You’ve run out of fuel on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. It’s getting dark. There’s no cell service. In the distance, you see a dim light emanating from an old gas station. You walk toward it, hoping to find help. After what seems like an eternity, you arrive. The building seems like it was abandoned decades ago. “Hello?” you call out, but there’s no response. You peek inside the garage only to see a strange machine filling the room. There must be miles of cable and wire, pulsing with an electric hum. Against your better judgement, you step inside the device. It’s big enough to fit a car. Suddenly it whirs and beeps and emanates a blinding light. As your eyes readjust, you step outside the machine to see a bustling service station. A transistor radio plays KC and the Sunshine Band. A calendar on the wall says it’s 1975. You’ve traveled 50 years into the past and can take back one car with you to the present.
If you could buy any new JNC from 1975, what would it be?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What have you sacrificed for your car?“.
Sometimes your sacrifices lead to an even better outcome, as Steve discovered when he gave up girls to go rallying. Taylor C. had to forgo a family vacation to fix a beloved car, but what a great family to vote for the repair of dad’s car instead. ra21benj slaved behind fast food counters during senior year of high school, but got the set of wheels that he wanted. Richard M offered some deep and wise words, as did Negishi no Keibajo‘s response.
Ultimately, the winner last week as Alan, who has seemingly suffered everything. Hopefully a few measly stickers makes up for it!
Not for a single car, but plural?
Boatloads of money, skin, blood, sweat, fingernails, tears, comfort, safety, security, sanity, hygiene, countless societal standards of propriety, property value, my neighbor’s property value, social skills, EPA and CARB regulations, hearing, clutch knee ligament, a healthy relationship with dopamine, time, money, money, money, and time.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
a skyline, not just any skyline though, i’d love to get my hands on a c110 4 cylinder two door.
not the straight six longnose beasts but a more sensible shortnose cruiser.
i’d do it up period correctly and drop it a bit lower, find some period correct 14 inch wheels, upgrade the stereo, reinforce the chassis and just enjoy it as a daily driver.
Huh, seems like streetspirit above has a similar idea, with slightly different seasoning!
I would also get the c110, but I would want to go with the full gt-r, tho I guess I am cheating a little, since those were only available in ’73. For the sake of argument, maybe some left-over stock ;)?
With only 197 made and the last gt-r branded car for the next 14 years, it seems like that would be the go-to solution for the most performance and uniqueness available. Even 50 years later, it still looks absolutely gorgeous and ‘fresh’, reminiscent of some of the best years styling-wise (especially considering what will follow in the 80’s ;)).
S20 might be a pain to maintain, but seeing that roaring on the track nowadays would be a sight unseen for pretty much all of us ;)!
I wouldn’t get a new anything from that year because of the big bumper mandate. I’d get a four or five year old lightly used S 30 Z car, simply for it’s purity of form and function.
A slightly used four door C10.
Cheating a little on the answer, a Datsun 240Z with low mileage. With the difference in price, some period modifications. Simple, reliable, and timeless.
I’m with BlitzPig… A Datsun 280Z but for slightly different reason. Smog exempt here in California. I’d still build it within smog regulations because I love my clean air; but with a more modern variant of engine, like an RB26DETT straight from a Skyline.
A 1975 Toyota Sprinter Coupe 1600GT Trueno would do me nicely. Twin-Carbureted Twin Cam 2T-G, 5-Speed Manual, RWD, and to top it all off, it looks like a smushed Z. I’d probably throw some Wats or Minilites and some different side-drafts on it and call it a day. Well, unless I could track myself down an old 151E or 152E….
My first car with a manual: 1975 Celica GT Liftback. I acquired mine when I was in college in the mid 80s. It had 100k miles, was dented and rusty, and most of the lower dash and console was missing. It was originally orange but by the time it got to me it looked pretty much the same color as the rust it had. I loved the car. I would buy a new one in ocean blue and drive the snot out of it like I did back in the day.