Tag Archives: ssr

EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 02

In Part 01 of our 2012 Fuji Jamboree coverage we focused on machines that took to the Speedway. Blood red hakosuka with Okamoto logos? You know those black Wats are ready to cut loose on Fuji’s tarmac. However, as every … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, isuzu, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 04

We’ll let Patrick Ng‘s gorgeous TE27 kick off the fourth and final installment of our 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage. This tasty mango began life as a 1973 SR-5, an ultra-rare US-spec version of the Corolla Levin, with metal flares and all straight from the factory but … Continue reading

Posted in events, toyota, trucks, vip, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 02

Part 02 of our 2012 All-Toyotafest coverage starts off with a pair of our favorite neoclassic Celicas. Moises Rivera (white) and Jesse Ortiz‘s (blue 1JZ-swapped) wedge-shaped A60s are the very definition of 1980s knife’s edge styling, and the US-spec GT-S flares … Continue reading

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EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 01

The 2012 All-Toyotafest was abuzz with the excitement generated by the neo-hachiroku. After a decade and a half of supposedly sporty front-wheel-drive offerings, the lightweight FR Toyota is back with a vengeance. For throngs of Toyotaku in attendance it was cause … Continue reading

Posted in events, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

EVENTS: Motorsport Auto’s 2012 Z-car West Coast Nationals

This year Motorsport Auto brought back the Z-car West Coast Nationals with a full scale show at their headquarters. The theme was “Back to the Streets,” the street being a closed-off stretch of Collins Avenue in Orange, California, just like in days … Continue reading

Posted in events, nissan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

EVENTS: AE86 Nights 5th Anniversary

SoCal may have its drawbacks, but there aren’t many places where you can put the call out for a hachiroku party and have over 100 cars show up. AE86 Nights has been doing this almost every Saturday night since April of 2007, … Continue reading

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

EVENTS: Eagle Rock Datsun-Nippon Swap Meet

Laugh all you want at our super-strict smog tests, but at the end of the day SoCal has at least one redeeming trait — enough nostalgics to hold a regular swap meet. Here’s what you missed from the recent Eagle … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Ye Olde Zokusha from the United Kingdom

Well it was only a matter of time. The cultural reach of the zokusha has extended to jolly old England. We saw a banzai flagged Lada last year, but never in our wildest dreams did we expect a turaichi shakotan … Continue reading

Posted in bosozoku | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 New Year Meeting

This year’s New Year Meeting was a bit less exciting as a large number of cars were repeats from previous shows, but hey, it’s Japan and there’s tons of vintage steel.  

Posted in events, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Lung, Anyone? Star Shark Ashtray

Valentine’s day usually results in a bunch of useless containers shaped like hearts. But here’s a much, much cooler container shaped like a Star Shark! It’s a vintage ashtray, still stamped with the original manufacturer, Colin, on the back. The … Continue reading

Posted in Vintage Barrels | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Aoshima’s “The Wheel” 1/6-Scale Vintage Barrel Model Kit

Welcome to 2012! As we await our Mayan apocalypse let’s enjoy what time we have by enjoying some holiday goodies received at the JNC office. Reason #3,811 of why Japan is great is because you can not only buy a … Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Green Bosozoku Celica is simply sublime

Celica fans usually prefer zenki models with the smiley-er smileys and hood flutes, but this is one post-facelift daruma that makes us green with envy. Let’s see if we can name all the zokusha traits this fine specimen exhibits. garish color … Continue reading

Posted in bosozoku, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Flared Toyota Corona T100 is nobody’s pet

The Toyopet name lasted a lot longer in Japan than the US. That’s the badge on the back of this purple people eater, but it ain’t no pet. Looks more like a wild animal.

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Wagon Want: KP37V Toyota Publica Van

Show of hands, who would rock this? “This” being a Toyota Publica Van that is the exact reason why we love old Japanese cars. Look, it’s barely larger than an OG Mini but has funky-sleek lines, looks totally bitchin’ on SSR MkIIs no … Continue reading

Posted in toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Japanese Classic Car Show Part 03, Street Style

Welcome to Part 03 of our 2011 JCCS coverage, where we look at tastefully modified cars that are more about clean lines and nostalgic style rather than going fast (although some clearly can). Let’s jump right in with a shot … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Surf’s Up when your Surf Wagon has a Surf Line.

Reason number one to have a C210 Skyline Japan as your surf wagon: It’s already got a surf line. Reason number two: It looks killer lowered on Star Sharks. Did we mention we love wagons?

Posted in nissan, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

X70 Toyota Mark II Sharknose

Proof you can make a subtle zokusha that still looks gangster.

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

EVENTS: 2011 Toyotafest Part 06

There was so much to see at this year’s Toyotafest it’s taken us six installments to get through everything. Alas, our coverage is coming to an end, but before we leave the Queen Mary here are some parting shots. The … Continue reading

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise

Every couple of months our friends at Mooneyes holds an informal gathering near their HQ in Yokohama called the Mania Cruise. The great part about these shows is that you get to see oddball machines that tend to get crowded … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Toyotafest 2011 Part 05

Our latest installment of Toyotafest 2011 coverage begins with a lovely old school Starlet. The original RWD hot hatch. You can’t miss this killer shade of Amazonian tree frog green with over-fenders and and black ATS Classics.

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments