Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What’s your favorite childhood road trip memory?
The holiday season is upon us, and that means a lot of traveling to visit family and friends. Some of our earliest experiences of automotive adventures are sitting in the back of the family station wagon, in the days before … Continue reading
Hayashi Racing debuts finned rear drums for classic Nissans
Hayashi Racing has announced a new product that is sure to be of interest to kyusha owners. These gorgeous rear brake drums are now available for Nissans of the late-60s and 1970s era. The aluminum drums are finned to help … Continue reading
Posted in Product Guide
7 Comments
Mazda debuts Roadster Brown Top Edition in Japan
Mazda has released a new special edition Roadster in Japan. The Brown Top Edition debuts a new color to the ND, Zircon Sand Metallic, that looks kind of like a modern take on 90s champagne gold. As you can probably … Continue reading
QotW: Why aren’t there more good looking cars?
One time I was explaining to my non-car guy friend how there are entire schools specializing in automotive design. Car companies spend millions on every visual detail, like picking just the right shade of red. And everyone knows that buying … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
17 Comments
Enkei RPF1RS now available in 18-inch sizes
It’s been 20 years since the release of the Enkei RPF1, a timeless racing wheel for Bubble Era cars. The super lightweight design has its roots in Formula 1 racing, but its consumer version has for two decades been one … Continue reading
Japan Automotive Hall of Fame welcomes Fairlady Z, Prius, and more
The Japanese Automotive Hall of Fame has announced their 2022 inductees. Each year three vehicles representing milestones in the country’s auto industry are selected for the honor. This year, they include a sports car classic, a technological turning point, and … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged fairlady z, japan automotive hall of fame, Katana, nissan, prius, S30Z, suzuki, Torao Yamaba, toyota, Tsukuba
Leave a comment
QotW: What automotive dreams would you fulfill with $1.9 billion?
The Powerball jackpot has grown to $1.9 billion, the biggest ever in a national lottery according to the Guinness Book of World Records. For the winner the possibilities will be endless, quite likely in several life-ruining fashions. You could build … Continue reading
This Honda Civic EF wearing Advan Oni 2 wheels was our SEMA favorite
We’re still compiling the hundreds of photos from SEMA into a digestible gallery (and intermittently washing our eyes out with bleach), but we wanted to give credit where credit was due. Our favorite car at the 2022 SEMA Show was … Continue reading
Toyota Land Cruiser body panels are here to help you rebuild an FJ40
One of the surest signs a car has become a classic is when an aftermarket company begins to offer body panels for it. At the SEMA Show this year, we stumbled upon a outfit making replica body panels for nearly … Continue reading
Toyota’s TRD tricolor will never not look cool
At the SEMA Show Toyota unveiled a colossal number of trucks while announcing yet another line of off-road sub-brands called Trailhunter. Apparently this overlanding thing is really taking off (/s). The coolest among this gaggle of 4x4s is a Sequoia … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most sinister looking JNC?
Just in time for All Hallows’ Eve, we come to you with a question of the most sinister looking JNC. Some people think old wagons are just creepy because they look like hearses. An S40 Gloria wagon in particular looks … Continue reading
BRE Sunny Truck with Leaf powertrain leads Nissan’s SEMA 2022 lineup
In the past couple of years the pandemic has decimated participation at the SEMA Show, but there are some signs of life in Las Vegas. Nissan, for example, is bringing a diverse mix of weird and wonderful builds that capture … Continue reading
Hyundai continues to build better Mitsubishis than Mitsubishi
In 1986, to prepare for the upcoming Seoul Olympics, Hyundai needed a flagship sedan. But it was so wet behind the ears that it had to turn to another carmaker to design one for them, one that seemed like a … Continue reading
QotW: Can you help a fellow JNC reader find a ride-on car for their daughter?
This week’s question comes from Robin N., whom we are trying to help with the very worthy goal of finding a Japanese Power Wheels-type car for kids. “There are not many ride-on cars for kids that are Japanese,” Robin wrote … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
12 Comments
QotW: What’s your favorite car chase scene?
The world of movie car chases was forever changed 54 years ago today. October 17, 1968 saw the theatrical release of Bullitt, in which the centerpiece action sequence between ad Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger is considered to be one … Continue reading
Posted in News
24 Comments
Japan’s first railway began operating 150 years ago today
One hundred and fifty years ago today, Japan’s first railway opened. The line connected Shimbashi, Tokyo to nearby Yokohama, a distance of just 18 miles. Pulled by a British-built steam locomotive, the trip took 53 minutes non-stop. The train made … Continue reading
Hot Wheels has a tsunami of Japanese cars coming
Our friends at Hot Wheels recently shared with us some previews of upcoming cars. For fans of Japanese diecast, there will be no shortage offerings infiltrating every series the company makes. Here’s a couple dozen peeks at what’s coming down … Continue reading
50 YEAR CLUB: How Honda’s CVCC beat its rivals and made the Civic a household name
Fifty years ago today, at the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo, Honda revealed the CVCC engine to the world. The engine was still over a year off from mass production in a road car, but Honda was eager to get … Continue reading
Why Toyota Land Cruisers are the best, according to the man who literally wrote the book on crossing the Sahara Desert
Chris Scott has completed over 50 overlanding expeditions and is an expert on crossing the Sahara Desert. He’s authored several books on the subject. He made his first trip into northern Africa on a motorcycle in 1983. Since then he’s … Continue reading
