Author Archives: Ben Hsu
LOST CARS: 1962 Toyopet Stout world honeymoon truck
Ivan Shkirev knew that the 1962 Toyopet Stout he had purchased was unique, but not how unique. Upon receiving delivery to his home in New Mexico, Shkirev found the faded declaration “Tokyo, Japan to Chicago, Illinois” painted across the Stout’s tailgate, along with the names of … Continue reading
NO MODS, PLZ: 1989 Nissan 240SX two-tone coupe
Not too long ago a low-mileage pignose S13 that had somehow not been drifted to death came up for sale in Pennsylvania. The sleek, red hatchback caught was a real eye-catcher, but if it were our money to spend on a … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport, Toyota 2000GT to be auctioned at Monterey Historics
In addition to the hakosuka GT-R at RM Auctions, there will also be a 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport at Gooding & Co.’s Monterey Historics auction this year. The Cosmo Sport has been restored by noted restoration shop The Finishing Touch of Fountain Hills, … Continue reading
JNC GEAR: The IDx shirt, by the actual car’s designer at Nissan
The hottest concept of the 2013-14 auto show season was the Nissan IDx. A lightweight, rear-wheel-drive car with heritage styling cues from the Golden Age of nostalgics? Take our money, please! Now one of the designers of the actual concept car has created this shirt in collaboration with … Continue reading
NEWS: Tree-damaged Toyota 2000GT arrives at repair shop
We were all saddened by the recent loss of a Toyota 2000GT in Japan, crushed when it passed under a tree at the exact instant the aged beech decided to fall. The good news is, the owner has decided to rebuild it. We have the … Continue reading
MEDIA: 1987 Isuzu Impulse Turbo RS Limited Edition in Hemmings
If there’s one marque that does not get the love it deserves in classic car circles, it’s Isuzu. Despite never producing a 510 or Civic, a car that really took the Japanese motoring world by storm, vintage Isuzus are ripe … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1972 Hakosuka GT-R to be auctioned at Monterey Historics
Welp, it’s happened. A 1972 Nissan Skyline GT-R will be offered at RM Auctions this year at the Monterey Historics, the week-long celebration of the automobile during which sheetmetal is admired, coveted and traded amongst kajillionaires like Picassos. After last year’s record sales … Continue reading
QotW: Just the tip of the iceberg, or last of a dying breed?
Last week we saw several nice Hondas come out of the woodwork, including newfound appreciation for a Mugen CRX Si with customizing styles way ahead of its time. Are these just the tip of the iceberg, or last of a dying … Continue reading
Happy Father’s Day from JNC
To all the daddy JNCers out there, Happy Fathers Day.
NEWS: Pre-1969 California Legacy Plates approved
Residents of California can now get classic black license plates for their vintage cars. In 2012 the state began taking applications for the Legacy License Plate program, promising to re-issue the classic colors if at least 7,500 people signed up.The black plate, originally produced from 1963-69, just … Continue reading
NEWS: The end of the kei car era?
For Japan’s largest automakers, the kei car has outlived its usefulness. The government is aware of this and is ratcheting up taxes on the uniquely Japanese microcars to make their cost of ownership more on par with regular passenger cars. The … Continue reading
Happy 610 Day from JNC
On this day, our day of 610s.
QotW: What’s your greatest JNC tragedy?
This weekend’s sad news about a 2000GT being at the wrong place at the wrong time got us thinking about the heartbreak our cars cause us. What’s your greatest JNC tragedy? Sure, Mother Nature showing us who’s boss by cold … Continue reading
NEWS: Passing Toyota 2000GT crushed by tree
There were only 337 production examples of the Toyota 2000GT built. Now there’s one less. At about 9:00 am this morning in the Gokayama area of Toyama Prefecture, the classic flagship car passed under a 100-foot beech. Unfortunately, that’s the exact moment the tree came … Continue reading
Classic & Sports Car pits Toyota 2000GT against UK and US counterparts
The June 2014 issue of the UK’s Classic & Sports Car pits a Jaguar E-Type against a 1965 Corvette and a Toyota 2000GT to see which continent produced the best sixties sports coupe. Long-time readers know what’s coming next: A genuflecting ode … Continue reading
GRAND TOURING: Okinawa
To Americans, the name Okinawa immediately conjures images of US military bases. However, the archipelago located south of Honshu, Japan’s main landmass, is also a popular subtropical tourist destination. Okinawa literally means “a rope in the open sea” and is comprised of a 600-mile … Continue reading
BOOK CLUB: Koichi Inouye’s 1960s Japanese sports cars volumes now available in English
Three Koichi Inouye books about 1960s Japanese sports cars have been translated into English and published as e-books. The works cover seminal automobiles from Japan’s largest automakers, the Honda S-Series, Toyota 2000GT and Sports 800, and the Datsun Fairlady roadster.
Posted in Books
Tagged 1600gt, 2000gt, datsun, fairlady roadster, honda, nissan, S-Series, sports 800, toyota
8 Comments
QotW: What would Bunta drive in an Initial D prequel?
With the Initial D series winding down those craving more tales of the touge will have to wait for the feature film reboot this August. However, some JNCers have suggested the idea of a new story instead, one focused on the background of … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged Dodge Challenger, Galant Lambda, Initial D, mitsubishi, Plymouth Sapporo, Question of the Week
34 Comments
JNC THEATER: Initial D Final Stage
The anime that brought touge culture to US screens is coming to an end. Initial D, in manga form, concluded its 18-year run last summer. Now, the animated account of the story is following suit. Animax will air a total of four 30-minute episodes wrapping … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Original-owner 44k-mile Nissan 240SX
We’ve lamented the fact that AE86s have nearly all been drifted into oblivion, but what about its cross-town rival? The Nissan 240SX sold in larger numbers, but finding an unmolested one can still be a challenging proposition these days, especially when it’s a … Continue reading
