Well, well, well. It’s been a minute – a full season, in fact. It’s been a hot one in Japan. They set new heat records this year. Luckily, I escaped to Europe for most of August, so there will be a few LHD cars with weird plates in this Singles edition. Not this superb circa 1990 Toyota Mark II X80 Grande, though. It’s about as JDM as they get.
And here’s its sister model, the X80 Chaser.
So many AE86s around, so few are worth the time to take a few pics. This one, though far from stock, was better-looking than most.
The oldest Toyo of the summer was this mid-‘60s Corona. With a horseshoe for good luck.
Speaking of Coronas, we’ve seen this one before – I wrote it up, as a matter of fact. Beautiful specimen, though, isn’t it?
OK, this is not on my radar usually, but stick some giant chrome fender mirrors on a mid-naughties Corolla and you’re going to catch my eye. Some folks here were really into these, weren’t they?
They look so natural on a ‘90s Century, though. It’s a ‘60s design, which helps.
Some of those wacky WiLLs still puttering about. The VI saloon is now 25 years old, by the way. I’m sure a few of the nicer ones are getting snapped up by US importers.
Quirky little things, to be sure. But how will they hold up in a crash against an F-150?
The WiLL Cypha is younger by a couple of years, so they’re not going anywhere yet.
In the two-door Toyota category, we find a very customized 1977 Celica notchback. I like the green.
Celica convertibles are rare here – probably because they were made by ASC over in the US, so they would have been pretty expensive when new.
Third gen Soarers are getting scarce. Great design for the time, I have to admit.
This is the second time I’ve encountered this thing, and I’m still not sure what it is. It’s parked within the Toyota section here, but I really have no idea. [NOTE: I now have an idea, thanks to Eric703: this is a 1986-92 Nissan Atlas Loco. So there we have it. Wrong hunch.]
Classic Japanese metal is not exactly plentiful over in Europe, but there were a couple of outliers. This tasty FJ Land Cruiser made for perfect summer transport in northwestern France, for instance.
Similarly, I found this very clean Mitsubishi L300 pickup truck in Switzerland. A facelift version of these is still in production in the Philippines, but this one is from the ‘80s. A Nissan 180 SX is hiding behind it.
Same day, same location and a 3rd gen Delica wagon showed up.
Back in old Nippon, a late ‘90s Legnum was uncovered. Great-looking car, but a weird name if I ever heard one.
Not sure where those rotary-dial wheels come from, but they look pretty cool on a GTO.
Deep-sea oddities like this 1999-2005 Mitsuoka Galue II can lie in wait and surprise the casual Tokyo traveller who takes a wrong turn. Nightmare fuel!
Not many Le Seyde “Dore” convertibles exist – it’s certainly the first one I’ve come across. Five hundred of these were made in 1991-93; unlike most Mitsuokas, they are LHD because they are based on (of all things) the 1979-83 Ford Mustang.
There are those who feel that driving a Mitsuoka Ryugi isn’t special enough. What solution is there but out-and-out customization?
Motorcycle break! Hands up who remembered that Bridgestone used to manufacture a whole range of bikes? I believe this is a BS90 from the late ‘60s.
The oldest Japanese vehicle of the entire season was this amazingly original 1948 Fuji Rabbit.
These Dax are hilarious. So tiny! These were made for such a long time (1969-99) that it’s well beyond me to pinpoint when this one might have been built.
Classic as they come: a mid-‘60s Honda Dream CB72 Super Sport. But enough about bikes, let’s get back to four wheelers, shall we?
Not ready for prime-time, this little N360 III. Still hanging in there, just barely.
This early ‘90s Acty van is in a similar predicament.
On the other end of the timescale, brand new from Damd Design: the Denali, for your Honda N-Van.
Love me a little Honda City, especially the chunky Turbo II.
Need to move a pile of boxes in a jiffy? The perfect automobile solution for this problem has to be the City Cabriolet, apparently.
The glorious 1985-89 Accord Aeroback, ladies and gentlemen. In black with tinted windows, looks a bit like a race-ready hearse.
Late model NSXs (with the non-popup headlights) are the exception rather than the rule. Never seen one opened up like that, though I assume there is a trunk at the very back as well.
