Mazda Rotary Sports History Video

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Ben Hsu

And now for your viewing pleasure, a video packed with fantastic footage as it covers the history of rotary-equipped Mazdas in racing. Part 1 is an overview that culminates with the FC RX-7, apparently the newest rotary car at the time the video was made. Part 2 really gets cooking as the Savanna RX-3 takes on the hakosuka Skyline GT-R. In Part 3 we see the Savanna RX-7’s rise to international glory in the IMSA series, which just happens to be the subject of JNC magazine’s Issue 3 cover story. Parts 2 and 3 after the jump. Continue reading →

Posted in mazda | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

JNC Magazine Issue 3

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Ben Hsu

jncissue3
Japanese Nostalgic Car Issue 3 has shipped! Thanks again to Dan, Kev and John for all their hard work and for all you readers out there waiting patiently. You should be receiving them in your mailboxes any day now. Enjoy!

Posted in jnc | 30 Comments

Beyond Car Shows: Garaging Expo 2009

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Ben Hsu

garaging_expo The Japanese are truly car crazy. In addition to all their wonderful domestic steel, during our recent Japan trip we saw more Lamborghinis and Ferraris in a couple of commutes along the Tokyo-Yokohama wangan than we see in the States all year. We also encountered obscure marques and models that we’ve never seen in the US, period, such as Autobianchis, Ginettas and Lotus Europas. And only in Japan can you have magazines like Garage Life, devoted to the art of the perfect garage.

But if all that isn’t enough for you, there’s the upcoming Garaging Expo 2009. The three-day event is a show dedicated solely to building, designing and accessorizing your dream garage. Not cars, just the room where the cars sleep at night. Someday after we win the lottery, we will attend this show. Then we will finally learn how to upgrade our oil-stained concrete floors and wobbly workbenches to one of these glass-walled Garage Mahals that let us view our hakosuka GT-R from the comfort of our living room.

Posted in events, japan | 7 Comments

Armored Nissan Gloria Wagon Getaway

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Yabba dabba doo, it’s the weekend! Time for your Friday video. Here’s another gem from Seibu Keisatsu, the ass-kickingest, Nissan-wreckingest cop show around. In this clip, the bad guys bust into police HQ in a shootout reminiscent of Heat and jack some kind of police-issue armored Nissan Gloria Wagon. A massive chase ensues, with all the requisite crashes, jumps, and toppled fruit stands. As our heroes get picked off one by one, Daimon is the only one left to pursue the perps in his 230 Cedric. But it appears that this time, the criminals get away… for now.

Posted in datsun, nissan, seibu keisatsu, wagons | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Local Mazda Gathering in Sydney, Australia

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ben Hsu

mazdagatheringsydney
We love to see pics from gatherings, no matter how small. Sometimes it’s easy to miss one so we just wanted to make sure you didn’t pass by Australian JNCer RestoreMaz’s post of a local Mazda gathering in Sydney, Australia. Even though you could count the number of cars on your fingers, their quality was simply off the charts. And be sure to check the Events section of the forum to find local meets in your area.

Posted in mazda, trucks | Leave a comment

Mecum to Auction Jack Safro Toyota Collection

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Ben Hsu

jacksafro_toyotacorollate37

On a trip to California in the late 60s, Jack Safro was introduced to the RT40 Toyota Corona, a car then unheard of in his native Wisconsin. But everyone in California seemed to know it, and a dealer told him the quality was so good customers weren’t even bringing them in for the 1000-mile service. Before long, Safro had his own Toyota dealership back in Milwaukee.

According to this article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, his franchise sold just 42 Coronas their first year, but it was enough to make Safro Toyota the midwest’s largest Toyota dealer.  Continue reading →

Posted in for sale, toyota, trucks | Tagged | 6 Comments

East Coast Nostalgics in the Papers

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Ben Hsu

1972toyota_corona
Who says there are no nostalgics left on the east coast? In recent weeks both the Washington and New York Times have published stories about owners of J-tin on opposite ends of the mileage spectrum. First up is Linda Smith, owner of a 1972 Toyota Corona that she purchased with only 1900 miles on the clock. The trip home to DC from Florida almost doubled the odometer reading. Her husband offered this unfortunate truism about old Japanese cars: “Their sheer reliability meant most of them racked up hundreds of thousands of miles before finally going to the scrap yeards [sic].”

A couple hundred miles north in the Big Apple is Morton Ash’s  one-owner 1975 Datsun 280Z. At over 330,000 miles on the clock, it has 100 times the mileage of Smith’s Corona but Ash still drives it at least once a week in the city known for some of the nation’s worst roads.

Both articles are worth a read for their insight into the owners as much as the cars themselves. Also, it’s nice to see newspapers paying attention to old school Japanese cars and bringing such stories to a mainstream audience.

Posted in datsun, media, nissan, toyota | Tagged , | 10 Comments

2nd Annual SoCalROC BBQ

Posted on April 6, 2009 by Dan Hsu

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On Sunday the Southern California Datsun Roadster Owners Club held their 2nd annual spring BBQ to kick of the top-down season with some good food and good company.  To the rogue Roadster owner I saw heading the opposite way on my drive down to Riverside, if you’re reading this, don’t forget to register for the 22nd Annual Datsun Roadster Classic being held 4/24 – 4/25 in Solvang, CA.  Past show coverage here: 2007, 2008

Special thanks go out to the Breyer’s for hosting this gathering, and for even allowing a Cressida wagon to join in on the fun!

Continue reading →

Posted in datsun, events | 6 Comments

Japanese Old Car Videos

Posted on April 4, 2009 by Matt De Mangos

Found these on good old YouTube. Seem to be copies of a DVD collection, possibly from a magazine. Continue reading →

Posted in datsun, nissan | 5 Comments

Z-Car West Coast Nationals Registation

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Dan Hsu

2008zcarwcn
This year’s Z-Car West Coast Nationals is coming up (April 24-26), so if you plan on entering your nostalgic in the show, don’t forget to register by April 6!

Past WCN coverage: 2007, 2008

<Register Here>

Posted in datsun, events, nissan | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Little SUV That Could: Suzuki SJ10

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Kevin San

Up until the mid 80s, Suzuki made little 4×4 jeep-like things which were more military than civilian. They had a fierce reputation for being unstoppable go-anywhere beasts, due to their lightweight contruction, generous ground clearance and tiny size. Check out this mid 70s SJ10* do its thing. And if you’re wondering about the powerplant, yes it’s a 540cc 2-stroke, pumping out all of 33hp and 38 foot pounds of torque!

Will it get all the way up the hill? Place your bets!

*which may, or may not…have been designed by Albrecht Goertz

Posted in suzuki | 17 Comments

Correction Regarding Albrecht Goertz

Posted on April 1, 2009 by Ben Hsu

monterey2007026In recent months we’ve been fighting a battle to debunk the commonly circulated “myths” that Count Albrecht Goertz designed some of Japan’s most famous sports cars, like the Toyota 2000GT and Nissan Fairlady Z/Datsun 240Z. Our own JNCers have spoken out against other Goertz claims like the CSP311 Silvia. We’ve gotten some flack for our stance, and our recent trip to Japan offered us a rare opportunity to do some research on the ground.

Well, it’s time to issue a correction. We are humbled and embarrased to report that we were wrong. Goertz did indeed design all three cars. Not only that, he also held the pen for numerous other famous nostalgics of the era. During his contract with Nissan, he also designed what would become the 1968 Nissan “hakosuka” Skyline. Toyota was so impressed with his work on the 2000GT that they asked him to style the 1968 KE10 Corolla and 1967’s flagship Century. Mazda, which wasn’t going to sit by while Nissan and Toyota stole all the glory, then commissioned the design of the 1967 Cosmo Sports from Goertz.

We pride ourselves on accuracy, and apologize sincerely that our previous writings misinformed so thoroughly. You will never hear the names Nozaki or Matsuo ever with respect to the 2000GT and S30 Z on JNC again. Continue reading →

Posted in jnc | 20 Comments

Automaker Headquarter Hopping

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Ben Hsu

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We’ve mentioned this before, but if you go to Tokyo you can visit the headquarter buildings of at least three Japanese automakers. Here’s the Nissan home base in the upscale Ginza district. Naturally, the hot new car was the Fairlady Z/370Z and there were no less than five of them on display out front. Continue reading →

Posted in Galleries | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Visit to S&A Auto Create

Posted on March 30, 2009 by Ben Hsu


We’re still not finished with coverage from Japan. During our visit we had the privilege of visiting Kanagawa Prefecture’s S&A Auto Create. The owner has been doing modern engine swaps in older cars and fabricating the parts needed for almost two decades. As usual, there were several works in progress scattered around the premises. Continue reading →

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

Back When Men Were Men… etc.

