Monthly Archives: January 2010

Just Like When You Were Five Right?

January 29, 2010 in Videos by

I’m speechless. Just watch and LOL.  From Banpei’s blog.

We all did it once: doing a dry drift run. I did it as well: try out that heel-to-toe technique when standing still. Do a clutch kick without the risk of damaging your clutch. Do a quick up- and downshift without the chance hearing of grinding teeth from your gearbox. A very effective and safe way of learning to know your car.

But what if you are actually on a circuit and have blown your engine to bits and still want to enjoy your car? Well, you make videos like this guy!

I must say this guy is quite good in mimicking the 16v 4A-GE and the T50 gearshifts! It kind of reminded me of this guy imitating an “import car” with his mouth. Maybe he watched Initial D a bit too much? :P

IF you want more mouthmotors, we’re also big fans of Leo, and someone we know in my office as the ‘VTEC tube guy‘… golden.

Happy Birthday Dorikin!

January 29, 2010 in Random by

This Saturday January 30, marks the 54th birthday of none other than Tsuchiya Keiichi aka “Dorikin”. So today we salute him for being such an inspiration over the years, not only to us in the hachi-roku community, but also the drifting and greater modified car community in Japan and around the world. We would like to extend our well wishes to the living legend, Happy Birthday Dorikin!

たんじょうびおめでとう 土屋 圭市 全員から はちろくブログ
(Happy birthday Tsuchiya from us all at HR blog)

To celebrate, we have compiled a little history of the man and his racing-filled life!

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HellaFlush AE86: TE37V Edition

January 22, 2010 in Parts & Accessories by

Impulse have procured for themselves a few sets of RAYS’ new TE37V wheels. After fitting them to every car they had on hand, they have perfected the ultimate fit formula for the 8.5-inch wide -5 offset size to fit under stock guards.  Using a 195/50R15 tyre,  in this case a Bridgestone RE-01 and Advan Neova AD07, only a small guard roll will see the perfect fit on your AE86 with the wheel face a mere 10mm protruding from underneath the guard.  Not to mention fitting perfectly over those Endless mono-block brakes.. phwoar! do want! Check out the pics after the jump.

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Missiles For Sale!

January 20, 2010 in Random by

On Yahoo Auctions, most people sell their hidden gems, like a cheap set of R.S Watanabe Eight-spoke wheels and then there are others who try to sell a good solid car. Apparently you can also sell your beaten up, thrasher drift missiles there. HachirokuGTV found this particularly sad-looking missile for sale on Auctions Yahoo for only 3100 yen! How cheap is that!?

In case you are really interested in buying it, you can find it here: Drift Missile @ Auctions Yahoo

ハチロク魂: Hachiroku Damashii Magazine

January 19, 2010 in Parts & Accessories by

Some more news from Tokyo Auto Salon, this time from Dino over at SPEEDHUNTERS:

At the end of TAS on friday I quickly headed to the Sun-eishobo stand, the publishers of Option magazine, as well as tons of other motoring related titles. I had to pick up a Hyper Rev book/catalogue for an Impreza-crazy friend back home in Italy and as I went to pay I noticed these two postcards on the counter. They are ads for a new magazine that will be launched at the end of the month called Hachiroku Damashii which in English would translate as “The Soul of Hachiroku.” The illustration of the red/black FT-86 riding on watanabes is in true Option magazine style and just hints at how much buzz this new Toyota sports car has created in the car world.

The postcard also says the first issue will be released in Japan on the 26th of this month, so we will keep you posted with a review when ours arrives!

[via SPEEDHUNTERS]

Doing It Right

January 19, 2010 in Feature Cars by

You know you are doing your project car right when you unexpectedly win a prize as No. 1 JDM car on a carshow. At least, that’s what happened to AEU86 member Oldskull after taking his almost finished levin project to a car show to promote his buddies shop Raceminded.

