OLD TIN: Japan Classic Car Association’s New Year Meeting, Part I

January 26, 2009 12:30 am Published by

I now have a large bruise in my arse from where I have been repeatedly kicking it for only giving myself ten minutes to cover one of the most awesome static car shows I have seen in Japan so far.

Why wasn’t I there on time to cover the Japan Classic Car Association’s annual New Year Meeting in the Odaiba parking area? As I mentioned yesterday, we had a rather important interview scheduled at the same time with a person of great interest to the worldwide Japanese modified car scene.

Of course, work generally has to come before pleasure, but when pleasure is only ten minutes down the road from where you’re working that day, you’re going to try your damnest to get there in time.

I only managed to catch this guy just as he was leaving. I think his name is Komaki, and his Zed is more than awesome.

Of course, you should wash every part of the car except for the very rear, for that combination “just ran an endurance race” and “cops can’t read my plate” look.

If you own a hotrod, you should wear the appropriate slicked hair, t-shirt and jeans rockabilly greaser fashion to a car show. In the same way, no self-respecting shakotan-driving Japanese lad would be seen without a Regent as fine as this.

These guys are the “Pilots of Showa Machines”. The Showa period of Japanese history ended in 1989 when Emperor Hirohito died. These guys only drive cars from the 80s or earlier.

Here are a couple of their cars, a Mark II Grande…

…and four door Skyline.

Fiat Abarth.

Hatch propped open, of course.

Toyota 2000GT.

Just about every Lotus Europa in the country turned up.

These guys all lived a fair way apart from each other, but their similarly-painted Galants made a good team.

There were lots of spare parts for sale in the flea market area.

Steering wheels, rocker covers…

…any sort of emblem you could want…

…and even old car toys.

Old S60 Crown on new Crown wheels.

Who’d have thought a Corona on banded steelies could look this good?

Yep.

I wholeheartedly agree.

I’m not a B-series Sunny expert, but I think this is the long tray version.

Nissan 240RS Group B road-homologation rally car.

Complete with the very clean and original NA FJ24.

When they say “box fenders”, they’re not messing around.

Lots of old Skylines coming in part II.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Categorised in:

This post was written by Alexi

19 Comments