Yesterday we did a post on some of the more recent cool toy releases from TakaraTomy. But that was just scratching the surface of their rather massive range of products. Here’s a sample of the rest of their offerings.
More TakaraTomy Toy Madness
Posted in Toys
7 Comments
RS-Yasu's Nissan Sunny B122 Pickup Resto
RS-Yasu is another restoration shop out of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan that does beautiful restoration work. Their most recently completed masterpiece is a sanitora, a portmanteau of “Sunny Truck.” Despite it looking like an early 70s B110 Sunny (Datsun 1200 in the US), Nissan continued to build the pickup version long after the passenger car bodies had been discontinued. This is a 1989 model. Check out the resto process page.
[Banpei]
Posted in datsun, nissan, trucks
Tagged datsun, datsun bakkie, nissan, nissan datsun truck, sanitora
7 Comments
Dang… and Too Late for Christmas Too
One of the cool things about going to Japan is just walking into a suburban toystore and spending a few hours discovering all the cool JDM toys (and also rediscovering the fact that you may not be as grown-up as you think you are as you stumble to the checkout with an armful of children’s toys for yourself).
And probably the biggest JDM toymaker is Takara Tomy (just check out their huge range of products)! There’s constantly something cool being released.
JNC Wishes You a Joyous Holiday Season
I think the heat may have gotten to Kev. Having Christmas in summer can do that to a bloke, so here’s a North American seasons greetings from JNC. Well, technically this photo was taken in Japan, but whatever. May you find something this cool under your tree. Happy Holidays!
Posted in datsun, jnc, nissan
13 Comments
Meerrry Christmas from Downundah!
From myself and all the JNC members, we’d all like to wish all our fellow JNCers a very merry Christmas, wherever you may be.
JDM Santa will bring you that hard-to-find part you’ve been looking for, and may all your days be rust-free!
…hey, that rhymes…
Posted in jnc
17 Comments
RWD Toyobaru on Hold, NSX Dead
Our hopes for a return to RWD Toyotas have been dashed on account of the drastic worldwide economic downturn. The lightweight coupe, widely assumed to be a RWD Corolla successor, has been in the works since August 2007 but according to this article the project has been put on hold until at least 2012. This comes with the news today that Toyota has posted its first operating loss since 1938, its first year in business. But those are just the beginning of woes that are slamming the Japanese auto industry. Continue reading
Posted in honda, motorsport, rally, subaru, toyota
8 Comments
Greenland Expedition – In a Toyota Carina?
These low-res scans of an early 1970’s Toyota publicity brochure tell an unbelievable story: “To heck with a Land Cruiser; we’re tackling the frozen wastes of Greenland in the New Carina!” Continue reading
The Ghost Factory's Hot Rod Datsuns
Hotrod JNC’s are fascinating if for no other reason, they reflect the American hotrod’s influence in Japan. The JNC sub-culture took root some years ago thanks to the likes of Mooneyes and Crown Classics, but what shop has taken up the Datsun banner? GHOST FACTORY has: Continue reading
JNC Article in the Japan Times
And now for a bit of shameless self-promotion. We were recently asked by the Japan Times, the largest English-language newspaper in Japan, to write a piece about the increasing interest in Japanese classics here in the US. The short article, titled “Nostalgia drives Japanese classic car scene,” pretty much sums up how we here at JNC feel about the scene, while covering a bit of very general history. It’s probably nothing regular readers don’t already know, but keep in mind this is for a broad audience who isn’t necessarily into nostalgics, or cars at all. Is there anything you take issue with? Anything we left out? Let us know.
Posted in japan, media
10 Comments
Newly Restored Datsun 510 in Fatal Crash
As many of us can attest to, nothing beats the feeling of taking a finished project on its maiden voyage. That’s why it’s important not to get carried away before you familiarize yourself with your car’s limits. Tragedy struck earlier today when a 24-year-old Australian man crashed his newly-restored 1971 Datsun 1600 (aka 510 in the US), into a tree. The driver was airlifted to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, but his 20-year-old passenger survived with minor injuries. Continue reading
Posted in datsun
9 Comments
Datsun 240Z & Nissan 370Z, Then and Now
Last week we posted on a Father & Son sneak preview of JNC Issue 3, in which we compare and contrast a Datsun 240Z with a Nissan 370Z. Soon after, Gregg Rogers, president of the Desert Z Association of Arizona, sent us these photos.
According to Gregg, in October 1969 Nissan took a pair of pre-production Datsun 240Zs to Arizona for testing, along with a 510 for support. The photo on the left was taken in Phoenix’s Greyhound Park as Nissan’s drivers paused to look at a roadmap. Nearly four decades later, Nissan was back in town promoting the 2009 370Z in a cross-country multi-city tour called Follow the Nissan Z. Local Z enthusiasts seized the opportunity to re-create the 39-year-old photo at the very same location in Greyhound Park.
As you can see, the large building in the background is now gone and a tree stands where lamps used to be. And the 240Z and 510 has been updated with a duo of 370Zs and Maxima. We love these types of Then & Now photos, and this one was brilliantly executed. Got some cool historic photos like this? Let us know!
Thanks for the pics, Gregg! You can read more at NicoClub.
