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What's worse than an AE86 with AE82 headlights? An AE86 with BMW E34 complex!

Dutch panda red AE86 with BMW 5-series complex – AE86 Wall of Shame

May 7, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

We all know the BMW E34 is the best Bavaria ever offered, so I think the owner of this Dutch AE86 thought it was a good thing to complement the AE86 Haslbeck trim with some E34 goodness!

Dutch Corolla GT Twin Cam 16 AE86 with Haslbeck trim and BMW E34 headlights and grill

Welcome to another AE86 Wall of Shame and this week, we feature a Dutch AE86 with a BMW 5-series complex! I found this car for sale in The Netherlands about six years ago and saved these images for later use.

German two-door Corolla GT Twin Cam 16 AE86

As a basis, a German two-door Corolla GT AE86 was used. We know this is the case because only in Germany the combination of a two-door car and Haslbeck trim was sold. We can still see the Haslbeck trim present in the form of the front spoiler, side skirts and boot-lid spoiler.

Is this Honda Prelude full of Excess? Or is it just More Collage?

More Collage Excess Prelude by First Molding – WTF?!

May 5, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I’m sure that the phrase More Collage Excess Prelude by First Molding will be identified as being written by AI if you pass it through an AI checker! These random words aren’t as random as you might think!

More Collage Excess Prelude by First Molding isn't an AI generated sentence! — More Collage Excess Prelude by First Molding isn’t an AI-generated sentence!

First Molding company

The company in question is called First Molding. No, that’s not a spelling error, it’s the American spelling of the word moulding. The name has been derived from the company’s origins.

Drive on the Tokyo Expressway KK-line (1986 versus 2024) – Friday Video

May 3, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

My favourite Showa-nostalgic Youtube channel Kamepo posted another video: the two-kilometer-long Tokyo Expressway KK-line. The Tokyo Expressway has a rich history and already dates back to 1951 when the first plans were drawn up. In 1959 the first section opened up and it was fully opened up in 1966.

Kamepo describes in the video that most of the expressway is built on top of commercial buildings or that the commercial buildings have been built underneath it. The 1960s were definitely strange times!

Highlights

As this section of road is only 2 kilometres in length, there aren’t that many cars to spot. Unlike my usual spotting, I have also included some cars from the opposite lane. I normally omit to spot these because they are very difficult and hard to distinguish as the frames get very blurry.

Yet still I managed to find a couple of highlights: a diesel powered Nissan Cedric or Gloria 430 wagon, a Nissan Cedric Y30 taxi, a duo of Toyota Carina A60s, a Honda N-WGN and a Nissan Skyline Ti C210/C211.

This is the worst facelift ever! Pre-facelift (left) is an exciting car and post-facelift (right) is the blandest of the bland!

Be a dingo in this Mitsubishi Mirage Dingo! – Commercial Time

April 30, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

When I watched a compilation of 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage Dingo ads I thought it was quite strange. It wasn’t just the fact that the styling got bland after the facelift, but also the choice for the Dingo name. If you are unfamiliar with the dingo, a dingo is an Australian dog. So what’s so strange about naming a family car a Dingo then? Let me explain!

Why you shouldn’t use Dingo as a name

Goofy

First of all, there is a very famous dingo we all know and love. His name is Goofy and he’s Mickey’s best friend. The issue with Goofy is…well, he’s goofy! He’s not the brightest, he’s clumsy and he often messes up things. So naming your car a dingo might be a bit clumsy.

A dingo is a male cougar

This big mess of 1G-FE wires and hoses just needs a little TLC

Finish this Finnish Lexus-powered Carina! – Carina Sightings

April 28, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

Some projects turn out to be too big to ever pass the finish line, but this Finnish Lexus-powered Carina doesn’t seem to fit that category. However, it’s still an unfinished project that is almost there.

Unfinished Finnish project: Carina TA60 with a 1G-FE engine

The unfinished Finnish Carina project

The ad describes it as follows:
Project carina. 2.0 direct weave from lexus. Immobilizer on, has been tested. A mild project. Not inspected. Good basket.
Normally a basket-case would never be good, but this Carina is an exception to that!

How can you fit a 6-cylinder in a Carina?

Fitting a 1G-FE 6-cylinder engine is possible on the Carina TA60 as the A60 Celica XX also featured the 1G engine family in Japan. Sourcing a cross-member from Japan for it should be possible. However, I’m not sure if the current owner went through all that trouble though.

The Mazda Capella Alain Delon version: for all you groomers out there!

Alain Delon debauchery in Japanese Mazda Capella ad? – Commercial Time

April 25, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I had two WTF?! moments in this Japanese Mazda Capella ad with French actor and playboy Alain Delon. One of them is the corny scene set in France. The second is the Alain Delon lunging at the girl on the rollerskates. Let me explain!

Alain Delon with his beloved Mazda Capella SG-X Extra CG

You can watch the whole ad here: