Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What’s the worst mod you’ve ever seen on a JNC?
It’s SEMA week, and you know what that means. Steel yourself for an onslaught of the craziest custom cars blasted at you by every media outlet on Earth. Had enough of Lambo doors? Rims taller than a barstool? Paints so … Continue reading
EVENTS: Honda celebrates 50 years of the S-Series
Honda‘s first passenger car went on sale in October 1963. That was 50 years ago, and the S-Series was a screamer. You know the story: While the rest of Japan’s burgeoning auto industry was assembling crude beasts of burden, Soichiro … Continue reading
JNC GARAGE: Fun with Wipers!
Fasten your seatbelts, cause we’re about to enter super-ultra-otaku mode on the scintillating topic of Toyota windshield wipers. Along the way we discover that even when you buy Toyota parts from a Toyota dealer and it says Toyota on the … Continue reading
QotW: Which car had the most entertaining celebrity spokesperson?
Japanese automakers have been using celebrities to pitch their cars for decades, forcing them to declare nonsensical phrases, speak Japanese, kiss the product, or barely say anything at all. None of it was ever meant to be seen by western … Continue reading
NEWS: Adam Carolla working on Paul Newman racing documentary
Comedian and Datsun collector Adam Carolla is reportedly working on a documentary about the life of Paul Newman. Plenty has been said about the Oscar winner/organic food purveyor/racer, but the difference is that this project wil focus on Newman as … Continue reading
PROFILES: JDM Legends’ 1967 Prince Skyline 2000GT-B
Skyline. Just say the word and it conjures visions of Japan’s greatest motoring icons. From unobtainable high-tech monsters christened “Godzilla” by western journalists to sepia-toned commercials in which teenagers fell in love, the name evokes a meaning for everyone. However, … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most blasphemous engine swap?
Many years ago our very own Technical Editor John “DatsunFreak” Roper declared that there were three and only three engines immune to accusations of blasphemy due to their uniqueness, size-to-performance ratio, and lack of anything comparable. They were: the Honda … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Buy an unmolested AE86 for a mere $65,000
Yes, you read that right. $65,000 is the asking price of this 1987 Corolla GT-S located in Canton, Ohio. The seller clearly realizes the rarity of an unmolested AE86: “So your neighbor has a Gold Plated Lambo too? Don’t have … Continue reading
Posted in for sale, toyota
Tagged ae86, corolla, hachiroku, kidney anyone, levin, sprinter, trueno
36 Comments
QotW: What’s Japan’s greatest factory two-tone?
The Japanese can do two-tone like no other. Once the Bubble Economy was fully underway automakers rushed to tart up their luxe offerings with lavish, multi-toned paint schemes. Somehow, Japan was able to elevate the lines, contrasts and colors into an … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 —Gladiators and Flagships
For the final installment of our 2013 JCCS tour, we present a rarefied selection of automobiles. Some have been sent into battle for their respective marques. Others were made to be proud standard bearers.
EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 – Rolling Stock
Purists will be pleased. This year’s JCCS had significantly more bone stock cars on display than any previous show. And they weren’t of the standard variety of, say, a 2000GT or Datsun 312, though those were well represented. We’re talking … Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, isuzu, mazda, nissan, toyota, trucks
Tagged 200sx, 240z, 510, a70, accord, b110, b2000, bluebird, civic, cressida, crx, datsun, datsun 1200, datsun 320, Datsun 520, datsun 521, datsun roadster, fb, fc, hilux, honda, impulse, isuzu, mazda, nissan, piazza, rx-7, s110, s30, sb1, silvia, sunny, supra, toyota, trucks, wagon, x30, x60
25 Comments
VIDEO: Dare to be Different in a Datsun 240Z
Listen to the rumble of Dave Scholz’s Rebello-built Datsun 240Z as he drives around Los Angeles in this gorgeous video by Petrolicious. Dave says his goal was to build a Z that someone would have driven from Yokohama to Fuji … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite JNC tuning style?
From bone stock to bosozoku, there’s a wide range styles for nostalgic cars. Crazed pimp van, Mooneyes hot rod, Fuji racer, high-society VIP, Resto-mod, nisei cruiser, rally racer, it’s a blank canvas out there. What’s your favorite JNC tuning style? … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged carol, fronte, kei, mazda, QotW, Question of the Week, suzuki
33 Comments
EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 02 – Diversity
The sheer size of this year’s Japanese Classic Car Show was unprecedented. Organizers Koji and Terry Yamaguchi told us that registration filled up in just a matter of weeks and that there were over 100 people on the waiting list, … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 – Debuts and Historic Cars
With the Japanese Classic Car Show closing in on a decade, the theme of its 9th holding could be summed up in one word: More. More cars, more rarity, more stock survivors, more booths, more people, and more staggering Nihon … Continue reading
VIDEO: Babyface and Scarface E70 Corollas
Manabu Mitsumori loves drifting, but he also loves the 1970s. That’s why he got rid of his JZX100 Chaser and now drives two classic Corollas instead. Both E70s, one is a clean restomod two-door hardtop called Babyface, while the other’s … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best 1960s JNC for vintage racing?
So the secret is out. This is the subject of our teaser pics last week and the car our friends at JDM Legends built and brought to JCCS. We were honored to have this replica of the legendary Prince Skyline … Continue reading
JCCS PREVIEW: Set-up day
Set-up for the 9th annual JCCS has mostly finished. If you’re not here tomorrow for the show you’re missing out. See you on the flip side! Photo by Jason Kusagaya.
