We’re not sure if this 1967 Subaru ad is trying to draw a on the company’s aeronautic background, but there’s plenty of jet footage interspersed with a group of Subaru 1000s at the high-banked Yatabe test track. Of course, Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries was formed from the remnants of a Nakajima Aircraft, and many ex-Nakajima employees used their knowledge of lightweight materials and unibody construction during the development of the 1000. It’s a long story that you can read all about in the Subaru 50 year retrospective we did in JNC Issue 2, but for now you can watch the strain the front-wheel-drive family car puts on its whitewall tires.

One of our favorite recent threads has been “J-tin Raced in Anger” by JNCer Drew_TSi_Si_STi. From there we collected a subset of nostalgics that have briefly managed to divorce themselves from planet earth. Hang on tight, brace yourself for a busted spine and click through for more pics! (more…)

Here’s a promotional video from 1969 extolling the virtues of the new wondercar from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Sue-BARR-oo 360. Look, it can park perpendicular to the curb between two massive Detroit land yachts! It may be “Cheap and Ugly” but it’s the car of choice for chefs, Vegas showgirls, and “very groovy chicks.” The Autodrive feature means “No clutch, just touch” and there’s even a “Super Sport” version with bucket seats. Watch as it catches major air and goes to the track for some loose-tail drifts that almost puts it into a fence!

And who wouldn’t want a 360 side-loading pickup? Known as the Sambar in Japan, it had a twin in a van body and is perfect for moving your giant wooden TVs! Follow that up with the 1000, known as the Star in the US, which climbs the hills of San Francisco with ease, and you’ve got the 1969 Subaru lineup. It’s what’s happening!

Thanks to TSiSS350 for the tip!