Today, October 17, is Karaoke Day in Japan. The date marks the establishment of the Japan Karaoke Association (JKA) on this day in 1994, exactly 30 years ago. Karaoke was named — along with kei cars, the Honda Super Cub, and the CVCC engine — one of Japan’s Top 100 Innovations. A portmanteau of kara (Japanese for “empty”) and oke (short for “orchestra”), the ability to sing along to instrumental recordings of songs could not have happened without the car stereo. Continue reading
Nissan Violet and Toyota Crown taxis queue up near Mt Fuji
The areas near Mt Fuji have always been a popular sightseeing destination, but without a car it’s rather inconvenient to get to the top. At one of the train stations in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, a queue of taxis line up to take travelers to nearby destinations like Gotemba Ski Resort or Mt Fuji. Kujira Toyota Crowns, 230 Nissan Cedrics and 710 Nissan Violets seem to be the cabs of choice here. The center Violet wears the livery of the Fujikyu Shizuoka Taxi Co., which is still in use today.
Cars can only climb to the 5th Station (there are 10 in all), but during snowy weather buses and cab companies may refuse to ascend the legendary mountain. Private cars are allowed, however, so plan accordingly.
Posted in Showa Snap
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Honda Prelude revival won’t have manual transmission after all
Womp womp. It turns out that the report of a manual transmission for the upcoming Honda Prelude was incorrect. A top exec has confirmed that the coupe will be automatic only. And yes, that’s a photo of an Acura TL Type-S up there, another Honda that was cruelly denied a stick shift, much to the disappointment of enthusiasts. Continue reading
QotW: What is your favorite form of motorsports, and what car would you compete in it with?
Today, October 14, is Sports Day in Japan. It was created in 1966 to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, an event that set off a massive infrastructure program — bullet trains, expressways, satellite broadcasting — that helped spur auto manufacturing. Today, Sports Day is a general health and fitness reminder but we’re here to put our vehicular spin on it. From Honda Insights hypermiling to Hino Rangers charging through the desert, motorsports takes endless forms. Amateur gymkhanas can be just as thrilling as Formula 1.
What is your favorite form of motorsports, and what car would you compete in it with?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “LED headlights, yea or nay?“. Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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Help Nissan find the stolen R32 Skyline GT-R from their Heritage Collection
Thieves suck. They all deserve to get the book thrown at them, but it’s especially painful when they steal something that isn’t just an easily replaceable mall crawling Kia. Down Under, some particularly brazen lowlifes has pilfered the R32 Skyline GT-R from Nissan Australia’s heritage collection. Local authorities are investigating. Continue reading
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Kawasaki W230 expands retro lineup with quarter-liter standard
We are in a golden age of retro bikes. However, most of the offerings have been at either the high end of the market, with models like the Kawasaki Z900 and W800, or the low end of the market like with Honda’s Monkey and other 125cc minis. Now, the Kawasaki W230 is coming to America, and it’s a perfect entry-level quarter-liter Japanese bike with retro styling. Continue reading
Get a JCCS Coupon Code right here
We are happy to share a coupon code for the upcoming 2024 Japanese Classic Car Show. Just enter the code “JNC5” when you purchase tickets online and you can get five bucks off the regular online admission price of $20. Tickets at the gate on the day of the show will cost $25. That means if you buy now, you’ll save $10!
The 19th annual JCCS will be held at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, California this coming Saturday, October 12, from 9am to 3pm. Be sure to stop by the JNC booth and check out the US debut of the RS-Watanabe RS8R 3-piece wheels and maybe a diecast giveaway or two (this one will be different from the official show diecast, a Tarmac Works Advan R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R). See you there!
Posted in Reminder
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That time Pop Tarts went hard with tuner culture
The tuner scene had been flourishing for years by the time Y2K rolled around, but it still wasn’t mainstream. Even after the success of the The Fast and the Furious in 2001, non-car people didn’t get why you’d tune a Honda Civic instead of a Camaro. It was still rare to see kandy colored VTECs in popular culture, which made it somewhat surprising that Kellogg’s, the company built on making the same corn flake cereal since 1906, glommed onto tuners in this memorable ad circa 2002. Continue reading
QotW: LED headlights, yea or nay?
Today, October 7, is National LED Light Day. One of the easiest mods to update a vintage car is LED lights. They instantly improve night time visibility and vision with technology decades newer than old school sealed beams. However, one could argue that perhaps classic cars should not be updated, and that LED lights spoil the look and feel of an otherwise authentic classic. What say you?
LED headlights, yea or nay?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What complete JNC body shell should be reproduced next?“. Continue reading
See the reborn RS-Watanabe RS8 3-piece wheel at JCCS, coupon code included!
