Author Archives: Ben Hsu

Kidney, Anyone? 1979 TE51 Toyota Corolla SR5 Sport Coupe

This 1979 Toyota Corolla SR5 Sport Coupe popped up on eBay over the weekend with a $4,250 asking price and several days left on the auction clock. Then, faster you can say “Kidney, Anyone?” it was gone. 

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 69 Comments

QotW: What’s the best model name?

The Japanese are known for colorful uses of the English language when it comes to christening their cars. There’s seductive women’s names like Silvia and Gloria, word salads like the Isuzu Wizard Alive and Honda Life Dunk, and perfectly chosen appellations like … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Friday Video: Against All Odds, the story of the BRE Datsun 510s

Today’s video is required viewing for any Datsun enthusiast. If you don’t yet know why every vintage Japanese car show in the US is packed with 510s sporting twin stripes down their fenders, this movie will answer all questions. Against All … Continue reading

Posted in Friday Video, motorsports, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

New Honda N360/N600-styled retro kei car leaked

Renderings of a small Honda city car have been leaked on to the Intarwebs, one that looks suspiciously like the 1967 N360 and its sibling the US-market N600.

Posted in honda, Next Version | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

QotW: What’s the most beautiful OEM color?

The world of nostalgics is filled with bold colors, perfectly paired two-tones and the whitest whites this side of heaven. Go to any gathering of vintage Japanese cars and it’s a feast for your retinas, a refreshing break from the … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, Question of the Week, suzuki | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, Part 04: Vans

All hail the one-box! Our final installment of the 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals is going to be van-tastic! After all, the SCN is a festival of Amesha Kulture, and what’s more American than vannin’? 

Posted in events, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, vans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

2012 Japanese Classic Car Show registration now open

The year’s most anticipated gathering of nostalgics will soon be upon us. The 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show falls on September 15 this year and will be held at the usual venue by the Queen Mary in sunny Long Beach, California. … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Classic CM: “My Baby and Me” Mitsubishi Cordia ad by Randy Crawford

Mitsubishi had big plans for Tredia/Cordia twins when they debuted in 1982. The Triple Diamond Zaibatsu was ready to go mainstream with a front-wheel-drive compact, the wave of the future! Mitsu went as far as commissioning renowned album cover artist Shusei Nagaoka to … Continue reading

Posted in cm, Friday Video, mitsubishi | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The last rotary has been built by Mazda

Last year Mazda said that come next June it would end production of the RX-8 and, by extension, the rotary engine. Well that day has arrived. Mazda has announced that last Friday, June 22, the final Wankel rolled off the assembly … Continue reading

Posted in mazda | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Toyota Land Cruiser Museum opens at Miller Motorsports Park

This week the Toyota Land Cruiser received its own dedicated museum in Tooele, Utah. The Land Cruiser Heritage Museum currently holds 40 of the stalwart Japanese SUVs, ranging from the monstrous Mega Cruiser built for the JSDF to a 1959 FJ25, one of … Continue reading

Posted in museums, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, Part 03: Wagons

There’s a special place in the Japanese heart for wagons. Sure, they’re loved in America now, but over there in Japan they were always cool. At the Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, where sports cars and two-doors are the exception, not the rule, … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, nissan, subaru, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

JNC Toyota RWD & Z Heritage shirts available in the shop

JNC‘s 2012 Z Generations and Toyota RWD shirts are now available online. Actually, they have been for a while and eagle-eyed JNCer’s have been getting them, but we neglected to make an official announcement. Z Generations debuted at the Z-Car West Coast … Continue reading

Posted in nissan, nostalgic wear, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday Video: Depth of Speed’s Wagon Heritage

This Friday Josh Clason‘s Depth of Speed series returns with a new video about Duane Schaffer‘s Datsun 510 Wagon and Toyota Hilux. As always, the cinematography is gorgeous and the story quite moving to the die-hard car nut. Schaffer’s garage … Continue reading

Posted in datsun, Friday Video, toyota, trucks, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, Part 02: Sedans

The Mooneyes Street Car Nationals may take place in Tokyo, but unlike the typical kyuusha gathering the SCN is a celebration of Amesha Kulture. That’s why you’re more likely to spot a Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier van than a G-nosed Z, and … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

MINICARS: 2012 Hot Wheels ’87 Toyota Pickup

The latest nostalgic Hot Wheels to roll from the mad minds at Mattel is a 1987 Toyota Pickup. When it was first announced last December, we envisioned for reasons unknown a slammed minitruck, but instead it’s a lifted 4×4 that would … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, toyota, trucks | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

Friday Video: Depth of Speed’s Track Day & Taking the Plunge

What’s more stirring, the sight of a crimson hakosuka in motion or the heartfelt love of a car nut for his dream machine? Two new Depth of Speed videos follow the same red KGC10 Nissan Skyline, first as JDM Legends wrings it out … Continue reading

Posted in Friday Video, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Toyota Camatte concept debuts at Tokyo Toy Show

This charming, retro-looking contraption is the Toyota Camatte, a real car that ToMoCo unveiled today at the Tokyo Toy Show. The venue may seem odd, but the concept’s goal is to spark children’s interest in cars, a noble cause if … Continue reading

Posted in concepts, minicars, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, Part 01: Coupes, Two-Doors & Utes

As you can guess by the name, the Street Car Nationals put on by Mooneyes each year is a festival of Amesha — American car — culture. Instead of usual Japanese fare like step-lipped SSRs and racing livery, this show is all about chromed … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, toyota, trucks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Subaru Philosophy blog launches

Fuji Heavy Industries recently launched the Subaru Philosophy blog, and although it has only two posts so far things look promising. The first describes the origins of the company name and the logo (spoiler alert: the Pleiades constellation), while the … Continue reading

Posted in subaru | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

QotW: What’s the coolest vintage barrel?

No other car culture comes close to Japan’s in terms of wheels. The sheer enormity of selection can be matched only by the magnitude of a rim collector’s obsession. From ninja star designs to barrels deep enough to bathe a … Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week, wheels | Tagged , , , , , , | 44 Comments