In the latest Fuji Heavy video, called “Chain of Subaru,” a Subaru 360 transforms into its descendants like a giant robot from Cybertron. That’s the cool part. The rest is jammed with happy, beautiful people driving Subarus, frolicking, and driving more Subarus. But if you like Subies and Transformers then this is your bag. Watch the video below. Continue reading
NFL running back Alfred Morris got his 1991 Mazda 626 back today. As you may remember, Morris recently signed a $2.2 million contract with the Washington Redskins, yet continued to drive the car he’s nicknamed “Bentley.” Upon hearing of his dedication, Mazda USA and some local dealers banded together to help Morris restore the car he bought from his pastor for $2 when he was a poor college student. Continue reading
On Tuesday at 9am Pacific Time, Hot Wheels will be releasing a limited edition, online-only version of the legendary BRE Datsun 510. Here’s how to get yours.
UPDATE: The car has sold out in a little under 2 hours. Better luck next time!
A few months ago Ben was visiting with John Morton and in passing John mentioned he had signed off with Mattel on another Hot Wheels 510. No further details were disclosed. Coincidentally this was around the same time we at JNC signed off on the Datsun 620. There was a catch though. Continue reading
Don’t want to fly to Japan? The Honda Collection Hall is now fully tour-able on Google Street View. The museum, located on the grounds of Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Tochigi Prefecture, houses three stories packed with Honda heritage. It’s a must-see mecca for Honda-heads. Fortunately, you can now can see it without leaving the comfort of your own computer. Continue reading
The Japanese can do two-tone like no other. Once the Bubble Economy was fully underway automakers rushed to tart up their luxe offerings with lavish, multi-toned paint schemes. Somehow, Japan was able to elevate the lines, contrasts and colors into an art form. Though it gradually fell out of favor by the late 1990s, for a while two-tone was a symbol of its era’s extravagance.
What’s Japan’s greatest factory two-tone?
While they may not be the most iconic, we love the complex two-tones of 1980s Toyota sedans. Whether it be Mark II, Cresta or Chaser, they went beyond simply bisecting the car lengthwise. Some followed the contours of the body, but all added some glitz to the boxiness of the times.
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 your favorite JNC tuning style?” Continue reading
For the final installment of our 2013 JCCS tour, we present a rarefied selection of automobiles. Some have been sent into battle for their respective marques. Others were made to be proud standard bearers. Continue reading
Despite signing a $2.2 million NFL contract, Alfred Morris has chosen not only to keep his 1991 Mazda 626 5-speed, but to restore it. Until recently, Morris daily drove the car, which he’s named “Bentley,” to his job as running back for the Washington Redskins. Now Mazda’s DC-area dealerships are helping him restore it so that his kids can drive it one day. The restoration is taking 6-8 weeks, and in the meantime Morris is driving a 2014 Mazda 6 loaner. Perhaps we’ll see it at JCCS one day.
There’s no replacement for displacement? Bzzzt, that is incorrect! The answer is weight, or lack thereof. This year’s JCCS had plenty of small wonders (including motorcycles) that warrant attention. They might not roar when you goose the throttle, but they’re still more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Continue reading
Purists will be pleased. This year’s JCCS had significantly more bone stock cars on display than any previous show. And they weren’t of the standard variety of, say, a 2000GT or Datsun 312, though those were well represented. We’re talking about mod-friendly machines that you’d normally have to sift through a thousand cragislist ads to find in unmolested shape. Continue reading
Listen to the rumble of Dave Scholz’s Rebello-built Datsun 240Z as he drives around Los Angeles in this gorgeous video by Petrolicious. Dave says his goal was to build a Z that someone would have driven from Yokohama to Fuji Speedway in during the 1970s, presumably to check out the touring car races. Watch the video below. Continue reading
The Japanese Classic Car Show showcases a wide variety of makes and models, but perhaps even more diversity can be found in the subject of this week’s QotW — the multitude of tuning styles. Not only are there differing genres originating from Japan and the Americas, but each continent has spawned their own subcultures within. Continue reading
From bone stock to bosozoku, there’s a wide range styles for nostalgic cars. Crazed pimp van, Mooneyes hot rod, Fuji racer, high-society VIP, Resto-mod, nisei cruiser, rally racer, it’s a blank canvas out there.
