Car and Writer: Motoring Evolution

2013 Z Car West Coast National Car Show - Motorsport Auto

2013-05-15T23:53:00.001-07:00

Every year since 1996, Motorsport Auto holds a Datsun/Nissan car show in Orange, CA. Z car owners of any generation Z are welcome to enter their vehicle in the show, and attendance is free to everyone. This year, the show was held in front of Motorsport Auto's facility. An entire block of West Collins Avenue was closed for the event.
The family friendly event had over 100 Z cars, and even a few Datsun 510s were in attendance. There were plenty of specialty vendors, with some traveling all the way from Japan to display their wares. Food trucks were parked to provide meals and refreshments to show goers, and there was an hourly raffle drawing giving people the chance to win prizes donated by the sponsors.

We'll keep this entry's writing short, so enjoy the pictures!


Not something you'd see everyday. A convertible S30Z.

A very, very nice example of a 2+2 Z.

The suspension setup was completely re-engineered on this Z. We like the supercharger too!

This Z also had its hood open differently too. Usually S30s open from the front and upward, not like clam shell.

An immaculate interior of an unrestored 280Z.

This Z should win the "Most Creative Build" award. Mid-engined VQ motor that's turbo to boot!

It even had an interior cribbed from a Maxima.

You can definitely tell this Z isn't close to being stock!

It might have an odd stance, but it was definitely one of the coolest Z cars on display.

This Z sported HID headlights. Projector lights seem to be picking up as a trend on early Zs.

Nothing but love for race cars.

This 280Z had a period correct body kit from Kaminari. It's a bit wild, but we like it for its uniqueness.

This Z had some major chassis bracing underneath the car. We forgot to snap a pic. We did like the NACA duct on the hood ala 280ZXT.

This 240Z had a VQ engine swapped under its hood. Engine swaps seemed really popular this year.

Molded headlight covers and what integrated driving lights in the original grill space.

This Z sported a completely custom version of the G-Nose front fascia. We overheard some kids say it looked like a duck. =)

10th Anniversary 280ZX, they came in either black/gold or red/black trim.

The brakes on this Z32 were massive.

Seems like the Z31 is picking up in popularity.

From pink to black, we've been watching this Z31 300ZX progress over the years.

SimTec had quite a few cars on display. This Z32 had a very aggressive front splitter/diffuser.

Nice, deep dished mesh wheels go well with this chassis.

Although it was a Z car meet, a couple of 510s were on site.

Some builds were wilder than others, and this Z33 was definitely more towards the wild side.

This is something we've never seen before: Lexus GS300 headlights molded onto a 280ZX.

An SR20DET powered this Z.

Quite possibly one of the funniest cars at the show. It even had "Blue Turd" scrawled on the side!

We never tire of seeing triple carbs on a Z car.

The yellow projector light ring perfectly matched the yellow rim on the wheels.

Clean and V8 powered!

Very cool ITB setup.

A 240Z done up to look like Ferrari 250.

We hope you liked our coverage of the Z car nationals. We'll be there again next year!

DIY Fix: How to Replace Your License Plate Bulb / Light (Car: Lexus GS 300)

2013-04-03T03:10:00.001-07:00

Spring is in full effect, and since the days are getting longer little by little, some of us may not have to use our lights as often while driving. One thing to check after a winter driving season are your vehicle's exterior lights. Many times, this is a really quick inspection that people forget to do. The ones that we do check often are the brake lights and headlights, but there are a pair of lights which do get ignored: the license plate lights. These tiny bulbs can sometimes be the reason for being pulled over. Follow along as we show you how a mini DIY tutorial on how to replace the license plate bulbs on a Lexus GS300, aka Toyota Aristo for those of our readers in Japan. Remember, that this tutorial is just a reference and we are in no way responsible for any damage you do to your vehicle. If in doubt, consult a professional for assistance.
The license plate bulbs are relatively easy to replace, and for the car we did the job on today, we only needed a small flat tip screwdriver. (As a note, there is a special tool you can purchase to remove the trunk clips in a safer manner than with a screwdriver) Start by opening the trunk and locating the round, plastic body clips which attach the trunk liner to the trunk. Using a small flat tip screwdriver, gently pull the clips out of place. You may need to start on one side of the clip and then work the other side in order to remove it.

Use a small flat tip screwdriver to gently pry the body clips of the trunk liner out.

There about 12 or 14 clips, just be sure to locate them all. Once all the clips are removed, you can remove the trunk liner off to reveal the license plate bulbs.

Once the trunk liner is removed, you will be able to see the socket holding the license light.

Remove the white electrical clip by squeezing it gently and pulling it loose. Then, rotate the socket counter clockwise to remove it. With the socket out, you can remove and replace the old bulb with a fresh one. We chose to upgrade our lighting with an LED bulb.

The old bulb removed from the socket.

With the new bulb in place, turn on the parking lights to test that the lights work. For LED lights, you may have to flip the position of the bulb due to polarity. When you have confirmed the lights work, reinstall the socket back into place.


Test the new bulb out before putting the socket back in place.

Once you have put the sockets back into place, double check the bulbs on last time before reinstalling the trunk liner.

Everything else is the reverse of removal. The final product on the vehicle we serviced today looks like this.

Our test vehicle once again has a well lit license plate.

The whole process took us about 20 minutes to accomplish while documenting and taking photos. Some cars may vary depending on the location of the lights, but the process is similar.

As always, if you have any questions, drop us a line! Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Here's a link to our article on how to replace a broken headlight lens: Headlight Lens Removal and Installation

DIY Fix: How to Remove and Replace Glass Headlight on Your Car

2013-03-05T02:16:00.005-08:00

Did road debris or a rock damage your headlight? We show you how to replace the glass lens!

While spring is on its way here, the hours of daylight are still less than the hours of darkness and many drivers spend part of their commute using their headlights. Many new cars have headlight housings made of plastic, but a lot of older cars have headlight housings made of glass which are prone to cracking to if they are struck by debris.

A small chip can quickly spread into a large crack and make night time driving hazardous for both the driver and other commuters. The crack affects the beam pattern, increasing glare for oncoming drivers. For the driver, moisture can enter the housing and short out the headlight, or the glass housing can shatter.

Our daily driver vehicle is equipped with glass headlight housings, and we recently had an errant rock create a chip on our housing which had spread to a massive crack in a few miles. By the time we got home from our work commute, the housing was threatening to completely break. Rather than pay a lot of money to have the dealership/mechanic's shop fix the headlight lens, we decided to save some money and do it ourselves.

Follow along as we show you a step-by-step tutorial on how to replace the glass lens housing of the headlight.

Here's a look at our cracked and damaged headlight. It's definitely not useful right now!

Our car in question today is a mid 90s Volvo 850, and its headlight lenses are made of glass. As you saw in the first photo, the headlight had chipped and then cracked beyond repair using a simple resin filling. We will show you how we replaced the lens on our car, and although other cars have some differences, it should give you an idea of what is involved to repair your headlight. The job itself took us about 45 minutes to do including taking the time to photograph and document our steps. Some cars may take a bit more time to do. As a general disclaimer, we take no responsibility for any damage you do to your car or to yourself, we only provide this tutorial as a guide. You assume all risks involved with servicing your vehicle. If in doubt, have a professional fix your car.

