JCCS 2011 PREVIEW: Record Three S20-Powered Nissans to Debut at JCCS

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Are you ready for the 2011 JCCS this Saturday? This year’s show will be very special, as it will be the first time three cars powered by the epic Prince/Nissan S20 motor will be shown in North America.

For those that don’t know, the S20 is the DOHC 24-valve, triple-carbed, straight six that separated O.G. Godzillas from lesser Skylines and started the whole GT-R legend. For years, rumor had it that the yakuza would not permit any genuine Skyline GT-Rs to be exported outside of Japan’s borders. But if you come to Long Beach this Saturday you will see not one, not two, but three S20 cars — a KPGC10 hakosuka Skyline GT-R, KPGC110 kenmeri Skyline GT-R and Nissan Fairlady Z432. See you September 10 at 9am and click through to see a video of the S20 in action. Continue reading →

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Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition Posts Record Time at the Nürburgring

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Ben Hsu

Here’s something Toyotaku can be proud of. According to Lexus’ official twitter stream, the Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition has just run the Nürburgring in 7:14 at the hands of driver Akira Iida. This is the quickest time from a mainstream automaker (ie, a marque the average person has heard of), beating the next fastest, a Porsche 911 GT2 RS, by four seconds. Corolla drivers, you can hold their heads up a little bit higher. Hiromu Naruse would be proud.

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Friday Video: Suzuki Jimny SuperTrials

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Ben Hsu


It always amazes us how unbelievably varied Japan’s automotive culture is. Here is an entire event, televised no less, dedicated to kei-class Suzuki Jimnys. In the Jimny Supertrials, these 660cc, oft-turbocharged little four-wheelers run a time attack in the snow. It looks like great fun. Suddenly, we all want SJ10 Jimnys, pronto.  Continue reading →

Posted in kei, motorsports, suzuki | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Golden A30 Gloria

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Ben Hsu


As if a slammed tateguro didn’t look suspicious enough, this one likes to hang around at the docks. What nefarious goods does it smuggle in that lengthy trunk? Just looking at this A30 Nissan Gloria makes you expect Sgt Daimon to come speeding around the corner, shotgun cocked.

[Kaminari69]

Posted in nissan | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Superbly Stanced Sunny B210

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Ben Hsu


On stock B210 Sunnys with tall ride height and skinny, hubcapped wheels, the sloping character line intersecting the rear wheel well gets lost. But when said Datsun is slammed, turaichi shakotan style on deep black Wats, it cuts straight to our hearts.

[sigma78]

Posted in nissan | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? One-Owner AE86

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Ben Hsu


It ain’t easy finding an all-original 1985 Corolla GT-S. Most have either been drifted to death or abused in grocery getter duty for 25-plus years. Searching for them is a pain too, as many sellers simply list them as a “Toyota Corolla” without distinguishing the AE86 from lesser, front-wheel-drive NUMMI Novas. But here on eBay we have a one-owner, never-modified hachiroku. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? 1983 Nissan Skyline 2000 Turbo RS-X 50th Anniversary Edition

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Get your ¥400 toll charge ready because it’s time to get on the Shuto. This week’s temptation in black market organ trading is a 1983 Nissan Skyline RS-X Turbo. But wait, there’s more. This two-tone beauty a isn’t just a regular DR30, it’s a 50th Anniversary limited edition celebrating Nissan’s half-century in the car business. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Friday Videos: Sayonara, Rotary Engine

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Ben Hsu


This week Mazda announced the death of the RX-8. That means that for the first time since the Cosmo 110S debuted in 1967, there will be no rotary powered car sold anywhere in the world. Currently about 300 unsold RX-8s remain in the US and when that supply runs out, it’s the end of the road. Continue reading →

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Toyota Van Sports the Biggest Bra You’ve Ever Seen

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Under normal circumstances a big bra is a turn on, but good God, how many cows do you suppose were slain to fashion this gimp mask for a mid-80s Toyota Van? Things get even more S&M creepy when you consider that in Japan, it’s called the MasterAce. Quick, what’s the safe word?

