Help Add A Mazda RX-3SP and Honda CR-X to Forza 3

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Ben Hsu


Forza 3 is teaming up with Jalopnik for the next round of downloadable cars for the racing sim. Let’s try to stuff the ballot box with J-tin like this Mazda RX-3SP (flames not included). Other candidates include the ’84 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE, first-gen Honda CR-X Si and quasi-nostalgics like the B13 Sentra SE-R, Mazda 323 GT-R, Acura Legend, Mitsubishi Evos I and V, ’96 Scooby STi, and ST165 and ST185 Toyota Celica WRC cars.

Vote for Group I

Vote for Group II

Vote for Group III

UPDATE: Looks like the RX-3, RX-7, CR-X and a some of the newer J-tin made it!

Now there’s a new batch, including a Datsun 240Z (um, why wasn’t this car in there from the beginning?), 1970 Corolla, Pulsar GTI-R, R31 Skyline, AW11 MR2, Mitsubishi Starion, and more.

Vote for Group IV

Vote for Group V

Vote for Group VI

Hat tip to JamesE.

Posted in mazda, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Nissan Skyline & Electric Vehicle Postage Stamps

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Ben Hsu


If you’re expecting mail from Japan you might be lucky enough to receive a Nissan Skyline or two. The automaker is teaming up with the Minami Kanto Regional Office (Nissan’s home turf) of the Japan Post Network to offer these postage stamps depicting the history of the Skyline model. The sets will be available from February 1 to August 31 and will be limited to 5000 sheets.  Continue reading →

Posted in japan, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday Video: Toyota Starlet Driving Lessons

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Ben Hsu


Here is Japanese comedy troupe Katoken in a sketch about driving lessons behind the wheel of a four-door Toyota Starlet. Hilarity and havoc ensue. Surprisingly, there appears to be a Pontiac Fiero GT at one point. It escapes unscathed. However, the same cannot be said for unfortunate JNC reader favorites like the Mitsubishi Sigma and Mazda 626 at the end.

Hat tip to cesariojpn.

Posted in toyota, Video Games | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Honda Z600 Sells for $27,500 at Barrett Jackson

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Ben Hsu

Hold on to your H-shaped hood ornaments, dear readers. You’re looking at a record breaking, potentially history making, piece of J-tin here. At the Barrett Jackson auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona yesterday, the value of this 1972 Honda Z600 Coupe went up to $27,500 when the gavel dropped. But our sources say that a year ago, this was an $8500 car that wasn’t even running properly. How did it more than triple its value in such a short time? Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, honda | Tagged , , , | 31 Comments

Wednesday Wall: Original Feature – Datsun 240Z & 510

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Dan Hsu

For today’s Wednesday Wall, here’s a blast from the past – our very first photoshoot for JNC. Back then, I was still pretty inexperienced with automotive photography and only had the bare minimum of proper equipment. The photo would’ve benefited from a circular polarizer filter, but overall I like the way it turned out. The orange really pops, and the blue background provides a very nice contrast (bonus points to anyone who can figure out where this photo was taken).

The two things I wanted to highlight with this photograph are the cars’ incredible stances (seen in the 510), and the tremendous attention to detail the owners put into their construction (seen in the closeup of the Z’s front end). These traits best exemplify the spirit of the cars, and that’s why this is my favorite photo from the series.

An interesting thing to note is the Z’s pointed nose. Its sharpness is something I never really noticed before, but from this angle it looks as finely honed as a samurai sword.

See the rest of the photos in JNC Issue 1 available in our shop.

widescreen 1920 x 1200
standard 1600 x 1200

Posted in Wednesday Wall | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Event Horizon for the Weekend of Jan 22, 2010

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Dan Hsu

There’s no shows we know of this coming weekend but be sure to check the list of future events after the jump!

If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar(dot)com Continue reading →

Posted in event horizon | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Rust in Peace: J's Tipo Ends Magazine Publication

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Ben Hsu

Sad news from Japanland today. It’s the end of the road for J’s Tipo magazine. The publishers have announced that Issue 180 will be the last for the long-running automotive periodical.

They covered mostly new cars but always had a good amount of nostalgic car content. Henceforth, they will be a web-only publication.

We don’t know the fate of their sister titles like J’s Tipo Speed HistoriX, which was devoted to vintage Japanese cars and was only launched in November of 2009.

You can check out the current J’s Tipo website here. Be sure to spend some time browsing the section of old JDM brochures, all of which are downloadable in PDF format.

Rust in Peace to a great magazine.

Posted in media | Tagged | 8 Comments

Rotary Overload: New Zealand Summerdrags 2010

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Ben Hsu


Listen up, Mazdafarians! If you want to see over 300 pics of vintage kiwi-style rotaries at the recent 2010 Summerdrags, click right here and braap your brains out.

Posted in mazda, motorsports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kidney, Anyone? 40K-Mile 1985 Subaru GL

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Ben Hsu


At first, this 40,433-mile 1985 Subaru GL surprised us by popping up in Phoenix, Arizona. What does a state need with a quirky, all-wheel-drive hatchback if they don’t even know what a snowflake is? But it makes sense that such a cream puff would only survive in a winter-less wonderland. Northerners bought these to drive into the ground, and most Yankee Subies have been returned to the earth in flakes of iron oxide. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, subaru | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

V is for Vintage: Rays Volk TE37V

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Ben Hsu

You know you’re a JNCer if you hear “TE37” and think third-gen Toyota Corolla rather than the coveted six-spoke by Rays Wheels. Remember how in the 90s every tuner with JDM jones lusted after the Volk TE37?

Well Rays recently debuted a reformulated version for us old schoolers called the Volk TE37V. The V stands for “vintage,” and they were all the rage at the Tokyo Auto Salon (as if you needed more proof that the nostalgic movement is gaining speed!). But there is an important philosophical question we need your input on at the end of this post.

Continue reading →

Posted in wheels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Nostalgics at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Ben Hsu

For the latest and craziest in women’s fashion, you turn to the runways of Paris. For the latest and craziest in automotive tuning, we look to the Tokyo Auto Salon. But like costumes on the catwalk, you might find yourself face to face with the vehicular equivalent of a Mobius Strip hat made of dead peacocks. Thank goodness there’s an increasing amount of J-tin to class up the joint! Continue reading →

Posted in datsun, nissan, tokyo auto salon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

New Year's Meeting… of Auckland

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Ben Hsu

Well, the Japanese New Year Meeting doesn’t take place for another few weeks but here’s BeeOneOneOh’s photos from their local meet in Auckland. I am in love with this visor-clad Crown goon.

Posted in mazda, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Friday Video: The Original Japanese Version of Speed

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Ben Hsu


A runaway city bus careens through the streets after the driver is shot. The police can’t do anything for fear of triggering the explosive device stowed on board. Only one renegade cop can leap onto the bus from another moving vehicle as they charge past swarms of patrol cars.

You might think this is the plot of the 1994 blockbuster Speed, but no. Our favorite Japanese cop show, Seibu Keisatsu, came up with this premise decades before Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock made puppy eyes at each other at 55 miles per hour.

The only thing missing is an insane, one-armed Dennis Hopper but hey, there’s a Hino dump truck and a metric buttload of Nissan Cedrics, so, fair trade?

Embedding was disabled for this clip so you’ll need to click on the image above to watch the video.

Hat tip to cesariojpn.

Posted in datsun, nissan, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Event Horizon for the Weekend of Jan 15, 2010

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Dan Hsu

If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com

This week:

Continue reading →

Posted in event horizon | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

More Nostalgic Minicars: Maisto Fifty-5s

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Ben Hsu


For a car, a diecast replica is the equivalent of having a bronze bust in the shape of your grinning head sitting in a museum. So when John posted Maisto‘s new Fifty-5s, it was further proof that the 1972 Datsun 510 and 1975 Datsun 620 have staked their place in automotive history. The 510 has already been honored in recent years, but as far as we know this is a first for the 620. And dare we say it looks better than the 510 in BRE livery?

The Fifty-5s lineup, new for 2010, also includes a 1995 Toyota SR5 pickup, Nissan 370Z, Scion xB, and 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, all shod with Watanabe-ish wheels. Does the existence of more diecast nostalgics mean that the real ones are finally getting some respect?

Posted in datsun, minicars, nissan | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Best Torrance South Bay Nostalgic Car Meet Yet

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Dan Hsu


As we headed down to the monthly South Bay meet in Torrance last Friday, we ran into the hakosuka and kenmeri Skylines from Right Hand Drive Japan. Matched in white paint and gunmetal Wats, they were a sight to behold in LA traffic. Continue reading →

Posted in datsun, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

2011 Honda CR-Z Unveiled in Detroit

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Ben Hsu


During the press conference for the 2011 Honda CR-Z at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, the automaker did much to evoke the original CR-X, and even acknowledged that car’s influential role in the tuner scene. There’s no doubt that its lightweight and fun-to-drive personality won it many fans. As a result, many collectors who normally pay no mind to J-tin now regarded the CR-X as a soon-to-be classic. Continue reading →

Posted in honda | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Mitsubishi Starion of Pure Evil

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Ben Hsu


Continuing simultaneously on our Cars of Pure Evil theme and our commitment to bring you more triple diamond coverage, here’s JNC reader Komeuppance‘s Mitsubishi Starion. The strut casings have been sliced and the exhaust probably sparks at speed. If  this car were any lower, it’d be in Hell itself. Appropriately, his license plate reads “SLAMMD”. And oh yeah, it’s his daily driver. Continue reading →

Posted in mitsubishi | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

JCCS x JNC T-Shirt Contest Winners

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Ben Hsu

The prizes from our JCCS x JNC T-Shirt Contest have shipped. Congrats to the following:

  • Yi-Joe K. of Kaneohe, HI
  • Bob J. of Troy, MI
  • Victor R. of Land O’ Lakes, FL

For those who didn’t win, don’t despair. You can still order your own stylish JCCS T-shirt for only $15 plus shipping! Help support America’s premier J-tin event and show your kyuusha pride!

Posted in contests, nostalgic wear | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? 14,000-Mile 1977 Toyota Celica GT

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Ben Hsu

1977_toyota_celica

This immaculate 1977 Toyota Celica hails from America’s Dairyland but you won’t be getting any swiss cheese here. The seller says it has never been driven in Wisconsin’s harsh winters and contains absolutely zero sheetmetal dings. It has most of its dealership documents, the original tires, and only 14,105 miles! Look at that sumptuous tan interior. We can smell the vinyl now.

Okay, so it’s brown. But we dig the retro hue. Slight more inexcusable, however, is the three-speed slushbox. Luckily, Celica firewalls come pre-drilled with a small plate for the clutch’s pedal-to-master pass-through. In other words, a manual swap is 100% reversible for judging at Pebble Beach 2025. More pics after the jump, or see it on eBay. Continue reading →

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