Kei Sports Car

I saw this sports car at a local car show just a few months ago. It was very small but it was one of those cars that screamed attention. A Datsun designer, Shozu Sato, and a Toyota designer who was also a World War two aircraft designer, Tatsuo Hasegawa, designed the aerodynamics of this car. The Toyota Sports 800 was one of the first sports car to incorporate the targa roof design (which Porsche would eventually have on their sports cars). When the aluminum targa roof is not in use, it can be neatly stored in the trunk of the car.

Toyota Carina Road Runner II

I bought this car a few months ago and I wouldn't have purchased it, had it not been on sale (which would have been a huge mistake!) To be fair, the model car itself looks fantastic. I mean, what's not to like? The details, as usual, are impeccable. The paint job is excellent. The only thing I did not like was the color (but that itself is a personal choice). This was the last rear-wheel Toyota Carina.

This is the third generation "special" version that Toyota released in 1982. It was released to commemorate the three class victory in the 1982 Paris-Alger-Dakar rally, which surprised the French and thus gave the car the monicker, "flying Carina". This model car would look really good in a Hino car transporter which will be released on the first quarter of next year.

The All About Tomica Limited Vintage Book

The All About Tomica Limited Vintage Book was released by Neko Mook publishing a few years ago. It's a nice book that features all the Tomica Limited Vintage releases from January 2004 until February of 2009. The book even has a section on special releases like Tomica shop and Toys club Japanese exclusives. There are also sections on upcoming model cars, a sneak peek at the Tomytec factory in China and detailed descriptions of various TLV model cars. The book is a must-have for the Tomica Limited Vintage collector, even though if the text is all in Japanese. Sad to say, this book is now hard to find and is already out of production. I really hope Neko Mook makes a sequel to this fine big format book. A book that will feature model cars and trucks from 2009 to the present.

Tomica released this Toyota Corona RT40 in August 2008. Pictured here is the actual product and the prototype

A sneak peek in Tomytec's factory in China

More upcoming models

I'm sure that a lot of people are waiting for this Hino car transporter model to be released. It looks good with all the Toyota Carina Road Runners in it. The painted prototype looks awesome and it comes in two variants! Can't wait to get my hands on one. From the previous book that was released by Neko a few months ago (All About Tomica Limited Vintage), There were pictures of car transporters there, that I think, are also in the works. Among them are the Nissan C80 and the Nissan T650 car transporters.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that Tomytec has plans to release a streetcar in their Limited Vintage line very soon. This would look great on a small Japanese street diorama.

Some prototype images were borrowed from these websites:
http://www.minicarshop.jp/report/shobby52/sokuhou/tomy.html
http://kidbox.co.jp

First Generation Carina

The first generation Carina was introduced as a four-door version of the Celica. The basic model featured reclining seats, a clock, a radio and servo assisted brakes. The Carina was an affordable and reliable vehicle aimed towards the younger market. Tomica did an excellent job on the car's interior. I like how they painted the two-toned seat covers. The rear lamps were also done well. The Carina's name was based on the Carina constellation, which is latin for the keel of a ship.

The Fairlady

The Datsun Fairlady was a roadster made by Nissan in the sixties. It was the first real sports car that Datsun produced. The first roadsters had a unique third seat in the rear that was positioned sideways. The car's name was based on the Broadway musical of the time, My Fair Lady. During the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Nissan held a search for Miss Fairlady. They chose five winners to represent the brand and at the same time, help them market it.

These cars were recently released by Tomica on their Limited Vintage line. In spite of the small scale, Tomica again has amazed me by the intricate details that they put in these model cars. The roof is a separate part that can be taken off. The paint job is excellent and the instrument panel is well detailed too. Well done for a car that measures a little over two inches!

Vintage Coca-Cola Vehicles

As early as 1910, Japan wanted the rights for the Coca-Cola syrup to be sold at selected soda fountains in Tokyo. Between 1910 until the outbreak of the second world war, nearly a million bottles of Coca-Cola were sold in Japan. In June 1962, Coca-Cola Japan was granted the rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola and Fanta in Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures. Operations began on July of that year. Between 1960 and 1970, sales more than doubled every year. Trucks help distribute the beverage throughout Japan.

Tomica did a good job on these trucks. The tampo printing, no matter how small, was excellent. However, some Coca-Cola cases which came with the set, barely fit inside the cargo bay of the trucks. Some do not fit at all.

Nissan C80 Coca-Cola Truck
This truck was launched by Nissan in 1966 to fill the gap in their truck models. It should be bigger than the Nissan Caball but not as big as the 5 ton Nissan 680. This 3.5 ton truck sold well during the seventies.

Nissan Caball C141
The Nissan Caball was based on the chassis and mechanism of the Junior pickup. The Caball C141 was launched in 1962. The C141 had a better engine than the C140 but they practically look the same. The Caball was the last Nissan ever to have rear hinged "suicide" doors.

Mazda E2000 truck
Mazda's D1500 trucks are quite popular in Japan during the sixties. Then in January 1964, after Mazda did some extensive research on their trucks based on customer reviews, they released the Mazda E2000. This truck can have a maximum load capacity of two tons.

Nissan Skyline Van 1600 DX
The Skyline was originally made by the Prince Motor Company in 1955, then continued by Nissan when the two companies merged in 1966. The Skyline was designed by Shinichiro Sakurai and remained a chief influence on the succeeding Skylines until his death in 2011. This van is a fourth generation Nissan Skyline which was produced in 1972.