Japanese Nostalgic Car

KIDNEY, ANYONE? Hot Wheels Datsun Z prototype for $4,295

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Ricky Silverio

This is could be the earliest Hot Wheels Japanese car ever made. The Hot Wheels Datsun “Z-Whiz” 240Z of 1977 is certainly the first Japanese casting, but this is a pre-production prototype of that casting, making it one of the earliest Z-Whizes known to exist, and it’s currently on eBay with a BuyItNow price of $4,295. Yes, that is a dollar figure that is utterly ridiculous and exceeds some actual Zs, but there is probably some crazy collector out there that will shell out for it because it is an extremely rare piece. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged 240z, datsun, fairlady z, hot wheels, kidney anyone, minicars, s30, Z-Whiz | 10 Comments

EVENTS: SevenStock 17 Spotlight — Cherry Capellas

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Ben Hsu

As the name implies, SevenStock is heavy on the Sevens. At SevenStock 17, however, Mazda RX-2s made a tremendous showing. We presented some of them already, along with R100s, RX-3s, REPUs and, yes, RX-7s galore. But there were three examples of Capellas, if going by their Japanese name, that deserved to stand out. Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged capella, mazda, Mazda 616, rx-2, sevenstock | 11 Comments

QotW: Which JNC should be a Transformer and what should its name be?

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Ben Hsu

Happy 2015! We asked for a Question of the Week in last Monday’s Question of the Week, and you delivered. So to kick off a new year of QotWs, here’s (one of) the winning questions.

Which JNC should be a Transformer and what should its name be?

Well, let’s imagine we are talking about pre-Michael Bay Transformers, which was a cartoon, a toy line, and not shitty. It also debuted squarely in the mid-1980s. That makes many of the original characters JNCs. We have robots that disguise themselves as Datsun 280ZXes, Honda Citys, Toyota Hiluxes and Nissan Vanettes, so let’s just eliminate all of the existing ones from the running and come up with completely new characters. What will be their personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and favorite quotes?

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What question should we ask next year?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week, Tranformers | 34 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, Part 02

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Skorj

The annual Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival offers something few other shows can claim: the chance to see its cars driving through public streets. It’s not simply witnessing them in motion, though It’s the fact that those public streets are in Tokyo, in some of the capital city’s most famous historic districts, many of which look largely unchanged since these cars were new. Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 2000gt, 410, Cedric 31, contessa, crown, datsun 210, e70, gloria, hino, mark II, nissan, prince, publica, s30, s50, s60, skyline, sports 800, sprinter, subaru, subaru 360, toyota, x30 | 15 Comments

JNC‘s top stories of 2014

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Ben Hsu

As we mentioned, 2014 was the Year of the JNC. As it draws to a close, let’s look back at the things that most interested JNCers over the last 365 days. Continue reading →

Posted in jnc | Tagged 2000gt, American Honda Collection, bosozoku, c10, c110, city, cr-x, Hakosuka, honda, infiniti, japanese classic car show, jnc, kenmeri, land cruiser, land cruiser 70, legacy, lexus, ls400, mazda, miata, monterey historics, mugen, mx-5, na, ND, nissan, Nostalgic2Days, Q45, r32, sema, skyline, subaru, toyota | 1 Comment

QotW: What question should we ask next year?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Ben Hsu

We’ve asked you for many answers, but we’ve yet to ask you for a question. As the year draws to a close, what would you like to know from your fellow JNCers?

What question should we ask next?

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your JNC getting for the holidays?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week | 12 Comments

25 YEAR CLUB: Mitsubishi Eclipse

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Ryan Senensky

The Mitsubishi Eclipse was launched in 1989 as a 1990 model. Known as the DSM cars by enthusiasts, the Plymouth Laser, the Eagle Talon, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse were a combined project between Chrysler and Mitsubishi built under the program name of Diamond Star Motors (DSM). These were sports cars designed for the American market, with two of the affiliated manufacturers being American marques but using the assembly line techniques of Mitsubishi in a joint-venture plant. To fully understand the DSM, a quick history lesson is in order. Continue reading →

Posted in 25 Year Club | Tagged 25 Year Club, DSM, Eagle Talon, eclipse, mitsubishi, Plymouth Laser | 29 Comments

GRAND TOURING: New use for a Toyota Hiace

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Skorj

The Honda S800 has been a great steed for Grand Touring, but it’s going off to get a tear down to look at some possible valve clearance issues. Who needs a flatbed? Continue reading →

Posted in Grand Touring | Tagged hiace, s800, toyota | 9 Comments

Happy Holidays from JNC

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Wishing all you crazy JNCers a very Happy Holiday season. May サンタクロース bestow you with many gifts!

Photo by Erik Lukas.

Posted in jnc | Tagged brat, subaru | 4 Comments

GALLERIES: Honda Heritage Center opens in Ohio

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Honda has opened a new Heritage Center at its plants and R&D center in Marysville, Ohio. Take note, this is a different collection of Honda vehicles than the American Honda Collection we recently toured in Torrance, California. This one showcases the whole of Honda technology, from a Super Cub to ASIMO to the Honda Jet, and will be open to the public. Continue reading →

Posted in Galleries, museum | Tagged accord, CA5, civic, honda, Honda Heritage Center, honda N, nsx, super cub | 7 Comments

VIDEO: Nissan explores pickup history in “Truckumentary”

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Ben Hsu

The next-generation Nissan Titan will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Leading up to it, Nissan has produced a multi-part “Truckumentary” leading up to its reveal. Part one delves into Nissan’s storied truck history. Continue reading →

Posted in Video | Tagged 320, 720, nissan, patrol, Titan, trucks, Video | 2 Comments

QotW: What is your JNC getting for the holidays?

