Japan and Its Awesome Car Shops... One of Those.

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy) 09/14/2014 at 03:12 • Filed to: None

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What is insane is that it's one among quite a few others... If not many! With my father-in-law we went on a little trip around where I live, looking for what could be my next car. Cappuccino, AZ-1, FD RX-7, R32 GT-r... Normal japanese stuff :)

Then he brought me to this shop: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Holy Crap, was that intense!!! Since pictures are more important than words, go ahead and enjoy!

(The 250GTO is most likely a 240Z modified to look like one...)

PS: I apologize in advance to Gawker, but I might go back there in a month or two, with a decent camera (freaking annoying for an amateur photograph like me to be forced to use a cell phone for now and not have a proper camera), pretending to be a Jalopnik journalist and getting people to open a few doors for me lol... Can I get your blessing for that little lie? :)

Rainbow > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 03:16

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Get this one. It's like the Lincoln Continental Jr.

Burrito de EJ25 > Rainbow 09/14/2014 at 03:57

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A baby Continental! Adorable!

GhostZ > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 04:02

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Rocky Auto has been a source of lust for me for years. Just a few of the pictures behind it:

Kat Callahan > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 04:03

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THIS IS AWESOME.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 06:03

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Flavien Vidal > Rainbow 09/14/2014 at 07:17

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Sounds like fun lol

wbizarre - OEM fetishist > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 09:39

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Those headers...my God.

GhostZ > wbizarre - OEM fetishist 09/14/2014 at 09:44

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There are few things in life more beautiful than that.

Margatroid > Rainbow 09/14/2014 at 10:08

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It's called the Mitsubishi Debonair - launched in 1964 and was produced in that body style until 1986. Popular with customisers too, given that you can get a 1960s-designed car with 20 years less rust!

jkm7680 > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 10:15

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Want to steal a couple for me?

LongbowMk2 > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 10:25

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That gray z :drool: are those factory headlight covers? they look perfect. Obviously couldn't have those in the states. THANKS OBAMA.

Although maybe it was in the interest of public safety. I can't imagine how many accidents would have been caused by double takes.

DanPadge > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 10:31

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I love the 2nd gen '70s era skylines (because my taste always exceeds my wallet), though I imagine the vast majority of them aren't genuine.

LongbowMk2 > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 10:44

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I now know where to go to buy the c 10 GT-R I've wanted since gran turismo 4.

Or you can deliver it to the states for me, I'll pay on delivery, promise.

MrBeaver > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 10:57

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Jesus those headers are pure sex.

Fauxe > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 10:58

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This is my dream. A garage full of JDM goodness.

ktonl > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 11:18

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Who is Kat Callahan? Michael Ballaban's replacement or something? Or Jalopnik's Japanese correspondent? So many questions, so little answers.

GhostZ > LongbowMk2 09/14/2014 at 11:20

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Headlight covers (and the rest of the body panels) aren't factory on that car. Rocky Auto created an entirely new set of body panels out of Carbon fiber for that Z. You can see the weave pattern on this pic:

The headlight covers are cheap and easy to buy and a lot of Zs in the US have them. The only ones with factory headlight covers were the 240ZG models, which had a different front end for better high speed aero, but are a very different style. Here's an example:

The fender flares were deliberate from the factory, so that you could fit wider tires on the street car for the track without modifying the body. Like so:

NakiaJHutchens > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 11:23

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Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail

 www.jobs700.com

LongbowMk2 > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 11:34

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Good info. It's even more impressive that they are all custom panels. It's a very cohesive design, while many custom bodies...aren't.

That red zg is straight up gorgeous.

scoob > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 11:42

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WHY CAN'T I HAVE JUST ONE?!?!

feather-throttle-not-hair > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 11:46

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oh god it hurts so much! The pain of my longing!

T_T

AutoBeCrazy > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 11:59

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Devil Z!!!! Extreme amounts of want!

nauyop > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 12:03

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They're all Nissans. What happened to the other Japanese cars?

