Apparently May 4, Star Wars Day, is a commonly known thing now. But we know the real party happens today. Happy 5/10 Day, everyone! How are you going to celebrate?
PRODUCT GUIDE: Koyorad First-Gen Toyota Celica Radiator
If you swung by the JNC booth at Toyotafest this weekend you might have noticed this beautiful block of aluminum. It’s the the lastest design from Japanese radiator maker Koyorad and we’re happy to say that it’s another nostalgic car application. Hot on the heels of Koyorad’s Datsun 510 radiator comes a cooler for your first-gen Toyota Celica.
Specifically, it fits all first-gen Celicas with 1.6 or 2.0 liter engines. That means your stock 2T-C, 18R-C, or even twin-cam 2T-G or 18R-G can have now have stone cold antifreeze coursing through its veins. Typical of Koyorad units, it comes with a threaded 1/8-inch PT temperature sensor fitting and measures 48mm thick. Each radiator is TIG-welded and triple pressure tested. We’re extremely thrilled that aftermarket support for us old schoolers is constantly expanding, and that it’s not limited to just the ever-popular 240Z and AE86 (though Koyorad makes radiators for them too).
Posted in Product Guide
Tagged celica, koyorad, Product Guide, ra21, ra25, ra28, ra29, radiator, ta22, toyota
9 Comments
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Flying Customs Kenmeri Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R
We know, it’s madness, but there’s yet another nostalgic Hot Wheels coming down the pipe. This time, it’s the first color of the kenmeri Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R since that casting’s initial release in 2011. Continue reading
Posted in minicars, nissan
Tagged c110, flying customs, hot wheels, kenmeri, kgc110, kpgc110, minicars, nissan, skyline
9 Comments
VIDEO: Crashing Classic Subarus
And now for your viewing pleasure, Subarus crashing into walls. When we started JNC in 2006, you couldn’t get a Japanese automaker to cough up some vintage footage if your threatened the CEO’s grandchildren at gunpoint. Nowadays, they’re more than happy to promote their histories, even if it’s a cringe-inducing montage of old cars getting destroyed for the greater good. It’s interesting to note that Fuji Heavy was conducting pedestrian safety tests as far back as the first-generation Leone. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest JNC of the 1980s?
If the question was simply the greatest JNC, it would be hard not to choose something legendary like a 2000GT or KPGC10. But since we’re on an 80s kick with our Made in the 80s theme for Toyotafest, let’s limit the answers to hachimaru heroes.
What’s the greatest JNC of the 1980s?
From touge terrorizing AE86s to Wangan blasting MA71 Supras, Bubble Economy Japan was a nonstop onslaught of fantastic machinery. From insanely turbocharged kei cars to the first wave of VIP ultra-luxe sedans, the land of the rising sun had it all.
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 from last week’s question, “What’s the greatest Japanese Nostalgic Motorcycle?” Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
36 Comments
JNC GEAR: Made in the 80s
JNC‘s 25-years-or-older rule has put the nostalgic cutoff at 1988. It’s time we embraced the 80s. This year, our annual Toyotafest shirt debut will be a tribute to the boxy designs of the techno-funk decade, the Turbo Era, the Bubble Economy. We’ll also be debuting a decal to go along with it. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Million Dollar Baby: 1967 Toyota 2000GT
A couple of weeks ago John wrote about a 1967 Toyota 2000GT that had come up for auction with an expected fetch of $650,000 to $850,000. We rarely do a followup on Kidney Cars but this one bears mentioning. This past weekend, RM Auctions put down the gavel on the Belatrix Yellow beauty for a whopping $1,155,000. The record breaking price for the Japanese supercar turned heads in traditional collectors’ circles, shining a new spotlight on Japanese classics. In other words, you thought $5,000 for a 510 was high? Prices are about to get a lot higher.
ART CORNER: Toyota 4A-GE made of Legos
In retrospect it probably wouldn’t be too difficult to build an 80s Toyota out of Legos; they’re all pretty darn boxy. But an iconic 80s Toyota engine? Well, a Lego artiste by the name of Solde has created a plastic model of the legendary Toyota 4A-GE. What’s more, it actually moves. The starter has a moving plunger that meshes with the flywheel, there’s a complete valvetrain, pistons and crankshaft, and a throttle controls the speed at which the whole thing turns. In short, it’s amazing. Just watch the video for yourself.
QotW: What’s the greatest Japanese Nostalgic Motorcycle?
We talk a lot about cars here, but really, the most Japanese form of transportation is the motorcycle. From pimped scooters to crotch rockets the variety and performance spectrum of Nihon’s bikes is just as great as that of their cars. Therefore, we ask you:
What is the greatest Japanese nostalgic motorcycle?
With 55 years of continuous manufacture and over 60 million units sold, we agree with James May that the Honda Super Cub is perhaps the greatest machine ever built by human hands. And, as the primary mode of transport in third world countries across the globe, the Super Cub, it’s probably granted more humans the gift of mobility than any invention since the wheel itself.
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 from last week’s question, “What’s the most environmentally friendly JNC?” Continue reading
Posted in honda, Question of the Week
Tagged civic, cvcc, honda, QotW, Question of the Week, sb1
23 Comments
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1965 Nissan President
From 1965, if you wanted the very pimpest and plushest the Nissan empire had to offer, then you’d go to your friendly neighbourhood dealer and plunk down a not-trivial six million yen for a President. The Royal Family may have rolled in a Prince Royal, but the Prime Minister was wafted around in a Nissan President. Rather inexplicably, the H250 series President remained in production from 1972 until 1990, whereupon it was replaced by the first Infiniti Q45 (which was called Nissan President in Japan). Continue reading
Documentary: Sayonara Speed Tribes!
Ever since we started JNC, the sub-culture of the bosozoku biker gangs of Japan has always been a fascinating subject. The bosozoku were always a feeder-class as thugs for the mafia, but as we reported many moons ago, their outlaw traditions have been hammered into submission by constant police attention in recent years. But they’re also being left behind by an increasingly corporatized Yakuza.
Tokyo-based Figure 8 Productions has an hour-long documentary which has started screening in Tokyo this month, but you can buy the DVD of the movie at their site. As the trailer says: Sayonara Speed Tribes chronicles Hazuki — an aging Japanese bike gangster and the crop of halfhearted youngsters he mentors. As bike gang culture in Japan succumbs to police pressure he confronts his tough guy past and dwindling options for the future.”
Looks interesting!
QotW: What’s the most environmentally friendly JNC?
Today is Earth Day, and JNCs have always been at the forefront of environmentally friendly motoring. If it wasn’t for the Oil Crisis of 1973, JNCs may not have even entered the mainstream automotive world. From kei cars to hybrids there have been many economical cars from Japan.
What’s the most environmentally friendly JNC?
Our pick is an obvious one — the Honda CRX HF. In 1985 the HF, which stood for “High Fuel economy,” was highway rated at a whopping 57 miles per gallon. What’s more, it had all the handling prowess and fun-to-drive quotient of its more powerful brethren. Eat your hybrid heart out, Prius!
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 from last week’s question, “What’s the best Japanese nostalgic SUV?” Continue reading
Posted in honda, Question of the Week
Tagged crx, fj40, honda, land cruiser, QotW, Question of the Week, toyota
18 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Mazda is the official car of the SCCA
Mazda often boasts that on any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on racetracks than any other marque. As such, it was already the de facto car of the SCCA, but now it’s officially official. Mazda is the car of the Sports Car Club of America. Continue reading
Posted in mazda, motorsport
Tagged 787, demio, fb, fd, grand-am, imsa, mazda, mazda 2, mazda 6, miata, motorsport, mx-5, mx-6, rx-7, sa22, scca, yojiro terada
13 Comments
VIDEO: One man’s RB-powered 240Z vs Nissan’s crowdsourced 370Z
What’s faster, a home-brew Datsun 240Z or a professionally built Nissan 370Z? Last year, Nissan Performance (ie, NISMO USA) reached out to the tuner community and asked them to modify a Z34 by voting for their favorite mods on Facebook. The result was the kind of money-no-object dream build most of us can only wish for, made from the best parts the aftermarket had to offer, from a GReddy turbo kit to Volk TE37-SL wheels to Yokohama Advan Neovas.
Gordon MacSwain, on the other hand, is someone we can all relate to. He built his S30 Z with his own hands in his Columbus, Ohio garage over a period of three and a half years. Along the way, Gordon updated all its mechanicals, including the engine, which is now an RB26DETT. Fans then chose to pit his baby against the crowdsourced Z. So, how does a sub-2300lb, 360hp nostalgic fare against a more powerful but heavier modern machine? Watch the video below. Continue reading
EVENTS: Formula D Round One / AE86 Nights, Part 02
In Part 01 of our coverage from last weekend’s SoCal car scene we watched the opening round of the 2013 Formula D season. After the smoke settled in Long Beach everyone booked it across the southland to El Monte for some grassroots Toyota love at AE86 Nights. Continue reading
EVENTS: Formula D Round One / AE86 Nights, Part 01
Toyotaku in southern California had plenty to keep them occupied this past weekend, with not one but two events showcasing the venerable AE86 and its successor, the Scion FR-S. Continue reading
Posted in events, motorsports, subaru, toyota
Tagged 510, ae86, bluebird, brz, corolla, dai yoshihara, datsun, e70, formula D, fr-s, gt 86, hachiroku, ken gushi, levin, nissan, ryan tuerck, scion, subaru, taka aono, te72, tony angelo, toshiki yoshihara, toyota, toyota 86, trueno
5 Comments
QotW: What’s the best Japanese nostalgic SUV?
We’ve asked you before what’s the coolest Japanese nostalgic truck, and the comments were as diverse as they were plentiful thanks to Nihon having pioneered the mini-truck segment altogether. However, Japan was also building SUVs before the term SUV even existed, back when they were still called four-wheel-drives. Nevertheless, we ask:
What’s the coolest Japanese nostalgic SUV?
From Suzuki Jimny rock crawlers to Mitsubishi Pajero Dakar dominators, there have been plenty of great off roaders. However, if there was one that has moved humanity to the farthest reaches of planet Earth, it would be the Toyota Land Cruiser. It comes in second only to the 2000GT in terms of collectible Toyotas, but it was the first Japanese car to have, like the Mustang or Camaro, its own retro-styled tribute.
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 from last week’s question, “What’s the worst thing about loving JNCs?” Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged fj40, land cruiser, QotW, Question of the Week, toyota
13 Comments
GRAND TOURING: Shio no Michi, the Salt Road — Part 01
Having not been away in a few weeks, we decided to take a Monday off and spend three days exploring Nagano Prefecture and some of the less traveled valleys near the Northern Alps. Using our usual form of taking the main expressway as far as possible on the first day, dropping off, and taking a few days to traverse the slow roads home, we found ourselves near Nakano City off the Joshin-Etsu Expressway. Continue reading
Posted in Grand Touring, honda, kei, mitsubishi, subaru, toyota
Tagged barikan, corona, cr-v, Grand Touring, honda, jeep, kei, life, mitsubishi, rt40, subaru, subaru 360, subaru r-2, t40, toyota
12 Comments
VIDEO: Hakosuka spotted in Adventure Time
A number of readers excitedly informed us recently that Adventure Time had featured a hakosuka. We honestly have no clue what the animated show is about, but in this particular episode, titled “Simon and Marcy,” a wizard and a little vampire girl take refuge in an abandoned Nissan Skyline when they hear an ominous rustle in the woods. Continue reading
Posted in nissan, Video, Video Games
Tagged Adventure Time, Hakosuka, kcg10, kpgc10, nissan, skyline
16 Comments
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Belatrix Yellow 1967 Toyota 2000GT
This 1967 Toyota 2000GT is expected to fetch $650,000 to $850,000 when it crosses the auction block on April 27. If it does, it would be a new high for Japan’s first supercar. Continue reading
