Japanese Nostalgic Car

MINICARS: Hot Wheels BRE Datsun 510, a Red Line Club Exclusive

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Ricky Silverio

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 →

Posted in minicars, motorsport, nissan | Tagged 510, bluebird, bre, datsun, hot wheels, john morton, minicars, nissan | 16 Comments

MUSEUMS: Tour the Honda Collection Hall on Google Street View

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Dan Hsu

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 →

Posted in honda, museums | Tagged honda, honda collection hall, museums | 5 Comments

QotW: What’s Japan’s greatest factory two-tone?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week | 18 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 —Gladiators and Flagships

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged 110s, 2000gt, 240z, 300zx, 410/411, 757, 787b, a60, bluebird, corolla, cosmo sport, crown, datsun, fj40, integra, land cruiser, levin, mazda, nissan, s30, sprinter, supra, te27, toyopet, toyota, trueno, type r, z31 | 15 Comments

NEWS: NFL player Alfred Morris’s Mazda 626 under restoration

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Dan Hsu

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.

Posted in mazda, News | Tagged 626, Alfred Morris, capella, mazda | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05 — Less is More

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, honda, mazda, Motorcycles, nissan, subaru, toyota | Tagged acura, b210, CB 77, cb160, charade, civic, crx, CX500 Turbo, daihatsu, datsun, exa, H1-Mach III, honda, honda N, honda z, integra, kawasaki, kei, kp61, motorcycles, mugen, n10, nissan, pulsar, sambar, starlet, subaru, sunny, toyota, tz250, yamaha | 17 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 – Rolling Stock

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, honda, isuzu, mazda, nissan, toyota, trucks | Tagged 200sx, 240z, 510, a70, accord, b110, b2000, bluebird, civic, cressida, crx, datsun, datsun 1200, datsun 320, Datsun 520, datsun 521, datsun roadster, fb, fc, hilux, honda, impulse, isuzu, mazda, nissan, piazza, rx-7, s110, s30, sb1, silvia, sunny, supra, toyota, trucks, wagon, x30, x60 | 25 Comments

VIDEO: Dare to be Different in a Datsun 240Z

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in nissan, Video | Tagged 240z, datsun, nissan, s30 | 9 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 03 — Mad Tuning Styles

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Dan Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota, Uncategorized | Tagged 240z, 411, 510, a20, a60, accord, ae86, bosozoku, celica, corolla, corona, corona mark II, cressida, daruma, datsun, e70, hachiroku, hilux, honda, japanese classic car show, jccs, mazda, nisei, rotary, rx-3, s30, sprinter, supra, t40, te27, toyota, trueno, wagons, x30, x70 | 13 Comments

QotW: What’s your favorite JNC tuning style?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged carol, fronte, kei, mazda, QotW, Question of the Week, suzuki | 33 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 02 – Diversity

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged 280z, 510, 610, a60, bluebird, capella, celica, Chevy LUV, colt, corolla, cressida, datsun, dodge, e20, e70, faster, isuzu, mazda, mini truck, mitsubishi, nissan, rx-2, s30, toyota, wagon | 12 Comments

EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 – Debuts and Historic Cars

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, nissan, toyota | Tagged 240z, 280z, 620, c10, c110, crown, datsun, Hakosuka, hot wheels, japanese classic car show, jccs, jun imai, kenmeri, kgc111, mr k, nissan, prince, r30, s50, s54, skyline, yutaka katayama | 29 Comments

VIDEO: Babyface and Scarface E70 Corollas

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in toyota, Video | Tagged corolla, drift, e70, toyota | 5 Comments

GRAND TOURING: Crossing the country in a bone stock Datsun 510

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Dan Hsu

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 →

Posted in nissan | Tagged 510, bluebird, datsun, japanese classic car show, jccs, nissan | 5 Comments

QotW: What’s the best 1960s JNC for vintage racing?

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in events, Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week | 11 Comments

JCCS PREVIEW: Set-up day

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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.

Posted in toyota | Tagged japanese classic car show, jccs | 7 Comments

JCCS PREVIEW: JNC “KAIDO” Shirt

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in JNC Apparel | Tagged bosozoku, jnc apparel, JNC Kaido | 21 Comments

JCCS PREVIEW: JDM Legends & JNC!

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Dan Hsu

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?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged japanese classic car show, jccs, jdm legends | 24 Comments

EVENTS: Japanese Classic Car Show this Saturday

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Ben Hsu

There are only five days to go until the 9th annual Japanese Classic Car Show. The exhibition at Queen Mary Park in Long Beach, California has been hugely influential event since its inception in 2005, a driving force in the acceptance of Japanese cars as classics.

This year, the show promises to contain even more unique debuts and rare cars never sold on US shores. We’ll have more details as the week goes on, but for now we can tell you that special guests will include editors and photographers from Nostalgic Hero magazine. Issues of the renowned Japanese publication will be available for sale at the main booth.

So clear your calendars for this Saturday and get ready for the premiere old school event of the year.

Posted in events | 12 Comments

QotW: How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Ben Hsu

This coming weekend will be the ninth Japanese Classic Car Show. In those nine years, awareness of vintage Nihon steel has grown in leaps and bounds. They are acknowledged by mainstream media that used to willfully dismiss them, values of the cars themselves are rising, and we have heated debates about collectability.

How would you like to see the JNC scene evolve?

One of the things we enjoy about the Japanese car scene is that it has none of the snobbery that plagues traditional collector cars. Anyone can afford to join in the fun and mingle amongst fellow enthusiasts. Having said that, the cars we know and love will only increase in value and rarity as time goes on. We’d like to see more cars preserved for posterity, but we also realize that not everyone can resist the tuning bug. With that in mind, we’d like to see more faithful, period correct mods. Japanese car culture runs deep, and there is much heritage waiting to be honored and discovered. Each year there’s more of that at JCCS. We can’t wait to see what turns up this Saturday.

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 remain stock?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged QotW, Question of the Week | 29 Comments