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Ben Hsu

The holidays are meant to be spent with your loved ones. Sometimes your family is there too.

What is your JNC getting for the holidays?

A new car cover, some fresh new wheels, or perhaps that impossible-to-find NOS plastic bezel that hasn’t been produced since 1987? There are many possibilities for the JNC (or JNCer) in your life.

What say you, dear reader? As always, 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 greatest Japanese nostalgic rally car?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged lancer, mitsubishi, Question of the Week, rally | 23 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, Part 01

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Skorj

Unlike last year‘s clear blue skies and balmy weather, this year’s Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival was held on a cool, wet Saturday. The annual event, put on by the Toyota Automobile museum, welcomes all marques and takes place in a 175-acre park in the center of Tokyo. The weather, though, did not deter a high number of participants or spectators. Both sides of the main avenue leading into the park were crowded with eager kyuusha spotters. Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 110s, 117, 2000gt, 510, bluebird, cedric, Cedric 31, corolla, cosmo sport, datsun, datsun 210, e10, E50, gemini, honda, honda z, isuzu, levin, mazda, Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, nissan, sambar, sprinter, subaru, subaru 360, TE55, toyopet crown, toyota, trueno | 15 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 29k-mile 1986 Toyota Cressida

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Before Lexus, there was Cressida. The top-of-the-line Toyota from its 1980s glory days was a tech-laden luxo-barge with rear-wheel-drive and an M-series straight-six that will outlast the cockroaches. Obscure enough to have a cult following but cheap enough to be snapped up by any kid with an after-school job, the result is a perfect storm in which cars that have been preserved for decades are immediately slammed and literally driven into the ground. We hope that’s not the fate for this 29,890-mile 1986 Toyota Cressida currently offered for sale in Wilmington, Delaware. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged cressida, kidney anyone, toyota, x70 | 19 Comments

MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels lineup announced

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Ricky Silverio

Mattel has announced the entire 2015 Hot Wheels lineup. Each year, there are a number of brand new castings and this year the one that jumps out to JNCers is surely the 1990 Acura NSX. Yes, by next year, Soichiro’s supercar will officially be a Japanese nostalgic car. What a great way to welcome it into the family. Continue reading →

Posted in minicars | Tagged 240z, 370z, 620, acura, ae86, brat, brz, civic, datsun, ef, honda, hot wheels, mazda, nissan, nsx, rx-7, s30, scion, scion fr-s, subaru, toyota | 14 Comments

REMINDER: Get your California blue plate before year’s end

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Ben Hsu

So here’s a thing that is probably not going to happen due to lack of interest. But it should! The California Legacy License Plate Program is offering you a chance to get a legal blue plate for your 1969-87 cars, and there are two weeks left. Continue reading →

Posted in Reminder | Tagged license plates | 13 Comments

JNC THEATER: Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Squad 8 DVD box set

Posted on December 16, 2014 by John Roper

Strap into your gull-winged Starion, because the entire 46-episode run of Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Department Squad 8 goes on sale tomorrow, December 17. What is Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Department Squad 8? It’s an 80s cop show produced in Japan, complete with shootouts, explosions, car chases, and loads of synth music. It’s also heavily sponsored by Mitsubishi, who forked over an endless supply of triple-diamond cars for use in its action set pieces. Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged Debonair AMG, galant, galant sigma, Galant VR-4, Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Squad 8, JNC Theater, mitsubishi, pajero, starion | 8 Comments

QotW: What’s the greatest Japanese nostalgic rally car?

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Ben Hsu

With all the snow blanketing the country this winter, you might as well be rallying. There have been many a JNC throughout history built for tackling the not-quite-paved roads of the world.

What’s the greatest Japanese nostalgic rally car?

The A73 Lancer 1600 GSR was the first Mitsubishi to compete in a WRC race, long before the word “Evolution” was ever associated with the car. It promptly won its debut event, the 1974 Safari Rally, a five-day, 3,700-mile race through the brutal terrain of Kenya. To the surprise of many, drivers Joginder Singh and David Doig beat even WRC regular Björn Waldegård and his far more powerful Porsche 911. Mitsubishi came back in 1976 with three Lancers and swept the podium, finishing 1-2-3. Tommi Mäkinen was 12 years old at the time.

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How does a JNCer pass the winter?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week | 25 Comments

EVENTS: SevenStock 17

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Ben Hsu

SevenStock is the annual gathering of the Southern California Rotary Club. The combination car show and track day is one of the largest American assemblages Mazdas both old and new, held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California with official support from Mazda North America. Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 787, a10, capella, cosmo, datsun, fb, fd3s, imsa, luce, mazda, mx-6, nissan, r100, repu, rotary, rx-2, rx-3, rx-4, rx-5, rx-7, rx-792p, rx-8, sa22, savanna, sevenstock, stanza, suzuki, Suzuki RE5, wagons | 9 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? One-owner, 40k-mile Toyota Celica