The JNC Forum has a new section for classic motorcycles and scooters. As per the usual JNC guidelines, it’s for two-wheeled delights 25 years and older. There seems to be no good home for these bikes on the web, at least not US-based, and Japanese scooters are really the red-headed stepchild of the market. If the first day of traffic is any indication, this is a need waiting to be met. Go forth and post! We can’t wait to see the build threads that come out of it!
Introducing JNC’s Nostalgic Motorcycle Forum
Sam Witwicky’s Datsun 510 in Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon
Last year a Datsun 510 sedan with twin black racing stripes and a “Bee-yotch” air freshener was spotted filming in Milwaukee for Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. Immediately, speculation began that one of the star robots, Bumblebee, had disguised himself as a Bluebird. We just got out of an advance screening of the movie and we have answers. Warning: spoilers ahead. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 24,000-Mile 1977 Toyota Celica for $19,000
A 910-horsepower Suzuki isn’t the only interesting thing coming out of Colorado. Recently, a 24,000-mile 1977 Toyota Celica Liftback was offered up in the little town of Berthoud (about an hour north of Denver). It was purchased in Fort Collins, Colorado (another 30 minutes north) and has apparently spent its existence secreted in the mountains like a mummified Ice Age caveman.
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Posted in for sale, toyota
Tagged a20, celica, kidney anyone, liftback, ra28, ra29, toyota
17 Comments
Monster Tajima’s Suzuki SX4 Breaks 10-Minute Barrier at 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
We don’t often get to write about Suzukis, but this past Sunday, one made history. Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima has smashed the storied 10-minute barrier at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The long-time Suzuki rally racer clocked a time of 9:51:28 in his Unlimited division Monster Sport Suzuki SX4.
UPDATE: Now with video. Continue reading
Posted in motorsports, suzuki
Tagged escudo, hill climb, hre, mazda, monster tajima, nobuhiro tajima, pikes peak, r360, rally, suzuki, sx4, xl7
9 Comments
Friday Video: Buzz Performs “Ken & Mary Ai to Kaze no Youni”
Welcome to JNC‘s summer concert series. Well, it’s not really a series per se since there’s just one song. Nevertheless, here’s the folk band Buzz playing their hit Ken & Mary Ai to Kaze no Youni on a Japanese music show. Now go drive into the sunset in your C110 Skyline. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2011 USDM Jam
Car culture has a curious way of ping-ponging across continents. While we in the US are drool over rare JDM goodies, our counterparts in Japan long for door mirrors, amber turn signals and safety bumpers. For eight years now there’s been an annual event in Japan called USDM Jam. There, Japanese enthusiasts obsess over the arcane differences on cars sold in the US market and study our customization trends.
The Honda Civic Wagon is called the Civic Shuttle at home. Interestingly, the Honda Civic is no longer even sold in Japan. The Fit has supplanted the Civic, and Honda has just released the wagon-bodied Fit Shuttle there. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 200sx, 240sx, 300zx, 510, 720, a60, a70, acura, b14, b210, baja, bluebird, brat, celica xx, chevy, civic, corolla, diamond racing, e70, ef, fairlady z, faster, fit, hella flush, honda, isuzu, lucino, luv, ma60, ma61, ma70, ma71, mdx, nissan, pickup, s13, sentra, shakotan, shuttle, silvia, subaru, sunny, supra, te72, toyota, truck, turaichi, wagon, z31
12 Comments
What the Mazda 787B Sounds Like
We mentioned a few weeks back that the Mazda 787B was making a return to Le Mans for the 20th anniversary of its victory there. One of its drivers, Johnny Herbert, was on hand to take it for another spin around Sarthe Circuit. This is what a 700-horsepower four-rotor sounds like. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 6,757-Mile Mazda RX-7
The Mazda RX-7 is one of the few cars that can truly be called iconic. When it debuted in 1979, it rocked the motoring world with its sleek looks, rotary powerplant, and stellar handling. It also came out of the gates with a class win at the 24 Hours of Daytona, kicking off a decade of IMSA domination and over 100 victories in the series. It is a true classic, and as important as cars like the Toyota 2000GT and Datsun 240Z.
Dan recently stumbled upon this mint 1980 SA22C, which looks to be as fresh as it was when it left the showroom 30 years ago. This metallic gray cherry comes with all the important options, like a 5-speed gearbox, moonroof, and AM/FM cassette deck. With just 6,757 miles on the clock, it’s not for the casual cruiser. The price isn’t even listed, so prepare to part with at least one internal organ. But for the die-hard Mazdafarian it’ll make a coveted addition to the rotary fleet. The car is offered by Exotic Classics of Syosset, New York.
Friday Video: KPGC10 Nissan Skyline GT-R vs Mazda Savanna RX-3
Last week we saw a meeting of some Japan’s best road-going GT cars. This Friday let’s look at two no-limit track machines. The KPGC10 Nissan Skyline GT-R and the Mazda Savanna RX-3 are old rivals, and Best Motoring brought them back to Fuji Speedway for a sonorous reunion. Enjoy the sights and sounds after the jump. Continue reading
MS112 Toyota Crown on Super Volks
Video Camera Goes on Wild Ride with Honda S800
Sky-high redline, feather weight chassis, open top motoring. The Honda S800 is a breathtaking machine. It is also a camera-taking machine.
