Halloween is nearly upon us so why not go for a fun one! There are many iterations of Dracula over the years. He supposedly is hundreds of years old. He’s seen the ages go by so why wouldn’t he get himself a JNC? Be fun, be creative!
What JNC would Dracula drive (and why)?
As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What defines the era of known as JNC”
Last week’s QotW had some really great discussion not only about the era of JNC, but also what it means for you. The submission came down to a select few that waxed on about the bubble era, ideas of Japanese culture taking over the world (though, it can be argued that it is in some places); but in the end, the push to pump out the most bonkers (of the time) technology for the masses to gain an edge submitted by ahja claimed the top spot:
Japanese classic are defined by their accessible mass-produced technology. It is why we like them and why “traditional” collectors in the European/American vein disdained them. I’ll give a few examples. Just a few. I’m sure whatever your favorite Japanese car is more or less fits the same pattern.
1. 240Z. For an OHC I-6 sports car with IRS, it was a damned bargain at the time. All of its competition was European, and those that could compete on OHC-ness and IRS still lacked power and cost substantially more. Those that could compete on price, like the Opel Manta or Ford Capri, had weaker power and pushrods.
2. 280ZX Turbo. An essentially matured 240Z…and better selling than ever. Turbocharging. It was one of the fastest cars available. And affordable. Its hard to appreciate now, but turbocharging in the early 80s was restricted to very few vehicles. Pretty much Porsche and Datsun. Crazy.
3. Mazda RX7. Everybody knows nobody but Mazda ever did make the rotary feasible. Mercedes, GM, and others dabbled with it, but they couldn’t do it. In the 60s it was imagined by many as the “next big thing” It remained a technological pipe dream. But Mazda did it. And the first gen RX7, drawing on about a decade of Mazda rotary expertise, dominated at the classes of racing it participated in. RX7s still blow my mind that this entirely different badass engine technology was made WIDELY available in such a cool car. Its a gimmick at least equivalent to the rear-engined 911. (Non-rotary swapped RX7s are abominations and the butcher who does that to them should be brutally smacked.)
4. AE86. A Corolla. It was basically the first affordable, truly mass production car with a DOHC 16V. On top of that it was pretty much perfect. But yeah, when most compacts, even the “sporty” ones still came with carbs and pushrod 8vs (something those shitty VWs with their vaunted “German engineering” pushed until the end of the 90s, btw), an 8000 rpm 16v was kind of amazing. Not to mention The 4AGE later became a 5-valve engine, and that’t not very common either, is it?
5. The Hondas. VTEC. Variable valve timing was something exotic. Until Honda put it in reach of literally anybody who cared to have it. In Civics.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Mitsubishi 3000GT
I hear it draws blood from whoever works on it.
I’m gonna nominate the Nissan Prince Royal Hearse used during Emperor Shōwa’s funeral in 1989.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrZo-fS0heA
Lets be realistic here: Dracula would need a ride that can afford him refuge from the sunlight when needed, and having a backup coffin is essential cause you never know when some pesky Vampire Hunter will come around to your main digs and try to run amok. I don’t see him having a coffin in a truck or some commercial vehicle (beneath his status), and a limo is way too flashy and can’t afford him sunlight protection that easily. A hearse fits the bill, as it can hold a backup coffin AND can be hidden in plain sight.
UCF 10 Celsior…the ability to look like a Yak, no one will notice the extra evil.
(Purple privacy curtains don’t look weird on a UCF 10). Hide in plain sight…
Impul 630R
Essentialy a pump’d up Gloria Y30. Looks stylish, proper VIP ride, but with that extra power of turbocharged V6 aveliable when needed. Black’d out windows and a bit of drop. Simple and effective, but uncommon at the same time.
What would a old guy from Transylvania with a penchant for necks know about JNC’s. I’m betting he would opt for something more substantial, say the Green Hornet Chrysler. Armament to fend off his adversaries, the stealth needed to swoop down on his next victim and just the right amount of character. Speaking of character, don’t forget this monster is driven by Kato, the best chauffeur for a job entailing working long hours after dark.
http://rcdn.carreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/green-Hornet-Black-Beauty-11.jpg
Conversely; we recent learned that during the iron curtain era that (mostly diesel) Japanese cars made it behind the curtain, albeit in limited numbers. Apparently they were seen as status symbols being more expensive than the commo boxes but accessible.
Not many. However, the fall of USSR and subsequent rise of gangster activity in ex-Soviet countries prompted the need for…spacious, extremely reliable and durable vehicle. Enter the Land Cruiser era. A black Land Cruiser with tinted windows on the streets of Russia in the ’90s could mean only one thing – someone is gonna get hurt real bad. (Or he already is and is currently resting in the extra spacious trunk)
S30 series Crown – surely a factory car with ‘suicide doors’ must qualify as his ride of choice!
Channeled, dropped and nice and low on stock wheels. I can see black lace around the top edge of the windows and a small amount of fine detail pin stripes (spider webs).
