The Kusahiro Exploration Corps Blog is probably the saddest site you’ll see this week, if not ever. It’s basically a gallery of nostalgics rusting into oblivion on the grasslands of Japan, full of cars like this Nissan Cherry Coupe 1200X-1 awaiting a return to nature somewhere in snowy Nagano Prefecture.
Continue reading
J-Tin Rotting Away in Japan, Plus a Cherry Cherry
Posted in datsun, junkyards, nissan
Tagged datsun, datsun cherry, flyrat, nissan, nissan cherry x1-r
12 Comments
First Ever SEMA Car Show
SEMA is hosting its first ever car show on Saturday, August 1. If you live near Pasadena, California we highly encourage you to participate. The Specialty Equipment Market Association welcomes all cars but has traditionally been the domain of hot rods, muscle cars and tuned imports/drift cars. Missing from the mix, glaringly, are vintage imports.
The organization is dedicated to speaking up on behalf of all car enthusiasts in this country (as in their lobbying efforts against the recent Cash for Clunkers bill), and has tremendous sway over the direction of the aftermarket industry. This is right up the alley for J-tin fans, but unfortunately nostalgics have been missing from the equation for far too long. So if you want your car to represent the old school scene, please consider entering your car.
The show also supports the Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp children’s charities and will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Posted in events
14 Comments
You Might Own a Nostalgic If…
With apologies to Jeff Forxworthy here is a list of twelve things that just might make you the owner of an old car. It was compiled by Yee Chan, a graphic designer whose artistic touches will be seen in the next issue of JNC. We can’t reveal everything just yet but it’s going to look amazing.
His daily driver and only car is the black Datsun 240Z shown above at the 2008 Motorsport Auto Z-Car Nationals (and him hanging out in shades behind it). Funny, we knew his car before we knew him. Anyway, without further ado, you just might own a nostalgic if…
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You park far away from everyone to avoid door dings.
- You always give the car a backwards glance as you walk away from parking it.
- You feel uncomfortable parking it out in the open, where birds can crap on it.
- You do not let any valet drive your car.
- You sit in the garage, just looking at her.
- You love every angle and crease on your car.
- You know every nut and bolt has been torqued down or secured with Lock-tite by you alone.
- You don’t care about unburned hydrocarbons in the cabin.
- A new Corolla is like a luxury limo to you.
- You want to drive the car as much as possible (optional).
- You are too broke to get another car.
- You stopped seeing a girl, because she said something bad about your car.
Yee came up with this list because he’s done them all himself, even the last one, which is pretty hard core. Got any more to add? Let us know in the comments!
Posted in jnc
23 Comments
Friday Video: Hairpin Circus
The Friday Video series has touched upon many great Japanese movies and TV programs celebrating the automobile. But while they made their cars brutish and macho and excellent for ramming criminals into submission, they never made cars sexy. Well, turn down the lights and pour yourself a masu of warm sake before hitting “play”.
1972’s Hairpin Circus was the seminal Japanese motoring film. The age of the personal RWD sports coupe was in full swing and Japan was still blissfully unaware of the oil crisis to come. The giants, especially Toyota, Mazda and Nissan, believed that they had earned their place on the world stage with world-class cars. So why not a world-class film dripping with passion and petrol? Continue reading
Posted in mazda, toyota, Video Games
Tagged hairpin circus, macau gp, macau grand prix, mazda rx-3, toyota, toyota 2000gt, toyota celica
13 Comments
Rotorstock & Retro Show at Santa Pod
JNCer from across the pond, colink, sent us some photos of the recent Rotorstock and Retro show at Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire, England. This beautiful blue Nissan Violet/1600 (aka Datsun 710) really caught my eye.
Posted in datsun, events, mazda, mazda rx-7, nissan
Tagged datsun, datsun 1600, datsun 710, mazda, mazda rx-4, mazda rx-7, mazda rx-7 trailer, nissan, nissan violet, rotorstock, rotorstock & retro show, santa pod
2 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? 1971 Dodge Colt
Just look at this pristine interior! It looks like you could lick it and still get the taste of brand new vinyl on your tongue. It belongs to a cream puff 1971 Dodge Colt, aka Mitsubishi Colt Galant, found in an ad on Bring A Trailer. It’s a California blue plate special and was found during a San Diego estate liquidation. There are only 39,722 original miles and the asking price is a kidney-saving $3500. According to the ad, the owner wants to take it to Concours d’Lemons, but we think it’d make a much better entrant at the JCCS!
More pics after the jump. Continue reading
Event Horizon: Fun For Everyone
Good news if you live on one of the coasts! This weekend, there’s a number of different events to choose from, provided you happen to live near an ocean.
Happy Nissan Day
According to the internets, on July 16, 1981 Nissan execs officially changed their brand in the US market from Datsun to Nissan. The campaign to notify the public began in earnest that fall and for three years badges like the “By Nissan” one on this 1981 Datsun 210 (actually a B310 Sunny) appeared on the rumps of various cars.
Even back then, the rebranding effor cost the company over $500 million dollars, says Dan Banks of the Z-Car Club or America (read this for a detailed history). With a sticker price of just under $4000, that could have bought 125,000 Datsun 210s!
[Image: Jalopnik]
Posted in datsun, nissan
Tagged datsun, datsun 210, datsun-nissan name change, nissan, nissan b310, nissan sunny
1 Comment
The New York Times Talks Hondas
The New York Times came out with their take on Honda’s 50 years in America recently. We disagree with the conclusion that they won’t be classics (the same thing was said about every Chevy, Ford and Dodge to come out of Detroit) but it’s a great read on the raw genius and unabashed ambition of Soichiro Honda and his motor company.
Accompanying the article are slideshows covering 50 years of American Honda and potentially collectible Hondas. Oddly, an S600 appears in the former even though it was never sold in the US and despite what the caption says, the T360 pickup was actually the first four-wheeled Honda product. Unfortunately, the Times also calls the cars “primitive” despite their advanced, high-revving engines and unique drivetrains.
Thanks to Brian Baker, who tipped us off to the article and actually owns the white S600 shown in the slideshow. Brian also informs us that the red S600 has an S800 motor and was purchased by ex-Honda F1 driver Jenson Button for a ridiculous price at Bonham’s auction.
JNC Issue 4 Sneak Peek
John Oshima’s absolutely sinister 1977 Nissan Skyline. See more of this car in Japanese Nostalgic Car: Issue 4! Subscribe now to ensure you don’t miss out on the next issue!
Posted in jnc mag, nissan
Tagged 1977, japanese nostalgic car magazine, nissan skyline, nissan skyline japan
14 Comments
Toyota Soarer Soars Through Your Computer
Good lord, this 1983 Toyota Soarer ad looks like a deleted scene from Tron. It’s almost as insanely 80s as this MkII Toyota Celica Supra commercial we found a while back. Just thought you’d like to see what a Toyota driving through cyberspace looked like.
Friday Video: Abunai Deka Cedric 430 Chase
In this clip from 80s Japanese cop show Abunai Deka, a Nissan Cedric 430 unmarked patrol car gives chase to a Gloria Van of the same generation. As you can see, this series doesn’t take itself as seriously as, say, Seibu Keisatsu, which would have ended the pursuit with Daimon arriving just in time to cut the baddies off at the pass and blow the crap out of their driver with a blast from his shotgun. Instead, Abunai lets its heroes play the fools, and even though we can’t understand what’s being said in this clip it still made us lawl.
Posted in JNC Theater
Tagged 430, abunai deka, cedric, datsun, gloria, japanese cop show, nissan, wagons
3 Comments
Retro Roundup: Mazda RX-7, Toyobaru 086a, Honda Prez
Despite a flagging global economy that’s hit Japan particularly hard and reports of the world’s auto manufacturers bailing on this year’s Tokyo Motor Show left and right this year, there are now some surprising rumors surfacing. If true, the 41st Tokyo Motor Show may be a retro revival of sorts.
Posted in honda, mazda, mazda rx-7, subaru, toyota
Tagged acura nsx, honda nsx, lexus lf-a, mazda rx-7, project 086a, takanobu ito, tokyo motor show, toyota celica, toyota supra
6 Comments
Sold! 1972 Datsun 240Z for $2000
Yes, you read that right. $2000. Tipster John O. recently wrote that a friend of his bought this 1972 Datsun 240Z from the original owner, an old lady who always babied the car. She only let Datsun/Nissan dealerships perform work on it and kept all the service records and documentation in its 37-year history. As the story goes, she got tired of sinking money into it and put it up on craigslist. She interviewed all the buyers one by one and chose one lucky new owner at the end. And sold it to him for $2000 American. Up Next: Bigfoot caught!
