Frankie’s Garage: The SF International Auto Show

sfas1601Besides the throngs of Holiday shoppers in downtown San Francisco, the SF International Auto Show is happening also.  We check out the rides and other tuner cars on display at the show.

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Frankie’s Garage: JDM 1990 Nissan Skyline R-32 GT-R Review

smokingtiregtr32The Smoking Tire host Matt Farah reviews his own imported 1990 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R.  Nothing more to say, than then just watch the video.

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Frankie’s Garage: A Legit Skyline R32

SFAS15056Unlike other countries, the USA is very strict on importing Nissan Skylines, but now the Nissan Skyline R32 is legal to import now.  The Smoking Tire takes a look at a owner’s ride, a right-hand, 1989 Nissan Skyline R32, rear-wheel drive GTS-T.  A 2.0L V6!

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Frankie’s Garage: Wacky Mate’s R32 Skyline

r32gripcoverFinally, another episode of Tuner Club!  This show takes a look at tuning house Wacky Mate in Japan and their very own 1993 Nissan Skyline R32.  The 800hp beast was built for grip driving and time attacks.  The R32 has been heavily modified and tuned.

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Frankie’s Garage: The Euro-Spec Civic Type R

hondacivictyperThe Type R badge returns.  The UK/Euro-Spec Honda Civic 4-door sedan that gets the special treatment.  Wild and outrageous aero parts and rear spoiler looks to make a statement.  Xcar Films takes a look and reviews this pocket rocket.

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Frankie’s Garage: Honda Tuner Girls

tunergirlshondaI drive a 2003 Honda Accord coupe, but I’m not much of a tuner girl per say, as all I have done is replaced my OEM CD player to a Pioneer DEH-150MP and some expensive Monster car audio cables that I got suckered into buying at Best Buy.  I laugh now.  Anyhow, these are real tuner girls from Osaka, Japan.  This latest episode of Tuner Club Episode #4 takes a look at Nabo Okamoto’s 1996 Honda Civic sedan and Yayoi Torii’s 1991 Honda Civic hatchback. 

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Frankie’s Garage: Tuner Club Ep. 2 & 3!

tunerclubskylineGT Channel’s newest Tuner Club is for JDM fanatics and here’s episode 2 & 3.  In episode #2, Tuner Club profiles Global Auto’s ’99 Nissan BNR34 GT-R and boss Hiroyuki Yasui.  A 900hp track-only Skyline.

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Frankie’s Garage: JDM-Inspired Skate Decks

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Power House Amuse Honda S2000 F20C Skate Deck, MSRP: $59.99USD

These JDM-inspired skate decks can be use as decks, but also makes for a great display showcase for automobile fans at their office, man-cave or garage.  Check out the many different lines of JDM-styled skate decks at SCW Performance.

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Garage Tuned x Kanjo Spec Racing Skate Deck Civic EK, MSRP: $59.99USD

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Frankie’s Garage: Osaka Street Racing and Civics

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From BOWLS FILMS The Kanjozoku – Osaka’s Infamous Street Racers is a neat mini-documentary on the street racing scene in Osaka and their love of the Honda Civic.  If you ever watched the anime Initial D or played Tokyo Xtreme Racer on the Playstation, then this will give you a taste of night street racing on the highways and byways in Japan.

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Frankie’s Garage: Clean StanceNation Civic EK9

hondacivicek9A look on UK-side of the pond, a clean StanceNation JDM-styled Honda Civic Type R EK9 hatch-back.  Car Throttle interviews Ben Parker about his hot hatch ride.

Frankie’s Garage: Drifting a classic Datsun 280Z

datsun280z00This maybe just a Clarion USA ad, but it’s a cool drift vid with Chris Forsberg.  He drives a classic 1975 Datsun 280Z powered by a Skyline engine, the RB25DET.  And that’s all you really need to know, just watch the car-porn.

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Frankie’s Garage: Jay Drives the NISMO IDX

nissan idxWhen Nissan unveiled its top-secret concept at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, it blew Nissan fanboys and auto fans away that Nissan would bring back the iconic Datsun 510 back to life.  And now even Nissan fan Jay Leno gets to take a look at the one of the concepts, the NISMO IDx.

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Frankie’s Garage: Litchfield BRZ Supercharged

brz superchargedOwners of the Subaru BRZ feel the 2.0L 4-banger with 200 horses isn’t enough.  Xcar Films takes a look at the Litchfield BRZ.  Aftermarket tuners Litchfield added a bolt-on supercharger adding an extra 80 horses with handling package and sticky tires.

Frankie’s Garage: 25 years of the Mazda Miata MX-5

mazda mx05Jay Leno takes a look at 25 years of the little roadster that could, the Mazda Miata MX-5.  One thing I didn’t know that it was created in Irvine CA of all places.  Jay talks to the two guys involved in creating the Miata MX-5 – Bob Hall and Tom Matano.

Frankie’s Garage: JDM Fighters

miataI never knew that a small Mazda Miata MX-5 can hold a big V-8 engine.  This is what CJ Wilson Racing does, they race Mazadas, specifically Miata MX-5s.  This episode of Tuned on the Drive Network, they take a look at a street tuned MX-5 and track ready MX-5.

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Frankie’s Garage: Tokyo Auto Salon 2014

tokyo auto salon 2014tokyo auto salon 2014 cars2014 automobile shows are already in full effect and this past weekend the Tokyo Auto Salon 2014 took place in Chiba, Japan.  More than 400 foreign and domestic companies were on-hand and 800-plus cars were on showcase from car manufacturers and tuners.

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Frankie’s Garage: The Nissan Sports Sedan Concept

nissan sports conceptWith the 2014 Detroit Auto Show already off and running this week, Nissan unveiled their Nissan Sports Sedan Concept which might be the next Maxima.  The last couple of generation of Maximas have been kinda of boring and tame.  Hopefully, a Nismo tuned version will be down the line.

Frankie’s Garage: The Next Generation Toyota Supra

ft-1 supraThis Downshift episode takes a look at design factory Calty Design Research and their creation of the Toyota’s FT-1 Concept.  This might be the next generation Supra.

Frankie’s Garage: Honda Civic Type R Hillclimb

honda civic type rWatching this video makes me wanna watch the anime Initial D.  This Honda Civic Type R EP3 powers up the mountain roads and carves the Swiss Alps like nobody’s business.  The Civic Type R corners and sticks to the concrete.

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Frankie’s Garage: The 2015 Ford Mustang

2015 Ford MustangFord hopes to take the iconic Mustang pony car into the global markets with the 2015 Ford Mustang.  Motor Trend takes a sneak peek at the 2015 Ford Mustang.

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Ramen Crew @ the Slide Your Ride’s 86 Festival 2013

ae86The Ramen Crew heads to Oaktown, CA for a large Toyota AE86 Corolla meet.

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Frankie’s Garage: JDM All Day and Everyday!

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wrx wagonAnybody can put a wing, aero-kit and turbos, but it’s also about passion and the love of just driving the car as a every day driver.  Import Meet Street Car Competition (IMSCC) has put out some cool profiles of JDM builders and their cars for 2013.  The IMSCC contest will take place in Seattle, WA running August 9-11, 2013.

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Frankie’s Garage: Datsun is Back … well, sort of …

datsun backdatsun goGearheads and fans of JDM cars will probably remember the brand Datsun and cars like the 510 and 240Z.  Nissan discontinued the Datsun brand here in the U.S. (1984) and now is bringing it back as a budget car brand.

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Frankie’s Garage: 1994 Mazda Roadster

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This one wicked looking Miata!  This custom turbo-charged 1994 Mazda Roadster by Chris Love has mix of USDM and JDM looks.

Frankie’s Garage: Retro Car Tuning in Japan

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A look at classic car tuning culture in Japan on tuning, restoration and restomodding from 5 of Japan’s legendary retro tuners.