Learn me JDM Yo!

I was curious as to what the deal with JDM stuff is. I know there are 'fast and furious' folks, but what is the obsession with JDM. Is is like eurospec stuff which doesn't have emission BS? I'm really just curious because I hear about front clips and engines and the such and was wondering what it all means. Do the Japanese keep all the good stuff domestic and curse us yanks or is it just a fad? Were there offerings for the domestic marked that weren't offered in the US? I've heard about the nissan skyline but just wanted to see what you knowledgeable folks have to say.

Thank you!

benzbaron wrote: Were there offerings for the domestic marked that weren't offered in the US?

Much of it is a fad, but there is lots of interesting equipment or options packages that come on the japanese models that we never get over here.

Stuff like the parking pole:

usually if it is a "JDM front clip" it is an engine that was not necessarily offered in the US, that comes as a part of an entire front of a car. (ie. wiring harness, and everything)

you just got PwnD NooB!

There's a few contributing factors. Up until very recently Japan had looser safety and emissions standards than the US. They are very strict about mileage-usually at around 50,000-60,000mi, the car must be scrapped, so (supposedly, considering fastclown's case) you get a nice, broken-in performance motor with lots of life left. They also have quite a few hi-performance models we never got here, like the Civic Type-R, GT-R, and engines like the SR20DET turbo 2.0L I-4 that came in the Nissan Silvia, but not its American counterpart the 240SX. Some JDM cars look different than their US counterparts, like the Integra and Silvia, so some people do conversions. When done right, it's not much different in concept than putting a Euro-style grille and headlights on an older Golf. When done wrong, you get a monstrosity like this:

Front clips are basically the entire part of the car ahead of the firewall. These are easier for swaps since they they have the engine, wiring, and accessories intact. An engine/transmission combo may be missing this stuff, esp. wiring, which is usually a PITA even with the JDM wiring harness. Plus, with cars like the Silvia, you get the front bumper if you want to change your car's looks.

There's also the thinking that JDM parts are automatically better since the cars are made in Japan and/or they're more expensive than US-built stuff. I don't buy into this unless you're going for a drift car or the part is not made in the US or easily fabricated by yourself.

I'll admit I have a JDM Mazdaspeed steering wheel in my RX-7, but it was made by Momo for Mazda, looks like a Momo, and feels like a Momo, not a fleaBay special (plus I got it for a decent price). It's probably the first and last JDM part I'll buy for my FC. The rest of my mods are from Mazda, the US, or European suppliers like Racing Beat, Corksport, and Koni, and they work just fine.

Cool thanks for the information. I remember going to Hong Kong they had tax laws that basically made it unfeasible to keep an old car on the road, I guess japan must be the same. I think they pay taxes almost equivalent to the price of the car.

I guess the Japanese being techno wizards probably have all sort of weird stuff the DOT wouldn't jive with.

Thanks for the info and keep it coming, maybe I'll turn my pickup into a drift monster with a jdm 22re!

The mileage limit is a myth, the reason is a pricey inspection called "Shaken" that must be completed every two years (after an initial 3 year period.) Once the vehicle can't pass inspection or it's not economically feasible the cars get exported.

Actually, you'd probably end up with a 21R which is a step down.

We did miss out on a lot of Toyota awesome though.

3K-B.

18R-B (I had one in a Corona).

18R-G.

9R.

2T-G.

3T-GTE.

1G-GZTE.

3M.

V-series engines.

The Carina.

The Celica XX.

Shawn

It was an obsession among Honda geeks around 2000. The Honda craze is long-dead now, but some still seek out these rare Japan-only parts.

It was the concept of having a car that was identical to what roamed the streets of Tokyo and was subtly different from its USDM counterparts--only spotted by a trained eye.

The whole JDM craze was also about "clean" cars that were free of the graphics and bodykits that littered the 90's and peaked with the Fast and the Furious.

Now, the SoCal Honda scene is just borrowing heavily from the VW scene--low offset wheels, stretched tires, super low stance, rusted hoods, mismatched engine bays, roof racks, yada yada...

JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) Basically its special parts/engines/accessories that aren't offered in the us. Engines are usually of higher power and no or less emissions, the options are pretty unnoticed by the average joe, but power folding mirrors, one piece headlights, and amber marker lights are just a few parts. Also another example is on the Mitsubishi 3000GT's( AKA Mitsubishi GTO). The rear garnish panel in the US reads "MITSUBISHI", the JDM reads "GTO". Mostly the JDM purists will know when you have a true JDM part.

y0:

You forgot the BEST JDM motor, the 4AGE 20 valve. That one was sold only in Japan in the Silvertop version, but the Blacktop version was exported to South Africa only.

Some of you Saturn guys may remember this... I remember during the unveiling of a particular souped up SC2 track car, the owner had to show us his JDM part. (Yes, on a made-in-Spring-Hill-Tennesee-USA Saturn.) He'd gotten a brake fluid reservoir cap from a Japanese spec Saturn and put it on his car, just to have a genuine Saturn JDM part on the car.

The JDM ashtray comic reminded me of that, except this really happened...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojB7KkaR03I ;)

Seriously though, was that the SPS saturn car (ITA class)? I used to love watching their vids back in the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Eh-2fAxCQ

The same idea exists for most cars that are manufactured overseas. While JDM get a lot of publicity the "Euro" trend is big for some cars. JDM emphasizes engines while the Euro is mostly about trim pieces.

Euro parts for the Ford Focus was/is a big one. No engines involved but lots of trim pieces. The European Focus is much more upscale than the US version so interior trim parts are very desirable. The funny part is that if you find the right person in the UK you might be able to swap parts since they want the US style!!

When that show...berkeley...what was the name of it...the one on speed with Tom Naxhahshhsdhdidghiwoieheeweew or whatever...anyway, when that was on, they had a "Dyno Challenge" segment or some E36 M3. I remember some little Korean kid who swapped a "Japanese spec" motor into his KIA or Hyundai or Daiwoo or whatever the berkeley, and was expecting to see some berkeleying ridiculous number on the dyno. I think it was 3 or 4 HP more than the "US spec" motor. That was awesome.

I think I get it now. There is one element of styling and one of performance. I know my car is eurospec so it has different lights, bumpers, interior, I guess JDM must be the same. I guess I never knew until recently that the Japanese were motorheads.

The good thing is being in california a JDM market engine would probably be illegal, so I know here it will be all show and no go.

Thanks for all the info folks!

The Japanese have gotten all kinds of cool stuff we don't. Especially when it comes to vintage cars and Kei-class cars.

Hal wrote: The funny part is that if you find the right person in the UK you might be able to swap parts since they want the US style!!

This actually also applies to USDM parts for Mercedes Benz in Asia. The USDM (dubbed US Style) headlights, side markers and big bumpers of the W123 is big in parts of Asia where they got Euro style version of those parts.

A few years ago, Ford's European rally team went to the front fascia from the US market cars because it had different airflow characteristics. They did this after Colin McRae kept nosing the car into the ground over jumps.

For the longest time, we got completely different versions of European cars because the DOT specified the use of the 5" and 7" round sealed beam headlights.

This is a RHD car but it has the US 5" seal beams:

European spec 'aero' headlights:

Some of the JDM yO cars were the same way.

Japan also got some really cool stuff we didn't, like the Honda Motocompo:

There were two of them at the Honda dealer here in Chucktown. They were pretty neat, small and light enough to carry like a piece of luggage.

Then there were many British cars which got drastically changed for their domestic market in response to regulations from their biggest market, the US of A. Over here, in 1974 (actually with the beginning of the '75 model year) the MGB got an increase in ride height, big black bumpers, heavily padded 'crash' dash and a single Stromberg carb as well as a catalytic converter. Over there, they got the big black bumpers and increased ride height, but kept the twin SUs and the metal dash used through 1967 over here.

Jensenman wrote: Japan also got some really cool stuff we didn't, like the Honda Motocompo: There were two of them at the Honda dealer here in Chucktown. They were pretty neat, small and light enough to carry like a piece of luggage.

Jensenman wrote: Japan also got some really cool stuff we didn't, like the Honda Motocompo:

I've been looking for a motorbike that leaves enough trunk space for my sax and boombox. Keys, phone, wallet, sax and boombox and I'm able to leave the house...

I had a CDM (Canadian Domestic Market) engine in a Trans-Am once.

I don't care what you do to it. A Chevy 267 sucks ass.

Shawn

I just now noticed in that last photo of the Honda brochure that those gentlemen in the pic are Brit superstars and US one-hit-wonders Madness.

They must've been trying to tap into the whole ska-mod-Vespa thing.