Tag Archives: toyota

KP61 Toyota Starlet Drift Machine

Teruyoshi Iwai campaigns one of the coolest D1GP cars around, a KP61 Toyota Starlet stuffed with a 4AG with TRD and Silk Road suspension components. Apparently Iwai made his triumphant return to D1 in Round 5 at Ebisu Circuit, but … Continue reading

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Lexus Celebrates 20th Anniversary

On September 1, 1989 sales of the Lexus LS400 began. It’s hard to believe but it’s been 20 years since the first luxury branded Toyota was offered to the American public. Thirty years after Toyota first arrived stateside, the idea … Continue reading

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Nostalgic Wear from Import Bible

Our friends at Import Bible have once again turned out a new collection of fresh threads, this time for hachiroku heads. The “Old School” T-shirt has stuff like Work Equip 03s and an AE86 headlight switch in lieu of those … Continue reading

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Friday Video: TE71 Corolla Levin vs. S30 Fairlady Z

We have absolutely no idea what movie or TV show this car chase is from, but at least the scene isn’t dominated by the marque that forked over the most sponsorship yen. The main cars are a TE71 Corolla Levin … Continue reading

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Sneak Peek at Classic Toyotas in New NFL Ads

The NFL will be running a series of tailgate party-themed ads in the upcoming season, and some classic Toyotas are about to get prominent placement. Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot, courtesy of the JCCS. In one a … Continue reading

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Loss Of An Automotive Journalism Icon

John Thawley (aka Bob Waar) 1937-2009 – Author and motor journalist John Thawley died last month of complications from pneumonia. He was 71. How to Hot Rod Small Block Chevys, How to Hot Rod Big Block Chevys, the Off Road … Continue reading

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EVENTS: The Very Last Nisei Showoff

Way, way back in the day, nisei (the Japanese word for second-generation Japanese Americans) held informal cruise nights all over the greater Los Angeles area. They were some of the first guys ever to modify 510s, Celicas and the early … Continue reading

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Toyota Celica Speedster at Woodward Dream Cruise

Since 1995, the Woodward Dream Cruise has taken over the streets of Detroit each August and is one of the biggest gatherings of muscle cars and hot rods on the planet. J-tin is a pretty rare sight at the WDC, … Continue reading

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Toyota Says Crush Your Cruiser for Cash

This is an actual commercial from Toyota in which they encourage you to crush your classic Land Cruiser in exchange for a Cash for Clunkers voucher. Obviously a two-door FJ60 is a nonexistent beast, so was Toyota USA just creating … Continue reading

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Toyota Corona RT20, Stunt Machine

Here’s a car that’s definitely no clunker. In the 60s Toyota put out a series of commercials in which their cars performed zany stunts to demonstrate their resilience. Take this RT20 Corona, for example. Sold as the Tiara in the … Continue reading

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The Ninja's Arsenal: 1968 Toyota Corolla KE10

Sai. Nunchucks. Shuriken. These are the ancient weapons of the ninja, lurker of shadows, trained in the arts of illusion, stealth and assassination. But did you know there was another closely guarded secret weapon in the ninja’s arsenal that has … Continue reading

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Friday Video: Wheeler Dealers Flip Toyota MR2

Wheeler Dealers – S02E01 S02E02 – Toyota MR2 Part Over at Streetfire someone has uploaded episodes of Wheeler Dealers, a great UK show “keeping modern and iconic classics on the road.” The premise is this: each week the hosts find a … Continue reading

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Friday Video: Hairpin Circus

The Friday Video series has touched upon many great Japanese movies and TV programs celebrating the automobile. But while they made their cars brutish and macho and excellent for ramming criminals into submission, they never made cars sexy. Well, turn … Continue reading

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Toyota Soarer Soars Through Your Computer

Good lord, this 1983 Toyota Soarer ad looks like a deleted scene from Tron. It’s almost as insanely 80s as this MkII Toyota Celica Supra commercial we found a while back. Just thought you’d like to see what a Toyota … Continue reading

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Kidney, Anyone? Actual J-Tin Toyota Crowns

Forget Tomicas and Choro-Qs, those are nice toys but the real money’s in J-Tin. No, not that J-tin, but actual toy cars from the 60s made of real tinplate. Most have friction motors inside that can move the car if … Continue reading

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Mini JNC Wagon! DISM Toyota Mark II

This is probably not going to be of any interest to most of you, but we’re jumping out of our seats right now because we just got an email from Toyotageek informing us that the JNC wagon is now available … Continue reading

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Toyota RT40 Corona Fetches $36,000 at Mecum

Remember the Jack Safro collection we told you about last month? One of the cars at the Mecum auction was an original 8,769-mile 1966 Toyota Corona so new the plastic wrap was still on the door panels. Back in 2007 … Continue reading

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Mecum to Auction Jack Safro Toyota Collection

On a trip to California in the late 60s, Jack Safro was introduced to the RT40 Toyota Corona, a car then unheard of in his native Wisconsin. But everyone in California seemed to know it, and a dealer told him … Continue reading

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Asics Onitsuka Tiger Shoe with Toyota 2000GT

Here’s an interesting item found in one of the many small shops in the Ameyoko district near Ueno Station. It’s a glow-in-the-dark shoe featuring a Toyota 2000GT. We’re not sneaker freaks, but we tend to gravitate towards anything vintage and … Continue reading

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GRAND TOURING: Fuji Speedway in a Toyota Crown

So sad… our last day in Japan, but at least it ended with a bang. Here’s a behind the scenes look at some upcoming material. My friend Goshu and I went to the Time Machine Festival at Fuji Speedway. Why … Continue reading

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