Tag Archives: 280z

GRAND TOURING: Driving the Chubu Touge, Part 02

In Part 01 of our Chubu grand tour, we escaped Tokyo by expressway northwest into the mountains. Our return trip took us on roads less traveled, over some of Japan’s most famous winding passes known as touge. We had made … Continue reading

Posted in Grand Touring, honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, Prince, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

QotW: Which car should Japanese automakers sell again exactly as they were?

In 1998 Nissan embarked on an unprecedented program to buy back 1970-71 Datsun 240Zs, restore them, and sell them through dealerships with an official warranty. Only about 40 of the 250 planned cars were sold, and even at nearly $28,000 … Continue reading

Posted in honda, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

EVENTS: Classic Japan 2012, Part 03: Modified Classics

In Part 03, Adam Laws takes a look at the modified nostalgic cars from the 2012 Classic Japan show of Melbourne, Australia. —Dan Part 03 of our Classic Japan 2012 coverage features a whole range of modified classics, those special … Continue reading

Posted in datsun, events, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

POP QUIZ: What kind of car is this?

Obviously this isn’t really a Nissan Fairlady Z. What is it? Put your best guess in the comments below and we’ll have to use the no-googling honor system here. Find out on Sunday! UPDATE: 

Posted in nissan, suzuki | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

BOOKS: The Stainless Steel Carrot, An Auto Racing Odyssey — Revisited

John Morton has lived a life most of us can only dream of. The legendary driver has had a storied career piloting everything from Shelby Cobras to Porsche Le Mans Prototypes. Of course, the reason Nissan nuts line up for … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, motorsports, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Skyline Nationals, Part 02 – Australia’s Insane 1980s Nissan Touring Cars

Despite the fact that various generations of Godzilla were the headliners at the 2012 Skyline Nationals, many of Nissan‘s 1980s Group A and Group C touring cars drew just as much attention displayed at the car show and in action at the track day … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2012 ZCon

In the automotive kingdom there exists only a handful of models that can inspire a car show at the national level. We’re not talking about marques here; we mean a single model so iconic and beloved that its devotees have formed … Continue reading

Posted in events, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 09: Editors’ Choice

It should be no surprise by now that the Japanese Classic Car Show continues to grow each year, but we still weren’t quite prepared for just how much bigger and better it was for 2012. Let’s recap some of the highlights … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

FRIDAY VIDEO: Wangan Midnight, The Movie, with subtitles

You know the drill. Boy meets Fairlady Z, boy restores Fairlady Z, boy learns Fairlady Z is possessed by a need to kill its owner. Wangan Midnight, the story of the Devil Z and its rivalry against the Blackbird Porsche … Continue reading

Posted in nissan, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

QotW: What’s the greatest Japanese racing livery?

Graphics. Livery. Warpaint. Originally meant to identify the country of origin and visually distinguish fast-moving cars on the track, they are now the domain of corporate sponsors. Either way, there have been some darn cool ones. Therefore we ask: What’s … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Jay Leno tours the Nissan Zama Warehouse, gets dirt on potential S30 successor for Nissan’s 80th Anniversary

Jay Leno is in Japan. What comes of this trip should be interesting, but for now, watch as he tours the Nissan DNA Garage. UPDATE: Leno goes to Toyota and drives the Lexus LFA Spyder as well! 

Posted in nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05: Sports Cars

You want Zs? You got Zs. We begin Part 05 of our 2012 JCCS coverage with the seminal Japanese sports car, the one that forever changed perceptions of what it meant to be “J-tin” and swept America by storm. Here … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

JCCS Preview: Happy 103rd Birthday to Mr. K

This Saturday, September 15, is not only going to be the 8th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, but Mr. K‘s 103rd birthday as well! That’s right, Yutaka Katayama was born way back on September 15, 1909, around the … Continue reading

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How to build custom Hot Wheels BRE Datsuns, Part 02

In Part 01, Mark “ScaleMaster” Jones showed us how to prep standard Hot Wheels cars for customization. In this installment he transforms diecast Datsun 510 and 240Z into highly detailed custom BRE racers. — Ricky  In Part 01 we disassembled stripped, cleaned, … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Friday Video: The S30 Z of Super Robot Mach Baron

While researching yesterday’s article on Aoshima model kits, we came across what must be the second most famous red-on-white sports car from a Japanese kids’ show with the word “Mach” in the name.

Posted in nissan, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

How to build custom Hot Wheels BRE Datsuns, Part 01

As part of a new series on JNC, guest writer Mark “ScaleMaster” Jones will show you how to make your own custom Hot Wheels. Enjoy his step-by-step guide to creating a set of diecast BRE Datsuns. — Ricky When the Hot Wheels … Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

John Morton tribute at the Riverside International Auto Museum

The Riverside International Auto Museum recently threw a gala to honor the contributions of famed Datsun driver John Morton to the racing world. If you’re not familiar with the saga of the BRE team that Morton raced for, first go watch the Friday Video Against All … Continue reading

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The astoundingly detailed custom Hot Wheels of ScaleMaster

Please allow me to introduce our two newest JNC contributors — Ricky Silverio, an unquestionable nostalgic car guru who will be writing regularly about Japanese collectibles, and Mark Jones, the man behind these custom toy cars. Enjoy Ricky’s first article. – … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 04

Our final installment of the Bayline Gathering kicks off with one of the Bay Area’s infamous Bluebirds that are not 510s. Remember the Appliance-shod 710 from Part 03?  This tsurikawa strappin’ Datsun 610 is his partner in crime. Despite the mismatched Longchamps and MKIs it exudes shakotan cool.

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 03

We begin Part 03 of our Bayline Gathering coverage with a pair of matching ’85 A60 Celica ‘verts. San Francisco’s hills form one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in America and navigating them with an open top must make for a … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments