Remembering Japanese cars from the past

About me

About me?

Well, that can be a long story if I want to… But I’ll try to keep it short. 😉

I live in the Netherlands which is some very small country somewhere in the north-west of Europe.

Cars
I’ve been a Japan fan for almost my entire life I think. It all happened in kindergarten when a friend of mine, who is half Japanese, had me over to play with his (Japanese) toys. I loaned a lot of books about Japan in the local library and in my late teens I got into Anime and Manga because of this and started collecting everything I could.

By the late 90s I really got into Japanese games. So of course I started playing a lot of Japanese race games. Most of those featured mostly Japanese cars and that’s how I got hooked on Japanese cars! I loved the outrageous cars like the Nissan Skylines and the Mitsubishi GT3000, but also the smaller Mitsubishi Lancers, Mazda MX-5s and Toyota Corollas.

In 2000 I watched the first fansubbed Initial D episodes and ever since then I was quite determined to own a hachi-roku (Toyota Corolla AE86) myself! I instantly replayed most Japanese racegames and tried to allocate all AE86s in there. Most of them actually had them! I also registered some domain names (trueno.org hachi-roku.org) and got one of my best friends to buy an AE86. Together we founded AEU86.org, a European community for AE86 owners.

Anyway, I bought my 1985 USDM AE86 in 2005 and owned it up till 2007. It was a converted SR5 (to GT-S spec) and I rebadged it as Trueno with the stickers we were already started selling replicas through the shop.

Due to family expansion, I sold the AE86 in favor of a mint Toyota Carina TA60 automatic. So I swapped the 2 door AE86 in favor of a 4 door Carina. The Carina in JDM form is often referred to as the four door AE86. My father did also own a Toyota Carina TA60 van in the 80s (I think it was 1985-1989) so it was quite natural for me to start looking for a 4 door Carina. The Carina TA60 itself is quite identical to the AE86: it even got the same rear axle!

Anyway, plans are to convert the Carina to manual shifter in the future and then swap the 2T engine for a (more economical) 4AGE or a (more easy swap) 2T-G.

21 Comments

  1. Victor Neyra

    Mr
    I´m from Peru,I´m looking for a manual for toyota Corona,engine 3T,model TT-141L year 1983,please help me to find it.
    Best regards
    Victor N.

    • banpei

      Hi Victor. Is the Corona powered by the normal 3T or the 3T-GTE engine?

  2. Edison (Bafo)

    Hi there

    As I posted on Carina Sightings (Bafo´s Lowered….), I need a place to buy bodyparts for my 1984 Carina DX.

    Please help …

    • banpei

      What type of bodyparts are you looking for?

  3. QJin

    Am looking for vintage skylines out of Europe. Can you help? You have my email at the registration.
    I can help you or your friends get anything car related from Japan (new & used)

  4. alec

    hi, not sure if this is correct way to contact u. the owner of the ta63 with 1u going in it is a member of our car club “yukai sendo motorsport”. please search for us on face book and you will find our club page. we have further updates of the ta63, aswell as tt141 corona, te71 sprinter truneo etc. say hi.

    • banpei

      Many thanks! I’ll search for it then!

  5. U.E.G.Dayaratne

    I need place to buy body parts for my car Toyota Crina KA67 , front and rear buffer and front light shell, new or used one olso ok . looking foreverable reply from you. Thank you .

    • banpei

      Hi Dayaratne,

      I personally don’t have many spare parts for sale and I might not live in your neighborhood either. Where are you from and perhaps we can find someone who can.

      Regards,
      Art

  6. FRpilot

    Hi, this is an incredible blog you have.

    Keep it up!

    Do you have a contact email at all?

    Cheers

    • banpei

      You can use the contact page for that. It is available through the menu at the top. 🙂

    • Kevin Bourke

      Do manga cars in gunsmith cats

  7. François Lallement

    Do you know my car? It’s a 1973’s Nissan Skyline 2000GT-X:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXQGoqLaPT8&index=1&list=UUAfSBiRXrl69TpDMcopdIjw

    I live in France and I restored this car this year.

    • banpei

      It is beautiful!
      I’ll reply your email today. 😉

  8. Ishkhan Gasparyan

    hi
    I have a 1987 Nissan Datsun 280c 1981.
    Please let me know if you can help me buy front bumper complete,
    corner lamps / R, L /, and the door mirrors.
    If this is not possible then please let you sell your existing
    blog Nissan Datsun 280C and at what price.
    Best regards
    Ishkhan Gasparyan.

    • banpei

      Hi Ishkhan,

      I would wish that I owned a Datsun 280C, but unfortunately I’m don’t.

      Regards,
      Art

  9. Dale

    Hi,
    First I would Just like to say what a great website, like you I have a huge passion for old Japanese cars.I was looking though your rustoseum blog pics
    and was wondering if you knew the location of the site? Or as much information as possible. Also would it be possible for you to contact me via my E-mail address provided. Thanks and I will look forward to hearing from you.
    Regards
    Dale.

    • banpei

      Hi Dale,
      I’m sorry but I have no idea where these cars are located.

  10. Guenter

    Hi,
    is the picture of the shiluette a fake or is it real?
    Do you know if the car´s still available?
    Best regards, Guenter

    • banpei

      Hi, which silhouette picture are you referring to? Your comment is on the about-me page, so I can’t tell. 😉

  11. Kalong

    Hi banpei. Did you sell Carina TA60 quadlight?

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