Japanese Nostalgic Car

One of the biggest stunners at the Tokyo Auto Salon was Rocky Auto’s remake of the Prince R380, constructed using the original body molds but with modern engines underneath. It got us thinking about which cars might be ideal for a similar treatment. This is a different question than that of which car’s body shell should be remanufactured. Those shells are pretty much only good for building track cars or providing replacement panels for rusted or damaged bodies. We’re talking about cars whose numbers are so scarce that you can’t even find a donor to begin with, like the R380 or Toyota 2000GT. You’d need not just the body, but chassis, suspension, glass, interior and more all built from scratch.

Which Japanese classic should be remade for the modern age?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car from 2000 would you import from Japan?“. Continue reading →

It’s hard to believe, but Y2K was 25 years ago. It honestly doesn’t feel like that long ago, says the old man typing these words without using AI. Nevertheless, that means cars built in the year 2000 are now eligible for import under the US’s 25 year rule (thanks, Mercedes). We are almost nearing the end of the era of desirable cars, but there are still gems to be found.

What car from 2000 would you import from Japan?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How do you save a car from a natural disaster?“. Continue reading →

Over the last few days I’ve been racking my brain on how I could have better prepared for the terrifying California wildfire scare we experienced last week. Aside from my family and a few heirlooms and photos, the most valuable/sentimental/precious things that I own are my cars. I packed the family into the Land Cruiser, but had to leave behind others. In retrospect I should have moved them to a nearby shopping center parking garage where there’s not much vegetation long before the fires even got close, though that leaves them open to thieves.

We’ve seen videos of ingenious saviors putting cars on concrete blocks during a flood, but are curious what other measures have you come across? We realize we’re talking about objects here and human lives come first, but if there’s the opportunity to save a car we want to hear your ideas. Oh, and we’re talking all calamities, not just fires.

How do you save a car from a natural disaster?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car and color combo is the perfect fit?“. Continue reading →

Today, January 6, is Color Day in Japan because the first syllables of ichi (one) and roku (six) color, can be combined to spell iro, which is “color” in Japanese. Color on cars is interesting, because the right combo can send hearts aflutter, but the wrong one can ruin an otherwise fine automobile. Some colors are so iconic for a particular car that it’s hard to conceive of it in any other hue, like Safari Gold on the Nissan Fairlady Z432, or Championship White on an Honda Integra Type R. Sure, those cars can be painted other colors, but will it look so satisfyingly apt?

What car and color combo is the perfect fit?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your automotive resolution for 2025?“. Continue reading →