As summer heats up there’s just more and more events coming down the pipeline!
Event Horizon: Heatwave Edition
Posted in events
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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
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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
Event Horizon: Independence Day Weekend
While you enjoy your hot dogs and fireworks this Independence Day weekend here’s some activities you can do with your car family.
Posted in events
5 Comments
JNC Wagon: Tokico Shocks Install
A bone stock 1986 Cressida Wagon is a lanky beast, in desperate need of a slam. We’ve had low-down springs on our JNC Wagon for a while now, but 23-year-old shock absorbers meant we were bobbing like a Halloween apple over every undulation in the road. It was time for some new shocks.
Old Japanese wagons are downright bitchin’, but they can also be a bitch to find parts for. We wanted some no-hassle off-the-shelf parts that were guaranteed to fit. Unfortunately for us, the MX72 isn’t exactly a common platform for aftermarket goodies here in the States. When all else fails, though, going with an old school JDM giant is a pretty good bet. Tokico‘s been around since 1937 and, wouldn’t you know it, they’ve got plenty of support for old Toyotas and other nostalgics as well.
A couple of weeks later, the UPS man dropped off a fresh new set of Tokico blues. What followed was a moderate-difficulty upgrade that almost anyone can do, with only one instance of blood drawn when an errant alligator lizard ran into the garage (technically not part of the install).
Posted in how to, toyota, wagon
Tagged tokico shocks, tokico struts, toyota cressida, toyota cressida wagon
17 Comments
Japanese Classic Car Show Registration Open
This is it, kyusha fans. Registration for the 2009 Japanese Classic Car Show is now open! This one’s a can’t-miss because it’s the fifth anniversary of the JCCS and it will be the biggest ever. If you haven’t done so already, mark your calendars for Saturday, October 3 and remind yourself to head down to Hidden Valley Park in Irvine, California for a day of the craziest nostalgics you can imagine. Whether you’re a Mazdafarian, Toyotaku, Datsun diehard, Mitsu-maniac or Honda-head, come represent your marque in full force. Spaces will be going fast, so register early!
Kidney, Anyone? 1974 Mazda RX-4 "GTR"
Before we found this 1974 Mazda RX-4 on ebay, we thought the letters “GTR” were found trailing the emblems on Nissan Skylines, Isuzu Bellets, and the occasional Toyota Carina.
According to the seller, the GTR was a special edition for the RX-4 in a similar vein as, if less sporty than, the SP RX-3s. He also says there were only a little over 500 made and all were gold, but guess what? No documentation! The blacked out hood and GTR stripe definitely look like a product of that era, but we’re stumped. Any Mazdafarians care to chime in?
In any case, bids start at $600 or a BuyItNow of $1200, a good price for any RX-4 and not exactly a sum for which you need to part with a major organ. But if that extra kidney is burning a hole in your abdomen, there’s always this 1968 Mazda Cosmo Sports. More photos after the jump. Continue reading
Carboy, Circa 1998: Draggin' MarkII Wagon
Doesn’t it seem like 1998 was not that long ago, when in fact it’s been over 10 years already? Back before the formation of D1GP, drag racing was still all the rage in Japan. Drifting was on juuust the verge of bursting out from its underground roots but until then, the tuning giants were throwing down at the drag strip. Continue reading
Posted in toyota, wagon
9 Comments
Our Honda, in the Middle of the Street
This is hilarious: the 80s British ska group Madness (of “Our House” fame) did a series of Japanese commercial for the Honda City and Honda City Turbo. Note the appearance of the Motocompo folding scooter, which came with the car. Honda needs to revive this concept. A Ruckus in the back of the Element, perhaps?