If this short clip of a topless roadster howling through the two-lane backroads of Japan does not induce some wanderlust, you are probably dead inside. Continue reading
Identify This Rusty Car Found in a Japanese Junkyard
See that wagon lurking behind this hakosuka and Honda Today? All we know is that it’s old, rust, and resting in a junkyard somewhere in Japan. This photo was sent to us by a reader there. Heck, it may not even be Japanese.
Be the first one to identify it in the comments below and we will send you a set of three JNC decals – the original JNC inkan and our new Racing Mate Tribute and the JAF Tribute. One more pic below to help. Continue reading
RA21 Toyota Celica Drift Machine
This may look like an RA21 Toyota Celica. But look below the surface where the sun don’t shine and you’ll find a full-on AE86 drift machine. The result? Whether it’s smoking tires sideways or just cold chillin’ by a vending machine, it looks damn good doing it. You can read more about owner Matt-Panic’s build at Classic-Celica.com. Continue reading
Friday Video: Toyota 2000GT Meets Nissan Fairlady 240ZG Meets KPGC110 Skyline GT-R
The title says it all. Watch the luckiest bastards in the world at Best Motoring drive the greats. Continue reading
Hot Wheels Datsun 240Z Treasure Hunt
It seems we’ve got some exciting news from Hot Wheels every week now. Mattel‘s diecast toy line is really firing on all cylinders with cool nostalgics that JNC readers will love. Now you can park this Datsun 240Z next to your JNC-logo’ed Hot Wheels hakosuka.
Although the S30 has been around the Hot Wheels lineup in several iterations already, the upcoming red and white paint scheme is truly special. Somehow, it manages to evoke famous racing Z-cars from opposite sides of the Pacific — Peter Brock‘s BRE 240Z from the US, and Haruhito Yanagida‘s fearsome 240ZG from Japan. Continue reading
Posted in minicars, nissan
Tagged 240z, 240zg, 260z, 280z, bre, datsun, fairlady z, haruhito yanagida, hot wheels, nissan, peter brock, s30, treasure hunt
15 Comments
EVENTS: 2011 Toyotafest Part 06
There was so much to see at this year’s Toyotafest it’s taken us six installments to get through everything. Alas, our coverage is coming to an end, but before we leave the Queen Mary here are some parting shots.
The 1980s came out really strong this year. As we’ve mentioned, RA63 and RA64 Celicas are the new black. This white one with black holes for wheels certainly pulled us in. Look at that laid back RWD lean and folded-origami design. If new cars today only looked this cool. Continue reading
Posted in events, toyota
Tagged 20-valve, 4a-ge, a20, a60, ae86, all toyotafest, aw11, celica, corolla, corona, e20, e70, hayashi, igeta, ke20, l-type, ma60, ma61, markII, mr2, mx23, peanut, performance options, queen mary, ra21, ra63, ra64, riverge, riverside, rt132, sport coupe, ssr, street, super mesh, supra, ta21, takechi project, te71, te72, tom's, toyota, toyotafest, toyotafest 2011, wagon
4 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? 1959 Datsun 1000
It’s not every day you find a 1959 Datsun 1000 on eBay. This L210 is probably one of the earliest Nissan products ever sold in the US. This ancestor of the Bluebird is not for the faint of heart though. With a 37-horsepower OHV motor and four-wheel leaf spring suspension, it ain’t gonna hit the autocross like its great-great-grandson the 510. Two of these babies did, however, circumnavigate the continent of Australia in the 1958 Mobilgas Trial and one of them even won its class. Continue reading
EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise
Every couple of months our friends at Mooneyes holds an informal gathering near their HQ in Yokohama called the Mania Cruise. The great part about these shows is that you get to see oddball machines that tend to get crowded out at, say, the New Year Meeting. Case in point: the totally adorbs 1976 Mazda Porter Cab pickup. Two-stroke, 360cc, all style. Click on through to see some of our favorites. Continue reading
Posted in events, mazda, nissan, toyota
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 720, ae71, b110, b120, b1800, b210, barikan, caravan, cedric, corolla, corona, crown, datsun, dish, e70, e71, enkei, fairlady z, gloria, hiace, longchamp, longchamps, mania cruise, mooneyes, ms50, ms55, nissan, pickup, porter cab, roadbuster, rt40, rt45, s30, s50, sanitora, slot mags, ssr, star shark, star sharks, sunny, sunny truck, te51, te71, toyota, xr-4, y30
8 Comments
Friday Video: B110 Sunny & KP61 Starlet Take to the Hills
Best Motoring may be no more, but videos like this from their heyday are what old school Japanese cars are all about! Lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, small-displacement cars that are a blast to sling through the twisties. Watch as Keiichi Tsuchiya and Takuya Kurosawa gun a KP61 Toyota Starlet and and B110 Nissan Sunny through the mountains. I’m a Toyotaku to the core but I might have to give my vote to the super-sweet white Datsun on Watanabes in this case. Watch the video below the fold. Continue reading
Posted in Friday Video, nissan, toyota
Tagged 1200, b110, best motoring, datsun, keiichi tsuchiya, kp61, nissan, starlet, sunny, takuya kurosawa, toyota
3 Comments
