JCCS Registration to Close in One Week

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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A public service reminder to all you kyusha fans who are waiting till the last minute: registration for the  2009 Japanese Classic Car Show will be closing in one week, on Tuesday, September 15. Five years ago, the launch of JCCS was a watershed moment for the vintage J-tin hobby. The respect and recognition it has brought the cars we know and love have been incalculable, so come to come out and support the show!

This will be the JCCS’s 5th anniversary so the organizers have special commemorative items for all registrants, though we cannot disclose what they are. And if we didn’t haveto go early to set up our JNC booth, we’d  join one of the JCCS Caravans that are coming from as far away as Atlanta, Georgia!

Here’s our coverage from the 2008, 2007 and 2006 shows. Register here. Do it now!

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Kidney, Anyone? 7700-Mile Toyota Celica, Kenmeri Skyline, and Gurachan Mazda RX-7

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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How many kidneys does a human body have, anyway? We’re car nuts, not doctors. Anyway, here’s a trio of interesting finds that crossed our paths over the long weekend.

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Posted in datsun, for sale, mazda, mazda rx-7, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Friday Video: Seibu Keistatsu For All

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Some Seibu Keistatsu to kick off your long weekend. Stay safe and try not to get blown up like these cop cars!

Thanks to cesariojpn for the tip!

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Nissan's Fairlady Z 40th Anniversary Minisite

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Nissan has just launched a Japanese minisite in celebration of the Fairlady Z’s 40th Anniversary, along with some photos of the 370Z Roadster. It’s all in Japanese but you can click here to take a look.

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KP61 Toyota Starlet Drift Machine

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Teruyoshi Iwai campaigns one of the coolest D1GP cars around, a KP61 Toyota Starlet stuffed with a 4AG with TRD and Silk Road suspension components. Apparently Iwai made his triumphant return to D1 in Round 5 at Ebisu Circuit, but was easily eliminated by the newer, more powerful competition. Clearly, though, Iwai is the champ when it comes to style points.

UPDATE: Video after the jump. Continue reading →

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Another Blog Chock Full of Rotting J-Tin

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Ben Hsu

subaru_1000Remember the exploits of the Kusahiro Exploration Corps? Well here’s Dara Dara Seikatsu’s blog to further document the oxidizing nostalgics of Japan and ruin your day.

Thanks to reader Charlie C. for the tip!

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Lexus Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Ben Hsu

lexus_ls400 On September 1, 1989 sales of the Lexus LS400 began. It’s hard to believe but it’s been 20 years since the first luxury branded Toyota was offered to the American public.

Thirty years after Toyota first arrived stateside, the idea of a premium Japanese luxury car was still inconceivable to most Americans. The car was certainly worth $40,000, but no one in America was willing to shell out that kind of coin for a lowly Toyota. So the Big T conjured up a separate brand altogether and Lexus was born.

Two decades later, the idea of a Japanese luxury car doesn’t seem so odd to us any more. Toyota has consistently proven it can build flagship sedans as good as any European automaker’s. But there’s still one last hurdle to jump: the notion of a Japanese classic. If a ’59 Chevy Impala can be considered a classic, then why not a ’79 Toyota Cressida? Hopefully we won’t have to wait until 2029.

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Event Horizon: Labor Day Edition

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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According to the United States Department of Labor, the first Monday in September is a “yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”  Although our country is going through a rough time right now, it’s important to acknowledge all the hard-working individuals out there trying to make ends meet like the rest of us.  So get out there and enjoy the three-day weekend!

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Swiss Nostalgics at Japaner Treffen 2009

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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JNCer Rene H. sent us these photos of the recent Japaner Young-und-Oldtimer Treffen all the way from Switzerland! They seem to like their cars mostly stock but improved with age, like a fine Swiss Emmental. Continue reading →

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged | 6 Comments

Epic Diecast Car Chase: S130 Fairlady Z and Silhouette Skyline vs Firebird Trans-Am

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Ben Hsu

No, it’s not Friday yet but this Tomica-filled car chase could not be chained back. Imagine an alternate universe that has Smokey and the Bandit fused with the cars and violence of Seibu Keisatsu. It’s The Fastest Yellow & Red by our old friend LUXE37.

The scene opens reminiscent of this Seibu clip, but pretty soon machine gun-wielding baddies in a Firebird Trans-Am lead the new police issue KDR30 Silhouette Skyline and S130 Fairlady Z on a carnage-packed chase through the city. The final showdown is like a who’s who of sports coupes, circa 1980.

Seriously though, the storyboarding and pacing are absolutely brilliant. This chase could teach 1:1 scale scenes coming out of Hollywood a thing or two.

Thanks to toyotageek for the tip!

Posted in datsun, minicar, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Nostalgic Wear from Import Bible

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Ben Hsu

import_bible-old_schoolOur friends at Import Bible have once again turned out a new collection of fresh threads, this time for hachiroku heads. The “Old School” T-shirt has stuff like Work Equip 03s and an AE86 headlight switch in lieu of those pesky vowels. Vanna White would approve. You can order them here.

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Friday Video: TE71 Corolla Levin vs. S30 Fairlady Z

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Ben Hsu

We have absolutely no idea what movie or TV show this car chase is from, but at least the scene isn’t dominated by the marque that forked over the most sponsorship yen. The main cars are a TE71 Corolla Levin versus a 2+2 Fairlady Z, with a ton of random nostalgic goodness in the background. Who will win?

Thanks to cesariojpn for the tip!

Posted in datsun, nissan, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Event Horizon: Last Weekend of August

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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It’s the last week of August, so get out there and enjoy your nostalgics!  Summer vacation will soon be over so if you have kids, bring them along before they’re too busy with homework.

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Kidney, Anyone? 18,000-Mile Datsun Bluebird 411

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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This incredible 1968 Datsun Bluebird 411 is probably the closest you’ll ever get to owning a time capsule car. According to the seller, this RHD predecessor to the Datsun 510 lived in a New Zealand museum for 20 years before it was imported to the US. The odometer reads only 18,179 miles and the condition certainly seems to affirm the claim.

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Sneak Peek at Classic Toyotas in New NFL Ads

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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The NFL will be running a series of tailgate party-themed ads in the upcoming season, and some classic Toyotas are about to get prominent placement. Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot, courtesy of the JCCS. In one a poor, checker-trousered pigskin fan gets his finger caught by a Toyopet Crown’s trunklid.

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Posted in cm, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Loss Of An Automotive Journalism Icon

Posted on August 25, 2009 by John Roper
The author (in 2008) with his son, E. John Thawley III

The author (in 2008) with his son, E. John Thawley III

John Thawley (aka Bob Waar) 1937-2009 – Author and motor journalist John Thawley died last month of complications from pneumonia. He was 71.

How to Hot Rod Small Block Chevys, How to Hot Rod Big Block Chevys, the Off Road Handbook and the cult classic How to Modify Datsun 510/610/240Z Engines & Chassis were all written under Thawley’s pen-name, Bob Waar. Those and the books that followed under his own name totaled some twenty titles over his career. John raced in Baja and Bonneville. He worked at Indy, Irwindale, Daytona, Pikes Peak and Riverside. He served time on the payrolls of Buick, Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota and numerous performance industry manufacturers.

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Posted in datsun, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

EVENTS: The Very Last Nisei Showoff

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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Way, way back in the day, nisei (the Japanese word for second-generation Japanese Americans) held informal cruise nights all over the greater Los Angeles area. They were some of the first guys ever to modify 510s, Celicas and the early Mazda rotaries. Eventually, that evolved into an actual show, the Nisei Showoff, sometime in the early-to-mid 90s. There’s a lot of history there, but sadly, this will be the last one.
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Posted in datsun, events, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Finland Japanese Auto Extravaganza 2009

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Matt De Mangos

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Mikko, our JNCer in the land of the Finn, has kindly uploaded a few pics of the recent Finland Japanese Auto Extravaganza.

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Friday Video: Mitsubishi Action in Guerrilla Group 8

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Despite the presence of Tetsuya Watari, gunfights, and a gull-winged Japanese sports coupe, this is not Seibu Keisatsu. Mitsubishi fans, rejoice! It’s Guerrilla: Tokyo Police Group 8, starring Watari-san (who played our beloved Sgt. Daimon in Seibu), a Mitsubishi Starion 2600GSR-VR, Pajero, and a Debonair V 3000 Royal AMG. That’s right, kiddos, a Debonair AMG. As police car. If they could somehow work Giga Pudding into the equation Kev could die a happy man.

Guerrilla followed the adventures of a covert division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Called Group 8, the elite squad specialized in the atrocious crimes regular cops couldn’t touch, with each member carrying a licenses to kill.

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Event Horizon – End of Summer Edition

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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As always, if you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at the feedback address at the bottom of the page.

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