Author Archives: Patrick Strong
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish-spec Toyota AE86
Ah, St. Patrick’s Day, the most hackneyed of holidays, that magical time of year when Americans tack up caricatures of supposed Irish culture like shamrocks and leprechauns and guzzle offensively named cocktails. Why not switch it up and salute authentically … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo sells for $173,000
Told ya so. For more photos and description of the car, see the auction listing.
MARKETWATCH: Tokyo Auto Salon auction recap
The high-end collector car auction world has been dominated for years by a handful of North American and European firms that cater to a demanding clientele. Firms like RM Sotheby’s, Gooding & Company, and Barrett-Jackson have become household names among … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: Damn straight the Toyota Supra is worth $121,000
Last week, a 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo with approximately 7,000 original miles sold for $121,000. About a minute later, the automotive interwebs went into meltdown. While prices for the most desirable Japanese cars have been steadily moving upward for several … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: 2018 Monterey auction round-up
The collector car auctions that occur each year as part of Monterey Car Week are a widely accepted barometer of the state of the marketplace, perhaps even more so than the January auctions of Scottsdale. The clientele in Monterey represents … Continue reading
PROJECT DUSTBUS: 800 miles in an untested $50 Toyota van
Imagine that you’ve just purchased a 30-year-old barn find for $50. What’s your next move? You could do a slow, methodical refresh of all the important mechanical and safety bits, taking only short drives while you make certain that everything … Continue reading
PROJECT DUSTBUS: How I scored a “barn find” Toyota Van for a measly 50 dollars
The notion of an automotive barn find usually conjures up visions of dodgy trips up muddy country paths and into decrepit shacks, followed by a black mold discovery in what’s left of your chosen vehicle’s upholstery and the eventual adoption … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: 2018 Scottsdale JNC Round-up
Two years ago, we published a round-up of the various JNCs offered for sale during the annual orgy of automotive spending known as the Scottsdale auctions, and based on both the quantity and quality of the cars that crossed the … Continue reading
RIP Dan Gurney, 1931-2018
A true titan of 20th-century motorsport, Dan Gurney has passed away at the age of 86. Considered by many to be the greatest American racing driver in history, Gurney’s contributions to the world of auto racing as a driver, engineer … Continue reading
QotW: What car should our Touge California Rallymaster get?
The time has come for your faithful Touge California rallymaster to get a new set of wheels. A shift in family priorities means that my trusty 2003 Honda Odyssey will be returning to kid-hauling duty with the missus, so I’m … Continue reading
RIP John Knepp, 1942 – 2017
It is with sadness that we report the passing of John Knepp, a pivotal figure in Nissan’s growth into a motorsports powerhouse in the United States. A founding partner in legendary engineering firm Electramotive, Knepp was an unsung hero of … Continue reading
Mazda presents the 2017 Touge California — Registration open
We at Japanese Nostalgic Car are proud to announce that Touge California, our vintage road rally for all Japanese marques, returns for 2017 with Mazda as the title sponsor. It is a particularly great honor this year, as 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of … Continue reading
RIP John Surtees, 1934 – 2017
The world of motorsport lost one of its true legends last week. John Surtees, the only person to win World Championships in both motorcycles and automobiles, and an important player in the emergence of Honda as a racing power, died … Continue reading
TOUGE 80s: A Call for Entries
Response to JNC‘s Touge California has been almost unanimously positive… almost. There was one group in particular who felt left out of the fun: Owners of 80s cars. That’s because all Touge California cars had to be 1980 or older. Well, take heart, … Continue reading
NEWS: Mazda is the title sponsor of JNC Touge California
We at JNC are very proud to announce that Mazda will be the title sponsor of the 2016 JNC Touge California. Mazda will bring out select heritage cars to drive along with us during the 200-mile event, and give participants a rare … Continue reading
Register for the 2016 Touge California
The deadline for entries for Touge California 2016 is fast approaching. We’re seeking 25 pre-1980 Japanese cars to accept the challenge of a 200-mile tour of some of southern California’s most scenic and challenging driver’s roads on April 2nd. We’ve … Continue reading
JNC Touge California 2016: A Call for Entries
Last year, JNC presented the inaugural Touge California, a vintage auto rally exclusively for classic Japanese cars. Touge means “mountain pass” in Japan, where peaks and canyons comprise 70 percent of the nation’s land. The goal of JNC Touge California … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: 2016 Scottsdale auction roundup
If the 2016 Scottsdale collector car auctions are any indication, it may be time to declare that Japanese classic cars have gone fully mainstream. All five of the major Scottsdale auctions (Barrett-Jackson, RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Gooding & Co. and Russo … Continue reading
WILDLIFE: Toyota 2000GT on a flatbed
So this happened on the 405 this morning.
MINICARS: AUTOart 1:18 Hakosuka Nissan Skyline GT-R
As the broader collector car world has finally recognized the worthiness of Japanese classics, model car companies have followed suit. We’re seeing a steady increase in the number of nostalgics available in the more popular premium diecast scales (1:18 and … Continue reading