A lovely little Honda Beat followed by a 2nd generation RX-7. What is this, a time warp back to 1992? Nice transitional setup to leap from Honda to Mazda…
A couple of retired early ‘90s Bongos were spotted. This was the 3rd generation (1983-1999), but since Mazda only replaced the front half of the van to create gen 4 (1999-2020), which was also sold as a Mitubishi, a Ford and a Nissan, this rear end is pretty ubiquitous around here.
Seems some people take advantage of the summer months to do a spot of curbside restoration. In JDM-land, these were called Familia, but many overseas markets knew this as the Mazda 1000/1200/1300. This is the 1300 deluxe “van” version, so probably a later model. This generation Familia lasted from 1967 to 1973 as a saloon / coupé, but the van version carried on until 1978. And the pickup was built in Thailand right to the mid-‘90s.
You might have known this as the 626, but the JDM name was Capella. This is a very well-preserved 4th gen liftback variant, made sometime between 1987 and 1992.
The only Subarus I caught over the summer were of the 360 variety. Well, actually, I caught this early model beauty twice.
Here it is again, snug as a bug in a rug amidst the sauna-like conditions of Tokyo in midsummer.
This one is a few years younger, but quite a bit worse for wear. Interesting way to transport a bicycle.
Things were calm on the Isuzu front. Did just about manage to score one – the usual, but the beloved late-model (1978-1981) 117 Coupé.
Leather seats? Well, that’s highly unusual. Stance looks a little off on this 117, too. Hmm…
No Daihatsus to speak of, but a number of interesting Suzukis were on offer. Behold, the mighty 9th gen Carry, still slaving away after 30 years on the job.
Love me a Modest kit, especially in such an unusual colour.
The 2003-05 Suzuki Twin is awesome in normal times. But in this shade of green? It’s like a self-propelled edamame.
No idea how old this snowmobile is, nor how it came to be stuck near Ikebukuro. This town really is full of surprises.
Took a little sleuthing, as there were no badges on this old van, but I did figure it out: it’s a Nissan C20 Sunny Cab. These were also sold as the Cherry Cab, but they are all Sunny (i.e. RWD) underneath. The square headlight bezels and chunky grille make this a (rusty) 1975-78 model.
Same bones as that dead van, but truly iconic in this pickup guise. Hence why they’re still everywhere.
Nice 2nd gen (1985-94) Vanette, still working for a living. Photobombed by a 30ish-year-old BMW E34, too.
The 240Z was only available in Japan between 1970 and 1973. Otherwise, the domestic Fairlady Z was only available with a 2-litre engine. So this here is a pretty rare variant.
Gotta have a Silvia or two in the Singles Collection, of course. This S13 has had a bit of a close encounter with something very orange.
Not sure how this guy managed to get an “S 14” license plate – pretty sure that’s not legal. And that spoiler should be outlawed, too.
Skyline-wise, there were few good finds. The usual C10 “GT-Rs” – not sure how kosher these are, really.
And R31 Coupé that, for once, is not dark gray? Colour me amazed!
The C35 Laurel (1997-2002) is like a Skyline R34 that went to private school. RWD, straight-6, frameless windows – a distillation of the best of ‘90s Nissan.
Ninety-nine times out of 100, Cedric Y31 sedans were and still are fleet cars. Here’s the 1% that was sold to a private individual.
There is no Cedric above the Y30 wagon, though.
I always find it weird to see these N15s badged as Pulsars. I knew them as Almeras. What were they called around your neck of the woods?
The last true Bluebird was the U14 (1996-2001), sold only in Japan. We have here the spicy-sporty 190hp SSS model, too. But the chunky design does let it down.
Oddly attractive, those R10 Preseas. Based on the Sunny platform, these were direct competitors to the Corona Exiv as lower-tier “hardtop” sedan. A very ‘90s invention.
First generation Cimas (1988-91) don’t typically have fender mirrors. But the client is always right… Right?
Let’s end this first of three parts on a princely 1965 Gloria, if that’s ok.
See you tomorrow for part two!
Great selection as always T87 – thank you.
Is it me or does that Cedric Y31 show some Lancia Thema or Saab 9000 styling cues around the centre section
Nice selection Tatra suprised you didnt recognize that Toyota Deliboy, love the old Coronas Ive owned a few coronas, good cars, and very few left now, a 6 foot 6 ex UK fruitpicker mate had one of those Familia wagons as his work beater yes he fitted in and it was more reliable than his LWB Landrover F head six. A lot of those last gasp U14s were in NZ they were popular a friend loved hers but totaled it when it spun on a wet gorge road it was fast and pillarless which didnt help it folded up quite badly, Pulsar Sentra Sunny badges are all interchangeable depending on market, Mitsubishi Galant wagons came in many flavours from mild to spicy Legnum was a weird name but a workmate had a twin turbo manual version 4×4 V6 that was a rocket ship on a good road, or there was a 1.8 for grocery getting. Beautiful end shots of the Prince Gloria.
Amazing selection here, as always! Oddly, one of my favorites is the Accord Aeroback… a car I always liked, but have never seen since they weren’t available in North America.
That reddish-brown van thingy caught my attention so I looked it up. Looks like its a Nissan Atlas Loco – a pretty odd creature that looks like a bloated S-Cargo to me. Looks better in white with cutesy graphics like the brochure picture below:
Thank you for solving this JDM riddle, Eric!
Made a note of it in the text.
You’re welcome!
I’m holding out for the Will.I.Am….
They’re making the Dax again, so now it’ll be even harder to figure out if it’s new or how old unless you pick up a brochure at the Honda HQ showroom/cafe to compare all to.
And I’m finally warming up to the 117 (that one seems especially nice) but for my pick today will go for the slightly in the background Mitsubishi Starion wide-body parked just ahead of the second 360, methinks.
Looking forward to a good reason for waking up tomorrow, thank you!
I’m quite taken by the wheels on that red AE86; they look like the factory wheels upsized to about 18-19″. So many styles really don’t suit these cars that I have to applaud the owner’s choice.
That Corolla with the funky mirrors also seems to have a funky grille badge; which Toyota dealer chain’s is that?
The Legnum – it’s one of those names that looks like it might make more sense backwards than forwards. Like Subaru’s Levorg, which backwards is Grovel. But Legnum? Nope, that’s Mungel. Not any word I’ve ever heard! Unless they mean Mongrel? Great car though, especially in VR4 form.
I’ve seen those rotary-dial wheels fitted to that GTO before, but the name escapes me. Interesting choice.
The Pulsar S15 was a Pulsar in Australia, though we never got that three-door style.
And a handsome Prince to finish. 🙂
I know that the Subaru 360 was tiny, really tiny, but seeing that bicycle on top just breaks my brain a little.
A wonderful selection as always T87 – and I do appreciate the C35 Laurel which I know you threw in just for me 😉 I do miss my one, one of the comfiest cars I’ve owned. Love the ’65 Gloria too – they’re gorgeous in that blue.
Never heard of the Nissan Atlas Loco! I thought it was a Toyota Deliboy at first, nice to learn something new. Actually, make that two new things as I’d never heard of the Nissan C20 Sunny Cab. I wonder if the ones sold in winter were badged Rainy Cab? 😉
Nissan N15s were initially sold as Sentras here until the local assembler closed; the imported replacement models were badged Pulsar. I must say, seeing your pic of that red one made me realise I haven’t seen an N15 for a long time now. It’s one of those models that just disappeared without me noticing…
Those R10 Preseas always reminded me of a shrunken Nissan/Infiniti Q45; the Presea’s concave headlights must be marvellous bug-catchers…
WOW ! total JDM sensory overload, I love it .
I think my favorite is the 196? Corona, if in the two door form .
I remember these very well , the horn ring was also the turn signal switch .
I don’t think I ever saw one with column shift, most had the fragile “Toyota Glide” slushbox, it was a GM automatic scaled down and had the tendency to snap the reverse band if like most Americans, you were lazy and shifted into reverse whilst still moving forward .
I’ve never seen a Rabbit scooter that old, the 1960’s versions were very streamlined .
That Bridgestone is sweet and very rare these days, I had a Bridgestone 125 single briefly in the early 1970’s, it was a fine little Motocycle but the two stroke thing wasn’t for me .
The CB72 would be a ‘Super Hawk’. the CA series of Dreams were completely different, I used to collect them .
I hope that N360 gets saved, it doesn’t appear to have the serious rust most do .
I always find it sad when I find some classic resting near the ocean and holes rusted through everywhere .
I tried to bring a few of those back but it’s near impossible woth out very deep pockets indeed .
God bless the Japanese for having such weird and wonderful tastes ,
-Naste