Greetings from the Land of the Rising Sun! It is a pleasure to be back at Curbside Classic after several years absence. I find all sorts of Curbside Classics in Japan and, thanks to the miracle of the modern smartphone, I am never without a camera. Hopefully over the coming days, weeks, months and years I will be bringing you interesting finds from western side of the Pacific.
Today’s offering is a second gen Camaro I found atop a building at a local recycling center. Unfortunately, I was trapped in a traffic jam and wasn’t able to get any closer. By the tail lights, I’m fairly certain it is a 70 1/2 or a 71. Beyond that, I’ll have to leave it to you fine folks to fill in the details.
Back in the 1980s, Japan was on top of the world. Flush with cash, the Japanese snapped up all sorts of American icons and there was talk that, although America had won the war, Japan was winning the peace. That all changed when the bubble burst in the early 1990s and Japan has been on a downward slide ever since. I’m guessing this car made the trip across the Pacific while times were good but, like its adopted home, has suffered in the years since.
It’s a sad end to a bitchin’ Camaro.
Hi
I can’t believe that nobody has rescued that Camaro, last I saw there were still lots of Japanese guys obsessed with American cars, chopper motorcycles etc..
As my Navy Vet Great Uncle used to say, Japan won the second war, the economic war with the States. That being said he drove a Honda and bode them no ill will.
Not being up on that area of economics, has the Japanese slide been steadily down? And worse than everybody else?
More or less. The current prime minister is trying to stabilize the economy but the deflationary spiral has lasted over two decades at this point. There is a lot of youth un-and-underemployment as well. It’s an ugly scene, honestly.
I’m not an economist and I don’t want to go off into a political tangent but it feels to me like the “recovery” we’ve had in the States. Things are “better” but not the same as they were – not even close.
Huh? I came across this YouTube vid. the other day.
“Craziest Lamborghini Garage in Tokyo”(Published on Apr 20, 2016) Must be the 1%ers cars? Millions of $’s in Lambo’s in one parking garage! Show cars? With elevator music playing in the parking garage.
I used to live above a similar garage in Yokohama that was filled with Ferraris. The economic downturn in japan as I have seen it hit the middle and working classes the hardest and young people seem to have been more effected than their parents.
It plays out in young people staying home longer, taking part time jobs instead of starting careers and, in many cases, by not starting families. It’s changing Japanese society at its core.
The upper classes, however, seem just fine. Go figure…
What about a CC write up on this?
http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/05/21/so-in-dubai-the-amount-of-abandoned-luxury-cars-lying-around-is-kind-of-a-problem/
It’s a bunch of factors, but this post-Showa era is like Japan’s Great Depression. The original decline was exacerbated by a Japan who’d never experienced such a thing, and since Japan is so dependent on everyone following the status quo the investors and economic advisers panicked and made things worse. This screwup should’ve only lasted around seven to ten years, but because of Japan’s xenophobic tendencies and isolationist policies they refused outside help. Because people had trouble making money to support families, they started having less children and focused more on their careers. This had the effect of people valuing interactions less and having a lower younger population. This lead to their current situation, where there aren’t many young adults (most workers in Japan are between 30-50), a Japan that says they’re open to the world but values nationalist choices and trends, a society where shut-ins are becoming more common and people use technology to satisfy their social needs, and a low amount of money for investment in innovation compared to the crazy expanded 1970s and 1980s.
If they don’t do something to open up soon they’re just going to die out.
Welcome back to curbside classics. I have enjoyed your contributions on TTAC.
Had always heard Japan discouraged older cars by heavily taxing them. Is there an exception for antiques?
Thanks! I’m not an expert on the Japanese classic car scene, but as far as I know there are no discounts and no reduction in the number of inspections.
Taxes themselves aren’t too ugly and they are based on engine size. My van has a “big” v-6 and I think my annual taxes were in the $200 range. Not too bad, overall. Inspections are a lot worse and I’ve seen classic old cars going through the line right alongside brand new ones. Must be tough, but generally if a person here has a classic car, the are willing to bear the burden.
Your talking about the “shakedown”. Big money to keep any car passing it after 3 years so they just go out and buy a new one. RHD markets get the good ones the rest to Africa etc and the worst parted out.
Welcome (back?) to CC. I always found your writings among the most interesting at the other site whose name shall not be spoken…:-)
Looking forward to seeing more!
