Japanese Classic Cars

Get alerted of new Japanese finds:

Buried 1988 Chrysler Conquest

Chrysler had a long-standing relationship with Mitsubishi, which also included an ownership stake. Beginning in the 1970s, Chrysler would often sell captive imports built by Mitsubishi in Japan. One of these cars was the Starion, which was most commonly… more»

5-Speed FJ60: 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser

The classic Toyota Land Cruiser will always hold appeal among enthusiasts not only for its classic boxy styling and go-anywhere capabilities but also for its ability to serve as a daily driver. Out in the western U.S., trucks like… more»

Toyota Power, Lotus Design: 1974 Super Seven

Owning a road-going Lotus can be described as an ethereal handling experience with a gravy ladle full of aggravation poured on top of it.  The cars are beautiful, the handling is sublime, and the build quality is often as… more»

Another Cheap Z-Car Project! 1990 Nissan 300ZX

We see an enormous variety of classics at Barn Finds, but having two Z-Car projects crossing our desks in quick succession is relatively rare. We recently featured this 1973 Datsun 240Z, and now we get a chance to examine… more»

Cheap Project? 1973 Datsun 240Z

It is often said that we only get what we pay for in life. Spending mere pennies on a classic car rarely results in a pristine vehicle finding its way into a buyer’s garage. That is undoubtedly the case… more»

One Owner: 1979 Toyota Celica GT With 47k Original Miles

A complex road tax system forced Japanese manufacturers to focus on small cars as their volume-selling models. Combining that philosophy with an ongoing drive towards high build quality resulted in some excellent cars that proved successful domestically and in… more»

Estate Sale – Potpourri of Cars, Trucks, Parts

It’s sad when someone dies and leaves their estate to someone else to dispose of. But it must be tough when the dearly departed was a mechanic who apparently kept more than he discarded. Such is the case with… more»

66K Mile Survivor: 1989 Acura Integra LS

These days, the sport compact car class is a shadow of its former self. The 80s and 90s were truly the halcyon days of import streetfighters, compact cars with small displacements but big hearts, and ready to tackle the… more»

Plenty of Patina! 1973 Toyota Corona Daily Driver

The Toyota Corona was in production in Japan from 1957 to 2001. During the 1970s, it was the middle entry in the U.S. between the Corolla and Crown models (the Camry hadn’t yet arrived). Toyota’s reputation for quality was… more»

Backyard Project? 1986 Toyota Van/Camino

Huh? That would be one legitimately elicited response to this 1986 Toyota Frakentractor. The famous bluesman Muddy Waters wrote a song many years ago called, “The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll” (Hard Again,… more»

37K Miles: 1978 Datsun 510 Wagon

It’s hard to believe how small a car like this 1978 Datsun 510 Wagon is until you see one on the road next to what is considered a “small” vehicle today. A 2024 Nissan Sentra is 71.5 inches wide,… more»

BF Auction: 1994 Acura Legend Coupe LS

Honda was first to the luxury party after seeing the value of providing a top-tier choice based on their reliable line of Honda cars. The year was 1986, which some of you may not remember because you weren’t born… more»

Nice Survivor: 1986 Toyota Truck W/ 5-Speed

The seller says that when looking at this 1986 Toyota pickup, it takes you back to 1986 and for some of us, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. That’s almost 40 years ago and a lot of Barn… more»

63K Original Miles: 1996 Toyota Camry

Is the Toyota Camry one of those cars everyone has either owned or spent time in? I would venture to say yes, and outside of the Chevrolet Cavalier or Honda Accord, it has to one of the top 3… more»

Toyopolitan? Toyota-Powered 1961 AMC Metropolitan

The Metropolitan was built by Austin in England from 1953 to 1961 for sale as a subcompact mostly in North America. Nash designed it before the company merged with Hudson in 1954 to form American Motors. The cars lost… more»

Incredible Estate Find: 1978 Toyota Long Bed

Located in impossibly beautiful St. George, Utah, this 1978 Toyota Long Bed Deluxe Truck (the Hilux name had gone away a couple of years earlier for North America) is one incredible pickup. It’s originally a California truck and the… more»

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