Unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably know that a little TV program called Breaking Bad is heading chaotically towards its series finale. Only six episodes of the show remain and filming has already wrapped. That’s why one of its star cars, a 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon driven by the character Jesse Pinkman, is for sale on eBay. Continue reading
For the third and final installment of our Vintage Auto Salon coverage, we take a look at cars that aren’t necessarily the rarest or the sportiest. Instead, this motley crew is comprised of bone stock survivors, tough trucks, and wicked wagons, all perfect for a leisurely drive through the beautiful hills and bridges of the Bay Area. Continue reading
Makoto Komori is a Japanese children’s book illustrator, and one of his favorite subjects happens to be 1960s nostalgic cars. He often incorporates them into his whimsical stories in which the vehicles, with eyes for headlights, find themselves on brilliantly drawn adventures. Continue reading
You’re piloting your dream Japanese classic, its drop dead sexiness outshined only by your spouse in the passenger seat, dressed to the nines in an evening gown (or tuxedo, we don’t discriminate). Lights dance across the gleaming hood as you pull up to the opera house. A valet opens your door.
Which JNC will the valet park front and center at the opera?
Let’s face it. We’re not (yet) living in a world where a Corolla or 510 will get you that primo spot right in front of the main entrance to the concert hall/Playboy Club/Monaco casino. But there’s plenty of nostalgics that would. A Mazda Cosmo Sport is pure sleekness. A 2000GT’s worth a million bucks. If you’re arriving in a Toyota Century your chauffeur will likely park it for you. Which one exudes so much class they can’t help but show it off as an example of their well-heeled clientele?
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 greatest Japanese nostalgic van?” Continue reading
Despite holding three shows in one year’s time, including one just three months ago, the variety of cars that come out of NorCal’s woodwork for Historic J events never disappoints. In Part 02 (Here’s Part 01 if you missed it) of our Vintage Auto Salon coverage, we examine the quintessential formula of the Japanese sports coupe — light, quick and agile cars that put a stupid grin on your face. Continue reading
Two months ago a shockwave was sent through the automotive world when a 1967 Toyota 2000GT became the first Japanese car to break the million dollar barrier. 1,155,000 buckaroos to be exact. But was it a fluke? Well, we shall find out this weekend when this 1968 Toyota 2000GT crosses the block at RM Auctions at the Monterey Historics. Continue reading
Vintage Auto Salon is the third show of its kind held by Historic J, the team that’s quickly becoming the de facto force for nostalgics in the Bay Area. Though co-founders James Vorasane and Ivan Jarmillo are both Americans, their events have evolved a distinct Japanese flavor that attracts both NorCal’s rare JDM machines and celebrities from within the nostalgic world. Continue reading
Blame it on being too successful a race car, but it’s hard to find an unmolested Datsun 510 these days. Most owners seem intent on turning them into rat rods, BRE replicas or flat-out hoonmobiles with smog-exempt SR20s. To paraphrase Seinfeld, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we hope this 1971 Datsun 510 goes to a collector. Continue reading
Today, August 13, is Felix Wankel‘s birthday. Mazdafarians might know him as the father of the rotary engine.
Until now, much of his history had been either unexplored or glossed over. On the official Mazda website, they describe him only as an inventor who conducted research with the German Aviation Ministry during World War II to “serve the national interest.”
But an article published today on Jalopnik contends that Herr Wankel was kicked out of the Nazi party twice for being “too radical” and was a member of Germany’s most anti-Semitic group. The piece references those who believe Wankel worked for the Nazis simply because they happened to be the biggest funder of his research at the time, but that argument is quickly dismissed.
There is no denying the rotary engine’s brilliance as a piece of technology. Even if Wankel’s politics were abhorrent, it only puts him in the company of other automotive luminaries of the time such as Henry Ford. Perhaps it is best to divorce the man from the machine.
Subaru has been making a concerted effort to promote its history as of late. Timed perfectly with our visit to the Subaru History Collection is the debut of a video series called Subaru Vintage Garage. Watch these bite-size history lessons about Fuji Heavy Industries earliest vehicular efforts. They will be released in chronological order, with the first two covering the Fuji Rabbit scooter and the Subaru 360 kei car. Continue reading
We just finished a 1,500 mile road trip with a Toyota Sienna SE (more on this later), which we are ready to crown as the greatest minivan ever made. The only problem: it’ll be 2036 before it’s officially nostalgic. Not to fear, Japan has plenty of incredible bento boxes to choose from.
What’s the greatest Japanese nostalgic van?
The Honda Life Step Van is one candidate. Built from 1972-74, it pioneered the FF, low-floor minivan layout over a decade before the Chrysler Town & Country. Others include the Mitsubishi Delica, rugged camper in 4×4 and and Aussie hoonmobile in FR. Or perhaps the stalwart Toyota Van, that staple of the 80s.
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 fondest hachiroku memory?”
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Oh, the machinery we would put in the JNC dream garage. You cannot even imagine. The rarest twin-cam Toyotas, ex-works Nissan racers, immaculate rotaries, obscure kei cars. It would be downright pornographic, I tell you.
No matter what though, our fantasy fleet always has a BHT. A big, honkin’ truck that can drag the rustiest barn find back to HQ, haul a motor or three without flinching, and handle any terrain a recovery mission might throw at us. It would have enough driving lights to outshine the grid from Close Encounters, a bed crane, and say “JNC Search & Rescue” on the side. And for one week, we lived the dream. Continue reading
Today’s guest writer is David Lovett of Classic Car Nagoya, who recently went on a little field trip to Rocky Auto. The famous tuning shop’s founder, Yoshiya Watanabe, will make a rare American appearance at Vintage Auto Salon this weekend so come by and meet him. —Ben
Rocky Auto is one of Japan’s most famous, not to mention most outrageous, Nissan tuners, known for swapping completely modern Nissan RBs and Lexus V8s into Japan’s iconic nostalgic cars. Some might call the creations blasphemous, others might say they’re wickedly cool. No one can deny, however, that founder Yoshiya Watanabe has made a huge impact in the nostalgic car scene in Japan. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the shop in person. Continue reading
You’d never guess as you drove by, but in a nondescript warehouse just across the Delaware river from Philadelphia lies the most eclectic stash of boxer motored, all-wheel-drive vehicles in the US. Earlier this year, we at JNC had the rare opportunity to visit Subaru of America‘s incredible historic car collection.
Subaru describes the collection as more of an “attic,” where significant concepts, classics and race cars are stored for posterity. With cars stacked on lifts and crammed doorhandle to doorhandle, it’s certainly not a museum, and it’s not open to the public. However, it’s still amazing, and something that we are very glad exists. Continue reading
Just in time for 86 Day festivities, the Lamley Group has leaked that the Toyota Corolla AE86 Hot Wheels casting will be making a return to the pegs in 2014. This time around, the car will be silver with 80s-vintage graphics. Happily for hachi-heads, it has an appropriate red interior! Expect it to hit the pegs sometime this fall.
2013 is a momentous year for the compact, lively and influential car we know as the hachiroku. With Initial D perhaps getting its final curtain, along with the fact that the first AE86 rolled off the production line in Aichi exactly three decades ago, we at JNC would like to wish you a happy 86 Day!
In celebration of this August 6th, let’s rewind the clock back 30 years. Below is a Toyota exhibition video that features a duo of early GT-APEX Levins flown in from Japan (notice they are not Corolla GTs) and driven to their limits by rally drivers Per Eklund and Klaus Fritzinger. Continue reading
Tomorrow, August 6, is 86 Day and cities on both sides of the Pacific are gearing up for a celebration of the last FR Corolla. It’s perhaps a special one this year, as the Initial D story has come to a close. Maybe you’re not a fanboy, but there’s no denying the cultural ripples the O.G. drift machine has created.
What’s your fondest hachiroku memory?
There are many among the JNC staff. John remembers it as being the coolest car you could have in high school. Kev tracked one in Oz, long before Project Hako and even the US drifting boom. I crossed the country twice to get the AE86 of my dreams.
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, “Which JNC should be revived for modern times?” Continue reading
We’ve been sitting on this news for months, but now that it’s been leaked, we are stoked to share with you, our dear readers, the latest Hot Wheels wearing the JNC inkan — the Datsun 620! Continue reading
In Discovery Channel UK’s Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up, campy car trader Mike Brewer journeys across various continents to buy and sell cars for profit. In the fourth episode, he finds himself in Japan and gets a quick lesson in its used car culture. After failing multiple times at bidding on cars during a very fast paced auction, he winds up with a Daihatsu Tanto, which he’s able to sell for a profit after a quick detailing. He then spends his earnings on a white daruma Celica. A good investment, it appears. Continue reading
On Monday Toyota UK posted a history of the Supra. This led at least one major media outlet to wonder aloud whether it had anything to do with rumors of the nameplate’s revival. Sadly, that same major media outlet led off with a photo of a Celica (-_-). Well, this seems a good a time as any to explain the intricacies of the Mark I Supra. Continue reading
