Scouting locations for a photo shoot can be difficult. When it comes to privately owned cars, how far you go to find that perfect spot is often limited by the owner’s unwillingness to travel, but with a nostalgic it’s sometimes the car itself that is stubborn. On this particular day though, neither was a problem. Rather, the challenge was in finding not only a suitable distraction-free background but also one that properly captured the feel of the car we were shooting. Anonymous industrial locations are a dime a dozen and would not really help to tell the story behind Randy Hor’s Eleanor-inspired creation. We needed to find someplace special.
Wednesday Wall: F20C-Powered 1976 Toyota Celica Liftback
Posted in toyota, Wednesday Wall
Tagged car chase, celica, Delroy Lindo, desktop, Gone in 60 Seconds, jnc, liftback, magazine, Nicholas Cage, toyota, wallpaper, Wednesday Wall
13 Comments
Still Cheaper Than The Real Thing: Platinum Tomica Nissan Fairlady Z432
The 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432 is a beguiling blend combination of the twin-cam S20 six (shared with the hakosuka 2000GT-R) and sexy S30 Fairlady Z looks, making it a blue-chip Japanese collector car of the highest order. And now Jeweler Ginza Tanaka has made a one-off replica of the Tomica Z432 model in platinum! It’s 7cm long, weighs 210 grams, and everything down to the opening doors and the wheels (which can spin) and even the box has been faithfully replicated. It took a month to make by hand and a great deal of that time was spent polishing it to the high lustre you see right there. There’s only one made, it’s not for sale, although if you did want one, Tomica estimates its cost at a cool $80,000.
This very special model was made to celebrate Tomica’s 40th anniversary this year. Since 1970, over 800 different models have been made, and over half a billion of the little toys have made their way into the eager hands of young kids (and not-so-young kids) all over the world over the past four decades. The model will be displayed at the Hong Kong International Jewelery Show this month, and will return to the homeland to be displayed at the Osaka Tomica Fair in late April.
[via 7Tune]
Posted in datsun, minicars, nissan, Toys
Tagged 240z, datsun, fairlady, fairlady z, ginza tanaka, nissan, platinum, s30, s30 z, tomica
12 Comments
Honda Releases "CR-X – A Nod to Legend" Video
It’s really amazing how Japanese automakers are suddenly all about their heritage. When the JNC Blog started two years ago, we basically bitched non-stop about how they were sitting on an untapped gold mine of good will. Though we would like to, I don’t think we can take credit for this change of heart. But we like where this is going.
Whether the Honda CR-Z is really a worthy successor to the CR-X remains to be seen. Grapevine word today revealed it was not originally intended to be a hybrid. Perhaps there will be a petrol-only version down the line. In the meantime, we’re working with Honda to secure an example for a future JNC Next Version piece.
No Pistons, No AWD: Mazda RX-7 Rally Car
The first-gen Mazda RX-7 has competed in many forms of motorsport, from IMSA enduros to drag racing to touring car challenges. Here it is on dirt, with gratuitous helicopter tracking shots. Video after the jump.
Hat tip to Andrew P.
If a Tree Falls on a Nissan…: Today’s zen koan comes from Australia, where, as Kev informs us, there are indeed trees. And sometimes they upend themselves on some poor sheila’s newly restored Datsun 610. Zoe Michalski had just purchased her “pride and joy” a three months ago and finished some paint and body work. Unfortunately, she then parked it under an unstable 20-meter shrubbery. This happened in a place called Woolloomooloo. We are not making this up.
Father & Son: AE86 and Toyota FT-86
At long last, Toyota is bringing out the nostalgic guns. Accompanying the Toyota FT-86 Concept‘s arrival at the Geneva Motor Show last week comes these official images. Unless you’re steeped in Toyota history you might have missed the significance of the concept’s 86 designation, but here’s visual proof of where Toyota is going with this. Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Tagged 2010 geneva motor show, ae86, corolla, ft-86, geneva motor show, hachiroku, levin, project 086a, sprinter, toyota, trueno
18 Comments
Add JNC to your iPhone
If you’re on the road a lot like we are here at JNC, you can get your daily fix of nostalgic car news right on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Best of all, you can have the JNC stamp logo adorn your iGadget’s home screen by following these easy steps: Continue reading
Quick Pic: R30 Nissan Skyline Descends from Heaven
The streaks of sunlight are a perfect compliment to the angular 80s design of the R30 Skyline. This pic was taken during the closing minutes of the 2008 JCCA New Year Meeting in Odaiba, Tokyo.
Friday Video: Mitsubishi Starion vs Toyota Crown
Poor Sgt. Daimon. It seems that no matter what TV series he’s in, he is always called upon to dispatch a ridiculously over-armed bad guy with a single shot worthy of Vasily Zaytsev, after which he must solemnly watch their last gasps from behind his aviator shades. Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, toyota, Video Games
Tagged amg, crown, debonair, galant, guerilla group 8, japanese cop show, mitsubishi, seibu keisatsu, starion, tetsyua watari, tokyo police, toyota, vr-4
5 Comments
Event Horizon for the Weekend of Mar 5, 2010
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar(dot)com
This week:
- Friday, March 5 / Torrance, CA: South Bay Monthly Meet
- Saturday, March 6 / Winder, GA: OSJC Meet
- Saturday, March 6 / Fullerton, CA: Datsun Meet – ****changed to April 3rd due to rain****
South Australia's All Japan Day
The license plate on this Datsun 1600 says it all. If you have a penchant for Simmons wheels, oddball two-door wagons, and rear window blinds, then head to the JNC forums for photos from South Australia’s All Japan Day. Ta to JNC readers B1500boy and jdmrx2 for posting their images from this incredible event last weekend!
Kidney, Anyone? 1974 Mazda RX-4 Hardtop
This is going to be an expensive week for endocrine organs because this 1974 Mazda RX-4 is as mint as they come. The pre-facelift RX-4 is arguably the prettiest of all the early rotaries, and it’s hard enough finding an example in any condition.
This one has an interior as white as the clean fallen snow and still wears plastic sheeting on the rear panels and sun visors. The dash is shiny, the suspension paint is still largely in tact, and it comes with both the original steelies and hubcaps, or a set of factory Toyo Kyogo alloys. The only downside is that to obtain your precious, you must retrieve it from Mordor New Zealand, where it currently resides. But hey, when you’re paying $20,000 what’s another couple thou for a boat ride? More photos after the jump. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 1972 Datsun 1200
Datsun 1200s of any condition are rare enough, but gaze upon the minty freshness of this 1972 example of the USDM Sunny B110 on craigslist. According to the seller, the previous owner worked at a Datsun/Nissan dealership for 33 years. Everything is in supposed perfect working order like it was on Day One. This Florida orange sure looks clean enough from the photos, and considering some of the prices on “ran when parked” 1200s, $15000 doesn’t really seem that ridiculous. More photos after the jump. Continue reading
Honda CR-Z Ad Glimpses Soichiro's Genius
The Honda CR-Z went on sale in Japan last week. It may not be the long-awaited reincarnation of the CR-X, but the accompanying commercial gives us glimpses of past greats like the Super Cub, T360, S600s both roadster and coupe, and Civic. There’s even a shot of the original bullet train, the 0 Series Shinkansen. The Impossible Dream it’s not, but the sequel is rarely as good as the original.
Shinkansen 500-series takes a final bow
The dramatic-looking Shinkansen 500-series was the very first train in the world to break 300km/h on its regular route (between Tokyo and Osaka), and after 13yrs blasting flat-out across the Japanese countryside, it was retired from ultra-high speed service on the weekend. As reported on the Muza-Chan blog, lots of fans gathered in Tokyo and Osaka to bid farewell to the mighty train. The Tokyo-Osaka run will continue to be serviced by the less elegant, duck-billed 700 series Shinkansen (which is equally fast).
The 500-series will remain in service, but on a slower line which won’t require it to stretch its 320km/h legs. Have a rest, big fella.
Posted in Japan Stuff
9 Comments
Toyotafest 2010 Registration Open
Mark your calendars, Toyotaku — Toyotafest 2010 is open for registration. Come gather at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California for the biggest Toyota show in the US! Meet your fellow Toyota enthusiasts! You will not see a bigger collection of Toyota’s history anywhere else in this hemisphere. It all starts on Saturday, May 8 at 9am!
For a taste of Toyotafests past, here’s coverage of the 2009, 2008, 2007 shows
Posted in events, toyota
Tagged celica, corolla, cressida, crown, land cruiser, toyota, toyotafest, toyotafest 2010
3 Comments
Is Your JNC Sticker Real?
Look what we spotted on our Facebook page – someone tagged JNC in a pic of a car sporting a fake series 1 JNC sticker! The picture hails from Indonesia, so we don’t have any solid info on the counterfeit piece but the most popular theory here at JNC is that an underground Indonesian crime syndicate is making millions by printing and selling these phony stickers to unsuspecting nostalgic enthusiasts in dark alleys and abandoned garages.
If you think a friend or family member might have fallen victim to Fake Sticker Syndrome (FSS), send a picture of the suspected sticker to feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar(dot)com and our team of experts will pour over every detail, and notify you of the diagnosis. If the worst case scenario turns out to be true, seek help immediately. With proper treatment (available here) even the most severe cases are curable.
Event Horizon: The Show Must Go On Edition
This week’s Event Horizon is a little late due to our site hiccup earlier in the week, but there are a number of different events available to lucky Aussies and Southern Californians. The picture above is from the 2008 All Japan Day show.
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar(dot)com
This week:
- Saturday, February 27 / San Diego, CA: San Diego Scramble
- Sunday, February 28 / Glenelg, Australia: All Japan Day
- Sunday, February 28 / Queensland, Australia: All Classic Japanese Day 2010
Friday Video: Pontiac's The Bug and the Beetle
The Bug and the Beetle was a 1972 propaganda film by GM meant to whip workers into shape by stoking fear of foreign competition. How can you take a day off work when Germans and Japanese are pouring their cars onto our docks by the boatload? Franz and Hiro aren’t resting. If we don’t sell these Pontiacs, we’ll have to fire you, which means you’ll have no money with which to buy Pontiacs!
Of course, within a decade Japanese automakers would begin construction on US factories staffed with American workers. Times sure have changed, particularly at 5:50 when the company man voiceover says, “We cannot hope for the government to save us.” But if this film has taught us one thing, it’s that those minty fresh 1200s and 240Zs look mighty tempting. Then again, so do those Venturas. And those awesome Sony alarm clocks with the flip tiles!
The thrilling conclusion after the jump. Continue reading
JNC Site Running on All Cylinders Again, Hopefully
So as you probably have noticed, the JNC site experienced some technical difficulties this week. Our webhosting service claims it was a software issue with the blog. We think it was a spam attack, as virtually nothing of importance changed between our normal operation and the sudden spike in server CPU usage that caused the freakout. In any case, we’re re-opening the blog and letting the hounds loose with fingers crossed.
But since we’re at the mercy of the Webhosting Gods, we’ve taken some of the precautions they’ve recommended. You’ll notice that you need to enter a captcha confirmation before commenting. This should be a one-time thing unless you switch computers or browsers. Let us know if this isn’t working for you, or if you see any other odd behavior/broken links/UFOs. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Posted in jnc
20 Comments