Posted in datsun, nissan
Tagged 2009 nissan 370z, 240z, 370z, arizona, datsun, datsun 240z, greyhound park, nissan, nissan 370z, phoenix
5 Comments
JNC 2009 Wall Calendar Available Now!
Like the title says, the JNC 2009 Wall Calendar is now available.
It includes pics from our readers’ favorite articles, a special sneak peak at a future JNC article, and some general badass photography from everyone’s favorite JNC forum moderator, datsunfreak.
We’re going though a company called CafePress. They’re trustworthy, and put out a great product. The price is $19.99 + s/h and tax depending on where you live.
Order here.
Posted in jnc
7 Comments
New Wangan Midnight Movie in the Works
Recently in our forum there’s been an ongoing discussion about the Wangan Midnight movie from back in the days of VHS. The story of the Devil Z has also been retold in anime and its original manga form. Now it appears that a new big screen version is in the works! Continue reading
Posted in datsun, manga, nissan
Tagged datsun 240z, nissan fairlady z, wangan midnight, wangan midnight movie
11 Comments
This is How the Bosozoku Roll
They say that the goose-step, ridiculous and inefficient as it may seem, became the march of choice for dictatorships around the world specifically because of its silly appearance. After all, only a terrifying madman could force thousands of able-bodied soldiers to walk that absurdly in precise formation. It’s a method of instilling both awe and fear simultaneously.
That pretty much sums up the feeling we get when we see this horde of bosozoku cars. Cantilevered lip spoilers, double-wide fender flares and yard-long exhaust pipes look insane when parked, no doubt. But get caught in a swarm of them wreaking havoc on the expressway and suddenly it all begins to make sense, even when a dude dressed head-to-toe in a tiger costume rides a convertible’s door sill as his mohawked associate maniacally twirls a baseball bat in the air. It makes one wonder, are they’re launching a siege on Bartertown or something? It’s probably best not to ask questions and just get the hell out of their way.
One more completely deranged pic after the jump. Continue reading
Posted in bosozoku, japan, mazda, nissan, toyota
Tagged bosozoku, chaser, cressida, datsun, mark II, mazda, mazda rx-7, nissan, nissan skyline, skyline, soarer, supra, toyota, toyota chaser, toyota cressida, toyota mark ii, toyota soarer, toyota supra
16 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? 2450-mile Mazda RX-7
At this rate, your JNC editors are going to run out of kidneys by Wednesday. Not only have we seen a 1427-mile Mazda RX-4 and a 33,000-mile ’79 Honda Civic, now there’s a 1985 Mazda RX-7 with only 2450 miles on eBay. What’s going on here? Is the Great Depression Part Deux forcing owners to release these specimens into the free market?
According to the seller, who also happens to be the original owner, this creamy white RX-7 has a chocolate brown interior topped with a dash of orange pinstripe. Delicious. It has always been garaged, and driven around the block every month to keep things fresh. If you do the math, that’s an average of 9 miles per month.
At the time of this writing, the bidding is up to $1525. But the owner will part with what has been a fixture in his life for the past 23 years for a mere BuyItNow of $15,000. Seeing as how the last new RX-7 cost over $40K and this one is new for all intents and purposes, $15K is a bargain. Follow the jump for more pics.
Thanks to pqjim for the tip!
V8-Powered Aussie Celica in Drag
Check out this angry daruma Celica from Australia, with tube framed everything and and a V8 where the firewall should be. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but you have to admire the craftsmanship. Take a peek under the sheetmetal after the jump. Continue reading
Posted in toyota
4 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? Mint 1979 Honda Civic
This 1979 Honda Civic doesn’t quite have the low mileage as the 1427-mile Mazda RX-4 from last week, but it’s close. Besides, who’s going to complain about a 33,000-mile car that’s 30 years old, especially one in this condition? Our vintage Honda friend Ken Weidner says that it’s been years since he’s seen in-tact houndstooth upholstery.
This looks to be a dealer showroom display, and with an asking price between the highest bid of $4550 and the BuyItNow $6250, we think it’s a pretty good buy for a collector. Dan is our resident classic Honda nut, and I had to personally stop him from selling all his worldly possessions and rushing out to Arizona. The reserve hasn’t been met yet, so it’s still in Phoenix waiting for a good home.
More pics after the jump. Continue reading
Posted in for sale, honda
4 Comments
Issue 3 Sneak Peek: Datsun 240Z & Nissan 370Z
Here’s a sneak peek of what we think will be an awesome article in the next issue of Japanese Nostalgic Car magazine. When Antonio Alvendia of Cipher Garage told us he was shooting a 2009 370Z for Speedhunters‘ Nissan month, we knew we had to put it side by side with its great grandfather, the Datsun 240Z! Continue reading
Posted in datsun, jnc mag, nissan
Tagged datsun, datsun 240z, fairlady z, nissan, nissan 370z, z-car
18 Comments
Honda Ends F1 Participation
We have always admired Honda for charging right into Formula 1 at a time when it barely made any passenger cars at all. That’s why it saddens us to hear that the automaker is pulling out of F1. Honda made the announcement yesterday, citing a faltering economy as the reason. Earlier this year, the Honda-supplied Super Aguri team also ran out of funds. Continue reading
