Hmm, it seems that the last Friday Video, Keishichou Satsujinka failed to generate the type of enthusiasm among Subaru and Toyota fans that Seibu Keisatsu clips instill among the Nissan nuts. How about the unlikely combination of Seibu’s cast and Toyotas?

In this “remake,” a new recruit has joined the force, and with his arrival some changes are being made to the Seibu Keisatsu fleet. Instead of the usual Cedric 230 chase fodder, standard issue black-and-whites have been replaced with Toyota Chaser/Mark IIs (though an unmarked cruiser is still a Cedric 430). The end of this clip takes a turn to the surreal, but the new guy has been the spokesman for Boss Coffee for several years.

Have a Happy 4th of July!

Thanks to cesariojpn for the tip.

While you enjoy your hot dogs and fireworks this Independence Day weekend here’s some activities you can do with your car family.

Read the rest of this entry »

A bone stock 1986 Cressida Wagon is a lanky beast, in desperate need of a slam. We’ve had low-down springs on our JNC Wagon for a while now, but 23-year-old shock absorbers meant we were bobbing like a Halloween apple over every undulation in the road. It was time for some new shocks.

Old Japanese wagons are downright bitchin’, but they can also be a bitch to find parts for. We wanted some no-hassle off-the-shelf parts that were guaranteed to fit. Unfortunately for us, the MX72 isn’t exactly a common platform for aftermarket goodies here in the States. When all else fails, though, going with an old school JDM giant is a pretty good bet. Tokico’s been around since 1937 and, wouldn’t you know it, they’ve got plenty of support for old Toyotas and other nostalgics as well.

A couple of weeks later, the UPS man dropped off a fresh new set of Tokico blues. What followed was a moderate-difficulty upgrade that almost anyone can do, with only one instance of blood drawn when an errant alligator lizard ran into the garage (technically not part of the install).

Read the rest of this entry »

This is it, kyusha fans. Registration for the 2009 Japanese Classic Car Show is now open! This one’s a can’t-miss because it’s the fifth anniversary of the JCCS and it will be the biggest ever. If you haven’t done so already, mark your calendars for Saturday, October 3 and remind yourself to head down to Hidden Valley Park in Irvine, California for a day of the craziest nostalgics you can imagine. Whether you’re a Mazdafarian, Toyotaku, Datsun diehard, Mitsu-maniac or Honda-head, come represent your marque in full force. Spaces will be going fast, so register early!

Before we found this 1974 Mazda RX-4 on ebay, we thought the letters “GTR” were found trailing the emblems on Nissan Skylines, Isuzu Bellets, and the occasional Toyota Carina.

According to the seller, the GTR was a special edition for the RX-4 in a similar vein as, if less sporty than, the SP RX-3s. He also says there were only a little over 500 made and all were gold, but guess what? No documentation! The blacked out hood and GTR stripe definitely look like a product of that era, but we’re stumped. Any Mazdafarians care to chime in?

In any case, bids start at $600 or a BuyItNow of $1200, a good price for any RX-4 and not exactly a sum for which you need to part with a major organ. But if that extra kidney is burning a hole in your abdomen, there’s always this 1968 Mazda Cosmo Sports. More photos after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Doesn’t it seem like 1998 was not that long ago, when in fact it’s been over 10 years already? Back before the formation of D1GP, drag racing was still all the rage in Japan. Drifting was on juuust the verge of bursting out from its underground roots but until then, the tuning giants were throwing down at the drag strip. Read the rest of this entry »

This is hilarious: the 80s British ska group Madness (of “Our House” fame) did a series of Japanese commercial for the Honda City and Honda City Turbo. Note the appearance of the Motocompo folding scooter, which came with the car. Honda needs to revive this concept. A Ruckus in the back of the Element, perhaps?

[via Jalopnik]

Hallelujah, it’s Friday again! Here’s the opening to Keishichou Satsujinka, and if you think that’s a mouthful, in English it would be “Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department: Homicide Division.” It’s about a special inspector tasked with training Tokyo’s finest for the most grisly of departments. Somehow, that still ends up involving waterfront gunfights and leaping from a formation of moving cars. We dig the S60 Crown and Subaru Leone slalom action and cheer for the airborne Subie, yet we weep when the kujira is senselessly carbombed in a subsequent clip. Too bad Keishichou Satsujinka only ran for a single 26-episode season in 1981.

The Cash for Clunkers law we’ve all been dreading passed both houses of Congress and was signed by the President yesterday. Although funding was reduced to $1 billion from its original $4 billion, and is limited to a four-month window, there’s still a lot of damage to be done. Read the rest of this entry »

So Transformers not your style? Here’s our first open kidney offer that doesn’t involve an actual car. It’s a vintage Tomica Grand Prix Circuit set that we came across while skimming the Tomica Fan Club forums. Talk about cool… just look at that gorgeous box art, that beauteous orange plastic! Read the rest of this entry »