Palo Alto Concours D'Elegance

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Ben Hsu

paconcours
For the first time in its 42 years, the Palo Alto Concours D’Elegance will feature a small section on Japanese cars. Only a select few cars, some of which will be featured in the next issue JNC, have been invited to attend thanks to efforts by David Swig of Motoring J Style, which we told you about in our 2007 coverage of the show.

The debut of Japanese cars at the Concours will not be quite the splash we hoped, since the organizers have not yet made them eligible for judging and awards, but it still represents a step towards recognition. Most of the other cars that enter into this event cost over six digits, so the nostalgics will be in good company and hopefully bring some awareness about Japanese classics to this niche.

The 2008 Palo Alto Concours D’Elegance will be held on the campus of Stanford University this Sunday, June 22. Doors open at 7 AM.

Posted in events | 4 Comments

Battle S30Z Does Battle

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Ben Hsu

battlez
This JDM Fairlady Z is a total track monster, built by a Mr. Kuni of Gunma Prefecture. The L-series motor has been stroked to 3.1L and puts out 337ps, which gets channeled through an R32 Skyline GT-R transmission to motivate the car and its 23-point rollcage and FRP doors around Tsukuba circuit in 1:02.911. Check out the details on Speedhunters.

Posted in datsun, nissan | 6 Comments

Show Some Love for Ove

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Ben Hsu

celicaove5
We all know of the recent untimely passing of rally legend and Toyota Team Europe founder Ove Andersson. If you would like to express your thoughts about this tragic loss, you can do so by signing a memorial book at Toyota USA HQ, the Toyota USA Museum, or at Toysport. Or you can email tribute_to_ove@toysport.com and your message will be included in the book, which will be sent to Toyota Motorsport GMBH (formerly TTE) in Cologne, Germany in time for the memorial service on July 1.

You can read Toysport founder Joel Luz’s words about Andersson after the jump. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport, rally, toyota | 1 Comment

Catching Up with Nostalgic Car Events

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Things have been pretty frantic here at JNC headquarters, so we’ve missed posting on an event or two. Most notably, from the Better Late Than Never Bureau, the Z Car Club Inland Valley’s Datsun & Nissan Car Show. Check out Dan’s fantastic pics here.

And from the Roo Bar Bureau on the other side of the world, Aussie JNCer Dave Carey attended last year’s Bay to Birdwood vintage car event with his Isuzu Bellet and wrote an excellent piece about it. Accompanied with some drool-inducing photos of Down Under J-tin that we don’t get to see in the States, we just had to post it up. Read all about it here. Thanks, Dave!

Posted in datsun, events, isuzu, nissan | Leave a comment

Suzuki LJ80 Pickup Spotted In the Wild

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Ben Hsu

suzukijl80
There’s so little Suzuki news that we like to throw this marque a little love whenever the occasion presents itself. A while back, one such occasion did, when a minty fresh Suzuki LJ20 appeared on eBay. Now it’s successor, the LJ80, has appeared on Jalopnik’s “Down on the Street” series in pickup form. To say that the interior is spartan would be like saying the ocean is a bit damp. Check out the full gallery here.

[Jalopnik]

Posted in suzuki, trucks | 6 Comments

Quiet on the Set: Datsun 510 Stars in Movie

Posted on June 18, 2008 by Ben Hsu

datsun510movie
For months JNCer Datsunfreak has been tempting us with updates about how his very own Datsun 510 was recruited to star in a movie. At last, the shooting has taken place and now he’s spilling the beans. His writeup on the experience is a very entertaining read, and an excellent behind-the-scenes peek at how a car is prepared for filming. Cleaning all the dirt off so you can spray on fake dirt? That’s showbiz, baby!

And while “it’s a wrap” here in the US, the film crew heads to Australia next for more shooting, where Aussie JNCer SX-510 will be waiting for them with a matching 510, in LHD no less. It’ll be interesting to see if we can tell the difference between the two cars in the final product.

The movie is called Mao’s Last Dancer and is based on a true story. It doesn’t come out until 2010, but you can be sure we’ll post a reminder here when it opens so all you JNCers can go see Datsunfreak’s car (and a bunch of other actors and stuff) on the big screen. Congrats, DF!

Posted in datsun, jnc, nissan, Video Games | 1 Comment

Ove Andersson, 1938-2008

Posted on June 18, 2008 by Ben Hsu

oveandersson

Last week the world of motorsports lost one of its greats, Ove Andersson, Swedish rally driver and a key figure in Toyota’s worldwide racing endeavors. He started out with his native Saab but went on to race Lancias and Renault Alpines before sliding behind the wheel of a Toyota Celica 1600GT in 1972. His own Andersson Motorsport team eventually became Toyota Team Europe, and was responsible for Toyota’s WRC efforts straight into the 90s. After that, Andersson and TTE led the automaker’s Le Mans and Formula 1 undertakings.

