Tag Archives: bluebird

KIDNEY, ANYONE? Datsun 510 sells for $247,000

The past twelve months have seen astounding prices for Japanese cars at auction, but perhaps none were as astounding as a bone stock Datsun 510 that sold recently at the Raeford Concours D’Elegance for $247,000, including the auction house’s 10 percent fees and … Continue reading

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GALLERIES: Nissan Yokohama Headquarters, 2015

It’s been a little over a year since we had the chance to visit Nissan’s Yokohama headquarters. The relatively new glass and steel tower was opened in 2009, replacing the long-standing Ginza HQ in the heart of Tokyo. While, like most automaker showrooms in … Continue reading

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JNC THEATER: 5000km to Glory

Earlier this year the full 2 hour, 54 minute uncut version of 5000km to Glory was aired on Japanese TV for the first time. The 1969 film, an octane-filled tale of motorsports, honor, and heroic driving was tops at the Japanese box office … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2015 Nostalgic2Days, Part 02

One of the featured marques at this year’s Nostalgic2Days was Isuzu. It’s a brand that usually doesn’t get much love, here or in Japan, so it was a rare opportunity to see some machines from the company’s own collection. 

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EVENTS: 2015 New Year Meeting, Part 08 — Parking Area Finds

Closing out our coverage of the 2015 New Year Meeting, we make a quick run through the show’s parking area. Thanks to the Japanese protocol of backing into their parking spaces, we were able to get full views of spectators’ rides to the show unobstructed … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2015 New Year Meeting, Part 05 — Racers and Replicas

There is no shortage of motorsports history in Japan, and it’s not uncommon there to find road-going replicas of some of of the nation’s most iconic — and some not-so-iconic — competition machines. Here at the New Year Meeting, it’s a … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2015 New Year Meeting, Part 04 — Shakotan Sleds

The previous installment of our New Year Meeting coverage focused on originality. In Part 04, we travel to the opposite end of the spectrum. But among all of Japan’s customization styles, shakotan is perhaps the most appealing to JNCers. Translated as simply “low,” shakotan cars are … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2015 New Year Meeting, Part 02: Sports Coupes and Sports Sedans

In Part 01 of our New Year Meeting coverage, we looked at the early days of Japan’s infatuation with sizzling Sixties sports cars. In Part 02, we look at the Disco Decade’s explosion of new sports coupes and sports sedans. 

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels X JNC Datsun 510 Wagon

We can probably all agree that there’s nothing cooler than an old Japanese wagon. With that in mind, we’re proud to announce the next Hot Wheels car to bear the JNC inkan is, once again, the 1:64 scale representation of designer Jun Imai’s Datsun … Continue reading

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JNC RADIO: Sing along to the The Auto Show Song

Originally released in 1964, “The Auto Show Song” was composed by famed Japanese songwriter Tetsuro Hoshino and performed by action movie star/singer Akira Kobayashi (there are a lot of crossover entertainers in Japan). It was an old standard of the Showa Era, and sounded … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2015 Hot Wheels Heritage line loaded with nostalgic Nissans

When we called 2014 the Year of the JNC, one of our arguments was that Hot Wheels was using every Japanese nostalgic casting in their lineup for that year. This was the personal goal of the godfather of JNC Hot Wheels, Jun Imai, but … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the most anticipated “Class of 1990” JNC?

Today is Coming of Age Day in Japan, a holiday in which adolescents become adults. Local city halls in towns across the country invite the newly minted adults for a small ceremony, a tradition that dates back to 714 AD. Of course … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2014 Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, Part 01

Unlike last year‘s clear blue skies and balmy weather, this year’s Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival was held on a cool, wet Saturday. The annual event, put on by the Toyota Automobile museum, welcomes all marques and takes place in a … Continue reading

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PRODUCT GUIDE: S2 Carbon Works Skate Decks

Are you jonesing for a glimpse of hakosuka Skyline or Datsun 510 during your sick front side 180 ollie? The S2 Carbon Works 2014 line of skate decks has some pretty cool JDM style rides, including a VIP Celsior/Lexus LS and … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Showa Kinen Park Car Show

Today’s guest writer is Chris Nicholson, who keeps the cars running at the Lane Motor Museum. Chris recently attended a classic car show in Showa Kinen Park. Every trip to Japan is full of wonder, and every trip to Japan is too … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Pacifico

Pacifico is the first show in southern California by Historic J, who have put on events like the Bayline Gathering, Vintage Auto Salon, and Shokuji J-Tin in the San Francisco area. If the show’s name sounds familiar, you might be thinking of … Continue reading

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GRAND TOURING: Boso Hanto, Day 01

To a lot of Tokyoites, Chiba-ken is nothing more than the place go to if you are flying into or out of Narita airport. On the train or bus, you pass unsavory industrial areas, docks, recycle depots, and a few … Continue reading

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ART CORNER: Papercraft nostalgics by Metmania Fan

Got some time to kill? Perhaps the art of papercraft as applied to some JNCs will do the trick. These are the creation of a Japanese artist who goes by the name Metmania Fan, and cover a whole range of … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 10 — Parking Area

Welcome to the final installment of our 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show coverage, a short one in which we scoured the parking area for J-tin whose owners had gone off to spectate. We begin with a clean Z20 Soarer and X80 Cressida, parked in tandem like an … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 09 — Editors’ Picks

Each year as part of our Japanese Classic Car Show coverage, we pick our favorites to highlight. We had six members of the JNC team at the show this year, plus one car that we voted on collectively to give the JNC Award. Here’s what we chose. 

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