Japan – Gripshiftslide

Spotlight :: Honda Shuttle

Grant — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 12:46:30 +0000

During our last trip to Japan we made sure to head back out to the infamous Daikoku Futo Parking Area in Yokohama bay. The tiny man made island plays host to impromptu car meets most nights of the week with all sorts of cars showing up into the late hours. Walking the rows of cars we stumbled upon this quirky Honda Civic Wagon.

When it comes to Civic Wagons we are no strangers having one of the 4WD versions of these in our garage back home. This one here is the ‘economy special’ model known as the Shuttle Pro.

This was the cheapest of cheap in the wagon range, Offered with FWD only and next to no creature comforts. Even the roof rails, rear wiper and side moldings are missing. The only additions here from factory are coilover suspension and some very ‘interesting’ looking wheels. (Can anyone ID these wheels?)

Speaking with the owner, we exchanged photos of our wagons and began looking all over the oddball Honda. One thing we couldn’t believe was how immaculate everything was. The pride a lot of Japanese owners have even here with this nearly 30 year old base model Civic is extraordinary.

Inside is much the same as the exterior, things have been left relatively untouched with the only addition being this wood grain Nardi steering wheel.

No matter how you look at it the side profile of these is just plain weird, looking like a skewed hatchback with a scientifically higher roof line over the standard Civic hatch/sedan models.

We caught quite a few people needing to second take the little wagon. It’s great to see they are just as much as an oddity here in Japan as back home in Australia
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.

Fun2Drive :: Type Arrgghh

Grant — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 13:54:32 +0000

During our most recent trip to Japan we spent some time again in the mountains of Hakone which of course meant we ended up driving half of the fleet from Fun2Drive.
After some mixed feelings driving the FD RX-7 we took something a little more familiar for a drive. A Honda Civic Type R.
Having owned and driven various Honda’s in the past I thought this Civic would just be a case of déjà vu. While it had all the qualities I enjoyed of the DC2 Integra Type R, for some reason in the body of the EK Civic it felt very different. Halfway through my first corner I had very big smile on my face…

What’s not to love about a plucky little hatchback that red lines at 8,500rpm? All the roominess you would come to expect from a small economical car with an angry naturally aspirated engine that sounds like it is having the time of it’s life with each press of the accelerator!

Based on the run of the mill 6th generation Honda Civic, the Type R version known by it’s chassis code “EK9” has all the features of the standard Civic with a host of goodies you normally get in Honda’s hotted up road cars. Including the dohc VTEC motor, Recaro seats, Momo steering wheel, upgraded suspension, bigger brakes, reinforced & lightened body.

The engine is a 1.6l B16B engine, the EK9 is the only car to ever be graced with this particular motor. What’s interesting is that it’s actually a destroked 1.8l block of which you would normally find in the more common Integra Type R.

The engine is faultless aside from the low end torque issues from such small motor. The motor comes alive in the higher revs and makes it’s peak power at 8,200 rpm!! There’s nothing subtle about driving a performance Honda like this at full throttle, the noise the engine makes had dogs from the next prefecture barking!

After spending the whole morning darting around the mountains I switched from ‘boy racer’ to responsible adult and decided to do some sensible driving before stopping for a quick lunch break at the local konbini. In the warmth of the hot food section I looked back out at the tiny Civic and had to admire it for it’s balance of fun and practicality. At low speed it was quiet, comfortable with plenty of boot space. At high speed it was a completely different animal!

After lunch I took the Civic along the Hakone Skyline Toll road around Lake Ashi. With the colder weather it looked more like I’d driven to Silent Hill.
Here there was next to no traffic and the corners hard and fast with banking sections and tight hairpins. The Civic really came into it’s own here.

Driving fast you can’t help but feel the rush as you really have to work the lower gears to keep the revs high, engine braking also produces the most wonderful noises as you gear down for the next corner. It really is a rewarding experience.

The development in the chassis is really noticeable on tight twisting roads. Having driven a base model EK Civic over a few years the difference is night and day.

Not only has weight been taken out, the chassis has been strengthened to counteract the weakness from weight loss. Add in the quicker steering ratio and it really is an amazing car to drive.

Even on the damp roads I felt a tremendous amount of grip from the tyres and felt very confident in it’s ability.

After some more spirited driving it was time to make use of a dry break in the weather and take some photos. Looking at the car from various angles it’s certainly not the best looking hatch ever released. However I do think the years have been kind to the shape and it’s aged well.
The Type R additions really make a big difference over the standard car. Equipped with a new grill, lip kit and spoiler as well as deleted bumper moldings on all facelift models it scrubs up well.
So much so nearly all modified EK Civics have had the same parts fitted to spruce up the look without breaking the bank.

With countless ‘mock up’ Type R Civic’s getting around the easiest identifying feature on the real deal is actually the 5 stud wheel setup. All other EK Civic were released with a 4×100 bolt pattern.

The EK Civic is from a simpler time when the Type R badge was a big deal and engineers appeared to have much more freedom when taking production cars under the knife.

All in all it is an amazing little car to drive. If you’ve never driven a Type R Honda I would highly recommend getting behind the wheel of late 90’s variant as it is hands down some of the most fun I’ve had in a road car.

This is a car I could easily drive everyday, it’s not the softest ride but it is certainly more livable than any other fun cars I’ve driven.

If I had the chance to buy one of these I would snap it up, unfortunately having only a dozen or more imported to Australia over the years they don’t come up for sale often and when they do the price tag matches the rarity.
It was another sad moment handing the keys back, knowing what I would be driving next though the sadness quickly faded. More soon.
Thanks again to Yoshi and Chikara from Fun2Drive for their incredible service!
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Fun2Drive :: Not So Mellow Yellow

Grant — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:02:54 +0000

With another trip to the automotive mecca that is Japan we of course visited our friends at Fun2Drive again. This time I was dying to get behind the wheel of a bright yellow RX7 that was still burnt into my retinas from our previous trip.

