The Japanese Classic Car Show celebrated 20 years of kyusha, or love of classic cars last weekend. Started by Terry and Koji Yamaguchi, a couple who moved from their native Japan to Southern California, and supported by numerous manufacturers and hordes of volunteers, the show has grown in popularity, with thousands of fans lining up around Marina Green Park on the front straight of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach for the once-a-year gathering.
Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, and Honda were there with corporate displays, Pete Brock was there signing autographs amidst a display of his BRE race cars gathered for the 60th anniversary of BRE, and everybody who loves cool and quirky old Japanese cars made the drive down the 710 to the LBC.
Mata rainen aimashou! (See you next year!)
The third-gen RX-7 was a thing of beauty. This one is set up for drag racing.
It’s a 1993 Mazda RX-7 FD. The engine was built by Trust in Japan. GReddy outfitted it with the engine management system, and it was built and owned by Frank Choi back in the day to run in Battle of the Imports, the drag racing series portrayed in the first Fast & Furious movie. After the Battle of the Imports series ended, it was adopted by Mothers High Performance Car Care and has sat in their warehouse, waiting for its moment in the sun, which came at JCCS.
Mark Vaughn
The first-gen Nissan S30 was sold in Japan as the Fairlady, named after the musical My Fair Lady, which was about Audry Hepbrun’s character and not the car. It was badged as the Datsun 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z for export and came as a two-seat sports car and then as a 2+2 GT. It was made by Nissan from 1969 until 1978.
Mark Vaughn
Sam Okamoto’s 720 Bonneville Miata. He hoped to go 500 kph, or 310 mph. Instead, he got as high as 174.756, which we’ll round up to 175. Still darn quick for a Miata.
Mark Vaughn
This is from funnyman Adam Corolla’s fleet of racing Datsuns. It was part of the BRE 60th Anniversary collection at JCCS. This car was raced by Bobby Allison in the Trans-Am 2.5 class.
Mark Vaughn
Pete Brock signs autographs at JCCS during the 60th anniversary celebration of BRE, Brock Racing Enterprises. That’s John Morton on his left, and Trevor Harris on his right. Gary Savage, who owns and trucked two race cars out from Florida, is requesting an autograph. At far right is former Autoweek sports car writer Sylvia Wilkinson.
Dean Case
The Kawasaki GPZ900R was made by Kawasaki from 1984 to 2003. It is the earliest member of the Ninja family of sport bikes.
Mark Vaughn
Early Honda motorcycle.
Mark Vaughn
Early 60cc Yamaha. Note the license plate: “C ROCKET.”
Mark Vaughn
1977 Toyota Celica GT.
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Toyota Sports 800.
Mark Vaughn
Subaru BRZ.
Mark Vaughn
The 1961 Toyota Toyopet was the first Japanese car to reach American shores, where it landed in 1957. It was woefully underpowered and completely innappropriate for the US market. So rather than complain and demand government intervention, Toyota withdrew, re-engineered, and conquered the market with cars Americans wanted to buy.
Mark Vaughn
1992 Toyota Hiace.
Mark Vaughn
This is the second time James Noonan has shown his 1966 Toyota Stout pickup at JCCS. Note the giant blower on the giant engine.
Mark Vaughn
Jordan Kanashiro’s 1990 Camry.
Mark Vaughn
Biran Holloway’s 1970 Datsun Bluebird Coupe.
Mark Vaughn
Recel Cruz’s 1972 510.
Mark Vaughn
Gayle and Peter Brock own this 1969 BRE 510. It was driven by Pete Brock and Bob Lyon in the 1969 Baja 1000, where it finished 4th in class behind James Garner’s ’69 Olds Cutlass and a couple of Saabs.
The struts in the car kept failing every 100 miles and a BRE airplane would land and two Japanese mechanics would replace the struts. That worked during the day, but at night the planes couldn’t fly so the drivers just crept along at speeds slow enough that the struts would last till dawn, which they did.
Times were different then.
Mark Vaughn
Z car!
Mark Vaughn
That’s Kenny Ueda, standing beside the Datsun 240Z he inherited from his mom. His mom was personal secretary to Mr. K, the Datsun exec credited with bringing the Z into the U.S. When Mr. K retired and returned to Japan, he gave the car to his secretary, and when she passed away a few years ago, Kenny inherited it.
Mark Vaughn
Pete Brock drove this in the 1973 Baja 500, and at one point, on a flat paved section, he even lead Parnelli Jones’ Big Oly Bronco. But a stone through the radiator slowed him down.
Baja is a million stories.
Mark Vaughn
Possibly the cleanest Datsun 2000 Roadster in the world
Mark Vaughn
Toyota Cressida.
Mark Vaughn
Tom Eitel, from Lake Tahoe, has spent a lot of time and money modifying this 1986 Toyota Tercel wagon, doubling horsepower from 60 stock to around 160 as is. Note the T-shirt slogan, “I Heart ’90s Junk.”
Mark Vaughn
This 1986 Toyota Starlet was once on the cover of Distort Import. Starlets are rear wheel-drive, making them one of the unheralded fun cars of the import world.
Mark Vaughn
Best dump truck of show.
Mark Vaughn
1988 Mitsubishi Montero.
Mark Vaughn
The hood ornament on the Toyota Toyopet. So cool.
Mark Vaughn
The Nissan Rasheen is considered an crossover utility vehicle, since it comes with all-wheel drive. It was made for the Japanese market from 1994 to 2000. You’ll never see one of these outside JCCS.
Mark Vaughn
This Mitsubishi Bravo kei class van was fun.
Mark Vaughn
Mitsubishi Delica Exceed.
Mark Vaughn
1979 Subaru Brat. The owner has a matching hat and sweathsirt.
Mark Vaughn
1977 Toyota Celica.
Mark Vaughn
Speaking of matching hat and shoes, this ’72 Honda Z600 GT Coupe owner had fingernails matching her car. It was featured on the JCCS poster, too.
Mark Vaughn
Toyota Celica GT Liftback.
Mark Vaughn
Mazda RX-2.
Mark Vaughn
1974 Toyota Starlet.
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1970 Honda CB350.
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1973 Nissan Skyline.
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Nissan Skyline.
Mark Vaughn
Mazda RX-3.
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Mazda RX-2.
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Mazda RX-7s.
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1979 Mazda RX-7.
Mark Vaughn
1990 RX-7.
Mark Vaughn
2002 Acura NSX.
Mark Vaughn
The Japanese collector car market has seen inflation…
Mark Vaughn
…as has the motorcycle market.
Mark Vaughn
The new Honda Prelude, on display at the Honda booth at JCCS.
Mark Vaughn
One of only four Acura NSXs to get a Liberty Walk body kit.
Mark Vaughn
Honda Accord Coupe.
Mark Vaughn
1993 Honda Accord.
Mark Vaughn
Toyota AE86 converted to electricity.
Mark Vaughn
1985 Honda Accord SEi.
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1992 Acura Integra GS-R.
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1972 Mazda Cosmo.
Mark Vaughn
Famous author Sam Mitani with a copy of his latest book, “Keys to the Empire.” There’s a character in the book named Mark Taylor, who is modeled after a great Autoweek writer.
Mark Vaughn
2014 Honda Odyssey.
Mark Vaughn
1972 Honda Coupe.
Mark Vaughn
The Mazda RT24-P debuted in 2017 and had mulitple podium finishes and two wins, the last one being a come-from-behind thriller at Petit Le Mans. Rather than washing the car, they left the oil, dirt, and tire flecks on it and had everyone sign it. Zoom zoom.
Mark Vaughn
AloJapan.com