Finally, an ad where Toyota honors its heritage instead of asking people to crush it. And all it took was a global recall of 8 million cars, the worst in the company’s history, and non-stop cries for the rolling heads of Toyota CEOs. Clicky click the image above to see the commercial. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember that hunka hunka road burnin’ Mazda we posted? Well apparently the cost to set the streets of your neighborhood afire is $11,000. Holy racing stripes, Batman! The 1977 Mazda RX-3 SP was and appearance package for the American incarnation of the Savanna.

To be perfectly honest, this one is missing some key SP pieces like the rear window louvers and super-sized chin spoiler (kind of makes one wonder if it’s a real SP). It’s also rather far from stock, with a half-bridgeported 12A, aftermarket clutch sandwich and Enkei 92 meshies painted to match. But it is rust free an apparently an exact match for the original color (though this is also the first time we’ve seen a white SP). Hey, an cancer-free 3 is hard enough to find in any condition. So is it worth 11 large? Apparently, yes! More pics after the jump or see the auction on ebay.

Read the rest of this entry »

You asked for it so, like the title says, our JNC Vintage Barrels Shirt is now available in size S.  It’s the perfect size for your girlfriend, grandma, bull mastiff or even you (if the M happens to be too big).  This was a special run.  We only made a very limited number of the smalls, so if you asked for it in the blog comments or on the forum, make sure to get your order in before they run out!  Order here!

Import Bible Ultimate Rim Shirt: We swear, great minds think alike! Even though we’ve collab’ed with Import Bible in the past, this whole rims on a shirt idea was conceived by each of us independently. The main difference is that IB has a mix of old and new rims while the JNC Vintage Barrels tee is strictly old school. Pick your poison, or take both!

The JNC Vintage Barrels Shirt that we introduced on Monday is now open for international orders.  They’re selling fast so if you haven’t yet, make sure you order yours today!

Tired of that seemingly-impenentrable cross-species communication barrier between you and your dog?  Well those days are over, with the Bowlingual Voice translator from Takara Tomy.  Of course, it will only translate what your dog says in Japanese.  Hmm….maybe if your dog barks in English, then the machine will translate in English?  So many unanswered questions. 

Vid of it in action after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

If I remember correctly, I learned to drive in a second-generation Chevy Cavalier. If only my driving school taught spin turns in an S60 Toyota Crown. We don’t know what this clip is from, in which an exasperated driving instructor rides shotgun with a parade of bad students. The important thing is that there’s plenty of driving shots of said kujira and a cameo by a Fairlady Roadster to boot. Clicky click the image to watch the vid.

Hat tip to cesariojpn.

Mazda Cosmo Company Car: Hemming’s has a blog entry about an employee of Distributors Illings Mazda Pty., an importer of Mazdas in South Africa. Basil McLaren snapped this photo of the Mazda Cosmo Sport in 1970, just as it came off the boat and made it his company car. Lucky bloke!

Okay, okay. We can’t keep the rabid Nissan nutters at bay any more. Luckily, as with most nostalgic car shows in Japan, the New Year Meeting has heavy emphasis on Skylines with a hearty helping of Fairladies and Sunnies on the side. But we’ve got some Other Marque love in here as well. Hino and Suzuki, anyone? Click through to see JNC operative Derek Y’s final transmission. Read the rest of this entry »

If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar(dot)com

This week:

• Friday, Friday February 5 / Torrance, California: South Bay Monthly Meet

Future events: Read the rest of this entry »