NEWS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show registration now open!

JCCS 2013 flyer
It’s hard to believe that 2013 is half over. That means it’s time to start preparing for the 9th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show.

The premiere event for nostalgic cars in North America will take place September 28, on the lawn of Queen Mary Park in Long Beach, California.

Registration is first come, first serve and spaces are limited, so be sure to secure your spot today.

For coverage of last year’s JCCS, click here.

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NEWS: The Toyota Camry — 30 years old, 10 million cars sold

1985_Camry_liftback_and_sedan

The Camry. Much derided punching bag for self-respecting car enthusiasts. Scapegoat for all the world’s automotive ills, its clueless drivers, and the decline of automotive culture as we know it. Where would we be without it?  Continue reading

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NEWS: 2014 Datsun K2 revealed in sketch form

2014 Datsun front

We are two weeks from the July 15th reveal of the revived Datsun brand. If you squint real hard you might be able to see a similarity between the old hamburger logo, except that the red rising sun has now been turned into a blue orb enclosed in chrome. There’s even a bit of B210 honeycomb in the new grille, but that’s where the similarities end. Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the best second JNC for your garage?

toyotafest2009=093_125_celicaA20Liftback

So you’ve got your dream JNC sitting pretty in your garage. Your holy grail. Your 2000GT, street fighter 240Z,  Fuji GC RX-3 replica, whatever. What do you get next, a SR20-swapped Datsun 510 for daily duty? A bosozoku Mark II sled? A FJ40 in case of zombie apocalypse?

What’s the best second JNC for your garage?

If you can’t decide, allow us to proffer a solution: the exact same car that you already have. That way you can modify one guilt free while knowing you have a numbers matching gem tucked away for posterity. OCD, yes. But your grandkids will thank you.

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What new cars on the market are the most JNC?”  Continue reading

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GRAND TOURING: The Ise Peninsula, Part 01

R3a-803a_Ise Peninsula

Our destination for this tour was Mie Prefecture, some 250 miles southwest of Tokyo on the far side of Ise-wan (the same wan in Wangan, meaning “bay”). Known for its ancient craft ceramics and as the birthplace of the ninja, Mie is rife with history and culture, but we also hoped for the usual automotive diversions.  Continue reading

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KIDNEY, ANYONE? A trio of Honda S600s, some assembly required

Honda S600

Er, how many kidneys does a human body have? Whatever it is we hope you’ve got enough, cause hidden gems are surfacing left and right this week. Hot on the heels of yesterday’s unmolested FC RX-7 comes a trio of Honda S600s in Temple City, California.  Continue reading

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KIDNEY, ANYONE? 46,000mi unmolested Mazda RX-7 Turbo II

1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II 06

It’s getting increasingly difficult to find a bone stock FC3S Turbo. Peruse craigslist and you’ll find all the blown apex seals and drift-damaged body panels you can hoard, or an endless parade of motor-less shells whose forced-induction 13Bs have been plucked for other projects.

Once in a while, however, a time capsule of a 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II with 46,000 original miles does emerge from its hidden from its underground bunker. Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2013 Nissan Jam, Part 02 — Rare Gems

108-6422_Nissan Skyline C10

One of our proudest accomplishments for the inaugural Nissan Jam was the ability to gather a truly diverse set of rare Nissans that you can’t see anywhere else. In Part 01 we looked at the SoCal Standards, stalwart machines that no Nissan show would be complete without. In Part 02, we’ll visit the rarest gems that filled the venue, and — this is how spoiled we are in SoCal — that doesn’t include the hakosuka Skylines. Continue reading

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QotW: What new cars on the market are the most JNC?

mazda 6 atenza

Japanese automakers are in a bit of a slump. Sure, there’s the fleet-footed Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins, the fire-breathing Nissan GT-R, and the rough-and-tough FJ Cruiser. But is there a car you can buy new today that offers the equivalent of what Japanese cars of sixties, seventies and eighties did? In other words:

What new car on the market is the most JNC?

You can define JNC-ness in any way you want — great design, practicality, user-friendliness, affordable sportiness. Our pick is the Mazda 6/Atenza, which combines sharp styling with excellent driving dynamics and puts it in an utterly utilitarian family sedan/wagon package. A package, by the way, that blows away everything else in its class, including the established giants (in this case, the Accord and Camry) and yet is completely overlooked.

