QotW: Why do you own a classic car?

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Ben Hsu

There are many reasons to own a classic. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or the feeling you get from driving something from a bygone era. Maybe it’s the desire to preserve something that gets rarer every year, or the satisfaction of restoring something that would otherwise be lost to time. Maybe it’s a desire to win trophies at car shows, or just to be different. We’re surprised it’s taken us this long to ask this question, but here goes.

Why do you own a classic car?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC would be best for an EV conversion?“. Continue reading →

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Japanese automakers jointly built five EV concepts for the Tokyo Motor Show 50 years ago

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The conventional wisdom is that Japanese automakers are dragging their feet when it comes to EVs. It’s kind of a reductive statement that doesn’t take into account the fact that most are simultaneously exploring many zero-carbon propulsion systems, or that the world is not going to have the infrastructure it needs to fully EV by the next decade. But this article isn’t about all that. It’s about the 1973 Tokyo Motor Show, in which five Japanese car companies united to develop a range of electric vehicles from city cars to buses. Continue reading →

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The Acura Integra Type S will take anime to Pikes Peak

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Steve Chang

It seems stupid, but it took Japanese manufacturers until 2022 to embrace anime as an advertising tool. It’s only been the most influential Japanese medium for about, oh, the last 30 years. Ironically it’s Acura, the first brand created for the US so that its parent company could cosplay as a luxury marque.But now that they’ve opened that door, they’ve gone all-in, with a whole merchandise line and everything, for the new Integra Type S. Continue reading →

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Wheel lock comparison test finds only one design that’s not easily defeated

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Steve Chang

The days of “rims being more expensive than the car” are probably over for most JNCs, but a set of wheel locks is still a good investment, especially if you have super fancy expensive rollers. If you’re lucky, it’ll be just the wheels that are gone, but you know how scummy thieves can be. In a hurry to do the deed, they’ll often damage the car itself by not jacking it up on the right points or drop it to the ground as they leave. Wheel locks can serve as a good deterrent that prevents them from getting that far to begin with. Continue reading →

Posted in Product Guide | 5 Comments

The Honda Del Sol proves how important succession can be

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Steve Chang

The Honda del Sol is yet another car that was universally maligned by enthusiasts in its time, but is now endearing and legit. What octane-blooded driver today wouldn’t sacrifice a finger or two to have a car like the del Sol back on the market? It revs, is quick, handles well, is packed with clever touches that immerse you with the open road, and doesn’t require a second mortgage to own. If Honda sold something like this today, we’d be singing its praises from the mountaintops. Sadly, it was mostly panned because Honda marketed it as a replacement for the beloved CRX. Continue reading →

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REMINDER: Toyotafest registration closes this Thursday

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ben Hsu

We’ve been saying for years that the majority of enthusiasm for Toyota is in off-roading, so it’s no surprise that the 27th annual Toyotafest has an overlanding theme. However, cars of all shapes and sizes are still welcome, so bring out your Corollas, Coronas, Celicas, Crowns, Centurys, and even non C-named models. Maybe a Soarer or Supra. Lexus, Scion, and Toyopet badged cars are welcome as well. Maybe even try to sneak in a Daihatsu or Hino as well!

Registration closes this Thursday, April 20. All entrants will receive a commemorative dash plaque, shirt, kechain, and cool retro license plate frame. The 27th Annual Toyotafest will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the Marina Green in Long Beach, California, right where the start/finish line for the Long Beach Grand Prix was this past weekend. You can sign up here.

Posted in Reminder | 1 Comment

QotW: What JNC would be best for an EV conversion?

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ben Hsu

There was much internet debate about whether an R32 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R would be an appropriate car for Nissan to convert into an EV. Meanwhile, Toyota’s already done so with a classic AE86. It’s a trend that will only grow as the industry shifts towards electrification, and there are plenty of icons that would make good candidates.

