Yesterday we wrote about the watershed events that put Datsun on the motorsports map in the USA (and by extension, the western world). Here’s how it began in Japan. We’ve written about the Prince Skyline GT-B‘s historic battle against the race-bred Porsche 904 before, but here’s an official video from Nissan. Continue reading
John Morton has lived a life most of us can only dream of. The legendary driver has had a storied career piloting everything from Shelby Cobras to Porsche Le Mans Prototypes. Of course, the reason Nissan nuts line up for hours for his signature and cry out for his nomination as President of the United States is because of his heroic turns behind the wheel of Brock Racing Enterprises‘ iconic red, white and blue Datsuns in the early 1970s.
Some of you die-hard Datsun otaku may think you know everything there is to know about how Morton and his BRE Datsun 510 took down the established giants BMW and Alfa Romeo. Well, unless you have The Stainless Steel Carrot, we can guarantee that you don’t. The book by Sylvia Wilkinson was first published in 1973, chronicling those defining Trans-Am 2.5 seasons of 1971-72 in which a Nissan econobox turned the auto industry on its ear. Earlier this year the book was updated and re-released, and here’s why it just might be the perfect stocking stuffer for the holidays. Continue reading
Classics are great but sometimes you have no choice but to drive a new(ish) car. What that happens, we’d still like something that at least feels like a Japanese nostalgic car.
What modern car provides the most JNC driving experience?
Let’s put the cutoff at 10 years — old to most, but still considered new by all you lovable nuts reading this article — and to keep it interesting let’s limit answers to cars you can actually buy in the US or Australia. The JNC staff pick is the NB Mazda MX-5. It’s light, simple, and shuns electronic middlemen standing between you and the road. What it lacks in horsepower it makes up for in flingability. However, that’s not to say road feel and handling are the only criteria. Where are the slim pillars, the intuitive dashboards, the plain ol’ visibility?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random toy. Click through to see the winner from last week’s question, “What’s the greatest Suzuki of all time?” Continue reading
The “Street” by Hayashi Racing is a favorite among collectors of old school barrels. Now the company is updating the classic design in a 17-inch size called the Hayashi Street STL. Continue reading
We love it when automakers dip into their bag o’ heritage for a little inspiration. Such is the case with the Honda N-One kei car. It is, sadly, not sold outside Japan. Guest writer David Lovett, however, is in Japan, and was able to test drive one and report his findings. Enjoy. —Ben
The Honda N360 is a neat looking little car and that 36 horsepower, 360cc air-cooled inline-twin is so endearing that it’s hard not to love. At a paltry weight of just 475 kilograms (1045 lbs), the kei displacement motor moved the whole package along a pretty good clip too. In my eyes, it is one of the all time great 360cc kei jidosha, right up there with the Suzuki Fronte Coupe, Subaru R2 SS and Mitsubishi Minica Skipper. Continue reading
You may recognize Ivan Jarmillo as one of the co-founders of the Bayline Gathering car show in San Francisco. As it happens, Ivan’s also the proud owner of two coveted classic Skylines, a white hakosuka and a silver kenmeri. In this video by Petrolicious, Ivan talks about why these cars mean so much to him. There’s nothing quite like touring the gorgeous Bay Area, from misty Redwoods to massive bridges, with two stunning examples of Nihon nostalgia. Also, much props for equipping the hako with gunmetal steelies. Watch the video below. Continue reading
It has been confirmed by Brazilian collector’s site T-Hunted that Hot Wheels‘ 2013 Boulevard series will contain at least two of our favorite nostalgics. We’ve shown you one of them already during a sneak preview at this year’s Japanese Classic Car Show — it’s none other than the Datsun Bluebird 510 wagon, complete with external oil cooler, fender mirrors, and deep polished lipped wheels! The other one will be the Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-X, also known as the hakosuka Skyline! Continue reading
We’re still depressed about the departure of Suzuki autos from the US. JNCers have already chimed in on what the company should have done differently, so perhaps before we can move on to Kubler Ross: 5th Stage!, we need to reflect upon some of the plucky motorcycle builder’s automotive successes. Therefore we ask:
What was the greatest Suzuki of all time?
It may not be the popular answer but we’re going out on a limb and say it’s the Jimny/Samurai. The micro-4×4 is often overshadowed by trucks like the Toyota Land Cruiser, but just look at any off-roading enthusiast site and you’ll find a cadre of devoted fans. The Jimny/Samurai is so popular it was built in Japan, Spain and India. It’s been immortalized in R/C and Hot Wheels form. It’s a consistent choice for the Mongolia Rally and a Chilean duo in a Samurai even holds the Guinness world record for highest altitude (21,942 feet) achieved by a four-wheeled vehicle. Supposedly, they found the previous record holder’s blown over “Jeep Parking Only” sign and brought it back down as a souvenir.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random toy. Click through to see the winner from last week’s question, “What’s the best nostalgic for the Pacific Northwest?” 