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “When is it okay to buy an automatic transmission?”  Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2013 Nissan Jam, Part 01 — SoCal Standards

103-6601_Nissan Skyline C10

It may surprise you to learn that SoCal, epicenter of car culture that it is, lacks a dedicated all-Nissan show. Oh sure, there’s plenty of club shindigs, marque-specific events, and informal meets, but nothing on the order of a Toyotafest for the hard core Nissan or Datsun fanatic. That is, until the Nissan Jam.   Continue reading

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MINICARS: A Tungsten Trio of Skylines

ScaleMaster Custom Hot Wheels Nissan Skyline 2085

JNC contributor Mark “ScaleMaster” Jones has created some amazing Hot Wheels cars with the liveries we wish they came with. But not everyone has the wherewithal to go to that level of detail. So I asked Mark to make a simple tutorial where all you need is mostly paint and a bit of elbow grease. Enjoy — Ricky

This set of three Hot Wheels Skylines will be re-done in an established classic scheme. You can follow along and make your own if you wish, as the steps to make these simple repainted customs will be explained and illustrated with photos. Perfect for a (I hesitate to use the term “toy”) car you might have sitting on a shelf that you desire a little more personality from.  Continue reading

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VIDEO: Another Old Nissan Spotted on Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network MAD Datsun 510

A couple of months ago we were alerted to the presence of a hakosuka  Skyline in an episode of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time. It appears that the artists are back with another nostalgic Nissan, this time in the form of a Datsun 510Continue reading

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A Porsche 911 Inspired by a Mitsubishi Truck

Mitsubishi Plymouth Arrow Truck Porsche 911

Don’t worry, you haven’t mistakenly stumbled onto German Nostalgic Car. We just thought it was cool that someone built a Porsche 911 inspired by what is one of the all-time great decal packages.  Continue reading

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KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1986 Honda City Turbo II, with Motocompo

06 Honda City Turbo II Motocompo

Looking for a rare little turbo trickster from the dawn of Honda’s golden age? Look no further than this 1986 Honda City Turbo II, Soichiro’s bulldog with the foldable bike in the trunk.  Continue reading

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QotW: When is it okay to buy an automatic transmission?

142dh5580_Toyota Corona RT52

When considering what new cars will be future classics, JNC‘s Law of Transmission Selection for Future Collectability states: if it’s sold with a stick, you must buy it in stick. Yes, fancy new gearboxes can shift faster than a human being, many supercars aren’t even offered in MT, and the law is often in direct conflict with our Law of Engine Selection for Future Collectability: you must buy it with the most powerful engine option offered.

But in the old days, every car was offered with a manual, from the lowliest Subaru 360 to the grandest Toyota Crown. Plus, those old slushboxes were power-leeching whirlpools that needed at least one — more likely two — extra speeds to make you feel comfortable about highway driving.

When is it okay to buy an automatic transmission?

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What’s the greatest JNC barn find story?”  Continue reading

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GRAND TOURING: 1,000 miles, Three Car Shows, One Week

infiniti_jx35_4681

The plan was simple. Three classic car shows, one week, 1,000 miles of driving. We even had at our disposal Japan’s latest long-distance luxe-UV, a brand spanking new 2013 Infiniti JX35. What could go wrong? A lot, apparently. Oh, it wasn’t the Infiniti’s fault at all —unless you can blame it for being too attractive to thieves — but I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s start at the beginning.  Continue reading

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JNC GEAR: Giant Killer

GiantKiller

All these years and JNC still hasn’t done a 510 shirt? It’s the little econobox that could. Launched in August 1967, the Datsun 510 was the underdog trailblazer that took down the biggest names in motorsport — Ford, BMW, Alfa Romeo — and spawned a legend. Get your own Giant Killer this Sunday at the Nissan Jam. Continue reading

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KIDNEY, ANYONE? 24,000-mile 1977 Toyota Celica GT

1977 Toyota Celica Liftback 01

Almost two years ago to the day we reported on a 24,000-mile 1977 Celica GT Liftback for sale in Berthoud, Colorado. Asking price? $19,000. Some balked at the sum, despite the fact that the car was showroom fresh with an undercarriage you could eat off of.  Turns out  it was a bargain, because that exact same car is for sale again, and for significantly more dough. Continue reading

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NEWS: RA64 Toyota Celica spotted on the set of Scorcese-produced 80s gang epic Revenge of the Green Dragons

Revenge of the Green Dragons Toyota Celica RA64

Time to dig out your Zodiac shoes, Guess jeans and bolo tie, because Martin Scorcese is producing yet another period film about the ethnic gangs of New York City. This time, the period is the 1980s and the setting is Chinatown. Revenge of the Green Dragons being filmed right now and footage taken at the set reveals period correct automobiles including a Honda Accord and a very 80s RA64 Toyota Celica on what appear to be black-painted stock wheels.  Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the greatest JNC barn find story?

abandoned Mazda Luce RX-4

Last week we asked what was the hardest JNC to find. Well, what happens when you actually find one? You can still discover JNC deals for a steal, but that era is quickly coming to an end as people realize that their old Japanese cars are actually worthy classics. It’s about time we asked:

What’s the greatest JNC barn find story?

We’ve reported on several barn find stories here at JNC, including this massive haul of old Celicas from the UK, this 297-car discovery in Australia, and a treasure trove of NOS Toyotas from the UN buffer zone in Cyprus. Still, we’re partial to this Mazda Luce Coupe frozen in time somewhere in Japan.

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What’s the hardest JNC to find?”  Continue reading

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