Although mostly retired, Andersson died doing what he loved, rallying. It was during the South African Continental Milligan Rally that the Volvo Andersson was driving collided head on with a car attempting a pass on the wrong side of the road. So let’s send him off with a gallery of photos from his rallying days and remember him as best we can, charging through the dirt in a Celica. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsports, rally, toyota | 6 Comments

Blimey! Old Japanese Cars Invade UK Show

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

ojc

Our English friends across the pond at Old Japanese Car gathered in Leeds this past weekend to represent the J-tin at a car show in the Yuke. Take a gander at this fantastically preserved Datsun Violet (aka 710) sedan, one of the most under-appreciated members of the vintage Nissan family. That wing mirror to the right belongs to a pretty mean looking 610, and the first Sunny imported to the British Isles waay back in 1968 was there as well. Even Japanese-influenced machinery from neighboring Asian nations made guest appearances. Now saunter over our forum and OJC to check out more photos.

Posted in events | 3 Comments

55,000-Mile Toyota Celica Liftback

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

celica55k

As Keanu Reeves would say, “Whoa.” Here’s a California blue plate special, a 1976 Toyota Celica Liftback with just 55,000 original miles and one owner. The asking price from Old Town Classics in San Diego is $12,500, which, while not unreasonable for a car in such minty fresh condition, does make you wonder how much they paid that one owner for it. This bicentennial beauty was spotted on Bring a Trailer but you could probably drive it home without one.

Thanks to Alex K. for the tip!

[Bring a Trailer]

Posted in for sale, toyota | 1 Comment

Toyota Museum Shout Out on NPR

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Ben Hsu

toyotanprWe were flipping through the radio dials when suddenly our ears perked up to the phrase “Toyota Museum” on American Public Media’s Marketplace. It was part of a segment on how corporations are recognizing their heritage.

Those who have been to the Toyota USA Museum in Torrance, CA know that it’s actually a warehouse with no markings whatsoever to indicate that there are classics galore housed inside. So far, the company has kept mum about whether a proper gallery is in the works.

Of note, the story mentions the fact that it was 10 years ago on Toyota USA’s 40th
birthday that they began to take an interest in preserving their history. Then they started buying back cars and restoring them. Today, the museum contains eleven million dollars’ worth of Toyotas, both production cars and concepts. You can listen to the story here, which includes an interview with curator Susan Sanborn talking about the Toyopet Crown.

[Marketplace]

Posted in media, museum, toyota | 2 Comments

2009 Carlisle Imports Welcomes the J-Tin

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Ben Hsu

carlisle The town of Carlisle in southeastern Pennsylvania is synonymous with mega car gatherings. A few summers ago, we went to the All Ford Nationals and there were probably more Boss Mustangs at that one event than all the surviving Toyotas Coronas in the country put together. These shows are huge. Traditionally, Japanese cars have been bunched together with European imports, kit cars, and replicas, making them seem like part of the category marked “other.” But finally, in 2009, they’ll have their day in the sun.

According to a recent press release, cars from Japan will take center stage at the 2009 import/kit/replica show. Say the organizers, “Although there were relatively few Japanese cars in the US in the 60s, by the 70s Americans had come to recognize the fun and excitement of these cars.” The event will be May 15-17, 2009. Mark your calendars to remind yourself to buy a 2009 calendar so you can mark that.

UPDATE: Here are some pictures from this year’s event posted in our forum courtesy of oleyline.

Thanks to Toyotageek for the tip!

[Cars at Carlisle via Toy700and800 Group]

Posted in events | Tagged | 3 Comments

Subaru Celebrates 50th with Fan Fan Festival

Posted on June 13, 2008 by Ben Hsu

subarufanfestival
Fuji Heavy Industries is throwing a 50th birthday bash for its automotive arm Subaru next month at the Red Brick Building in Yokohama with the the Fan! Fan! Festival! Exclamation point! Cars on display will include its earliest classics (brought out from the company’s Japan museum) to the latest and greatest motorsports machines like the brand new 2008 WRC Impreza WRX STI. The event will be held July 5 to 6 before going on tour throughout the rest of Japan. If anyone attends, please send some photos our way and we’ll send you some prizes for your efforts.

[Subaru]

Posted in events, japan, subaru | 3 Comments

Toyotas Rally in Barbados, Mon

Posted on June 13, 2008 by Ben Hsu

starlet_barbados
We’ve been browsing through the back entries on this new Speedhunters site and came across this awesome image of a KP61 Toyota Starlet leaving the terra firma. This rear-wheel romper was part of the recent Sol Rally Barbados 2008 held on that Caribbean island. There’s some old school Toyota love shown at this event, plus the 90s AWD rally monsters. Check out more pics here.