Continue reading
When Hong Kong triads cold kidnap you from a moving car, a Mitsubishi Galant Sigma with Jackie Chan behind the wheel might be your only hope. That is, unless your abductors have armed themselves with the best of Japan’s luxo-box sedans, the X60 Toyota Cresta and 910 Nissan Bluebird! Continue reading
Today’s article comes from our friends at RotaryNews. They dug up and compiled this interesting but brief history of a rotary engine built by a Japanese automaker other than Mazda. Enjoy and please “like” them on Facebook. —Ben
Nissan‘s interest in the rotary engine started in mid-1965 and culminated in a prototype Wankel rotary engine vehicle at the 1972 Tokyo Motor Show. It was one of among many automakers (others included GM, Mercedes-Benz, Citroen, and Porsche) experimenting in the revolutionary new design. Sadly, however, it never reached production. Continue reading
The Mazda Japan Facebook page has been posting a series of beautiful watercolor paintings by Mazda designer Miki Nakajima. Subjects range from the 1950 Mazda PB-type three-wheeler to the 1970 RX-500 concept to modern favorites like the MX-5. See the full gallery below the jump. Continue reading
Some more exciting news from our friends at Mattel. For 2013 there will be a new line of premium 1970s-inspired cars called the Flying Customs, which will include some of our favorite castings, including the ’82 Toyota Supra, Datsun Bluebird 510 and Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R. Continue reading
I’ve just spent the Thanksgiving holiday driving through rural Oregon, along the Columbia Gorge, up to Portland and ultimately Seattle. It rained, heavily, non-stop the entire 900 miles. Everything from minivans to tractor trailers threw up walls of mist so thick it felt like Niagra Falls was emptying onto the windshield of my borrowed Civic. It was an alien planet of dampness compared to SoCal, and throughout it all I kept asking myself:
What’s the best nostalgic for the Pacific Northwest?
Oregon and Washington are ground zero for Subarus. Fuji Heavies are issued standard with your REI raincoat and reusable farmer’s market tote bag when you get your driver’s license. I saw Outbacks, Legacies and Imprezas galore, and more Loyales in one week than I’ve witnessed in all my years living in SoCal. And best of all for this squareback fiend, the wagon is the configuration of choice, outnumbering sedans by a ratio of four to one according to my unscientific polling.
That’s why if I had to live there I’d probably trade the JNC Cressida for a 1987.5 Subaru RX Coupe. With 115 turbocharged horses on tap and a mass of 2,200 pounds, it’s about the power-to-weight of an AE86 but has AWD to boot. Plus, it has was limited to a 2,600 production run, making it a rare beast. But is that the best whip for a climate of constant rain and mountains?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random toy. Click through to see the winner from last week’s question, “What are you most thankful for, car-wise?” Continue reading
In honor of Doukoho Eve here’s your early Friday Video, the trailer for 1975’s Detonation! Violent Riders. Teruo Ishii’s bosozoku exploitation film arrived just as media frenzy surrounding Japan’s motorcycle gangs reached fever pitch. The plot follow two rival gangs vying for supremacy on the streets of Tokyo, and even featured a small role by a bearded Sonny Chiba. Continue reading
Despite the fact that various generations of Godzilla were the headliners at the 2012 Skyline Nationals, many of Nissan‘s 1980s Group A and Group C touring cars drew just as much attention displayed at the car show and in action at the track day at Wakefield Park Raceway. Continue reading
It’s Thanksgiving week for us Yanks and it’s a tradition to reflect on what we’re most grateful for. That’s why this week’s question is:
What are you most thankful for, car-wise?
For us it’s simple. We’re thankful that classic Japanese cars are getting much deserved recognition as such. It’s almost hard to believe, but when JNC first began in 2006 there were still people saying that Japanese car could never be a classic, period. That’s obviously changing, with cars like Patrick Ng’s TE27 Corolla getting prime positioning at SEMA in the Enkei Wheels booth and being chosen by mainstream automotive media like Edmunds.com as one of their Top 10 cars of SEMA. Attitudes are changing, which means more and more of these cars will be preserved for posterity.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random toy. Click through to see the winner from last week’s question, “What should Suzuki USA have done differently?” Continue reading
What’s that, you say? You’ve never seen the Top Gear segment where they drive the Toyota 2000GT? That’s because it just aired as part of a BBC special to coincide with the lastest James Bond film, Skyfall (in which the spy resurrects the classic Aston Martin DB5). There are many reasons why Daniel Craig could be the best Bond ever, but he sealed the deal with his answer to Richard Hammond‘s query of what his favorite Bond car was.
“I love that little… Datsun in Japan,” says Craig. Okay, so perhaps he’s not exactly a frothing Toyotaku — or perhaps he’s more of a J-tin anorak than we could ever imagine and was thinking of the Fairlady Z-based 2000GT by Roadster Garage — but what he meant was You Only Live Twice‘s Toyota 2000GT. Continue reading
At this point cave dwellers and castaways may be the only people on Earth who haven’t had their senses assaulted by Rocket Bunny‘s insanely wide-bodied Scion FR-Ss. However, it’s Kei Miura, Osaka Kanjo racer, ex-bosozoku and shacho at TRA Kyoto that’s the man behind the machine.
Yes, the uber-aggro neo-hachiroku is cool and we dig it, but what really makes us want to share this video that our friends at Crank & Piston and Maiham Media made is that the internet’s man of the hour also owns a flared 510 Bluebird, and it’s a hint at what motivates his mad mind. Continue reading
The fourth event of its kind and the largest Nissan Skyline gathering in Australia, the 2012 Skyline Nationals in Goulburn brought together enthusiasts of all kinds of Skylines imaginable, from an immaculate original Prince S54 GT-B to the Australian-built R31 Silhouette and the high-powered R34 GT-R. Continue reading
You could be forgiven if you thought the Toyota Crown above was a real car. In fact, it’s a highly detailed 1:64 scale diecast model measuring only about three inches long in total. In a new series on JNC, we’ll be delving into the vast world of Japanese automotive collectibles with the help of our friend Felix at DaBox Toys.
Any aficionado of Nihon steel is surely familiar with Tomica. Japan’s most popular diecast car brand has been around since 1970, largely unchanged but for the addition of models reflecting what life-size cars became popular as the decades passed. Continue reading
