QotW: What aspect of car life makes you happy?

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Happy International Day of Happiness, the day created to recognize happiness as a fundamental human goal. As enthusiasts we derive joy from many aspects of car ownership. It could be a drive on your favorite road, the satisfaction of working with your hands, the simple act of collecting, or something else entirely. There are many different ways to enjoy automobiles and it’s important to take a moment to remind ourselves of that.

What aspect of car life makes you happy?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Who would you pick, living or dead, to go for a drive with, and in what car?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 11 Comments

The digital cars of Chris Labrooy are still fanciful fun

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Ben Hsu

You might have noticed photos of some weird swan car built out of a Porsche 996 circulating on social media this week. Porsche is currently showing the art car in their display at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas this week. It’s the work of artist Chris Labrooy, who went viral in 2016 with his digital art featuring bizarrely stretched-out Japanese automotive icons like the AE86, NSX, Hako, and S30 Z. Continue reading →

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Subaru 360 joins the super detailed subscription model club

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The 1/8 scale subscription models are among the most expensive and time consuming kits available in Japan. It takes serious commitment to complete them, and because of their complexity only a couple get produced per year. Only the most revered cars are immortalized in this fashion, making the collection of subscription models something of an automotive hall of fame. While we’ve seen Skyline GT-Rs and Toyota 2000GTs receive the 1/8 treatment, the latest offering is far more humble — a 1958 Subaru 360. Continue reading →

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Traffic was already a problem in early 1960s Tokyo

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Matt De Mangos

Based on the cars, we’d peg this photo as no later than 1963. According to The Guardian the crowded street is located somewhere in Tokyo, and if we’re right about the year only about 5km of the Shuto Expressway would have been open at this point. There are no shoulders or street-side parking on this thoroughfare, and no median either despite six lanes of traffic.

The mix of cars is fascinating, with 312 Bluebirds, Toyota Publicas, Isuzu Hillman Minxes, and Mitsubishi Minicas fighting for space against Nissan Junior, Prince Clipper, and Toyota Toyoace trucks. The S40 Crowns were stately sedans of the day, but an imported 1962 Dodge Dart has found its way across the Pacific as well. Meanwhile, the bus headed for the mountain town of Hakone has a long way to go.

Posted in Showa Snap | 5 Comments

Toyota Celica hovercar invades Louis Vuitton photo shoot

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Steve Chang

The last place we ever expected to see a mid-80s Toyota Celica is a Louis Vuitton photo shoot. It’s not that the affordable coupe isn’t stylish. It’s just not the type of car a mindless chaser of brands would typically associate with ridiculously overpriced high fashion. But there it is, finished in lavender and de-wheeled to look like some kind of hovercar from the future. Continue reading →

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QotW: Who would you pick, living or dead, to go for a drive with, and in what car?

Posted on March 13, 2023 by J Elrick

Picking a a famous person to hang with is well worn question territory, but we’re going to add our automotive twist to it. You can choose anyone, living or dead, to take a spin in the motor vehicle of your choice. It might be fun to blow a brilliant mind like Leonardo Da Vinci’s in a Mazda Miata, have Kunimitsu Takahashi show you the ropes in a Hakosuka GT-R, or take 1990s Demi Moore on a date in your S13. The possibilities are endless.

Who would you pick, living or dead, to go for a drive with, and in what car?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What lower-spec car would you be willing to own?“. Continue reading →

Posted in News, Question of the Week | Tagged | 15 Comments

50th Anniversary Edition Nissan 300ZX does burnouts in Larry June’s “89 Earthquake” video

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Ben Hsu

I have no idea who Larry June or The Alchemist are because I’m old. What I do know is that in their new video that just dropped this week for the song “89 Earthquake” there’s a Z31 Nissan 300ZX ripping some donuts and burnouts. It’s not just any Z31 either, but a pretty slick stock-looking 50th Anniversary Edition. Continue reading →

Posted in Tune Up | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Does the Nissan 350Z deserve its bad rap?

Posted on March 9, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Expectations were high when the Z was making a comeback after a seven-year hiatus from the US market, particularly when the Nissan 350Z’s design and marketing invited direct comparisons to the game-changing Datsun 240Z. At the same time, it was also expected to surpass the 300ZX that came before it. And all that came before we knew that the same basic chassis would still be around two decades later, or that it would be adopted en masse by sideshow dirtbags. Does the 350Z deserve its bad rap? Continue reading →

Posted in Video | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Eriko Sanmiya retired from Olympic speed skating to race cars

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Eriko Sanmiya is known in the English-speaking world almost exclusively as a speed skater. She competed in two Olympic Games and even broke the domestic record in the 1000m and placed second in the World Sprint Speed ​​Skating Championships. Clearly she had a penchant for going fast. After the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, where she placed 8th in the 1000m, she abruptly retired from skating and took up auto racing instead. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Suzuki Jimny Heritage Edition gets retro with decal stripes

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Steve Chang

Those lucky Australians. Not only do they get the Suzuki Jimny, an off-roader we will have to wait until 2043 to enjoy, but now they get this sharp new Heritage Edition variant. It is only available in a 5-speed manual and is festooned with excellent throwback stripes that hearken back to actual Jimny stripes circa 1985. Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Happy TE37 Day from JNC

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Dan Hsu

We’ve spent the last few March sevenths honoring the Toyota Corolla TE37, but let’s not forget what is probably the most iconic wheel of the tuner age, the Volk Racing TE37. The instantly recognizable lightweight 6-spoke looks good on a variety of cars, from CRXes to Land Cruisers. Hopefully one day we can snap a photo of a TE37 Corolla wearing TE37s.

