Author Archives: Ben Hsu
MINICARS: The World’s Smallest Car is a Toyota AA
We’ve talked about minicars here before, but this nano-sized Toyota AA takes it to a whole ‘nother level. Built by Denso to demonstrate its ultra-precise machining and semiconductor capabilities, this micro-model of Toyota’s first car, the 1936 AA, is 1/1000 … Continue reading
EVENTS: Nos2Days 2011, Part 03
Nos2Days is filled with wondrous machinery, but one of the mind-blowing cars on display was the legendary Dome Zero. Conceived during the supercar boom, the mid-engine marvel had the power-to-weight ratio of a Porsche of the era and was supposed … Continue reading
Friday Video: Toyota Corona Mark II vs Mitsubishi Galant GTO & Canter Tow Truck Toyota in G-Men ’75
This week’s video is from G-Men ’75, about a special task force within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police force. It was sponsored by Toyota, which explains why the MX20 Corona Mark II has to come to the rescue of the poor … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, toyota, Video Games
Tagged canter, car chase, corona, g-men, galant, gto, japanese cop show, mark II, mitsubishi, mx20, toyota, x20
4 Comments
EVENTS: Nos2Days 2011, Part 01
News came out today that in the wake of the Tohoku tsunami, Japan’s new car sales have returned to what they were in 1968. Too bad the cars themselves have not! But if they did, the marketplace would resemble the … Continue reading
Toyota Sports 800 2U Camshaft by JUN Auto Mechanic
We weren’t surprised to find news of a new aftermarket part for a nostalgic car sitting in our inbox today. We were surprised that the nostalgic car in question is the Toyota Sports 800. So for all you yotahachi and … Continue reading
Posted in Aftermarket, toyota
Tagged cam, camshaft, jun, jun auto mechanic, publica, sports 800, toyota, up15, yotahachi
4 Comments
A Gallery of Mitsubishi’s Dakar Rally Cars
Last Friday Mitsubishi released a teaser for the next Lancer Evo on Facebook. Alas, it was just the Triple Diamond Mafia rubbing cruel April Fools salt into the wounds of jilted fans of the last sporty Mitsu. The company may … Continue reading
Friday Video: Zero-4 Fighter Trailer
Add another title to Japan’s long tradition of guerrilla-shot movies about street racing. Zero-4 Fighter is all about late night drags in the metric system, where 400 meters is the interval by which you live your life. The presence of … Continue reading
Posted in Video Games
Tagged datsun, fairlady z, mazda, nissan, rx-7, skyline, supra, toyota, zero-4 fighter
6 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? One-Owner 1967 Toyota 2000GT #88
So yeah. This is going to take more than a kidney, but there’s a one-owner 1967 Toyota 2000GT for sale. Not only that, but this one of 62 sold in the US is a yakuza special because it’s Number 88, … Continue reading
Posted in for sale, toyota
12 Comments
Pre-Digital Camera Kobe Kyuusha Meeting
We here at JNC love photos taken in pre-digital days. Clearly it’s not the photo quality, it’s that these authentic time-warp photos probably lived in some Japanese bloke’s personal photo album until one fateful day when it met with a … Continue reading
Toyo Kyogo Instructional Video on the Mazda Rotary Engine
What starts out like an episode of Schoolhouse Rock is actually a 1960s Toyo Kyogo video about the Mazda rotary engine. We get a lesson in the operation of the Wankel, and its advantages over its piston counterpart. Best of … Continue reading
Narusawa Village Showa Version 2 Gallery
Reason number 4,197 why Japan is awesome. No matter how miniscule the meet, wicked metal still shows up. Here’s a small gathering called Showa Version 2 that took place at the base of Mt. Fuji last November.
Posted in mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, trucks, wagons
Tagged 240rs, 720, a114a, aa175, aa63, ae86, b110, b122, b210, b211, b310, bs110, c230, camry, celica, corolla, corona, cressida, cresta, crown, datsun, galant, gazelle, gc110, gf31, gx71, hayashi, kb110, ke75v, kenmeri, kgc110, khc231, khgc10, kp61, lancer, laurel, leopard, levin, liftback, mark II, mazda, mesh, mitsubishi, MkII, MkIII, ms112, mx73, nissan, pf30, pickup, ra25, ra55, reverse mesh, rx-7, s110, sa22, sa22c, sanitora, savanna, silvia, skyline, sprinter, ssr, starlet, sunny, toyota, truck, trueno, tt106v, un521, van, vanette, vb310, wagon, work equip, yayoi, yonmeri
13 Comments
Friday Video: The Last Hero Trailer
In honor of earthquake-damaged Sportsland Sugo circuit in Miyagi Prefecture, this week’s Friday Video is the trailer for the 1982 film The Last Hero, also known as Dirty Hero. Adapted from a 1969 novel by Haruhiko Oyabu, the motorcycle racing … Continue reading
Posted in JNC Theater
Tagged akio kitano, c10, dirty hero, domenico agusta, gt-r, Hakosuka, haruhiko oyabu, jim redman, kenjiro tanaka, kgc10, kpgc10, mike haliwood, motorsports, mv agusta, pgc10, rosemary butler, shiro ito, skyline, sportsland sugo, takahashi kunimitsu, the last hero, wgp, yamaha
1 Comment
Mooneyes Toyota Crown Picnic
The Mooneyes Crown Picnic took place before the tragedies of March 11, but we thought it’d be nice to share the pics now. Besides, who doesn’t like the Toyota Crown?
Long Overdue Idea: V6 Datsun 240Z Drift Machine
We’ve long wondered why no one has built an S30 Z drift machine yet. It’s light, it’s RWD, it’s simple to work on. Parts, whether junkyard special, aftermarket, or reproduction, are plentiful and can be scavenged from a whole host … Continue reading
Nostalgic Mitsubishi Funny Cars
Okay, so technically these are Dodge Colts and Plymouth Arrows, but as we all know they’re Mitsubishis in disguise. Before the Triple Diamond established an official US presence Chrysler rebadged them as Dodges and Plymouths, and that close association with … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, motorsports
Tagged altereds, arrow, bob glidden, celeste, challenger, colt, dodge, don prudhomme, drag racers, galant, irda, lancer, mitsubishi, nhra, nostalgia drags, plymouth, ronnie sox, sapporo, sox & martin
12 Comments
What the Tsunami Looked Like from a Car
DONATION LINK. Here are some more harrowing videos of the tsunami, including an in-car video from a Japanese driver who just happened to be driving along the coast the exact moment the tsunami hits. He remains amazingly calm as his … Continue reading
Friday Video: Zokusha Cruise Osaka
As Japan recovers, let’s visit a simpler time. Here’s a nice evening commute through Osaka. Judging from the cars the background, it’s mid-1980s. Fun times. Watch the video below the fold.
