Author Archives: Ben Hsu
EF Honda Civic-driving idiot tries to run from police
One of my guilty pleasures is watching dashcam and police chase videos. It’s rare though that the subject of the pursuit is one of our own. And by one of our own I mean the enthusiast of an old Japanese … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Gemini was Isuzu’s most popular passenger car
Introduced in 1974, the Isuzu Gemini was known by many names around the world. Depending on the country, it was sold as a Chevy, Buick, Opel, Holden, Vauxhall, Daewoo, Saehan, and probably a few more. In Japan, though, it was … Continue reading
It’s Election Day and you should be voting instead of reading JNC
If you’ve spent an extended amount of time in Japan you’ve probably come across a gaisensha. Translated as “sound car” or “propaganda car,” they’re basically cars and vans mounted with gigantic loudspeakers. They drive at walking speeds and loudly blast … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays
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To eradicate smallpox in the world’s most remote regions, the WHO employed a fleet of FJ40 Land Cruisers
We might be knee-deep in a pandemic right now, but let’s remember what humanity can achieve if we work together. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, a painful and deadly disease that was killing 2 … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite radio controlled JNC?
There seems to be a large number of JNCers who are into radio controlled cars. Whether they’re as small as a grain of rice or 1:10 scale, built for drifting or off-roading, are simple off-the shelf affairs or highly detailed … Continue reading
VIDEO: The third-gen Accord was when Honda began to eat Detroit’s lunch
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the third-generation Accord here, but how was it received when new? Motorweek said that it was making Detroit, which at the time still dominated the family sedan market, nervous. There’s good reason, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Why the Isuzu museum in Japan has a Chevy in it
Despite its prowess in building large industrial trucks for any type of terrain, Isuzu was never truly able to succeed in the domestic truck and SUV market. They never were able to challenge the like of the Land Cruisers, Patrols … Continue reading
A treasure trove of rare FD Mazda RX-7 parts has been found, but what does it mean?
Over the weekend, a Mazda RX-7 hoarder’s treasure trove was unearthed and shown to the world. Owned by an FD3S enthusiast from Kansas who’d recently passed away, the collection was purchased by an Oklahoma man named Lucas Fletcher who began … Continue reading
The Mazda MX-5 Miata’s reproduction parts are now available in Europe
One of Mazda’s biggest gifts to motoring enthusiasts was when it announced a Roadster Restore program in Japan, bringing NA Eunos Roadsters back to factory fresh and offering a slate of official reproduction parts. Then Mazda brought the parts to … Continue reading
VIDEO: This Datsun Z’s first wash in 44 years is extremely satisfying to watch
Barn finds are great, especially if the car in question has only 350 miles on it. Not so great is the cleaning process required to wash a car that has been sitting for 44 years. The original owner of a … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC would you choose for surviving the zombie apocalypse?
It’s almost Halloween, a time for celebrating the spooky and ghoulish, and this year feels particularly endtimey. What if there was a different sort of pandemic, one where anyone who caught the virus turned into a brain-gobbling savage? There’d likely … Continue reading
VIDEO: Mazda tells its 100-year history with its most significant classics
As part of its continuing celebration of its 100th anniversary, Mazda has produced a short film covering its most significant classic models. Beautifully shot with a 15-minute runtime, it covers the company’s early history before delving into several milestone cars … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 3-wheel truck, Automobile Council, cosmo sport, familia, Familia BD, Ikuo Maeda, luce, mazda, miata, Miata NA, mx-5, r360, rx-7
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VIDEO: The Isuzu Bellel was far from great, but good enough
In the early 1960s, as Japan’s automotive market was heating up, Isuzu decided to forge its own path with a full-size, six-seater sedan. Notably, the Isuzu Bellel was Japan’s first sedan with a 2.0-liter engine and Japan’s first diesel passenger … Continue reading
Posted in Video
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JNC THEATER: Here’s the car chase from the new Lupin III movie
The first computer-animated Lupin III movie arrives in US theaters this week. The film looks beautifully rendered, and promises all the madcap shenanigans that generations of viewers have grown up loving. Cars have always been a big part of the … Continue reading
VIDEO: If you love Toyota Celicas, look away from this Pro/Celebrity race
For three decades, Toyota sponsored an annual automotive carnage-fest known as the Pro/Celebrity Race. It gathered a bunch of drivers, some who were actual professional racers and some who were movie and television… well, stars, might be too strong a … Continue reading
Posted in Video
Tagged celica, long beach grand prix, Motorweek, T180, toyota, Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race
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2020 Japanese Classic Car Show: Editors’ Picks
In a historically unusual year, the Japanese Classic Car Show managed to pull off an event that managed to capture the same sense of community that the physical provides in spades. Not only that, but they’ve even welcomed more enthusiasts … Continue reading
QotW: What cars bookended your favorite era of Japanese cars?
There’s a lot of talk these days about whether we have passed the golden age of the automobile, and what the future of transport will bring. While technological improvements in safety, efficiency, and performance are hard to argue with, many … Continue reading
2020 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 08 — Finale
We have arrived at the finale of the 2020 Japanese Classic Car Show, the awards section. In a normal year, this would take place at the end of the show, at the main stage. Winners would be called up and … Continue reading