After a short drive out of Tokyo we returned to our ‘Home away from home’ Hakone. A picturesque town sprawled across the mountain tops. With stunning views of Mt Fuji it’s also home to an amazing little rental shop called Fun2Drive (More here). After catching up with Chikara and Yoshi we got right into business and I was given the keys to our first rental car, a gorgeous Mazda FD3S RX7.

As I was holding the keys Yoshi told me that this exact car was responsible for taking out a guard rail just 2 months ago. At that moment the skies opened up and it began to rain. Feeling the pressure of keeping this now straight car in the same condition as I had picked it up in I decided to take it easy that morning.

At the turn of the key I found the smooth and deep exhaust note incredibly soothing. This was my very first time driving a car powered by the wizardry commonly known as a rotary engine.
I didn’t really know what to expect but I instantly noticed the car seemed aggressive throughout the entire rev range and very happy on power.

There was a touch of turbo lag when pressing the accelerator, only for a second and then the power came on strong and pushed the car along leaving a very obvious grin across my face at every press of the throttle. The sound and feeling of the car even when stationary was extraordinary. I definitely had a new found appreciation for the Wankel engine.

That’s where my love affair stopped. After the initial excitement of the power delivery and noise the engine made had worn off I found myself focusing on the claustrophobic interior that seemed to carry on and make as much noise as the engine itself with every rattle and pop.

There were also less pedantic problems too like the suspension/tyre combination on the car that made it feel like a wet sponge. It was incredibly hard to get any direct feedback from the road. Visually it was also impossible to get a sense of where the tyres were under the front guards.

Weeks after my trip I was telling friends about my time with the RX7 many of whom are avid Mazda/Rotary enthusiasts. The look on their faces trying to comprehend that I just didn’t enjoy the feeling of the car around corners and that it felt slightly ‘detached’ from the road left them questioning their friendship with me. Understandably I had high hopes for the buzzing rotary but simply couldn’t get past the interior swallowing me whole or the loose feeling from the tyres.

Ultimately I’m sure with more time, the right suspension and tyres this would be an amazing car to drive. I am also sure that if I wasn’t constantly scared of all the guard rails jumping out at me I would have relaxed and enjoyed more of the corners around Hakone’s beautiful twisting mountain roads.

What I did enjoy about the car was its looks, it was jaw dropping from every angle. Yellow is easily one of the most striking colours on the smooth lines of the body, the nostalgic feeling I get with pop up headlights is just as strong with this car as any other 90’s performance car I’ve driven as well.
So there I was standing looking at the car under the trees and feeling very shallow. I had more fun looking at it than I did driving it.

I kept thinking is it me? Is there something wrong with me?! Why couldn’t I find the fizzy feeling James May is always fluffing on about with all the cars he’s been driving over the years?

Once I got out of the mountains and found wider roads I started to worry less about falling into a gutter and began enjoying myself more and more. I still found the response from the tyres an issue but as I was taking it easy on the wet roads it wasn’t too noticeable.

This was the first time I’ve not felt a spark behind the wheel of a sports car and it had nothing to do with a lack of power. Even driving the notoriously under powered Toyota 86 I felt more excitement from being able to drive that on the limit of the red line and even the road itself. The RX7 had me nervous and reserved the whole time.

I would jump at the opportunity to drive a modified RX7 just to get a sense of comparison to the stock as a rock version that I drove here in Japan. It felt like I was eating an unseasoned meal that just needed a pinch of salt.

With the last few minutes of daylight quickly fading I decided to soak in as much of the beautiful exterior as I could while dreading the last drive I had ahead of me in the pouring rain.

In summary my time with this RX7 was a bit like a first date with a stunningly beautiful girl with no conversational skills at all. Great to look at but no real substance to keep you interested.
I don’t think I’ll be calling again.
Thanks to the awesome guys behind Fun2Drive, we got to drive a lot more cars this time so keep your eyes out for even more features!
Thank you for reading,
– Gwyn.

AKDP :: Wrapped & Bagged Gloria

Grant — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 10:51:42 +0000

If you’re reading this from outside Japan than chances are this car won’t be instantly familiar to you. It is of course a 1999 Y33 Nissan Gloria.
We met Miyake Jyoko and his impressive Gloria while arranging our shoot of Sumida-San’s STI Forester.
Jyoko-San is another member of the AKDP crew we met up with while in Osaka. Once we saw the car in the light we just had to do a full feature.

The Nissan Gloria is an interesting car to look at by all accounts, a large four door saloon with a host of creature comforts and soft suspension for a smooth and comfortable ride. This particular variant is no slouch ether with a factory boosted 3.0l V6.

The headlights are arguable the most striking feature of the Y33 Gloria and Jyoko-San tells us that they are just one of the reasons he fell in love with the shape of the Gloria some 3 years ago.

This Gloria is a far cry from Jyoko-San’s previous car. Believe it or not Jyoko-San’s first car was a tiny Daihatsu Mira!! (We’ve been told he has picked up another Mira and we can’t wait to see what he does with it!)

Filling out the arches you will find a set of “SX” Seeker’s by Work Wheels. The fronts measure in at 18″ x 9.5″ -5mm.

The rears sit in at 18″ x 10″ -12mm and the generous amount of dish looks impressive tucked up into the rear guards.

Helping get the Gloria to seemingly beach itself over it’s own wheels is an Air Suspension system comprised of Algernon shocks and a Universal Air Compressor.

Inside the car is a large helping of the same style and flair that Jyoko-San has so liberally applied to the exterior. Including a snake skin wrap…

An Avenue steering wheel does away with the giant plastic air bag equipped factory unit. Controlling the suspension height of the Gloria is no harder than using an unlock code on your favorite video game thanks to this PlayStation controller.

