Author Archives: Dan Hsu

MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Toyota AE86 Corolla

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Dan Hsu

The beans have been spilled. Those of you who came by the Japanese Nostalgic Car booth at JCCS on Saturday were treated to a very special surprise — the Hot Wheels Toyota Corolla AE86 new for 2013. We are very proud to once … Continue reading →

Posted in minicars, toyota | Tagged ae86, corolla, hot wheels, levin, minicars, sprinter, toyota, trueno | 29 Comments

JCCS Preview: JDM Legends’ 1:1 Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Our friends at JDM Legends have been hard at work on a project they plan to debut this Saturday at JCCS. As you can see from this teaser photo, it’s a Mazda RX-7, but it ain’t just any 7. When … Continue reading →

Posted in events, mazda | Tagged hot wheels, imsa, japanese classic car show, jccs, jdm legends, mazda, rx-7, savanna | 7 Comments

JCCS Preview: Mary of Ken & Mary Fame to Appear at JCCS

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Dan Hsu

This coming Saturday at the JCCS there will be a very special guest for nostalgic fans. Diane Krey-Wesley, the actress who played the role of Mary in the beloved Ken & Mary Skyline commercials, will be at the show signing memorabilia … Continue reading →

Posted in events, nissan | Tagged 240k, c110, datsun, diane krey-welsey, japanese classic car show, jccs, ken & mary, kgc110, kpgc110, nissan, skyline | 1 Comment

EVENTS: Z Owners of Northern California Car Show

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Members of the NorCal JNC team recently headed to the city of Brisbane (that’s California, not Australia) to attend a car show put on by the local Z Car club. The shindig took place beside the beautiful waters of the … Continue reading →

Posted in events, nissan | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Announcing Melbourne’s Classic Japan 2012

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Today we have a guest post from Adam Laws of the Toyota Car Club of Australia (Victoria), organizer of a 200-plus car show in Melbourne. Check out his announcement and, below that, some photos of unique Aussie nostalgics from last … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 2011, 2012, 929, australia, bellett, Classic Japan, corolla, corona, cosmo, cressida, crown, datsun, isuzu, kujira, levin, mazda, ms55, ms65, mx62, nissan, pickup, prince, rt46, rx-3, s50, s54, s60, savanna, simmons, skyline, sprinter, te27, toyota, trueno, ute, wasp, x60 | 6 Comments

John Morton tribute at the Riverside International Auto Museum

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Dan Hsu

The Riverside International Auto Museum recently threw a gala to honor the contributions of famed Datsun driver John Morton to the racing world. If you’re not familiar with the saga of the BRE team that Morton raced for, first go watch the Friday Video Against All … Continue reading →

Posted in events, motorsports, nissan | Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, 510, bluebird, Bobby Allison, bre, brock racing enterprises, datsun, fairlady z, john morton, motorsports, nissan, paul newman, peter brock, Riverside International Auto Museum, s130, s30, scca, trans-am, z31 | 9 Comments

Tomica Limited Vintage Datsun Fairlady 1500 Roadster

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Following up on Ricky’s piece about the A60 Celicas, here’s another nostalgic that’s been absent from Tomica‘s lineup for far too long. But not to worry, the Datsun Fairlady Sports is about to become a 1:64 scale diecast in the Tomica Limited … Continue reading →

Posted in minicars, nissan | Tagged 1500 sports, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, datsun, fairlady, fairlady roadster, nissan, tomica, tomica limited vintage | 5 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Nisei Showoff, Part 01

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Held in the historic Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, Nisei Week is an annual festival for Japanese Americans dating back to 1934. The Nisei Showoff custom car show, launched during the height of the import tuning craze, is now … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 200sx, 510, 520, 521, 610, 620 nissan, ae86, bluebird, bre, brz, corolla, cressida, datsun, fr-s, gt 86, hachiroku, hilux, jaf, kp61, levin, mr2, mx83, s110, scion, silvia, sprinter, starlet, subaru, sw20, te27, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, trueno, x80 | 15 Comments

QotW: What is the greatest Japanese engine?

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We’ve asked quite a lot of weekly questions about the greatest cars. What about the hearts that beat within? There have been incredible motors forged in Nihon, from 10,000rpm Honda mills to screaming Mazda rotaries. So we put the question … Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged acura, honda, mazda, nissan, nsx, prince, QotW, Question of the Week, s20 | 88 Comments

REMINDER: JCCS registration to close in two weeks

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Just a friendly reminder that the 2012 JCCS registration will close in two weeks. If you haven’t entered your vintage Japanese car or motorcycle yet, you must register by August 25. This year there will be some special guests. Hot Wheels … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged japanese classic car show, jccs, jccs 2012 | 5 Comments

New York man holds funeral service for 30-year-old Honda Civic

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Last Sunday the Inwood neighborhood of New York said goodbye to an old friend, Harry Etting’s 1982 Honda Civic. A Dixieland band performed, a New Orleans jazz funeral procession marched down Seaman Avenue, and a wake was held at a … Continue reading →

Posted in honda | Tagged civic, funeral, honda | 18 Comments

Tamiya R/C Honda Ballade Sports Mugen CR-X Pro

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Dan Hsu

If the upcoming Hot Wheels Honda CR-X is too small for you, try this one on for size. Japanese hobby company Tamiya has released a radio control version of the Mugen CR-X Pro, the ne plus ultra of early 80s pocket rockets. Not … Continue reading →

Posted in honda, minicars | Tagged ballade, cr-x, crx pro, honda, mugen, tamiya | 6 Comments

EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 04

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Our final installment of the Bayline Gathering kicks off with one of the Bay Area’s infamous Bluebirds that are not 510s. Remember the Appliance-shod 710 from Part 03? This tsurikawa strappin’ Datsun 610 is his partner in crime. Despite the mismatched Longchamps and MKIs it exudes shakotan cool.

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, wagons | Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 323, 510, 610, a60, ae86, auto bahn, b110, Bayline Gathering, bluebird, capella, celica, colt, corolla, daruma, datsun, diane krey-welsey, dodge, e70, familia, fb, galant, Historic Japanese Car Gathering, hot wheels, kouki, levin, ma61, mary, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, ra21, ra22, rx-2, rx-7, sa22, sa22c, savanna, sprinter, ssr mesh, sunny, superlite, supra, ta22, te71, te72, toyota, trueno, wagon, work equip 03, zenki | 29 Comments

EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 03

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We begin Part 03 of our Bayline Gathering coverage with a pair of matching ’85 A60 Celica ‘verts. San Francisco’s hills form one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in America and navigating them with an open top must make for a … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, 710, a20, a60, ae86, auster, Bayline Gathering, capella, celica, corolla, cressida, datsun, e70, enkei, enkei 92, f20c, fairlady z, hachiroku, Historic Japanese Car Gathering, levin, markII, mazda, MkII, mx63, nissan, panasport, performance options, ra21, ra22, rs watanabe, rx-2, s130, s30, sprinter, ssr, ta22, te27, te72, tosco, toyota, trd, trueno, violet, wagon, watanabes, work equip, x60, z31 | 17 Comments

EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 02

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Dan Hsu

In Part 01 of our Bayline Gathering coverage we gazed upon the show’s centerpieces, a collection of rare vintage Nissan Skylines that had journeyed across the Pacific to be revered by a new generation of enthusiasts. But with nearly 200 cars … Continue reading →

Posted in events, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, wagons | Tagged 2000 sports, 240z, 260z, 280z, 510, 710, a40, auster, bluebird, celica, chrysler, conquest, corolla, corona, cressida, datsun, e70, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, mitsubishi, mx62, nissan, performance options, s30, starion, t130, te37v, te72, toyota, violet, volk, wagon, x60 | 11 Comments

Four new Choro-Q Zero models spotted at Shizuoka Toy Show

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Dan Hsu

The discontinuation a few years ago of Choro-Q, also known as Penny Racers or Turbo Tricksters to USDM fans, will remain one of the great injustices of modern Japanese society. Last year the line was relaunched as Choro-Q Zero with a focus on … Continue reading →

Posted in honda, minicars, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged 300zx, ae86, caravan, cedric, choro-q, choro-q zero, city, corolla, delica, fairlady, gloria, group 5, honda, levin, mitsubishi, nissan, r30, skyline, soarer, sprinter, super silhouette, toyota, trueno, y31, z10, z31 | 8 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 04

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We’ll let Patrick Ng‘s gorgeous TE27 kick off the fourth and final installment of our 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage. This tasty mango began life as a 1973 SR-5, an ultra-rare US-spec version of the Corolla Levin, with metal flares and all straight from the factory but … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota, trucks, vip, wagons | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 4runner, 5-axis, a60, ae83, august, aw11, barikan, camry, celica, corolla, corona, e70, estima, feroce, five axis design, fj40, fj45, fr-s, gt 86, hilux, junction produce, kp61, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma61, mr2, n1, pickup, previa, ra21, ra22, ra28, ra29, riverge, riverside, rs watanabe, rt40, rt52, s-5, scion, soarer, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, starlet, stout, supra, sw20, t40, te27, te72, tom's, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, toyotafest, trd, trueno, v10, vip, watanabe, work wheels, z10 | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 03

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We start the 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage with a perennial fave, Jorge Aguilera‘s Fuji-reminiscent green 18R-G turbo Celica. Note the fender mirrors, which are not green but gunmetal carefully matched to the accompanying Wats.

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged 2000gt, 2012 All-Toyotafest, 3s-ge, 4a-ge, a3a, a60, A80, advan, ae86, barikan, bbs, cabe toyota, camry, celica, century, chaser, corolla, corona, cressida, crown, cusco, e70, fj40, fj55, hachiroku, jza80, land cruiser, levin, lexus, Lexus GS, Lexus LS, Lexus RX, ma61, mark II, mf10, mx32, mx62, mx73, ra21, ra22, rs watanabe, rt40, RX330, s190, s50, sprinter, stout, supra, t40, ta22, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, vip, watanabe, x30, x60, x70, xv30 | 23 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 02

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Part 02 of our 2012 All-Toyotafest coverage starts off with a pair of our favorite neoclassic Celicas. Moises Rivera (white) and Jesse Ortiz‘s (blue 1JZ-swapped) wedge-shaped A60s are the very definition of 1980s knife’s edge styling, and the US-spec GT-S flares … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 2jz, a20, a40, a60, a70, advan, ae86, aw11, celica, chaser, corolla, corona, corona mark II, coupe, cressida, dori, e100, e70, fj40, hilux, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma70, ma71, mark II, MkI, mr2, ra21, ra22, sa3r, scion, sprinter, ssr, supra, t130, t60, ta22, takechi project, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, wagon, wangan, x60, xb | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 01

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Dan Hsu

The 2012 All-Toyotafest was abuzz with the excitement generated by the neo-hachiroku. After a decade and a half of supposedly sporty front-wheel-drive offerings, the lightweight FR Toyota is back with a vengeance. For throngs of Toyotaku in attendance it was cause … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota, wagons | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 5-axis, 80-series, a20, ae86, august, celica, corolla, corona, ct200h, e20, feroce, g's, land cruiser, levin, lexus, mango, peanut, ra29, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, t80, te21, te27, te28, te37, tosco, toyota, toyotafest, trd, trueno, wagon, work equip 01 | 27 Comments