Remembering Japanese cars from the past

Picture tag: toyota liteace (Page 1 of 4)

WTF: Toyota Silica MA46

We’ve all seen them and loved them: the Nissan Sileighty. Basically a Nissan 180SX with a Silvia S13 nosejob and the end result is a very beautiful blend of a GT hatchback sportscar.

Now what would you do if you do have a Silvia frontend but don’t have a 180SX? Take a Celica XX and swap the Silvia’s nose on it!
WTF?! Toyota Silica?!
WTF?! Toyota Silica?!

I don’t have a better picture of it, but nevertheless it’s looks are stunning!
So, Celica XX MA46 + Silvia S13 = Silica?

Car chases: Special Criminal Investigation Fairlady Z


This time a police series that actually was never broadcasted on television: Special Criminal Investigation (1989) was a game by Taito and was the successor of Chase HQ and succeeded by Chase HQ 2 (2006). The game itself was much inspired upon the infamous Abunai Deka car chases and featured two cops chasing criminals in a Nissan Fairlady Z Z31:
Taito S.C.I. Fairlady Z Z31 poster
Taito S.C.I. Fairlady Z Z31 poster

I can still remember playing the English version in the arcade halls back in the early nineties!

In case you are curious where the chases are, well here is a (two part) walkthough:

In other words: the heroes drive Japanese cars and the criminals drive foreign cars! 😀

Found through: [R31 House @ Minkara]

Video: The facinating Project-X enabled the Prince R380

I found this great video about the Prince R380 on AUTOnGRAPHIC. It features an interview with the late Shinichiro Sakurai taken back in 2004 on the Prince company, Prince Skyline and the Prince R380!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJXT9ewTA6s

It’s amazing what this small company achieved in just a few years. Of course we all know the Nissan-Prince merger meant the end for the Prince Motor Company. However the thriving engineers stuck around and made thriving products like the S20 engine, Skyline C10 and Cherry E10! It might actually have been the savior for the company as the expensive racing program might have brought down the company.

Found at [AUTOnGRAPHIC] (Edit 2021: link removed as AUTOnGRAPHIC no longer exists!)

DOTS: Toyota Carina GL TA60

Just by that: a Carina TA60 in my own hometown! 🙂
Toyota Carina GL TA60
Toyota Carina GL TA60

When cycling to work I spotted the rear end of a Carina on a (closed) parking lot of an office building on the other side of the parking lot of the local fire department. I stopped and a fireman opened up the window asking if I was able to find whatever I was looking for.

So I explained I spotted exactly the same car as mine in the parking lot behind the fire department. He told me how to get there and I made a few snaps with the ancient phone I’m currently using (my own got stolen last week during a break-in). I also made one with my old analogue camera, but I’m still waiting for the black and white film developer chemicals so I can’t show it to you yet…

The Carina was registered in 1983 as a beige car. It looked quite solid to me, didn’t have too much rust (except on the steel rims) and believe it or not: it is, just like mine, an automatic as well. Only big difference is that this car is a GL, so it features a more comfortable interior. 😉

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