It also seems the only thing fresher than the look of the car is the air that Jyoko-San breathes. When I pointed to the small forest of air fresheners hanging from his rear view mirror he couldn’t help but laugh with a grin on his face.

Stepping back the car absolutely oozes Jyoko-San’s style. Easily the the most obvious visual feature is the head to toe wrap. There is no matte or chrome finishes here. It’s all about texture.

Jyoko-San was working at an automotive wrapping company and his Gloria chosen to be the demo car/guinea pig for a VIP Event.
The wrap is a combination of camouflage and crocodile skin.

Separating the two wraps is a unique stitched line running the length of the car. Jyoko-San originally chose the combination as he had never seen anything like it before.

Beneath the wrap the Gloria is sporting a full Rando Ryu LUX body kit.

Adding to the overall look the fenders have also been pulled by 25mm on all four corners to help fit the wheels into the guards.

Together the wrap, suspension and wheels make for a lasting impression.

Poking out from the rear bar is a trio of blast pipes…

Hand crafted by another AKDP member, Yuta Takahashi. He works out of the B-Factory workshop and knows his way around a welder or two.

Under the hood the performance mods have stayed on the conservative side.

The VQ30DET can now breath easy thanks to an A’PEXi intercooler and Trust air filter.

With most ‘VIP’ styled builds performance is never the focus, what Jyoko-San has focused on has been executed perfectly.

The aim of the game is attention and it’s hard to argue that seeing this Gloria roll down the street wouldn’t cause a stir.

Seeing the car the night before the details in the wrap were lost, it looked just like any another matte black wrapped car.

In the light of day it comes alive as the sun hits every textured bump on the surface. The camouflage almost gives a marble effect.

After finishing our shoot it was time to head back to my apartment as I had a Shinkansen to catch, The ADKP crew were more than happy to drop me at the doorstep.

Cruising the streets of Osaka with these guys will be a happy memory to last a lifetime.
I would like to thank the AKDP boys again for sharing their time with us and chauffeuring me around town.
We still have a handful of cars from the group to share with you so keep your eyes out for our third and final AKDP feature.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

AKDP :: Sumida's STI Forester

Grant — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 12:56:15 +0000

The Subaru Forester is a simple car, it takes the handling and safety of the Impreza’s renowned 4wd system and throws it into a mid-sized practical family wagon/crossover. Mix in some of the rally bred DNA from the Subaru STI range and you’ll get a punchy turbo 2.5l boxer engine equipped car that is a far cry away from the standard round-trip to school, A to B affair you’ll find in most families driveway.
To Sumida-san this 2004 Subaru Forester made the perfect blank canvas and his favorite brush to use on it was the ‘lowering brush’…

Recently wrapping up our 2nd trip to Japan for 2015 we couldn’t wait to get stuck into some features and ‘first off the rank’ is Sumida-san’s STI Forester. We met up with Sumida-san by chance in a car park in Osaka late one night.
After a brief chat and some help from his friends we managed to translate enough to organise a shoot. We met up early the next morning and convoyed with Sumida-san and his friends to our location in some equally impressive cars. (More on that soon.)

In the light of day we were gobsmacked! Away from the shadows and orange street lights the paint work came to life and the extremely low ride height of this Forester became immediately apparent.
When it comes to lowering cars Japan is next level!

Tucked into the guards are an immaculate set of Volk TE37Vs. This design is an instant classic and just like the original TE37 that suit almost anything the 37Vs were designed with a vintage feel that looks at home on classics and modern cars alike.

We say “immaculate” as although Sumida-san’s Forester is extremely clean, you’ll find the telltale signs from driving a car this low on the fenders and wheel arches. For some these scars and bruises add character, almost a trophy if you will.

The wheels themselves are flawless and this goes to show it’s just as much about the wheels as it is the car for some. The wheels aren’t just an accessory here, they’re the major draw card and the car/ride height compliment them.

Looking directly from behind you can see just how much camber is used to tuck the wheels into the guard.

This amount of camber is sure to pour more fuel on the fire, the same fire that has been raging across the internet for years. Queue the “That’s just stupid”, “Ruined the car”, “stance is the worst thing to happen since…”.
We’ve all heard it, there’s arguments from both sides of the fence and we couldn’t care less. We like all cars and all styles, all we see is a passionate owner with an incredible car.

The TE37Vs measure in at an impressive 17″ x 10″ -20 on all four corners.

Standing back it really is an impeccable combo. The lines and wheel choice compliment each other perfectly!

Sumida-san drives this height everyday, there’s no airbags in sight. The suspension is comprised of a set of Cusco coilovers with a staggering spring rate of 34k up front and 16k in the rear!

Sumida-san has owned this car for a little over 4 years and in that time the car has gone through a few different looks. From different bumpers, wheels and roof racks. This car has seen it’s fair share of changes.
While every time the look is quite simple it seems Sumida-san is quite reserved in the overall appearance but when it comes to lowering his car he ‘takes no prisoners’ and goes to the extreme end of the spectrum.

Chatting with Sumida-san about his time with the Forester we asked what his favorite thing about it was, of all the answers we were surprised by his simple and humble answer… The pillar-less doors!! We thought it about it and had to agree. It’s not a common feature found on small four door family cars and usually reserved for sports cars and coupes.

Under the hood Sumida-san has kept the same reserved approach as the exterior. All the factory items remain. The only additions are an upgraded air filter and full exhaust system.

When the starting point is an STI badged Subaru there’s not a whole lot you would want to change.

What he has changed has made all the difference, the full exhaust system has amplified the famous boxer grumble from a meowing house cat to a roaring lion. The noise of the flat four echoing off the street was down right menacing!

Aside from enhancing the sound and freeing a few extra horses from the engine, the custom exhaust really changes the look of the boxy Forester.

Tie this in with the aggressive fitment from the wheels and this is sure to break a few necks anywhere it goes, no matter the reason you can’t help but stop and stare.

