On the heels of another Toyotafest, let us return to the series where we check out some examples of modern retro-inspired cars along with the JNCs they mimic. In this post, we turn to a quintessential classic Toyota, the Crown, and a special model that was built in commemoration. Continue reading
The anime that brought touge culture to US screens is coming to an end. Initial D, in manga form, concluded its 18-year run last summer. Now, the animated account of the story is following suit. Animax will air a total of four 30-minute episodes wrapping up the story of the humble tofu delivery boy who became a mountain racing legend in his Toyota AE86. Continue reading
We’ve lamented the fact that AE86s have nearly all been drifted into oblivion, but what about its cross-town rival? The Nissan 240SX sold in larger numbers, but finding an unmolested one can still be a challenging proposition these days, especially when it’s a one-owner car with less than 44,000 miles on it. Continue reading
The Los Angeles Times recently published an article about the rising costs of classic Japanese cars. And while it’s likely not breaking news to JNC readers, it provides an interesting outsider’s perspective to something you know intimately. Plus, it profiles everyone’s favorite kyuusha power couple, Koji and Terry Yamaguchi, founders of the Japanese Classic Car Show. Continue reading
The coelacanth was a species of deep-sea fish thought to have gone extinct 66 million years ago, during the age of the dinosaurs. That is, until 1998 when the L. menadoensis species of coelacanth was rediscovered in modern times by a UC Berkeley marine biologist at an Indonesian fish market. Not knowing how rare it was, he did not buy it. We think it’s an appropriate term that can be used in the automotive world as well.
Which JNC is the rarest coelacanth?
At Toyotafest we spotted an all-original 1974 Toyota Corolla SR-5 with only 27,600 miles. It was the top-spec version of the TE27 offered in the US, equipped with a 2T-C mated to a 5-speed manual — one more gear than the standard — but with the factory metal fender flares found on the twin-cam 2T-G version sold in Japan and never exported to our shores. Most were driven into the ground or converted to race cars. Some were brought back to life and nowadays Japan-spec examples have slowly migrated to our shores, but a bone-stock USDM version? We thought there weren’t any left.
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 the last QotW, “Which JNC should Cameron keep?” Continue reading
Although there are still quite a few of these old workhorses around, they’re never in this kind of shape. Typically, Isuzu Troopers were rode hard and put up wet. They were used for transporting people and ab-used while hauling stuff. So today, most early two door originals come up for sale in despicable condition with “mechanic’s special” disclosures, and low prices to match. But not this one. Continue reading
The cars at government auctions usually aren’t this interesting. In Fukuoka, Japan the Regional Taxation Bureau is trying to unload a Honda S800 Coupe with less than 12,000 miles. Yes, that’s miles, because this is something rare, even for Japan — a left hand drive export version of Soichiro’s first-born. Continue reading
For our final installment of Toyotafest coverage, we bring you the museum-worthy cars that put meaning to the word classic. Whether its racing provenance, rarity, pop culture status or just a stupendously fantastic specimen, these are the cars that are should be exhibited and preserved as inspiration for posterity. Continue reading
In honor of the Miata’s 25th birthday Mazda has created just one hundred MX-5 25th Anniversary Edition roadsters. A special website will open for orders in just a few hours, on May 20 at 10:25 am Pacific Time. UPDATE: Well, that was quick. All 100 sold out in 10 minutes. We can’t praise Mazda enough for recognizing their heritage when many Japanese companies seem hesitant to do so, and were on hand at the Miata’s New York birthday bash last month. That’s where the 25th Anniversary Edition was unveiled and here’s what it has to offer: Continue reading
This week’s QotW comes from long-time JNC reader Cameron V., who hails from Cleveland, Ohio and goes by camshaft in the forums. He wrote us for help with deciding how to cull his herd to just one JNC, a question we turn over to you, dear reader. Will it be the Mazda, Toyota or Nissan? We’ll let him describe his dilemma in his own words. Continue reading
We’ve seen the high-end luxocruisers that gave Toyota its reputation of apocalypse-grade reliability and the long-forgotten sports coupes Akio Toyoda hopes will rekindle passions for his great-grandfather’s company, but Part 03 of our Toyotafest coverage is about the everyday cars and trucks that made the ToMoCo kingdom possible. Continue reading
This year Toyotafest fell on a very special occasion — President and CEO Akio Toyoda‘s 58th birthday. Since taking the helm of his great-grandfather’s company in 2009, Toyoda-san has vowed to bring the wakudoki back. What’s wakudoki? “A palpable, heart-pounding sense of excitement,” says Toyota. To do that Toyoda-san, an occasional race car driver who’s done laps in a competition-prepped Lexus LFA, has sworn to imbue Toyota’s lineup with fun, sporty cars the marque was once known for. Wait, Toyotas were sporty and exciting? Here’s a reminder of what was. Continue reading
Hanging like a cloud over the festivities of the 19th annual All-Toyotafest this year was the news that had been leaked to the press a week prior: Toyota USA was moving its headquarters, which had been a southern California fixture since 1957, to Texas. What would happen to the Toyota USA Museum in Torrance? To its vast archives of historic data? To Toyotafest? It was with this uncertainty in mind that we began to explore the fine specimens of Aichi steel that had taken the 57-year journey to the lawn of Queen Mary Park.
Since it seemed like the end of an era was upon us, let’s first take a look at the luxury sedans, grand tourers, and deluxe nameplates whispered in reverence that made Toyota great. Continue reading
Pop quiz, hotshot. Five nostalgic Nissan race machines tear down a straight. You have only the glorious sounds of their motors to identify whether they are the 1971 Safari 240Z, a touring spec B110 Sunny Excellent, the turbocharged 240RS, the OG Prince Skyline GT or the 1982 Safari A10 Violet.
Think you’ve got the chops to tell which is which by sound only? Watch the video below and post your guesses in the comments. Honor system in full effect! Continue reading
Registration for the 2014 Nissan Jam is now open. After the success of last year’s inaugural show, the venue has been opened up to include space for even more Nissan and Datsun cars than last year. Click here to register. All entrants receive a free T-shirt.
Keychains. They will soon be a thing of the past thanks to fancy push-button starters and “smart” keys. Can something really even be called a key fob if there is no key attached?
Well, at least when you drive a JNC you can still get that visceral, at-one-with-the-machine thrill when you rotate a lock tumbler with a good, old-fashioned blade and bow. Plus, they provide another personalizable connection with the car because they can be unique, sentimental or a collector’s item unto themselves, rather than a uniform black oval designed specifically to fly out of your shorts pocket and into the driver’s seat-center console trench because it is smoother than a suppository. What symbol of motoring tradition sways from your steering column as you bomb down the streets of your town and what does it mean to you?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “Is Toyota making the right move?” Continue reading
A page from the 1962 Mazda Carol 360 brochure, one of Japan’s first family cars. Happy Mother’s Day from JNC.
Just a reminder to cherish your Bluebird on this May 10, our day of 510s. Happy 510 Day from your friends at JNC.
Kaiki Daisakusen (or Operation: Mystery! in English) was a 26-episode Japanese TV series about a team of investigators dispatched to solve cases involving supernatural phenomena. The SRI, or Science Research Institute may have been Japan’s 1960s counterpart to the FBI’s X-Files department, but Mulder and Scully never had a car this cool. Continue reading
Proof again that California does not have a monopoly on classic J-tin comes in the form of this Philadelphia-based 1974 Toyota Corolla 1600 Deluxe. Said to be a one-owner car with just under 19,000 original miles, it is likely one of the least driven E20 generation Corollas in the country. Continue reading
