QotW: Which JNC model deserves its own museum?

Most automakers have their own museums that showcase the history of the entire marque, but last week we wrote about an entire museum dedicated to one model, the Suzuki Jimny. Typically, to warrant its own museum the model would have to be something special and widely, like a Skyline or Miata, but there are plenty more models that we’re honestly surprised don’t have a museum of their own. The ways to outfit the museum would be endless — one of every variation ever built, mountains of literature, promotional materials, scale models in dioramas, or all of the above. The possibilities are endless!

Which JNC model deserves its own museum?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC would you pick if you had to charge through a snowy mountain?

We thought that Subarus and Mitsubishis would rule the answers section this week, but we were wrong. Some of you chose small AWD cars like Daniel‘s Daihatsu Mira 4WD or Negishi no Keibajo‘s Subaru Justy. Others picked all-purpose RWD machines Lee L‘s Nissan Silvia S12 or エーイダン‘s Toyota AE86. Some went with more traditional answers, like Troy‘s Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III or Styles‘ Pajero Evolution, but the winner last week was the appropriately named Santa Claus for his choice of a Tercel 4WD:

When the ol’ sleigh breaks down, or when the reindeer are too hungry to fly I know which vehicle I can count on in order to get me through the harsh winters up here in the North Pole. When I need to haul my elf brothers and sisters and reindeer food around and get back to my workshop safely I know I can always depend on my 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD WAGON. That’s why I’ve designated it the official car of Santa Claus. So if you’re asking which car I would pick to charge through a snowy mountain, there’s really only one clear choice. MY Car, the 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD WAGON. Ho Ho Ho!

Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!

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8 Responses to QotW: Which JNC model deserves its own museum?

  1. Negishi no Keibajo says:

    A Toyota Taxi Museum (if it doesn’t exist already)?

  2. Banpei says:

    There is only one museum that would make my heart sing and it wouldn’t be a particular make or model. It would actually be a museum full of rusty and crusty JNCs that originally were left to rot by its owner. It wouldn’t be a cheap museum though: these rusty cars need to be stabilized/preserved in a way that they don’t continue to rot. Also probably something has to be done against the smell of rotting leafs and such.

    But thnk about it and it actually makes sense: having rotting rusty JNCs is something typically Japanese and you don’t see it anywhere else in the same degree. I would say it’s almost part of the Japanese culture and there are so many out there. And it’s not only the super rusty hakosuka Skyline GTs that need to be saved, but also the endangered species like in this Wasabi Cars video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfOYwaG-oRA
    A Honda Z, Subaru 360 custom and a Mitsubushi Colt 1500…

    Yes some of those cars definitely deserve to be “rescued” and placed inside a museum just as they are right now. That really would be an awesome museum!

  3. エーイダン says:

    The Kei Car. Simple as. The Kei jidosha class of cars has been a staple of the Japanese motoring landscape since the inception of the Subaru 360 back in the late 1950s. The Kei car evolved over the decades to include some sporty mini-racers like the Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino. Others include the Mitsubishi Dangan which in the ’90s Jeremy Clarkson himself demonstrated the rain-sensing windscreen wipers on. The Subaru Sambar, Suzuki Carry, Nissan Clipper, Honda Acty, list goes on.

  4. robin says:

    A Toyota Hilux…

    it has helped to build countries all over the world and help small businesses run efficiently and sometimes when those small companies could not afford to service them they would still keep going.

  5. teddy says:

    is there one dedicated to the Toyota Crown? The things been around forever and is a huge part of the brand!

  6. Brett says:

    The RX-7.

  7. Daniel says:

    I think narrowing it down to a single car or model is difficult, but the legacy of the rotary engine as a sign of the ingenuity and perseverance of Japanese engineers deserves it. therefore mazda is the one who will populate my “ideal” museum, but would also add other models under the excuse “what would have happened if …” with conversions from each era of the most iconic models of other brands, dreaming of seeing a honda civic cvcc with a wankel from 1970 could be interesting or a Toyota S800 with a wankel engine would be well worth the visit.

  8. Dirty_S30 says:

    I personally think that the Nissan Z cars should have their own museum. It would include every Z car from the 240 up through the ZX’s and into the present era of 350, 370 and even the mysterious whispers of the 400Z. Now, I know what you might say. Oh that’s the boring answer. The obvious answer. And you might be right. But that doesn’t make it the wrong answer. Sometimes the right answer is the obvious answer.
    This museum would have every model of Z car, with every trim level, turbo versions, and even all the goofy add-ons American dealerships put on the 240-280’s the jack up the dirt cheep prices. It would also have Z cars from different race teams, like the Paul Newman cars and such, and if the museum couldn’t find a 240Z 432 or a 432R, they could just make some. Slap some carbon fiber on and a double stack exhaust. Ya know slap in a twin cam out of a hakosuka, no biggie, right? The museum should also have some examples of cars built by individuals. The availability and accessibility of the Z platform has given so many more people people the opportunity to build an amazing Japanese car (that has since become a classic). People have built them following so many different styles and philosophies, and they all (usually) look amazing.
    The museum should have designs and drawings of all the different Z’s, original advertisements and marketing campaigns, theater sections were people can view all the commercials. People should leave the museum WANTING to buy buy a Z.
    And why should they want to buy a Z? Because the Datsun (and Nissan) Z family is the family that put irresponsible automitive fun into the hands of everybody. It made irresponsible idiocy a thing for the masses. 6 cylinder shenanigans for the budget conscious. European performance at the price of a few transatlantic flights. What’s not to love. Let’s get us a museum going.

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