The tools we needed for the job were:
- Flat tip screwdriver
- 10 mm socket and 12 mm socket
- 3/8" drive rachet and 1 extension
- Latex gloves, or mechanics' gloves if you're allergic to latex
- Rubbing alcohol and clean cloths

You can see the 2 12 mm bolts that need to be removed to move the hood latch mechanism out of the way. The socket is pointing at 1 of the 2 bolts.

We started by disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery to cut any power to the headlights. Our car's terminal was held on by a 10 mm nut. After removing the negative terminal, place it out of the way and be sure not to have it touch any metal surfaces. We then removed the hood latch mechanism by the side of the front fender by undoing 2 12 mm bolts. This allowed us to have more room to access the 10 mm bolts holding in the headlight assembly and to help us remove the corner lamp assembly.

Pull the metal spring back to slide it out of the plastic groove in order to remove the corner lamp assembly.

Next, we pulled on the circular metal spring and slid it out of the groove holding the spring in place. Once the spring slides out of the groove, the corner lamp assembly is can be pushed out and removed from the car.

This is the corner lamp removed from the car. It's also a good time to inspect/replace the gasket for the bulb housing and the bulb itself.

The electrical connector can be removed by squeezing the metal tab down and pulling at the same time.

The corner lamp assembly is attached by a single electrical connector which can be pulled off by squeezing down on the metal tab holding the connector in place.

We then removed a similar electrical connector from the headlight assembly. After that, we focused our attention to the 3 10 mm bolts holding the headlight in place.

This is 1 of the 3 10 mm bolts that need to be removed. It is located right next to the radiator.

Here you can see the 2nd of the 3 bolts that needs to be removed. The last one is directly below.

The last of the 3 10 mm bolts that need to be taken off of the headlight assembly.

Once we removed the 3 bolts, the headlight assembly will be able to come off by pushing it out from behind. A little finessing will get it to clear the lower plastic garnish trim.

Here you can see the gaping hole left by the removed headlight assembly and the 3 bolt holes and electrical connector you had to take off.

The clips come off by using gentle prying from behind with a flat tip screwdriver.

There are 8 metal clips attaching the headlight lens to the entire assembly. We removed them by using a flat tip screwdriver and gently prying the clips off from the back. Be careful not to use too much force as it could cause the glass lens to break.

Here are the 8 clips that need to be taken off the headlight housing.

With the clips removed, we carefully pulled the glass lens off the headlight assembly. Be careful not to injure yourself since there could be shards of glass. If the lens is stubborn and won't come off, you can use the flat tip screwdriver to lift the lens away from the rubber seal.

After the glass is off, we cleaned the inside of the housing and threw away the old lens. Next, we removed the old rubber seal and threw it away too. If your replacement lens did not come with a new rubber seal, you can reuse your old one if it's still in good shape. Since our headlight lens did come with a new seal, we used the flat tip screwdriver to put the seal in place in the plastic housing. Take your time when doing this step and be sure the seal sits neatly inside the plastic track.

We used the flat tip screwdriver to help us guide the new seal into place.

Our seal was a little long, and we had to cut the excess off before finishing up the seal.

We had to cut off the excess rubber to make the seal fit perfectly. You may have to do the same.

With the new seal in place, the headlight housing should like this:

This is our headlight assembly ready for the new glass.

We took rubbing alcohol and wiped the inside of the new glass lens to remove any grease or oil. Then we placed the lens against the housing and secured back in place with the metal clips. It may take a little bit of force to get the clips back onto the lens and plastic housing. We found it easiest if you start from the plastic side and then clip the clip on the glass lens.

We found it easier to attached the lens and plastic housing by having the clip secure the plastic side first and then snap onto the lens.

Once all 8 clips are attached, make sure the glass lens is lined up straight and that there are no gaps between the seal and the lens. You don't want any moisture to get inside or it could burn out your headlight!

Here's our headlight fully assembled and ready to go back on.

Installation is the reverse of removal, and don't forget to double check that you have attached the electrical connectors. With the new headlight in place, we reconnected the negative terminal and checked to make sure the headlight worked. Don't forget to double check your beam pattern and have it adjusted correctly too.

The new headlight lens fully installed and ready to help you see at night!

Congratulations! You're now ready to enjoy your night time driving again, and saved yourself some money by doing it yourself! Who knows, maybe this will encourage you to take on other aspects of car maintenance. It's not too bad when you start to break it down into little steps right?

Is there any routine/basic car maintenance you would like for us to make as a tutorial? If so, send us an email! Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Here's a link to a DIY license plate light installation: License Plate Bulb Removal and Replacement

California Smog & Emissions Exemptions; a Brief Rundown

2012-10-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

A question we receive on a regular basis is about California's regulations on emissions testing for road vehicles. It seems quite a few people are confused as to what the current law says about the emissions status of motor vehicles.

To start, emissions testing aka smog tests are required on gasoline powered cars from 1976 and newer. This means the vehicles must undergo a visual and tailpipe emissions inspection. Cars 1975 and older are exempt. There is no rolling exemption in California as that was abolished in 2005 by Governor Schwarzenneger. Diesel powered cars are exempt from emissions testing up to model year 1997. 1998 and newer diesel cars are required to do a smog test every 2 years like their gasoline counterparts.

Vehicles that are not over 4 years old do not have any smog testing required. Also, some owners of older vehicles may notice their smog renewal notices stating the car must be tested at a test only facility. This is due to the car being labeled as a potential high emissions vehicle that may fail the smog inspection.

Cars which fail the emissions test are labeled as gross polluters for 5 years and must have a retest done every year for the next 5 years. Also, if your smog certificate is good for 90 days from the date it is issued if you want to transfer vehicle ownership to someone else. It is also the vehicle owner's responsibility for taking care of a car's smog testing before selling the car.

These are the basics for the emissions laws concerning cars in California. There are some more details you can get from the DMV website if you need more information. Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Nissan DeltaWing Places 5th at Petit Le Mans Finale

2012-10-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Nissan DeltaWing team as they finished 5th overall in last weekend's Petit Le Mans race held at Road Atlanta. Powered by a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder turbo and with roughly half the fuel of the larger prototype cars, it was impressive to see the DeltaWing start from the back of the grid and finish in the top 5!

You can read about the team's success here: Nissan DeltaWing Petit Le Mans

Coronado Speed Festival Part 3, Show and Shine

2012-10-12T14:24:00.001-07:00

For our last installment of the Coronado Speed Fest of 2012, we will take a look at the vehicles which arrived for the second day of the car show.

As always, in case you missed our first 2 parts, you can view them here:

Coronado Speed Festival Part 1

Coronado Speed Festival Part 2

Here are some of the beautiful vehicles we saw on the last day of the Coronado Speed Festival.

An ultra rare car to come across. It's a Sabra!

It was the first time we've ever seen one of these up close.

Did you know Israel made cars? =)

Gives new meaning to "beach cruiser."

There weren't as many ratrods this year, but this example was pretty sweet.

A Ferrari 330 GTS is an excellent grand tourer.

Simple, clean and functional. Hopefully modern cars can one day have the auxiliary gauges drivers rely on to be integrated back into the dashboard display.

One of the nicest restored fastback Mustangs at the show.

A Shelby Cobra with Mustang Cobra wheels.

The Espada is probably not the first car you think of when you hear the name Lamborghini.

Love the color coordination!

Do you think this shade of purple will be used as a color choice again?

Lotus Elan, one of the original flyweight corner carvers courtesy of Colin Chapman.

Sunbeam Tigers seem to be gaining in popularity. We see more and more examples driving on the streets.

That's one sexy Viper.

This Caterham was for sale.

This Miata stood out from the others sporting a body kit flared rear arches.

Chrysler's current 300c looks similar to this Rolls-Royce.

The Navy Leap Frogs provided attendees with a spectacular showing of parachuting skills.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of the Coronado Speed Festival. You can be sure that we'll be there next year too!

Coronado Speed Festival Part 2: Race Cars in the Paddocks

2012-10-08T10:05:00.002-07:00

The Camaro and Ford Fairlane are just a few of the cars which participated in the historic Trans-Am series race.

In part 1 of our coverage of the Coronado Speed Festival, we showed you some of the many different cars which showed up for the car show on Saturday.

You can view part 1 here: Coronado Speed Festival Part 1

For part 2 of our coverage, we will show you the various race cars we saw as we browsed the paddocks.
Walking down the each isle of the paddocks at the Coronado Speed Festival is like taking a time warp. Carburetors are the dominant method of fuel delivery, drum brakes are abundant, and conversations of setting the points or changing jets are the norm. It's easy to get lost in the nostalgia. Unlike the paddocks of a professional racing series, you won't see a large team of technicians and mechanics working on a vehicle. Many of the drivers are the mechanics, and often you can catch them lying on their backs servicing a car on jack stands in between their group's track sessions. The whirring of ratchets adds to the soundtrack of roaring engines and squealing tires. The scent of race gas and burnt rubber wafts from the track to the paddocks, and on occasion hints of coolant or oil enter the mix too. Enthusiastic fans and some children squeal with delight as they are allowed the rare opportunity to sit in the driver's seat to pose for pictures. The only section where the trip down memory lane ends, is the Mazda MX-5 Cup area. These cars are the very few contemporary machines which compete at the Coronado Speed Festival.

It's easy to say that an avid car enthusiast could spend the better of a day looking at race car up close and speaking with the owners!

Here are the photos of some of the vehicles which competed.

We've posted this photo of the 1917 Chevrolet Speedster before, but it was one of the most popular cars on track.

Many former NASCAR vehicles get a second chance at racing. Fans of the series got a real treat this year with cars from the 1960s all the way to 2000s were racing together.

This Datsun 710 was a rare sight as the platform wasn't as popular as the 510 or Z cars.

Comedian Adam Carolla drove this SR311 Datsun Roadster. Carolla has also driven a Datsun 610 at Coronado.

Alfa Romeos were a main staple during the small bore 2.5 Trans-Am racing series.

This 240SX doesn't look much like the street car it's based from. The power plant is a VG30.

Datsun Z cars are synonymous with the words track and racing.

Porsches are a common sight on the track at vintage events.

Inline 3 cylinder!

AMC may not be around anymore, but their Javelin was quite competitive in the Trans-Am series.

It's hard to miss this lime green Dodge Challenger on the track.

This Ford Torino Talladega was the oldest NASCAR competing at Coronado. It was also Ford's response to improve the aerodynamics of the car to battle with Dodge's Charger.

BMW's 2002 was the main rivals for Alfa Romeo GTVs and Datsun 510s.

This Nissan Bluebird Coupe is the Japan only version of a 2 door 510.

The lucky owner even has the dashboard signed by Yukata Katayama, or Mr. K, former president of Nissan North America and father of the Z car here in the States.

The Playboy/Mazda MX-5 Cup race was very intense with the winner of the race taking the lead on the very last lap.

Although many people are familiar with the DeLorean's gull wing doors, the Mercedes 300SL had them back in the 1950s!

This concludes part 2 of our coverage. We'll wrap things up shortly with a look at the 2nd day of the car show. Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Part 3 can be viewed here! Coronado Speed Festival Part 3

Coronado Speed Festival, a Gathering of Vintage Cars from All Makes Part 1

2012-10-03T00:00:00.002-07:00

The Coronado Speed Festival allows attendees a chance to view many vintage vehicles from pony cars to exotic speedsters.

Squeak, squeak.... Vroooom! Braap, braap braap, braap. The priming of carburetors followed by the lumpy idle of a high lift camshaft actuating valves breaks the early morning silence. It is a soundtrack you will become familiar with as you walk the aisles past the various types of vintage cars lining the paddocks at Naval Base Coronado. As part of its Fleet Week program in appreciation to the troops serving our country, the military holds an annual "Race at the Base" aka Coronado Speed Festival which takes place over an entire weekend. The race course is setup at the airfield on the base, and this year marked the 15th time the event has been held.

The races were categorized into 10 different groups, depending on the year, type of vehicle and in some cases the engine displacement or equipment. This year's event was unique due to the Playboy sponsored Mazda MX-5 Cup racing series taking place as well. The drifting exhibition was also lengthened to allow the drifters to participate in full laps of the course. The Coronado Speed Festival also hosts a car show on both days of the event, but different cars show up each day and there are different winners each day as well. The winners of the day take a parade lap around the road course before returning back to the car show parking lot.

Aside from viewing the show cars and the numerous vendors on site, attendees can also meet the drivers of the vintage cars and inspect the vehicles up close. Some of the drivers even allow you to sit inside their car or will discuss their car's specifications. A few celebrities race at the event too, such as Adam Carolla, a Datsun aficionado, and Vic Edelbrock Jr., owner of the company in the same name which has powered many street hot rods.

BMW, Chevrolet, Mazda and VW had vehicles on hand which people could test drive. It was an excellent opportunity to appreciate the differences of each maker's cars compared to the others. There was a pit crew challenge where teams from the different military branches competed to see who could perform a full pit stop on a NASCAR vehicle in the shortest amount of time.

All in all, the Coronado Speed Festival is a great way for car enthusiasts from any background to appreciate the progress of race cars from the early 1900s to the present NASCAR V8 behemoths. The event is very family friendly, just remember to bring some ear plugs along as some of the cars are a bit loud!

Stay tuned as this is only part 1 of the photos! We have plenty of photos to show you! Part 2 will focus on the race cars that competed and were on display in the paddocks.

Teams prep for the "Pit Crew Challenge" of servicing a NASCAR race car.

A plethora of De Tomaso Panteras came to the show.

A former Hertz rental car! The GT350H was exclusively available only through the Hertz car rental company.

There were many examples of the Shelby Cobra on display.

The projector head light conversion looked really good on this Pantera, as did its wheels!

The sole Viper that represented the club on Saturday. Plenty more came out on Sunday!

Ford's GT is one of the few retro-inspired cars that stay extremely close to the original's design and pull it off well.

5.4 liters of supercharged fury!

The original GT40. Only 40" high!

We like how the whitewall tires contrast with the red paint on this T-Bird.

The C1 Corvettes are timeless classics indeed.

This 60s Camaro was one of the nicest examples we've seen in awhile.

Mazda Miatas and MX-5s had a huge turnout on Saturday. Every generation was represented.

The addition of teeth made this Miata look similar to the face of a Ninja Turtle toy from the 90s.

Contemporary machines such as the Subaru BRZ and Nissan GT-R were present.

This Infiniti had a massive front mount intercooler, which if painted black, would be nearly invisible behind a proper front bumper.

Nothing like a classic Pontiac GTO on rally wheels.

Can we join this club too? =)

Range Rover's current design hasn't strayed too far from their roots right?

We have a soft spot for the early VW Scirocco.

One of the rarest cars we've seen stateside. An early Saab wagon!

Even more cool is the V4 (that's right, it's not inline!) engine mounted so far up in front of the axles! You would never see this design on a modern car due to the weight distribution.

Someone's Rabbit isn't very happy! =P

Perhaps one of the nicest examples of the Datsun Roadster we have come across.

A classic Dodge from what we believe is sometime in the mid 1930s.

This Infiniti G37 sported a host of bolt on modifications, but they all meshed well with the car.

Both body styles of the NSX were on hand too. (NA1 and NA2 respectively)

For some odd reason we like the early pop up lamp style better than the later flush lamp front fascia of the Acura NSX.

A few Volvo 1800ESs were came to the car show.

The Ferrari 430 Scuderia is a beautiful machine.

The front brake rotors are as large as a pizza!

Jensen Healeys always look like they are smiling.

A nicely restored Ford Mustang with a 289 engine.

If ever a modern car were to be described as go-kart like, hands down it would be the Lotus Elise.

A rare look at the transmission mated up to the engine in the back of a Pantera.

The original that started BMW's dominance in the luxury sport coupe market: E30 M3.

A somewhat different version of BMW's 2002. This is the 2000 tilux.

One of the wildest creations from BMW was their 3.0 CSL. The front winglets on the hood and the large rear spoiler make this Bimmer distinctive from its more common brethren.

The Alpina B7 turbo was capable of producing 300+ hp.

Here's a rare treat to see. An Alpina B7 turbo. Very few of these cars still exist!

The pin striping was nice.

An Oldsmobile powered by the legendary 442 engine. Love the SDSU parking permit too!

Fans of the show Family Matters will remember Steve Irkel driving a variation of the BMW Isetta.

One of the most popular cars at the car show was this heavily modified VW Bus.

We would hate to have to try to access the engine of a Lotus Espirit!

This shade of metallic brown looked even better in person!

The flower and bird graphics were expertly done and looked great!

With a work truck as cool as this, we'd have nothing to complain about on Monday mornings! =)

Audi's V10 R8 is one of the nicest modern roadsters.

Maybe someday we will be able to buy cars as stylish as this 1940s Mercury.

The green hue was simply awesome. We tip our hats to the owner.

We are curious if the upcoming Barracuda will look anything like this late 60s version.

Whenever we see old coupes like this, we want to grab a fedora and a suit.

One of the most powerful cars at the show, this Ford Ranchero boasted 900 horsepower!

Love the license plate.

We wonder if accessories like the FoMoCo reservoir above are still available for purchase, or if they are discontinued.

This concludes our 1st part of the coverage of the Coronado Speed Festival. Stay tuned, we'll have part 2 up shortly! We would also like to personally thank our troops for keeping our freedom and country safe!

Part 2 can be viewed here! Coronado Speed Festival Part 2

Part 3 can be viewed here! Coronado Speed Festival Part 3

JCCS 2012, A Gathering of Vintage Japanese Automobiles

2012-09-27T13:02:00.003-07:00

JCCS has a wide variety of classic Japanese vehicles that come such as these Toyota Celicas.

The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California is not only a haunted, floating tourist attraction. It is also the location of several prolific car shows too. One such show is the Japanese Classic Car Show or JCCS which takes place each year in early September.
The JCCS event is open to any Japanese automobile at least 25 years old, and thus makes it one of the most unique car shows due to the variety of vehicles which show up. Early Datsun Z cars and 510s show up in spades, but there are some rarer machines such as the exotic looking Toyota 2000GT and quirky Subaru 360 too.

Of all the import car events we attend, the JCCS car show is probably one of the best due to the laid back, family friendly atmosphere and interesting cars that are displayed.

A clean classic right hand drive Datsun Bluebird.

This Z caught our attention due to it being converted to an open top roadster.

The box flares on this Datsun 510 remind of us of the E30 BMW M3.

We liked the gunmetal paint and subtle exterior additions such as the BRE style front air dam and the amber/white signal lens.

This SA22 RX-7 sported some very, very large over fenders.

The owner of this extremely clean Toyota Levin converted it from RHD to LHD so he could participate in racing. The car is also powered by a 12A rotary engine.

The bullet fender mirrors go great on an early 70s Celica.

Toyota's 2000GT is a rare beauty, less than 350 were made.

Even the valve cover was paint matched! =)

A V8 powered AE86? Yes please!

Sitting low and on some nice deep dish mesh wheels.

This Datsun Roadster sported side pipe exhaust ala the Shelby Cobra.

The Chevy Sprint turbo was the product of a venture between Suzuki and GM. It's powered by a 1.0 liter 3 cylinder turbo engine.

Of the older Skylines, the C10 chassis is probably the most recognizable to enthusiasts.

After the Galant VR-4 was done for the U.S. market, it was another 11 years before Mitsubishi offered another AWD sedan for consumers.

Seems Hondas have always loved to rev. The N600's inline 2 cylinder revved to 9000 rpm.

The Mitsubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest was equipped with a large displacement 4 cylinder turbo engine, and some very aggressive blister fenders from the factory.

Longchamp XR-4 wheels always look good!

This AW11 MR2 would surprise quite a few cars due to the 3S-GTE powering it.

This early Datsun looks kind of like a scaled down Chevrolet 210.

FC RX-7s are known for their handling prowess, and this example seems like it is very track oriented.

Simple, clean and fast.

Yes, that could explain us and our love for vintage vehicles!

The only Datsun Roadster at the show with a hardtop.

That finishes our coverage of the JCCS car show. For those of you who want to attend next year's event, you can find the information at the following link: Japanese Classic Car Show

Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Nisei Car Show Part III: Show, Go and Some Exotics

2012-09-25T10:52:00.001-07:00

Here's our final set of pictures from the Nisei Festival car show.

In case you missed our other two parts, you can view them here:

Part I: Nisei Fest Car Show Part I

Part II: Nisei Fest Car Show Part II

A sleepy eyed SW20 MR2 turbo.

The bright orange Volk TE37 wheels really stood out on this 350Z.

This E46 M3 was sporting quite a bit of aero modifications and some serious brake hardware.

This DC2 Integra was different as it was sporting gold plating in its engine bay.

It's not everyday we see a well done Civic Wagon.

We have nothing but love for the X83 chassis Cressida.

Also somewhat of a rarity, a 1st generation 200SX.

This Mini Cooper was the sole British car at the show.

A Pontiac GTO sporting Holden parts.

The flares on this VW Golf were insane! Wish we could have had a closer look at it.

Bisimoto's K-series powered Civic is nice.

An old school Toyota Corolla rolling on period correct Watanabe wheels.

We've seen this 510 over the course of a decade and it only gets better and better.

You can't go wrong with an NSX. Sexy indeed.

This Mercedes-Benz Roadster had a very aggressive stance.

Audi's R8 is a very beautiful car.

Here was something different, a modded Infiniti FX35.

This ratrod Toyota pickup is awesome.

A Datsun 510 with BRE graphics which harkens back to the Trans-Am series of the early 1970s.

With that, we finish up our coverage of the Nisei Festival. Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Nisei Fest Car Show 2012 Part II: Show, Go and Some Exotics

2012-08-22T10:16:00.001-07:00

If this year's Nisei Fest was any indication, it was that the car tuning culture is still very much alive in Southern California.

In case you missed Part I of our coverage of the 2012 Nisei Fest car show, you can view the photos here: Nisei Fest 2012 Part I

Even with the temperatures soaring in the mid 90s, it didn't prevent a steady stream of spectators from attending the show.

Part II kicks off with the venerable JZA80 Supra, a vehicle which was definitely a hallmark car from the golden era of Japanese super cars.


This single turbo Supra was a nice example of one of the greatest cars built by Toyota. We hope the company will continue to inject sportiness in their lineup now that they have brought the FRS to our shores.

The polished parts really help set off the engine bay of this Supra.


A turbocharged SilEighty sporting the brick style headlights and GT-R grill insert instead of the standard "Silvia" grill.

Can't go wrong with a sleepy eyed S13 hatchback!

Mugen's aero parts help this TSX stand apart from its factory brethren.

If Gru had this Civic, we're sure he'd been a lot less despicable to other people. =)

Godzilla in a matte orange finish.

This Impreza had an undercarriage that was as clean as its paint.

A Nissan Bluebird aka Datsun 610 in the U.S.

A nice 997 chassis Porsche.


Although mostly known for their screaming VTEC engines, Honda did offer turbocharged vehicles such as this City Turbo.

Not everyday you see Honda and Intercooler on the same factory label!

An SW20 MR2 on Work Equips? Simply sweet.

This Miata must be a blast to drive on winding mountain roads.

This concludes Part II of our coverage. We will wrap things up in Part III! Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Part III can viewed here: Nisei Fest Car Show Part III

Nisei Fest 2012 Carshow: Show, Go and Even Some Exotics Part I

2012-08-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

The Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ were some of the many cars on display at this year's Nisei Fest car show.

Nisei Fest is annual event held in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, California in August each year. The festival allows visitors to enjoy Japanese culture such as their music, food, martial arts, and dance. Another attraction that accompanies the Nisei Fest is the car show. The show is held in a lot adjacent to the festivities. This year, there was a wide variety of cars present. Everything from classic Chevrolet Impalas to exotics like the Audi R8 were on display.
We apologize in advance for our photos being blurred a bit. We had an unexpected problem with our camera. Don't worry though, you can still appreciate the quality of the builds the owners did to their vehicles.

The biggest surprise this year was the amount of cars running an individual throttle body (ITB) setup.

ITB setups were popular among the naturally aspirated crowd this year.

Everything from classics like the Datsun 510 to more recent vehicles such the DC2 Integra could be found at this year's Nisei Fest.

This is one van that won't ever drop the kids off late to soccer practice! =)


Cool alternative to the usual ITB sock covers.


Gotta love boosted and lowered E46 BMWs.


Clean and nicely executed F20C engine swap on this AE86 Corolla.

To the casual observer, the engine almost looks like a stock factory engine. Excellent job by the guys who did this installation!

The new Scion FRS and Subaru BRZ seem to be catching the eye of enthusiasts in Southern California. There were plenty on display considering the cars were only released a few months ago.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and Subaru WRX STI, which would you choose?

A group of Integras sporting the J-spec front end.

This was something out of the ordinary. A right hand drive CRX with lots of Mugen goodies!

Low rider classics were on display too. We really liked this wagon.

An Impala sporting Daytons, very nice indeed.

An S14 with very, very wide Weds Kranze LXZ wheels.

We don't see very many EF Civic sedans on the streets anymore, but this was a nice example of one built right.

A nice group of hatchbacks, from the early AE86 and S13, to the JZA80 Supra.

Stay tuned as we will be posting Part II shortly!

Click here for Part II!

Click here for Part III!

Tech Tip: Thermostat Replacement Interval

2012-07-16T21:15:00.001-07:00

The summer driving season is in full swing, and while it is nice to be able to cruise the streets and hit the beach, we would like to remind you to check up on your car's cooling system. The extra stress placed upon your car's cooling system during the summer means you should check up on the condition of the system, and more specifically the thermostat.

The thermostat is a small item placed somewhere between the radiator and the engine, and regulates the temperature of the coolant by opening and closing which affects the coolant's rate of flow. Over time, the thermostat can fail and get stuck in the closed position which can lead to your car overheating. A thermostat is generally inexpensive and costs less than $20 at your local auto parts store, but the damage that can occur to your engine if it overheats can costs you hundreds or even thousands to fix.

The replacement interval varies between manufacturers, but we usually replace our thermostat every 2-3 years or 30-50K miles, which is when we also recommend changing out the vehicle's anti-freeze for fresh coolant. The thermostat is usually easy to replace, and can be done at home with basic hand tools. We will try to get a tutorial done soon which will outline the basic procedures for those who would like to attempt the repair at home.

Happy motoring and keep on driving!

GM Targets Younger Buyers Via MTV

2012-05-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

In a bid to increase sales to younger drivers, GM is utilizing MTV's help.

Our friends at Hemmings Motor News first brought this to our attention. It seems that in a bid to get younger people to interested in buying cars, GM is turning to MTV for assistance in the matter. The same channel that brought so many lovely things to light like Jersey Shores, Laguna Beach and The Real World. The New York Times reports that 46% of drivers between the age of 18-24 would choose having Internet access over a car. The article also states that in 2008 less than 50% of eligible drivers 19 and younger had a driver's license, compared to 64% who did in 1998. In 2009, drivers between the ages of 21-30 also drove 12% less miles than in 1995.

This article got us thinking, why is that the younger generation is apathetic or no longer enthusiastic about the automobile? If the lower sales from this generation is enough to have GM scrambling to tap into MTV's marketing groups, perhaps it means that as a whole, the automotive market will shrink in the coming decades.

There are a few ideas that come to our mind as the cause for the downward trend in sales, or the automobile's fall in prominence to the "millennial" generation (those born between 1981-2000).

First, gasoline is a lot more expensive than it was 10 years ago. On April 15th, 2002, the average price for unleaded gasoline in California was $1.61, and on April 16th, 2012, the average price of unleaded gasoline was $4.23. (Source: California Average Gas Price) That's an increase of ~162%! The minimum wage in California was $6.75 in 2002 and is currently $8.00, an increase of only 18.5%. It's easy to see why it's less likely for younger drivers to be able to go anywhere. Their buying power for fuel is significantly lower than their peers' from a decade ago. The days of just cruising or going on an impromptu road trip are gone for the younger drivers.

Another reason may be that cars are much more complex today than before. Even as late as 2000, many vehicles did not have as many electronic sensors or items on the vehicle which replaced mechanical items. Some of the systems today require a thorough understanding in electronics, and if a problem arises with one of the sensors, it will send the vehicle into a "limp" mode which renders the vehicle nearly inoperable. There are some scanners available which will read basic fault codes, but other codes require a specific reader usually available only at the dealership.

Online gaming and the use of the internet is another factor. With entertainment like video games, movie/video streaming, and Facebook easily accessible and without the headaches of maintenance, insurance and gas bills that go with vehicle ownership, it's not hard to imagine why teens would rather use their money on a nice cell phone, laptop or tablet instead.

The decline of the automobile's prominence in the public's view as a status icon, and now more as an appliance might also be attributed to the focus automakers have to isolate the driver from the outside world. Cars have become quieter, less attention is required to drive the car (i.e. lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic wipers, automatic transmissions, etc), more driver distractions (i.e. in-car entertainment systems or radios which require surfing menu after menu just to adjust something) and cars even have less instrumentation than before. A case in point would be some of the economy cars which even lack a water temperature gauge! It seems as if the experience of driving of a car is now watered down to be boring and mundane transportation for the masses.

So what are your thoughts? Any opinions as to why cars lack appeal to the younger generation of drivers? Is it the cars or has there been in a change in the times? Anything you think manufacturers can do to get young people to want to drive? Happy motoring and keep on driving!

Old School JDM, or New Car? Which would you want?

2012-05-17T16:36:00.002-07:00

An article posted in the New York Times piqued our interest. It was talking about how some people eschew owning a new car and import used Japanese cars which are over 25 years old. This got us thinking, would you want to own a new car or something that's nearly as old as some of the readers of our blog? Why would someone want to own such a car?

In our opinion, it's the passion, and to some extent knowing the fact that owning such a vehicle will put the owner in a rare circle since not many genuine domestic market Japanese or European cars are in the U.S. You really have to enjoy cars to want to ship a car halfway around the world to own it. The paperwork process looks extensive, and we imagine that the price to import a car isn't cheap.

Also, since these cars used, you can bet they will need something fixed, and not many people would want to take the leap of faith of fixing what 25+ years of various ownership can do to a car. From dubious wiring jobs to half done repairs, we've seen them all. There's is nothing worse than having to trace wires from the engine bay all the way under the dash and back to the computer to find a short in a car's electrical system.

So we ask, what 25+ year old car/cars would you like to own that were not originally sold in the U.S.?

Toyotafest 2012 Old school meets new school

2012-05-07T16:47:00.001-07:00

ToyotaFest 2012 featured many rare and unique Toyotas like this S800.

Turns out it great when the weather forecaster is wrong. The clouds were nowhere to be seen, and it was nothing but sunshine, music and of course the cars. This year's 17th annual Toyotafest held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach was a great event. There were cars ranging from the ultra rare Toyota S800 coupe, to the newest Scion xB and tC on display. Lexus was also on hand, letting attendees pick out a design to have screen printed onto a t-shirt for free.
All kinds of styles were at the show: The ultra low VIP sedans, stock OEM restorations, gutted and fully built race cars, and street cars in various states of tune. The one thing that was the same was the high level of enthusiasm everyone had at the show. Kudos to the Toyota Owner's and Restorer's Club for putting on this yearly event and allowing a new generation of enthusiasts a chance to see Toyota's storied past. Below are some pictures from the event. You can be sure we'll be at the next one too!

A VIP style GS300 with a bolt on turbo 2JZ-GE engine.

This was a first for us. A modded Lexus RX series SUV.

Daruma Celicas have a timeless appearance.

This car was powered by a 3T turbo engine.

1100 horsepower! Think the owner has any traction issues? =)

A nice sleeper: 1UZ powered Cressida.

Wide bodied Matrix.

This MR2 was sporting an extremely rare TRD 2000GT body kit.

Old school Century.

At first glance, this MR2 looks like a mini F355.

B-spec Yaris.

This Scion tC was boosted by a Greddy turbo kit.

ZG fenders seem to have a universal application.

The FR-S has plenty of room to work with in the engine bay.

What an awesome license plate!

Datsun West Coast Z Car Nationals 2012

2012-05-03T16:13:00.001-07:00

150+ Z cars were on display at the 2012 West Coast Z Car Nationals.

On April 29th, many Datsun Z car enthusiasts converged to a small street in Orange County, California to celebrate the 15th annual West Coast Z car Nationals held by Motorsport Auto. The Datsun Z specialists sponsored the event, and the gathering was open to any generation of Z car, from the early S30Z chassis Datsun 240Z, to the latest Z34 chassis Nissan 370Z.

This Z was one of the many nice examples on display.

This custom Z was powered by a Hemi engine. The front end reminded us of a modified SRL311 Roadster's just widened to fit the Z.

From further away, it might be easier to see what we are talking about.

A clean Datsun Roadster which is currently available via raffle tickets. We give our best wishes to Victor Laury.

From stock to full blown race car, there was a huge variety of Z cars on display. Some of the interesting swaps done in the early S30Z chassis cars were a V8 Hemi engine, complete with the column shifter and gauge cluster, a full 350Z engine swap including the dashboard and gauges, and there were plenty of RB powered Z cars too.

The Motul team had this sweet Z on display with unique wheels they obtained from Australia.

It wasn't all about just seeing cars though, as plenty of vendors were on hand to display their latest items for the Z cars. Motul, Schneider camshafts, Eibach, and even the guys from the Japanese Nostalgic Car site were present.

Throughout the day, various prizes were raffled off, and bellies were filled by the delicious food offered by the catering trucks. A few people did start up their cars and rev them a bit too, giving attendees some additional music to listen to. =)

This Z sported a Kaminari body kit with period correct wheels, from Enkei if we're not mistaken.

This year's show was also a lot larger than the previous 2 shows we went to. We hope that means the event will continue to expand. We can't wait to go again next year and see what other Z cars will show up!

This Z31 used to be pink, and now sports a matte black paint job. It was one of our favorite 1st gen 300zxs in attendance.

One of the many RB powered early Z cars. We like the ZG flares and clear timing belt cover.

A 370Z with the front "fangs" removed. Think the fangless look is better?

PowerTrix displayed their Z32 300ZX. This car is extremely quick.

This 240Z was powered by a triple carburetor turbo setup. Very vintage, but seriously cool!

Carburetor turbo setups are rare these days, and to see one up close an awesome treat.

This S30Z received a thorough redesign of its suspension setup and also a supercharger for added power. We liked the owner's ingenuity.

Another clean RB powered Z with a MSA front air dam.

A clean S130Z 280ZX.

This Z had an enormous amount of work done to it.

Here you can see how the engine has been pushed back and lowered, along with the dual oil filter and custom supercharger setup.

The engine of the Hemi powered Z.

The owner also swapped in a complete Dodge dash setup too.

A pair of Z32 Z cars.

We have to give credit to this owner. Not many are willing to make a convertible out of a Z, and fewer are done this well!

This was probably our favorite Z. Clean, simple mods and nice wheels. Looks like something we'd find back in Japan.

This Z was rocking period correct wheels (Longchamp XR-4) and looked great.

This Z received custom square headlights, and the owner took the extra step to mold the headlight bucket to fit the light. Nicely done!

The later Z31s (1987-89) remind us of the 180SX a bit.

Enkei 92 wheels are classic.

This was an interesting use of an old school HKS surge tank originally meant for carburetors being used for an EFI setup.

This custom front end reminded us a bit of a Lamborghini's front ducts.

Although this was a Datsun event, we spotted this very nice C6 Corvette in a parking lot adjacent to the show.

Looks like such a fun car to drive on the track!

We're sure many more people would say the same of their Zs. =)

This flared Z31 was spotted on the streets outside of the show.

Seems like the Z31 platform is gaining in popularity gauging from the numbers we are seeing modified on the streets now.

$750,000 for a nice used car

2012-05-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

If you had $750,000 to spend on a car, what you want to buy? Maybe some vintage Ferrari or a Bugatti Veyron? Or how about this: $750,000 used car

Our friends at the CarScoop first grabbed our attention to this fine piece of machinery. The car you see is on sale by its owner, and all we can say is, "Wow..." Custom body work is great if helps accentuate the lines of the car, but this one seems like the owner didn't want to stop until he used up all his buckets of Bondo! There's not much left of the original car, and quite frankly if you wanted to be noticed, why not start with an exotic super car like a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Bugatti? Can't imagine that parking or driving this car would be very easy with the huge blindspots it has. We were surprised that the asking price was so high too! To each their own, but we think we'll pass on this car. =)

Ford Set to Release New Focus ST

2012-05-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

2013 Ford Focus is set to be priced just under $25K. Photo courtesy of Ford.

If the Scion FR-S doesn't pack enough straight line punch to satisfy your need for speed, then Ford may have your answer.
The 2013 Ford Focus ST is priced to be around $25,000, and comes with a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder engine making 252 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. All that power will be routed through a 6 speed manual transmission driving the front wheels. All that torque might make some people ask if the car will have violent torque steer, but Ford says they have quelled the problem with their electric power steering system which automatically compensates to counter act the tugs at the steering wheel. No word yet if the Focus ST will come with a true limited slip differential, but for now, the car will rely on the electronic systems onboard to limit wheel spin.