[via Jalopnik]
It’s Official: Cash for Clunkers is Law
The Cash for Clunkers law we’ve all been dreading passed both houses of Congress and was signed by the President yesterday. Although funding was reduced to $1 billion from its original $4 billion, and is limited to a four-month window, there’s still a lot of damage to be done. Continue reading
Posted in laws
19 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? Tomica Grand Prix Circuit
So Transformers not your style? Here’s our first open kidney offer that doesn’t involve an actual car. It’s a vintage Tomica Grand Prix Circuit set that we came across while skimming the Tomica Fan Club forums. Talk about cool… just look at that gorgeous box art, that beauteous orange plastic! Continue reading
Event Horizon: Summer's Here!
Here’s another slew of local car meets where you can take your cars, meet some fellow enthusiasts and have a good time. If we missed anyone let us know in the comments below and we’ll post it up!
Posted in events
2 Comments
Transformers Alternity Nissan GT-R & 370Z
If there’s two things Japan is known for its robots and cool cars. Put them together and you have Transformers. And even if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 9 months you can’t avoid the barrage of advertising for the new Transformers movie that’s debuted yesterday. Most reviews say avoid it at all costs and bang your head against a gong for 2 and 1/2 hours to achieve the same effect as you would seeing the movie.
Here’s something way cooler. In Japan the franchise is not beholden to General Motors and instead has a tie in with Nissan. It’s called the Transformers Alternity line and now you can get an Optimus Prime that transforms into a Nissan GT-R and a Megatron that changes into a Nissan 370Z. Optimus comes in red, silver and black while Megatron is either silver or blue. True, this is a butchering of the original where Prime is a truck and Megatron a gun, but can it be worse than what Michael Bay has already done?
Posted in minicars, nissan
Tagged megatron, nissan 370z, nissan gt-r, optimus prime, transformers, transformers alternity
1 Comment
Toyota Motorsports History Video
It’s not Friday yet but in honor of known motorfan Akio Toyoda’s ascension to the top spot at Toyota, here’s a two-part video about the company’s motorsports history. Based on the intro with WRC ST185 and Ironman Stewart pickups, it looks like this video was made in the early 90s. But soon it delves into a brief history of the automobile itself, starting with the Benz trike and the 1907 Takuri.
From there goes on to talk about motorsports with early footage from Indianapolis, Daytona Beach and a 1936 Japanese auto race that even gives a shout out to then-18-year-old Soichiro Honda and his first race car.
From there, we get to see the Toyota AA racing a steam engine, a 1956 Toyopet Crown on a London-to-Tokyo 50,000km drive, and some fantastic footage of a 1957 Crown on the Mobilgas Rally around the Australian continent.
Part 2 after the jump. Continue reading
Hasemi Tomica Skyline Livery Rides Again
Fueled by the sponsorship of toy car maker Tomica, Masahiro Hasemi’s original fire-spitting KDR30 Nissan Skyline Super Silhouette was at the forefront of every Japanese child’s fevered imagination. The outrageous bodywork inspired legions of bosozoku-style ride-pimpers, countless diecast models, and even made an appearance in Gran Turismo 2. Walk into any hobby shop in Japan and you’ll find at least a few scale replicas of the 570PS monster, emblazoned with the word “Tomica” even if it might be made by a rival minicar company. And now, the iconic livery is back. Continue reading
Posted in datsun, minicars, motorsports, nissan
5 Comments
Akio Toyoda Officially Confirmed, New Supra On the Way?
You knew this was coming all along but today it’s official: Lexus LF-A hooning, Toyota 2000GT rallying Akio Toyoda is the new Prez of Toyota. All hail! Is it a well timed leak or mere coincidence that on the same day, news came that a Supra successor will be unveiled this fall at the Tokyo Motor Show? The rumors are nothing we haven’t heard before – based on the FT-HS concept, V6 hybrid drivetrain, yada yada yada – but a 2011 sale date? The Lexus LF-A is also supposedly showing at the TMS so hopefully this isn’t a case of mistaken identity. If not and the rumors are true, all this plus the Project 086a is enough to make our Toyotaku heads explode.
Thanks to RoadsterViking for the tip!
Posted in toyota
11 Comments