[Speedhunters, Image: JustBajan.com]

Posted in motorsports, rally, toyota | Leave a comment

Truck, Yeah! JDM Datsun 620

Posted on June 12, 2008 by Ben Hsu

datsun620
Feast your peepers on this bad, bagged 1979 Datsun 620 pickup found on the streets of Japanland by Mini Truckin’ magazine. According to the article, the paint is actually a very, very dark green though it looks black. Owner Hayato Muramatsu must be one proud papa.

[Mini Truckin‘]

Posted in datsun, trucks | 12 Comments

Mr. Tredia, You Are a Star

Posted on June 11, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Here’s one for you members of the triple diamond mafia, a Mitsubishi Tredia commercial from 1982 complete with its own cheesy theme song. Try to get that out of your head now!

Posted in cm, mitsubishi | 5 Comments

Toyota Reminisces About Its Own Catalogs

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Ben Hsu

toyotaradiosWe often harp on Toyota for not doing much to celebrate it’s 50th birthday here in the US of A, but we kid out of love. Also out of the realization that it’s possible to do even less (we’re lookin’ at you, Nissan). That’s why it’s so refreshing to see the Big T succumb to the nostalgia and reflect upon its adolescence.

On the official Toyota Open Road Blog recently, the automaker took a look back on some of its past brochures to check the features that were trumpeted on those marketing materials. Amusement ensues.

Some of them fall into the “seemed like a good idea at the time category” like the 1963 Toyopet Tiara’s old school linear speedo and turn sig switch on the steering wheel. Others remind you just how sparse these cars were and what kind of features we expect to come standard today. For instance, the 1965 Corona touted its sun visors, inside rear-view mirror, the fact that every door had an armrest, and front seat-belt anchors. The belts themselves were optional, however.

The thing we found most surprising though is that Toyota USA actually kept old brochures to refer to. Ha! We kid, we kid.

[Toyota Open Road Blog]

Posted in catalogs, toyota | 3 Comments

Reminder: Datsuns NW Driving Canby Fun

Posted on June 9, 2008 by Ben Hsu

datsunsnw
Datsuns Northwest is having their yearly bash in Canby, Oregon this weekend. It’s a two-day event, June 14 and 15. We really wanted to finally meet great group of enthusiasts who organize the event in person and check it out for ourselves, but unfortunately our budget/manpower shortage doesn’t allow it. From our chats over email and telephone, they’re truly a terrific dedicated to keeping nostalgic cars on the road. If anyone is going, please send our regards and post some pictures in the forum. Thanks!

Check out these links to see photos from the 2007 and 2006 events.

Posted in datsun, events, nissan | 1 Comment

JUN RX-7 at Le Mans, Circa 1981

Posted on June 8, 2008 by Ben Hsu

junrx-7lemans
We all know the story of how Mazda has been attacking the most punishing enduros in the world for the past 40 years (if you don’t, it’s all told in Issue 1 of JNC magazine :D), and in 1991 became the first and only Japanese marque ever to conquer Le Mans. But did you know that in 1981, an RX-7 was campaigned at the same race? Here it is in its full widebody aero glory, ten years before the 787B took Circuit de la Sarthe’s checkered flag.

UPDATE: Correction, this JUN has nothing to do with the famous JUN Auto Works of Super Lemon fame. See the comments below for details. The wealth of information from our readers is amazing, and why we love you guys!

[Speedhunters]

Posted in mazda, motorsports | 7 Comments

Face 1 Meeting 2008

Posted on June 5, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Ok, we have no idea what this Japanese gathering is really called; we’re just cutting and pasting into Babelfish like everyone else. So until someone who reads Japanese can come along with some better ideas, Face 1 Meeting 2008 it is. All we know is, there are some seriously bitchin’ rides in this slideshow. Nissan Skyline Japans, Toyota Mark IIs, Laurel Hardtops, Celica XXs and even some plastic model kits. Enjoy.

Posted in events, japan | 3 Comments

Rear Wheel Resurrection Update

Posted on June 4, 2008 by Ben Hsu

toyobaru_testmule
As you probably know, FR is coming back in a big way. Nissan, Toyota and Subaru (having joined forces with the Big T), all have lightweight RWD coupes in the pipelines.

First, let’s check in with the Toyobaru joint venture that we’ve been following since last year. This Subaru Legacy-lookin’ test mule was spotted by spy photographers in da UK wearing a lot of camouflage and a Toyota badge. All signs point to this being the much ballyhooed AE86 (and possibly Celica) successor. Sorry, Toyota fans, Latest rumors swirling around the interwebs say that it will be sold as a Toyota only in Japan and as a Subie elsewhere in the world. Maybe that’s just as well since by all accounts it’ll be powered by Subaru’s flat four, which many swear will not make it a true Toyota.

As for Nissan, Continue reading →

Posted in nissan, subaru, toyota | 10 Comments