T87’s Singles Collection, Spring 2026 Edition – Part 1: Japanese Cars (Nissan, Isuzu, Honda & Suzuki)

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– Posted on June 29, 2026

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It’s been three months since we’ve had a good look around the streets of Tokyo for the odd lucky find. Spring was very generous in CC sightings, so this will have to be a five-parter – two parts JDM this week and three parts imports next week. We’ll start proceedings with the number one Japanese marque (by far) in terms of photos taken this month: Datsun-Nissan. F31 Leopards like this one are not exactly extinct yet…

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Here’s a remarkably similar one getting a bit of TLC at the Nissan garage, in fact.

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This one is past its prime. Or near its primer.

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There are quite a few S15 Silvias around still, but this one’s blue hue and general condition really caught my eye.

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On the Fairlady front, this Z31 with a T-bar roof was outnumbered by the trendy tourist crowd at Omotesando.

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Too many of these have fat wheels and those fender extensions. Ugly, boring. Still a ‘70s Fairlady Z underneath, of course.

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The older the lady, the fairer it gets. I mean that for Datsuns, of course.

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Nicer with the low windshield, the Fairlady 2000. But again with the aftermarket Watanabe wheels. What’s wrong with the ones that came from the factory?

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Skylines were numerous, including ones for sale at Flex Auto like this 1974 ‘Kenmari’ saloon. Yours for just under ¥7m, or about US$43k. For that price, I’d ask for something unmolested.

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Also modded, but a lot easier on the eyes.

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I have a 100% stock Kenmari coupé in my files somewhere. Hopefully, it’ll get unearthed sometime soon.

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Skipping one generation, we have a few fine examples of the R30 (1981-85) – in coupé form…

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The four-door R30, alongside the oddball Alfa 155 Zagato I wrote up recently…

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A bit distant, but we can sort of make out the shape of the rather rare R30 van/wagon.

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Bit too many mods on this R31 coupé for my taste…

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That’s much better. Very cool and very ’80s wheels…

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This pair of R33 GT-R saloons was identical, save for the colour and a few tiny details.

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This is the cream of the R33, the “40th Anniversary” Autech special edition. Fewer than 450 units made.

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Not a coincidence that this one has the same “33” license plate — it’s a C33 Laurel. Do something about that tailpipe, dude.

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Onwards to the Cedric/Glorias, starting with this superb 1964 Cedric, which I wrote up a while back. Nice to see it out and about.

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Back to the Flex Auto forecourt and a stunning 1974 Gloria 230 hardtop saloon. Yours for just under ¥3m (about US$18.5k)…

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The next generation 330 (1975-79) was just as good-looking, even in pillared form.

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Skipping ahead by three generations, we land on a Y31 hardtop (1987-91).

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The less said about this Y32 Cedric’s wheels the better.

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This Y32 Gloria, on the other hand, looked perfect. “Gran Turismo” indeed.

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But what we’re all really awaiting with bated breath is the collection of Y30 wagons, I’m sure. Would you prefer a high-end Gloria version…

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Or a base model “Deluxe” without the plastiwood on the side?

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They do look better in black, as many larger cars do. A little hearse-like, but in a good way.

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Looks like we caught this early model Cedric van mid-restoration. Or mid take-off.

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Flocks of Bluebirds descended on the metropolis. This late ‘60s Deluxe 510 was about as perfect as they come.

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This ill-shod 1972 model was for sale at Flex – yours for ¥3.7m (just under US$23k)…

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Haven’t seen too many of these around, because this generation (U13, 1991-96) seems to have not been very successful. This is the ARX version, i.e. the hardtop saloon.

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The Presea was a bit more successful, as far as lower-tier Nissan ‘90s pseudo-hardtops go.

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Can’t pass up a well-groomed Figaro.

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On the other end of the cleanness scale, this GTI-R no longer had a pulse. The sound coming out of that dual muffler setup must have been something, back in the day.

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Can’t avoid Sunny B120 pickups, they’re all over the place. This one’s had its mirrors relocated, among other updates.

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Sunny B110 saloons are a lot less common than the pickups, as Nissan only made those for four years (1970-73), whereas the pickup lasted from 1971 to 1994 in Japan.

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Compared to Glorias, Laurels or Skylines, not too many of these mid-‘90s Cefiros prowl the pavement.

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The Y33 Cima (1996-2001) was a cut above Nissan’s many larger JDM saloons – available either with the 3-litre V6 or a 4.1 litre V8.

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The boss of the house of Nissan, the O.G. of the super-luxurious Japanese CEO-mobiles, the President. And it’s an early one, too – late ‘60s, I’d reckon. A lot prettier than the Century, in my opinion.

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The Isuzu chapter will consist in only one model, but it’s one of the prettiest Japanese cars of the era. Ladies and gentlemen, the 117 Coupé.

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Caught this blue-tiful ’77 at the Nihonbashi classic car meet, held every year on the first Sunday in April.

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Same same but black. These round-headlamp models are really the best.

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The interior in this one is near perfect – a little patina goes a long way.

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Late model (1978-91) square-eyes here with a couple of unusual features: manual transmission and aftermarket door mirrors.

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We’re going to go through the Hondas in reverse chronological order, for a change. So here’s the second-gen Today (1993-98). These did not sell very well, so they’re pretty uncommon now, unlike their predecessors.

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Speaking of which, this late first-gen Today still has the smaller bumpers and 550cc engine, so it was made in 1988 or 1989.

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I wish this one would have stopped. The good ones rarely do. I very rarely see first-gen Civics in the wild, and this one would have made for a great post: this looks like a 1974-75 RS, the JDM-only sporty version.

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Honda’s last kei of the 360cc era was the 1971-74 Life, seen here experiencing near-death next to a Beetle. That’s what they call a late model. He he he.

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Cassette tapes baked in the sun, “home-made” door mirrors and a Nardi steering wheel? It’s a Life, Jim, but not as we know it.

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Final Honda: a late ‘60s N360, apparently owned by a fetishist. Or a shoe salesman.

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The Suzuki chapter, much like Suzukis themselves, will be on the short and sweet side. In the present case, a highly kitted-up Alto Works that is also quite spicy.

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This is a current-model 660cc Suzuki Jimny wearing a Cal’s Motor “Beas” body kit. Makes the Jimny look a bit like a scaled-down Mitsuoka Buddy. Any takers?

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Oof! That’s a mid-‘90s Every van-full of trash, that is. Sad ending.

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That’s more like it! How could you see this waiting at the stop light and not crack a smile?

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Getting mixed signals from this one. One the one hand, cute ‘50s kit, purple and cream, moon discs and matching interior. On the other, “666” license plate, heavy metal stickers and “Dead Head” in the windshield.

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To end things on a “WTF?” note, here’s a new EV I discovered randomly the other day. Meet the KG Mibot single-seater, built in Hiroshima since last December. I bet Tesla and BYD are quaking in their boots.

 

See you tomorrow for more JDM oddities.

 

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