Random Pic: Crown Town

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Ben Hsu

It seems that Toyota is all too happy to promote their heritage in any country except the US. When the twelfth generation S180 Crown debuted in J-land, Toyota brought out eleven of its ancestors to promote one of the longest-running model names in their lineup. Here’s the display from Megaweb, Toyota’s uber-showroom in Tokyo.

As you all very well know, this year is Toyota’s 50th anniversary in the US, but nary a peep will be made by the Mr, Big T, much to the dismay of classic Toyota enthusiasts like us. The closest thing is they’ve done is release a 50th anniversary Camry hybrid. The Crown, the first Japanese car ever officially imported to these shores while pioneering 50 years of Toyota’s involvement in motorsports, was celebrated at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. At least we can gaze on these machines from afar.

Posted in japan, toyota | 3 Comments

grandJDM links now online!

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Van

Mornin’ guys and girls,

I’ve added a bunch of links to the about page, so if you’d like to jump over and check it out, feel free.

grandJDM is getting a healthy amount of traffic these days – especially when you consider that we’ve been going for about three weeks! On top of that, the online classic JDM community isn’t as big as many of the other more modern-focused communities, so I think we’re doing quite nicely.

If you run a website, forum, or blog that is relevant to the Japanese cars scene (classic or modern), please feel free to contact us here at grandJDM to arrange for a link exchange. As they say mates, you scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours!

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Classic JDM Addiction #493

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Van

c10_model.jpg

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably realised that as time passes, there’s less of a chance that you’re ever going to own at least one example of every single classic JDM car that you’d always sworn you’ll someday own. In a situation like that, it’s probably a good idea to start looking at alternative ways to feed that hunger for classic JDM! One such solution, for many folks, includes the building of scale models. With any level of modification options – such as the ability to buy different wheels and engines, there’s a world of possibilities.  It can still be a costly exercise – and finding room in the house for all those models can cause some headaches – but hey, think of scale model building as the Nicorette patch for your classic JDM addiction!

Japanese Nostalgic Car forum thread
Hobby Link Japan
ToyEast

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Bye Bye Blogger, Welcome WordPress

Posted on July 8, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Now, JNC is new and improved, with 10% fewer preservatives! As part of our recent revamp, we’ve added more details on the latest articles on our main page, provided an RSS feed subscription, and switched from Blogger to WordPress, which allows more freedom to customize the look of our blog. (Sayonara, annoying bar across top of screen!). Side effects may include increased drooling over hot-ass classic Japanese cars.

The only thing you might have to watch out for is the new address for our blog: http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/. The old one, http://blog.japanesenostalgiccar, will no longer be updated, left to wither away like some future barn find.

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The ups and downs of engine swaps

Posted on July 8, 2007 by Van

 ra28_engine-conversion.jpg

If you’ve ever thought about pulling out the old horse and dropping in a newer breed, you’ve probably got some idea of the amount of work and expense involved – if only because friends and peers have warned you about it a dozen times.  If you’ve already been there and done that, you no doubt already know what I’m talking about!  Today’s linked story comes from a bloke who put a lot of sweat into converting a customer’s RA28 from its original mill to a 1G-GTE powered twin turbo monster.

Check it out!

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When Life Gives You LeMons

Posted on July 7, 2007 by Ben Hsu

See that billowing cloud of smoke coming from the direction of Altamont, CA? It’s the 2nd annual running of the 24 Hours of LeMons, which, like it’s namesake from Sarthe, has cars. That’s where the similarity ends, however, as the competitors in LeMons cannot cost more than $500, or the price of one 10mm nut on your typical LeMans car. Fortunately for the drivers, that price cap doesn’t include safety equipment, and considering the caliber of their steeds, they’ll need it. Vehicles range from beater Volkswagens to beater BMWs to beater Cadillac hearses to beater beaters. Oh, and the grand prize is $1000. In nickels.

One of the many resultant small tragedies is that a prime source for cheap, sharp-handling and dispoable vehicles is the ever-shrinking pool of old Japanese cars, like this mustard yellow Datsun B210 that ran in LeMons ’06. If you can get past that, then the event just might provide you the weekend of motorized mayhem to fill that gaping void in your life. The event goes from July 7-8, or until the last drop of oil is ejected onto the track, whichever comes first.

Photo courtesy of Evil Engineering.

UPDATE: The wacky guys at Mitsubishi have actually entered a factory effort, albeit one ensconced in fur. First MOD, now this. We are really liking these guys!

Fuzzy Mitsu

Image courtesy of Autoblog, who is live blogging the event and inhaling lungfuls of blue smoke.

Posted in datsun, mitsubishi | Leave a comment

Ah, the good ol’ days.

Posted on July 7, 2007 by Van

260z_thumb.jpg

While digging through my computer this morning, I stumbled across a folder containing a short interview and some photos of an old friend’s 260Z. Back around 2003, a friend and I decided to try our hand at creating a news site for cars – I think this was before the likes of AutoBlog.com had hit the scene, so it seemed like a good idea! Anyway, the first thing I did was call a friend from school and organise an interview about his 260Z. So now, in its unadulterated, unedited original form, here’s that same crappy interview, and all three photos!

Continue reading →

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Happy Little Trees: The Joy of Painting with Ken & Mary

Posted on July 6, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Ken and Mary are just a happy young Japanese couple who love nature, painting, and their Nissan Skyline. They are characters in one of the country’s most famous ad campaigns of all time, and the couple just couldn’t be more thrilled to walk amongst tall grass, prop up an easel to paint a snow-capped mountain, and hawk the C110 Skyline, as seen in this 1972 commercial. Recently, in celebration of the Skyline’s 50th anniversary and release of the latest generation of Skyline (known in the US as the Infiniti G37), Nissan sent an example of just such a sedan from their factory in Yokohama to the exact tree used in many of the Ken and Mary adverts in Hokkaido.

Posted in cm, nissan | 2 Comments

As Good as it Gets.

Posted on July 6, 2007 by Van

ra29_001.jpg

There are different levels of car restoration, I think most folks would agree.  You can buy an old beater and, you know, fix the things that have suffered over time.  Cut out the rust where you can easily get to it, replace and repair the busted things that stand out like lights and dents in the body.  Perhaps respray it in its original colour, so it looks new but doesn’t cost as much as a whole new colour.

Then you’ve got the more hardcore enthusiasts like this guy.  They fall into the “As New just isn’t good enough” category, and it really shows in their work.  No stone is left unturned – and no component left as it was – in the types of projects these fellas turn their hands to.

Just looking at this Celica, you can tell you’re moments away from mortgaging the house in order to offer this guy whatever he wants for his car.  When you see the state this RA29 was in before “1977RA29” got his hands on it, the shock will be even more pronounced.

Jump over to ShorelineRacing.com for his progress blog and a bevy of photos.

Posted in toyota | Leave a comment

Back to the Future Force

Posted on July 5, 2007 by Ben Hsu

Many moons ago, drag racers actually bore a greater resemblance to the street cars they were built off of than a Black & Decker 9.6V Cyclonic Dustbuster, and privateers could compete and win with nothing but self-named machines that bore few, if any, sponsor logos. As Japanese cars gained popularity in the late 70s, some quarter milers gave them the funny car treatment as well. One such racer was Chuck Etchells, who campaigned the “Future Force” Datsun 280ZX, a picture of which we stumbled upon on draglist.com sporting a towering blower whose height is matched only by the ten-gallon hat on the Yosemite Sam impersonator in the background. According to the site, “Chuck was one of the few to escape the little known Datsun curse. Like the Corvette Curse, almost every Datsun bodied funny car crashed.” His best time was a 6.17 at 227 mph.

Click here or a trip down memory lane, or if you wish to see an elongated Plymouth Sapporo. The choice is yours.

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Nostalgic Hero list their 50 best classic JDM

Posted on July 5, 2007 by Van

top-50.jpg

Popular Japanese language classic JDM magazine Nostalgic Hero have pulled out their 50 best classic JDM cars, and it’s a list to be proud of. The one thing that surprised me though, was the very conspicuous absence of the RA series Toyota Celicas. What’s up with that? Something that presented no surprise at all though, was the car at the top of the list.

1. Datsun Skyline KPGC10
2. Toyota 2000GT
3. Datsun Fairlady Z S30 Z432
4. Datsun Skyline Ken&Mary GT-R KPGC110
5. Honda S800m

Continue reading →

Posted in media | 4 Comments

Fourth of July Fire Truck

Posted on July 4, 2007 by Ben Hsu

We spent a rainy Independence Day with Dan Banks, Datsun fanatic, Z Car Club of America historian, and owner of a mint ’71 240Z, a 1990 300ZX Turbo, and the oldest known Datsun truck in private hands, which happens to be a 1938 Fire Truck. Dan has an incredible collection of pre-war Datsun memorabilia that ranges from newspaper ads to a leaping rabbit hood ornament. We are also proud to report that the truck’s services weren’t needed during this year’s festivities and all of our fingers remain attached. Look for an article soon.

Happy Fourth of July!

Posted in datsun, nissan, pre-war, trucks | 2 Comments

Video – History of the Nissan Skyline

Posted on July 4, 2007 by Van

youtube_01.jpg

While browsing the JNC forums, I came across a posted Japanese video about the history of the Nissan Skyline.  I’m not sure how much detail they go into – it’s tough to say, since it’s all in Japanese – but the one universal language for the car world is as clear in this video as it is in any other: the classic Skyline is a treasure.  While I’m sure grandJDM’s Lachy would get a kick out of this video from the very start, the real fun for me begins at about 3:34 when we’re treated to the sound of an L28 revving hard in park.  Moving forward to about 4:12, and we see the car flying down the road.  The moment it steps out from behind a truck and shoots past the camera is a heavenly scene!

There’s a lot more from there, and newer Skylines too – when you see the boso style C110 (and its crazy gear stick), you’ll laugh and love it all at once – so Jump on over to YouTube to check it out.

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Featured Car: Arnel’s TE27 Corolla

Posted on July 3, 2007 by Van

feature-thumb1.jpg

In 1970, the Corolla became the second best selling car in the world. Now, 37 years later, it’s the best selling car of all time – no doubt courtesy of the reputation of the Corollas of the 70s. So let’s head back to that classic time, and check out Arnel Ilog’s TE27 Corolla – popularly referred to as a “Mango”!

Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Cars, toyota | 6 Comments

Vintage Skyline Owners Club – Japan

Posted on July 3, 2007 by Van

skyline-owners-club-japan.jpg

In our travels around the net today, we stumbled across the Vintage Skyline Owners Club, a Japanese club devoted specifically to the “hakosuka” (ハコスカ) model – the KPGC10. Hakosuka is a popular name for the C10 among its fans, with “Hako” meaning box, while “Suka” is short for the word skyline – its full spelling being スカイライン; Sukairain. Which, when you pronounce it properly, is obviously a transliteration of its English counterpart. And so ends today’s lesson in Japanese (not that we know much of it)!

Of special interest on the Skyline Owners Club website is the gallery, giving a bit of an insight into what your average gathering of classic JDM fans in Japan looks like. Check it out!

Original Japanese version
Google Translated page

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The MOD Squad

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Ben Hsu

The press release about the 2007 Mitsubishi Owner’s Day has dropped, inviting Mitsu owners from all over the continent to converge on their headquarters in Cypress, CA.

Although Evos and Eclipses comprised most of last year’s 700 cars, the organizers (Mitsubishi Research & Design) are bringing out some historic cars from the company’s portfolio this year, including the 1974 Lancer GSR 1600 Safari Rally car, a Mitsubishi 500, and Paris-Dakar winning Pajero (Montero).

The event kicks off at 10:00 AM on July 14. Check out footage from 2006’s event here.

Posted in events, mitsubishi | 1 Comment

Five pages of classic JDM lovin’

Posted on July 2, 2007 by Van

Dangeruss 510 Bluebird

No no, we’re not talking about Japanese porn – though if you shoot us an email, we can point you in the right direction (kidding!). No, our friends over at TheDriftScene.com have dug deep and pulled out five sweet pages of classic JDM photos for your private-time pleasure. From boso style through to faithfully restored gans (“good as new” – I totally just made that acronym up!), there’s a hot selection to get you through the day. Well, at least ten minutes.

Jump on over to TheDriftScene.com to check it out.

Incidentally, the image we’ve used for this post is an illustration by the infamous Dangeruss, one of the best automotive and technical artists you’ve never heard of.

Posted in media, Websites | 1 Comment

Toyota Century Lovin’

Posted on June 30, 2007 by Lachy

andys-century.jpg

Andy’s first car was a Suzuki Swift “Xtreme”. It was silver with yellow stickers down the side proclaiming the car’s “Xtreme”ness. It was a good little car, but even before he got it home from the dealer he was thinking about what his next car would be. Fast-forward five-odd years and Andy couldn’t be driving a more different car! Ironically, it came from the same car dealership but that is where the similarities end.

Continue reading →

Posted in Featured Cars, toyota, vip | 10 Comments

Lazy weekend at grandJDM

Posted on June 30, 2007 by Van

C110 Stubby

No major update today, other than this badass little photochop of a C110 squashed into a chibi version of itself!  We’re guessing they simply cut out the wheels and anything else they wanted to keep the same size, then squashed the body and put the wheels back in place.  Very cool, very clever!  The larger version can be seen by clicking the “Continue” link.

Continue reading →

Posted in nissan | 2 Comments

RB30 ZED

Posted on June 29, 2007 by Lachy

RB30ZED Datsun 240Z

We’re always on the lookout for interesting JDM classics for sale – and today we have an especially unique car for sale in New South Wales, Australia. Steve’s “RB30ZED” is a famously (in Z circles) straight, clean and otherwise simply perfect modified 240Z. Unfortunately it’s time for the car to go after 22 years of ownership.

The price is something of a talking point. Surely a Z so modified & pristine is worth this much – or is it? Yes S30’s are appreciating but this is due to them being more widely seen as a collector car. Modified cars in this case tend not to see the same skyrocketing prices as original, unmolested cars. Do you think this particular car is worth the price? Would you rather an pristine original Z or a modified one?

RB30ZED Specifications & Sale Ad
RB30ZED Picture Gallery

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