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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?

Which one would you ride? The Monorail or the Laurel C32 hardtop?

Drive next to the Tokyo Monorail on the Shuto expressway in 1987- Friday Video

April 5, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I’ve featured Kamepo‘s amazing side-by-side videos a few times before and this week he outdid himself with a side-view video of the Tokyo Monorail! It’s taking a drive on the Shuto Expressway route 1, where the monorail follows the route side-by-side.

The Tokyo Monorail rides alongside the Shuto Expressway route 1

Highlights

There are only a total of 16 cars to spot in this video as its total length is only 3 minutes. I think, in addition to the monorail, the double E-class, Toyota Stout, Nissan Laurel C32 and Toyota Sprinter Carib are the highlights of this video.

Double Mercedes E-class

Isuzu R6 spider by Takashi Jufuku – Cutaway Drawings

April 4, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

This Isuzu R6 Spider is one of those racing cars from the late-1960s and early-1970s that punched well above its weight! Let’s honour it with this cutaway drawing by Takashi Jufuku!

Isuzu R6 Spider cutaway drawing by Takashi Jufuku

Powered by the same DOHC inline-4 that powered the Isuzu Bellet, it wasn’t a promising combo. The engine featured Solex PHH carburettors and had an output of 180hp in the R6 spider. Magic happened and it managed to qualify as second on the Suzuka 500km and managed to finish 4th.

The spider shouldn't be confused with the 1969 Isuzu R6 coupé — The spider shouldn’t be confused with the 1969 Isuzu R6 coupé

Even though the R6 Spider featured the same engine, it shouldn’t be confused with the 1969 Isuzu R6 coupé. The Spider was an open top development of the coupé.

The R6 Spider did compete in most other Gran Championship races in 1970 before being succeeded by the Isuzu R7 which was powered by a Chevrolet V8. The arm of GM was apparently longer than the Pacific Ocean and it’s a shame the Isuzu inline-4 was ditched in favour of the Chevy V8.

Is this AE86 heaven or hell? – Japanese Rustoseums

April 2, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

Seeing a rusty AE86 is always sad, but seeing five makes me wonder whether this place in Japan is AE86 heaven or hell. Welcome to another Japanese Rustoseum post!

Wrecked zenki panda three-door Sprinter Trueno GT Apex AE86

Let’s start with the first one. This is a presumably late-1984 or early-1985 white panda zenki Trueno GT Apex 3-door that has suffered from some accident damage. The front has been caved in, which means it’s probably a write-off. I think it’s a GT Apex as it does feature the bucket sports seats, and panda paint and doesn’t seem to have an areal on the right fender.

What does this Quatrelle has to do with a Lapin?

Happy Easter with the Suzuki Lapin!

March 31, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I wish you a happy Easter with one of the cutest cars by Suzuki: the Lapin! Lapin means rabbit or bunny in French, so now you know the connection with the Easter bunny!

Lapin history

The Suzuki Lapin was launched in 2002 as a cubical kei car based on the underpinnings of the Suzuki Alto. It also got sold as the Mazda Spanio under the Autozam flag, but that car is less interesting as it’s just a rebadged version of the Lapin.

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