Remembering Japanese cars from the past

Tag: Japan Classic Sunday (Page 1 of 2)

Honda Life Step into my grave wagon – Japanese Rustoseums

The Honda Life Step is a van based on the Honda Life Kei car. The Honda Life was a successor to the popular Honda N360 and N600 (only abroad). Unfortunately, Honda stopped exporting their Kei offerings as soon as the Life replaced the N360/N600. This means we never got to enjoy these cars outside Japan. That makes me extra sad to find these magnificent Kei cars rusting away in their natural habitat.

Honda Life Step rusting away slowly
Honda Life Step rusting away slowly

This example seems to be parked in someone’s yard. Photos like these make me wonder where people then actually sit in their gardens. I mean, you can’t sit down next to a big pile of rust, right?

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Carina Sightings: My German Carina TA60 twin!

My Toyota Carina TA60 isn’t unique by itself. But over the years I have tweaked it a bit to my own liking by adding fog lights at the front, 15 inch Celica Supra rims all around and a few more bits and pieces as well. I was browsing earlier today through some photos taken by Eelco at the Japan Classic Sunday 2023 earlier this year. All of a sudden I spotted my very own Carina TA60, but then in blue instead of white!

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Down on the Street: Honda Civic S

I already spotted that the owner of the Honda Accord mk2 didn’t use it regularly anymore, but earlier this week I also noticed this little red 1982 Honda Civic Sport creeping between a couple of the black poles marking the pavement from the parkinglot:
Honda Civic S
Yes indeed: clever parking when all spots are taken. You can’t do that with modern cars anymore!
In the pictures here it was properly parked btw. 😉

Also after seeing the car up close it I vaguely remembered it: Continue reading

JCS2011: Emblems, decals and details!


Time to share some emblems, decals and sticker close ups!
Toyota Crown MS75 emblem
Toyota Crown MS75 emblem

This Crown emblem was on the bumper of a Crown hardtop coupe MS75. I love the bonkers design of this whale Crown and certainly small details like this little Crown logo…

Another Crown detail:
Toyota Crown MS56 emblem
Toyota Crown MS56 emblem

The Crown emblem is placed on the sill just between the two hinges of the rear door. Yes, it has a rear door!

Datsun 2400 Super Six emblem
Datsun 2400 Super Six emblem

The Datsun 2400 (aka the Nissan Cedric 130 in Japan) may look like a very square boxy thing, but in fact it contains very tiny little details like this small fin to create a distinction between the rear fender and the trunk.

Almost the same emblem, but then on the grille:
Datsun 2400 Super Six grille emblem
Datsun 2400 Super Six grille emblem

Tried to make the depth of field as low as possible and yet still make it readable. The Cedric emblem is almost fully blurred out.

Another example of depth of field on the Datsun 2400 Super Six:
Datsun 2400 Super Six silhouette
Datsun 2400 Super Six silhouette

The middle point of the grille has got full focus, but everything around it is blurred out. I actually had two variants of this photo: with and without people walking in the background. Somehow I liked the one with people in the background better!

Nissan Laurel C32 hardtop sedan Medalist
Nissan Laurel C32 hardtop sedan Medalist

A bit more modern is the logo of this Nissan Laurel C32 hardtop sedan Medalist. Lots of fake chrome on the grille making lots of bling-bling!

Suzuki Swift GTi Twincam 16 SA-413
Suzuki Swift GTi Twin Cam 16 SA-413

Even more modern are the sticker based decals on a Suzuki Swift GTi Twin Cam 16 (aka Cultus GTi). I was especially interested in the design of the Twin Cam decal because I’m selling Toyota AE86 Twin Cam 16 decals and they differ only a slight bit.

One more post on the JCS coming up this week and then I’ll be done with it. 😉
In the meanwhile more photos will appear on my Flickr account.

Carina Sightings: stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011


Another jewel at the Japan Classic Sunday was Eric’s shakotan stickerbombed TA40:
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011

I’ve seen a couple of stickerbombed cars, but never one that has them all over the side of the car!

However on the other side it is almost empty:
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011

But wait, maybe there is another interesting sticker on that side:
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011
Erics stickerbombed TA40 at JCS2011

Almost looks like a real tsurikawa! 😉

JCS2011: My first impression


My first impression on Yesterdays Japan Classic Sunday was that it was great! Met up with a lot of people and the cars at the meeting were amazing! A small summary of cars present: an immaculate JDM Carina TA17 coupe (more on that later this week), lowered and sticker-bombed Carina TA40, Corolla KE25KE20 with a 2TG swap, many Celica TA22/RA22ls, MR2s, many Celica Supra Mk. IIs and of course this amazingly restored Crown RS40L from 1964:
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011

This Crown RS40L was by far the star of the meeting! Its owners (father and son) restored it back to (almost) original state in the past few years.

Apart from the front grille with all its brightworks the tail lights were are the best second best part of the Crown:
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011

The round tail lights are pre-facelift which makes it even more special.

Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011

The Crown is powered by the 1.9 liter 3R engine and has a three speed manual on the steering column.

The paintjob was stunning and I tried to capture some clouds in it:
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011

And last but not least, the interior:
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011
Toyota Crown RS40L @ JCS2011

The interior has been restored as if it came straight out of the factory.

Obviously the Crown won two prizes: the first prize for being the best oldtimer at the meeting and being the oldest car at the meeting.

More photos will follow. In the meanwhile keep an eye on my Flickr account to see new uploads. 😉

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