Thanks! I’m not going to kick sand on the other site, they’ve treated me well over the years, but I feel like they are going a different direction than I am these days.
I’m just a car enthusiast not a member of the auto industry so my ability to add to the conversation there is limited. It feels like the right for me to make a change and CC does the kind of stuff I’d like to do these days.
I know that feeling all too well. It’s great to see you out here.
Miss your postings Mr Lang. One of my few favorite automotive writers: Lamm, Neidermeyer, Yates and you.
Didn’t you chronicle importing and legalizing a mini van there ? If so, I was fascinated by the story and your efforts.
Yes, that’s right. Thanks for mentioning it. Those articles didn’t garner a lot of comments and I was never sure if people really cared about them. I appreciate hearing that you liked them.
Your dedication was amazing !
Whatter you KIDDING ?! .
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The van importing article was _fascinating_ and reminded me of the many rabbit holes I’ve gone down Automotively speaking over the decades…….
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Your basic writing skills make reading anything interesting and captivating .
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-Nate
Jim; Thom did also contribute a few article here a couple of years back. Click on his name and they’ll come up. But it’s good to see him here one way or the other. 🙂
Yeah I realized that later and re-read a few. I’m getting old and forgetful! At least it means that when you rerun a post it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time again…
I suppose there comes a point where rust repair just isn’t economical, even on a vehicle as desirable as this. The question is, indeed, how it declined to that point to begin with, while in the care of someone who presumably paid a pretty penny to have it imported? My guess is that it was imported with a fresh coat of paint hiding unresolved rust issues, which have literally come to the surface in the intervening years.
Welcome back, Thomas! Didn’t you live in Buffalo for awhile and had documented repairs to…a Ford Windstar (?) over on “the other site”?
That Camaro is a heartbreaker! Shame to see it in that condition…of course for anyone who’s lived in the Niagara Frontier…it looks like every car after just a few years.
You remember me well. I don’t want to even think about the Freestar anymore…
I do miss the Buffalo area though, it was really good to me.
Good to see you back, Thomas.
Now, about that car. Oh my. Must. Leave. Keyboard.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/curbside-curmudgeon-the-cars-we-love-to-hate/
my favorite version of the second generation Camaro’s, I would have saved this car myself, I’ve always thought the rear taillights were cool looking.
This car could have been “imported” by a member of the US Military that was stationed over in Japan and left there.
A guy I knew imports used cars from Japan and exports old motobikes and cars from NZ back to Japan, some how they keep them on the roads or maybe just keep them as static displays.
Boy, that is one advanced case of body rust.
Thom, I look forward to seeing more articles from you, and I hope that you are still enjoying your Town and Country after successfully registering it in Japan. That was a great series.
WELCOME Thom ! .
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That’s a rusty POS right there =8-) .
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Buffalo , New York back in the 1960’s had paper mills and smelled awful from 40 miles away .
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-Nate
Hi Nate, it’s always nice to hear from you!
Everett, WA – the next town over from where I grew up – also had a pulp mill. You could totally smell what the Rock was cookin’.
Hi Tom, I’m here in the Tokyo area and this looks familiar – did you snap this in the Hachioji area?
Nope, Kanagwa-ken.
Glad to see you here, Thomas!
It’s too bad that I didn’t get a chance to meet you when you were living in Buffalo. I live just outside of Toronto
Welcome and great find, Thomas!
That Camaro would look right at home here in Ohio… in 1985! 😉
Don’t forget that there has been a big US military presence in Japan since the war. This car could have just as easily been brought over by an Navy, Marine or Air Force personnel. The US military left Clark Air Base in 1991 after Pinatubo blew up. I still see American cars from the 70’s driving around Angeles City right now.
Hey Thomas – let me know how to get in touch with you in the event that my travels actually bring me to your neighborhood in September.
You can reach me at yahoo but take the space out of my SN. Or if you are able to see my email from this post, that works too.
I’ve attached a photo of me sitting in a GTR at the Nissan HQ in Yokohama while there a year and a half ago for your trouble.
I tried to send you something but I’m not sure if I got the right email address. My contact is my last name at hot mail dot com. Please contact me, I’d like to meet you when you get out here.
BTW ;
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Having grown up in the days of japan being hated for WWII and assumed to be only the maker of ” junk” , I assume they still have the diligence , thrift and other good base values that will allow them to come back strongly .
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-Nate