Friday Video: Seibu Keisatsu, Behind the Scenes

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Heh heh, whoops! I guess the Monday holiday threw us off. Here’s your belated Friday Videos, a pair of behind the scenes looks at the making of Seibu Keisatsu. These videos have embedding disabled, so clicky click on the screenshots to watch them on YouTube.
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Kidney, Anyone? 1974 Datsun 610 with KA Power

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Bring a Trailer is on a roll this week. This is the cleanest 610 build we’ve ever seen, swapped with a modern KA24DE from a 240SX and amenities like projector beam headlights. In truth, we wanted to profile Aaron’s car for a while now, but just haven’t had the resources to go to Oregon and make it happen. You can see more pics after the jump and details of the build on Aaron’s website. Continue reading

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Bosozoku Style Fo' Lyfe

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Remember that Shako Hako we posted a while back? Reader Zeb found the source of the pic, which revealed a whole gallery of bosozoku style machines from way back in the day. How far back? Before the age of digital cameras, that’s how!
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Event Horizon

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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, September 12-13:

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Nostalgics Galore at Japan Meet Norway

toyota_kujira_crown_wagonIs there anything that looks more UFO-ey than the rump end of a kujira Crown wagon? This goon and other nostalgics gathered yesterday, 9/9/09, for Japan Meet Norway. It comes hot on the heels of Swiss and Finnish J-tin congregations, and thanks to Markus Väisänen, we have photographic evidence!

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JCCS Registration to Close in One Week

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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

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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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Friday Video: Seibu Keistatsu For All

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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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!

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Nostalgic Wear from Import Bible

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

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!

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Event Horizon: Last Weekend of August

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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

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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

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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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