With Tokyo Tower looming in the background, the streets in front of the Imperial Palace were absolutely teeming in 1967. Four lanes of traffic in each direction couldn’t keep the stream of Crowns, Cedrics, Glorias, Bluebirds, Publicas, and Minicas flowing. For the sporting driver, there’s even a Sora Blue Fairlady Roadster in the bottom right. This postcard from the era showed just how quickly Japan was motorizing in the Golden 60s.
Image: eBay
The 15th annual sapanese Classic Car Show is this Saturday, September 21. For many, it has been the one place in America where you can see the vast range of Japanese cars all in one spot. There is always something new to see, and where many people debut long-awaited projects that have never been seen. Whether is the most carefully preserved Mazda RX-4 wagon, a 100-point restoration Subaru 360, a bosozoku Toyota Mark II imported directly from Fukuoka, or a classic Datsun skin with the running gear of a 600-horsepower Nissan powertrain, there is something for everyone. But if you had an unlimited budget:
What’s your ultimate JCCS build?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What kind of JNC stuff can you find for a baby?” Continue reading
As of September 9, Calsonic Kansei is no more. The company whose bright blue livery graced many a Bubble Era race car is now known as Marelli. That’s Marelli, as in Magneti Marelli SpA., the Italian supplier of electronics, fuel injection systems, and engine components whose own logo has graced many famed race cars from the other side of the globe. Continue reading
While most automakers are chasing speed records on the Nürburgring, Mazda has been quietly unlocking an achievement of a different sort. Mazda Germany revealed last month that back on July 18, it had broken the world record for most hairpin turns in a 12-hour period, a fitting coup for a company that prides itself on sharp handling and fun-to-drive cars. It was a stunt to celebrate the iconic roadster’s 30th anniversary and furthermore, they did it with a vintage Miata. Continue reading
Though Honda was still in its infancy in 1967, it was already conducting some of the world’s most precise engineering. A video tour of the company’s Wako R&D facility and various plants is a fascinating glimpse into Honda’s operations at the time. Engineers in crisp, white labcoats perform countless tests, automated tools churn out part after part, and quality control technicians run then-new S800s on the “Test-O-Matic.” Continue reading
At a high end sports car auction in Tokyo last weekend, a 1969 Toyota 2000GT sold for a record ¥88 million ($820,000 USD). Though other 2000GTs have sold for over $1.1 million, this is a new auction record for the later and less desirable MF12 model, and even among the rarest of the rare, this particular example was a very special one. Continue reading
Tokyo’s subway system is a confounding wonder, but as late as 1972 the metropolis still had streetcars that drove alongside traffic. Here in the Chiyoda district, 510 Bluebirds, Cedrics, Sunnys, Corona Mark IIs, and kujira Crowns teem among the rails. Just another day in Tokyo.
Image: hiromi7
As we mentioned before, two members of the JNC team had little ones this year. Brandon Kelley and his wife had their son, Maximus, and Ben Hsu and his wife had their son, Cedric. However, it can be incredibly hard to find proper JNC-themed gifts for pre-Hot Wheels age kids. Typically, anything car-related will feature generic, unlicensed blobs on wheels. Or, they’ll have your typical Mustangs and such. Probably the most popular real car on kiddie gear is the VW Bus. The Munchkin Motors 240Z above is a rare exception. So, readers:
What kind of JNC stuff can you find for a baby?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the coolest JNC work vehicle?” Continue reading
Toyota is long gone from southern California, but back when they were still in Torrance, their massive campus was a showcase of its then-current models. This was especially true in the 1980s, when their star was on the rise. These images from the TRD 40th anniversary video show a treasure trove of unmolested Aichi steel. Continue reading
Typically, we don’t name drop the Kidney Car’s seller, but if you are even remotely familiar with our site, or the American JNC community, the shop JDM Legends is a household name. The Utah-based restomod shop has been around as long as we have, just over 10 years, and have been cranking out some of the best JNC builds in the country since. They even have their own TV show. Now, you have a chance to own JDM Legends’ owner’s personal car. Continue reading
Honda has a new commercial celebrating 30 years of video games. Apparently, the company sponsors a team of professional gamers that is competing in the upcoming League of Legends championships, and released the ad to commemorate the occasion. Can you name all the appearances? Continue reading
There is exactly one Japanese car that has achieved the kind of cult following that spawns aftermarket companies building ground-up tributes to the original, and it’s not a car at all. The Toyota Land Cruiser, like the Porsche 911, has inspired a thriving restomod industry surrounding the singular model, with the top end builders charging many times the cost of the original car for their bespoke creations. Continue reading
Like Christmas cards in the US, Japan has a tradition of sending nenga, or New Year’s postcards for the upcoming year, during the year-end holiday season. This year, to honor the 50th anniversary of the Nissan GT-R and Fairlady Z, Japan’s postal service is publishing nenga celebrating the iconic cars that have been part of the country’s cultural fabric for half a century. Continue reading
It’s Labor Day, an occasion to honor the hard working men and women that make the world go round. We also recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of one of Japan’s most popular work vehicles, the Isuzu Elf. It’s the perfect time to ask:
What’s the coolest JNC work vehicle?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What Japanese luxury car would you get, and why?” Continue reading
Lexus and Infiniti might wear the Japanese VIP crowns today, but in 1986 Acura was the first to challenge the idea that a luxury car could come from Japan. The Legend was loaded with features like leather, automatic climate control, and premium stereo, and gave buyers who wanted luxury without the European price tag a fresh new alternative. And yet, the notion of nearly $29,000 Honda was unthinkable to most Americans at the time. Continue reading
Torrential downpours have struck Japan’s western region of Kyushu, where three deaths due to Typhoon Krosa have been confirmed and the government has issued evacuation warnings for 870,000 residents. Footage of vehicles up to their headlights in brown water is all over the news, but in a brief segment less than a minute long, no less than two classic Toyota Land Cruisers plow through the waters without breaking a sweat. Continue reading
Some industry news out of Japan tells us that Toyota and Suzuki have made their courtship official in the way that multinational corporations do: by taking a stock stake in each other. The two companies announced a technology sharing partnership back in 2016, but it was made formal this week when Toyota paid ¥96 billion ($908 million USD) for a 4.94 percent share in Suzuki. Continue reading
A while back we featured a bizarrely dorky promo video about the Toyota Cressida. There must have been something in the water in Torrance in the early 90s, because Toyota USA headquarters churned out what appears to have been an entire video series of schmaltz. This time it features the Toyota Previa and, naturally, enough cheese to clog your major arteries. Continue reading
Yesterday, every major newspaper in Japan carried the above spread in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Isuzu Elf, the first Japanese cab-over-engine light truck in its class. In six decades and six generations, the Elf has sold over 6.5 million units, including in the United States under the Chevy and GMC brands, and it was launched on August 26, 1959. Continue reading
The next Gran Turismo Sport update features an all-Japanese lineup of performance icons from five different carmakers. This is unusual, as these updates typically feature a smorgasbord of machinery from all around the world. For update 1.43, though, no matter what your Nihon steel the selection is unlikely to disappoint. Continue reading
