QotW: Which JNC sighting will you remember forever?

As a die-hard car nut, you may not remember how many kids your boss has, your first kiss, or even your birthday, but you can sure as hell remember every vivid detail about the millisecond you laid eyes on a mind-blowingly awesome JNC. I, for example, will have that time in 2003 when I saw a black S30 Z just cold chillin’ with a VIP Cima in a Tokyo parking lot seared into my brain for the rest of my life. We witnessed that very moment in the wide-eyed faces of so many JCCS spectators this weekend — and on innocent bystanders during a post-show photo shoot in Long Beach with a couple of very cool Skylines. As we process hundreds of photos from this weekend’s festivities, we ask you:

Which JNC sighting will you remember forever?

What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How can Nissan save the Z?” 

1988 Nissan Silvia Q's S13

Many of you said that what the next Z need to head downmarket as a competitor to the Scion FR-S, Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5. But, A. Jones said it best (and most entertainingly) by calling it a Silvia:

Nissan can save the Z by making it, basically, a 240sx/180sx in style and (approximate) size. Smaller, lighter, and with a smaller engine. Hatchback stays with the 240/180 style, and keep it RWD. Lose the popup headlights, of course. A turbocharged engine a lá the s13 hatch, maybe the 1.8 out of the Juke bumped to around 275-300hp. The name will be changed to just Fairlady Z, since 390 or 400Z doesn’t sound as good and will no longer be relevant. As an owner of both a Z (Z32) and an S13 (coupe), I’ve spent an irrationally large amount of time thinking about this.

Hire me, Carlos.

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

JNC Decal smash

permalink.
This post is filed under: Question of the Week and
tagged: , , , , .

19 Responses to QotW: Which JNC sighting will you remember forever?

  1. Goodshow_aa says:

    This would be tough to say just one. But I will never forget reading Gworks magazine and all the grand truisms games I played as a teen, my all time favorite car was the ken Mary skyline. I don’t know if it was the afterburner tail lights or the great American muscle car good looks or the great sound the l series makes or the better sound a s20 make, it just hit all the right spots to be the number one car in my dream garage. Well about 9 years ago before everyone else started buying old school skylines, I had never saw a Kenmary in person. Never thought I would. Well I was driving my s14 in Costa Mesa, and up the street coming my direction about the size of eraser on the tip of a pencil was the silhouette of what I thought was a Kenmary skyline but could not believe it was , I had to be mistaken. But then it turned out to be none other than a Kenmary gtr clone. As I got closer to the car and we about passed each other we both revved and gave each other thumbs up. A couple hours later, I saw him again. Same thing. I was still in shock from the first sighting. It would be like believing in the loch ness monster and then actually seeing the damn thing just to see it again as if to prove it does exist.A week later I was working at a tire shop at the time and I had my back turned to the bay doors and heard it come into the parking lot, the sound was unmistakable. I turned and saw the car yet again. Guy needed to check air pressure, I walked up to help him and he said ” don’t you drive a black s14?” I said yes, and then he said “where is it?” Told him out back , I just put a Reinhard dual titanium on it and don’t want it in the small lot, he seemed excited and wanted to hear it, so I threw the stranger my keys and said go have a listen. I assured him it was cool, so after he revved my car up a bit he came back and asked if I wanted to take his car for a drive. I then went for a drive in the damn loch ness monster itself!!! I will never ever forget that drive, or how passion for cars and appreciation of them can bring people together. Now that owner is one of my best friends, and I see that damn monster on the occasion that he is in town. Crazy thing is that feeling of excitement never goes away, smiles never fade.

  2. Nigel says:

    I was on a side road section of a street called (in Burlington On.) Applby line and spotted a 240ZG.
    (Never saw a real one before). It was all black.

  3. Ryan Senensky says:

    Most memorable… Either the SBC swapped Black Pearl special edition 280Z I saw on fire this weekend just because it was downright shocking or when I first saw Ginash from JDMChicago’s Hakosuka in person. It is hard to describe how clean his car is.

