Category Archives: events

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 08 — Best Booths

JCCS has become an international show. For years, the event has been growing, with ever better builds and spectators coming from farther reaches of the globe. This year, however, many top companies from Japan attended, while US-based ones upped the ante with … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 07 — Trucks

One of our favorite categories of JCCS is classic trucks. The compact pickup is a lost art, and no one did them quite like Japan. As it turns out, the truck category turned out to be the single most diverse this year … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 — Datsun 510 and the winner of the 2017 JNC Award

Every year, the kind folks at JCCS allow us to give one JNC award. This year, we were incredibly happy to give it to a Datsun 510, as 2017 happened to be the 50th anniversary of the Nissan 510 chassis. But which 510? There was … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05 — 80s & 90s

This year the JCCS Street Neo Classics show was put on hiatus because its venue, an area of the Toyota USA campus, is no longer available. If you’ve been following the news the company’s move to Texas is underway, so soon the long-standing Torrance … Continue reading

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

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 — Shakotan Sleds

We’ve shown you the JDM rarities, competition machines and museum pieces of JCCS, but we know what you really came here for — Nihon sleds slammed on some vintage barrels. It’s the quintessential Japanese modified car look, and there was plenty of it on … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

EVENTS: Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 03 — Stock as a Rock

Before we get started on this installment of the 2017 JCCS coverage, let us just say that it has become impossible to capture every click-worthy car on camera. That’s a good thing, a testament to the ever-increasing quality of cars … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

JCCS Spotlight: Joseph DeMeo’s 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac

One of the most mind-blowing cars at this year’s Japanese Classic Car Show was Joseph DeMeo’s 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac. With just 15,200 miles on the odometer, the rally-inspired AWD coupe was basically showroom and the finest example we had ever … Continue reading

Posted in events, Spotlight | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 02 — Because Race Car

In Japan, you have full-blown vintage racing events devoted to Nihon steel, factory sponsored motorsports festivals, and manufacturer exhibits. These things don’t really happen in the US with Japanese automakers, so JCCS is one of the rare opportunities for competition machines to … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 — JDM Goodness

We say this every year, but it’s true: the quality and selection of cars at the Japanese Classic Car Show keeps getting better with age. This year, the representation from Japan was increased substantially, with nameplates both beloved and obscure. Here are … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council, Part 03 — Live the Classic Car Lifestyle

Now that Automobile Council has somehow swayed a bunch of automakers into putting on a big show about their heritage and getting you all jazzed about living the classic motoring lifestyle, you’re going to need a Japanese nostalgic car. That’s why the show also … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council 2017, Part 02 – Mazda, with heritage guns blazing

Now in its second year, Automobile Council gives car companies a chance to flex their heritage a bit. Some seized the opportunity better than others, but none came out with more guns blazing than Mazda. 

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council 2017, Part 01

Japanese automakers seem to have a newfound passion for their heritage. In the past six months, Nissan, Mazda and Honda have all announced programs aimed at restoring iconic models. We’re not sure if the Automobile Council show has anything to do with it, but the … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Mitsubishi Owners Day 2017

In past years, we haven’t found a lot of JNC-worthy material at Mitsubishi Owners Day. Ninety-nine percent of the cars there were white Evos, parked in formation like some kind of Galactic Empire land fleet. This year, however, there were all sorts of interesting offerings from the … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Nissan Jam, Part 04 — Nissan Forever

Why do people love Nissans so much? Our final installment of our Nissan Jam coverage, offers an explanation. Perhaps it’s the sheer diversity of not just the cars from the factory, but that of the custom styles they inspired. Speaking of inspiration, the … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Nissan Jam, Part 03 — All Together Now

Nissan owners are a passionate bunch, with owners who are fanatical about Z-Cars, 510s, and Skylines. While it’s great to be enthusiastic about your favorite model, the fervency expressed by owners of the most popular models often overshadows the amazing diversity of … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Nissan Jam, Part 01 — Starting with Z

Now in its fifth year, Nissan Jam has grown beyond its humble origins as a dealership show. While there’s still a ways to go before it catches up with events like Toyotafest in both caliber and scope, the Nissan, Datsun and Infiniti show … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Toyotafest Spotlight: Mike Muniz’s 1972 Sprinter Trueno is one of the finest Toyota restorations we’ve ever seen

Without exaggeration, Mike Muniz’s 1972 Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a paradigm shift in the world of Japanese nostalgic cars. In fact, we’re pretty certain that Muniz has not only achieved one of the most stunning Toyota restorations we’ve ever encountered, but also … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2017, Part 06 — Straight Sixes

With the passing of time, we are seeing more and more cars pass into 25-year classic status from what is perhaps the most epic era of Toyota history — that of the inline six-cylinder engine. From early Land Cruisers and Crowns … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2017, Part 05 — Trucks

Toyotafest is the only Japanese car show that can boast such a wonderfully diverse a mix of both car and trucks. This year, Toyota celebrated the Land Cruiser but there were just as many HiLuxes, Stouts, Tacomas, and other assorted trucks. 

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2017, Part 04 — The rise of the E30 Corolla

There is never a shortage of Corollas at Toyotafest, and for years the best builds in the field belonged to the AE86, TE27, and TE72 contingents, maybe even a front-driver AE92. This year, however, the 1975-79 E30 Corolla has emerged as a new … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments