California bill may exempt pre-1981 cars from smog testing

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Car nuts in states which are not California may envy our perpetual sunshine and plentiful kyuusha stocks, but when it comes to our emissions laws they just point and laugh. Most states have a rolling cutoff for cars of a certain age that exempt them from smog testing, but the Republic of California has frozen that number at 1976.

That means all vehicles that year or newer must pass Cali’s notoriously picky tailpipe sniffers to be street legal, dooming many older, poorly maintained Japanese cars to the scrapheap. Thankfully, a bill has been introduced into the state senate that, if passed, will move the cutoff forward to 1981.  Continue reading →

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It’s official, the Datsun brand will be resurrected

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Ben Hsu


After a long rumor parade, it’s finally happening. Early this morning Nissan CEO Mr. Bean officially announced the return of the Datsun brand. Sadly, for Nissan nuts, modern Datsun badges will likely be rebadged Dacias rather than retro 510s. The new entry-level marque will be offered only in developing markets like Indonesia, India, and Russia. No word on specific models as of yet. Rubbing more salt into the wound, Datsun devotees can now expect their googling to return a flood of Sandero lookalikes.

Read the disappointing press release after the jump Continue reading →

Posted in nissan | Tagged , | 25 Comments

Ring in the first day of spring with nostalgics and sakura

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Not only is today the first day of spring, but it’s also the opening of the 100th National Cherry Blossom Festival. A century ago the mayor of Tokyo gifted 3,000 sakura trees to our nation’s capital as a sign of friendship between the two countries. Sadly, Hayashi Yayoi do not grow on trees.

We’ve always thought that a vintage Japanese car show would be a great addition to the festivities, but nostalgics are nearly impossible to find in salty wintered DC. Instead, here’s a virtual one, starting with a Mitsubishi Galant GTO.  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ye Olde Zokusha from the United Kingdom

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Matt De Mangos

Well it was only a matter of time. The cultural reach of the zokusha has extended to jolly old England. We saw a banzai flagged Lada last year, but never in our wildest dreams did we expect a turaichi shakotan Volvo 244 with sharknose, external oil cooler, and wild two-tone paint job. Interestingly, the old school Dunlop decal has managed to culturally circumnavigate the globe, returning home by way of Sumitomo.  Continue reading →

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Friday Video: Aleks Efremov’s Cressida Wagon

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Ben Hsu

MX72 love emanates round these parts like rays of a dying sun. But with supplies of Cressida wagons dwindling on American roads, we have few opportunities to show our affection. That’s why we were fortunate to find this awesomely retro video called “VHS 1986″of Aleks Efremov‘s killer goon.  Continue reading →

Posted in Friday Video, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Food Poisoning, Anyone? Mitsubishi Galant GTO gum

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Matt De Mangos

How hard core a Mitsubishi fan are you? Hard enough to chew a pack of 42-year old peppermint gum? This beautifully packaged promotional item for the Galant GTO is suspected to hail from a Motor Show circa 1970 but, hey, it’s MIP and can be yours for ¥1000 plus shipping!

[YJA]

Posted in mitsubishi | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the most underrated nostalgic car?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Nostalgic Hero‘s top 20 list has caused quite the stir among Mazdafarians, upset that the Cosmo Sport was the sole Hiroshima machine to make the cut. As we warned, the same car can mean different things in different countries and it’s true that classic rotaries are not nearly as common at shows like the New Year Meeting as they are at JCCS. So for this week, we ask JNCers:

What is the most underrated nostalgic car?

We think the Honda 1300 Coupe 9 is a strong candidate. Constantly overshadowed by the S-series and similarly-sized coupes from other marques, yet it was innovative and stylish and imbued with the spirit of Soichiro Honda. Plus it had one of the all-time most beautiful engines.

The best comment will win a little JDM tchotchke of unspecified make. Click through to see the winner of the last week’s QOTW. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , , | 42 Comments

Nostalgic Hero selects Top 20 Japanese Classics

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Ben Hsu


The 150th volume of Nostalgic Hero just hit the stands as a special edition in which the editors pick the Top 20 Nostalgic Cars of 2012. Back in 2007 they issued a Top 50 list, and some have risen, some have fallen.

There’s much room for discussion, and keep in mind that some of these cars represent different things in the Japanese market than they do in the US. But without further ado, the envelope please…  Continue reading →

Posted in honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, subaru, suzuki, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Toyota’s awesome 2012 Geneva Motor Show display

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Ben Hsu

What’s happening right now is the Geneva Motor Show, traditionally the unveiling venue for six-figure European exotics.  To stand out ToMoCo had to do something special, and we’d say a pair of gleaming white RWD GT coupes fits the bill. The neo-hachiroku‘s angle-of-departure tilt perfectly illustrates the spiritual succession of the GT86 from the 2000GT, and the booth’s color scheme evokes Japan’s old national racing colors found on cars like the Toyota 7. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsports, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Friday Video: Nissan Cedric 230 vs Nissan Cedric 230

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Ben Hsu

We’ve seen some oddball Seibu Keisatsu match-ups over the years, but two evenly balanced foes is a rarity. Neither has the weight advantage. It’s a battle of sheer will as they sideswipe each other repeatedly down a strip of two-lane blacktop, paying no mind to the results of a terrifyingly dangerous stunt with a Japanese Eric Estrada.  Continue reading →

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2012 Hot Wheels X JNC Mazda RX-7, now in blue

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Dan Hsu

If you’re a die-hard diecast collector and know where to look, these beans have already been spilled. Otherwise, here’s your first look at the brand new 2012 Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7! We just got these samples fresh off the assembly line and, as always, are extremely proud to have Mattel’s support in the form of the JNC inkan on the B-pillar.

Blue, orange and white is the second color for this casting, succeeding black and gold, and it now rolls on white five-spoke wheels. Big ups to our nostalgic hero, Mattel’s Jun Imai for making this happen. The 1/64-scale SA22 looks fantastic tricked out with an IMSA kit, and looks right at home next to our Hot Wheels hako.  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda, minicars | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Question: What should be the first model under the Datsun brand if it comes back?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Ben Hsu


It’s been a few months. Time for another cycle of Datsun revival rumors! The media has been awash with speculation on the return of the Datsun brand for the past week. We’ve heard it before, last October, July and beyond, so instead of just regurgitating the fact that Nissan president Mr. Bean neither denied nor confirmed the gossip and leaving it at that, we’re going to have some fun with it. Here is your Question of the Week:

If Nissan does revive the Datsun brand, what should be the first model to wear that badge?

If the Silvia hadn’t been killed off, it might have made a good 240Z, but its name would obviously conflict with the brand equity built on the 370Z. Perhaps the Cherry, since neo-Datsuns would likely be front-wheel-drive entry-level cars. Anyway, put your two cents in the comments below. The best answer one week from now will get a Nissan tchotchke from Japanland!

Posted in nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , | 40 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? 35,000-mile 1972 Toyota RT90 Corona Coupe

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Matt De Mangos


Ben says the RT90 Corona Coupe is ultra rare. However, I’ve found him about three to four examples floating on the lists of craig. This black-on-red ’72 is similar if not identical to the one owned by the Toyota USA Museum and boasts a documented 35,000-mile odometer. Like most, the 18R-C is paired with a Toyoglide three-speed auto. Though the wheels appear to be from a later Corolla, the owner assures speculators that the rest of the car is complete and a rust-free specimen from Phoenix. Buy it on craigslist for $6,000 and be twinsies with Toyota at the next TORC show.

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Aussie Rally Champion Hoons Rebuilt RA40 Celica Rally Car

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Neal Bates is a four-time Australian Rally Championship winner, long associated with Celica GT-Fours and AWD Corollas that we didn’t get here in the states. Though retired, Bates spent the last 18 months building a replica RA40 Celica rally car inspired by Ove Andersson‘s 1980s WRC ride. There’s a few differences though, like the updated 3S-GE 2.0-liter twin-cam and  a 5-speed Aussie dog box. Still, it qualifies for the ARC Classic Rally Challenge for pre-1986 classic cars like the A10 Datsun Stanza, Porsche 911, and Ford RS 1800.

Watch the beautifully constructed and freshly painted machine roll out of the shop and immediately onto some unpaved roads for maximum hoonage.  Continue reading →

Posted in motorsports, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Friday Video: Nissan Technical Center Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Instead of the wanton destruction of 430 Cedrics, this week’s video shows them being created at the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture. Founded in late 1981, the NTC is the design and engineering hub of the Yokohama-based automaker, and the birthplace of everything from the March to the GT-R to, in an earlier cut of this video, the as-of-yet-unveiled 2013 Altima (oops).

As Ceddys, 910 Bluebirds and 720 pickups funnel off the assembly line and onto Nissan’s trademark red-white-blue car carriers, we wonder which ones were destined to meet an untimely end as Seibu Keisatsu chase fodder.  Continue reading →

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

See what Toyota USA looked like young and sexy

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Toyota USA has launched its new Facebook timeline, populating it with some rarely-seen vintage photos of its early years. Like many over 50, its run into a few snags with the newfangled technology. Continue reading →

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Grand Touring: Nostalgic Nissans in Yamanashi Prefecture

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Skorj

In exploring the non-traditional Japan, you quickly learn to identify markers to indicate you are on the right track to discover something old and special — narrow roads lined with closed shutters, anything made of red brick, disconnected power meters, less-than-eight-digit telephone numbers, blanked-out shop signs.  Continue reading →

Posted in nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Rotaries and racing go together like wine and cheese

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Dan Hsu

At the beginning of each motorsports season Mazdaspeed gathers the press together to talk about their plans for the upcoming season and introduce some of the luckiest young men in the world, their new sponsored drivers. This year the event was held at Crevier Classic Cars in Costa Mesa, California, which was packed with machines far older than any of the talented young speed demons on stage.  Continue reading →

Posted in mazda | 6 Comments

For Sale: Victor Laury’s 1972 Datsun 240Z

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Ben Hsu

No glib joke about kidneys today, because it’s with great sadness that we announce the sale of Vic Laury’s 1972 Datsun 240Z. He is no longer able to enjoy this car because of his recent health conditions, and must reluctantly offer it for sale. As most of you from SoCal know, Vic is a beloved figure among SoCal’s Datsun and nostalgic car community. He’d frequently volunteer to help with the major shows, and always brought his big-hearted, warm personality to any gathering, along with one of his beautiful Nissans. You may recognize him from his pale yellow Fairlady Roadster, mustard yellow 510, 521 pickup, or this beautiful 112 Yellow 240Z.   Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Friday Video: S41 Prince Gloria vs ’65 Dodge Coronet

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Miki Sugimoto was most known for her roles in 1970s exploitation films that lured viewers into 90 minutes of low-budget cinema with 0.5 seconds of soft-core nudity Sadly, the only cheap thrills we can promise today come from Sugimoto’s S41 Prince Gloria as she chases down a bad-guy-filled ’65 Dodge Coronet. Besides, wouldn’t you rather see streets filled with nostalgics in their prime than a glimpse of side boob?  Continue reading →

Posted in nissan, prince, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments