Author Archives: Matt De Mangos
QotW: What kind of JNC stuff can you find for a baby?
As we mentioned before, two members of the JNC team had little ones this year. Brandon Kelley and his wife had their son, Maximus, and Ben Hsu and his wife had their son, Cedric. However, it can be incredibly hard … Continue reading
SHOWA SNAP: Amago Bridge, Iwaki Prefecture, 1977
For our first Showa Snap of the Reiwa Era, let’s go back to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture in August of 1977. The Amago bridge traces its origins back to the times of the samurai. It was part of the Hama … Continue reading
Posted in Showa Snap
Tagged 610, 710, b110, bluebird, c10, c110, c30, cedric, cedric 230, cedric 330, corolla, crown, datsun, e20, fairlady z, Hakosuka, isuzu, isuzu 117, kei, kenmeri, kujira, laurel, Minica Skipper, mitsubishi, nissan, s30 z, s60, Skylines, sunny, toyota, violet
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MINICARS: Someone 3D-printed a working Toyota 22R-E
If there was one engine that did not need to be preserved digitally, it would be the Toyota 22R-E. They are pretty much indestructible and will likely last beyond human civilization. Still, one clever engineer 3D-modeled a surprisingly faithful replica … Continue reading
JNC RADIO: Let the smooth sounds of a Mazda Cosmo AP carry you into the evening
It was no mere coincidence that Hatsumi Shibata’s 1978 album cover for Night Dramatic featured a then-new Mazda Cosmo AP. Though the car set the proper mood for the Japanese bossa nova record, Shibata did plenty of commercial work, including … Continue reading
VIDEO: How Toyota revolutionized mass production
Toyota is not only one of the most respected and efficient carmakers in the world, but one of the most respected and efficient manufacturers of anything, period. Companies from Boeing to Intel have adopted Toyota’s Just In Time manufacturing technique, … Continue reading
The heartwarming tale of strangers rescuing a Datsun wagon from the desert
There is a B310 Datsun Wagon that has been baking in a remote corner of the Mojave desert for over 20 years. The car was abandoned there when the owner died in a freak accident, but now, in a heartwarming tale … Continue reading
Tokyo Motor Show: Daihatsu brought the wrong Compagno
Daihatsu’s booth at the Tokyo Motor Show was the only one that had any sort of nostalgia factor. They even brought out a classic Midget and classic Compagno to sit prominently on stage beside the concepts they inspired. Unfortunately for the latter, … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged compagno, daihatsu, DN Compagno, TMS 2017, tokyo motor show
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VIDEO: The dying tradition of bosozoku
“The view was breathtaking, especially at night. The lights would just go on forever,” recalls Kazuhiro Hazuki, the 21st leader of Specter, one of Japan’s most famous bosozoku gangs. In its prime, the Chiba Soumei Rengo (alliance), of which Specter was a part, stretched … Continue reading
TUNE UP: Kujira Crowns in K-pop video
A couple of Kujira Crowns, both in wagon and sedan form, have popped up in the most unlikely of places — in a K-pop video. At first glance this may seem unusual because, according to the Toyota South Korea website, … Continue reading
NEWS: CA bill to allow fee payment instead of smog test introduced
Currently, California law states that your car must pass a smog test to be street legal if it is 1976 or newer. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of classics un-registerable or sold for scrap during the Cash for Clunkers program. A new … Continue reading
EVENTS: Mitsubishi Netherlands’ 40th Anniversary Classic Car Tour
Today we are sharing an amazing story from Dutch forum member Marv666, who owns a 1983 Mitsubishi Galant GLX. Because of its condition, Marv666 was asked to participate in this event celebrating 40 years of Mitsubishi Netherlands, a older official presence history than the … Continue reading
CLASSIC CM: 1972 was a very good year, for Toyota
No matter your stage in life, the 1972 Toyota lineup has a car for you. Heading up to makeout point? You’ll get to first base at least in an E20 Corolla. Looking for a more sophisticated woman? The A20 Celica is your steed. … Continue reading
VIDEO: This is what a carbed Mitsubishi 2.6 sounds like
Mitsubishi‘s Astron 2.6-liter was one of the largest inline-fours motors available at the time of its production. It came in Fire Arrows, Sapporos, and even the Chrysler LeBaron, but in the case of this swapped 1974 Colt Galant GT, it is … Continue reading
300 brand new Mitsubishis were shipwrecked off the Canadaian coast in 1972
On March 14, 1972 the Vanlene freighter was engulfed by fog and ran into the so-called Graveyard of the Pacific, a treacherous area off the west coast of Vancouver Island. On board were 300 Dodge Colts, built by Mitsubishi, bound … Continue reading
VIDEO: This is what a Toyota car show looked like 30 years ago
30 years ago in Japan, a Toyota Sports Car Meeting was held. As you can see from the Zapruder-quality footage, it was a pretty significant affair: 1600GTs, 2000GTs, and Sports 800s of every color imaginable. According to yumejizo, who apparently filmed the … Continue reading
Old Tokyo photos oozing with Japanese nostalgic cars
We recently stumbled upon a thread of old Tokyo photos on the architecture site SkyscraperCity. Though the focus was the buildings, we came for the cars. Just look at these pictures and dream of being amongst these machines when they were still new.