Posted on March 29, 2009 by Kevin San


Yesterday’s post about the Lancer 1600GSR rallycar go to thinking about Japanese rally successes in the 70s. Here’s a clip of the 1979 World Rally Championship, which was contested by a rich variety of cars. On the one hand you had exotica like the Lancia Stratos and Porsche 911, and then you had stove-hot rally versions of boxy family cars like the Fiat 131, Ford Escort and Vauxhall Chevette. You also has some luxury cars in the form of the Mercedes Benz 450SLC and Saab 99 Turbo.

Japan was well represented by Ove Andersson getting on the podium once in the RA40 Celica and the Datsun Violet 160J nabbing three podiums and one outright win for Shekhar Mehta in the Safari Rally. Am I the only one thinking that rallying seemed a lot more interesting back then? Bring back rwd and carbs! Oh and by the way, check out the tandem drifting at 1’38.

Posted in motorsports, rally | 4 Comments

Rally Lancer Mk1 on Gravel?

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Matt De Mangos

At least I think that’s what he’s riding on … !

Yet another obscure old school Mitsi video for you closet Mitsi fans!

Posted in mitsubishi, motorsports, rally | 4 Comments

Isuzu Trucks Can Do Wheelies (Results May Vary)

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Kevin San

Back in the day, Isuzu wasn’t shy about doing outlandishly extreme commercials for its sometimes mundane products.  This reaches a zenith with these commercials for the mid 80s Forward truck.  More after the jump.

Continue reading →

Posted in isuzu, trucks | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Friday Video: Detective Story's Mazda Cosmo AP

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Ben Hsu

This week’s video is a clip from 1979’s Detective Story. The 27-episode series was a comedy-drama about down-on-his-luck private detective Shunsaku Kudo. You see, Kudo was once a good cop in San Francisco that somehow felt responsible for the death of his friend. Now he’s back in his native Japan and working as a private detective, afraid to get too close to anyone, including the trouble-prone fashion model that conveniently lives in his apartment building.

Kudo was played by Yusaku Matsuda, and perhaps his last name had something to do with the way he keeps finding himself behind the wheel of a Mazda. In this case, Kudo soon trades his Vespa scooter in for a classy Cosmo AP, aka RX-5. When Kudo and the dame snoop around a bit too much at a construction site, the bad guys give chase in two large dump trucks and a helicopter. Watch till the end to learn the proper etiquette after wrecking a woman’s car during a high speed pursuit.

Also, watch the opening credits to Detective Story, which has one of the best theme songs ever.

Posted in mazda, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Asics Onitsuka Tiger Shoe with Toyota 2000GT

Posted on March 26, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Here’s an interesting item found in one of the many small shops in the Ameyoko district near Ueno Station. It’s a glow-in-the-dark shoe featuring a Toyota 2000GT. We’re not sneaker freaks, but we tend to gravitate towards anything vintage and Japanese, and in recent years Japanese sneaker company Asics has been bringing back some of its very cool old school designs under the Onitsuka Tiger label.

A little research revealed that the 2000GT shoe was a limited edition created as part the Electric Tiger Land campaign (the video in the link clearly shoes a 3-D 2000GT being rendered). It’s kind of cool that when they decided to come up with a stereotypically Japanese theme that includes skyscrapers, Super Sentai and subways, they chose the original Toyota supercar to represent the automotive side of things. This campaign ended last year though, replaced in 2009 by a new campaign celebrating the company’s 60th anniversary (this video has a glimpse of a first-gen Honda Civic). But if you want the 2000GT shoe, it’s probably still there at the shop where this photo was taken.

Closeup of the largest of five 2000GTs after the jump. It’s headlights glow in the dark. Continue reading →

Posted in honda, nostalgic wear, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Road to Narita

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Ben Hsu

img_9552JNC is back home in the States, but there’s still much leftover material from Japan to write about. Here’s a look at the typical Japanese scenery one encounters during a drive to Narita Airport. This was my coach, my friend Satoshi’s S130 Crown Wagon. Continue reading →

Posted in japan, toyota, wagons | 10 Comments