Author Archives: Ben Hsu
It’s Official: Cash for Clunkers is Law
The Cash for Clunkers law we’ve all been dreading passed both houses of Congress and was signed by the President yesterday. Although funding was reduced to $1 billion from its original $4 billion, and is limited to a four-month window, … Continue reading
Posted in laws
19 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? Tomica Grand Prix Circuit
So Transformers not your style? Here’s our first open kidney offer that doesn’t involve an actual car. It’s a vintage Tomica Grand Prix Circuit set that we came across while skimming the Tomica Fan Club forums. Talk about cool… just … Continue reading
Event Horizon: Summer's Here!
Here’s another slew of local car meets where you can take your cars, meet some fellow enthusiasts and have a good time. If we missed anyone let us know in the comments below and we’ll post it up!
Posted in events
2 Comments
Transformers Alternity Nissan GT-R & 370Z
If there’s two things Japan is known for its robots and cool cars. Put them together and you have Transformers. And even if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 9 months you can’t avoid the barrage of … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, nissan
Tagged megatron, nissan 370z, nissan gt-r, optimus prime, transformers, transformers alternity
1 Comment
Toyota Motorsports History Video
It’s not Friday yet but in honor of known motorfan Akio Toyoda’s ascension to the top spot at Toyota, here’s a two-part video about the company’s motorsports history. Based on the intro with WRC ST185 and Ironman Stewart pickups, it … Continue reading
Hasemi Tomica Skyline Livery Rides Again
Fueled by the sponsorship of toy car maker Tomica, Masahiro Hasemi’s original fire-spitting KDR30 Nissan Skyline Super Silhouette was at the forefront of every Japanese child’s fevered imagination. The outrageous bodywork inspired legions of bosozoku-style ride-pimpers, countless diecast models, and even made … Continue reading
Posted in datsun, minicars, motorsports, nissan
5 Comments
Akio Toyoda Officially Confirmed, New Supra On the Way?
You knew this was coming all along but today it’s official: Lexus LF-A hooning, Toyota 2000GT rallying Akio Toyoda is the new Prez of Toyota. All hail! Is it a well timed leak or mere coincidence that on the same … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
11 Comments
Autech-tuned Nissan Fairlady 370Z NISMO On Sale
Here’s some more retro car news, this time for the Zedheads. Nissan’s in-house tuner Autech has just released the Fairlady Z Version NISMO. It’s not quite the monster the Z432 was for the original S30 chassis, with only a 19PS … Continue reading
Last Honda S2000 to be Given Away
When the last Honda S800 was sold in 1970, who knew it would be 30 years before Honda would continue the lineage with another FR roadster? Well, after 10 years in production, that lineage is coming to another end when … Continue reading
JCCS 2009 Announcement
Listen up, nostalgic car fans! The event you’ve all been waiting for, the 2009 Japanese Classic Car Show, will be open for registration on Wednesday, July 1st. Be sure to enter your car into this historic event as early as … Continue reading
Posted in events, jccs
4 Comments
Bosozoku-Style Sharknose How-To
Should the urge to extend the hood line of your car into some kind of Death Race-style slicer suddenly overwhelm you, here’s a how-to using a Nissan C210 Skyline that’s been floating around for a while. Yes, now this bosozoku … Continue reading
Posted in bosozoku, datsun, nissan, toyota
Tagged bosozoku style, nissan skyline c210, shark nose, toyota mark ii
9 Comments
Bonus Vid: JDM Nostalgic Drag Racing
Is the traditional low and wide JDM look too boring for you? How ’bout some JDM funny cars built for the zero-yon (0-400m, about a 1/4 mile) with massive slicks and tubbed bodies? Here’s some footage from an Option video … Continue reading
Posted in datsun, isuzu, mazda, mazda rx-7, mitsubishi, motorsports, nissan, toyota
9 Comments
Friday Video: Police vs. Bosozoku
Are these the most ruthless cops ever or just an extremely dedicated crew of stuntmen? We don’t know, but if you want to see some patrol cars mowing down a gang of bosozoku while being filmed from the trunk of … Continue reading
Posted in bosozoku, Video Games
8 Comments
Mini JNC Wagon! DISM Toyota Mark II
This is probably not going to be of any interest to most of you, but we’re jumping out of our seats right now because we just got an email from Toyotageek informing us that the JNC wagon is now available … Continue reading
Datsun 280ZX Go-Kart
We like to check out what’s going on at the Datsun Heritage Museum every couple of months or so, as they’re always changing the cars around and adding more cool exhibits. On our most recent trip there we spotted this … Continue reading
Junkyards, a Love-Hate Relationship
Due to a series of stupid errors, which I may or may not blog about later, I found myself this afternoon slogging through the desolate wasteland of the self-serve wrecking yard. Anyone who’s owned an old Japanese car has probably … Continue reading
Posted in junkyards
30 Comments
New Toyota Prez Wants to Revive Sports Car Heritage
A few months ago we were jazzed when we heard that Akio Toyoda might be taking the reins at Toyota, succeeding then-President Katsuaki Watanabe. Why? Because after spending the last 10 years killing off all the sporty coupes and GT … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
25 Comments
Vintage JDM 5-Lug Wheels
Finding the proper old school wheels can be a problem for those of us who are inclined towards cars like the Toyota Crown. That’s because unlike 99 percent of old Japanese cars out there it has a 5-lug bolt pattern. … Continue reading
Posted in wheels
7 Comments
Queensland All-Japanese Day Car Show
Flippin Aussies! When rx2s2 and B1500boy announced this event in the JNC Forum I couldn’t even find a website to link to. But even a self-proclaimed “non-professional” event can have 125 cars turn up to tease us Yanks with Nissan … Continue reading
