Author Archives: Garth Ivers

Keiichi’s Fuji Hot Lap

February 3, 2010 in Videos by

AE86 on the 1.5km long Fuji Speedway straight? Hell yes.

Hachiroku Damashii Cover & Info

February 2, 2010 in Random by

Care of Minkara user Netsu Chi, we have the shot of the cover of the new Hachiroku Damashii Magazine!

From Sun-A’s website, a brief listing of whats on the inside in the best engrish you’ve ever seen:

AE86 Restoration quarter-century modifications, Come, come early FT-86 – Air dry charismatic new tuners Love Story starts now 13 saw their name FT-86 tuner in the future, Dorikin Muken of Keiichi Tsuchiya, the斬Ru Hibino!, ALL NEW!渾身next generation Subaru Boxer 4 , Validation! Occitane bee DNA is inherited, Initial D Takumi and horizontal New Developments, Full of secret story! Tada Tetsuya FT-86’s development chief, SCOOP: Expected to run from the real-propelled Spy Photos, AE86 – After his brave trajectory trajectory tuning motorsport, Love bee team Occitane Hachirokumaisutakarando得知, And for the FT-86 – “Convergence of real and virtual” Mr. Kazunori Yamauchi Gran Turismo, Porori involuntarily?, Tokyo Auto Salon PLAYBACK FT-86 Talk Show.

Until ours arrives from Japan, you’ll all have to wait in wonder and salivate over the possibilities!

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.

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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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]

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

Half Price Hero-Car

January 12, 2010 in Parts & Accessories by

It seems everyday you come across another must-have part for your AE86, but then sometimes you see other tasty items that aren’t so functional, but still super cool. These DISM Trueno 1/24 Die-Cast replicas are one such item!

This wonderfully detailed and fully finished 1/24 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 can be “tuned” to your heart’s desire, with extra parts in the form of an alternate hood, exhaust system, interior with roll cage, steering wheel, and much more. Also includes an alternate set of wheels and tires. Ride height can be adjusted to three positions, wheels can be offset to two positions, camber can be set from 0 to 10 degrees, and the steering is positionable. That’s a lot of features at a great price!

They arent wrong on the last bit. I already own a few of these and can certainly vouch for their quality! Can’t wait to pick this beauty up? See here for the Trueno and here for all the “mini-cars” on sale at HLJ (amongst them racing spec 2000GT’s and Hakosukas!)