Monthly Archives: October 2016
Happy Halloween from JNC
What’s the scariest thing to the owner of an old car? Having to pop the hood. You never know what you’re going to find under there. Have a safe and happy Halloween!
QotW: What JNCs would you like to see at SEMA?
The biggest aftermarket show in the world is taking place this week, and JNC is headed to the automotive circus. Last year Datsuns were hot and it seemed like the aftermarket was finally recognizing the Nihon classics. What’s next? Which JNCs … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 FD3S prototype
Unveiled at the JNC booth last Sunday was a one-two punch of miniature Mazda magnificence. First came the cult classic Rotary Engine Pick-Up, but this next casting needs no introduction. The unmistakable profile belongs to none other than the FD3S Mazda RX-7.
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Mazda REPU prototype
Those who stopped by our booth last Sunday may have noticed a few sneak peeks from our friends at Hot Wheels, hand-delivered in a nondescript plastic bag by designer Jun Imai himself. The first of them is a brand new casting for … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? StarQuest flatty in the D
Today’s Kidney Car is a rarity, but it probably won’t even cost you an internal organ. Offered for sale on Craigslist Detroit is a 1986 Plymouth Conquest flatside for the sweet, sweet price of just $2,500.
SEMA 2016: Mazda Miata concepts
It’s that time of the year, the automotive spectacle that is SEMA is almost upon us. Manufacturers have begun to preview their builds soon to debut in ‘Vegas. For their part, Mazda just dropped a pair of special MX-5 Miatas.
Posted in Spotlight
Tagged mazda, miata, mx-5, ND, Retractable Fastback, RF, roadster, sema, Speedster Evolution
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ART CORNER: Make your own Mazda Cosmo Sport
Corporate reports are the best! Said pretty much no one. Imagine our delight then when we found some cool and fun stuff as part of the latest Sustainability Report from Mazda: a make-your-own paper craft lineup.
NEWS: Scion brand name revived… as Trump hotel
Toyota had always described their Scion brand, which was axed earlier this year, as not just a car marque but a “lifestyle brand.” People seemed to either lament its passing or thought it was a horrible idea to begin with. As it turns out, Trump … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC would Dracula drive (and why)?
Halloween is nearly upon us so why not go for a fun one! There are many iterations of Dracula over the years. He supposedly is hundreds of years old. He’s seen the ages go by so why wouldn’t he get … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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VIDEO: Toyota GT86s in retro livery go for a drive
Toyota UK has been straight up killing it, unafraid to go all-out in promoting the marque’s vast motorsports history. They’ve decked six GT86s in the liveries of the most significant Toyota racing machines, brought an Initial D-inspired GT86 to life, and … Continue reading
GRAND TOURING: Isumi Matsuri
If there’s one thing that gets carriage-loads of people enthused, it’s trains — especially in Japan, where everyone loves trains. So, combining a wide range of Showa Era kyusha with a summer matsuri (festival) and organizing it at the most famous … Continue reading
Posted in Grand Touring
Tagged 310, b10, B360, bellett, bluebird, cappuccino, cony, corolla, corolla levin, crown, daihatsu, debonair, e10, Expo '70, gemini, gloria, Hakosuka, hijet, hino, honda, Insight, Isumi Matsuri, isuzu, Kurogane, Leo, mitsubishi, nissan, publica, s120, s40, s800, skyline, sprinter, sunny, Taxi, te27, toyota
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NEWS: All your Mitsubishi are belong to us
Do not adjust your set. This is a takeover. Nissan’s purchase of a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors is now official. Transaction complete. Nissan-Mitsubishi-Renault-Samsung-Dacia-Venucia-Lada Alliance is now one of the top three largest automotive groups in the world. Plants will be optimized, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Why you should get a Datsun 240Z
Despite lacking the slick production values popular with online classic car videos these days, Australia’s Shannons Club TV is our favorite series on the web. That’s because they have real, well-researched, and informative content that doesn’t simply parrot conventional wisdom. Watch this video on the Datsun 240Z … Continue reading
PROFILES: The first Honda built for the US market, restored
One of the reasons JCCS was so special this year was the special debuts that carmakers had in store. Perhaps the most significant of them all was Honda’s unveiling of the newly restored Serial One N600, the first Honda automobile built for … Continue reading
EVENTS: Celebrating one million Miatas
Now in its eighth year, Miatas at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has become one of the keystone annual events for Miata enthusiasts in North America. It famously celebrated the 25th anniversary of the world’s favorite roadster two years ago with … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged Jinba Ittai, mazda, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, miata, Miatas at Mazda Raceway, Millionth Miata, mx-5, na, nb, nc, ND
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Come to the Toyota USA Museum for the Touge 80s finish
This Saturday will be the inaugural running of Touge 80s, our first Touge California event with a focus on cars of the pop-up headlight era. After six hours of driving, our finish will be the Toyota USA Museum. And while all openings on the driving … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged ae86, corolla, te27, Touge 80s, Touge California, toyota
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QotW: What defines the era known as JNC?
American Muscle. European Design. German engineering. Italian flair. This is what gets thrown around the wash bay when describing classic cars from various areas. How about JNCs? Excluding the mid 90s of the “rice burner” era, what say you when … Continue reading
TUNE UP: Rich Chigga – Dat $tick Remix feat Ghostface Killah and Pouya
An Indonesian rapper going by the name of Rich Chigga went viral when he uploaded his song “Dat $tick” to YouTube in March. Rockin’ a preppy pink polo, an 80s Reebok fanny pack and plenty of guns, it seemed like satire. Or … Continue reading
NEWS: Toyota-Suzuki partnership could result in a Japanese Big Three
At a surprise press conference October 12 in Japan, Toyota and Suzuki announced that they are in talks about a potential partnership. The announcement was puzzling to industry watchers, but if such a tie-up comes to fruition, we will essentially have three factions of … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Nissan pays tribute to the R32 GT-R at Bathurst
Nissan Australia does some pretty cool stuff Down Undah, things we can only dream of in the States. For example, they take the Altima racing, but instead of cheesy stunts punking normal schlubs, the Aussies turn them into actual race cars by … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged Altima, australia, bathurst 1000, Jim Richards, mark skaife, nissan, r31, r32, skyline, V8 Supercars
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