The Focus ST has an aggressive rear bumper and center exit exhaust. Photo courtesy of Ford.

The Focus ST will keep drivers planted during hard cornering with the optional Recaro seats. A leather wrapped steering wheel, aluminum trimmed pedals and shift knob help give the cockpit a racecar like feel too. The interior also gains a tripod of gauges on the center of the dashboard keeping tabs on boost pressure, oil temperature and oil temperature. It's not all business though, as pleasure is abundant if the premium Sony audio system is picked, with 10 speakers and HD radio on standby to play any tunes that will rev up the driver.

Drivers will appreciate the aluminum trimmed pedals and shifter. Photo courtesy of Ford.

A trio of gauges help rely important information. Photo courtesy of Ford.

As an added bonus, the first 1,000 pre-orders will receive a GoPro HD Hero 2 Motorsports camera if the order is placed before August 20th. It seems like the $25K sector of the market is about to get a lot more competitive. The Focus ST will contend against the MazdaSpeed3, Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ, Hyundai Genesis, Miata MX-5 and GTI for drivers' money. Which car is the one you'd take for $25K?


Optional Recaro seats will allow drivers to focus on driving and not hanging onto the steering wheel for bracing. Photo courtesy of Ford.

Focus ST has a unique blacked out grill and optional HID headlights. Photo courtesy of Ford.

Using Physics to Beat a Ticket

2012-04-16T12:55:00.001-07:00

The next time your kid asks you, "When will I ever need this stuff?" about homework, tell them you can beat traffic ticket. =P An article posted by ARS Technica stated that a San Diego physicist was able to avoid a ticket using physics to explain why he did not deserve the ticket.

The paper written by physicist Dmitri Krioukov is titled, The Proof of Innocence, and details why the officer mistakenly thought Krioukov had ran a stop sign. The paper notes, "... we show that if a car stops at a stop sign, an observer, e.g., a police officer, located at a certain distance perpendicular to the car trajectory, must have an illusion that the car does not stop, if the following three conditions are satisfied: (1) The observer measures not the linear but angular speed of the car; (2) The car decelerates and subsequently accelerates relatively fast; and (3) There is a short-time obstruction of the observer's view of the car by an external object, e.g., another car, at the moment when both cars are near the stop sign."

So there you have it, a real world example of why it's important to stay in school. =)

Brake Override System May Be Implemented Soon

2012-04-12T16:23:00.001-07:00

According to an article posted by Reuters, the NHTSA plans to pass a mandate stating that all vehicles must have a brake override system to prevent unintended acceleration. The mandate could be enforced as early as 2014.

What does that mean for car enthusiasts? Well, if you're like some rally car drivers who use the left foot braking technique, it will mean that you will have to change your driving style. The brake override will completely disable the throttle and there will be no way to use the brakes and throttle in unison to balance the car at the limit. No word either if this will apply when a driver is trying to do a heel-toe downshift either. Unless there will be some kind of a reflash available in the aftermarket, or maybe a switch to disable the feature, this will limit the amount of corrections a driver can make while driving.

This legislation may help drivers with less skill or awareness, but the downside is it will hinder drivers who rely on using the brakes in conjunction with the throttle during spirited driving. In any case, if you ever find your vehicle stuck with the throttle wide open, don't panic! Remain calm and shift your car into neutral and you will be able to slow down. Alternatively, you can kill the ignition by turning the keys to the off position or on some cars with push button starters, you hold the button in for 3 seconds to stop the ignition. Just remember that with no ignition, you lose the power brakes so you will have to press the brakes harder to stop.

S.B. 1224 California smog exemption

2012-04-12T12:32:00.002-07:00

We've received word that the California Senate Bill S.B. 1224 which would have given emissions exemption status to vehicles up to 1981, has failed to pass through the committee by a vote of 4-3. The bill is not completely dead however, as the committee has voted 9-0 to have the bill reconsidered.

There is still time for those of you who have not written the members of the committee, to do so. Please contact the committee members and ask for them to support the passage of the bill. You can make a difference, and this is your chance.

More information along with the contact addresses for the committee members is here: S.B. 1224 SEMA

Nostalgia Cars: 11 Japanese Cars from the 1980s

2012-04-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Aaah, youth. Where the only thing to worry about was whether or not Mom remembered to buy your favorite cereal, and bothering Dad to get out of bed so he could watch the early Saturday morning cartoons with you.

Here's a list of 11 Japanese cars which were usually modified and raced on the street by the local enthusiasts at the time. Everybody will have a different list compared to another person, but why 11 cars and not 10? Well, because we're just that awesome. =) Also, before you start sending us an email asking why there are cars that weren't available in the U.S. on the list, keep in mind that's where the author spent his youth. The cars are listed in no particular order.

The Nissan 180SX was so popular it was sold until 1998!

Nissan Silvia. Stylish, RWD and a great chassis made these cars extremely popular.

1) Nissan Silvia/180SX Turbo: The tag team duo of these coupes from Nissan made affordable sporty cars within reach of many people. You can look at these cars as the Mustangs of Japan. Many tuning companies offer upgrades for the cars, and with a potent CA18DET engine featuring 175 turbocharged ponies these cars could be seen everywhere from the drag strip to the winding mountain passes. They were probably the most popular drift car too.

The "Iron Mask" Skyline is still a regular at the drag strip.

DR30 Skyline.

The Skyline's aggressive front end flows well with the rest of the body for a clean look.

2) Nissan Skyline RS/RS-X: The cars also known as Tekkamen, or Iron Mask for the way their front end appearance is. These cars were powered by the FJ20ET engine, a dual overhead cam 2.0 liter turbocharged powerhouse producing 190 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque. An addition of an intercooler allowed the power to increase to 205 hp. The RS and RS-X Skylines brought the Nissan's nameplate back into the spotlight since the previous model's powerplants were choked by the increasing emission standards (max power for the previous generation was 145hp). The DR30 Skylines were available in 2 door and 4 door trims.

The TA63 Carina may have looked pedestrian, but when powered by the 3T turbo engine, they proved to be excellent sleepers.

Toyota Carinas were also used for circuit racing and drifting at many levels from amateurs to pros.

With room for 4 and weighing around ~2500 lbs, the Carina was great for utility and fun.

3) Toyota Carina GT-TR: This trim level gave the rather benign looking sedan some much needed punch. The 3T turbo engine made 160 horsepower, but was very overbuilt from the factory. A low compression ratio of 7.8:1 allowed tuners to crank up the boost too. The additional torque made by the turbo motor allowed drivers to fully enjoy the touge (mountain roads) and winding switchbacks.

The CR-X was excellent around technical tracks and a joy to drive on winding roads.

The CR-X is still capable of putting down competitive lap times against cars 20 years newer.

The Si-R models featured a 160 hp engine, a 25 hp bump.

4) Honda CR-X: This very compact 2 door coupe from Honda was a common staple at track events and tight circuits. The ultra light chassis pared with a respectable 135hp engine allowed the CR-X to keep up with cars a class above if the track was tight enough. The addition of the 160 horsepower B16 VTEC engine in late '89 made the diminutive Honda even more potent. The CR-X was also great on gas which was a plus to enthusiasts on a budget. The car could routinely return mpg figures in the mid 30s.

The Starion's blister fenders gave it a wide stance.

The motor was a 2.6 Liter 4 cylinder.

The flared fenders were accompanied by a lower front chin spoiler which complemented the Starion's look quite well.

5) Mitsubishi Starion GSR-VR: Mitsubishi decided to send their basic Starion to the gym and what resulted is this flared and chiseled sports coupe. The GSR-VR Starion received front and rear fender flares housing very wide (especially considering this was in the 80s!) 16x8 and 16x9 wheels. The engine was a large 2.6 liter 4 cylinder turbo engine producing 188 horsepower and torque checked in at 234 lb-ft at an easily accessible 2500 rpm.

The Trueno was the popup headlight version of the AE86 chassis.

The Levin had standard flush mounted lights.

Both the Trueno and Levin were available in either trunk or hatchback configurations.

The hatchback version is popular with fans of the Japanese manga series Initial D.

6) Toyota Levin/Trueno: These rear driven coupes didn't have much horsepower (120 hp), but they didn't need it. They had a very capable chassis and a light curb weight (~970 kg). Handling was the forte for these coupes, and there is even an entire comic book series featuring the Toyota Trueno as the star (Initial D in case you wanted to check it out). The simplicity of the mechanical components and lack of unnecessary luxury items made these cars popular with driving enthusiasts.

The RX-7's rotary engine only displaces 1.3 liters, but it pumps out 185 hp.

A functional hood scoop fed air to a top mounted air-air intercooler.

The RX-7 still has a large enthusiast base today.

7) Mazda RX-7: The rotary powered RX-7 was the king of small engines making big power. The 2 rotor, 1.3 liter turbocharged powerplant generated 185 horsepower capable of churning out low 15 second 1/4 mile runs, and was a competent handler too when the roads began to twist. The RX-7's centrally located tachometer also had a warning buzzer which would go off once the 7000 rpm redline was reached allowing the drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

The C33 Laurel was a very popular 4 door drift car and one was campaigned in the early years of Japan's D1 drift series.

Engine swaps are common as many owners upgrade their Cefiros with RB25 and RB26 powerplants.

8) Nissan Cefiro/Laurel: These two 4 door sedans were Nissan's answers to battle against Toyota's trio of the Cresta, Chaser and Mark II. The rear driven Cefiro and Laurel had Nissan's RB20DET inline six cylinder engine producing 215 horsepower. With underpinnings similar to the R32 Skyline, parts interchanged easily for tuners who wanted more power or better grip.

The A70 Supras were excellent grand touring cars and had neat features like electronically adjustable shock stiffness.

The 7M-GTE engine is the 3 liter turbo engine making 230 hp in stock trim.

A 3 piece rear spoiler and different tail lights were some of the many changes to the Supra in 1989.

9) Toyota Supra: The introduction of the 3rd generation Supra gave enthusiasts the option of 2 different turbo engines: a 2.0 liter twin turbo inline 6 engine, and a 3.0 liter single turbo inline 6 engine. The smaller twin turbo motor made 205 hp and the larger one created 230 hp. These cars had a hefty curb weight of ~3500 lbs, but they were excellent grand touring cars and their turbo motors took very well to modifications.

A hood scoop and ground effects gave the Alto Works a sportier appearance.

Small in size, but big in fun factor. The Alto Works was one of the quickest kei cars in the '80s.

10) Suzuki Alto Works: On paper this kei class car seems pathetic. 64 horsepower and a 543 cc turbocharged 3 cylinder engine doesn't sound like a recipe for fun. Sure, straight line runs were fairly benign. However, the Alto Works had a low curb weight of 650 kg and all wheel drive setup which made these cars a delight to drive on tight and technical roads or autocross events. These Suzukis were the first cars to reach the 64 hp limit imposed by the Japanese government on the kei car class. Suzuki really got the ball rolling when they released the Cappuccino roadster kei car in the '90s.

The Lancer turbo was rear wheel drive before it became the all wheel drive rally monster that most people are familiar with today.

A front air dam and rear spoiler distinguished the Lancer externally from the naturally aspirated versions.

11) Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Turbo: Before the Lancer gained the Evolution moniker, there was this rear wheel drive 160 hp version running around on the streets and tracks of Japan. The 1.8 liter turbo engine is the predecessor to the legendary 4G63 engine which powered many Mitsubishis. These Lancers could be seen on the streets, on circuit tracks and even at off road rally events.

So there you have it. 11 cars that were a regular staple with street car enthusiasts, and are still capable of generating smiles for drivers today. We wish we could have included even more cars, and who knows, maybe we will do another segment later. What's your favorite 1980s Japanese car? Did you own one and modify it? Let us know!

Happy motoring and keep on driving!

California to reconsider smog exemption status for cars

2012-04-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read our blog and do not reside in California, you may be familiar with California's testing of vehicle emissions. In short, car owners are required to take their cars in for testing every 2 years for a visual and tailpipe emissions check. California used to have a 30 year rolling exemption for cars until the year 2004. Since then, any vehicle from 1976 and newer had to continue with the emissions testing, regardless of how well maintained or clean burning the car was. Most of these older vehicles are not driven daily, and usually only taken to car shows and enthusiast gatherings making these cars' impact on the air quality miniscule.

However, a new bill has been proposed to allow cars up to 1981 to be exempted from the testing. The bill, S.B. 1224 is scheduled to be heard by the state's committee on April 10, 2012. For car enthusiasts in California, this is a chance for your voice to be heard. It is hard for some motoring enthusiasts to want to spend the money restoring a neo-classic car due to the hassle of the testing required every 2 years. For cars which have model years which span between the 1975 cutoff and extend into the required testing years, many enthusiasts go for the exempted cars due to the ease of owning the exempted car. The bill's passing may allow enthusiasts and restorers to reconsider the other years of the same model car, and that means more money will be put back into the local economy. With the restoration and aftermarket car industry valued to be at $336 billion by 2015, wouldn't it be nice to let the state cash in on some of that money? =)

Please pass this along to any motoring enthusiasts you know in California and contact the senate committee to let them know to vote yes for the bill. The details and contact information for the committee members are here: http://www.semasan.com/page.asp?content=aa_2012CA2&g=SEMAGA

Mega Millions: What would you drive if you won?

2012-03-29T14:13:00.001-07:00

With the Mega Millions lottery approaching $600 million before tomorrow's drawing, we thought it'd be fun to ask the question, "What car would you buy if you won the lottery?" Would you go for the hyper exotic car like Ferrari's 599, or an ultra luxury car like the newest Rolls-Royce? Perhaps a vintage Ford coupe from the 1930s?
For this author, it'd be a Ferrari F40. With over 450 horsepower and weighing just barely more than 2,400 pounds, it was able to crack the 200 mph barrier, which was a first for a production car.

Let us know what you would want to drive! Happy motoring and keep on driving!

The Ferrari F40 was powered by a 2.9 liter twin turbo V8.

Even with all the aerodynamics aids on the car, the F40's coefficient of drag was 0.34.