The Japanese Classic Car Show is an event that is always high on my list of shows to attend. It doesn’t change that much from year to year but when it comes to classic cars, there doesn’t really need to be change. Honestly, about 75% of the cars that you encounter at the show are the same as in year’s past, they’re just arranged differently. If you’re looking for all new cars every year, you’re going to the wrong event because it just doesn’t make sense to have all new classic Japanese vehicle builds at an event that promotes timelessness. JCCS is just more of an event where you get to enjoy these cars because they only come out maybe once or twice a year. The owners get to get together and catch-up with one another and the younger enthusiasts who are coming up in the community get to appreciate the older generation. Sure a bulk of the cars are the same annually but the small percentage of new cars always tend to be pretty spectacular. Then those cars make a return and then they get accepted into this unspoken fraternity and become a part of the mix every year. I love going to JCCS. I sometimes miss one or two of them because of schedule conflicts but when I can go, I definitely make the effort. Honestly, the show is so popular that parking makes you NOT want to go but that is just how Long Beach is. If you’re lucky enough to find parking or you go early enough before the crowd rolls in, you’re in for a treat. JCCS is just that good. As a Japanese car culture fanatic, this show is tailor made for people like me. I get excited when I see one or two classics at a regular car show, imagine just being immersed in a sea of them…

If you saw my coverage of the West Coast Collective event, you already know how much I had to go through to get down to Long Beach for JCCS. I missed out last year but I never try to miss it two years consecutively. It is just one of those events that not many people talk about, but practically everyone goes to. It’s weird like that. Maybe it’s because it is an event for older folks so they aren’t as keen as the younger guys who are all about social media and internet talk. If you don’t go, then everyone will tell you about how great it is after and you feel like the only guy in the room who didn’t go. Those who live in Socal will understand what I’m talking about. It’s just one of those unspoken things. Maybe people don’t really talk about it because it is such a pain to find parking and they’d rather not have anymore people there, haha, who knows….

I got down to Long Beach around 12:30 PM. I was stoked because I didn’t expect to get down to Long Beach that early and would have more than enough time to walk the show. My excitement quickly turned to frustration when I had to park in a completely different part of Long Beach because the lot was filled. After parking, I found myself waiting at the bus stop for over an hour before the free Shuttle service could get me down to the venue. 12:30 quickly became 1:30 and the show ended at 3 PM. There was still a little bit of time but believe me when I tell you, I was shitty about it, especially since some friends of mine had gotten there a little after me and found parking at the venue. In any case, I was finally inside and able to get my photos. I had a little fun with the edits so don’t be alarmed if things look a little different from the norm. I tried to give it a “vintage” look that probably failed but whatever, the shots came out cool. Hope you guys enjoy it. If not, feel free to complain, haha… Thanks for looking regardless….

I’m not gonna lie, it still feels very weird to see the EF Civic chassis at a Japanese Classic Car Show event. I mean, when you think of Japanese classics, you think of old Zs and Skylines, not a Civic from the early 90s. I guess to open up the show to a more diverse crowd, they started qualifying the EF as a classic. There’s nothing wrong with that and I think it is a good idea, but still, they seem out of place. Within the Honda community, the EF is revered but I’m not sure the rest of the classic car community is sold on the idea that this is a true classic. The EF hatchback you see above on old SSR Takechi Project Spinner Fins is a classic look but is it a true univerally-accepted Japanese classic? Ehhh, maybe it’s a little too soon. Let’s wait another ten years and then we can really talk….

EF9 Civic SiR on a immaculate set of SSR EX-C Mesh wheels….

The front lot by the ticket stands were filled with EF Hondas. It was cool to see how many more there were and how they were right up front. Since they are one of the “newer platforms” at JCCS, they would normally be placed towards the back of the show like last year. The above EF is sitting on incredibly rare Manaray Turbina S wheels….

EE Civic Wagon on Volk Racing E.M.U Fins….

Carlos Galindo’s JDM EF9 Civic SiR on SSR Challenge Racing Defi wheels….

Under the hood is a nice tidy bay with a B16A3 motor and some FEEL’S Twin Cam goodies….

SA22C RX-7 looking great on BBS wheels. Under the hood is a 13B Rotary swap….

This 1st gen. RX-7 was on similar BBS mesh but had aero upgrades and fender flares front and back. Under the hood is a 13B swap as well but this had a Comp Turbo upgrade and custom V-mounted intercooler….

A beauty of a red Hakosuka Skyline flared on RS Watanbe wheels….

John Ross’ SR20DET-swapped Datsun 510 Wagon is undoubtedly one of the better classic Datsun builds out west. Love the execution of the bay….

AE86 Corolla coupefrom Sideways Performance….

Datsun 610 Wagon on SSR MKII wheels…

Datsun 610 Saloon looking timeless slammed on SSR Longchamp XR4 wheels….

Datsun 1300 pick-up truck on Hayashi Racing mesh wheels with a SR20DET engine swap….

I really liked how this Toyota Hilux looked with its aged patina look….

Classic white/black two-tone AE86 Corolla Trueno on Work Equip 03…

One of my favorite Japanese classics that people rarely get to see here in the states are the 70s Mitsubishi Colt Galants. I really liked the styling of it and how good it looks with the added fender flares…

Traditional Works-style S30Z with full livery and all on Work Meister CR-01 wheels…

The group of cars that made this year’s JCCS show worth every penny were the guys from Wild Cards. These guys came out in full force with a group of Skylines that stopped everyone in their tracks….

Red Hakosuka GT coupe on RS Watanabe wheels…

Can’t say I’ve ever seen a yellow Hakosuka GT-R in person before. This one looked pretty amazing with flares and Watanabes mounted to beefy Falken Azenis rubber…

The one debuting build that was probably the best car of the entire event for me personally was Pat Soliman’s custom Kenmeri Skyline GT coupe. The car was just recently completed and everyone had their collective jaws-dropped when they saw this Skyline repainted in this rich candy red tone with the huge flares and custom re-barreled/refinished SSR Techno Phantoms….

Pat’s Kenmeri proudly reppin’ Wild Cards….

A couple more of the Boso-themed Skyline, includeing a look under the hood of the RB26DET swap. The motor looks right at home in there, almost as if it came that way from the factory…

Techno Phantoms have to be one of the greatest wheels ever created….

White Hakosuka Skyline coupe that has been out and about this year, on display at various events typically with the Autofashion crew…

This KPGC10 Skyline wore a livery reminiscent of the classic PMC-S Hakosuka race cars….

Flared Kenmeri Skyline looking exactly as it would back in its early years with original motor and all….

Bo Wong’s incredible AE86 Corolla. This build really needs no introduction in 2014 and is often the “Best of Show” award winner at every show it attends….

Ryan Basseri’s E-AT Civic displayed prominently at the center stage of the Japanese Classic Car Show. Not much has changed lately with his Civic since he’s been so busy but it really doesn’t need to….

This Datsun 510 on SSR Professor SP3 wheels featured a Mazda three-rotor 20B swap with a huge Turbonetics turbo….

HKS GT turbocharged KP61 Starlet with a 4A-GE swap and SSR MKII wheels…

The Hiraishi brothers’ SR20DET-powered Datsun 510….

Chevlon Racing wheels that once belonged to Todd Kaneko, another well-known Datsun guy in the Japanese classic car community….

That’s all for now. More cool stuff to come in Part 2! Thanks for stopping by!!….