Japanese Nostalgic Car

Today, March 23, is Near Miss Day, commemorating the day in 1989 when the asteroid 4581 Asclepius got close enough to Earth that astronomers thought we might end up like the dinosaurs. That would almost be as bad as if something were to damage your car. A few years ago, I took my 66,000-mile Lexus SC300 factory 5-speed for a completely unnecessary drive just to stretch its legs. I noticed something I never see while in my daily: a large truck wheel bouncing over the freeway median. It was headed right toward me. Luckily there was space enough to swerve two lanes, and a second later it obliterated the front end of the Prius that had been behind me.

What’s your most terrifying near miss story?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How did you learn to drive?“. Continue reading →

Today, March 16, is Driving Instructor Day, an occasion to honor those who teach others how to drive. As this 1960 photo from Minami Fukuoka Driving School shows, it can be a dreary existence repeating the same meandering route many times a day. During my first on-road lesson, my instructor and I came up on a cop that had pulled someone over on our route. “Slow down,” my instructor said, rolling down his window as we neared. As we passed traffic stop he stuck his head out of the car and yelled, “Fuck you!” as he gave him the bird. It was quite the education.

How did you learn to drive?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Who in the automotive community would you like to say thank you to?“. Continue reading →

Today, March 9, is “Thanks Day” in Japan, created because three (san) and nine (kyu) sound like “thank you” when said together. These days, saying thanks almost seems like a lost art, what with everyone on social media so obsessed with self-promotion. Back in the forum days, you could ask a question, receive an answer, and actually thank someone for their help. And there are so many people in the auto industry that deserve our thanks.

On one end of the spectrum there’s executives like Akio Toyoda carrying the torch for fun cars, or the nameless engineers that invented the Honda K engine. On the other end there’s the organizer of your local coffee shop meet or the friend who helps you bleed the brakes. There are so many people who help keep car culture alive.

Who in the automotive community would you like to say thank you to?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite automotive miniature of all time?“. Continue reading →

Today, March 2, is Mini Day in Japan. It’s a play on the words mi (3) and ni (2), and celebrates all things small-scale. From diecast minicars to mini 4WDs to miniature pigs, today is the day that honors them all. Sometimes, the little ones can speak to us even more so than the 1:1 scale ones. How many of us got into real cars thanks to a Hot Wheels or Tomica, buildable plastic model, or radio control car?

Personally, this Matchbox Z31 Nissan 300ZX always spoke to me. The Fujicolor livery was so vivid, it really stood out from other Matchbox cars of the era. Plus, it had an opening hood that revealed a VG30ET inside. It was one my most beloved childhood toy and put me on a path of life-sized Japanese cars.

What’s your favorite automotive miniature of all time?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW,”What non-car goods should you buy from Japan?“. Continue reading →

A couple of weeks ago we asked about tools, but what other items should you buy from Japan? Take the Converse sneaker, for example. In Japan, the Chucks Taylors are completely different than the ones you can buy in the US. In America, Converse is owned by Nike and come with the quality you would expect there. In Japan, the Converse trademark is owned by Itochu, a 168-year-old company that can be considered the Toyota of textiles. Itoshu-made Converses are made with stronger and more durable canvas, more smoothly grommed eyelets that are less likely to catch the 100 percent cotton (not polyester) laces, and have reinforced stitching in common stress points to prevent premature splitting. Also, they come in different colors.

There’s a reason why tourists bring empty suitcases to Japan. You can fill them up with car parts, selvidge denim jeans, Japan-pressed vinyl records, Biore sunscreen, limited edition Tomica, and so on.

What non-car goods should you buy from Japan?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite factory exterior/interior color combo on a Japanese car?“. Continue reading →