We have absolutely no idea where this video is from, what is going in it, and why it is happening. All we can say is that it’s from approximately 1976 and shows the senseless wreckage of many rare vintage Japanese cars, including what appears to be a MS51 Toyota Crown Coupe. Sadness. Bonus points to anyone who can identify all the cars in this chaotic clip. Continue reading
Friday Video: Japanese Demolition Derby Circa 1976
Rumors of Datsun comeback comes back
It seems like every few months now a new article is published claiming the return of the Datsun brand. It’s the same old story. It would be Nissan’s bargain-price brand, likely for developing markets, and not in the US. The last spike of interest in this topic occurred in July. Another inning took place in 2008.
Each time, the automotive media collectively takes the news nugget and passes it along like a cursed monkey paw, until its sheer prevalence gives the story credibility. For this round of specious wildfire, it looks like Auto Express was the one who flicked the cigarette butt out the window. They’re not exactly known for judicious use of the “publish” button, so yeah, lets not hold our breaths for this one.
Vintage Toyota Land Cruisers are in advertisements everywhere
There’s an adage that says once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend. If that’s the case, then old Toyota Land Cruisers are about to become fashion icons. Just in the last month alone, we’ve seen a trio of advertisements featuring vintage FJs.
In the case of the ad above, there are no less than two FJ40s trekking through the jungle, surrounded by models, which is a pretty good situation to be in actually. This life-sized mural festoons Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland, heralding the future home of an American Eagle Outfitters franchise. Fluke. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 22,000-mile 1989 Toyota MR2 SC
Where have cars like this gone? Back when Jean-Luc Picard was captain of the Enterprise, the only thing that could make Toyota’s lightweight midship runabout even more fun was taking its high-revving 4A-GE — the same one found in the legendary AE86 — and strapping on a factory supercharger. The result packed 145 angry horsepower into a sub-2500-pound car that looked as if it could transform into an Autobot at any moment. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 1977 Datsun F10 Wagon
Another garage-stored east coast car comes out of hiding, this time in Rhode Island. Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you this cherry Datsun Cherry. That’s the Japanese market name for the 1977 Datsun F10, the diminutive front-wheel-drive coupe that ushered in both Nissan‘s front-wheel-drive age and the “atomic cockroach” design theme. This is actually the second gen Cherry, and like many 70s Datsuns sold by its chassis code rather than the JDM name. Continue reading
Friday Video: Intersection pimps CR-Z, but first-gen Honda Prelude is all class
The French arm of Intersection, the half-automotive half-fashion magazine, recently pimped an unsuspecting Honda CR-Z. Is a gloss beige sport hybrid with orange tires laughably ridiculous, or so avant garde that our uncultured pea-brains can’t comprehend it? Continue reading
Vintage Racing: SCCA GT4 TE27 Toyota Corolla
Hot on the heels of yesterday’s Isuzu, here are some more vintage racing snaps. A couple of weeks ago at JCCS, we met a dude from T. Creations Paint Designs of Pasadena. He had collected some photos of this car, the old Downey Toyota TE27 that was often seen around SoCal’s road courses. Continue reading
Posted in motorsports, toyota
Tagged corolla, levin, sprinter, sr5, te27, toyota, trueno
16 Comments
Wednesday Wall: Isuzu Bellett Rally Car, 1965
We realize there was a dearth of Isuzu-related material at JCCS, so here’s a big bad wolf just cold storming through the woods of Australia, circa 1965. We found it whilst skimming Teh Internets on the site of Bruce Upton, a 60-year veteran photographer. You can see many more beautiful images, automotive or otherwise, on his site.
Tomica Limited Vintage Toyota Crown CM Collection
Toyotaku will want to keep their eyes peeled on October 5, when Tomica will release the limited edition Toyota Crown CM Collection. The set, created in conjunction with media company Avex, will contain a 1:64 scale Tomica Limited Vintage RS41 Toyopet Crown and a DVD containing Toyota Crown commercials from 1963-2010. Click through to see a sampling of the adverts that will be included. WANT. Continue reading
Posted in cm, minicars, toyota
Tagged cm, crown, rs41, tomica, tomica limited vintage, toyota
8 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 09, Motorcycles
This year JCCS welcomed vintage Japanese motorcycles for the first time, so for our final installment of our 2011 JCCS coverage let us take part in their admiration. As you will see our collective knowledge of two-wheelers is rather limited but we thought these machines were too beautiful not to share, so please chime in if you can enlighten us JNCers. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, suzuki
Tagged chabbott engineering, honda, japanese classic car show, jccs 2011, kawasaki, lossa engineering, monkey, motocompo, motra, shinya kimura, suzuki, yamaha
11 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 08, Editors’ Picks
Each year the organizers of JCCS graciously allow us to issue a JNC Award. But instead of just showing you the winner we thought it might be fun to take you through the decision process and the arguments amongst the staff. Really, there were so many amazing cars that it was hard to pick only one.
So let us begin with Gustavo Sanchez‘s 1987 Nissan 200SX SE V6 for our favorite 80s car. As we have mentioned before, the S12 Silvia chassis has become increasingly popular amongst old schoolers and it’s easy to see why. The angular lines, RWD layout and plethora of engine options make it a tuner’s dream. There were a lot of great S12s at the show, but we dug Gustavo’s red and gray two-tone beauty for its distinctly 80s groove and simple beauty. Continue reading
RIP, Fred Jordan, Datsun Heritage Museum Founder
We interrupt our 2011 JCCS coverage to bring you some sad news. Fred Jordan, founder of the Datsun Heritage Museum, has passed away. UPDATE. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 07, Race & Historic Cars
In Part 07 of our 2011 JCCS coverage we’ll look at some race cars that, unlike the Mazda 787 from Part 01, are within the reach of the common man. This isn’t to say they are any less impressive. They’re just don’t cost a kajillion dollars. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 06, The Mod Squad
We know there’s a contingent of JNCers out there whose brains scream “moar powahhh!” every time they see a bone stock nostalgic. For them, old cars aren’t about chrome and soul. They’re about bodies with the weight of a cobweb that are conveniently exempt from smog laws. If that’s what you see in the mirror each morning, Part 06 of our 2011 JCCS coverage is for you. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota
Tagged 13b, 240sx, 240z, 260, 280z, 411, 4a-ge, 510, a20, a40, acura, ae71, ae86, bluebird, capella, celica, corolla, datsun, e20, e30, e70, f20c, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, fj20, garage autohero, hachiroku, honda, kp61, levin, liftback, mazda, miata, mx-5, na, nissan, nsx, pl411, ra21, ra29, ra42, rays, rotary, rs watanabe, rx-2, rx-3, s13, s2000, s30, savanna, sprinter, starlet, ta21, te21, te27, te37, te37v, toyota, trueno, volk, watanabes
6 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 05, Wagons and Trucks
Our 2011 JCCS coverage continues onward as we look at classic haulin’ machines, starting with a quasi-boso Datsun 610 wagon. There’s nuttin’ like an old school goon laid out on ninja stars. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, trucks, wagons
Tagged 410, 411, 430, 510, 520, 521, 610, 810, bluebird, cedric, civic, colt, corona, corona mark II, datsun, dodge, fj55, galant, gloria, hilux, honda, japanese classic car show, jccs, jccs 2011, L320, land cruiser, land cruiser 70, mark II, maxima, mazda, mitsubishi, monkey, mx28, nissan, nl320, pickup, repu, rotary pickup, toyota, truck, wagon
11 Comments
JNC “Best of the Best” Shirts Now Available
Our “Best of the Best” shirts, featuring the top late-Sixties GT cars in racing livery, were a big hit at JCCS. We’ve made more of the sizes that sold out at the show, and they are available now in the JNC Shop. You can read more about the histories of the Fuji 24hr Toyota 2000GT, the Marathon de la Route Mazda Cosmo Sport, an the Yanagida GC Nissan Fairlady 240ZG here.
Posted in mazda, nissan, nostalgic wear, toyota
Tagged 110s, 2000gt, 240z, 240zg, 260z, 280z, cosmo, cosmo sport, datsun, fairlady z, fuji 24hr, fuji speedway, garuchan, grand champion, haruhito yanagida, marathon de la route, mazda, nissan, s30, toyota, yanagida z
5 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 04, Rolling Stock
In Part 04 of our 2011 JCCS coverage we take a look at some cars that have been faithfully restored to original spec or, on rare occasion, simply preserved over the years. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota
Tagged 210, 300zx, 310, 610, 616, a40, ae86, b110, b210, bluebird, capella, celica supra, civic, corolla, cr-z, crx, datsun, datsun 1200, e10, enkei 92, fb, honda, levin, mazda, merciless mings, n600, nissan, pace car, publica, rx-2, rx-3, rx-3 sp, rx-7, s800, sa22c, savanna, sb1, sprinter, sunny, supra, tim mings, toda, toyota, trueno, z31, z600
28 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 03, Street Style
Welcome to Part 03 of our 2011 JCCS coverage, where we look at tastefully modified cars that are more about clean lines and nostalgic style rather than going fast (although some clearly can).
Let’s jump right in with a shot of this gorgeous Mazda RX-4. We’ve always thought the little Luce coupe is one of the most breathtaking designs to emerge from Hiroshima. It’s a rare event to see one at all, much less one that is this clean. Continue reading
Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, Uncategorized
Tagged 200sx, 2011, 240z, 260z, 280z, 510, 610, 620, a175a, a20, a40, a60, acura, ae86, apache II, bisimoto, bluebird, capella, celica, civic, corolla, corona, da3, daruma, datsun, ef, enkei, enkei 92, fairlady z, fb, Hakosuka, hayashi, hayashi street, honda, integra, japanese classic car show, jccs, jccs 2011, kgc10, kp61, lancer, levin, longchamp xr-4, longchamps, luce, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, pickup, ra21, ra63, ra64, rs watanabe, rt40, rt50, rx-2, rx-4, rx-7, s12, s30, sa22c, shuttle, silvia, skyline, sprinter, ssr, starlet, ta21, toyota, trd, trueno, wagon, wagovan, watanabes
18 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 02, Ganso VIP
This year the JCCS crew added a new category, Ganso VIP. “Ganso” means “original,” but not in the sense of “stock.” Instead, it’s the original in “orignal gangsta,” meaning the cars that originated VIP. Continue reading
Posted in events, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
Tagged crown, kujira, ms65, shakotan, sparkle garage, toyota
13 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 01, Best of the Best
We’ll get to the cars that we normals can afford in a minute, but first let us dream a little. The 2011 JCCS completely elevated the bar, bringing together several ultra-rare, six-figure machines that few Western eyes have gazed upon in person. Let’s take a look at the Best of the Best. Continue reading
