Author: banpei (Page 1 of 316)

Mitsuoka Viewt: for those who want to own a classic car but don't want to constantly fix it...

Retro-kitsch with the Mitsuoka Viewt – March-athon

April 21, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

Mitsuoka is a company that is known for it retro-kitsch cars and their March K11-based Viewt is no exception to this. Today we will continue the March-athon and we’re deep-diving into the Viewt-rabbit hole.

It's hard to believe the Mitsuoka Viewt K11 is based on the Nissan March K11 — It’s hard to believe the Mitsuoka Viewt K11 is based on the Nissan March K11

However, we need to ask ChatGPT first if it can come up with a joke about the Mitsuoka Viewt:
Why did the Mitsuoka Viewt challenge the Nissan March to a makeover contest?
Because it wanted to prove that even though it’s based on the humble March, it could still turn heads with its vintage-inspired style. But in the end, they both realized that whether classic or contemporary, they were both just “viewt”-iful in their own unique ways!
ChatGPT is as brilliant as ever!

History of the Mitsuoka Viewt

The K11-based Viewt was conceived in a period when Mitsuoka was still doing small on-demand conversions. In the mid- to late-1980s, they started to build Mercedes-Benz SSK and Porsche 356 lookalike kit cars. After this, Mitsuoka created the Le-Seyde which was a Panther-lookalike and based upon the Nissan Silvia S13. This Cruella DeVille retro kitsch mobile sold moderately well and near the end of the run, Mitsuoka decided to build a Jaguar Mark II inspired car based upon the humble underpinnings of the Nissan March K11.

Why is this Mazda RX7 FD on a flatbed truck?

Drive on the Shuto expressway Shinjuku route (1993 versus 2024) – Friday Video

April 19, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

My favourite Showa-nostalgic Youtube channel Kamepo posted another video: the Shuto Expressway on the Shunjuku route. This time you get a comparison between 1993 and 2024 and there are a lot of interesting cars to spot!

Shuto Expressway Shinjuku route 1993 versus 2024 - Suzuki Jimny — Shuto Expressway Shinjuku route 1993 versus 2024 – Suzuki Jimny

Highlights

The highlights of this video are a Mazda RX7 FD on a flatbed, a French Citroën BX GTi 8v, two Toyota Prius-es (or Priora in Latin) XW50 and XW60, a Subaru BRZ ZD8, an Autozam Revue and also a Honda Integra coupé DA5.

Mazda RX7 FD on a flatbed

What can you do with a digital panel inside an AE86? Tec-Art's will show you!

Tec-Art’s digital gauge panel – AE86 trivia

April 17, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

About two weeks ago my fellow AE86 owner Robert forwarded me a Facebook video of a very special gauge cluster. The video contained a bespoke Motec screen installed in an AE86 with software that displays the OEM Toyota gauge cluster in various generations. I found out the video was shot at Tec-Art’s but it wasn’t an official video. Now Tec-Art’s released a video of a customer car that contains this gauge cluster!

The Tec-Art's gauge cluster boots up with Dorikin! — The Tec-Art’s gauge cluster boots up with Dorikin!

You can watch the video (with English subtitles) below:

Mazda rotary engine department together with the Cosmo Sports 110

Sporting the Mazda Cosmo Sport – Family Album Treasures

April 14, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

The photograph of a Mazda Cosmo Sports 110 below looks like any other ordinary photograph from someone’s family album. However, if you look at the date scribbled in the right bottom corner your eyebrows will be raised! The Mazda Cosmo Sport 110 was only first sold in 1967, so how can this be?

Takaharu Kobayakawa with the Mazda Cosmo Sports 110 prototype

The Mazda Cosmo Sport 110 prototype was unveiled at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show. The motor show was held from the 26th of September till the 9th of October. That means this photograph was taken even before the unveiling of the Cosmo!

Black Racing rims fitment is less ideal up close

Black Racing rims fitment and fuel pressure regulator – My Carina

April 11, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

This already happened a few weeks ago, but I have done some work on my Carina. The most important update was replacing the Celica Supra rims with a set of Black Racing rims. In addition to that, I finally installed a fuel pressure regulator to, hopefully, fix some rough idling of the 2T.

Watanabe knock-offs

I refurbished these Watanabe knock-offs last year by sanding them down and painting them with a rattle can. I can’t say it’s perfect, but they do look heaps better than they used to. The black paint on them was fading and they were in desperate need of new tires.

Is this Daihatsu Charade an absurd pretence?

What is it Daihatsu, Charade or Charaaydo or Chalayde? – Commercial time

April 8, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

The first generation Daihatsu Charade was released in 1977 and the three door hatchback featured a weird looking opera window in the C-pilar. Today’s commercial isn’t about that funny three door, but its larger five door hatchback.

The ad seems to to highlight the fact that the Charade is everything a Toyota Crown sized car can offer with its boot (or trunk for you Americans) cut off. Is it really that large? The literal definition of Charade is an absurd pretence intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance. So the Daihatsu Charade was meant to be something absurd which it actually isn’t? That sounds just about right when they pretended this Charade to be a Crown with its boot cut off!

What I found most confusing were the three ways of pronouncing Charade in this video. The first voice over pronounces it as the American charade (charayde), the female voice sings it as charaydo and the girl with the aviator glasses says “Yes, chalayde” with a thick Murican accent. So, what is it then?