Event Horizon: Heatwave Edition
Posted in events
7 Comments
JNC Book Club: In Search of the Holden Piazza
In case you’ve missed the epic debate in the JNC Forums regarding the Isuzu Piazza (called the Impulse in the US market), here’s your chance to read all about what could be either one of the greatest (or one of the worst) Japanese cars ever built.
In 2006 two friends named Joe Kremzer and Chris Warr took off on a trip around the Australian continent to meet as many owners of the Piazza (badged as a Holden down under) as they could. Their faithful steed was a heavily worn example of the very car they were searching for, which they christened Alyce. With admittedly little experience wrenching on cars they set off on their journey in search of answers to questions like, “What prompted anyone to buy what they call ‘the dodgiest car ever imported’ and how many had survived?”
Along the way they became minor celebrities on a local radio show and documented the entire escapade tongue-in-cheek in a book called In Search of the Holden Piazza. From the parts we’ve perused at Google Books it seems like a terrifically entertaining read. We don’t know if the conclusions they draw about the Giugiaro designed coupe are ultimately flattering or not, but we’ve all probably felt some kind of bond to a car that is largely unloved. And by that measure the fondness for machine Piazza evokes makes both the car and the book a winner.
Posted in isuzu
Tagged chris warr, holden piazza, in search of the holden piazza, isuzu, isuzu impulse, isuzu piazza, joe kremzer
5 Comments
Michael Jackson's Message is Suzuki Love
We’re a little late here, but it occurred to us that Michael Jackson did a bunch of Japanese ads for the Suzuki Love back in the day. We always thought they were a little cheesy in that 80s Japanese commercial way, but now that he’s gone it’s impossible not to feel slightly bittersweet when watching them.
JNC Wagon Breaks Down at Another Junkyard
Our poor little JNC Wagon! It’s like the Giving Tree of cars. It relinquishes every ounce of pull we demand of it and yet we just keep asking and asking for more. It hauls loads of magazines and our booth to car shows, makes runs to the junkyard, and even jaunts down to Wal-Mart when we need new socks.
Sometimes bits of the ol’ girl just can’t hold out any longer and conk out, but she always makes sure we’re within walking distance of salvation. Continue reading
Posted in how to, toyota, wagons
14 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? Actual J-Tin Toyota Crowns
Forget Tomicas and Choro-Qs, those are nice toys but the real money’s in J-Tin. No, not that J-tin, but actual toy cars from the 60s made of real tinplate. Most have friction motors inside that can move the car if you rev it up a little.
They go for big money among toy collectors, as demonstrated by these S30-generation Toyopet Crowns made by Asahi and Bandai. Seriously, even the “low” end $3800 is more than the combined cost of service, parts and the car itself for our daily driver JNC wagon. We’re not sure how rare these Crowns actually are, and although four figure price tags are by no means uncommon, these are the highest amounts we’ve seen on a tin toy. More pics after the jump.
Posted in minicar, toyota
Tagged japanese tin toy, toyopet, toyopet crown, toyota, toyota crown
4 Comments
Friday Video: Seibu Keisatsu's New Recruits
Hmm, it seems that the last Friday Video, Keishichou Satsujinka, failed to generate the type of enthusiasm among Subaru and Toyota fans that Seibu Keisatsu clips instill among Nissan nuts. How about the unlikely combination of Seibu‘s cast and Toyotas?
In this “remake,” a new recruit has joined the force, and with his arrival some changes are being made to the Seibu Keisatsu fleet. Instead of the usual Cedric 230 chase fodder, standard issue black-and-whites have been replaced with Toyota Chaser/Mark IIs (though an unmarked cruiser is still a Cedric 430). The end of this clip takes a turn to the surreal, but the new guy has been the spokesman for Boss Coffee for several years.
Have a Happy 4th of July!
Thanks to cesariojpn for the tip.
Posted in cm, datsun, nissan, seibu keisatsu, toyota
7 Comments
