Japanese Nostalgic Car

Every car enthusiast has a few stories of the cars that got away. Perhaps it was a car you regret selling when times were hard. Maybe it was a car you should’ve bought but didn’t. On the other end of the spectrum are the ones we couldn’t get rid of fast enough — the money pit projects, the cursed cars that kept breaking down, used examples that slowly revealed a scammy seller. Personally, I owned a 240SX convertible that was just terrible. The ASC conversion was poorly assembled, the roof never sealed right, and the extra bracing was so heavy the doors sagged. I should’ve bought a coupe and I was glad to be rid of it.

What car do you not regret selling or letting get away?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car(s) from Japan would you import right now?“. Continue reading →

Let’s say a rich relative you never heard of died suddenly and left you a big chunk of cash. The only condition is that you use it to buy a Japan-market car in today’s rather favorable exchange rate climate. There are a few rules, however:

• It has to be at least 25 years old per America’s import laws.
• It shouldn’t be a car that was sold in the US unless it is significantly different (ie, engine, drivetrain, body style).
• It should be a lesser known model. Go-tos like Nissan Skyline GT-Rs and Toyota Centurys are cool, but you’d need really good justification.

What car(s) from Japan would you import right now?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What non-Japanese car would you modify in Japanese style?“. Continue reading →

The 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV we posted for Independence Day is a perfect example of how Japanese customization style can work on even non-Japanese cars. The Linc is a ridiculous car to begin with, and its nearly 20 feet of angular sheetmetal makes the perfect canvas for the jutting edges of the kaido racer style. From to dekotora to VIP, Japan has given us countless ways to modify cars.

What non-Japanese car would you modify in Japanese style?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How do you navigate when driving your JNC?“. Continue reading →

A recently published Japanese novel tells the a sci-fi story of what would happen if Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda traveled back in time to meet his grandfather Kiichiro Toyoda, the man who founded Toyota Motor Co. If time travel were real — and while we’re at it, a Star Trek-style universal language translator too — there are so many inventors, executives, race car drivers, designers, etc. whose brains we’d love to pick or whose brilliance we’d love to witness. It’s hard to pick just one.

Which historic auto industry figure would you visit if you could time travel?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What was it like in the least powerful car you’ve ever been in?“. Continue reading →