Last cars I drove from each country. Err... mixed bag, but all 25+ years old... US: 1981 Dodge Ram B350 Japan: 1981 Datsun Silvia S110 Germany: 2001 Audi A2 Italy: 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi 😆 UK: 1958 Austin A35 Sweden: 1994 Volvo 960 France: 1968 Renault 16TS China: - Korea: 2001 Kia Sedona SX

This Honda Goldwing powered miniature Ferrari 312PB project is amazing... youtu.be/NSUtD65H5Iw?...

I bought a really, really dull car. However, it is now a surpringly rare dull car. Kia's 1st MPV, the Sedona, but a pre-facelift (99-01) with an old school tractor engine, zero tech, and little in the way of luxury. I'm sure these were dead common a few years ago, but now seem to be nearly extinct.

The time has come for a change of wheels on my Prairie. The Topy/Dunlops are lovely, but diamond cut wheels and British weather don't play well. So I went for something that's just fully painted. Fresh from Japan... Advan Rally ARB. Sticking with 13" rims too as little wheels are best wheels.

This beautiful '59 Borgward Isabella Combi lives locally to me, so I thought I'd snap some pics so you can all admire it as well. The owner also has a Lancia Fulvia and a Jeans Beetle, too.

Sad to see my old 411 Datsun Bluebird on eBay. Given its condition and that it only sold for £600, I suspect it'll shortly be taking a trip round the banger track. Hope I'm wrong, but it'll take someone dedicated to save it. It looked somewhat nicer when I owned it, but it was over 20 years ago...

Next up for some TLC is the Nissan Caravan. It needs quite a lot of welder action, but it's about time I got on with it. It's been over 2 years since its last MOT expired! This is going to take over daily duties from the Prairie until next winter.

I haven't posted in a while, mainly due to being busy and partially because I couldn't be bothered, as I had no decent automotive nonsense to post about. But I have finally had time for car fixing, so first up was sorting the brakes and fuel pump on my old Bluebird. Good to have it back on the road.

Today's "you don't see one of those every day" winner is this pristine Alfa Giulietta, just chilling in a Twickenham car park. Absolutely stunning.

Hey @jcars.bsky.social check this out.

Finally, it's April, and my Datsun Prairie Annversary has finally hit tax exemption. So the time has arrived to fix the exhaust, fit new tyres, service the brakes, and tickle it with the welder to get it roadworthy. 😎

Rather good supermarket toy car score today...

Excellent vehicular taste on display just now at Tescos in Grimsby...

Spot of the day for me. Rare old beast.

Here's some vitally important information. The model designation letters on JDM Nissan Prairies (JW-G, RV-S etc) actually do have meaning... and no, I'm not making this up! JW = Joyful Wagon RV = Recreational Vehicle SS = Space Sedan NV = Nice Vehicle -L = Luxury -G = Grand -S = Sports

I bet a Datsun Sado is an utterly miserable way to get around, and yet I still have so much want for one. Exceptionally rudimentary, yet most likely completely indestructible... www.carandclassic.com/l/C1823031

Good lord, the price of E23s in Japan has gone crazy since I bought mine in 2019.

Did my first troubleshooting on the AE92 Corolla today. 1. No spark is going to the distributor. 2. Ignition coil is getting +12V feed but no negative trigger. 3. Some of the injector seals leak slightly. Anyone here know where to find BGB or at least wiring diagrams for the E90 Corollas? #Toyota

🏆

One for @jcars.bsky.social here. Loving this Daihatsu Fellow resto! youtu.be/XhqLmSWR8iA?...

More old car show pics! Going back a bit further now... This was at Thruxton in 1988... (1/3)

Some snaps from Run to the Sun in Newquay nearly 30 years ago. The car scene back then was most excellent... (1/3)

Things I like. When you put in an OEM parts order for a car that's nearly 30 years old and it actually comes through. New wiper spindle and rods for our K11 Micra. Begone sqeeky wipers!

Decided to sell my '87 Daihatsu Domino project which has a JB-DET from a Copen (660cc Turbo) in it. It's had hundred of hours put into it an loads of new parts. Needs finishing but sadly I just don't have the time. Fantastic sleeper potential. It's in Lincolnshire and it's 1500 quid.

Four tasty orange cars from last year...

Current status of the non working cars in the garage. '73 Daihatsu Fellow Max needs its oil pump refitting. '62 Datsun Bluebird wagon needs its brakes fixing. '71 Datsun 510 needs everything. '85 Daihatsu Domino needs exhaust, fuel system and driveshafts... or selling on.

Slightly congested out in the yard this morning. I needed to get some timber from the back of the garage, so everything had to come out. Well, all the ones that work anyway. Moving the timber made room for one more, so my KN13 Nissan Exa can go back indoors. Sadly, my Silvia has to stay outside. 🙁

A mixture of quirkiness and practicality, the 1.5-litre S-Cargo had some Citroënesque details like the single-spoke steering wheel, fabric sunroof and prominent round headlamps. Around 8,000 were made over two years, solely for Japan, though many used examples were later exported.

Post 4 blue cars in your camera roll.

Reality Tech #designsky #webcomics #productdesign

Ready to head home after a hard day. #Datsun

My Prairie got an audio update. I got this Pioneer (DEH-P88RS-II) a few years ago from Newark autojumble, along with another JVC head unit and a CD autochanger for £15. Naturally, when I got home, I found it didn't work, so I never used it. Anyway, I just managed to fix it! 1/2

Amazed to discover the LED H4 bulbs actually do generate a proper beam pattern when retrofiied to an old car. I fitted some to my Prairie, as the stock headlights are utterly dismal. Alignment needs tweeking yet... 1/2

Returned to the Prairie after shopping to find it had a lovely Saab 900 for company.

Spied this sad J30 Nissan Maxima slowly returning to nature. Clearly, it was once someone's pride and joy...

Elon Musk has Done It Again 🎯

I've had to prop my Prairie tailgate up with a stick in cold weather for the last couple of years, because of failing gas struts and NLA parts with which to fix it. Finally discovering some new gas struts that fit is most pleasing. (yes I know.. it needs a wash)...

Sometimes things exist solely for temptation.

Datsun treasure 😍

Old Datsun and Nissan ✔ Pastel colours and rad graphics ✔ Minitruck ✔ Me, leaving leave the shop without buying this set... impossible. Hot wheels design team has conquered me once more.

most low mileage stuff baffles me, but the universe’s cleanest SE-R with 738 miles is both criminal and compelling all the same www.mecum.com/lots/1132271...

Also, look at these in-house Isuzu magazines from the late 60s. Somehow, old magazines with fully illustrated covers are much more appealing to me than those with just photos...

Check out the art on the cover of the Motor Fan magazine from 1972. Gorgeous...

I guess I won't be fixing my forklift today, then 😬

Big thread on all my broken cars! Left, '62 Datsun Bluebird, which shed all of its brake fluid last winter, so had been off the road all year pending a brake rebuild. Right, '73 Daihatsu Fellow Max got new pistons and rings, then promptly lost all it's 2 stroke oil via failed oil pump seal. (1/9)

The Prairie continues daily duties flawlessly, as it has done for the last 8 years, but I've reached a point where only that, our Micra, and Silvia are working. Everything else is broken in one way or another. Latest to join that list is the Cherry Europe, which shat its gearbox last time out... 1/3

In other tiny Datsun news... I recently completed another lap around the sun, and in recognition of this, my 82 year old dad got me this. What a star!

M10 Nissan Prairie goodies fresh from Japan. The 1/43 resin model is made by Hi-story.