Tag Archives: QotW
QotW: What once-common car has suddenly disappeared?
It’s weird. One minute they’re everywhere, so common that you almost sick of seeing them. Seemed like every cool kid in town had one. Then one day you see one and you think to yourself, “Wow, it’s been a long time since … Continue reading
QotW: Which vintage barrel is the definitive “universal” JNC wheel?
There are some wheels, either stock or aftermarket, that just look good. They can be fitted to a good number of JNCs and universally improve the look, like the classic gunmetal or black Wat. You can slap those on anything … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest VIP sedan?
Happy President’s Day from JNC! Now, which classic sedan would you most want to be seen emerging from as you conduct your official government business/captaining of industry/illicit yak duties? In other words: What’s the greatest VIP sedan? What say you, … Continue reading
QotW: How will Scion be remembered in 25 years?
The demise of Scion last week caught many, including us, by surprise. Though the Toyota offshoot lasted only 13 years, it left a strong mark on the automotive community. Be clear, we are talking about the automotive community, not necessarily the … Continue reading
QotW: How do you feel about auction prices affecting JNCs?
We’ve seen some pretty astronomical prices for J-tin in recent years. We always knew cars like the hakosuka and kenmeri GT-Rs, Toyota 2000GT and Fairlady Z432 were going to be rise in price. Frankly, they were never that cheap to begin with. This week, we saw even new-ish cars … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your greatest “in the wild” JNC sighting?
Incredibly, that Friday flatbed find wasn’t even our first our 2000GT sighting. A few years ago our intrepid Touge California rallymaster Patrick, who eagle-eyed the flatbed one, saw another one in the wild, this time in Solar Red and moving gloriously under its own power. He … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest forced-induction JNC?
The Skyline Japan GT-EX kicked off the Age of the Turbo when it debuted in April 1980. Not only was it the first Skyline to rock a snail, it was deemed so important by Nissan that it was positioned successor to the mighty … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your JNC New Year’s resolution?
Happy Year of the Monkey! We’re like 80 percent sure that Han Dynasty astrologists weren’t talking about Honda’s 50cc mini-bike, but perhaps this will be an auspicious year for you, JNC-wise, anyway. Will you finally pull the trigger on that old … Continue reading
QotW: What automotive woes are you most eager to forget?
In Japan, the bonenkai (“year forgetting”) parties on December 31 are where you leave behind the stresses of the previous year, usually by consuming large quantities of alcohol with friends. Old cars can be the source of many reasons to down a pitcher of … Continue reading
QotW: What will you ask Japanese Santa Claus for this year?
Little known fact: Japanese Santa Claus lives in Hokkaido and has a team of magical Sanrio animals that can make any car part your little heart desires. If you’re a good boy or girl, he can deliver them via a flying Hino flatbed pulled … Continue reading
QotW: What was the greatest single year for Japanese cars?
We’ve discussed which automaker had the best year, but which year had the best autos? Prior to 1970, Japanese cars were either grossly overpriced or built for a populace just graduating from a moped. By the turn of the decade, the automakers … Continue reading
QotW: Which Japanese automaker had the best single-year lineup?
Models come and go, and some generations are better than others. However, once in a lifetime, maybe twice, cosmic forces just align and an automaker knocks it out of the park like the 1996 Chicago Bulls. Wrong metaphor? I don’t know sports. … Continue reading
QotW: How do you prepare your JNC for winter?
As temps drop, weather gets precipitous and the dreaded salt spreaders come out, our driving patterns change. In LA the only difference is that we might have to actually check the weather report for the chance of rain. The rest of the world, … Continue reading
QotW: How do you park your JNC?
Given that we’ve just finished a three-part series on the art of parking, we’d like to hear how you park your JNC. Do you seek out the least ding-prone spot in the lot, or is it a garage-only, “point A-back-to-point A” scenario, … Continue reading
QotW: Which concept from the Tokyo Motor Show should be built?
The Tokyo Motor Show may be over, but the concepts have a chance to live on. This year saw a return to the far-out concepts that you don’t see at any other auto show. From oddball Suzukis to a mid-engined Yamaha, bonkers Daihatsus … Continue reading
QotW: If you could witness one automotive moment, what would it be?
We recently asked about what car you’d preserve if you had a time machine, but what about a memory? Kenichi Yamamoto having his eureka moment about the rotary engine? Tetsu Ikuzawa passing the Porsche 904 at the 2nd Japan Grand Prix? Keiichi … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese car culture?
Tomorrow is Culture Day, a national holiday in Japan in which the nation’s ancient traditions are celebrated. Everyone gets the day off of work, presumably to tend to their minka or to practice their kabuki. Of course, Japan is a rich source … Continue reading
QotW: What car would you import from Japan?
For the last QotW, we asked what you’d do if you had a single day in Japan. Not surprisingly, many of you said you’d get a car to drive around in. Well, what if you could then take that car home with you? … Continue reading
QotW: What would you do with 24 hours in Japan?
For some reason your flight to O’Hare was diverted to Tokyo instead. You have one day see the one shop, buy the one part, or drive the one car you’ve always dreamed of before you have to fly back across the Pacific. What … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best shade of JNC red?
I hate red. It’s too loud, it fades to a powdery pink over time, and it’s often too obvious a choice. In Japan, red was forbidden on passenger cars until Soichiro Honda embarrassed MITI with a scathing editorial in the newspapers, thus opening … Continue reading
