Author: banpei (Page 18 of 318)

Near original red 1984 Carina GT-TR TA63

Nearly original red 1984 Toyota Carina GT-TR TA63 – Carina Sightings

November 20, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

I have been seeing this nearly original Toyota Carina GT-TR TA63 for the past few years in videos. I think it is one of the most stunning Carina A60s I’ve seen! As there are many videos around, I’d thought I’d go over the car once using photos from one video, and then make an overview of all the other videos I found of the car.

Red 1984 Carina GT-TR TA63 from Hokkaido

This 1984 Carina GT-TR TA63 is from Hokkaido. It is covered by various people on YouTube, but I’ll feature videos by Yu Sasaki and Bankakuemiko.

At first glance, you would think it is nearly original. Almost as if it were new from the factory. It even still has the small black trim pieces on the wheel arches that were only present after the facelift in 1984. However, there are a few things that make it not original. From the outside, compare it to the red GT-TR in the 1984 Carina brochure:

Honda Life Step into my grave wagon – Japanese Rustoseums

November 19, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

The Honda Life Step is a van based on the Honda Life Kei car. The Honda Life was a successor to the popular Honda N360 and N600 (only abroad). Unfortunately, Honda stopped exporting their Kei offerings as soon as the Life replaced the N360/N600. This means we never got to enjoy these cars outside Japan. That makes me extra sad to find these magnificent Kei cars rusting away in their natural habitat.

This example seems to be parked in someone’s yard. Photos like these make me wonder where people then actually sit in their gardens. I mean, you can’t sit down next to a big pile of rust, right?

Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin on a double dirty secret! – Down on the Street

November 18, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

I found this really bizarre Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin in my hometown and you really can’t come up with this if you wanted to! But more on that later! I’ll first dive into the Pajero history and, if you haven’t figured it out already, explain why this is so funny to begin with!

This inconspicuous Pajero Pinin holds a double dirty secret

The Pajero name origins

Better view of the pair of 2000GT or 2400GT with the visible surfline

Watch Hakosuka Skylines being Unloaded in 1972 – Friday Video

November 17, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

Back in 2008 I started to research early Datsun and Nissan history. One of the things I quickly discovered was that the Hakosuka Skyline was sold here in the Netherlands as the Nissan 2000GT and 2400GT. Ever since, I have been on the hunt for old brochures and other memorabilia proving its existence!

Nissan 2000GT or 2400GT?

Today we have one such a things: a short newsreel from 1972 covering unloading of Japanese cars in the Rotterdam harbor. I was very happy to spot various early 1970s Datsuns and most of them were of the type 100A (Cherry E10), 1200 (Sunny B110) and 1600 (Bluebird 510). My jaw dropped to the floor when I spotted two Nissan Skyline C10s driving down the ramp!

If this screencapture is too blurry, a few frames advanced you can clearly see the surfline on the first of the pair of Skyline C10s:

Dome Zero prototype 1978 by Takashi Fujuku- Cutaway Drawings

November 16, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

There are a few Italian concept cars from the 1970s that really made an impact design-wise: the Ferrari Modulo and the Lancia Stratos Zero. To prove the Japanese were equally capable of designing striking cars, Minoru Hayashi designed the Dome (pronounced do-mu), built a prototype and exhibited it at the Geneva Motor Show in 1978. This exact prototype is what Takashi Fujiku drew here:

1978 Dome Zero prototype drawn by Takashi Jufuku

Would you buy a 166 dollar Toyota 3T-GTEU ashtray? – WTF?!

November 15, 2023 / banpei / 0 Comments

There are some questionable memorabilia that I own. Like for instance an unused official Toyota Carina notepad with Sonny Chiba and Kayoko Kishimoto riding on top of a 3A-II engine. Yes, that sounds more bizarre than it actually is, but I digress… I found this Toyota 3T-GTEU ashtray for sale on Mercari and I was stunned by its price: 166 dollars!

Toyota 3T-GTEU headcover ashtray looks accurate

It does look very similar to the 3T-GTEU head. For comparison, here is an image of a Bond-girl hugging a 3T-GTEU engine: