The Nissan Leaf might be making waves as the automaker’s all-electric car of the moment, but it wasn’t its first. Way back in 1947 the Tama E4S-47-1 was produced to serve a gasoline-starved post-war Japan. In a new video, Nissan restoration team member (now there’s a fantastic job!) Masahiko Isobe describes the painstaking restoration of this important piece of automotive history. Continue reading
There’s a certain segment of self-proclaimed car nuts convinced that latest equals greatest. Of course, JNCers know that they’re wrong. Dubs aren’t better than a set of 14-inch vintage barrels. A powerful AWD machine isn’t better than a lightweight RWD . Computers aren’t better than carbs. The problem is opening the eyes of noobs to these truths.
What’s the best way to introduce someone to the world of JNCs?
There are many ways, but one that’s worked well for us is showing people that their beloved models go back farther than just a generation or two. The original Skyline GT-R isn’t the 1989 R32, but the 1969 PGC10. The first Corolla Levin isn’t the AE86 but the TE27. And the Silvia name can be traced way back to 1965 with the CSP311.
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 impressive JNC restoration job you’ve seen?” Continue reading
Honda Motor Corp. has shocked the automotive world with the announcement that it will be completely reverting to its 1991 lineup. Safety and emissions equipment will be updated and prices adjusted for inflation, but everything else — including its former ergonomically intuitive cabins, double-wishbone suspensions and even styling — will be brought back unchanged. Continue reading
As some of you might know, I own a dark gray Honda S800M Coupe, and it has landed me right in the middle of Tokyo’s S-car scene. When some friends went out for a day of circuit racing, I decided to tag along and test a new film with a few lenses on my Bessa. Continue reading
Anyone who grew up drooling over the Datsun Motorsports catalog knows the original Lady Blue. Going along with the topic of resurrection this week, it appears that she’s been reincarnated and the azure 1973 Datsun 610 spotted last Sunday. Continue reading
Do you like GT-Rs? Of course you do. Here are some high-res versions by Rob Shaw from the Skyline Festival at Fuji Speedway. Continue reading
If you’ve got a spare $45,000 lying around, there’s a 1973 Mazda RX-3 with your name on it. According to the seller, this is a fully documented one-owner coupe from a museum, though that “museum” appears to be part of a Puerto Rican shopping mall containing at least one Zara clothing store. Continue reading
Since it’s Easter this weekend, let’s talk about resurrection. It wasn’t too long ago that Japanese cars were considered disposable and unworthy of restoration. In our opinion, that only makes you crazy JNCers even more heroic when you put your blood, sweat, tears and hard-earned money into a restoration knowing full well that mainstream auto enthusiasts will assign it less value than a ’69 Camaro.
What’s the most impressive JNC restoration job you’ve seen?
The photo on the above left was Patrick Ng’s TE27 when he first acquired it from Antonio Alvendia of MotorMavens fame. It’s now a SEMA show car and JCCS Best of Show winner. We know there are similarly jaw dropping builds out there.
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, “If you could have one JNC as your only car, what would it be?” Continue reading
Since the opening of the Yamate Tunnel, provided traffic is light of course, traversing Tokyo to join the out-going expressways has become a lot easier. In ten or fifteen minutes, you can join the Joban for a quick run out to Ibaraki and further. Continue reading
By dint of being held in a European country known primarily as a tax haven, the Geneva Motor Show is where the latest Paganis and limited edition Lamborghinis are unveiled to the world’s Bond villains. However, this year Mitsubishi surprised everyone by cold dropping a bone stock Lancer Celeste on the party. Continue reading
Like the beautiful brown Datsun 510 last week, this is not that AE86, but a lesser loved 1984 Toyota Corolla SR5. Still, it’s a 55,000-mile, RWD hachiroku, probably the best preserved example in the entire country and it’s on eBay right now. Continue reading
It’s the official first day of spring and time for sakura to bloom. Happy Spring Equinox from JNC!
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit the Mazda Museum at the company’s headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan, now is your chance. Mazda has made the entire facility tourable on Google Maps. You can see its collection of wonderful cars from Carol to Cosmo, and even get close enough to read some of the placards.
Five areas and two floors of the museum are visible: the Entrance Hall, exhibits about the company’s History and Future, as well as displays about Mazda’s Technology and its Rotary Engine. Click around on the interactive map below the fold to navigate your way around. It’s the next best thing to being there. Continue reading
We know most of you have multiple cars. Your JNC, your kiddie haulers, your daily drivers, and so on. But let’s say you could only choose one vehicle to suit all your needs, and it had to be 25 years or older.
If you could only have one JNC as your car, what would it be?
And no, you can’t sell it. You’re stuck with it forever. There aren’t enough Toyota 2000GTs in the world to go around anyway. We think that a nice 510 wagon could serve most purposes and be just fun enough to keep life interesting.
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 craziest thing you’ve done to get the JNC (or part) of your dreams?” Continue reading
Is your beautiful car life supported? The auto insurance sales department at American Home Direct would like for you to buy some of their premiums after watching this melodramatic tale. A man must trade in his red kenmeri for a Bluebird once he has a newborn son, to whom he gifts a green S30 Fairlady Z toy. Continue reading
Raise your hands, who wants a showroom condition Datsun 510? Well, no, it’s not that 510, but the A10 Stanza was a fine machine in its own right. After all, it did win Australia’s Southern Cross Rally three times in a row, and right now there’s one of the cleanest examples we’ve ever seen on eBay near Dallas, Texas. Continue reading
Many JNC readers (and staffers) are of a certain age, one where their childhood memories are filled with golden afternoons glued to television screens to watch the epic war between Autobot and Decepticon unfold. I am of that age, and I still remember the very moment when I tore the wrapping paper off my first Transformer. It was Bluestreak, the Datsun 280ZX with shoulder mounted laser cannons, and it was the happiest fucking day of my life. Now Takara Tomy, the Japanese toy giant that brought us Tomica, has released a highly realistic remake of my embodiment of joy in 1984. Continue reading
We begin Part 03 of our Nostalgic2Days coverage with four generations of beautiful ‘Ladies. There’s the Wangan wedge Z31, disco club S130, world beating S30, and the pre-Z roadster spanning two decades of sporting Nissans. Continue reading
We’ve met a lot of crazy JNC owners over the years and heard even crazier stories. From buying a one-way ticket from LA to Philly in order to drive back with a set of Celica smiley bumpers, to putt-putting a Subaru 360 that had been sitting for years from Denver to Savannah, we’ve heard them all.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to get the JNC (or part) of your dreams?
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 mod you can make to a classic car?” Continue reading
Welcome back to JNC‘s Nostalgic2Days coverage, from the Pacifico Yokohama convention center. The building itself might be located in the city’s Minato Mirai 21, or “Future Port of the 21st Century” district, but the cars are all from back in the day.
In the case of the Mooneyes booth, we’re talking way back in the form of an unrestored RS56 Toyota Crown pickup. The workhorse has led a hard life and has the patina and bed bars to prove it. A JZ-series swap would make this the ultimate sleeper, but we appreciate the fact that the Mooneyes crew decided to show it as is. Continue reading