What’s your favorite JNC tuning style?
We can’t pick just one, so we’re just going to go with shakotan. Sure, a lowered car is a cop-out answer, but Japan’s massive infrastructure and pride in craftsmanship results in mirror-smooth roads, and that has been a key factor in their tuning culture. But this QotW is for you guys, not us.
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 best 1960s JNC for vintage racing?” Continue reading
The sheer size of this year’s Japanese Classic Car Show was unprecedented. Organizers Koji and Terry Yamaguchi told us that registration filled up in just a matter of weeks and that there were over 100 people on the waiting list, both records for the premier nostalgic car show in North America.
Such rabid enthusiasm results in quite a bit of diversity. This year saw representation by a whole host of marques usually absent, from Prince to Isuzu to Daihatsu.
There was variation to be found even amongst single models. We dug Eduardo Hernandez‘s Hoshino Impul-shod Datsun 510, which exuded a very mild zokusha style with its wheel choice and negative rear camber. In contrast, Victor Chico‘s rotary-powered Bluebird is a poster child for late-2000’s restomod style with its large, modern wheels, out-marque engine swap and metallic paint. Continue reading
With the Japanese Classic Car Show closing in on a decade, the theme of its 9th holding could be summed up in one word: More. More cars, more rarity, more stock survivors, more booths, more people, and more staggering Nihon steel gracing the lawn of Queen Mary Park.
In Part 01 we’ll look at some of the game-changing debuts, hard-to-find specimens and historically significant machines that make the JCCS a must-see event. Continue reading
Manabu Mitsumori loves drifting, but he also loves the 1970s. That’s why he got rid of his JZX100 Chaser and now drives two classic Corollas instead. Both E70s, one is a clean restomod two-door hardtop called Babyface, while the other’s a battle scarred drift rat sedan called Scarface. Watch the video by Yosuke Suga of SC Films below. Continue reading
You thought you drove a long way to get to JCCS? Meet Randy Lewis. Earlier this month Randy purchased a barn find 1972 Datsun 510 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and drove it 2,500 miles to his home in Phoenix, Arizona. Then he drove it another 400 miles to Long Beach for the big show. Continue reading
So the secret is out. This is the subject of our teaser pics last week and the car our friends at JDM Legends built and brought to JCCS. We were honored to have this replica of the legendary Prince Skyline 2000GT from the 1964 Japan Grand Prix gracing our booth at the big show this year. While we go through 1,900 photos from this weekend’s show, let’s wonder:
What’s the best 1960s JNC for vintage racing?
I’ve always had a soft spot for the S54 Prince Skyline. Prior to JNC, I would often daydream of running an iconic Japanese car in historic rallies like the Carrera Panamericana or any number of Mille Miglia tributes. The only thing was that many of those races had a strict cutoff of cars built 1965 or older (though many have since raised the cutoff). The answer I kept coming back to was the noble Prince. It may not be the most elegant car, but it was raw, powerful, and had racing pedigree.
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, “How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?” Continue reading
Set-up for the 9th annual JCCS has mostly finished. If you’re not here tomorrow for the show you’re missing out. See you on the flip side!
Photo by Jason Kusagaya.
As long time readers know, it’s tradition for us to debut a new shirt at each JCCS. This year we’re paying homage to the rich car culture of Japan with the JNC Kaido shirt. Continue reading
Here’s some teaser shots of a car you’ll find at our booth if you come to the JCCS this Saturday. It’s being assembled by our friends at JDM Legends right now. Any guesses?