Inside are a host of ‘knick-knacks’ and ornaments livening up the standard interior along with a chrome gear knob, extended shifter and Grip Royal steering wheel. The drivers seat has also been replaced with an SR4 Recaro for a bit more support over the factory seat.

The more we looked at the car the more we fell in love! The simple look is super aggressive thanks additions like a headlight cover, eyelid, factory scoop and black front lip.

Spacers lift up the rear of the hood helping cooling and adding a little touch to the front that’s easy to miss at first glance.

Believe it or not, this is Sumida-sans first car! An impressive first car to say the least and over the 4 years it’s gone from stock as a rock to the pavement eating, fender smashing car that you see now.

Sumida-san has enjoyed everyday of owning it and at the moment his plans for the future are actually getting it to sit even lower! He also plans on making a few cosmetic changes along the way.

We’re curious to see if the wheels stay or go, it will be hard to top the Volks.

They’re the hero of this car and look great against the blue, we can see why he hasn’t changed them to save the guards from further damage.

Up close you can see the results of running around Osaka with only a few centimeters of ground clearance!

Sumida-san and his group of friends call themselves AKDP, they share the same love for cars and the same sense of humor. Just don’t ask us what AKDP stands for. (It’s not exactly PG-13).
We’ll be posting all of the crew together very soon. Keep your eyes out for the full feature.

We would like to thank Sumida-san for his time and for agreeing to meet a complete stranger early in the morning for a photo shoot. Thanks to Takahashi-san for translating, we had an awesome time with you and the AKDP crew and can’t wait to get stuck into the next feature.
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.

Fun 2 Drive :: Meet Your Heroes

Grant — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 02:32:34 +0000

I’m not one to jump in the deep end, yet here I was on my first ever overseas trip, two hours from Tokyo, standing in front of a rental car shop.
There were no boring hatchbacks or sedans in front of me, no, these cars weren’t your standard A to B affair. I was at a shop called Fun2Drive and all the cars on offer here were straight out of my boyhood dreams.
Have you ever wanted to drive a GT-R, RX7 or an NSX for a day? This is the place to come!
Having driven less than 3 hours in Japan in total at this point, the nerves were setting in. What had I done? Signing the insurance paperwork, I worried if I had bitten off more than I could chew…

Tucked away in the serene mountains around Hakone/Lake Ashi this is the last thing you would expect to find, a rental car shop that specialises in sports cars.

Fun2Drive has an amazing mix of cars available, and just like any rental car you can rent them by the hour or even days at a time. Drivers can also choose to partake in tours which take you along some breathtaking roads, some made famous by the Initial D anime series. This is a great option to try out a heap of cars and have a tonne of fun trying to keep up with the instructor.
Booking these cars was a walk in the park. Just a quick google translation of the website and a few emails back and forth with the friendly owner, Chikara, was all it took. He spoke perfect English and made the whole process incredibly easy. On the day, I was met by Yoshi. He was super friendly and also spoke great English which was a huge relief being the ignorant traveler I was, I didn’t learn much more than “Hello” “Excuse me” and ” Thank you” before I set off on the trip to Japan.

First I had to complete a quick 10 minute driving test with Yoshi to see if I could be trusted with their precious cars. I was a little nervous, it had been more than 10 years since I was in a car with any sort of instructor. Thankfully I passed with flying colours. After dropping Yoshi back off at the shop, I set off.
I chose to go it alone and didn’t book a tour, I decided I would take 3 cars for 3 hours each. A sample box of Japan’s finest if you will. No maps, no guides, I was just hitting the open road.

I also decided to rent the cars in chronological order. So first up was a beautiful Hakosuka Skyline. After a quick drive, I pulled over to let that sink in for a minute…
Me, driving, Japan, Hakosuka… Bucket list? TICK !!

This KGC10 Skyline was a stunning example even though this was a replica GT-R. With my hands wrapped around the steering wheel and foot planted on the accelerator, I couldn’t tell and neither could passerby’s.

I found myself torn between staring at it and actually driving it. I must have walked around the car at least 8 times before I finally snapped out of it and jumped back in the drivers seat.

Back behind the wheel I was happy because the roads were just as beautiful as the car!! I was in driving bliss! The smells, vibrations and sounds of the throaty 2.0 litre engine as it powered up the hill were intoxicating.

The closest car I’ve driven in terms of age was a 1970’s MG coupe. While not without it’s charms, I didn’t walk away feeling an empty hole that could only be filled by purchasing a classic sports car. No, I just felt like I’d had a fleeting experience with something novel from a time I didn’t understand. It felt like a chore to wrestle around the corners and the engine response was a little underwhelming. I’m sure in its day, many a necks were broken if one came whizzing by.

The Skyline on the other hand, I found from the turn of the key to be something truly special. The initial sound of the fuel pump, then the engine coming to life sending a shock wave of vibrations from the front to the rear of the car, left me in a dizzying high before I’d even set off down the road.

Like most older cars, the steering was clunky and heavy at low speed. Once it was up and moving along though it felt very responsive and the suspension was quite a lot stiffer than I had expected.

I also really enjoyed the slight delay when pressing the accelerator before the car would begin moving. It didn’t feel like that annoying lag you get in an under powered or automatic car. It felt ‘mechanical’ like a million little pieces were coming together to thrust the car forward. It didn’t build up either, it was simply on power or off. This really made shifting down a gear before blasting up a mountain an addictive cocktail, like lighting the fuse of a rocket and jumping on.

Before long I was starting to feel comfortable behind the wheel and I began to just drive the car, I wasn’t premeditating my next move anymore or worrying if I would break this 40+ year old car. It was amazing to just lose myself in the car, the roads and the country.

After only a couple of hours with this Skyline, driving through a few towns it became apparent that this was no ordinary car… It was a national icon! Everywhere I went people were pointing, giving the thumbs up and gesturing to rev the engine.
People young and old were instantly taken by the car. Everywhere I stopped someone would come over and start taking photos of it. At one point an entire family came over and took a group photo with it!