The win feels good! Draculas are a special kind of vampire in that they enjoy the finer things in life, compared to teenager vampires or So-Cal metalhead vampires, or generically attractive but just bloodthirsty mook vampires. A Japanese dracula would almost certainly live in one of those sprawling compounds with the impressive outer gate and castle-like buildings. Albeit in some state of disrepair. Vampires and immortals in general always like to drive something distinctive. They have all the time in the world, but they don’t like to waste it in Accords or Diamantes. I can see Japanese Dracula in a sports car, probably a Z31 300ZX with faded original dark paint and some hideous oversized turbos under the hood. Hatch louvres for sure. Probably with some aero-kit that would look downright ricey if it was painted anything but an ominous gray-black and anybody but a scary looking intense dude was behind the wheel. The kind of guy that would hunt down Takumi on Mt. Akina, lose to him in the downhill, but then track him back to the tofu shop unseen and finish with the poor boy disappearing back up the mountain under the hatch of a Fairlady Z as a meal for later.
Dracula would drive or be driven in an old school Nissan President (about 1965). It would be immaculately kept by his lackeys, Black or dark grey of course with limo tint on all the windows. Wide blackwalls on old barrels with a touch of lowering. No other obvious external extras, for that stealth cruise through the old country without attracting attention.
Hmmm… He’d need something classy, that looks good in black, and can haul around “guests”. Personally, I think a Kujira Crown Wagon is the most fitting option. It looks menacing in the front but has a very classy body, and it looks stunning in a gloss black with all of its chrome bits. Maybe you could even lower it and put some Hoshinos on or- well…You don’t even have to touch the car, it already looks like something the blood sucking Count himself would drive. :-3
I was thinking the exact same thing! 🙂
I have no doubt about this one: Count Dracula drives a Hino Contessa! Apart from the pun (Contessa is Italian for countess), it is classy, and as a product of the early 60s and the early model has small wings at the back. He probably would drive either a black or a blood red Contessa.
This is what that early model looks like in blood red:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/1961_Hino_Contessa_01.jpg
Probably he first bought the early four door Contessa sedan, then upgraded a year later to the more classy Michelotti-designed Contessa 900 Sprint Coupé. Then in 1964 he bought the more modern Michelotti-designed Contessa PD series Coupé.
Even though the design house of Bertone did the Alfa Romeo BAT concept, I can clearly see the influence of the BAT design in the Contessa 900 Sprint Coupé:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hino_Contessa#/media/File:Contessa900Sprint.jpg
Here you can see Count Dracula in action in his blood red Hino Contessa PD coupé:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/59/1c/0a/591c0ad93dc198a065ccd3f9a2a206cf.jpg
Add in that the Renault connection means that he can probably make parts for a Dacia work to keep it on the road without undue waits for internet purchases.
Yes indeed the connection is there. But Dacia only produced the Cleon engine, not the Ventoux engine that Hino based their engine on. Given the fact that the Dauphine received both engines it probably would be possible to make the change. 😉
(Note: Transylvania is part of Romania nowadays)
I came to that idea just now. Dracura WAS driving a S30Z! The infamous Akuma no Zetto from Wangan MidNight. It explains why the car bacame so bloodthisty and wanted to kill evry driver. It’s 1st owner and user muste’v been The King of Vampieres, and somehow he poured some part of his evilness onto the car. Mystery solved!
Count Dracula. Aged 585. He’s seen it all. Been through the ages and sampled many a young blood. But he’s getting on a bit now. Almost 600 years. He doesn’t leave the castle much these days and has a trusty butler to bring home unsuspecting victims every other Wednesday.
He does however, remember a time when automotive technology was surging. The 1980’s. It was also a free-for-all when it came to sucking blood. So many teens were fascinated by his story, they almost begged to be another victim. I mean this was a good time for old Drac. He became famous almost over night. The subject of many hit movies and TV shows.
It was one Friday night in 1986 that he was stalking patrons at a bar. He watched one drunk car salesman trying to impress some ladies with the latest “sporty” Toyota Corolla. It was an AE86 Trueno. The new car glistened in the glow of the street lights. The salesman made sure the vehicle was detailed that day, as he “often picked up ladies with the shiny new cars”. Dracula hung around in the shadows a little longer than usual just to hear how pathetic this guy’s routine was. Needless to say, he had to make a move soon, because three tasty humans could easily turn into one if this guy kept talking. The girls were lingering long enough for The Count to satisfy his hunger three fold.
But instead of disappearing into the night like every other time, vampire king found himself caressing the lines of this little hatch. He was drawn to it. Not many material items made him curious, but this car had a certain gravity to it. He liked the two-tone paint scheme, White on Black. He thought it matched his sometimes swinging moods well. With a flash, he was sitting in the drivers seat, hands on the wheel. He turned the key and heard the 16 valve motor fire up. He was hooked.
That night proved to be one that would stick with him. He still owns that car and often likes to go for spirited Wednesday night drives through the hills of his home town. He always feels more alive after a few pints of young blood.
dracula only drives a Yugo!
Mid 60’s Mitsubishi Debonair, black exterior with red interior. Bagged on some whitewalls in full on Japanese Mooneyes style. Why Debonair? Well, here’s what Webster has to say about it:
adjective: debonair
(of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.
Just like the ol’ count himself.
1989 Corolla E90 GTi in Jet black with tinted red headlamps and a rear wing.