[Corism]

Posted in toyota, vans | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

Low Approval of H150 Nissan President

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Ben Hsu

How do you prove that your H150 Nissan President is low enough? Continue reading →

Posted in minicars, nissan | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fuji Heavy’s FT-86 is now called Subaru BRZ

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Ben Hsu


For all the Toyotaku upset about the boxer motor beating at the heart of the upcoming Toyota FT-86/Scion FR-S, perhaps you’ll find the star-badged version more palatable. Fuji Heavy Industries has announced that their equivalent of the reborn AE86 will be called the Subaru BRZ. Continue reading →

Posted in concepts, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Dropped T100 Toyota Corona Sedan

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Sometimes all you need is a clean body and a big drop. The rest can be bone stock, right down to the hubcaps. The result transforms a T100 series Toyota Corona sedan from unloved to totally bad arse. Someone in the States go do this now.

[Corism]

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Friday Video: Nissan Caravan comes to a tragic end

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Ben Hsu


If you plan to flee from the cops, perhaps a getaway vehicle in which you are not sitting in one of the primary crumple zones is a good idea. Watch the video here.

Posted in nissan, Video Games | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Surf’s Up when your Surf Wagon has a Surf Line.

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Reason number one to have a C210 Skyline Japan as your surf wagon: It’s already got a surf line. Reason number two: It looks killer lowered on Star Sharks. Did we mention we love wagons?

Posted in nissan, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Suzuki Fronte 550

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Ben Hsu

This here rare brown bird is a Suzuki Fronte 7-S 550. That’s 550cc’s of rear-engined, rear-wheel drive kei car sweetness. It’s difficult to eyeball the scale of this car until you get a look at the fender mirrors, which protrude like giant antennae on a vehicle of this size. It was the last of the RR Suzukis, and the larger engine was used in anticipation of the 1976 bump in kei car displacement from 360cc to 550cc. Continue reading →

Posted in kei, suzuki | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Chat with Hot Wheels’ Jun Imai

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Hey minicar fans! Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai will be taking part in a live online chat tomorrow, August 16 at 3:30 PDT. If you don’t know already, Imai-san is the one responsible for the recent surge in nostalgics in the Hot Wheels lineup, with cars like the hakosuka and kenmeri Skylines, Datsun 510, and Toyota AE86. Stop in and ask him some questions (or demand more castings from him!). You’ll need to register to ask a question, but it’s free.

Posted in minicars, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What a Japanese Redneck Would Drive

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Whilst browsing The Intarwebs last weekend we came across this feat of fabrication. Why anyone would ute the Triple Diamond’s executive town car is something we, sadly, do not have the answer to. What we do have is a Mitsubishi Debonair pickup. Continue reading →

Posted in mitsubishi | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

JCCS Registration Coupon for JNC Readers!

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Great news for JNCers! There is now a special discount code for the 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show.

$5 off registration $50 = $45. Hurry before the offer ends. Just use the code “JNC” at the vehicle information page when you register via this link.

Come show off your old school ride at the biggest and best vintage Japanese car show in America!

Posted in events | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Friday Video: Nissan Patrol Lays Waste to Amusement Park

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Ben Hsu


If you’re a bad guy fleeing from the fuzz, you probably wouldn’t take time out of your busy schedule to destroy an amusement park with your getaway vehicle. But if you were going to, a Nissan Patrol makes a good choice. Also learned from this clip of Seibu Keisatsu: yonmeri Skylines don’t float. Continue reading →

Posted in nissan | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nissan Cedric Y30 & President

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Many of you thought the 1977 Nissan AD-2 concept ungainly but at least one of its “Advanced Design” cues, the wraparound rear window, carried over to production. It first appeared on the 430 Cedric and Gloria twins, and then on the following Y30 generation which you can see above. It’s a thing of beauty, especially on a slammed pillarless hardtop sedan.

 

Posted in nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments