Author Archives: Steve Chang
QotW: What’s a car-related thing that you should really get rid of?
Today, March 3, is National “Simplify Your Life” Day. As fans of old cars we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. It starts with the actual car(s). Then comes the spare parts, aftermarket parts, tools, entire donor cars, diecast … Continue reading
Japan’s 1980s tire ads touted the glamor of driving, not safety
Roberta Flack, singer, pianist, and all around class act, passed away Monday. She was well-loved in Japan and gained popularity there after a nationwide tour there in 1975. She performed in Japan many times in the decades since, with her … Continue reading
The Mazda-built Ford Festiva was technically the first Kia sold in the US
Korean cars are common sights on the road today, but in 1987 the name Kia was a complete unknown in pre-internet America. Long before our streets teemed with Sephias and Souls, the first Kia to achieve widespread sales in the … Continue reading
‘JDM: Japanese Drift Master’ game coming next month
There’s a new game packed with Japanese cars coming soon. It’s been compared to the upcoming Tokyo Xtreme Racer reboot, but with a focus on drifting instead of expressway racing. Despite the somewhat cheesy title of JDM: Japanese Drift Master, … Continue reading
Off-roading game from ‘Art of Rally’ creator announced
In 2020 the indie game Art of Rally dazzled us with its gorgeous lo-fi graphics and incredible selection of cars. Its creator has now announced Over the Hill, a new game with the same graphical style but with classic off-roaders … Continue reading
The meaning behind MF Ghost’s “MF” initials finally revealed
Since MF Ghost’s inception there has been speculation about what the “MF” initials actually stand for. Author Shuichi Shigeno didn’t reveal it from the jump, and fans have been speculating about the meaning since the manga debuted in 2017. Some … Continue reading
Tokyo Auto Salon sonohoka (odds and ends)
The Tokyo Auto Salon can be sensory overload. There’s just so much to see, you probably can’t finish it all in one day. In Japan the term sonohoka means “the rest” or “the others”, sort of like “etc.” in English. … Continue reading
TOM’s Classic restoration division to sell complete 4A, 3S and 2JZ engines
At last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon TOM’s announced it would begin a restoration business to mark its 50th anniversary. At the time they displayed a complete A80 Supra that represented the type of restomod they could build. This year, they … Continue reading
QotW: Which Japanese classic should be remade for the modern age?
One of the biggest stunners at the Tokyo Auto Salon was Rocky Auto’s remake of the Prince R380, constructed using the original body molds but with modern engines underneath. It got us thinking about which cars might be ideal for … Continue reading
This 1000-horsepower Sera is the Honda-Nissan merger we’re hoping for
With the impending Honda-Nissan merger, the big question is what kind of cars will the joined companies build? If an example from the Tokyo Auto Salon is any indication, we are all for it. At first glance it might not … Continue reading
The Work VS-KF# revives a 5-spoke favorite
Work Wheels’ iconic VS-KF wheel is making a comeback. Announced at the Tokyo Auto Salon over the weekend, the tuner favorite will enter production again later this year after a long hiatus. The revived version, called Work VS-KF#, has seen … Continue reading
‘Tokyo Xtreme Racer’ returns after 18-year hiatus on January 23
The long wait is almost over. The developers of Tokyo Xtreme Racer have announced that the first TXR game in 18 years will be released on January 23 on Steam. The team has also been sharing glimpses of the game … Continue reading
QotW: What car and color combo is the perfect fit?
Today, January 6, is Color Day in Japan because the first syllables of ichi (one) and roku (six) color, can be combined to spell iro, which is “color” in Japanese. Color on cars is interesting, because the right combo can … Continue reading
Nissan Technical College students build a modern Kenmeri Skyline, U11 Bluebird, and Z wagon for Tokyo Auto Salon
It’s almost time for the Tokyo Auto Salon, and that means wild vehicular creations are afoot. The Nissan Technical Colleges around Japan have completed three custom cars that they plan to display at the show, which include a modern Kenmeri … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Auto Salon
Tagged bluebird, c110, kenmeri, nissan, Nissan Technical College, nissan z, RZ34, skyline, v35
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Nissan 240SX barn find gets first wash in almost 30 years
In Japanese tradition an osoji (literally “big clean”) is conducted to welcome in the new year with a fresh start. Therefore, here is a 45-minute video in which a barn find Nissan 240SX gets a thorough wash and detail. It’s extremely … Continue reading
QotW: What are you asking JNC Santa Claus for this year?
There’s a legend in Japan that a jovial, rotund man in a white suit with a big red dot on it lives at the northernmost tip of Hokkaido. He keeps a list of lonesome car boys and girls and for … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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QotW: What mods have you regretted making on your JNC?
We were all young and dumb once. Our tastes change as we mature and we realize that what we once thought was cool is actually something cringe. Turns out a giant wing and underglow don’t really make a car go … Continue reading
Car & Driver‘s twin-engined Honda CRX rides again, with Jay Leno behind the wheel
We don’t normally we don’t pay much attention to crazy Frankenstein builds. They might be impressive feats of engineering and construction, but they usually exist to show off the owner’s insane wrenching skills or satisfy some performance metric at the … Continue reading
This Lego Toyota Supra looks absolutely terrible
Images of an upcoming Lego set depicting an A80 Supra have been leaked, and the model looks really, really bad. Even more shockingly, none of the badness has to do with the fact that it’s a Fast & Furious car. … Continue reading
