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
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
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
Things got off to a bit of a wet start while we were setting up the booth, but about the time the spectator gates opened the rain stopped and all was well. More pics to follow in the coming days, so check back often…
It appears the Phoenix contingent has decided to caravan to JCCS in a rather unorthodox fashion. Sort of a stretch limo for your Dattos? Color me jealous… Continue reading
It’s official — Aichi’s first supercar since the 2000GT has made it into the Nürburgring’s record books with a time of 7:14:64. Watch Toyota test driver/racer/AE86 enthusiast Akira Iida fling the Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition around the Green Hell during his astounding record-breaking run.
It’s become sort of a tradition for us at JNC to debut a new T-shirt design at each JCCS show. This year, JNC‘s designer and Project Z owner Yee Chan came up with something really special, what he calls “Best of the Best”.
The Toyota 2000GT, Mazda Cosmo Sport, and Nissan Fairlady Z are the three most sporty, game-changing, and just plain beautiful cars to emerge from Japan in the late Sixties. This trio grand touring machines epitomize the hopefulness and sheer audacity of an auto industry that had just begun its golden age. Here they are, decked out in their most famous racing livery. Continue reading
Another debut that will take place this weekend at JCCS is that of the reborn Enkei Apache II. This will be the third wheel in Enkei’s Classic Series line of revived vintage designs, hot on the heels of the Enkei 92 meshie and the Enkei J-Speed. Here is a set of 15×8+0 on JNC‘s Project Z. Come see our 1972 Datsun 240Z at the Enkei booth this Saturday. Click through to watch a video Enkei’s Alex Nunez talking about available sizes, finishes, and release dates. The stampede of vintage barrels continues! Continue reading
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
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.
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
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]
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
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
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
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]
How do you prove that your H150 Nissan President is low enough? Continue reading
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
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]
