Monthly Archives: August 2012
The beautiful Box Art and history of Aoshima model kits
Step inside any Japanese hobby store and you’re bound to be dazzled by both the beauty and abundance of Aoshima box art. Their highly detailed plastic model kits have been around for decades, and in many cases have done a … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
Tagged 240k, 330, 350z, 430, ae86, aoshima, aristo, bosozoku, c10, c110, c210, cedoglo, cedric, chaser, corolla, cressida, datsun, dekotora, enkei, evo x, fairlady z, fd3s, focus racing, fuso, gazelle, gc10, gloria, gs400, gurachan, gx81, Hakosuka, hayashi, hilux, japan, kenmeri, kgc10, kgc110, kpgc10, kpgc110, lancer, lancer evolution, levin, lexus, mark II, mazda, mitsubishi, model kits, nissan, pgc10, r32, rx-7, s110, shadow, shakotan, silvia, skyline, soarer, sprinter, ssr, street, toyota, trueno, v-max, x30, x40, x80, yamaha, z10, z33
9 Comments
EVENTS: Z Owners of Northern California Car Show
Members of the NorCal JNC team recently headed to the city of Brisbane (that’s California, not Australia) to attend a car show put on by the local Z Car club. The shindig took place beside the beautiful waters of the … Continue reading
Posted in events, nissan
9 Comments
EVENTS: Announcing Melbourne’s Classic Japan 2012
Today we have a guest post from Adam Laws of the Toyota Car Club of Australia (Victoria), organizer of a 200-plus car show in Melbourne. Check out his announcement and, below that, some photos of unique Aussie nostalgics from last … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 2011, 2012, 929, australia, bellett, Classic Japan, corolla, corona, cosmo, cressida, crown, datsun, isuzu, kujira, levin, mazda, ms55, ms65, mx62, nissan, pickup, prince, rt46, rx-3, s50, s54, s60, savanna, simmons, skyline, sprinter, te27, toyota, trueno, ute, wasp, x60
6 Comments
QotW: Where’s your favorite place to drive your nostalgic car?
Japan is home to some of the best kept secrets in auto-dom. Their tolls are prohibitively expensive, have little to no English signage outside major metro areas, and are all floating on an island you can’t drive to. And yet … Continue reading
Posted in nissan, Question of the Week
Tagged butaketsu, c130, hot wheels, laurel, mad manga, nissan, Question of the Week
35 Comments
How to build custom Hot Wheels BRE Datsuns, Part 01
As part of a new series on JNC, guest writer Mark “ScaleMaster” Jones will show you how to make your own custom Hot Wheels. Enjoy his step-by-step guide to creating a set of diecast BRE Datsuns. — Ricky When the Hot Wheels … Continue reading
Posted in minicars
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 510, bluebird, bre, datsun, fairlady z, hot wheels, minicars, nissan, peter brock, s30, ScaleMaster
15 Comments
Shaken preparation at Sports Car Service of Yokohama
Nestled in the sleepy, semi-rural outskirts of Yokohama is Sports Car Service, specializing in the repair and maintenance of nostalgic cars. Recently a friend needed to get an old rotary prepped for shaken, Japan’s roadworthiness inspection, and we tagged along to … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
Tagged 110s, 1500 sports, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, bellett, capella, cosmo sport, datsun, fairlady, fairlady roadster, honda, isuzu, mazda, nissan, rx-2, s800, Service Corner, sp311, sports 800, Sports Car Service, sr311, toyota, yotahachi
13 Comments
EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise Bluebird-Corona Day, Part 03
We’re devoting the third and last installment of our Mooneyes Mania Cruise‘s Bluebird-Corona Day coverage to just one car. Why? Because the Toyota Corona teased in Part 01 is utterly steeped period correct modifications from the early 1970s.