After just 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. I was dreading driving back to the shop. I was feeling like a kid returning to school after the holidays until I realised there were still two more cars to drive! My vacation wasn’t over!!

Flash forward 20 minutes and some 20 years of technology, and motoring in Japan had changed quite a bit! My car for the next 3 hours was this striking Honda NSX, in the ever popular Formula Red factory paint no less. As a self proclaimed Honda geek, I was in heaven!!

While booking my trip, I was easily most excited by the prospect of driving an NSX. This is the holy grail for Honda fans. This was as much Formula One tech Honda could cram into a road legal car at the time.

What could be better than driving around in your hero car on roads with this view?!!

With the giant Mt Fuji in the background everywhere I looked, I was constantly pulling over to snap away like crazy at the two amazing Japanese icons.

We all know how good the NSX’s looks… But how was it to drive? Did it live up to the dream? In one word, YES! I have never experienced such a well balanced car with so much feedback from the road before. The steering was manual and surprisingly light and the suspension was spot on. It never felt awkward, even at speed through corners.

The closest car I’ve driven before with a mid mount engine was a Toyota SW20 MR2 Turbo. The MR2 was from the same era and while plenty of things about the NSX reminded me of the MR2, like the interior, pop-up headlights and bright red paint. However, they were worlds apart. Taking the price difference out of the equation from new, they were both Japanese mid-mount sports cars. The MR2 felt awkward and snappy through corners, the turbo had lag and most of all the shift linkage felt very detached. The gear changing in the MR2 was probably my least favorite characteristic.

Now behind the wheel of the NSX, I was happy to report the handling was brilliant and the gear changes perfect! I’d read once that the NSX was known for having one of the best feeling gear changes. I couldn’t agree more.
As for the power? Funnily enough after reading countless comments on social media pages in response to those “what would you rather own?” type of pictures of some Japanese sports cars, comment after comment would say they wouldn’t touch an NSX because they’re slow, N/A etc etc. I guess the stigma of non-turbo cars got to me and I was not expecting anything exciting…

Oh how I was wrong, they were all so wrong. The response from this engine was amazing. Right from the get go, through to the high RPM, the power is constant and linear.
It didn’t suffer down low like most infamous high horse power Honda engines, there was no need to wait for this magical ‘VTEC’ to kick in and propel me down the road, which I think most of us are guilty of associating with angry loud noises and not actual increases in speed.

This was different, and the sound was phenomenal! It was literally singing as I carved up the mountain, radio off, windows down, just listening to the soundtrack of the C30A engine growling away. I was ecstatic! At one point I was following a convertible Ferrari 458 Italia. Let’s just say the driving was ‘spirited’ and the NSX was well and truly holding it’s own against the Italian thoroughbred.

All this from a 25 year old sports car, truly a marvel of it’s time. If you’re not into Honda’s or the NSX, do some reading and you soon will be. It has an aluminum body, the interior and windows were heavily inspired by the 360 view from an F-16 fighter jets’ cockpit. Even the late Aryton Senna played a part in the NSX’s development, giving the final advice on the tuning of the suspension and handling. Ladies and gentleman, the stars were aligned the day this rolled out of the factory.

Billed as the “affordable” super car, I get it. I really do. I came across a recent article of a man who owns one of the first NSX’s that came out of the dealership in 1990. Currently with over 400,000 kms on the clock, the car and owner are still just as happy as that first day. He was apparently from the Hakone area as well. I could not imagine a greater car to own in an even greater place.

Now after my 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to my new friend, I think I genuinely felt sad about handing the keys back. This time I’d somehow convinced myself in the short window of time that this was MY car, I’d fallen in love. Everything about this car was just so right. I thoroughly enjoyed my time driving the NSX and given the opportunity I’d own one in a heartbeat.

Now it was of course time to trade the NSX in for the third installment of my Japanese motoring sampler box, the mighty Nissan GT-R.

Not many cars can claim to simultaneously be both the topdog and the underdog. Nissan not only created the ultimate “tuner” car, which has been running rampant since it’s release in 2007 as a king among Japanese performance cars, it is also the indisputable underdog against the likes of many of Europe’s finest. Known to take down some heavyweight bulls, horses and even the odd German or two. The GT-R is nothing to turn your nose up at.

Truly a feat of engineering, this car shouldn’t be fast, it’s big, heavy and boxy. Thanks to some very clever thinkers over at Nissan/Renault (and two turbos) this car is capable of some neck snapping speeds!
The hulking car uses it’s muscular lines to channel air down over the bodywork, the suspension is active and changes to help make this small mountain feel like a sports car. It even has nitrogen filled tyres from factory because oxygen is too unstable!! So I’ve read the brochures, seen the videos, read the reviews etc… But what was it like behind the wheel?! Bloody good fun!!

While the NSX I was driving just moments before made me feel like there was harmony between man and machine, I felt like I was working along side the car to go faster and faster. In the GT-R I was definitely just along for the ride. Once you push that accelerator you’re just holding on. It goes from standstill to warp 5 in the blink of an eye. Roads just aren’t long enough, not even highways. While driving the GT-R, acceleration was the drug and I was hooked! I was slowing down every chance I got just to accelerate again.

The backdrop of Mt Fuji once again set the scene, now later in the day, the clouds had settled and things got a bit dark and angry as I finished my day with an equally dark and angry car.

After attempting my first parking job at the wheel of the GT-R one thing was apparent, this thing is huge!! No really, until you try to park one you cannot appreciate how truly large these cars are. I thought this might not translate well into the corners, I was however pleasantly surprised. While it certainly lacked the feedback of the NSX, this thing was quite nimble and the brakes were out of this world. It stops nearly as quickly as it takes off. This of course helped build my confidence when using the accelerator, god it was fast!!

After circling the same section of freeway (the on ramp was just way too much fun) it was time to pull over and spend some quiet time with the car, which of course isn’t possible until you come to a complete stop as the gearbox sounds like someone stuffed a Milo tin with firecrackers and rocks and then chucked it in the boot. I’ve been in quieter race cars! I’ve actually read that there’s a disclaimer when purchasing the car new that the gearbox is noisy and that you cannot take it back to the dealership to complain.

Would that stop me from buying one if I had the money? Hell no! This car made me feel like I was 5 years old again. Every time I pushed the accelerator I could feel the weight of my everyday problems lifting from my shoulders, to the back of my head where my tongue and eyes now were. This thing is just ungodly fast.

I was also infatuated with the flappy paddle gearbox, I loved it! Every chance I got coming to a stop, I would hit the paddle to downshift.
Like a rat in a cage pressing the button on a food dispenser, I was rewarded. Rewarded with the ‘eargasmic’ sound of the crackle and pop from the exhaust as the gear changed down. Every time the beautiful sound faded as quickly as it came, back to the deafening sound of the rocks in the Milo tin. That is until I pushed the “go fast” peddle again.

With the day nearly over, I sat quietly looking at the car for moment.
Here I was with a Nissan GT-R, a picturesque town, at the foot of a giant mountain, in one of the greatest countries on Earth. Until I experience the joys of parenthood, I think this will be the happiest day of my life. I really do mean that, I was truly free, keys in hand, I could drive this amazing machine wherever I wanted. That is, until my 3 hours were up.

As much as I’ve tried, I don’t think I can put my experience into words. So please go do it for yourself.
Visit http://fun2drive.co.jp/ and speak with Chikara and Yoshi and make your dreams come true, even it is only for a few hours.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Hiro's Big 8 :: Chevrolet Pickup

Grant — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:02:10 +0000

In one of the most densely populated countries in the world, space is the greatest commodity. Modern Japan has been shaped in every way around making the most of every inch, from towering buildings to automated parking lots. So with space in such high demand, Japan gave birth to the Kei car. Tiny cars with engines less than 660cc in capacity. They’re everywhere and everyone driving them enjoys cheaper taxes as a reward. If you want to make a statement with the car you drive, then there’s endless choices of sports cars, big saloons, European cars and even exotics. With so many cars and so many people, standing out in the crowd and expressing yourself can be a difficult task.
Meet Hiroyuki’s 1977 GMC C10 Pickup, it’s big in Japan… No really it’s huge!!

Hiroyuki has owned this Chevy for a little over two years and along the way he has tinkered, adjusted and fiddled with just about everything on it. It is no immaculate show car, everywhere you look there’s some sort of blemish, scuff or rust only millimeters away from a perfectly clean nut, bolt or panel. This truck embodies a unique balance of roughness and perfection.

Along the way, Hiroyuki has managed to dip into all sorts of inspirations and influences that have helped to shape this truck. From hot rods, to slammed VIP rides and even some quirky pop culture references, they all make an appearances here and there.

The most surprising thing about this C10 truck is that it’s 100% static, no airbags anywhere. Now just let that sink in for a moment…

Sitting literally some 20-30mm off the ground, it takes a certain type of person to be able to drive such a car and still have it bring a smile to your face. Throw in some narrow Japanese streets and “Brave” simply doesn’t cut it to describe Hiroyuki driving around town. He says “I have to avoid gaps, steps and bumps while driving. Other than that it takes some heart and guts to drive this on the streets”.

Wheel choice for a car of this size and vintage proved to be a difficult task to say the least. Hiroyuki settled on a set of Bart Wheels from the states to finish off the look on his all Americana pick up.

Sizing is an impressive 15x12J” all round… Yep they’re nearly as wide as they’re tall!! Tyre choice was also big part of the picture when fitting wheels this wide. You’ll find 225/60R15’s on all four corners.

The rear wheels just start to tuck under the guards, doing so required the guards to be cut and extended 2.5 inches to accommodate the new shoes.

How exactly do you get a car like this to sit so low without the use of airbags you ask? ** Warning, it’s not for the faint hearted… **

With a utility tray on this type of body there really is not an abundance of room left over for pesky annoyances like a diff or shock absorbers…

In the pursuit of low, Hiroyuki had to cut away the tray and fabricate some new mounts for the shocks along with a cutout to allow the diff to poke up.

Despite the extremeness of the modification, it’s actually very functional.

All this drastic chopping has made for a stunning finished product.

Aside from the jaw dropping ride height the most striking feature of Hiro’s truck is the flat blue paintwork…

Contrasted beautifully by the weathered chrome bumper and grille. Altogether it makes for a rather menacing look.

Inside there’s just as much character as your typical favorite novelty restaurant.

A purple glittery steering wheel, complete with a Budweiser gear knob made from an old beer tap helps him to wrestle the giant truck.

Running the length of the dash you’ll find a rich wooden table/drink holder typically found in a VIP styled saloon. You won’t find a diamond encrusted “luxury potato holder” here… Instead it’s covered in M&M figurines and a pair of cool surfer coconut characters.

On the outside, the original lines of the body have been left untouched. There’s no crazy panel work or shaving here, just the right amount of ‘seasoning’ to bring the best out of this dish.

There’s so much to love about a big plucky truck from a time all but forgotten. The big bench seat filling the cabin and tiny manual mirrors with zero visibility that serve only the purpose of making the driver look “cool” while adjusting them.
Then you turn the key…

Powering this giant rig is a 350 cubic inch small-block V8… This 5.7L engine not only propels the hulking third gen’ C10 along, it also provides the soothing rumble only a classic V8 can produce.

Helping the engine to do the best it can, are a handful of goodies like an Edelbrock carburetor, Moroso air filter and an MSD ignition system.

All in all, it makes for a super simple, yet ultra cool American cruiser that is a far cry from the typical cars that are found on Japanese roads.

Helping Hiroyuki turn spanners into the night are a group of friends who go by the name of Team Freee’s. They all have different tastes, but share the same love for cars. Just the handful of cars we saw on the day were of such a high standard. Among them we saw a neck snapping Honda Accord with some of the most aggressive fitting wheels we’ve ever seen, and one tough as nails Toyota Verossa drift car that was ripping it up on track while we shot Hiroyuki’s truck.

When Hiroyuki’s not scraping along the roads in his truck, he is usually slaying some tyres in his own S13 drift car with friends.

For the future, Hiroyuki’s has decided to convert to the dark side and create an airbag system and make things a little more practical to get around.

Even on the perfectly smooth roads you see in these photos, the truck was hitting invisible bumps and pot holes everywhere we went. And all the while, Hiroyuki was all smiles.

Of the two short weeks I spent in Japan, I was constantly surrounded by cars. From street meets, track days, Super GT, grass roots & pro drifting, but this single car will stay with me the longest.
You couldn’t find a more impractical car for Japan and then to do what Hiroyuki has done to it, this truck captures Hiro’s spirit and attitude perfectly to the “T”.

I would like to thank Hiroyuki for not only sharing his amazing Chevy with us and his time but also his patience as the language barrier made it very difficult to arrange the shoot.
We would love to catch up with Team Freee’s again on our next Japan adventure. Until then…
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Japan Day 2 :: Daikoku Futo PA

Grant — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 09:32:31 +0000

After 36 hours in Japan we finally hit up some car action at none other than Daikoku Futo PA! This tiny car park in the middle of a man made island in the Yokohama harbor is a thing of legend. If you’re into Japanese cars chances are you’ve seen more than a few photos from this location. Here car owners from different walks of life all gather and soak up the experience that is Daikoku Futo any night of the week and during the day on weekends.

Staying in Yokohama meant the parking area was just 15 minutes from our hotel. So hurried back after dinner and set off on our adventure.

The very first sight we were greeted by as we drove down the long spiraling off ramp into the parking area. This ‘Tron’ looking BMW convertible that had light glowing from everywhere. We parked up and ran around like kids in a candy store.

I can’t explain the ‘fizzy’ feeling you get standing in this spot at night… The cars, the orange light and the sound of engines revving is just unlike any car meet at home. The scale of the freeway ramps that circle you create this theater filled with the sounds of cars entering and leaving the car park. It really is just massive!!

The amount of cars even on a quiet night like this was staggering, cars were coming and going all the time. It was impossible to keep up when shooting on a tripod.

These three where all friends.

We loved this bumper-less Crown. It was also refreshing to see a modified Crown after the sea of Japanese Taxi’s getting around Tokyo!

The wheels were on the smaller side for a car of this size bit it still looked great all together.

Our second night in Japan and we were already treated to the sight of a Hako Skyline.

It was beautiful!!

This matte green air-cooled Porsche was a very cool sight amongst all the domestic cars.

There was a small army of MX-5’s out in force.

I’ve only ever seen one or two cool looking MX-5’s together at home so it was awesome to see more than 5 at the same place.

This little dark green one was rocking some wide wheels on the rear. Photos don’t do it justice!

Our favorite MX-5 had to be this BN Sports kitted black number. The level of dish was high with this one!

There was a few Honda’s out and about too.

This little blue EG Civic was sitting stupidly low, it looked awesome from every angle.

The greatest Civic Type R in our eyes… The EK9. These things are just pure awesome!

Another Type R on the same TE 37 wheels.

Over in the corner some local bosozoku bikers were meeting and revving their bikes. When I got closer I realised they were playing songs. They had each made up their own song and began reciting them one after another simply using their engines.

This was one of the coolest aspects of the parking area, getting up close to these amazing machines/people I’ve heard so much about.

Old Suzuki’s and Honda’s seemed the bikes of choice and they all had their own personal touches.

Our personal favorite of the entire night had to be Kazuki’s flawless 86.

The subtle red glitter in the paintwork was beautiful. We were digging the mismatched wheels. Work Equips up front.

TE37V in the rear.

This is seriously one very cool street driven hachiroku!!

Not to far away we found some very nice looking Infiniti’s.

This FX was dropped on it’s airbag suspension while it was parked and had heaps of top end audio gear inside. The roof racks had a very cool flower wrap on them too.

The G-Series sedan was sitting low on a set of 3SDM 0.08 wheels.

These wheels looked the business gleaming away under the street lights.

As it turns out the Toyota Prius is one of the most modified cars in Japan, seriously every second one we saw had blacked out taillights, wheels and an exhaust. This one was a little bit different and certainly had a bigger budget then most sitting pretty atop a set of fifteen52 Tarmac wheels. This thing looked killer.

From big budget to low budget this ‘diy’ Legacy wagon would look at home at most grass root race events. The matte black paint and custom front splitter design along with the rear wing made for a menacing looking street car.

One of the few Supra’s we saw, this was definitely the more wild looking of the bunch. Check out the rear diffuser setup!!

The car park fell quiet for a short time, the silence was quickly interrupted by the unique burble of this Porsche arriving. The sound stuck out like a chip packet being opened in a church.

One for the rotary fans. This spotless white FD RX-7 was certainly worthy of a few photos.

The body kit seemed like a simple lip kit at first but became all the more extreme when you got closer. The rear diffuser alone was a work of carbon art!

A late and brief attendee was this Evo wagon, such a shame we don’t see more of these in Australia. I’ve only ever seen one in real life before this.

This Scion XB was pushing the camber out on the rear wheels, lots of character here. mismatched panels, rusted bonnet and stone chips galore. This was cool!

This tiny Suzuki Alto was just tucking these 14″ mesh wheels in the rear.

It had some patched up fender damage on the front from running so low around Tokyo’s streets.

Later in the evening another cool 86 arrived, this time a coupe!!

In the infamous two tonne black & white combination and on a set of Watanabe wheels… Perfect!