RMudkips > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 12:13

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*see my dp* I automatically love this place

RalphieDC > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 12:13

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Please tell me this came as a 4 door convertable that the Japanese Prime Minister used to ride around in!

etienne47 > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 12:18

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Now are these cars all reasonably priced in Japan?

Vintage1982Benz > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 12:21

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Just tell them you are writing a post for Oppositelock and show them some other quality posts from the site...I bet you would be surprised at how accommodating they would be.

After all, car people are good people.

ZabiakFero > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 12:53

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but they are expensive right? RIGHT!?

TwoToneLoser > Rainbow 09/14/2014 at 12:55

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My favorite Japanese cars are like this, the ones trying to be deliberately American. Have not liked a single one since they went euro and never looked back.

macshome > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 13:01

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Here's a question. Do you still need to call them JDM if they are in Japan?

ratonbox > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 13:04

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OH MY GOD THAT BLUE Z!!! I think I'm in love.

Stephen > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 13:13

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What car is this?

GhostZ > ZabiakFero 09/14/2014 at 13:27

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Very, but you could replicate your own for under $30,000 if you find a good donor car.

Zatoitchy > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 13:46

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Akuma no Zetto!!?? The DEVIL Z lives! Yappari....

Tohru > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 14:01

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You owe me new trousers. These have been... stained.

Sir HoonsAlot > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 14:14

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Drooling all over my keyboard just like I was at the Shelby American museum last week.

Sweet Trav > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 14:24

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I love the 70's Japanese cars, like 3/4 scale Muscle cars.

maninoren > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 15:25

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Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail

 www.payatom.com

ramajastang > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 16:14

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AKUMA NO ZETTO

WallCouldTalk > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 16:41

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That supercharger is fantastic looking.

GhostZ > WallCouldTalk 09/14/2014 at 16:41

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Here's a better angle for you:

NSUAnglia > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 16:55

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Needs more carol

agjios > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 17:16

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Which camera style are you considering? Are you going to go with one of the super point and shoots like a Canon S120 or Panasonic LX7, or do you want a little more serious all-in-one camera (like the Sony RX10, Olympus Stylus 1, Panasonic FZ1000) or do you want interchangeable like the Sony E-mount or Panasonic/Olympus micro 4/3?

Flavien Vidal > agjios 09/14/2014 at 17:22

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I' m currently using a freaking cell phone (Samsung Galaxy J, only available in Japan and Taiwan I think), had a Canon T3i with a 35mm F1.4 Canon lens for most of my static car pictures and plan on getting a 5D Mark 2, or maybe a Mark3 if I can afford it when times come. :)

First it will be with the cheap ass 50mm F1.8 Canon lens. Then I'll probably get the 24mm F1.4.

Flavien Vidal > Sweet Trav 09/14/2014 at 17:26

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Beautiful indeed... A 260z is still "within" reach in Japan, but prices of 240zs are through the roof here :(

Get them while you can america, prices will only be going up from now on...

Flavien Vidal > Tohru 09/14/2014 at 17:26

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Wait until I go back there with a proper camera lol

Flavien Vidal > Zatoitchy 09/14/2014 at 17:27

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Curious to see the engine in there :)

Flavien Vidal > macshome 09/14/2014 at 17:28

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Well, technically they are still cars made solely for the Japanese Domestic Market, so yes :)

Flavien Vidal > etienne47 09/14/2014 at 17:29

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Absolutly not. So expensive it's almost obnoxious lol

Tohru > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 17:30

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Flavien Vidal > Stephen 09/14/2014 at 17:33

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That's a C110 Skyline, most likely transformed into a C110 GT-R... But get ready to be pissed. This one was automatic lol

Less than 200 C110 GTR were made, and not with automatic gearboxes, so it's a repro.

Flavien Vidal > ktonl 09/14/2014 at 17:35

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A bit of both, but mostly Jalopnik's Japanese correspondent I guess :)

NSUAnglia > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 17:43

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It looks so stately. So regal.

etienne47 > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 17:51

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Well I want to say thats a bad thing, but I'm selfish and it actually helps my desire to own a jdm car in canada knowing that theyre crazy expensive everywhere else too haha

Sinda > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 18:21

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8th picture down is a

Sinda > RalphieDC 09/14/2014 at 18:27

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That's a Datsun 2600 "Cedric." My S.O. worked for Datsun/USA (now Nissan) in the late 70's. He said they had three of them at their HQ in Gardena for the U.S. based Japanese executives working there.

NoRotorNoLove > etienne47 09/14/2014 at 18:43

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There was some website that had Japanese cars for sale for cheap and the shipping calculator puts costs at ~ $1500 to a Canadian port.

Tradecarview.com

roachm > GhostZ 09/14/2014 at 18:55

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Yeah I've been a huuuuge fan of their 240z builds for a long time now. If I had money to blow I'd be placing an order with them.

NoRotorNoLove > NoRotorNoLove 09/14/2014 at 18:56

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Some examples of cars for sale are

An rwd Skyline

Or a Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Stephen > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 19:07

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Thanks!

Nhat-Viet Phi > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 19:16

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I have absolutely NO problems with a Z-car rebodied to look like 250 GTO. Especially if it could be bought at 1% of the cost.

macshome > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 19:18

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I get that, but we don't say that Germany is full of GDM cars. I just had never thought of it before, but it seems a bit arbitrary when the car is in its own domestic market.

Still this photoshoot makes me feel all tingly inside.

Flavien Vidal > macshome 09/14/2014 at 19:25

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You don't because almost no cars are reserved for the German market (sure motorization/options might defer between countries, but models are pretty much all exported), unlike Japan where most cars are not exported and created specificaly and solely for the japanese market :)

Hardwarewars > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 19:39

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Dream.car.

Hardwarewars > Kat Callahan 09/14/2014 at 19:39

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!jinx!

agjios > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 19:48

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Dude, forget full frame, and forget Canon. There's a reason why in Japan, mirror less is growing so fast. Get something that works through live view, with a tilt screen. Consider the panasonic gh3 or Olympus e-m10.

Zatoitchy > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 20:16

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Indeed... it should have at least 666 rwhp!

Bvnni > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 21:11

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Japanese Rear Wheel Drive awesomeness. Good heavens. Thanks for sharing.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Nhat-Viet Phi 09/14/2014 at 21:15

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So at nearly $250000? That's still a lot.

You'llBeSleepingWithTheFilet-O-Fishes > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 09/14/2014 at 21:35

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I love the second gen GT-R

spacejase > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 22:04

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hey Flavien are you sure that is a R32 GTR?

I don't think it is a BNR32

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Zatoitchy 09/14/2014 at 22:12

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What's so special about a goddamned anime?

Carlos Silva > AutoBeCrazy 09/14/2014 at 22:27

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First thing i thought when i saw the picture. i would love to have one of this in a few years.

gearboxtrouble > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 22:30

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Mind blown. Those are some of the most desirable cars on my dream garage list. One day, I'd really like to own a Hakosuka GTR. You need to put on a Godzilla suit and knock over a bank or two. Then buy a few of those things.

Zatoitchy > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 09/14/2014 at 22:31

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Youtube it and see it for yourself. I think there's a bigger manga following than the anime or live action features. Without giving too much away... the car is a bucking bronco (like the horse, not the other definition).

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Zatoitchy 09/14/2014 at 22:36

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I've seen it and it's shit. There's no plot, no substance and if someone thinks a 44-year-old Datsun is supposed to be uncontrollable like an old Miura, I'm about to go Gordon Ramsay on someone's ass.

Flavien Vidal > spacejase 09/14/2014 at 22:59

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Well the 9th picture is an r32 for sure... I think it has an rb30 engine in it instead of the rb26 though. That one is a bit over budget for me though lol. I think they want 40k$ for it with all the mods lol

Flavien Vidal > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 09/14/2014 at 23:23

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didn't like it much either but kept watching for the car haha... Pretty stupid anime but the car is still awesome :)

Flavien Vidal > agjios 09/14/2014 at 23:29

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i don't know shit about those... I go for canon due to the huge choice of lenses and accessories available

spacejase > Flavien Vidal 09/14/2014 at 23:32

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ok because it doesn't have the right wheels for a BNR32, no side skirts and no rear wing although if it has been reconfigured, I guess they could have modified the body a bit

also I don't think that is a factory colour - nevermind!

Flavien Vidal > spacejase 09/15/2014 at 00:31

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yeah but rocky auto rarely leaves a car stock :)

Or it might have been a gts-t originally that they heavily modified...

Tate Schneider > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 00:53

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I love the JDM stuff, but I want to see some more of this — if it' still there — when you go back.

EDIT: Never mind. I just read what you said about it being a custom job.

spacejase > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 01:08

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I reckon most likely non bnr32

cool thanks for the explanation - would not pay $40 000 for a gts-t!!!!

r31ya > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 01:53

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Kayone74 > macshome 09/15/2014 at 05:23

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non Japanese people are required to call them JDM. Japanese folks would just call them 'domestic'

Kayone74 > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 05:26

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No, consider mirrorless interchangeable cameras like the Olympus micro 4/3rds. I shoot with a full frame Nikon dSLR but use my Olympus OMD 90% of the time because of size, compactness and almost as good image quality

Kayone74 > Sweet Trav 09/15/2014 at 05:29

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and unlike many American 70s cars, not have completely garbage hp/L performance figures

Kayone74 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 09/15/2014 at 05:30

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I'm not even into the style of 70s JDM cars but I would rock that in a heartbeat

Flavien Vidal > Kayone74 09/15/2014 at 05:56

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I don't know.... I shoot skateboarding movies with it too... Not sure I can live with something else than a full frame SLR...I will look into those cameras though. As I said I don't know about them

brc is never late, because of his v8 > nauyop 09/15/2014 at 07:13

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Right..show me some sweet Gen 1 Celica goodness, plz.

Mr Joshua > GhostZ 09/15/2014 at 08:06

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Crowns, cressidas and skylines as far as the eye can see. Thank you God.

ClarkRodriguez > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 08:47

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Can someone give me an exact spec for this?

Bigcountrycuban > GhostZ 09/15/2014 at 09:55

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and this is one of the only things that can make me loathe being a Sasquatch.....

Izaerian > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 10:56

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Is it illegal to have physical sex with all these cars? Is it sodomy in the tail pipe or do you have to keep it to intake only. Also, if it's not illegal, would it be immoral? Just asking, you know, for a friends friend, definitely not for me since I am such wholesome individual.

Fluxx > macshome 09/15/2014 at 11:21

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The Japanese home market remained pretty much closed for a long time whereas Germany has always had an eye on exports.

Nhat-Viet Phi > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 09/15/2014 at 11:57

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Sorry about that - was tired and hungry. 0.1% at $25K was my intention.

Not to mention X% greater reliability, and probably better ergonomics.

agjios > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 13:17

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A Panasonic gh3 is much more of a movie camera than an slr, because once you use live view for either a unique angle or for video, you've now given up the ability to use the viewfinder or the phase detect autofocus system associated with it. Go to movie forums like dvinfo, dvxuser, etc to read up. Like Kayone, I use an SLR, and when I used to shoot sports for a newspaper I used Canon with the full selection of fancy white L lenses, but now I use my mirror less kit most of the time. it's smaller, lighter, doesn't have a mirror box to design around, etc. plus, unless you're a wedding photographer you don't need the unnecessary expense of full frame. Many working professionals are changing over to these cameras for much of their work.

Kayone74 > Flavien Vidal 09/15/2014 at 13:29

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mirrorless interchangeable cameras are actually superior devices for shooting video over traditional mirrored dSLRs, just FYI.

Flavien Vidal > Izaerian 09/15/2014 at 17:15

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Flavien Vidal > ClarkRodriguez 09/15/2014 at 17:23

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It's a C110 Skyline, transformed to look like a C110 Skyline GTR (rare, less than 200 built)... This specific one is an automatic though and well... you just don't want to touch that :)