The Real Speed Racer

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Ben Hsu

The new Speed Racer live-action seizure movie opened this weekend to poor reviews. Therefore, we thought it would be nice to see some of the original Japanese anime about a boy and his car. We can all relate to that, right?

The Japanese version is called Mach GoGoGo but the Japanese pronounce it “Mahha GoGo” (note that one Go is not pronounced). It follows protagonist Goh Mifune, named by the creators after Toshiro Mifune, the star of films like Seven Samurai. The “M” logo on Speed’s helmet is actually that of Mifune Motors, the family business.

According to this article, neither creator Tatsuo Yoshida or director Tsuyoshi Sasakawa were car enthusiasts or even owned a drivers license. But that’s ok. The anime was always an allegory of Japan’s rapid post-war modernization anyway. It debuted in 1967 and after some quick dubbing sessions, soon became a worldwide hit.

For many of us Westerners, it was our first contact with anime and its catchy theme song and vivid colors were seared into our childhood memories, much like this remake sears retinas. Or, at least we imagine it would. We haven’t actually seen it, but considering the reviews and the critic-confirmed discontinuity with the original, we plan to skip it like the Mach 5 over a rival with its Auto Jacks.

Click here to see Japan’s Speed Racer-themed service stations and used car lots.

UPDATE: So the weekend box office tallies are in, and Speed Racer, which cost $160 million to make, raked in only $20 million.

[io9]

Posted in manga | 2 Comments

Happy 510 Day!

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Ben Hsu


May 10th is 510 Day. We went out to Doheney Beach to hang out with the guys from Dime Quarterly. Click here for more pics. How did you celebrate?

Posted in datsun, events, nissan | 2 Comments

EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Here’s some pics of the Mooneyes Mania Cruise, which came to us over the Pacific while we were scrambling to get the first issue out. A must-see for alternative body style lovers. That means wagonists, vanners, and pickup truck artists, but there’s a healthy dose of the normal stuff too. [LINK]

Posted in events, japan | Leave a comment

Carmel Concours Seeks Nostalgics

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Every year the town of Monterey, California is besieged with what they call Classic Car Weekend, an all-out celebration of the automobile including the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, the Monterey Historics, and various auctions and club events.

One such event is the Carmel-By-The Sea Concours On The Avenue scheduled for August 12, which was new for last year. This year, they’re interested in having a class for Japanese cars. Unfortunately for most of us, they’re looking for 1971 and older cars in all-original condition with well-documented histories. This excludes most of our cars, but it’s still a great opportunity to get Japanese vintage cars some exposure in a venue where they’re often overlooked.

If you happen to have just such a gem, you can register here.

[Thanks to Joji for the tip]

Posted in events | 2 Comments

510 Day Coming Up This Weekend

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Ben Hsu


This Saturday is May 10, known to Datsun sport sedan owners across the world as 510 Day. Check out DimeQuarterly‘s calendar for a list of events in your area. Oh, and get your mother something nice for Sunday!

[Image: no281750gtv]

Posted in datsun, jnc, nissan | 1 Comment

Nissan Skyline 50th Victory at Fuji in Pouring Rain

Posted on May 5, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Even in modern cars, we sometimes still turn into little old ladies when driving in a torrential downpour. But in round one of the 1972 Grand Champion Series, competitors in vintage J-tin had to race through a water-drenched Fuji Speedway. At full throttle. While contending for position. With none of the ABS, ESC, AWD or the decades of tire and suspension technology that have come since. Of course, this was the historic race in which the Nissan Skyline GT-R took its monumental 50th victory. Truly epic viewing.

Posted in datsun, motorsports, nissan | 8 Comments

EVENTS: TORC All-Toyotafest 2008

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Ben Hsu

TORC’s 13th annual All-Toyotafest. [LINK]

Posted in events, toyota | Leave a comment

JNC and grandJDM: The Merge

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Greetings, nostalgic and old school car fans! Today we have a very special announcement to make. After much discussion – ok, it was actually a 10-second AIM conversation – it was decided that Japanese Nostalgic Car and grandJDM should combine like Voltron for the greater good of the classic Japanese car community.

The idea was this: the nostalgic car movement, at least in the Western world, is still in its infancy and we would like to raise the level of awareness in a serious manner. Rather than have various sites that may have been seen as fragmented and competing against each other, we thought joining forces would have more of an impact on JNC and grandJDM’s common goal – the preservation and appreciation of old Nihon steel.

Besides, the usual suspects of both sites worked together to create JNC magazine. Subscribers will have seen first-hand Van’s phenomenal graphic design and artwork gracing the pages alongside Kev’s god-like knowledge of J-tin, as well as each of their mugshots in the table of contents. They are invaluable members of the team, and finished product was a result of our combined efforts and unifying love of vintage Japanese cars.

And As you may know, grandJDM was hacked a few weeks ago. It would have taken a lot of time and energy to bring it back, and we thought this was a good a time as any to merge. This means that Kev and Van will be contributing their excellent posts to JNC in the future and we will also make grandJDM’s past content available at JapaneseNostalgicCar.com.

So there you have it, sites from two of the biggest nostalgic car markets outside of Japan itself, together as one. We welcome them to the family, even though they’ve already been a part of it for a long time.

Posted in jnc, Nuts and Bolts | 15 Comments

Reminder: All-Toyotafest This Weekend

Posted on May 2, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Just a quick reminder, the 13th annual All-Toyotafest is tomorrow, May 3. There’s a new location this year, at Long Beach City College’s Veterans Stadium, so don’t go showing up at the Queen Mary wondering where everyone went! JNC will have a booth there, so stop and say hi if you’re in the area. It’s a must-see, especially for fans of old school ‘Yotas. Doors open a 9am sharp. See you there! For more information, visit the TORC website.

Posted in events, jnc, toyota | Leave a comment

1973 Datsun 240Z, 19,000 Miles on eBay

Posted on May 2, 2008 by Ben Hsu


So there’s a 1973 Datsun 240Z with only 19,000 miles on eBay right now. The bad news is, it looks about as subtle as a late 70s porn star. Not only does it have an “IMSA body kit” and enough stripes to cover a 1977 Dodge conversion van, you also get a whale tail spoiler and a mural of a half-naked barbarian in a fuzzy codpiece on the hood. Classy! It was halfway into a small block Chevy swap so it doesn’t come with an actual 19,000 mile engine per se, but it does come with an inexplicable “TURBO” decal on the side. And just in case you couldn’t tell that it’s awesome, it says so, right there on the front air dam. Oh, it’s located in New Joisey too, so interested parties better snap it up quick because it’s “EXTREAMLY UNIQUE AND IN EXTREAMLY GOOD CONDITION…A ONCE IN A LIFETIME FIND.” Let’s hope so.

[eBay via Jalopnik]

Posted in datsun, for sale, nissan | 3 Comments

Where Old Subarus Go to Die

Posted on May 2, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Legend has it that when an old elephant knows its time is near, it instinctively heads toward an elephant graveyard, a hidden pachyderm skeleton repository where it, and its predecessors, can go to die quietly away from the herd. The same is true for Subarus, as recreated in this poignant ad, in which a Forester owner takes his timeworn workhorse to “Subaru Heaven” to rest beside BRATs and 360s as his friend follows in a newly redesigned Forester.

[Brightcove]

Posted in subaru | 3 Comments

Canada May Halt 15-Year Import Law

Posted on May 2, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Oh Canada! For so long you have tempted us with your lax car import laws and maple syrup. Alas, now it appears that forces within your health-care providing government are plotting to away with your 15 year rule, which allowed everything from R32 Skyline GT-Rs to Honda Beats to pour over your borders like the waters of the Niagara River.

Don’t be like us Canada, and increase your import age to 25 years or older. We know your government is saying it knows what’s best for you, that it’s for safety reasons, since many of these cars haven’t been through your crash tests. But isn’t a 15-year-old car almost certainly safer than a 25-year-old one?

We’ve heard it may be because the auto industry feels threatened (jealous, maybe?) that you aren’t buying as many new cars as you once did. We know, it’s hard to stay true when the world is your oyster and such a wide selection can be sampled. Look at Australia. They’re slowly suffocating themselves with a move to a 30 year rule. Do you really want to end up like them? Do you think that’ll make them happy?

Yes, but the safety. Your government wouldn’t lie to you, would it?

[Source: The Toronto Star]

Posted in laws | 2 Comments

Tamiya Radio Control Toyota Hilux is Back

Posted on May 1, 2008 by Ben Hsu

When were were young all we got in terms of radio controlled vehicles was a crappy G.I. Joe-branded Jeep that broke within three hours of its emergence from the box. It sat there, mocking us with its uselessness, for the rest of our childhood and was probably the reason we never got into hard core r/c-ing. Fortunately, not all of our readers had such poor experiences with their EM wave-guided minicars.

From the JNC Tasmanian Devil Bureau, seventhskyline brings us news that the Tamiya 3-speed Hilux is back. We have to admit we didn’t even know it was here the first time, but apparently it had such a following that even after it went out of production it was still trading as high as $1200 Australian, which at today’s exchange rates equals about, oh, $1200 American. Then stationwagonguy went and dug up this awesome vintage commercial in which 14 Tamiya Hiluxes pull one 1:1 scale Hilux. Dammit, G.I. Joe Jeep, see what you made us miss out on?

Also, first JNC’er who can name the white car in the Tamiya building parking lot gets an invisible cookie.

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Massive Lot of Toyota Parts on eBay

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Ben Hsu

One of our readers needs to get this, right now, and share the wealth. It’s a huge collection of NOS (new old stock) 1960s to early 80s Toyota parts from a closed dealership. The seller says it consists of a little bit of everything for old Corollas, Crowns, Land Cruisers, Starlets, Coronas, Carinas, Hiluxes and Cressidas. The actual mountain of parts includes taillights, headlights, exhausts, service manuals, relays, switches, trim, and sheetmetal. In other words, all the hard to get stuff. For anyone who has ever tried to restore an old car, you know this is a once in a lifetime chance. We already know we’ll be kicking ourselves in the future for passing on this opportunity. Someone buy this, please!

[Source: eBay]

Posted in for sale, toyota | 61 Comments

All Japan Day – Adelaide, Australia

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Ben Hsu


While we here in North America were busy with Datsun Madness weekend that had shows for Z-cars, Roadsters and 510s, on the other side of the world Aussies in Adelaide were out in full force for All Japan Day. Thanks to our marsupial-cohabitating readers from down under, there’s galleries galore here, here, here, here, and here. Take a gander and thank them for sharing in the spirit of international cooperation.

[Image: OldColts.au]

Posted in events, mazda | 3 Comments

Jay Leno Gets Emotionally Involved with Nissans

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Jay Leno. Comedian, talk show host, car nut, invoker of envy. He recently got the chance to test drive the new Nissan GT-R and in his review he revealed that his first car was in fact a Datsun 1600 Roadster. That’s right, folks, the King of Cars was a Datsun fanatic from the very start! He’s got some kind words for the little Nissan sports car, and although he no longer owns it, Leno’s still got quite the stable in the form of a Mazda Cosmo 110S and a Honda SM600, among others. We have to disagree with him about the GT-R being Japan’s first true supercar – we feel that title can go to either the Toyota 2000GT or the original PGC10 GT-R – but we can’t disagree with his unwavering love for all things automotive. Yes, we are all jealous of you, Mr. Leno.

[Source: Jay Leno’s Garage via The Motor Report]

Posted in datsun, nissan | Leave a comment

Jet-Powered Honda Z600 On the Move, Its Side

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Last year we reported on this mysterious Honda Z600 with a jet engine protruding from where its rear window should have been. Armed only with some badly translated German, we boldly predicted “that any attempt at turning during full throttle in this thing would be [verboten] as well.” Well guess what? We called it! We called it! We called it like 1-800-Collect, baby! Ok, so it turns out you didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that a Garrett JFS100 turbine strapped to a kei car was not going to be a handling monster. And these imaginative Nee Zeelanders laugh in the face of rocket science, as well as in the face of their friend rolling over somewhat anticlimactically. Check out their videos here and here. And you thought this was the only jet powered Honda.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Posted in honda | 3 Comments

EVENTS: MSA Z-Car West Coast Nationals

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Part II of the Datsun Madness weekend [LINK]

Posted in datsun, events, nissan | 3 Comments

Tatsuo Hasegawa, 1916 – 2008

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Ben Hsu


There’s some sad news from Japan today, as we bring you news of the passing of Tatsuo Hasegawa. Hasegawa was first an aeronautical engineer, developing aircraft for the Tachikawa Aircraft Corporation. The prototype plane he worked on was scheduled to take flight on August 15 1945, precisely the day WWII ended, and thus never saw the skies. Hasegawa then took his expertise in aerodynamics to Toyota, where he headed teams responsible for many of the company’s iconic post-war automobiles, including the Publica, Sports 800, Corolla, Celica and Carina. He will be missed, but his legacy will live on in the cars that we know and love. He is survived by his wife Miyoko, 86, and his son Akio. You can read more about Hasegawa-san’s life at Akio’s site.

Special thanks to RStreet.

Posted in toyota | 1 Comment

EVENTS: Solvang Datsun Roadster Classic 2008

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Ben Hsu

A new article is up in the events section about the Solvang Datsun Roadster Classic
that took place over the weekend. [LINK]

Posted in datsun, events, nissan | Leave a comment