Did you know that the Grim Reaper’s own personal ride is a sinister S30 Z? JNCer edz280zx was somehow able to both see it and live to draw about it. Have a happy All Hallows’ Eve, everyone! Stay safe and don’t OD on chocolate!
Friday Video: R31 Skyline in Abunai Deka
Here are some random clips from 80s Japanese cop show Abunai Deka, starring the R31 Nissan Skyline before they switched to the F31 Nissan Leopard / Infiniti M30. We’re not sure what’s happening but there is senseless tire squealing. Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 25K-Mile 1974 Toyota Celica
We’ve seen low mileage Celica Liftbacks before (both yellow, oddly enough), but this is the first Coupe. According to the seller, this 1974 Toyota Celica had just one owner for the first 34 years of its life. When he passed, the current seller acquired it in the estate sale with the plans of making it a “hot rod,” whatever that means. Continue reading
Event Horizon – SEMA Edition
Toyota in 2007 had a special display outside the main hall to celebrate their half-century mark, and in 2006 a bunch of their vintage trucks. Last year, Toyo Tires displayed Roy de Guzman’s 1972 Hakosuka and House of Kolor had a wicked Subaru Sambar. Next week we’ll be scouring the more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space to see what companies have brought out for us nostalgiaficionados this year. Word on the street is that Subaru will have a nice surprise, so if you happen to make it to SEMA, be sure to stop by their booth!
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This week:
- Thursday, October 29 / Santa Clara, California: Nor Cal’s South Bay Datsun/Toyota/Old School Meet
- Saturday, October 31 / Dana Point, California: Doheny Beach All Nissan/Datsun BBQ
- Sunday, November 1 / Melbourne, Australia: Torquay Motor Show
- Sunday, November 1 / Fort Worth, TX : North Texas Classic Japanese Car Meet
GigaGigaGigaGiga Giga Pudding Sticker
Pop quiz: what is the coolest thing in the universe? The answer, it may surprise you to know, is Giga Pudding. Unfortunately, the gelatinous delicacy is only available in Japan. But, JNCer ohcanada_00 has come to the rescue with the next best thing — Giga Pudding stickers! We just received ours in the mail today and slapped it onto the JNC Wagon. Now we can dream of custardy goodness whenever we drive. Jealous? Order your own from ohcanada_00!
1977 Dodge Colt / Mitsubishi Lancer Promo Video
It’s the late 70s and the public is clamoring for smaller, efficient cars. Sadly, your portfolio consists of a series of monster land barges where even the smallest offering is several times the size of a Honda Civic. What’s the best way to regain market share? Continue reading
Subaru 216A, the Uber Toyota FT-86
As if Toyotaku weren’t already miffed enough that the long-awaited return of the AE86 was packin’ a Subaru 2.0L boxer under its sloping hood, here’s a little salt for that wound: it appears that the top line version of the Toyota FT-86 will actually be a Subaru. Continue reading
Koreisha Mark to Undergo Redesign?
After all this time we still get questions about the JNC logo. Specifically, the teardrop-shaped leaf in the upper right hand corner.
To explain, we must first describe the Wakaba Mark for beginning drivers. The Japanese government requires that new license holders display the green and yellow symbol on their cars during the first year of driving. In other words, it’s a blaring noob warning for seasoned roadgoers. Stateside, you’ve probably seen them fastened askance on tuned Civics and S13s.
So when we were coming up with ideas for the JNC logo, we chose to incorporate its counterpart, the Koreisha Mark, or elderly driver’s mark. After all, we were talking about old school cars! Display of this emblem is required when a driver reaches 75 years old, or age 70 if you have any conditions that may impair your driving.
Each mark comes in two styles: a suction cup type meant for the rear window, and a magnet type to stick on the hood. The Koreisha Mark has been in use since 1997, but recently the Japanese government has been considering a redesign. Continue reading
Posted in japan
Tagged beginner driver mark, elderly driver mark, koreisha mark, wakaba mark
10 Comments
One More from Tokyo: 1917 Mitsubishi Model A
There was one last old school car from the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show and we’re talking old old school. The triple diamond mafia calls the 1917 Mitsubishi Model A the first production car built in Japan — if by production you mean 22 units, including pre-production ones, screwed together by workers in the company’s shipyards. Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi
Tagged mitsubishi, mitsubishi model a, mitsubishi type a, tokyo motor show, tokyo motor show 2009
7 Comments
Nissan’s 40th Anniversary Z-Car Tribute
We didn’t supply you with a Friday Video this week but Nissan has come to the rescue with a tribute to 40 years of the Datsun 240Z. Enjoy!
Actual Nostalgic Cars at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show
We’ve talked enough about retro themed cars at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, so here are some actual vintage cars from the event. Makuhari Messe has two main halls, where Japan’s automakers reveal to the world their next supercars and latest motorcycles.
But away from the glitz there’s a quiet arena that showcases the history of the Tokyo Motor Show itself. That means a selection of interesting vehicles that once occupied slowly rotating pedestals, like this Mazda RX-500. Continue reading
Posted in honda, mazda, suzuki, toyota
Tagged accord, alto, concept, concept car, cvcc, fronte alto, honda, mazda, rx-500, sports 800, sports 800 gas turbine, sports 800 hybrid, suzuki, tokyo motor show, tokyo motor show 2009, toyota
5 Comments
Event Horizon
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This weekend:
- Saturday, October 24 / Tacoma, Washington: Pacific Northwest Detailing Demo and Pumpkin Run
Retro Honda EV-N and CR-Z at the Tokyo Motor Show
As far as Tokyo Motor Show news goes, it could be hard to top Toyota‘s heartstopper Lexus LFA from yesterday. Honda, however, may kill you with cuteness instead. We told you about the Honda EV-N Concept and resurrected CR-X recently, and now more details have come forth. Continue reading
Posted in honda
Tagged cb1100, cr-x, cr-z, ev-n, ev-n concept, honda, honda n360, honda n600, rc166, tokyo motor show, tokyo motor show 2009
12 Comments
Toyotaku Rejoice! FT-86 and Lexus LF-A are Here
The media days of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show are in full swing and you know what that means. The Toyota FT-Hachiroku Concept has been photographed and nitpicked ad infinitum. It’s a familiar drill by now: AE86 revival, lightweight RWD coupe, Subaru 2.0 boxer, metallic monkey-butt red.
But perhaps Toyota has been feeling guilty for neglecting the enthusiast market for so long. That would explain why it’s bestowing us with the simultaneous debut of the long-awaited supercar known as the Lexus LFA. No more pulled punches for the Big T, baby! The new supercar heralds the company’s take-no-prisoners charge towards the head of the automotive kingdom, a segment Toyota has not visited in 44 years. Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Tagged 2000gt, lexus, lfa, tokyo motor show, tokyo motor show 2009, toyota
31 Comments
CONTEST: Fairlady Z T-Shirt from Import Bible
Hey gang, David from Import Bible has a new T-shirt design with another old school design. This time, its the S30 Fairlady Z, and he is generously offering one free to a lucky JNC reader!
This contest will be a brain-free one, just a simple random drawing. Just email the feedback address at the bottom of this page with the subject “IMPORT BIBLE CONTEST.” The contest will end 11:59pm Pacific Time, Nov. 12, 2009. You can see the rest of the Import Bible line here. Good luck!
Toyota Meeting at the Toyota Museum of Germany
Art students have Rome. Fashionistas, Paris. For car nuts, there’s Germany. No speed limits, giant glass museums for famed automakers, and legendary race circuits. If we ever make it to Deutschland though, we’re headed straight for Hartkirchen, located on the German-Austrian border, for the Toyota Museum there. It’s a two-story building dedicated to archiving the Toyotas sold in the German domestic market. Continue reading
Posted in museum, toyota
Tagged 2000gt, camry, carina, celica, corolla, corona, cressida, land cruiser, starlet, toyota, toyota museum, toyota museum germany
3 Comments
Friday Video: Groovin’ With Ken, Mary and Buzz
Hey hey, Friday Video is back! In our barrage of JCCS coverage we neglected to post the solution to our last contest, where we asked readers to identify the song playing at 15:48 in Part 1 of Crayon Shin-Chan: The Adult Empire Strikes Back. If you watched the scene, in which Shin-chan’s parents are watching vintage J-tin cruise by, a clue comes in the form of a blue kenmeri Skyline.
The answer, of course, is “Ken & Mary – Ai to Kaze no Youni (Like Love and the Wind)” by the Japanese folk group Buzz. Its smooth beats were synonymous with the Nissan’s groovy, gauzy Skyline KGC110 commercials of the early 70s, so much so that the entire generation became known as the kenmeri. If you didn’t think you could find beauty in something bone stock, watch this clip. Also, this seems to be the perfect tune for an autumn drive, is it not?
Congrats to Mike C!
Posted in cm, datsun, nissan
Tagged ai to kaze no youni, buzz, c110 skyline, datsun, datsun 240k, ken & mary, ken & mary commercial, kenmeri, kgc110, nissan, skyline
10 Comments
Nissan 370Z Commemorates 40th Anniversary of 240Z
Nissan has just announced that a special edition model 370Z to commemorate 40 years of the Z-car. Although the Datsun 240Z we all know and love was introduced on October 22, 1969, the Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will go on sale sometime next spring for an as of yet undetermined price.
The basis of this special edition will be your standard issue 370Z Touring model, equipped with the 3.7L twin-cam V6, 6-speed SynchroRev manual and Sport Package, and adds an exclusive “40th Quartz” paint job and red leather interior. Oh, and copious 40th Anniversary badging, naturally.
Nissan draws (somewhat loose) connections between this car and the 240Z in its press release, comparing luxuries like the 370Z’s laundry list of electronic gewgaws to indulgences like roll-up windows and an actual in-dash radio found in the 240Z. Hey, that was high-end stuff at the time! And the press release even gives a shout out to Mr. K’s and his recent 100th birthday.
[Source: Nissan]
Posted in nissan
Tagged 240z, 370z, 40th anniversary edition, datsun, fairlady z, nissan, s30 z
6 Comments
Event Horizon
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This weekend:
- Saturday, October 17 / Irwindale, California: JTuned Auto Gallery @ Formula Drift
- Sunday, October 18 / Queensland, Australia: Classic Japanese Show and Shine Continue reading
Coolest Business Card Ever?
We were brainsstorming business card designs recently and came across this Nissan Skyline PGC10 themed one. Turns out it’s for Intersection Magazine, which does not necessarily have a lot of J-tin content, but does have killer photography and art direction. As far as we know, the hakosuka never raced in gulf colors, but apparently this is what it’d look like if it did. And was made of origami.