It doesn’t get much cooler than this, sitting behind an idling Toyota Sprinter in Yokohama.

There was truck loads of Toyota’s by this point. Check out the crazy fitment on this Crown.

This Chaser was in pristine condition and funnily enough had the loudest sub woofer I’ve heard on the street. It was ridiculous!!

It had a nice amount of dish too!

One of the toughest looking cars of the night had to be this black Nissan Cima.

The big chunky wheels set it off perfectly.

It’s hard to describe this car without using the word “gangster”…

Even more Toyota Crowns!! They’re literally everywhere here! We were about ready to call it a night before the police did it for us After a few too many cars got a bit loose when leaving the car park.

Then this arrived… The hero car of the night. a sky blue liberty Walk R35 GT-R.

The huge over fenders of the rocket bunny kit perfectly covered the massive rear wheels.

This thing was big!!

Seeing a car like this here in Japan was really a special moment for me, I stood still just enjoying it not even touching my camera for a few minutes before I felt the pain in my feet that comes from a 15 hour day of walking none stop.
So that was that we called it a night and headed back to our hotel.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Japan Day 2 :: The Night Life.

Grant — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 07:17:49 +0000

The sunlight of day 2 began peaking through the hotel curtains, like a kid on Christmas morning I was too excited to sleep in. This was our second day of the trip and the plan was simple… Do some exploring, catch a train to Yokohama and get our rental car. Easy!

The view out our window was a perfect snapshot of how densely populated most of Japan is. The buildings press up against one another like people in crowded lift, with dozens of air conditioner compressors thrown across the rooftops. We actually spotted plenty of rooftop gardens with their owners tending to them in the early hours.

Back on foot after we checked out of our first hotel, we wandered Ginza in search of food and treasure.

They hustle and bustle of Tokyo was all around with the sound of sirens constantly blaring.

There always seems to be something happening, we found two police cars and an ambulance outside this building.

Only a few hundred meters away from all the traffic and noise of the city was Hibiya Park, one of the smaller parks of Tokyo it was still a beautiful place to sit and rest.

With several flower gardens and two large ponds it was still rather large by Australian standards.

Benches!! We finally found bench seats!

We also found some strange “free range” kitties running around the park. It seemed they would become a regular sight of our two week trip.

Within the park there was also large amphitheater too.

Across the road we found the king of monsters, Godzilla!!!

This amazingly detailed statue just happened to be outside a First Kitchen, so we decided to stop for breakfast.

First Kitchen is kind of like Macdonalds but better in a few subtle ways, it by no means is to be considered great food but the pancakes sure hit the spot!

After finishing our meal it was time to wander back to the train station.

Along the way we spotted all kinds of cool restaurants, this one was tucked away underneath the train tracks.

The warm glow from the lights from this restaurant was very inviting underneath the bridge, they certainly waste no space at all here in Japan.

We walked back through some of the alleys of Ginza just to take in as much of the place as we could.

It wasn’t long till we were car spotting again, Ginza really seems to be the home of exotics and high end European cars. This California would have been our 4th or 5th Ferrari spotting in 24 hours.

Being our first trip to Japan I have to admit I was quite taken with all the tiny Kei cars and strange wagons. The Honda N-Box seemed to one of the most popular.

The council was busy all morning hanging up these banners from all the posts in the streets, it seemed everywhere was getting ready for some kind of festivities. With the Cherry Blossom/Sakura’s ready to bloom there really was a lot happening in all the towns.

One of the things we quickly noticed was the dedicated smoking areas around Tokyo, it seems it is very much frowned upon to walk and smoke at the same time.

After a surprisingly quick train ride we arrived in Yokohama and managed to pick up our rental car. The next step was finding our hotel. It was an easy find as it was the tallest building in Yokohama (2nd tallest in Japan!)

This thing was huge!!!!!!!!

After dropping off our bags we descended into the basement car park. Of our brief 15 minute drive in Japan this was possible the most daunting task. The car park was at least 3 levels deep and there was motion activated sirens at every blind corner to alert other drivers you were approaching.
Given the fact we couldn’t read the signs it was an intense few minutes. Once we relaxed to the soothing sound of car park music (Yep they were playing music throughout the car park!) we parked in the “whale section. (Yes they also distinguish the different areas with things like whales and grapes!). We parked up near this tough looking G Wagon.

The elevator propelled us to the 56th floor at an astonishing speed, lucky our breakfast was only small as it was rather sickening traveling so fast in a lift!

This was the largest hotel room of our entire stay, it was also surprisingly cheap compared to hotels back home. This room was less than $200aud for the night.

The view was awesome!! There was also a large window sill you could sit on so we spent most of our time with our noses against the glass.

Everyone looked like ants!!

After a few hours of staring darkness fell and the view changed dramatically.

Lights as far as the eye could see!!

We ventured out to get dinner and kill a few more hours, the amount of light coming from the Cosmo clock was insane!

This giant Ferris wheel is the worlds largest clock and we were amazed at all the different light patterns it had. Every hour it would perform a spectacular light show.

Now it was closer to 9pm we decided to go back and get the car, it was finally time to head to the holy grail of car meets… The Daikoku Futo parking area!!
Out in the middle of a man made island in the Yokohama harbor is a spiraling network of expressway ramps leading down to a public car park. Here a few food stores and shopping outlets welcome tired truck drivers to stop and rest.
Many years ago it was also the staging grounds for a lot of street racers to meet and scream off into the night, now with increased police activity it has become the go to place to see some of Japan’s best street cars.

The drive from our hotel was super short and after only 15 minutes we had arrived!! The experience of driving down the ramps leading into the parking area was breathtaking. I was truly speechless, the atmosphere had all the hairs on my body on end! The sounds of engines revving, cars downshifting as they made their way into the car park was one of the greatest things I’ve ever experienced.
Check out our full coverage of the Daikoku Futo PA here.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.