EVENTS: 2011 SevenStock

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Dan Hsu

SevenStock is SoCal’s annual gathering of all things rotary, a celebration of an engine so competitive it was banned from SCCA, IMSA and Le Mans. This year, the Mazdafarian Mecca was the Pomona fairgrounds, home of the NHRA Museum. That seems only fitting, as the Wankel is also a stupendously capable quarter-mile killer.

In fact, they are so good at it that it’s pretty rare in the States to see an old school rotary with any sort of JDM flair. But this first-gen Mazda RX-7 was oozing JDM cool with bolt-on fender flares, low-down stance and stepped-lip meshies.   Continue reading →

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Subaru celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Sambar

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Ben Hsu

It’s not fast, luxurious or particularly sexy, but the Subaru Sambar is a key part of Japan’s automotive history and one of its first kei trucks. If you’ve ever set foot in Japan you’ll know these little breadboxes are everywhere, scooting down impossibly narrow streets that would beach your average UPS truck at the first turn. The Sambar debuted in October 1961, and Fuji Heavy Industries is commemorating its 50th anniversary.  Continue reading →

Posted in kei, subaru | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

JNC 787B Le Mans Anniversary Shirts now Available!

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Our “no outline” Mazda 787B Anniversary Tribute shirts are now available for purchase in the JNC Shop. Sorry for the wait, but many of the most popular sizes sold out at SevenStock.

Our most complex shirt yet proudly features the quad-rotor race machine that won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans in its iconic orange and green livery. Click here to get one.

Posted in jnc, mazda, nostalgic wear | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Save the planet in style with the JFE Fairlady SR311 EV

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Ben Hsu

Being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean you need to drive a car shaped like a lozenge. The JFE Engineering Corporation in Japan has converted a Datsun Fairlady Roadster to run on electrons. Here it is taking part in an EV car challenge at Tsukuba Circuit. Continue reading →

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

SEMA 2011 Part 02: Old School OEM

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Ben Hsu

We were excited to show you some modified nostalgics debuting at the aftermarket circus that is SEMA, but it can be even more rewarding when manufacturers bringing out classics from their own collections. Continue reading →

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SEMA 2011 Part 01: Old School Modified

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Ben Hsu

SEMA is all about the vast automotive aftermarket, from the tallest donk to the lowest drift machine. One category that has been notably absent is the Japanese nostalgic car, but things are moving in the right direction. One of the pioneers of bringing old school flavor to the biggest car show in the world is Enkei Wheels.  Continue reading →

Posted in events, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

SEMA 2011: Datsun 510 at Enkei Wheels Booth

Posted on November 2, 2011 by John Roper

A big company like Enkei Wheels could have just about any car they wanted in their SEMA booth. We are right chuffed that they chose a JNC for this year’s display. It also happens to be wearing their sexy new Apache II…

Photo: Sebastian Hill

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

UK Barn Find unearths massive Toyota Celica collection and a Mitsubishi Galant GTO

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Ben Hsu

So you found a Cressida owned by a little old lady who drives it to church once a week? Big deal. An enthusiast lucky bastard in the UK who goes by ra28gt on Retro-Rides was looking for Celica parts and got a tip about a guy who might have some. What he found instead was a dusty barn packed with so much J-tin he needed two car carriers to take them home.  Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, mitsubishi, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

What should Toyota name the C-Pillar found on leaked production FT-86 photos and the 2000GT?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Ben Hsu

Over the weekend Teh Intarwebs was alight with photos of the production Toyota FT-86, seemingly leaked from a Japanese brochure on FT86club.com. While not as extreme in styling as the Scion FR-S concept, initial road tests say it delivers on everything promised, with handling like that of a Mazda MX-5. UPDATE: Specs leaked. 197 horsepower, 2662 pounds.

But the thing that caught our attention is a comparison to a sports car from Toyota’s past, and it’s not the AE86. Continue reading →

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

Friday Video: Mazda 787B at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Ben Hsu

As we get ready for SevenStock tomorrow let’s round out Mazda Week with a Japanese documentary chronicling the Mazda 787B‘s historic siege on Le Mans. We are so completely obsessed with this machine that we made a shirt.

The film hails from the early 90s, probably not long after Mazda’s historic win in June twenty years ago. It follows the team during the lead-up, prep, and ultimately the race itself. Ear drums will shatter. Women will weep. Cheesy 90s pop songs will be played. Watch all four parts below the fold.  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, motorsports | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Mazda Luce RX-4 Lost in Time

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Ben Hsu

The Mazda Luce still stands as one of the most beautiful coupes to come out of Hiroshima. Its American market equivalent, the RX-4, is extremely rare but here’s one just cold sitting in a Japanese barn waiting to roar again. Judging by that dust blanket it hasn’t been touched in decades, not even for a peek inside. Heck, even the Cyprus DMZ Toyotas have seen more action.  Continue reading →

Posted in Barn Finds, mazda | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

SevenStock Preview: JNC Mazda 787B Anniversary Shirt

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Ben Hsu

Orange and green. For Mazdafarians, the colors instantly evoke the livery of the Mazda 787B. You know the history — the 700-horse monster was the first and only Japanese car to win outright at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the only non-piston car to do so. Mazda entered three 787s, but only the winning #55 car wore Japanese clothing company Renown‘s over-the-top warpaint.

For SevenStock this year, JNC is honoring the 20th Anniversary of this legendary feat. Our tribute shirt will have orange ink over green fabric — look closely, there is no outline — and with three color screens it will be our most complex shirt yet. Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, motorsports, nostalgic wear | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Wednesday Wall: Mazda Cosmo Sport & Familia Rotary Coupe

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Are you enjoying Mazda Week here at JNC? As we approach SevenStock 14 this Saturday, October 29, we wanted to give you this beautiful wallpaper to decorate your desktop. This is probably the single most famous photo ever taken of Mazda‘s first two rotary cars, the 1967 Cosmo Sport and the 1968 Familia Rotary Coupe (or R100). Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, Wednesday Wall | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

This Mazda Familia is a Korean Nostalgic Car

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Guess what kind of car this is. Go on, guess. If you said Mazda Familia you’d be only sort of right. Mechanically, its a second-generation Familia with a cheap eggcrate grille, quad headlamps, and either a 1.0 or 1.3 liter Mazda inline-four under the hood. But technically, it’s a Kia Brisa.  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, Rebadged | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

What’s in a Name? Mazda Savanna RX-3 and RX-7

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Mazda knew it had something special when it created the RX-3. Back in the early Seventies Mazda was dropping rotaries in everything it could get its hands on. The Familia Rotary (R100) was getting on in age and had been named so because it started out as a family sedan. The bigger and heavier Capella (RX-2) was named after the brightest star in the Auriga constellation. The RX-3 would slot right in between them, the sportiest rotary yet, and Mazda was sending it into battle against the Celica 1600GT and hakosuka Skyline GT-R. So how did Mazda choose its name?  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda | 5 Comments

Friday Video: No Honor Among Stop-Motion Diecast Thieves

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Ben Hsu

Our friend Luxe37 is back with another brain-churningly awesome action short, creating with stop motion animation what was really going on in our childhood minds as we made vroom-vroom noises across the kitchen floor.

Well, actually this is quite a lot darker than that, but who knows what would’ve happened if we had grown up with Seibu Keisatsu and an unlimited supply of Tomica Nissans and Mitsubishis! Watch the video below the fold. Continue reading →

Posted in minicars, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Flared Toyota Corona T100 is nobody’s pet

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Ben Hsu


The Toyopet name lasted a lot longer in Japan than the US. That’s the badge on the back of this purple people eater, but it ain’t no pet. Looks more like a wild animal. Continue reading →

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Somebody Buy this 1971 Toyota Corona RT90 Coupe for $1200!

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Listen up, Toyotaku. There’s an extremely rare RT90 Toyota Corona coupe for sale in Fresno. The Corona is kind of Toyota’s red-headed stepchild, having continued on with a leaf sprung rear long after the rest of the line from Corolla to Cressida evolved a four-link setup. And obviously, anyone looking for a sporty Toyota coupe in 1971 would have gone with the Celica.

The succinct seller promises only 60,000 miles, new tires and current tags. Also, it “runs good.” What more do you need? It’s not your typical kidney car either because the price is a just-an-old-Toyota $1,200. Buy it. You’ll be the only one at the next Toyotafest.

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Wagon Want: KP37V Toyota Publica Van

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Show of hands, who would rock this? “This” being a Toyota Publica Van that is the exact reason why we love old Japanese cars. Look, it’s barely larger than an OG Mini but has funky-sleek lines, looks totally bitchin’ on SSR MkIIs no bigger than your dinner plate, and is RWD. Plus it’s a two-door wagon. Who doesn’t love two-door wagons? Fascists, that’s who.

[Minkara]

Posted in toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Hot Wheels Datsun Bluebird 510 is “Faster Than Ever”

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Ben Hsu


Are you tired of seeing yellow 510s and a billion different Mustang variations at your local Hot Wheels rack? Soon this mean red and black Datsun Bluebird 510 will be showing up at your local toy store in the “Faster Than Ever” line. That means these will have nickel-plated axles that help them scoot down the track a bit faster. We like this graphic scheme a lot — the black hood on red body reminds us of the East African Safari Rally livery worn by Nissans of yore. More images after the fold.  Continue reading →

Posted in datsun, minicars | Tagged , , , , | 33 Comments