Japanese Nostalgic Car

Today, April 29, is Showa Day, one of Japan’s national holidays. It’s considered a time to reflect on the Showa Era, which lasted from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989. But when you say Showa Era to the average Japanese person, they mostly think about the 1950s and 1960s, the time when Japan’s economy entered a period of rapid growth that culminated with the Bubble Economy of the 1980s. Cars that typify the Showa Era include the Daihatsu Midget, Subaru 360, and Mazda R360, the pioneers of private car ownership. For the purposes of this week’s question, though, we’ll allow any car sold before 1989.

What’s your favorite Showa Era car?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the greenest car you’ve ever owned?“. Continue reading →

The recent revelation that the Toyota USA Museum was crushing two of its cars was gut-wrenching for enthusiasts. Every carmaker struggles with the conflicting forces of keeping their heritage alive and having to juggle constraints of cost or space or legal liability. Some do a better job of managing those factors than others, and we enthusiasts benefit from seeing those collections come alive.

Which carmaker takes the best care of its heritage?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What advice or stories do you have about tires?“. Continue reading →

Today, April 8, is Tire Day in Japan. The day was established by the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association to remind people to inspect their tires, and in fact JATMA holds free tire inspections at popular expressway rest stops throughout Japan on this day. Our biggest dilemma with tires — other than the time we had a blowout on an 800-mile road trip — is that it’s become so hard to find tires in smaller sizes for older cars. When the average new car has 18-inch wheels, manufacturers aren’t offering as many 13- and 14-inchers any more.

What advice or stories do you have about tires?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the biggest joke in the automotive world?“. Continue reading →