by "Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
Published 01/04/2017 at 08:55
by "Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
Published 01/04/2017 at 08:55
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STARS: 8
I’m certainly missing some... There was quite a lot really. Stock photo too because digging up to find the pcitures of the actual cars will be too long. and obvisouly, not in order and I’m certainly forgetting a few...
Suzuki Alto: IT SUCKS
Toyota Passo: IT SUCKS
My baby: it’s awesome!
Camaro RS: It sucks quite a bit, but driving one in Japan makes it somewhat really cool
Panhard PL17: yeah, not good but hey... what did you expect?
Citroen DS21ie and 23ie with hydromatic gearbox: Love the comfort, love the car, hate the gearbox!
2nd Gen Mitisubish Minica: Lots of fun for such a little thing!
Honda Beat: Tons of fun, I’ll buy one.
Alfa Romeo 147 GTA: So good and so bad all at the same time!
Maseratio 430 Bi-Turbo: Fun while it lasted
Lotus Esprit Turbo: Better than the NSX. Yep. Better! (it just doesn’t actually work that as often)
Well, it’s an NB Miata...
E30 M3 Touring (originally a 325i Touring, full swap): Damn, dat sound! But not that fun really... My expectations were probably WAY too high...
Golf GTI Mk1: Lots of 3 wheel fun... but when you test the fuel pump: it’s a freaking 8v one, not a 12v, or you’ll fry it.
Mazda Familia 1000 (rotary powered): Interesting if you like rotaries...
Audi Ur-quattro: Drove it for too short of a distance to really have an impression on it. I’ll get my hands on it back again some time...
Renault 8 Rally Car with an R5 alpine engine, dual weber and all: Oh shit it’s fast! I never expected that! Breaks down a lot too though...
and I know I have forgotten some cars, but it’s late, so that will do for now!
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/04/2017 at 09:03, STARS: 1
Seriously, the Esprit Turbo’s better than the NSX? Wow, I want to drive one. Out of curiosity, was the NSX you drove with power steering or without? Also, how about Esprit vs Beat, because I’m seriously thinking about buying a Beat in the next couple of years.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 09:12, STARS: 0
Were there NSX without power steering?? And yes it was an early model and had it. The turbo was just so much more awesome to feel, hear and drive. All that while being lighter, nimbler, with a chassis just as good and a similar power to weight ratio. Esprit Turbo ftw!
Esprit vs Beat : Similar in many aspects, the Beat is more fun though because you can slam on it all the time and it’s still freakishly fast downhill.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/04/2017 at 09:20, STARS: 0
PS was optional (or automatic only?) in the early NSXs. The Esprit sounds like a blast. Lighter and nimbler is always what I like, so it sounds like I really need to try one out and get my hands on a Beat. Either would likely get an engine swap.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 09:25, STARS: 0
If you’re serious about getting a Beat, let me know, I can help... I may or may not export cars for part of my living lol
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/04/2017 at 09:43, STARS: 0
I’ll let you know, but I’m probably going to import one from Canada instead of all of the way from Japan since it’s closer, easier, and it seems like Beats that are already there are selling for surprisingly cheap. Saw a 92 for 3800 Canadian Pesos a couple of weeks ago, which I assume is like $6 in real money.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 09:47, STARS: 0
Haha, yes that’s about that :)
I can get some for around 600$ here, in decent condition. But after all the fees and shipping, it does get quite a beat higher (see what I did there.. :) )
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/04/2017 at 09:53, STARS: 0
How about Autozam AZ1s (preferably Mazdaspeed ones)? That’s always been on my list too, but I always figured they’d be mad expensive.
"fintail" (fintail)
01/04/2017 at 10:10, STARS: 0
I choose the Mazda for unicorn value, at least outside of Oz and Nippon. I suspect it cruises along at a calm 6000 rpm.
I know of someone with an early Esprit (but I don’t think it is a turbo). It does a nice impression of the Exxon Valdez.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 0
A lot more expensive... Cheapest ones will go for 4500/5000$ before fees and shipping... Around 6500/7000 USD in Port.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 10:18, STARS: 0
Nope, 3000 rpm at 60mph or so. Pushed mine over 240kph in 5th and it had quite a few rpm left to give :)
But yeah 12at are very rare even in Japan, let alone tuned by RE-Amemiya :)
"fintail" (fintail)
01/04/2017 at 10:24, STARS: 0
240 in that thing? You had a helmet and body armor, right? I remember going ~110 kmh in my dad’s old Datsun 610 and felt like I was living on the edge :)
I get the itch for an odd old piece of Japanese metal now and then. I like the mid 70s Mazdas - a Cosmo like this popped up on local CL a few months ago, but it was far too decayed for me to be able to handle:
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/04/2017 at 10:31, STARS: 0
Stable as hell, really no big deal at all for it... I had to let go off the throttle due to the accessory belt that was slipping and it started to smell bad lol. I changed the pulley for a bigger one with dual belt since then. No more problems. I regularly go over 200 with it, and it feels like a German saloon car on the Autobahn, with engine and wind noise lol
Rx5 are nice! I know someone who knows someone who owns one. I might try to get ahold of him... His car is NICE!
"fintail" (fintail)
01/04/2017 at 10:54, STARS: 0
The thin construction gets to me - the Datsun kind of worried me in the “you crash, you die” kind of way. Maybe I am too used to old MBs with tank-like material and build quality.
A trickle of those early rotary Mazdas came to NA back in the day, but they are incredibly rare now. An RX4 wagon would be cool too, if anything, for the goofy “Rotary Wagon” badges.
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
01/04/2017 at 10:56, STARS: 0
Love the Minica! Would love to import a classic Kei car sometime, but the price for a lot of them in good shape is going up and parts would be killer here in Canada...the Honda Life and the Daihatsu Fellow Max are my two favorites!
Glad to know the 147 is awesome but terrible at the same time...as an Alfa should be! I would love an Alfa 146 sometime as I quite like the styling, ESPECIALLY the behind! :P
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
01/04/2017 at 17:51, STARS: 0
great selection.