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

Random Junkyard Finds

Posted on April 25, 2008 by Ben Hsu

The heavy damage sustained in drifting those E70 Corollas from this morning’s post reminded us of this round-headlight specimen that we saw in a junkyard last week. After we finished our first issue of JNC magazine, we finally had some downtime to hit the yards. This one was found at Crazy Ray’s U-Pull-It in Mt. Airy, Maryland and we thought we’d post it up for anyone who might be interested in recycling some parts. In fact, let’s just start a junkyard finds thread to centralize everything.

Posted in junkyards, toyota | 1 Comment

E70 Corolla Drifting

Posted on April 25, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Yeah, we all know the AE86 Corolla is practically synonymous with drifting, but what if you want something that stands out from the crowd? Check out the guys from MotorFix, who specialize in sliding the previous generation E70 Corollas. Naturally, they’re all powered by the 4A-GE twin-cam from the AE86, which means old school style with slightly less old school tech. Check out Auto-Otaku for lots more pics of this crew and videos too.

[Source: Auto-Otaku]

Posted in motorsports, toyota | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Golden Week Zoom-Zoom Parade

Posted on April 24, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Golden Week, starting in the first week of May, is one of the biggest holidays of the year in Japan. This year, Mazda is celebrating with a Zoom-Zoom Parade through the main streets of its hometown, Hiroshima. The event is kicked off with classic cars (led by a Cosmo Sports in this photo) and will also honor the Demio (aka Mazda 2) being named the 2008 World Car of the Year and the launch of the new Atenza. The parade takes place on May 3.

Posted in events, japan, mazda | 1 Comment

Meet Me at the Virtual Toyota Museum

Posted on April 24, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Japan’s version of Second Life, the virtual online world, is called MeetMe. Toyota recently set up not only a shop but an entire city where your customizable avatar can roam free in a Toyota showroom, set up residency in a high-rise condo complex, make other virtual friends, attend live virtual unveilings of new models and purchase 3D Toyotas for your collection . It’s called Toyota Metapolis and the best part is that there will also be a virtual Museum where rendered classic models go on display.

The futuristic design is by Mamoru Oshii and Production I.G., the geniuses behind the 1995 anime masterpiece Ghost in the Shell. Toyota Metapolis opens May 12, 2008 and the museum follows in the fall.

[Source: Toyota]

Posted in japan, museum, toyota | Leave a comment

Video: Japan's Greatest Cars, Mitsubishi Edition

Posted on April 23, 2008 by Ben Hsu

From our water chestnut bureau courtesy of RedSunday, here’s a couple of great vids featuring Mitsubishis. First, a walkthrough of some of the triple diamond mafia’s greatest hits. Though we couldn’t understand anything except that the GTO MR has “dummy” hood scoops, the FTO desperately needs to be lowered on some wide wheels, and it’s hard fully grown man to squeeze into a kei-sized Mitsu 500. How did they even sell those things? There’s also a Hino Contessa Coupe and Isuzu 117 thrown in for good measure.

Follow the jump for a bonus video of an FTO owner brazenly unconcerned about bending a control arm. Continue reading →

Posted in isuzu, mitsubishi | 4 Comments

Mmmm… Subaru 360 Cookies

Posted on April 23, 2008 by Ben Hsu


As usual, available in Japan only.

Posted in nostalgic eats, subaru | 3 Comments

EARTH DAY: Toyota Sports 800 Hybrid

Posted on April 22, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Although hybrids may still seem like new-fangled technology, they’ve been around the block. And we’re not just talking about how the Prius, which debuted in 1997, is already over a decade old. No, let’s go back 31 years to when roller discos and Star Wars were still cool and Toyota debuted its first hybrid.

Based on the Toyota Sports 800, the GT Hybrid concept did away with a conventional internal combustion engine and was powered by a gas turbine instead. But rather than scooting down the highway like a taxiing airliner, the GT Hybrid used the jet engine as part of a series hybrid configuration. That means the turbine powered an electric generator, which in turn charged the hybrid’s batteries and powered an electric motor that turned the driveshaft. When bursts of power were needed, the energy stored in the batteries provided an extra jolt. Unlike the far more common parallel hybrids of today, the turbine never drove the wheels at all. This pre-Prius was shown at the 1977 Tokyo Motor Show as a concept but never produced. Still, the knowledge gained proved invaluable when development of the Prius began in 1994.

Posted in concepts | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Subaru Concerned About Toyota RWD Coupe

Posted on April 22, 2008 by Ben Hsu

Ever since we began following the possible revival of a lightweight Toyota RWD sports coupe, to which names as wide-ranging as the AE86, Celica and Supra have been attached, there’s been a loyal group of Toyota enthusiasts clamoring for the car. Things started going south when it was speculated, then confirmed, that Subaru would be supplying the flat-four boxer engine, possibly some of the drivetrain, and would have their own Subaru-badged version. Some said “bring it on” while others swore that if the car was built with the Subaru engine they would never buy it on the grounds that it wasn’t a pure Toyota.

Ironically, Fuji Heavy Industries sales chief Mat Nagato has expressed that he shares the same concern that the Toyota enthusiasts do, except the brand he’s concerned about diluting is Subaru’s. “We may lose our longstanding territory, or we may lose the great niche brand image. The potential risk is there. We have to be very smart on marketing strategy,” Nagato said. Toyota has kept quiet on the subject.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

Posted in subaru, toyota | 6 Comments

Big Datsun Weekend Coming Up

Posted on April 21, 2008 by Ben Hsu


A quick reminder: there are not one but two Datsun events coming up this weekend for you lucky folks in SoCal. First, there’s Motorsport Auto’s Z Car West Coast Nationals in Irvine, CA which is an all-weekend gala from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27. Then there’s also the Solvang Datsun Roaster Show in Solvang, CA on Saturday, April 26. See our coverage from last year’s shows here and here.

UPDATE: A third show is happening in Canada! Vancouver, BC to be exact. Check out the comments for details and links to the show.

Posted in datsun, events | 1 Comment

Superdeformed Contest Winners

Posted on April 19, 2008 by Ben Hsu

And the winners of our Superdeformed Contest are…
(drum roll, please):
Larry W., Palm City, Florida
Yi-Joe K., Kaneohe, Hawaii
Gilles G., Montreal, Quebec
Peter G., Yukon, Oklahoma
Cory W., Modesto, California
Bob J., Troy, Michigan

Thanks for playing, everyone. If you won, your superdeformed car should be coming in the mail shortly. If you didn’t win, better luck next time!

Posted in jnc | 4 Comments

SevenStock XI Dates Announced

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

We know this is a long way off, but put it in your planner, folks. We just got word from a source at Mazda that SevenStock, the annual celebration of all things rotary now in its 11th year, will be held on September 27, 2008 at Mazda USA headquarters in Irvine, California. Mazdafarians Rejoice! See our coverage of the 2007 show here.

[Source: Mazda]

Posted in events, mazda | Leave a comment

CA Proposal Threatening Pre-1976 Cars Denied

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

YES, we’ve got some great news! Last month we told you about a proposed California bill that would have made it mandatory in certain parts of the state to continue emissions testing on pre-1976 cars for the life of the vehicle. Many of you, some not even from California, answered the call and wrote letters on behalf of vintage car enthusiasts everywhere. And it worked! Joji from Toy Garage just emailed us to say that the bill went up before the legislature and passed, but the section in the bill concerning pre-1976 autos was removed and those cars will still enjoy their emissions exemptions!

We at JNC feel it’s important to preserve the environment, but it’s also important to preserve old cars. Legislation like this would have made it economically infeasible for many owners to keep a nostalgic around and doomed many such vehicles to the junkyard. Most importantly, however, their numbers are so few that their emissions contribute almost nothing to the overall volume of air pollution. Let’s go after the real offenders before singling out classic cars. Our deepest thanks to all who helped!

See the full SEMA press release after the jump. Continue reading →

Posted in laws | 1 Comment

BRE 510 Does 0-600% in One eBay Sale

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

A while back, this Datsun 510 sold on eBay for $13,000, a steep price for what appeared to be a BRE-themed Datsun 510 replica. Only, it wasn’t a replica. According to the seller, it’s a one-of-a-kind prototype for a Datsun factory program that would have allowed buyers to put together their very own street-legal BRE Trans-Am 2.5 510. Goodies include a Nissan factory performance 5-speed, BRE suspension package, mild cam upgrade, high volume oil pump, raised compression, American Racing Libre wheels, 1 of 3 alleged hand-built LSDs, and a slew of BRE badging.

This could have been Datsun’s equivalent of the Boss Mustang or Camaro Z/28, but unfortunately the program never got off the ground. The aftermarket parts developed for it ended up being sold through BRE or Interpart. The seller also says that there were several of these prototypes built, but this is likely the only surviving complete, 100% numbers matching example.

The original owner was purportedly once a middleman between Nissan USA and BRE. The car also comes with an explosion of memorabilia and some very nice NOS spare parts. But get this. With the car exactly as it was when it sold for $13,000, the price tag is now $65,000 with a BuyItNow of $79,000. That’s almost a 600% increase in price with just the discovery of its proper bloodlines, the passage of a few months and a yellow 240Z upholstered with a wetsuit (if that’s your thing). Google stock, eat your heart out. Thanks again to David of Motoring J Style for the tip!

[Source: Motoring J Style]

Posted in datsun, for sale, nissan, racing | 5 Comments

1981 Isuzu I-Mark Diesel on Ebay

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

We don’t often have a lot of Isuzu news here, but the least-loved Japanese marque had some nice designs before completely falling out of the passenger car market altogether. The I-Mark was one of the first cars in the US to be branded an Isuzu, which came to the US market in 1981. Prior to that, Isuzu-built cars had been sold by GM’s Opel division through its Buick dealerships thanks to a panicked attempt to get small cars into the the lineup after the 1973 Oil Crisis. That crisis also prompted a huge influx of diesel engines into the US, since diesel fuel returned better mileage and cost less than petrol. The I-Mark coupe is a looker, and now that Isuzu has announced plans to abandon the passenger vehicle market altogether, this will soon become one of the many forgotten but quaint relics on the roadside of failed automakers. Here’s an Opel-badged version for comparison.

This two-owner car on eBay appears to be completely stock except for a tow bar in the front. According to the description, many of its miles were accumulated behind the first owner’s motor home. This is believable, as the interior wear doesn’t indicate 195,000 miles of occupation. It came from Arizona too, which means no salt but lots of sun. No top-down photos of the dash and rear parcel shelf are available, but there don’t seem to be any sun-baked cracks on either, nor on the vinyl sections of the rear seats. The auction has ended early implying that the seller cut a deal outside of eBay, so we don’t know the price it sold for, but he was looking for $3500 to BuyItNow. Thanks to David for the tip!

[Source: Motoring J Style]

Posted in for sale, isuzu | 12 Comments

Motoring J Style to Honor BRE Reunion

Posted on April 17, 2008 by Ben Hsu

This recent article on Winding Road is a good read on the background of Martin Swig, a well-known California car collector. What it doesn’t mention though, is that Swig, along with his son David, in 2007 founded Motoring J Style, northern California’s very own car show celebrating Japanese car culture with a focus on vintage Japanese steel.

This year it’s back, and it promises to have even more treats in store, centering around a reunion of Peter Brock’s BRE race team, whose Datsun 510s took the 1971-72 SCCA Trans-Am 2.5 championships against the likes of Alfa Romeo and BMW. Mr. Brock himself and driver John Morton will be on hand to sign autographs and recount the historic wins and discuss his involvement with Hino’s short-lived US racing program. Nissan USA will display the 510 Morton drove to the checkered flag. In addition, there will be displays from Toyota USA along with their brands Lexus and Scion, a drift competition, a dirt track for rally stages and over 400 cars on hand.

Check out our coverage of last year’s event here. The 2008 Motoring J Style will be held at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo, CA on May 24, 2008. Mark your calendars!

[Motoring J Style]

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

NHK Top Sales, Nostalgic Rival to BBC Top Gear

Posted on April 16, 2008 by Ben Hsu


Forget Knight Rider, forget Speed Racer, forget Seibu Keisatsu. This could quite possibly be the best show ever to hit the airwaves, and it’s a soap opera. NHK is launching a new drama series called Top Sales, about a car saleswoman making her way up the ladder in the male-dominated world of auto retail, and it takes place in Japan in the 70s. Like, OMG.

The plot follows a woman named Hisako Makino (played by Yui Natsukawa and loosely based on author Fumiko Hayashi) who loses her job at a textile company. She runs into her childhood friend Takao (Kippei Shiina), a salesman at a company called Omiyake Motors, who convinces her to take a job with him. His chauvinist manager disapproves at first, but Takao convinces him to hire her. Drama, possible romance, and a tale of women’s empowerment ensues. Eventually, Hisako climbs the corporate latter to the top, becoming president of the company. The year is 1974, one year after the Oil Crisis, and the show’s producers have painstakingly recreated all the fashions, music and household items in vogue at the time for the sets.

But who cares about all that? There main point here is that the show appears to contain plenty of old Japanese iron in the background, which you can see in this gallery and on the show’s official site. This is one soap opera we’ll gladly endure. Please, please, please let there be a subtitled version unleashed into the internet. The first episode aired April 12.

[Source: Auto-Otaku via Autoblog]

Posted in japan, Video Games | 4 Comments