  4. Banpei says:

    I will never forget the Nissan Sunny B110 pickup truck I spotted earlier this year. It was heading the opposite direction of me and I could only turn around at the next roundabout (Europe) and could not catch up with it. The Nissan Sunny B110 is a rarity here, but the pickup version is even rarer than finding a Nissan 2400GT C10.
    I kind of hoped my gopro filmed the whole event and as I was yaking at the gopro that it was such an awesome sight/find and yaking about whatever happened to that guy behind beoneoneoh. But in the end it turned out the gopro already ran out of batteries long before that. Kind of a double let down.
    So now every time I drive down that road I think back of that flash of beoneoneoh

  5. Tom Westmacott says:

    My unforgettable sighting came in October 2003. After leaving uni, my life had taken a sudden turn for the better with an JET teaching posting in mountainous rural Japan. Walking through a nearby historic town, I spotted an unfamiliar silver car. Its broad, confident, rear-drive stance showed instantly that this was not one of the charming, low-powered people’s cars of Japan’s past – this was a thoroughbred born to greatness. The arch flares, fat watanabes and flat rear wing spoke of sporting intent. The whole car just reeked of cool, with a boxy, hard-edged style that was all of its own. I had just seen my first Hakosuka, my first real introduction to the noble history of Japanese performance cars.

  6. Tim S. says:

    I would have to say 2 cars that are not native to the US. In Myrtle Beach, SC I saw an R-32 Skyline from behind parked at another hotel. At first I wasn’t sure but then saw it was right hand drive also, why would you leave your window down in a car like that? Next is when I was passed near home a few years ago by a car I thought was just a Mitsubishi Eclipse until I saw the FTO on the rear when it passed me. There don’t seem to be a lot of love for these cars in the Southeast but my ’81 Datsun 210 wears the JNC Inkan proudly.

  7. Matt says:

    Grew up in a muscle car/hot rod favoring household, little to know knowledge about Japanese cars especially the nostalgic stuff. When I was 12 or 13 me and the old man were walking home from hockey practice and a dark blue, bubble flared 2 door 510 went ripping past us. I was confused, I couldn’t connect the high revving growl the car made with the boxy sedan shape I saw. What the heck was that? “Oh cool, a Datsun 510” my dad said. “Haven’t seen one of those in a long time”. For the next few years, through the convenience of google images and browsing forums, the pl510 became my dream car. Unlike the people I went to school with, their favorite rides being late 60s muscle cars and costing 4 times my favourite for similar condition, I was able to save up and acquire my ’70 Datsun 510 when I was 18. I get weird looks when asked “If you could have any car, what would it be” and I reply with the one I already have, but I’m good with having “unique taste”. Chicks dig it!

  8. MainstreaM says:

    Easiest question you guys have ever asked. It would be the day in April of 2000 when I was on my way to work and saw this bright red oh so eighties angular sports car shape out of the corner of my eye. I worked evening shift at the parts store and it was very unusual for me not to know what cars were on sale in my small home town. I went back the next day to look to see what it was. There sat a bright shining gem of an 89 Chrysler Conquest with the sun sparkling off the bulging fenders. I was hooked then and there, that day I officially became a Mitsu nut. I whipped out the ol indestructible nokia cell phone and dialed up the owner. Next day was a test drive where I got my first feelings of boost. When that turbo spooled the first time the owner didn’t know it yet but that car was sold. I promptly left the test drive and headed home. I scraped, scrounged, and dug up any cash I could find hoping to have enough to convince the bank that it was a sizable enough down payment for a 20 year old to own a bonified sports car. Luckily the next they agreed. There I was cash in hand walking out of the bank frantically calling the owner. Couple hours later I was driving away with title in hand. That was fifteen years ago and unlike many who have sold their first, mine still sits humbly just outside my home in the garage. My first JNC sighting was the same day I became a japanese nostalgic car enthusiast.

  9. CM says:

    A white R33 GT-R parked in front of a sushi restaurant of all places. On the windshield was a “For Sale” sign and the owner wanted $55k for it. I was shocked it had California plates despite it being less than 25 years old. We went to that sushi restaurant for my birthday and I couldn’t help but think how great a birthday present it would’ve been. *sigh*

  10. Pete240z says:

    Too easy – I grew up in a world of muscle cars except this guy Iives 2 doors down and his wife works at a Datsun warehouse in Aurora, Illinois and he drives a 1972 orange Datsun 510 2-door stock shape car and he drives it for 10 years and always parked it outside in his driveway. I look at that car all the time and I hope to someday get one…….

  11. RotaryRalph says:

    let me say first that I am way older than most of the readers here, but I have been a fan of JNC vehicles for a very long time. The only problem was here in the corn feed state of Indiana there were not many when I was young.
    my first “Doh?!” moment came in 1974 when our family went to Oklahoma for my older sisters wedding. My cousin’s boyfriend (now husband) showed up in a 1972 Mazda RX2. They both lived in Dallas, Texas at that time and he had bought it when it was a year old. It was orange with the black & white interior and I was in love. Not only did it have the cool 12A rotary engine but it was small, nimble and very quick.
    The only Mazda’s I had seen were either in commercials, magazines or the brochure my dad had given me that showed the one that went 100,000 miles. You just didn’t see the rotary Mazda’s in Indiana at that time.
    I was thrilled to ride in it and experience the wail it made at higher rpm as it spanked my cousin’s 74 Trans Am, badly I might add! After that experience I vowed to find one for myself but life gets in the way. I am still looking for a 72 RX2 to have but it seams the timing is never right.
    One day when the timing is right I will find one and l get to relive those childhood memories once and for all.

  12. ya_boy_yeti says:

    I will never forget it.
    Since Im 1st gen american born, my background is from Mexico. Subsequently my family does gardening. and because of that they buy junky old beater trucks to load equipment. However one truck stood out. A late 70s toyota hilux. It was green, beaten, both inside and out, and I couldnt get enough of it. For a kid who was 6 years old this shit blew my mind. Grabbing the thin spoke steering wheel, and shifting the delicate shift knob. I guess it made me have a soft spot for toyota. Adding to the story the owner, my uncle has used toyota for his job. and most of his cars (he has 6) are toyotas the rest are fords but as dump trucks. This was not my JNC sighting, it was an Experiance. Note my cousin (his son) found an 86 pick up with 60k on the odometer. Proud to be a family of toyotas and hopefully they create the same fun cars that got me interested, for the next generations.

  13. Daniel Leon says:

    With little money for a car I decided to try an ultra rare Celica hardtop (they are rare in Mexico, Toyota arrived in 2004 I believe) I had seen outside a car shop. Did some research about it but it wasn’t for sale and was an auto. Knowing I wasn’t going to find another one or anything similarly cool I felt in despair. A couple of days later as I was taking a walk with a possible new girlfriend I really couldn’t believe my eyes: a 76 Celica 2000 GT Liftback!!! even cooler and more rare (the only Liftback I’ve ever seen in Mexico) than the couple of coupes I knew existed around. Faded turquoise paint, ugly as hell hubcaps and parked on the street looking like it didn’t work. Knocked on the door, owner wasn’t home but would probably sell. I waited for about an hour outside the gentleman’s house hardly hiding my excitement, girl patiently waiting with me. When owner arrived he was puzzled by my interest, took the battery out of his VW bug, put it in the Celica and it started almost right after even though the car hadn’t been used for a while. It was dark already, but I I’ll never forget that amazing machine smoothly working (does that word apply for a 20R?), the dashboard lights, the sporty body lines. I was in a different planet. He agreed to sell. I was back at 8 am next morning. Couldn’t stop looking at the interior details, the best car I’ve ever had. Improved it over the 4 years I owned it, spending lots of money windows leaked really bad when it rained, it got stolen, recovered it. And then I went through a difficult economical situation and though I had promised I’d never sold it, had to let it go last year because my daughter was on her way, so I changed my princess for an even greater princess.

    • Daniel Leon says:

      Sorry, tried to keep it short. Currently working on a TE31 to be my daily driver. Celica stung me with vintage Japanese car fever and it’s chronic!

Leave a Reply to Pete240z Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *