Japanese Nostalgic Car

Interiors. They just don’t make ’em like they used to. Do you want to sit in the infinite blackness of an East German coal mine or the tan aftermath of a khaki explosion at the Dockers factory? Back in the day, you had choices: crushed velour, body-matched colors, even intricate embroidering on the headrests. Designers took the time to craft a sumptuous cabin. Therefore we ask:

Which JNC had the greatest interior?

Check out the plaid wonderland that is the insides of the 1978 Dodge Challenger, a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Λ. Not only is it matched to the two-tone blue-on-white exterior, but in case its opulence gets you in the mood for some in-car amorousness there are built-in grab handles on the seats. There is a downside though. Good luck finding any trim pieces damaged or lost to time.

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, “What’s the worst example of badge engineering?”  Continue reading →

The Honda CB750 was earth-shattering when it debuted in 1969 that a new word had to be coined to describe it. And lo, the superbike was born. Soichiro Honda rocked the world with his large-displacement, transverse-mounted SOHC four-cylinder, unheard of in a mainstream bike at the time. Called the “King of Motorcycles,” advanced features for its time, like front disc brakes and electric starter, revolutionized the motorcycle industry in much the way Honda’s NSX jolted the supercar establishment 20 years later. Early CB750s can trade for $40,000 to 50,000, but this particular bike recently sold for a whopping $148,000. Here’s why. Continue reading →

One a giant indoor dirt course at the Chicago Auto Show today Toyota Racing Development celebrated 35 years in the US by launching a new lineup of TRD Pro trucks. Though Toyota’s in-house tuning skunkworks has been responsible for everything from IMSA Celicas to NHRA top fuel dragsters, this was a celebration of their off-road racing heritage.  Continue reading →

Now that the SuperBowl is over, it might be time to ask what was the greatest ever contest of wills involving at least one classic Japanese marque. There have been many throughout the ages. Datsun vs Alfa Romeo in SCCA Trans-Am 2.5. Subaru vs Mitsubishi in rallying. AE86 vs Silvia in drifting. Toyota vs Nissan in sales.

What’s the greatest JNC rivalry?

As usual, we’ll go for the easy pickings, that of the Mazda RX-3 and Nissan Skyline GT-R. In the early 70s the hakosuka GT-R was absolutely dominant in Japanese touring car racing and had a fan following that would make the Seattle Seahawks jealous. Nissan was so confident that it would win a 50th victory in December 1971 that it preemptively took out ads in Japan’s major newspapers telling race fans to watch them clinch the deal at the upcoming Fuji Tourist Trophy. Then along came Mazda with a fleet of RX-2s and the newly developed RX-3 and, after a nail-biting battle, denied Nissan their much hyped win. Of course, Nissan did go on to claim that 50th win and more, but it was a surprising upset for fans and a stark reminder not to count your chickens before they’re hatched.

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, “What’s the coolest factory decal package?”  Continue reading →