Back in the early 80s Japanese car manufacturers were convinced that the digital dashboard was the way to make a car to look computerized and modern. Digital readouts and meters were to be found in most of the top of the line models, like the Toyota Celica XX, Toyota Soarer, Nissan Leopard. Mitsubishi did the same: they added a digital dashboard to the Mitsubishi Starion GSR: The design of the dashboard is really nice and all readouts are clear in one overview: fuel, water temperature, oil pressure, tachometer and spedometer. Even though not all of them are digital, they are all there.
Now a static image doesn’t sell that well so here is a nice video of the dashboard in action:
Two months ago I posted some older Down on the Street by me from a period where I didn’t even have a proper digicam yet. So, here are some more beautiful cars taken on a crappy phonecam!
Let’s start with this nice S12:
Down on the Street: Nissan 200SX S12
The Silvia S12 was called the 200SX in the US and even though this car has the “normal” CA18ET under its hood it is still badged as the 200SX. ;)
Back then the owner of this car lived in the center of Amsterdam and took the habit of parking it close to my house (waiting time for a parking license in Amsterdam is about 3 to 4 years!) so I saw it many many times. According to the RDW this car no longer exists in the Netherlands…
How about a non-widebody Starion then?
Down on the Street: Mitsubishi Starion
Owned by the same person who owned the Starion widebody and disappeared a few days after I took the picture. It is no longer registered on the Dutch roads, so I don’t have to guess what happened to it…
This Soarer parked in front of my house was a nice surprise after a long day of work:
Down on the Street: Toyota Soarer JZZ31
Back then I still had my AE86 so within 20 meters apart there were an AE86, a Starion widebody and a Soarer! Too bad they were not directly parked next to each other…
Ten minutes after I took this picture the Soarer left. Engine sounded like a non turbo 6 cylinder engine, so most definitely a JZZ31 with a 2JZ-GE. Only the badge makes it a Toyota Soarer and not a Lexus SC300, the rest of it is identical. However I still like the idea of seeing a real Soarer! ;)
You may think: WTF?! This is supposed to be a JDM section only? So what is that Pony doing here?. Completely true: Hyundai is a Korean brand and this Pony was produced in Korea…
Hyundai started with producing a copy of the Ford Cortina in 1968 and released the first Korean car in 1975 with the introduction of the Pony. Well, partly Korean: the Mitsubishi Motor Company provided the engine and drivetrain. That is one of the great things about the Hyundai Pony: you can actually swap in a RWD Mitsubishi engine this way! ;)
Now this is where TE71Corolla comes in… I know him through AEU86, bought my AE86 from him somewhere in 2005 and I know he owns two Hyundai Ponies (Mk1 and Mk2). Back then he told me that the Hyundai Pony was based upon Mitsubishi underpinnings, had a licensed Mitsubishi engine and drivetrain and he wanted to put a Starion engine (4G63 or 4G54?) in one of the Ponies!
So I gave him a call and he was very enthusiastic about my “barnfind”! So I gave him the address where the car was parked and after some thorough investigation he found the owner! :)
It turned out that the car was parked at the same spot for over 4 years! Knowing that it is amazing how well the car still is! Another Pony saved!
So, TE71Corolla now owns 3 Ponies! Looks like he’s starting to be a serious collector now! ;)
Today 86ers.org posted about the Czech duo Franz & Tonda. Franz & Tonda have a nice garage full of old JDM tin, like a Corolla TE71, a (almost deteriorated) AE86, a 280ZX, a Toyota MR2, a widebody Mitsubishi Starion and a TA62 Carina Coupe! :)
From the pictures the Carina still looks very nice, but if I understood Franz correctly the bottom is very very rusted and the interior is not too wel either. I really hope Franz and Tonda have time to restore the TA62 and stop its deterioration!
As you can see from the stance of the rear wheels the TA62 has the same live axle as the TA60 (and the AE86) and does not feature the IRS as found on the TA63 or AA63 (Japanese GT models). Nevertheless it would look pretty wild with some deep dish Hayashi Streets on it! :)
From the pictures of the engine I can see it has a single carburetor so it is featuring the 1.8 3T. Basically the same engine as the 2T in my Carina, but then with 0.2 liter more displacement than mine. Also a 3TC has a dual carb setup, so that difference is easy to spot. ;)
Jalopnik nominated the AE86 as Project Car Hell musclecar of the 80s and it is nominated against the Mitsubishi Starion.
Jalopnik:
The AE86 is a pretty cool car, of course, but these days it’s akin to what the ’69 Camaro was to my generation: just about the only old car that every high-school kid can identify.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
