on the period mod concept. I too, pstar, dislike the trendy bandwagon mentality of “some japanese guy said it was cool so I’m gonna lower my nan’s old daily and stick the wheels outside the guards”. The true tuner draws inspiration from what he admires, not merely replicates it for the result rather than the means.

    I think there’s definitely a risk of snobbery becoming prevalent; not as much in terms of badge allegiance but more in terms of culture (and sub-culture for that matter). I love everything with wheels in which I can see a bit of soul; irrespective of which language it speaks. From Ford to Fiat to Prince – it’s the style of the design and the passion with which it’s executed that speaks to me. I don’t think having an intimate knowledge of the origins of shakotan makes me more of a JNC aficionado but less of an Alfa Romeo lover – yes, of course we can be aware of and appreciate the history and origins of each but I reject the notion that one is better than another because of what each culture means to you personally.

    Yes, I’d love to see more modification in line with period technology, like what the euros do for display and historic racing, but let’s not get carried away with fine historical accuracy – if ITBs were the latest and greatest thing at the time I’d love to see them on the block, but if you dislike the fact that the wheels were only a factory option in Timbuktu and the car is ADM I think that’s a bit pedantic.

  13. Beans says:

    No way! Here I was just enjoying the articles on JNC and you pick my comment.. cheers guys! Really enjoy your stories, event coverage and the forums are full of some real talented people. thanks again.

  14. Mister Totem says:

    bullisht on the lack of snobbery..

    Just ask anyone who has a Datsun 240Z if those purists are not kin to Vette guys..

    other marques are not nearly as unaccommodating and condescending as some Datsun guys.. hell just go to any datsun forum(excluding ratsun and SOME of hybridz) if they are not some elitist snobs.

    fuckouttahere.

    but where should the vintage Jtin go?

    hell.. like Tony Montana said

    “Strait to da top.. ain no stoppen me.”

    • Styles says:

      So right on the snobbery thing. When I used to work in Nissan dealerships I used to label them “Z-freaks”, strangely even Z32 owners tended to be a bit odd, but 240Z guys were the worst!

      • Dutch 1960 says:

        At last weekend’s SCCA Runoffs, the national championship, a 260Z won the E Production class. Way to go! But an RX3 was right on its heels for second, so maybe the Datsun guys better not get too proud. Compared to the Z, the Mazda is an oxcart, except for the engine. On paper, that RX3 had no business challenging a Z-car for the championship, but we Mazda guys know better 😉

  15. Bart says:

    I would like to see Japanese nostalgic cars begin to invade traditional classic car shows. For example, big shows like Hot August Nights here in Reno should broaden their landscape and start letting early Japanese cars into the shows. How cool would it be to see a nice old Celica next to an old Mustang? As the generations of car enthusiasts shifts, I think we will start to see this happen. There’s only so many pink and blue Camaros I can stomach, and I know I am not the only one out there who is bored to death of the same type of cars done up in the same type of style. Variety is the spice!

    Second to that, I would love to see a greater appreciation for older Japanese 4x4s. As much as I like cars, I am a 4×4 and SUV guy first, and I like nothing more that to see cool old Japanese 4×4 decked out to the nines, just waiting to put our ugly domestic Jeeps to shame.

  16. Drive-By says:

    You guys should come to JAE Japanese Auto Extravaganza http://www.japcarclub.com/

    Its like no other car show I know. A 4 day event, the largest Japanese car show in Europe, JAE is a family BBQ and camping event that is more like a festival than a car show.

    People “mingle” from stand to stand, club to club, marque to marque. Sharing the enthusiasm and knowledge. With loads to get involved with from Dragon Boats to Sake tasting. It’s just the weekend we look forward to all year in our club Drive-By.

    Shame you’ve just missed this years but if anyone ism in the UK next season you should really come join in.

  17. Dutch 1960 says:

    I like the wide variety of JNC ways to go, all the way from bosozoku to stock. One can go with vintage mods to modern, with a JDM slant or a USDM slant. Right hand drive or left hand drive. Engine swaps within the brand or across brands. Or even the GM crate V8. The European and US car guys just will not go so far afield, or accept that others are willing to go all those ways with their cars. The JNC world needs to keep themselves wide open to all the ways to go, and not get too rigid and limited in their expectations of what people should do with their cars. Many of the Japanese mods and styles are unique to the Japanese car world, and the JNC community should hold them up high and proud!

  18. RaptorReed says:

    I don’t believe it should open up to mid-90s cars, that’s when fwd econoboxes came about with their plain jane appearances. I would feel like I’m at a Japanese Classic Car show if all that was there was a bunch of 90s civics, sentras and whatever else kind of car. Current JNCs have the the same uniqueness to them as American Muscle/Classics and the 80s and older Euros.

    Would be nice to see more period correct setups or really same make setups when it comes to engine swaps. The moment it has a Domestic engine in that bay, it’s no longer a J-tin in my eyes. I mean I do have my wagon which has really only had minor things changed that aren’t period correct other than that it’s staying the same where as my Coupe project is a resto-mod with a EFI swap from a later model Galant.

    Starting to see more Rally J-Tins return to their glory days though, which is a awesome.
    I do love that the Euro guys and us JNCers in the PNW have united and have a combined show once or twice a year now.

    I agree, hipsters and bandwagoners need to be banished from ruining our cars.

  19. Richie says:

    I hope the JNC scene evolves to a more “nostalgic” state. The vehicles are getting older an it would be awesome to see more period correct builds and stock daily driven cars. Don’t get me wrong, I also think there is room for awesome modern engine swaps and restomods, but those should be left to cars that people would see as too far gone to be original again. But opinions being what they are that state can be a pretty broad range. I don’t really think the whole newer import scene should blend with JNCs because those weren’t around when the cars were, they were their own time, their own styles. I am completely for anyone who loves old japanese steel but to me it stands out more when it’s period correct and thus stays “nostalgic”.

  20. Bobby C says:

    Someone up above made a joke about 3D printing Isuzu Piazzas, but I am really hoping that 3D printing creates a revolution in car restoration. I have an 89 Starion, which while not exactly an Isuzu in terms of rarity isn’t an S13 either. It can be tough to find really nice interior bits, unless you have the space to buy up whole cars and then you end up parting them out when you are done. 3D printing could open up tons of possibilities for short run production of rare plastic bits in particular.

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