Monthly Archives: March 2014
QotW: What’s the most insane luxury feature on a JNC?
Japan’s culture had always put a high priority on service, but along with new technologies came novel ways for automakers to provide some truly crazy luxury experiences for their customers. Therefore we ask: What’s the most insane luxury feature? Heaps … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2014 Nostalgic2Days, Part 02
Welcome to Part 02 of our Nostalgic2Days coverage, as we make our way across the Pacifico Convention Center on Yokohama’s historic waterfront. In this installment we’ll see the displays kyuusha tuning houses, some of the famous cars that have graced Nostalgic … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2014 Nostalgic2Days, Part 01
Every year Nostalgic Hero magazine holds one of the very best classic car shows in all the lands, Nostalgic2Days. This is the sixth time they’ve held the event and for the past 4 years I’ve made the pilgrimage to Yokohama what … Continue reading
KEI HERO: Remembering the Suzuki Fronte Coupe
Can you name a rear-engined Japanese sports GT with Italian styling and specific output of over 100PS/L? Such a car was real, and it came from Suzuki. Suzuki is a marque with rather divergent reputations in the US versus Japan. … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC has the greatest grille?
Grilles. They provide airflow, set one model apart from another, and can even form become the corporate identity of a brand. Japan has produced some truly outrageous grilles in its time, so therefore we ask: QotW: Which JNC has the … Continue reading
BOOK CLUB: Datsun 280ZX, by Nissan Motor Corp
I purchase books fairly infrequently thanks to libraries. Automotive books are the exception. Information in high-quality books on cars tend to be less immortal than, say, the words of Shakespeare. Sales and circulation tend to be limited, and photos and schematics make … Continue reading
MINICARS: Custom 1:18 Models by Yordy Kolner
Today’s guest writer is Yordy Kolner, who hails from the Netherlands and, like Luis Aguilar, builds custom scale models of his favorite Japanese cars. However, Yordy starts with 1:18 scale cars made of diecast metal. Here’s his story in his … Continue reading
ART CORNER: Sunny Vol. 1 & 2 by Taiyo Matsumoto
The 2013 Cartoonist Studio Prize has been awarded to Taiyo Matsumoto for his works Sunny Vol. 1 and Sunny Vol. 2, about a group of kids living at a Japanese orphanage. At first we thought Sunny was the name of … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best shade of JNC green?
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we celebrate the color green, aka midori in Japanese. It was prevalent in the golden age of JNCs, from drab military olives to citrusy limes. What’s the best shade of JNC green? In 1983 … Continue reading
BACK ROADS: Remebering the Honda City
As long-time Honda enthusiasts, it is hard nowadays not to marvel at the many creative and awesome machines that bore the iconic “H” during the 1980s. One of our favorites from those days is the Honda City. An unassuming econobox … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 620, now in red
We at JNC are proud to present the latest Hot Wheels car to bear our inkan logo. The red Datsun 620 is the third recolor of a casting so popular some has built a life-size replica of it. This was … Continue reading
VIDEO: Circumnavigating North America in a Datsun Roadster
How should one traverse the continent of North America, spanning 37,850 miles, and have the most unadulterated and visceral driving experience? Do it in a Datsun. Or better yet, do it like Scott Fisher in his 1967 Datsun Sports 1600, … Continue reading
ART CORNER: The custom 1:24 models of Luis Aguilar, Part 02
We met Luis Aguilar at a local AE86 owner gathering and immediately had our brains melted by his astounding 1:24 scale plastic models. It wasn’t just his tremendous attention to detail that caught our eye, but his highly accurate adherence … Continue reading
VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the Nissan IDx NISMO
Nissan has been parading their IDx concept cars all over SoCal recently, and this weekend they ended up in the garage of car enthusiast and comedian Jay Leno. Tonight Show prop master Greg Elliot joins the show once again with his … Continue reading
MINICARS: Red Line Club Carroll Shelby Toyota 2000GT
Um, you might want to join the Hot Wheels Red Line Club this year. It was announced today that one of the club exclusives this year will be none other than the SCCA Toyota 2000GT campaigned by Carroll Shelby. Last … Continue reading
ART CORNER: The custom 1:24 models of Luis Aguilar, Part 01
We met Luis Aguilar at a local AE86 owner gathering and immediately had our brains melted by his astounding 1:24 scale plastic models. It wasn’t just his tremendous attention to detail that caught our eye, but his highly accurate adherence … Continue reading
1974 Mitsubishi Lancer 1600GSR at Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva Motor Show is happening in Switzerland right now, and unless you’re into hideously modified exotics there’s not much of interest to the typical JNCer. Except, that is, if you happen to wander into the Mitsubishi booth where the … Continue reading


