Japanese Classic Car Show 2008

"Jonee" (Jonee) 04/07/2016 at 15:28 • Filed to: Japanese Classic Car Show

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My Mazda R360 holding court next to a lovely Subaru 360. We were the only two keis there that year except for one other R360 that was part of a Mazda display. For some reason, this is the only photo I took of my car.

Going through some files on my old computer, I came across a folder of pictures I took at the JCCS in Long Beach, CA back in ‘08. That year the show wasn’t at the Queen Mary, but at some park and there were a lot of nice cars. These are the ones I took photos of.

This chocolate Toyota Crown coupe is the stuff dreams are made of.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Jonee 04/07/2016 at 15:30

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So much awesome in this post.

Steve in Manhattan > Jonee 04/07/2016 at 15:34

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Those are delightful - thanks for posting them. A couple weeks ago, at the Tokyo Toyota Museum, I stood next to a 2000GT. Came within a few minutes of getting driven around the block in it, but I got there too late. Nice to know a museum gets its cars out and drives them.

Jonee > Steve in Manhattan 04/07/2016 at 15:39

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Yeah, that’s awesome. Man, riding in a 2000GT would be a bucket list experience for me. That one in my photos, which I believe also belongs to Toyota, appears at this event most years, I think, but no one’s ever offered to give rides.

Steve in Manhattan > Jonee 04/07/2016 at 16:26

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Next time we’re in Japan we’re going to Hokkaido, but I will do my best to get into the passenger seat of that car. Wonder what happened to the convertible Sean Connery used ... he was too tall for the hardtop.

Jonee > Steve in Manhattan 04/07/2016 at 16:32

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It looks like the Bond droptops still exist. Jay Leno got to drive one.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/09/2016 at 03:58

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Looks like quite an amazing event. Too bad to see some of the owners go nuts on those wheels. I see so many great things here...

For some reason, this is the only photo I took of my car.

Ever? Or just on this show? Even the color of your’s was totally JDM to me somehow.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/10/2016 at 03:22

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Yeah, it’s another great show. Always huge. Japanese cars are big here. My 360 won an award the first year they held it.

No, the only picture I took at that show. Or, so I thought.

ETA: Oh, these are from the year before.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/10/2016 at 12:34

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It is glorious. And cute, at least that’s what Josje says. ETA = Expected Time of Action? Just look at that gigantic engine...

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/11/2016 at 02:45

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Josje thinks the Mazda is cute? Nice. ETA= Edited to Add. I realized that those pictures are from 2007. That’s an air cooled, four-stroke V-twin back there. Like in a Harley. It’s a lot torquier than the two-stroke microcars. Mine, though, had this torque-converter two speed semi-automatic that made it really sluggish. Even for something that small. They didn’t sell many with it, so it was pretty rare. Jay Leno was interested in buying it momentarily.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/11/2016 at 05:13

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Like in a Harley. Or like in my Ducati! I know my (air-cooled) v-twins! Mine’s pretty torquey though. A semi-automatic doesn’t sound good. Jay Leno being interested does of course. Can’t you just meet the guy, hear he has an amazing garage. If you can make this appointment don’t forget to call: Then I’m flying in as well!

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/12/2016 at 00:52

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The V-twin makes a great sound even in a little Mazda. One day I’d love to get another R360 with a proper manual. I’ve driven that LHD one in this post and it’s probably my favorite microcar to drive. I was actually supposed to go to Jay’s warehouse with my friend who writes for Motor Trend once, but it never happened for some reason. I don’t think he did the article. But, he shows up at a lot of car shows around here, so if I get another invite, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/12/2016 at 05:21

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After I tried a Suzuki TL-1000 S in Rimini many moons ago I knew one thing: No other engine than a V-Twin is needed. Only had two since but I just don’t seem to get anymore time on my hand to enjoy ‘m anyway. Having no friends nearby with motorcycles doesn’t help either, it’s a thing from the past somehow.

That certainly would be a reason to DROP EVERYTHING and get a ticket to Glendale. The man is a God. His collection is epic.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/13/2016 at 00:36

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I’m not a motorcycle guy, but from my days with scooters I know it helps to have someone to ride with. That was my college years. A V-twin is just about a perfect motor. I think the King Midget was the only other microcar that had one.

Yeah, Jay has great taste in cars. And does a good job preserving them except for that Olds Toronado he converted to RWD. That was sacrilege.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/13/2016 at 04:10

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Speaking of Microcars: I think I have a new favorite diecast brand! Or rather: Resin! CHECK THIS OUT !!!

Didn’t know about this conversion. It ended up driving better I suppose and there’s room enough in such a beast so I do get the idea. The Toronado is known for it’s FWD but what was Jay’s motivation?

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/14/2016 at 01:13

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HOLY COW! That place is amazing. They have a Pinguin, and a Smyk, and a Troll. Wow. And this???

Awesome. How do you order from them?

I guess Jay loved the way the car looks, but hates FWD. But, that car is all about FWD.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/14/2016 at 05:54

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Both the Troll and the Pinguin are high on my list. As is the Alamagny. But the one I need most you guessed already. And it’s sold out. Both my local diecast store and favorite online webshop are AutoCult dealers, need to get this somewhere online though.

True. But it’s not like there’s only 10 left. Trying to find out what it could have been is ok in my book. And it’s too big to me anyway.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/14/2016 at 23:54

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Oh, I didn’t notice the Alamagny. I was just talking about that car. It would make a great FF post. I like the Brütsch, too. They don’t sell direct?

Yeah, there are plenty of Toronados. Now it's a sporty looking Cutlass. I can't remember if he kept the original motor, but I don't think so. Did they ever sell Oldsmobiles in Europe?

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/16/2016 at 05:54

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There’s so many great stuff over there, totally on your (and my) turf. No webshop no.

They probably did in Germany and Switzerland. Can’t remember ever seeing these regularly, just the Silhouette. But as a Pontiac Transport . Of course.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/18/2016 at 01:49

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They should hire us as product advisors. I have a lot of requests.

I can’t seem to find anything about Olds in Europe, so maybe they never sent over that badge. Perhaps it would have competed with Opel too much. I didn’t know you got that Transport. They looked so futuristic at the time. It was like Battlestar Galactica come to life. The original one.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/18/2016 at 03:01

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Yeah we did. The Transport was popular but not nearly as good selling as the Chrysler Voyager, that one really did it over here. More than the Espace, that one became too expensive in a heartbeat.

I always loved that Transport. And Battlestar Galactica. By your command!!!

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/19/2016 at 16:44

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That’s interesting that it was the Chrysler Voyager. Over here, the Voyager was a Plymouth, and the Chrysler was the Town & Country. Ok, I guess it’s not that interesting. Is that Espace still overpriced? Does Mercedes still make the R-class? It can’t be more expensive than that, can it?

Battlestar was the best. Both versions, although the new one ended stupidly. As a kid, it felt like that show was on forever, but it was only one series and then that weird one Galactica 1980 where they made it to Earth and the kids had superpowers because our gravity was less than what they had on the spaceships which makes no sense.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/20/2016 at 03:56

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Haha, INTERESTING! Definitely. As the Dodge Shadow was a Chrysler ES. The Espace still is one of the priciest of MPV’s. Not on par with the R-class. But as you say: That’s not even remotely possible.

I never saw the second one. I was too pissed of for Starbuck being a woman all of the sudden! Maybe I should give it a try. And indeed: I never understood how it could be only 2 seasons, it seemed endlessly! Those superpowers because of the gravity on kids not making sense? Well, Glenn A. Larson just loved kids, I remember an episode in which some kids withstand the cylons, those huge colossal cyborgs. That’s not making any sense either...

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/21/2016 at 04:20

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The female Starbuck was really cool, actually. One of the best things about that show. It was an excellent series up until the end when it got really dumb. But, it’s still worth watching because it was incredibly exciting for a while.

Well, I think Mr. Larson knew kids were the biggest part of his audience. I remember that episode. They don’t make shows like that anymore. Everything is so dark and grown up. There are no more Dukes of Hazzards , or A-Teams where no one is ever in real peril.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/21/2016 at 08:01

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Okay, I’ll pick it up then some day. Karentee Sackhoff, Starbuck, frightens me a bit. I see she was in BG: Razor as well, was that any good?

Totally right on that one. Although we still have Fuller House .

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/22/2016 at 02:20

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I don’t remember what Razor was, so maybe I didn’t see it. She’s in a show I like now that’s on Netflix called Longmire. It’s like a modern day western and she plays a tough sheriff’s deputy.

True, but maybe Fuller House doesn’t count since it’s a new version of a show from back then. I never got into Full House . I guess I was too old to like it and too young to find it appealingly cheesy. Same for Saved by the Bell . I was always a Brady Bunch guy.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/22/2016 at 10:23

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Longmire. Supposed to be on Netflix here as well, gonna check it out!

I never got into Full House either, Saved by the bell I could totally watch. Tiffany-Amber Thiessen . Elizabeth Berkley . And somehow I’m sure we covered that topic.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/24/2016 at 02:26

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Good looking girls on that show for sure. I still can’t watch it, though. What was up with Zack’s superpower where he could stop time? I am a fan of Ms Berkley’s Showgirls , though. I saw that in the theater when it came out. We probably talked about that, too in one of our Verhoeven discussions.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/24/2016 at 10:02

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Haha, the stopping of time Zack did is actually quite comparable to the way Frances Underwood talks/breaks through the 4th wall!

Yep, showgirls. That’s the one. Tiffany kind of “exploded” when she got older, still: very appealing.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/25/2016 at 02:03

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It always seemed to me that he could actually do it since everyone was just standing there. Couldn’t he change stuff sometimes?

Her career never really took off after that. I don’t know why. It was a courageous performance. That sex scene in the pool took a lot of pride swallowing.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/25/2016 at 03:51

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Frances could change stuff? Or Zack? Zack has been too long ago. Another actor whose career never really took off after that. At least Ms. Berkley did us all a favor. Get in touch with her and give her a part in your next project!

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/26/2016 at 03:30

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Zack. But, he does talk to us like Frances, so I guess he couldn’t really stop time. Maybe Frances is Zack all grown up. I saw ms Berkley at a screening of Showgirls . She looked good. She said she always blamed Showgirls for ruining her career, but now she can appreciate it as a camp classic. I would totally put her in a movie.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/26/2016 at 06:16

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Interesting theory. And where does this all leave Magnum PI? He broke through the 4th wall all the time!

Did you take a selfie of you and ms Berkley? One can never have too many. The stuff I’d put in her her in... Sorry, couldn’t handle myself. That’s what Jessie Spano does to me.