Japanese Classic Cars

Get alerted of new Japanese finds:

4Runner Ancestor? 1981 Toyota Trekker

One problem with the internet is that things never go away. Sometimes that can lead to the “fake news” that we’ve been hearing about the last couple of election cycles and sometimes it can show us previous selling prices… more»

Nice 1980s Survivor: 1987 Nissan Stanza XE

Introduced in 1986, the T12 Stanza was designed to function as a family car. It offered comfortable motoring and reasonable levels of economy. Many have now disappeared from our roads, so finding an example as nice as this one… more»

Barn Find Roadster: 1965 Honda S600

These are such tailored little cars for being Honda’s first mass-marketed car. This 1965 Honda S600 convertible can be found here on eBay in St. Charles, Missouri. There are a few bids bringing the price to over $5,000 but… more»

Forever Home Needed: 1978 Datsun 280Z

The seller notes this 1978 Datsun 280Z has bounced around different owners for the last few years, not finding a home where it would receive the proper restoration it needs. The later 280Z cars aren’t yet as valuable as… more»

AriZona Z: 1982 Datsun 280ZX Turbo 2+2

When it comes to Datsun’s legendary Z sports car, the comfort-focused S130 chassis isn’t nearly as revered as its sportier, better handling predecessor, the S30. Though the styling of the original Z is more iconic, this handsome 1982 Datsun… more»

Missing for 35 Years: Mazda 254i Le Mans Racer

Old race cars are often discarded as their short shelf life expires, replaced by a new iteration that is practically required to be more powerful with improved technology. Given the cost to maintain race cars, it’s no surprise that… more»

Crew Cab Turbo Diesel: 1989 Toyota Hilux

The midsized pickup marketing is heating up with a new offering from Ford. Long before this Ranger’s time, its ancestors would have competed with this 1989 Toyota Hilux turbo diesel, but just not here in the American market. Currently,… more»

Rough but Ready: 1980 Toyota SR5 Pickup

In the event of a nuclear war, it’s guaranteed that two things will survive. The first will be cockroaches, while the Toyota Pickup will run a pretty close second. This 1980 SR5 Pickup is pretty rough and ready, but… more»

Budget Roadster: 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata

It makes interesting reading. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is now the best selling 2-seater convertible sports car in history. Since its release in 1989, Mazda has sold around 1.2 million cars, with US buyers snapping up 450,000 of these… more»

Parked and Forgotten: 1976 Toyota Celica GT Liftback

Sitting behind some oil drums and other jobsite equipment is this dusty 1976 Toyota Celica GT liftback, complete with the desirable 5-speed manual transmission. Many of these vintage Japanese hatchbacks have rusted away, but years of Idaho farm dust… more»

Pair of Fairladies: 1969/70 Datsun Roadsters

One of the classic cars I keep waiting to fall into my lap is the classic Datsun 2000 roadster, like this pair listed for sale at $5K each. I’ve liked these cars for a long time, and they’ve been… more»

Mid-Engine Marvel: 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo

This 1991 Toyota MR2 coming up for auction here on Mecums in Phoenix is the first year of the Mark II (1991-1999) series and is offered at no reserve as lot T285. After placing the highest bid and winning it, you… more»

Super Rare Mazda Miata Coupe!!?

For decades, British manufacturers were the kings of building small 2-seater convertibles. Japanese companies tried to gain a foot-hold into this market, but their success was extremely limited. That all changed with the launch of the Mazda MX-5, or… more»

No Reserve: 1977 Toyota Celica GT Coupe

Though Toyota’s recent efforts at building sports cars tend to receive mixed reviews from enthusiasts, it’s undeniable that the brand’s older models have a rightful place in automotive history. This first-generation 1977 Toyota Celica GT is available here on… more»

Bargain Buy: 1972 Datsun 240Z

There have probably been enough words of praise written about the Datsun 240Z to fill a reasonable-sized book. Having driven a few of them, I can certainly vouch for the fact that this praise is well placed. Finding a… more»

High School Car: 1983 Mazda RX-7 GSL

Normally, a long-slumbering vintage Japanese car residing in Maine would be nothing to get excited about, as the likelihood of finding a seriously rotten car behind the garage door is highly probable. However, in this instance, we’re pleasantly surprised… more»

Barn Finds