He did put some stickers of his webshop on my car so I was there with him and other club members. I parked the car and we got chilling at his tent where we would sell all his stuff. Suddenly later at that day someone came to me and let me know that I need to pick up my prize as my car had won “No. 1 JDM car”. Really funny to know that I won the prize.

Then imagine this car won the best classic youngtimer prize on the Japanese Classic Sunday only one year before when it looked almost bone stock in OEM panda-red scheme and only a set of Konig Rewinds.

RIP: The Local

January 18, 2010 in Videos by

Here’s local drifter and longtime HR member Beau Jones cutting it up in his SR86 on the last ever drift meet at Oran Park before they bulldoze it all away for new housing developments.  Smashing his gearbox early in the day, Beau wasn’t about to pack it up and run home, instead he stuck to going flat chat in only second and third gear for the remainder of the day.  It’s a sad day and it will mean the death of one of the best drifting circuits in Sydney and a good amount of Sydney’s drifting trackdays too.  If you like what you see (and hear) and want more grassroots Aussie drifting, head over to his website DriftKulture and soak it up.

Race Yourself in GT5

January 17, 2010 in General, Videos by

In extra FT-86 news is another nifty feature from those tech-heads at Polyphone Digital.  On display at the Toyota stand at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon is the Toyota FT-86 G’s Sports, which boasts an even sharper exterior and a world-first “GPS-track day” unit co-developed with the creators of the Gran Turismo franchise and automotive technology giant Denso.

So what’s so special about the unit, you ask? From what we’ve learned, you will be able to drive your real FT-86 around a real track — the Nurburgring, for example — and then remove the memory card from your car, plug it into your PS3 unit and either “watch” your lap virtually or race against yourself, as your real car appears as the “ghost car” that you battle against.

The GPS unit was tested in a fully race-prepped Lexus IS F at the Nurburgring last October. If you look closely at the FT-86’s dashboard in previous press photos, you will see an outline of Fuji Speedway, a lap timer and an altimeter — which hints at where Toyota is going with this technology.

Word from inside Toyota is that they plan to roll out the technology on “most” future models, with the first of course being the FT-86 in late 2012. Also, as has been previously reported, the Gran Turismo developers are also working on launching a 3D version of GT5 as soon as 3D TVs become available on the market. We’ve taken a quick demo spin of the 3D version, which looks fantastic in early builds. Of course, that assumes GT5 will ever be finished. Latest intel we have is late summer of this year at the earliest.

Check out the gallery at MotorTrend.

[Thanks, Nye!]

Turbo FT-86: The G Sports Concept

January 17, 2010 in General by

Since Tokyo Auto Salon is happening right now in Japan, we thought a special weekend update was in order!  The boys over at 7TUNE have the scoop on the latest FT-86 devleopment – the FT-86 G Sports Concept. It’s a turbocharged special tuned edition of the ‘revival hachiroku’, the FT-86 Concept. Is this the first time a concept has had its own tuner version before the actual car was released?

Adam from 7TUNE writes:

G’s and Toyota have been kind enough to offer me a closer look at the car so a feature is to follow but for now, let your minds wander over the huge proposition this car represents to the future of the aftermarket tuning industry.

Check the rest of the pics at 7TUNE and the live walk-around video from GT Channel after the jump.

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Red Inspiration

January 14, 2010 in Feature Cars by

Something of an enigma, Yamashita Koichi’s red Run Free trueno is certainly a hachiroku I, like many other AE86-heads hold in high regard.  Anontio @ MotorMavens is also one of these guys:

It’s just crazy to think that after all these years (13 years to be exact), this red AE86 Sprinter Trueno 3-door from Running Free still inspires me.. and I hope that’s a feeling that stays with me forever.

Antonio has a full rundown feature of the car, going part by part, from his time spent with machine in 2005. Jump on over to MotorMavens and have a read. Some pretty interesting parts you may have missed from our previous story on the car from SPEED magazine.

MotorMavens