Japanese Nostalgic Car

The death of the Mitsubishi Pajero has hit us pretty hard here here at JNC. So, we’ve been watching old Dakar videos and trying to remember the fond times we had with Pajeros. For me, it was the time a friend’s parents lent us a brown LWB first-gen to move. It was slow but it swallowed an entire apartment’s worth of stuff with room to spare. I recall us chuckling like idiots every time the tall body leaned into a corner at what seemed like a 45 degree angle. For other JNC staffers, it was a layover at the Dakar airport (voted the world’s worst), spotting a Pajero in Operation Condor, or the time when someone in San Gabriel opened a JAOS store and did up a Montero to the nines with what must have been 1,000 pounds worth of JDM off-road gear.

What’s your fondest Pajero/Montero memory?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “At what point do you fly instead of drive?”  Continue reading →

On this day in 1949, the first commercial jet made its maiden test-flight in England, ushering in a new age of travel by dramatically shrinking the time between two points. Fast forward 71 years, and flying is about as glamorous as taking a bus in the sky. Personally, if we’re talking strictly mileage, I’d rather drive if the distance is anything under 400 miles. Door to door, it ends up taking almost the same time. But I’d even extend that radius to, say, 500 miles just for the comfort, pleasure, and freedom I get from being the captain of my own destiny.

At what point do you fly instead of drive?

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

Today is Ugly Truck Day but, as we all know, that’s kind of a misnomer. Even ugly trucks are actually good-looking trucks, because while dents, scratches, or rust ruin a car, those same imperfections give a truck character. That is, if they are acquired honestly through the course of hard work — hauling, towing, navigating rough terrain. Of course, good-looking trucks are also good-looking trucks, and there’s nothing like a nicely preserved, restored, or resto-modded workhouse (for truly ugly trucks, see the front lawn at SEMA).

I don’t own a pickup, but if I did, it would be part overlander, part tow rig. Essentially, it’d be something I could sleep in as I scour the country for “ran when parked” JNCs. It wouldn’t have to be something ridiculous. A 5,000-pound towing capacity should be enough, so something like a Nissan Frontier with a bed cap and rooftop tent would be plenty.

What does your dream truck look like?

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 $25,000 autocross, road, and rally race garage?” Continue reading →

You are starting a JNC grassroots motorsports team, and you’re going to compete in three distinct racing types:

• Autocross: Generally SCCA, but also marque clubs like the Porsche club if you want to. You’ll want a car with quickness and agility.
• Road racing: This includes NASA and SCCA, or vintage racing like HSR or SVRA if you prefer. Both, if you have the right car. This would mean actual racing and not just track days/HPDEs.) No 24 Hours of Lemons or ChumpCar. You’ll want a well-balanced car, preferably with a fixed roof, that gives you both speed and durability.
• Rally: We’re talking amateur performance rally — as in “on dirt” and not Time Speed Distance events — as well as rallycross. The temptation is to get something AWD. However, beginners are often advised to start out in an FWD car. Also, it’s pretty much 100 percent certain you’re going to crash at some point.

You’re going to need one dedicated car for each of the three series. You get a $25,000 budget, including any performance-oriented modifications. We’ll say that for the sake of this game you don’t have to budget for things like roll cages or running costs such as fuel, entry fees, or a tow rig; the budget is just for the race cars. The only restriction is that each car has to be a JNC. You can import something from abroad if you wish, and since they’re race cars you don’t have to worry about federalization. However, you will have to factor in shipping costs if you go that route.

What’s your $25,000 autocross, road, and rally race garage?

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 favorite automotive-themed watches?” Continue reading →