It’s summer and time for open top cruising. Japanese mrques haven’t traditionally been known for convertibles, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good options for being at one with the elements. Let’s include T-tops, targas, canvas tops, and other assorted breezy alternatives, as well as not-exactly factory conversions from the likes of ASC and similar firms. That should open up (no pun intended) the choices.
What’s your favorite JNC for open air driving?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which Japanese car needs to be preserved for posterity?“.
The answers last week were wide-ranging, providing a solid cross section of Japanese automotive history. There were icons like BlitzPig‘s Honda Civic CVCC, Negishi no Keibajo‘s Datsun 510, Dillon‘s Toyota Sports 800, dankan‘s J70 Toyota Land Cruiser, daniel‘s Mazda Cosmo Sport, and Franxou‘s Lexus LFA. As a counterpoint, off-the-beaten-path choices filled in some of the missing marques, including StreetSpirit‘s Suzuki Cervo, エーイダン‘s LHD Prince Skyline, and Not Janeane Garofalo‘s Subaru Alcyone. For hallmarks of good design, take any one of Fred Langille‘s Nissan Pike Factory cars.
It was hard to pick just one winner, but this week’s winner was Jim Klein with a pithy retort about preserving for posterity:
Japanese cars take care of that all by themselves.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Suzuki Cappuccino – but then I am biased. The best summary I’ve heard anyone say is “it makes a Miata feel like how a Miata makes other cars feel”
A yellow Honda Beat heading down the coast line, with The Blue Hearts on the tape deck and a mini cooler full of Pocari Sweat chilling in the trunk.