Author Archives: Ben Hsu
MOTORSPORT: Happy 30th Anniversary, NISMO
In September 1984 Nissan Motorsports was established in Omori, Tokyo. It’s been 30 years of top-level racing on an international stage under the NISMO banner and the company is celebrating.
Posted in motorsport
Tagged datsun, datsun 210, gt-r, le mans, NISMO, nissan, r32, skyline
9 Comments
MUSEUMS: The Petersen has a 130 Datsun Cedric in its Vault
So the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles apparently has a Nissan Cedric 130 Custom Six. What’s more, it’s is a LHD example badged as a Datsun, with black California license plates. Was this staple of Japanese streets circa 1965 actually meant for US import?
Someone tell MOPAR fanboys what the BRE stripes are
We’ve begun to notice a weird trend recently. Mopar fanboys are up in arms about Nissan copying some racing stripes that belong to Dodge. Sure, Peter Brock may have designed the livery on his Datsun Sports 2000 roadsters in 1968, but the rich heritage of Dodge’s … Continue reading
The most well preserved Datsun 720 pickup, ever
A couple of months ago Nissan threw a key party at an old ivy-covered mansion in the woods crammed full of taxidermied animals. But even better than some Eyes Wide Shut-type masquerade, they let attendees grab the keys to anything in their product lineup, including several items … Continue reading
Posted in museums
Tagged 240z, 720, datsun, fairlady roadster, nissan, nissan heritage collection, s30
23 Comments
QotW: Which JNC commands the most respect?
Today is Respect for the Aged Day in Japan, so… Which JNC commands the most respect? With its racing provenance, menacing grille and the fact that its modern day successor eats supercars for breakfast, the Nissan KPGC10 GT-R seems like the obvious … Continue reading
EVENTS: Monterey Historics, Part 03 — Motorsports Reunion
Perhaps the only thing more heavenly than hearing a cacophony of uncorked engines at full tear is actually witnessing a fleet of irreplaceable metal come screaming over the hills. The Rolex Motorsports Reunion is one of the highlights — possibly the highlight — of … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 240sx, 240z, adam carolla, Bob Sharp Racing, c10, celica, datsun, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, fc3s, honda, imsa, mazda, Mazda 787, monterey historics, nissan, paul newman, porsche, Rolex Motorsports Reunion, rx-7, s13, s30, silvia, skyline, sports 800, Steve Millen, Tetsu Ikuzawa, toyota, z31, z32
23 Comments
EDITORIAL: JCCS now screening entrants. This is a good thing.
The 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show is less than three weeks away. It’ll be a milestone event as the JCCS reaches its 10th year in existence. We hope you can join us at the Queen Mary Park in Long Beach, California on September … Continue reading
INTERVIEW: Bob Hall talks Japanese nostalgics, the Miata, and how the Lotus Elan fits in
In light of the 25th anniversary of the Mazda Miata and the fact that the fourth-gen is just hours away from unveiling, here is an interview with Bob Hall. It was probably appropriate that we met with Bob Hall at … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the coolest “chick’s car”?
Fairly or not, many JNCs are labeled “chick’s cars” because they are compact, sport inoffensive designs, and embody performance in ways more civilized than spewing a boatload of HP. Besides, what’s so bad about being a “chick’s car” anyway? What’s the coolest “chick’s car”? … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
20 Comments
Happy Labor Day from JNC
It’s not work if you love it, right? Happy Labor Day from JNC.
Posted in jnc
8 Comments
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1980 Plymouth Arrow Sport Truck with less than 19k miles
It’s a miracle! A 1980 Plymouth Arrow Sport Truck has appeared on Craiglist in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This rare captive import version of a Mitsubishi Forte pickup has color-matched wheels, the most 1970s stripe package you can imagine, and just 18,854 miles on the clock.
QotW: What Japanese car did we get the better version of?
Type Rs, GT-Rs, S20s, SR20s, and so on. So often we hear about how Japan kept the best stuff for themselves, while we cackling execs foisted detuned sissy versions on our shores. But that’s wasn’t always the case, and we’d like to know: What … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: The R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R is officially a Japanese Nostalgic Car
“No victory, unless GT-R.” That was the saying in Japan when Nissan’s Skyline GT-R became the most dominant racing machine of its era. No, this is not another story about the hakosuka’s 50-plus victories; the adage was coined for its successor. … Continue reading
EVENTS: Monterey Historics, Part 02 — The Auctions
We’re going to do things out of chronological order because we felt it was important to report on the auctions of four significant Japanese cars as they happened. Now that we’ve recuperated from the madness, here’s how it went down, … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 2000gt, c10, cosmo sport, fj40, Hakosuka, imsa, land cruiser, mazda, monterey historics, nissan, skyline, toyota
8 Comments
QotW: What’s the next Japanese collectible?
Over the weekend we saw what the KPGC10, Cosmo Sport and 2000GT can do at auction. However, those flagship models have been the obvious choices in terms of collectibility. What’s the next Japanese collectible? If we’ve learned anything from Monterey, … Continue reading
NEWS: 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport sells for $264,000
Minutes after the white Toyota 2000GT crossed the block at Gooding & Co., a short-wheel base 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport did the same.Both were from the same collection, an unnamed collector that also sold a BMW 507 and 1969 Camaro … Continue reading
NEWS: Toyota 2000GTs sell for $1 million each
The Toyota 2000GT is a million dollar car. But you already knew that. In the auction world, the rule of thumb is that a car needs to sell for a particular price three time before it’s considered legit. Two 2000GTs … Continue reading