What JNC would be best for an EV conversion?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which car has the best (or worst) seats?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 13 Comments

Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Nissan Cedric Gran Turismo ads helped make the Y31 cool

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The world lost two legendary musicians recently when YMO founders Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away in January and March, respectively. The Yellow Magic Orchestra was one of the first modern Japanese bands to break through internationally and was at the forefront of the electronic music movement. Both went on to tremendous success in Japan and became solo megastars. Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023. To commemorate, let’s remember when he was the face of the then-new Nissan Cedric Gran Turismo. Continue reading →

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Mitsubishi 3000GT car phone made functional again, despite total network shutdown 15 years ago

Posted on April 13, 2023 by J Elrick

It never fails to impress us how deeply one can nerd out over some obscure aspect of the car hobby. We’ve seen insanely detailed customized Hot Wheels, logic-defying audio setups, and single-model shrines whose devotion would rival some actual religious sites. Never did we consider that a carphone could be so fascinating. After all, it’s just a 30-year-old piece of obsolete tech, right? But when you see what one Mitsubishi 3000GT owner did to make the phone functional again despite the fact that the analog service it runs on was shut down in 2008, you won’t be able to look away. Continue reading →

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Bridgestone Super R.A.P., an aluminum wheel that looks like a steelie, revived

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Bridgestone is reviving its Super R.A.P. wheel, once famous for being incredibly light weight. A mainstay of the Showa Era, it was originally released in 1987. Though it looks like a simple steelie coated in white, the Super R.A.P. was actually made of aluminum alloy, just designed to look like a steel wheel. Continue reading →

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Nissan’s R32 Skyline GT-R EV conversion donor is surprisingly mint

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Nissan announced last week that it will be converting an R32 Skyline GT-R to run on battery-electric power. A followup video has revealed the candidate that will undergo the knife, and it’s a pretty mint example. That has polarized many of the enthusiasts following the project, who voiced their disappointment on social media. Continue reading →

Posted in News | 3 Comments

QotW: Which car has the best (or worst) seats?

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as Sports Seat Day in Japan, and it was started by a company you’ve actually heard of. Bride established the anniversary for April 10 because 4 and 10 can be pronounced shi and to, which is a homonym for “seat” in Japanese. Personally, one of the worst road trips I’ve taken was one from Washington DC to Florida in a late-90s base-spec Mitsubishi Galant because the seats were so bad. They were devoid of cushioning and by hour 11 my butt was so sore I was wiggling around like a kid about to pee.

Which car has the best (or worst) seats?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What are your hobbies?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 12 Comments

Subaru sends off the WRX STI with Initial D anime-style ad

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Steve Chang

Considering how Subaru will not produce an WRX STI based on the current WRX model, it seems like rubbing salt in the wound to debut an exciting new video starring what we know now will be the final iteration of the legend. No one knows when — or if — it might return, so the Initial D-style video that Subaru just released of the last-generation WRX STI is like the company officially bidding farewell to the beloved high-performance sedan. Continue reading →

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The Toyota Celica Liftback debuted 50 years ago today

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Ben Hsu

On April 6, 1973 the Toyota Celica Liftback was born. It joined the lineup just two years and four months after the original Celica in Japan, though it wouldn’t appear in the US market until 1976. Thanks in part to the Celica coupe and Japan’s rapidly expanding expressway network, the country was seeing a boom in recreational driving and outdoor activities. As a result, a car boasting style and performance but with increased cargo space and convenience hit the market at just the right time. Continue reading →

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Happy Open Car Day from JNC: Japan’s first convertible turns 90 years old

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Dan Hsu

Put your tops down because today is Open Car Day in Japan. The holiday was created by the Japan Convertible Association, who judged April 5 to be the best day of the year for topless driving. Coincidentally, it’s also the height of cherry blossom viewing season. The Japan Convertible Association is based in Yokohama, which also happens to be the headquarters of Nissan, builder of Japan’s first convertible, the Datsun Type 12 Phaeton.

Equipped with a 748cc, water-cooled, side-valve 4-cylinder making 12 ps, it debuted in 1933, meaning it’s reaching the ripe old age of 90 this year. When it came out, the price was just ¥1,350, equivalent to about $300 USD at the time, which would be $6,950 in 2023 dollars. Just a little perspective as you cruise through town in style.

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Harry Bradley sketches Toyota Soarer, Isuzu Piazza, and Nissan Leopard

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Remember the post about car designer Harry Bentley Bradley’s, uh, eccentric Infiniti J30? While Bradley was mainly known for designing hot rod and custom American cars and many early Hot Wheels castings, he also worked for a number of car magazines. One of them (sorry, the title was lost to time; if anyone recognizes this image please let us know) commissioned Bradley to sketch some of the cars that were shown at the Osaka Motor Show in 1981. The Toyota Soarer, mistranslated as “Sourer” was described as a Mercedes-Benz competitor, and at the time it was thought that the Nissan Leopard might come to the US.

Bradley was a talented artist, as you can see in these sketches. He also left a legacy of students from his time as a teacher at the Art Center College of Design, as seen in the comments on his Infiniti post. Someone really needs to save that car!

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Happy 4×4 Day from JNC

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Today is 4×4 Day (April 4, or 4/4), and incidentally it was reported that the Toyota Land Cruiser J70 was returning to the Japanese market as a 3-Number class vehicle. These numbers, the smaller digits on top of Japanese license plates, denote the tax classification for road vehicles, and a number beginning with “3” is for larger passenger vehicles. Back in 2014 when the 70-Series returned to the Japanese market with a 4.2-liter gasoline engine it was classified as a 1-Number vehicle, the designation for commercial vehicles. Registration fees cost ¥16,000 per year, but would have been as high as ¥76,500 if it had been classified as a 3-Number passenger vehicle. With the upcoming 2.8-liter diesel, the only engine available, it’ll cost ¥51,000. Still, the off-road boom has spread to Japan as well, and the J70 is expected to sell briskly.

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QotW: What are your hobbies?

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Today is Hobby Day in Japan, a pun made from combining the numbers shi (4) and yumi (3) to make shumi (“hobby” in Japanese). Of course, one could argue that cars themselves are a hobby, but we’ve found that those who go deep on cars tend to be bet pretty otaku with other interests as well. This time, we’re not limiting the response to just car-related hobbies, but anything that floats your boats:

What are your hobbies?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC will never die?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Mazda CX-90, the first straight-six RWD machine from Hiroshima, is a superb driver

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Ben Hsu

There isn’t a single new car on the market we’ve been more curious about than the Mazda CX-90. Normally we wouldn’t think twice about a heavy three-row SUV, but the CX-90 marks the long-awaited arrival of Mazda’s rear-wheel-drive, inline-six platform to the US market. On the one hand, the CX-90 is the glorious fruition of the ideal vehicle layout from Hiroshima’s wizards of motoring joy, but it’s also the largest and heaviest possible iteration of said layout. Would the driving experience be so good that we could forgive it for killing its unborn sports sedan sibling in the womb? Continue reading →

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Toyota Celica revival is the “life’s dream” of new president Koji Sato

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Ben Hsu

By this time tomorrow Akio Toyoda’s reign as President of Toyota Motor Corp will be over. He’s stepping aside and his protégé Koji Sato is taking over. Toyoda will be missed. When he took the helm the sportiest thing in Toyota’s US lineup was a RAV4 V6. During his tenure, he created the 86/BRZ twins and the GR Yaris/Corolla siblings, put Lexus’s brilliant naturally aspirated V8 in a host of cars, midwifed the LFA into production, and brought back the Supra. Those are big shoes for his successor Sato to fill, but we shouldn’t be worried. Sato has said that his “life’s dream” is a “revival of the Celica.” Continue reading →

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