The 3-piece take on classic RS-Watanabe 8-spoke wheel is back. After 30 years the iconic wheel company has released an updated version of the Watanabe RS8. This time around, they collaborated with Work Wheels to create the RS8R, which incorporates Work’s deep step-lip barrel for a more aggressive look. As it happens, the first set in the US will be on display at the JNC booth at the upcoming Japanese Classic Car Show. Continue reading
Showa Snap: Two-tone taxis teem toward Tokyo terrace
It’s been a while since we had a Showa Snap, but here’s a striking photo of taxi drivers gathered in front of a row of storefronts. Note that the 230 and 330 Nissan Cedric cabs have no toplights, and that the various taxi companies are denoted by vivid two-tone paint jobs. We know these aren’t privately-owned vehicles because of their green license plates. The businesses include what looks like a travel agency and a small food market. The image was likely taken in 1975, meaning these young drivers are probably retirees by now.
The Honda Dax 125 is coming to America
Honda has announced that the revived Dax motorcycle is coming to America. The updated classic minibike was announced for the Japanese market in 2022, but now it’s officially crossing the Pacific. It joins Honda’s “mini moto” class of 125cc bikes like the Cub, Monkey and Grom. It’s also probably the most faithful to the original version of all the recently revived motorcycles in Honda’s lineup. Continue reading
Honda Prelude revival will reportedly have manual transmission
Honda surprised a lot of enthusiasts with the debut of the Prelude at last year’s Japan Mobility Show. Honda has since said that the sleek-looking coupe will be powered by a hybrid powertrain. Now, a report from Japan says the Prelude will come with a 6-speed manual transmission. If true, it would be the first gasoline-electric hybrid with a stick since the Honda CR-Z. Continue reading
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QotW: What complete JNC body shell should be reproduced next?
The AE86-osphere went kind of nuts last week when it was revealed that they can buy a complete unibody Sprinter Trueno shell on Alibaba. The iconic drift sled is a good candidate for this treatment, as the majority of original ones have been rusted out, drifted into walls, or otherwise had their numbers reduced by natural attrition (accidents, financially overwhelming mechanical failure, etc.). Yet it remains a platform with a dedicated enthusiast following. Surely there are other legendary cars that are impossible to find clean shells for.
What complete JNC body shell should be reproduced next?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the most 90s car?“. Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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The story of Mooneyes told in ‘Craft of Speed’ documentary
The origins of Mooneyes has been well covered. The iconic hot rod equipment maker is one of the most recognizable brands in the custom car aftermarket, denoted by its cartoonish eyeballs logo and signature yellow cars. Yet this classic American nameplate has also become inexorably Japanese. That part of its history has never been thoroughly explored. That is, until Craft of Speed. Continue reading
Reproduction Toyota AE86 shells are available on Alibaba
About 20 years ago, at the height of TNN’s Power Block and million dollar Hemi ‘Cudas at Barrett-Jackson, a company called Dynacorn blew SEMA’s minds with a complete reproduction 1967 Mustang Fastback body. Since then we’ve been wondering which Japanese car would be the first to get the same treatment. Well, you can now order a complete reproduction Toyota AE86 shell to build the touge warrior of your dreams. Continue reading
Posted in Product Guide
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Nissan Cedric taxis sure can take a beating, but the door hinges could use work
The Nissan Cedric taxi was once a staple of Japanese streets. It was also once a staple of Japanese car chases, where cheap 230s and 330s were sacrificed to to gods of Showa Era police dramas. To be fair, Toyota Crowns were just as common, but Nissan secured better deals with TV producers. Continue reading
The Lexus GS400 was a “barnstorming performance sedan”
The arrival of the second-generation Lexus GS turned up the heat on 1998’s luxury sedan market. Lexus was still young, less than a decade old, but the LS held down the unflappable luxury sedan corner, the SC had the beautiful grand tourer thing nailed, and the GS cranked the dial toward the performance end of the sport-luxury spectrum far more than any Lexus that had come before. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most 90s car?
As someone who lived through the 1990s, I feel like the decade is hard to pin down. A lot of what is called 90s is actually an 80s aesthetic, and everywhere you look there are claims that 90s fashion is coming back. But are graphic T-shirts and cargo pants really exclusive to the 90s? The automotive realm is one area where the 90s have a distinct look, with simple and organic soft shapes and just enough but not too much in-car tech. And, of course, it was a time when Japanese cars shined bright. With Y2K nearly 25 years behind us, is there a single car that can be called emblematic of the decade?
What’s the most 90s car?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How would you make a Mazda ad?“. Continue reading
JCCS exclusive diecast Skyline GT-R with Advan livery announced
As if there were any more reasons to go to the 19th annual Japanese Classic Car Show this year, an exclusive diecast car that will only be available at the show has been announced. It’s a highly detailed 1/64 scale Nissan Skyline R32 with Advan livery and widebody kit designed by tuner culture godfather Jon Sibal. Oh, and we also have a special coupon code for JCCS tickets below. Continue reading
