EVENTS: JCCS Part Seven: So Hard to Say Goodbye

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Well folks, we’ve come to the end of our JCCS 2009 coverage. Honestly, we’re getting a bit misty eyed just thinking about it. Organizers Koji and Terry Yamaguchi told us that out of 400-plus cars displayed, 120 were first-timers. That’s great news, because it means that the nostalgic car scene is still growing strong despite these difficult economic times.

We tried to split our coverage into themes, but as when reassembling a project after a long hiatus, there’s always some leftover bits that don’t seem to fit anywhere. Continue reading →

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EVENTS: JCCS Part Six: Truck, Yeah! (And Some Race Cars)

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Okay guys, just a couple of more JCCS posts and we’ll be done. Today we’ll cover diametric opposites – the trucks and the race cars. The Mazda Rotary Engine Pickup is something that could almost be both. It’s the opposite of a mullet — business-like bed in back, 13B party up front. And in a cruel twist of fate for our Japanese brethren, it was never sold in Japan. Continue reading →

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The Nostalgics of Gran Turismo PSP and Forza Motorsport 3

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Just a brief intermission before continuing with the JCCS barrage. Recently, both Gran Turismo for PSP and Forza Motorsport 3 racing sim franchises have announced the master lineups. Here are all the cars that may be relevant to the interests of JNC readers: Continue reading →

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EVENTS: JCCS 2009 Part Five: The Mod Squad

Posted on October 10, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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As John is fond of saying, “Anyone can restore a car. It takes a real man to cut it up.” In Part Four of our week-long JCCS blitz we highlighted some of the faithful restorations that even Sherlock Holmes probably couldn’t piece together. Now it’s time for low down speed bump scrapers. Out of all the impressive things we saw — and there were many — we were most impressed by the devotion and accuracy to the JDM street bomber look. Continue reading →

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Mad Max Datsun 240Z

Posted on October 9, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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MotorMavens has posted up a feature on one of our favorite cars from the recent Japanese Classic Car Show, the Mad Max Z. We gave you a little taste of it in Part One of our JCCS coverage, but here’s the owner’s full story. This car makes us non-Z owners crave one like there’s no tomorrow. And if there really is no tomorrow, this 1973 Datsun 240Z looks like it’s ready to plow right through a marauding gang of desert bikers. Oh, and you might even catch a cameo by Dan in the photos. Check it out.

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EVENTS: JCCS 2009 Part Four: Rolling Stock

Posted on October 9, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled Friday Video to bring you more Japanese Classic Car Show sweetness. We love the fact that, like muscle cars, J-tin is ripe for modification. But sometimes it’s nice to see a faithfully restored example or an original survivor. Here were some of the best from JCCS. Continue reading →

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EVENTS: JCCS 2009 Part Three: The Exotics

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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One of the surprising things about JCCS this year was the sheer volume of Nissan Skylines. Partly, this is because there are now shops in the US dedicated to the importation and restoration of these wondrous machines. One such shop is JDM Legends, who brought this Nissan Skyline GT-R KPGC110 clone. But they did more than just toss it on a freighter. Check out what’s under the hood. Continue reading →

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Event Horizon

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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

This weekend, October 9-11:

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EVENTS: JCCS 2009 Part Two: Wagons Ho!

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Continuing with our JCCS 2009 coverage, here are the cars from my personal favorite category — the wagons! This restored orange Datsun 510 was gorgeous, and aside from the re-upholstered interior it looks like it could have driven off the lot circa 1970. But this was just the first of many family freighters we saw last weekend. Continue reading →

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Toyota FT-86 and AE86 Drift Through GT5

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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The Gran Turismo series has apparently been working so closely with automakers that every time a concept is revealed, a supplemental GT5 driving video accompanies it. Here, they’ve even included some brief scenes of the newly announced Toyota FT-86 Concept drifting with a panda AE86 Sprinter Trueno. Full video after the jump: Continue reading →

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Hachiroku Returns: Toyota FT-86 Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Toyota has just announced the FT-86 Concept for the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show this October. It’s been two years in the making, and there were several times when the whole thing was thought to be rumor, but Akio Toyoda has finally brought Project 086A to fruition, or at least a concept. Continue reading →

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EVENTS: JCCS 2009 Part One: Kyuusha Kulture

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Before daylight broke on Saturday morning Dan, John and I were already packing up the ol’ JNC wagon. It was an ungodly early hour, even for John, who was still on Texas time. As we hit “The 5,” as Californians like to call it, we caught sight of the R Power crew rolling at least 20 vintage Mazdas deep, all heading to the greatest gathering of vintage Japanese steel on the continent: JCCS 2009!

Here in Part One of our Japanese Classic Car Show coverage, we’ll show you the more extreme side of vintage Japanese tuning, or Kyuusha Kulture as we like to call it. Continue reading →

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EVENTS: Japanese Classic Car Show 2009 Preview

Posted on October 3, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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We are tired and overheated from running at redline all day at the JCCS. But we are happy to report that the 2009 Japanese Classic Car Show was the best one yet, with plenty of old school goodness to blow your mind. Here are some of Dan and John’s preview pics before we pass out. Continue reading →

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Friday Video: Crayon Shin-Chan’s Massive Nostalgia Tribute

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Ben Hsu

There’s a fantastic discussion going on in the JNC forums right now about J-tin appearances in anime. We never knew there were so many animated nostalgics and are blown away by what readers have uncovered.

One of the hidden gems has been JT191’s choice of Crayon Shin-Chan: The Adult Empire Strikes Back. Not only does it have a massive car chase, but heaps of references to kyusha culture. And thanks to that, we have a new JNC Contest below. Continue reading →

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EVENTS: SevenStock XII, Part Two

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Welcome to the second and final installment of our SevenStock XII coverage (Click here for Part 1). It was hotter than the the ninth level of Hell that day and easy to see why southern California was on fire for a month. Still, plenty of Mazdafarians came and went, cooling issues be damned! Continue reading →

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Event Horizon: It's That Time of Year Again

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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Stuck between our monthly water bill and a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon was a little white envelope containing this  colorful surprise.  The appropriately festive parking pass and wristbands have us all giddy with anticipation like a couple of kids on Christmas Eve.  For those of you burning the midnight oil to finish up your entries to this year’s show, get off the internet and get back to work! We’ll see you in two days!

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

This weekend, October 3-4:

Continue reading →

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1600-Plus Mazda MX-5 Roadsters Celebrate 20th Anniversary

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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More than 1600 MX-5 Roadsters swarmed Mazda‘s hometown of Hiroshima, Japan on September, 20 for what has to be a new world record in single-model gatherings. After all, the MX-5 already holds the Guinness record for best selling two-seater droptop — as Jeremy Clarkson would say — in the whurrrld. Continue reading →

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Honda EV-N: Retro-Electric at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Moments ago, Honda revealed the cars it plans to display at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show this October. And looky here – a new concept paying homage to the N-series! Details on the EV-N Concept remain sparse, though more will surely emerge as the show approaches. All we know is that it’s all electric and charmingly inspired by the 1967 N360.

In fact, much of Honda’s Tokyo Motor Show lineup awesomely consists of environmentally friendly tributes to older models. Continue reading →

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NHTSA List of Every Cash for Clunkers Car

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Ben Hsu

cash_for_clunkersThe NHTSA has released a list of all 690,114 cars traded in in the Cash for Clunkers program. Keep in mind that the list is unverified and based on dealer reports. Most of the cars we know and love have been spared genocide, although many casualties still sadden our hearts: 5 Starions, several Cressidas, a moderate number of Nissan 300ZXs, Mazda RX-7s, Toyota Supras of varying years, and a buttload of Previa minivans.

Some don’t even meet the initial 18mpg or worse requirement (1990 Honda CR-X, really?). Others seem to have been traded in on pure laziness – late model Lexuses, a Mazda RX-8, and a Nissan 350Z, for example. Surely owners could have gotten more than the $4500 credit by just throwing it up on craigslist. Keep in mind that these cars had to be driven and registered for the past 12 months, so they aren’t shells or beaters.

Click here for the complete list (PDF).

Hat tip to cesariojpn.

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Mizuno Works, For All Your Kyushakai Needs

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Need a gurachan spoiler and some wicked fender flares for your kenmeri Skyline? Swing by Saitama’s Mizuno Works, a shop specializing in bosozoku style bombers. Continue reading →

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