Author Archives: Dan Hsu

Rotaries and racing go together like wine and cheese

At the beginning of each motorsports season Mazdaspeed gathers the press together to talk about their plans for the upcoming season and introduce some of the luckiest young men in the world, their new sponsored drivers. This year the event … Continue reading

Posted in mazda | 6 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 New Year Meeting

This year’s New Year Meeting was a bit less exciting as a large number of cars were repeats from previous shows, but hey, it’s Japan and there’s tons of vintage steel.  

Posted in events, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

“Black Gold” JNC Inkan now available

Have you been scouring the pegs of your local mega box retailer? We’ve gotten reports that Mattel’s 1:64 Mazda RX-7 is out! So in honor of our collab with Hot Wheels, we’ve created a special “Black Gold” edition of our iconic … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon

Every year more and more vintage Japanese steel forges its way into the Tokyo Auto Salon. But as Japan’s equivalent of the SEMA show, the theme favors “custom” over “classic”.

Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? Carroll Shelby’s Toyota 2000GT #00001 for $1.7 million

Let’s face it. The Japanese offerings at the recent Barrett-Jackson auction were pretty middling. Z-cars and FJ40s restored to new reaches for the definition of “stock” aren’t going to wow anyone who’s been hanging out at JCCS. Well, what do you … Continue reading

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

Aoshima’s “The Wheel” 1/6-Scale Vintage Barrel Model Kit

Welcome to 2012! As we await our Mayan apocalypse let’s enjoy what time we have by enjoying some holiday goodies received at the JNC office. Reason #3,811 of why Japan is great is because you can not only buy a … Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

2012 Hot Wheels X JNC Mazda RX-7

2011 was a banner year for Japanese nostalgics in the Hot Wheels lineup with the release of both the hakosuka and kenmeri Nissan Skylines, as well as the BRE Datsun 510 in the Vintage Racing line. We at JNC were proud to have … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, minicars | Tagged , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Pomade Run at the Mooneyes Xmas Party

This past Saturday some of the JNC crew strolled down to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale to join the annual Mooneyes Xmas Party. Although the car show/drag race caters heavily to domestic hot rods, lead sleds, and kustoms of every stripe … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 SevenStock

SevenStock is SoCal’s annual gathering of all things rotary, a celebration of an engine so competitive it was banned from SCCA, IMSA and Le Mans. This year, the Mazdafarian Mecca was the Pomona fairgrounds, home of the NHRA Museum. That seems … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 09, Motorcycles

This year JCCS welcomed vintage Japanese motorcycles for the first time, so for our final installment of our 2011 JCCS coverage let us take part in their admiration. As you will see our collective knowledge of two-wheelers is rather limited … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 08, Editors’ Picks

Each year the organizers of JCCS graciously allow us to issue a JNC Award. But instead of just showing you the winner we thought it might be fun to take you through the decision process and the arguments amongst the … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 07, Race & Historic Cars

In Part 07 of our 2011 JCCS coverage we’ll look at some race cars that, unlike the Mazda 787 from Part 01, are within the reach of the common man. This isn’t to say they are any less impressive. They’re … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, nissan, toyota, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 06, The Mod Squad

We know there’s a contingent of JNCers out there whose brains scream “moar powahhh!” every time they see a bone stock nostalgic. For them, old cars aren’t about chrome and soul. They’re about bodies with the weight of a cobweb … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 05, Wagons and Trucks

Our 2011 JCCS coverage continues onward as we look at classic haulin’ machines, starting with a quasi-boso Datsun 610 wagon. There’s nuttin’ like an old school goon laid out on ninja stars.

Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, trucks, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 04, Rolling Stock

In Part 04 of our 2011 JCCS coverage we take a look at some cars that have been faithfully restored to original spec or, on rare occasion, simply preserved over the years. 

Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 03, Street Style

Welcome to Part 03 of our 2011 JCCS coverage, where we look at tastefully modified cars that are more about clean lines and nostalgic style rather than going fast (although some clearly can). Let’s jump right in with a shot … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 02, Ganso VIP

This year the JCCS crew added a new category, Ganso VIP. “Ganso” means “original,” but not in the sense of “stock.” Instead, it’s the original in “orignal gangsta,” meaning the cars that originated VIP.

Posted in events, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Toyotafest Part 06

There was so much to see at this year’s Toyotafest it’s taken us six installments to get through everything. Alas, our coverage is coming to an end, but before we leave the Queen Mary here are some parting shots. The … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Toyotafest 2011 Part 05

Our latest installment of Toyotafest 2011 coverage begins with a lovely old school Starlet. The original RWD hot hatch. You can’t miss this killer shade of Amazonian tree frog green with over-fenders and and black ATS Classics.

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

EVENTS: Toyotafest 2011 Part 04

Our coverage of Toyotafest 2011 continues! This A40 Celica hails from the glory days of the Camel GT series. It always amazes us just how much Japanese and American tuning styles differed back then. Goodyear Eagles? Gottis? Had this Celica … Continue reading

Posted in events, motorsports, toyota, trucks, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments