Maximum Tune 3

Posted on August 4, 2007 by Van

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Maximum Tune is a series of arcade driving games based on the cult classic manga (and now an anime series) Wangan Midnight. The main character drives an S30Z, known around Tokyo as “The Devil Z”. While the more popular cars in the arcade games tend to be the newer ones – most especially the Mitsubishi Evolutions – many of us, myself included, still prefer to stick to the S30Z.

The third installment in the franchise was released a few weeks ago (or perhaps longer, depending on where you are), and it’s proven so far to be a welcome improvement. There wasn’t much that needed improving on, but overall, it’s a great game. Check it out if you get a chance!

User review at AusGaming forums
Wikipedia article

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A Smaller Number, but All the Spirit.

Posted on August 3, 2007 by Van

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In their never-ending quest to beat us (alright, so maybe it’s the other way around), JNC have posted a link to a MotorTrend article about the Honda S600, a car that could rightfully be described as the spiritual predecessor to the renowned S2000. The article talks about Honda founder Soichiro Honda’s struggles to gain a foothold in the young Japanese motorcar industry, and the stunning car that helped push aside those obstacles.

Check it out.

Posted in honda | 1 Comment

Japan’s Stillborn 70s Supercar

Posted on August 3, 2007 by Kevin San

Ask anyone to name Japan’s first mid engined supercar and most people would nominate the Honda NSX. Change tack and instead ask about JDM prototype mid engined supercars and the extremely well-informed would say, ok, Nissan Mid-4. However. Japan’s very first mid engined supercar, and certainly the one which had the highest international profile is the Dome Zero.

Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Stuff, Miscellaneous, racing, Websites | 3 Comments

Toyotageek

Posted on August 3, 2007 by Van

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Toyota Geek is run by a fella named Michael, and he’s clearly obsessed with all things Toyota – and fair enough!  While the main website itself doesn’t have much going on at the moment (it’s been “coming  soon!” for some time now), the Garage section is updated with much greater regularity, and boy is it a hell of a read.  With hundreds of photos and stories of his adventures in Japan and his love for Toyota in general, you’d best set aside a few hours for this one.

Posted in Websites | 1 Comment

So, are You Digging grandJDM or What?

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Van

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Alright guys and girls, it’s time to pull out the stops and march into your local Blogger’s Choice Awards polling venue and… wait, you can just go to their website.  Oh how bloody convenient eh?

If you’ve been enjoying our work over the past couple of months (has it seriously been that long?), we’d love it if you could jump on over to the BCA website, register (yeah I’m sorry, but it only takes a minute!), and cast your vote for grandJDM in the Best Hobby Blog category.  We might not win it, but then again, we just might!  There’s no prize that I know of, other than the exposure and feeling of respect that winning will give us, haha.

So please, head on over to BCA and get your vote on!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

7MGTE-powered S30Z versus Ferrari F430

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Van

I don’t know too much about this video, but suffice it to say that it’s apparently a 7MGTE-powered S30Z. I wish I could tell you more than that! There was some (short and blabbery) discussion about it at the Nico forums, which you can read here.

How do you folks feel about owners transplanting engines from other manufacturers into their cars? Dropping an SR20 or an RB motor into your S30Z is one thing (and even that’s something a lot of traditionalists would frown at), but a Toyota motor? Jump into the comments and let us know!

Posted in nissan, Video | 4 Comments

Return of the ‘Roku, Maybe

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Rumors of an AE86 successor has been spreading across the web like the blob at end of Akira in the past couple of days. One of the few cars more well known by its chassis code than it’s actual name, the Toyota Corolla GT-S (or Sprinter Trueno / Corolla Levin if you hail from Japan), the potential hachiroku descendant is expected to have a 120hp 1.5L inline four, with possibly a 150hp performance version, weigh less than 2200lbs, and – most importantly – be rear wheel drive. That’s right, folks. After phasing numerous cheap, FR platforms like the Corolla and Celica to FF over the decades, Toyota is returning to is roots. Best of all, the target price for this neo-86 is expected to be $12,300. Driveshafts be praised!

We won’t hold our breaths for this one, but the buzz is definitely growing.  Earlier this year, Van from grandJDM posted this news in our forums.  While we know the famed AE86 isn’t quite nostalgic yet, it’s certain to become a classic someday. Plus, it has served as the gateway drug for many vintage Japanese car enthusiasts and we have to be thankful for that.

Source: [Best Car via World Car Fans]

Posted in toyota | 2 Comments

Motor Trend Hearts Hondas

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Back when we were growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, you’d be hard pressed to find an article about classic Japanese cars in any major automotive publication. My, how times have changed. Motor Trend recently published this piece on the venerable Honda S600 belonging to Scott King, who apparently has a white and red S2000 to perfectly match his ’65 roadster. The article talks briefly about Soichiro Honda, his brilliance, and his battle against MITI. It’s an excellent read for all you old school Honda fans out there.

Source: [Motor Trend]

Posted in honda | 2 Comments

Van’s Shot of the Week, part 3

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Van

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I had this image as my desktop wallpaper for so long, I can’t believe I haven’t used it as my Shot of the Week yet!  It’s such a beautiful scene, the kind of shot that truly makes me wish I lived in Japan.  There’s just something so bizarrely different about every little aspect of the place – so alien, yet so familiar at the same time.  But enough of that, let’s get on with drooling over two great examples of the greatest JDM cars in history.

Continue reading →

Posted in nissan, Shot of the Week | 2 Comments

Electric Datsun 1200

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Ben Hsu

The Wall Street Journal has turned its attention to White Zombie. Not the band, but the 1972 Datsun 1200 that can run a sub-12 in the quarter mile and smoke a whole gaggle of V8-powered muscle cars while getting terrific gas mileage. Its secret? Electrons.

Owner, builder and racer John Wayland of Plasma Boy Racing Frankensteined the beast by putting two electric forklift motors and an array of 36 12-volt storage batteries into the diminutive doorslammer. Rather than a torque curve, zap-juice motors have a torque wall that goes instantly from zero to full blown, giving the Dat the ability to use all of its available lb-ft right off the line.

As a result, these cars were banned at many drag racing venues, deeming them too fast for safety. This prompted the formation of the National Electric Drag Racing Association, whose rules were eventually adopted by the NHRA.

Source: [Wall Street Journal via Jalopnik]

Posted in datsun, nissan | 1 Comment

A Long Dime Comin'

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Ben Hsu

The sheer number of oddities to be found on craigslist can easily overwhelm the innocent mind. For example, this limousine. Is this an answer to a question nobody asked, the Joker’s car in the next Batman movie, a poorly constructed deathtrap, a complete waste of at least one Datsun 510, or just plain wrong?

Automotive blog Jalopnik has been on a 510 tear recently, and the is the second one to appear in their Project Car Hell series. All we know is that this is the worst stretch we’ve witnessed since Deal or No Deal was called entertainment.

Posted in datsun, nissan | Leave a comment

Nostalgic Hero magazine goes Nissan Crazy

Posted on August 2, 2007 by Van

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The August issue of Nostalgic Hero magazine (A Japanese language magazine released bi-monthly in the home islands) came bearing gifts – a 50 minute DVD devoted to various Nissan vehicles, from Hakosuka GT-R track racing footage through to ” Zcar discussion with a Japanese Gentleman” (ha, I love it!).  We’ve managed to get our hands on a couple of shorts from the disc, courtesy of Bow over at the JNC forums.  For the hell of it, I’ve also included a couple of unrelated but nonetheless awesome KPGC10 vids.

Continue reading →

Posted in media, nissan, Video | Leave a comment

Master of Your CarDomain

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Ben Hsu

More old school love just keeps popping up on the web. Cardomain, the social networking site for the automotively-minded, has implemented a groups feature, and the CarDomain Blog posted this Group of the Day item the day we were supposed to leave for SFO before our flight got overbooked, hence the late notification. The group is called Old School Japan, and was founded by member 206AE86. We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: The AE86 is the gateway drug for many a nostalgic enthusiast.

Posted in Nuts and Bolts | Leave a comment

Need your fix of JDM Books and Videos?

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Kevin San

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Let’s say you’ve trekked all the way to Japan, have found your way to the Super Autobacs in Tokyo Bay, and after spending a good few hours in their wondrously well stocked book and video shop, you stumble to the checkout with armfuls of obscure, only-in-Japan books and DVDs, and triumphantly dump it all on the counter with a contented sigh.

The bespectacled gentleman behind the counter genially asks you where you are from, and when you say you’re from Australia, he hands you a card…”We have an English-language webstore and we ship overseas, too”.

Well, knock me over with a feather.

Continue reading →

Posted in Businesses, Japan Stuff, Websites | 2 Comments

EVENTS: Motoring J Style

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Ben Hsu

We came, we saw, we covered. The San Francisco area has the most beautiful weather we have ever experienced, just about perfect for cruising in an old school Japanese car with questionable A/C, and we’re sad to be home.

Posted in events | Leave a comment

RB25-powered C10 – It could be yours!

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Van

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Got a spare US$58,000 floating around? If you’ve always dreamed of buying up a C10 Skyline and dropping a modern mill in it, Rocky Auto have already done the work for you. And if you’re willing to pony up the asking price (and the relevant fees) it could be yours. Get a hold of an importer – we recommend J-Spec – and get started!

If you happen to be the lucky buyer, be sure to let us know, we’d love to feature this beauty here on grandJDM.

Original eBay link
grandJDM.com mirror (translated)

Posted in nissan | Leave a comment

Old School JDM at CarDomain

Posted on July 31, 2007 by Van

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It looks as if a group dedicated to classic JDM has been started recently at the online car community, though there doesn’t appear to be too much action in the group forum yet.  Still, with 145 members, the group is off to a choice start! If you own your own slice of CarDomain with your classic JDM nestled in your profile’s garage, get on over there and join the group.

Posted in Websites | 1 Comment

Old School JDM Clothing (Part 2)

Posted on July 30, 2007 by Kevin San

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It was only a few short weeks ago that we featured Samurai Motor Club, a new Japanese clothing label with old school hot rod influences, but with a JDM twist.

So it’s a surprise that there is yet another new label, Neighborhood which also has the same hot rod influence (and more importantly, the same cool flash movie on their site!).  The store is said to open on August 17, so it’ll be interesting to see what they have to offer…especially since (unlike Samurai Motor Club) these guys have overseas vendors!

Posted in Businesses, Japan Stuff, Websites | 1 Comment

Not Something You See Everyday

Posted on July 30, 2007 by Kevin San

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From 1972 to 1977, Mazda’s entry into the Japanese Kei Car market was the Chantez. Unlike the kei-cars of the 80s onwards, the 70s Keis were nothing special technologically, and the Chantez was no different. Whereas 80s Keis had 4 (or 5) valves per cylinder, twin cams, fuel injection and turbos to compensate for their dinky 660cc capacity, the 72 Chantez debuted with a 360cc 2-stroke V2….now I’m not really sure how much power the stock Chantez put out but it’s safe to assume that it was not a lot.

But the thing that attracted Ama-san (from famed rotary workshop RE- Amemiya) was that the Chantez, for all its shopping car mediocrity…was rear wheel drive. And there was just enough room between the shock towers for a 12A rotary….

Continue reading →

Posted in mazda | 9 Comments

Toyotas of Puget Sound Off

Posted on July 30, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Motoring J Style might have been the most publicized nostalgic car event of the weekend, but it wasn’t the only one. The Puget Sound Toyota Owners Club held their third annual Toyota Festival on Sunday, July 29.  The event welcomes Toyotas both new and old, like this bosozoku 1JZ-powered Corona Mark II wagon, as well as their Lexus and Scion badged cousins.  Check out this Flickr album for pics of the gathering.

Thanks to the Classic Toyota Town Group for the tip.

Posted in toyota | 1 Comment