John Morton tribute at the Riverside International Auto Museum
The Riverside International Auto Museum recently threw a gala to honor the contributions of famed Datsun driver John Morton to the racing world. If you’re not familiar with the saga of the BRE team that Morton raced for, first go watch the Friday Video Against All … Continue reading
Posted in events, motorsports, nissan
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, 510, bluebird, Bobby Allison, bre, brock racing enterprises, datsun, fairlady z, john morton, motorsports, nissan, paul newman, peter brock, Riverside International Auto Museum, s130, s30, scca, trans-am, z31
9 Comments
QotW: What diecast car should they make next?
Last week it was announced that Tomica, after 42 years making diecast Japanese cars, is finally coming out with the pivotal Datsun Fairlady roadster. We learned too that the first A60 Celica to exist anywhere in 1:64 universe would soon debut, a mere … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, Question of the Week
Tagged 12a, 13b, hot wheels, luce, mazda, minicars, QotW, Question of the Week, rotary, rx-4, rx-7, sa22, savanna
38 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 Nisei Showoff, Part 02
As we mentioned in Part 01, early nisei contributions to car culture went largely unnoticed for decades. This was mainly because 1.) most of the culture revolved around illicit pink-slip showdowns and 2.) it was centered in SoCal. Los Angeles’ … Continue reading
Posted in events, honda
18 Comments
Tomica Limited Vintage Datsun Fairlady 1500 Roadster
Following up on Ricky’s piece about the A60 Celicas, here’s another nostalgic that’s been absent from Tomica‘s lineup for far too long. But not to worry, the Datsun Fairlady Sports is about to become a 1:64 scale diecast in the Tomica Limited … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, nissan
Tagged 1500 sports, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, datsun, fairlady, fairlady roadster, nissan, tomica, tomica limited vintage
5 Comments
Tomica Limited Vintage A60 Toyota Celica 1600GT-R
A60 Toyota Celica coupes have been surging in popularity lately, and why not? It’s RWD, still affordable, and styled with that 80s angularity we love so dearly. They’re like the AE86‘s big brother, but a lot easier to find on craigslist in … Continue reading
QotW: What is the greatest Japanese engine?
We’ve asked quite a lot of weekly questions about the greatest cars. What about the hearts that beat within? There have been incredible motors forged in Nihon, from 10,000rpm Honda mills to screaming Mazda rotaries. So we put the question … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged acura, honda, mazda, nissan, nsx, prince, QotW, Question of the Week, s20
88 Comments
REMINDER: JCCS registration to close in two weeks
Just a friendly reminder that the 2012 JCCS registration will close in two weeks. If you haven’t entered your vintage Japanese car or motorcycle yet, you must register by August 25. This year there will be some special guests. Hot Wheels … Continue reading
The origins of Nissan’s Ginza Gallery and Miss Fairlady
No trip to Tokyo would be complete without a stop at the Nissan Gallery in the high-end shopping district of Ginza. The showroom doesn’t sell any cars, but serves as prime advertising for the automaker at of one of Japan’s … Continue reading
Posted in Friday Video, nissan
Tagged 1500 sports, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, datsun, fairlady roadster, Ginza, Miss Fairlady, Miyuki-zoku, nissan, nissan gallery, van
4 Comments
Initial D Fifth Stage to premiere November 9
Hang on to your e-brakes because the hit anime Initial D returns November 9. What was originally lost in translation and reported as a reboot is actually a restart, continuing the series where it left off six years ago.
Posted in toyota, Video Games
Tagged ae86, corolla, Fifth Stage, Initial D, levin, sprinter, Takumi Fujiwara, toyota, trueno
25 Comments
New York man holds funeral service for 30-year-old Honda Civic
Last Sunday the Inwood neighborhood of New York said goodbye to an old friend, Harry Etting’s 1982 Honda Civic. A Dixieland band performed, a New Orleans jazz funeral procession marched down Seaman Avenue, and a wake was held at a … Continue reading
QotW: What is the most influential Japanese car?
The western world has often overlooked the influence of Japan’s cars. So this week we put to you the question, one that is bound to stir up plenty of debate. What is the most influential Japanese car? There are so … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, Question of the Week
Tagged dignity, equus, furuta, hyundai, kp61, minicars, mitsubishi, proudia, Question of the Week, starlet, toyota
63 Comments