Posted in Holidays | 1 Comment

Please help find this stolen Honda Beat

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Friend of JNC and past contributor Darren Brooke unfortunately had his Honda Beat stolen on March 3. It’s bright yellow, has a Washington license plate of BWG3102, and is quite unique in that it has a hardtop. It was taken right out of his driveway overnight, despite the fact that it was boxed in by other cars. Continue reading →

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The bustling city of Tokyo in 1968

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Steve Chang

It’s really too bad that human technology didn’t evolve a cheap way to capture mountains of video footage until recently. It would’ve been great to see more of Tokyo during the post-war boom times, especially very beginnings of the golden age of Japanese automobiles. At least we have “A Day in Tokyo,” created in 1968 by the JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) to spur foreign tourism to the capital city. Continue reading →

Posted in Nihon Life | 2 Comments

QotW: What lower-spec car would you be willing to own?

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Patrick Strong

One JNC rule of thumb is that one should strive for top spec when buying a classic car. However, that’s not always possible, especially with prices rising the way they are. Furthermore, it often overlooks perfectly acceptable — desirable, even — lower-spec models. For example, one could argue that though the DC2 Integra Type R is out of reach, a lower-spec Integra GS-R is still an appealing car in its own right. Lexus clearly positioned the SC400 as top-of-the-line, but one could argue that the manual and 2JZ-equipped SC300 is just as good, or better. Hell, there are even fetishists who prefer the Skyline GTS-t over the GT-R.

What lower-spec car would you be willing to own?

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

Posted in Question of the Week | 14 Comments

The ten most expensive Japanese cars sold on Bring a Trailer

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Steve Chang

Auction site Bring a Trailer is celebrating its 100,000 listing, and it’s a special one. The milestone car is the company’s own 1973 Datsun 240Z. Maintained by Z Car Garage of San Jose, California and fitted with a Rebello 2.7-liter straight-six, it’s already been bid up to $104,240 at the time of this writing with five days left on the auction. Its potentially record-setting price will benefit the Piston Foundation, which helps students interested in the collector car industry. To mark this occasion, we asked BaT what the 10 most expensive Japanese cars sold on the game-changing auction site were. Here are their answers: Continue reading →

Posted in marketwatch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Mini-trucks preserved as works of art at the Grand National Roadster Show

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The Grand National Roadster Show is among the most prestigious car shows in the world. It’s also for a long time been a bastion of American car culture, a celebration of everything from hot rods to lead sleds to lowriders and more. As one can imagine, typically there isn’t a lot of J-tin at this event. But this year the show held a special exhibit honoring 50 years of custom pickup trucks, which let in far more Toyotas, Datsuns, and Mazdas than one would typically see. Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Happy R31 Day from JNC

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Dan Hsu

It’s not easy having Godzilla as your younger brother, but the R31 Skyline is an interesting guy too. For example, it was released on August 31, 1985, during a time when Japan was undergoing an industry-wide transition from fender mirrors to door mirrors. As a result, the R31 could be ordered with a door mirror on the driver’s side and a fender mirror on the passenger side as a no-cost option. Nissan only offered the asymmetrical mirror for a little over a year, until September 24, 1986. We’ve never seen dozens of R31s but never one so equipped. Here’s a shot from the brochure. It’s probably an extremely rare option. Happy R31 Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Isuzu Motors at the Yokohama Expo of 1989: upside-down cars and floating buses

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Ben Hsu

During the Bubble Era, with Japan’s economy flush with cash, a number of regional expos sprang up around the country. Akin to miniature world’s fairs, they showcased local culture and industry thanks to corporate sponsors bursting with coin. One such company was Isuzu Motors, who sponsored the 1989 Yokohama Expo with a strange interactive art exhibit and futuristic buses. Continue reading →

Posted in Nihon Life | Tagged | Leave a comment

QotW: What’s your favorite tuning house demo car?

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Steve Chang

There’s been no shortage of amazing one-off machines from Japan’s prolific tuning houses. The demo cars were built to showcase what the mad scientists were capable of. The most famous of them stood out as separate from the cars they were based on, and weren’t even referred to with the original make in the name: NISMO 400R, JUN Hyper Lemon, or the Top Secret V12 Supra. These were the cars that were plastered into the imaginations of the Gran Turismo generation.

What’s your favorite tuning house demo car?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Who deserves to be in the JNC Hall of Fame?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 9 Comments

Nissan Skyline and Honda City floating pens add some fun to your desk

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Steve Chang

Remember those “tip and strip” pens that were all the rage in the 70s? The pens had one image when lying flat, then changed when held upright for writing. They usually featured some quaintly scandalous image like a woman in a swimsuit, one that disappeared to reveal a nude when the pen was tilted. Now there are some these retro floaty pens for two of Japan’s most iconic cars, the Nissan Skyline and Honda City. Continue reading →

Posted in News | 3 Comments