Category Archives: minicars

Tomica Limited Vintage Neo Nissan Skyline C110 Wagon

American toymakers are doing their part to enrich the lives of diecast collectors. What about Japan? Anyone’s who been to the seizure-inducing overstimulation of a Japanese toy store is familiar with Tomica toy cars, but did you know the had a upscale … Continue reading

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Hot Wheels Kenmeri Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R & Vintage Racing BRE Datsun 510 Bluebird

Hot Wheels is on a tear these days, adding Japanese classics to their lineup as quickly as the diecast cars will speed down an orange track. We were thrilled to be part of the hakosuka Nissan Skyline 2000GT-X (which is … Continue reading

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Hot Wheels Datsun 240Z Treasure Hunt

It seems we’ve got some exciting news from Hot Wheels every week now. Mattel‘s diecast toy line is really firing on all cylinders with cool nostalgics that JNC readers will love. Now you can park this Datsun 240Z next to … Continue reading

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Kenmeri Too: Hot Wheels KPGC110 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R is Coming

If you guys were excited about the Hot Wheels Hakosuka, then buckle your racing harnesses because the boys at Mattel are about to double down. That’s right, they are doing a kenmeri too.

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Hot Wheels X JNC Hakosuka Nissan Skyline

We at JNC are very proud to announce the latest classic Japanese car to grace the 2011 Hot Wheels lineup — the legendary hakosuka. Mattel just sent us a small batch fresh off the assembly line, and has graciously allowed … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 64 Comments

Choro-Q Zero to Re-Launch with Vintage Lineup

Walk into the toy section of any Japanese department store back in 2005 and you’d see shelves stocked aplenty with Choro-Q. Older JNCers may recognize these small pullback toys as Penny Racers when they were sold in the US in … Continue reading

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Kidney, Anyone? Mitsubishi Fuso AR470 Bus Scale Model for $17,741

Yesterday we showed you model car on the small side. Today we look at a model bus that’s anything but, especially when it comes to price. This Mitsubishi Fuso AR470 recently sold on YJA for over ¥1.5 million, or $17,742!

Posted in minicars, mitsubishi | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

MINICARS: The World’s Smallest Car is a Toyota AA

We’ve talked about minicars here before, but this nano-sized Toyota AA takes it to a whole ‘nother level. Built by Denso to demonstrate its ultra-precise machining and semiconductor capabilities, this micro-model of Toyota’s first car, the 1936 AA, is 1/1000 … Continue reading

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Events: Nos2Days 2011, Part 02

Nos2Days is a two-day event held by Geibunsha, publishers of the awesome Nostalgic Hero magazine. Cars on display can come from any number of places — individual owners, restoration shops, aftermarket tuners, specialty car dealers, and Nostalgic Hero covers, spanning … Continue reading

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John Morton’s BRE Datsun 510 to Appear in Hot Wheels Vintage Racing Line

Hot Wheels has a new lineup called Vintage Racing for 2011, which will feature highly detailed race machines from the 60s and 70s with authentic livery. Nostalgic car fans will be pleased to know that the BRE Datsun 510 driven … Continue reading

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Matchbox’s Nostalgic Off-Roader: 1984 Toyota 4Runner

The march of nostalgic toys continues onward like a solid front axle truck over rocks-strewn trails. You can now find Matchbox‘s 1984 Toyota 4Runner in stores. According to the 1:64 scale diecast car maker it’s technically a 2010 model, but … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, toyota | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Amazing Customized Nostalgic Minicars

As we’re waiting impatiently for the Hot Wheels hakosuka to debut next year, here’s something to hold us over until it does. While browsing YJA, John, our resident Datsun 510 freak, spotted this diecast Nissan 510 Bluebird, customized in a way that … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, minicars, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Hakosuka Nissan Skyline Reborn, in Hot Wheels Form

We have long maintained that a car’s fame is directly proportional to how many diecast models of it have been made. Ford Mustang? You can’t swing a petrified cat at Toys R Us without hitting a scale replica of the … Continue reading

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

Toyota Skyline, Anyone?

Since we mentioned the BRE Mitsubishi Evo yesterday, we might as well one of the most classic examples of minicar marque-model mismatch. Zee Toys went out of business in 1996 but in its heyday the company had, among other products, … Continue reading

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BRE Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X?

So we were browsing the diecast aisle at Target the other day when the unmistakeable red/white/blue livery of Brock Racing Enterprises caught our eye. It was slathered over a big honkin’ semi rig with a matching smaller car on the … Continue reading

Posted in datsun, minicars, mitsubishi, motorsports, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Where to Get Tomica Toys in the US

We reported that Tomica was returning to the US market and debuting at the JCCS. Here are the details on where to buy them.

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Maisto Fifty-5s Datsuns and Toyotas Now On Sale

Back in January John discovered that Maisto was coming out with a new lineup of diecast cars honoring some of our favorite old school rides. Now they’re out in independent retail and online stores. Most reports have indicated they are … Continue reading

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Tomica Returns to US Market, Featured at JCCS

JNC readers of a certain age will remember pegs at Toys R Us filled with Tomy Pocket Cars, highly detailed diecast models blister packed against a denim background. They were the US brand name for Tomica, Japan’s most popular line of … Continue reading

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Tomica 40th Anniversary Lacquer Nissan Fairlady Z432

If you thought the pure platinum Tomica Nissan Fairlady Z432 that Kev posted was a bit too outrageous at $80,000, perhaps you will find these more reasonable. Once again, the S20 powered S30 Z forms the basis for an extremely … Continue reading

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Still Cheaper Than The Real Thing: Platinum Tomica Nissan Fairlady Z432

The 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432 is a beguiling blend combination of the twin-cam S20 six (shared with the hakosuka 2000GT-R) and sexy S30 Fairlady Z looks, making it a blue-chip Japanese collector car of the highest order.  And now Jeweler Ginza … Continue reading

Posted in datsun, minicars, nissan, Toys | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments