My friend getting the full JDM mountain driving experience!

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
02/24/2018 at 07:16 • Filed to: None

I sold him the Cappuccino 4 months ago... He crashed it 20 minute drive from my place in my local mountains so I went to check the result... It might end its life as a track car now, we’ll see. I have spare panels, doors, bumpers... we’ll see what we can do...

Typical tank slap on corner exit :)

There it is during better days...

The car still runs and drive perfectly actually, which is why we kind of want to sort of save it, turning it into a track=day car if possible...

DISCUSSION (41)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 07:25

OUCH!

as long as he’s ok, thats the main thing.

Flavien Vidal > pip bip - choose Corrour
02/24/2018 at 07:29

Yeah no problem there... a bit bummed about the car though... Won’t be easy to fix.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 07:35

From the look of that bumper the front impact bar looks messed up....if the frame rails were OK, he could just put on a new bumper and bumper cover? hard to say what the underbody is like though if he had some big rocks or anything on the way down...

Flavien Vidal > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
02/24/2018 at 07:49

There aren’t really any front impact bars on Capuccinos lol... and everything there is correct and unbent... The main problem lays with the rear fender which is welded and the side skirts which have been pushed in quite a bit and are also welded. Bumper, front fenders, doors, that’s not a problem, I have spares too...

syaieya > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 09:05

I mean if you have the space, i see no reason not to track day your little red cabrio.

Im half tempted to do so with my 250 dollar parts red cabrio i bought

Kinja'd!!!

Flavien Vidal > syaieya
02/24/2018 at 09:07

The car is still mechanically perfect. IF we were to make it a trackday beater, it would be parked year long at a local track.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 10:41

It’s but a flesh wound. As long as the wheels are straight it’s all good. Even that impact on the passenger side from the tree looks like it could be superficial.

AdverseMartyr > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 10:46

What do you mean by tank slapper with a car? I know what it is on a motorcycle, but can’t translate it mentally to a car. The steering wheel and front tires jerked to one side?

And that must have been quite the code brown with how far off the road it is in the pics. (Also were there no Gaijin traps on the road?)

Flavien Vidal > AdverseMartyr
02/24/2018 at 11:09

It’s when the car gets its tail unsettled during a corner, the gas in the tank splashing from one side to the other of the car, unsettling it even more...

1m35 in that video.

What do you call gaijin traps? Radars?

fintail > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 11:42

Lead image makes me think of this:

Kinja'd!!!

aquila121 > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 12:52

I’m just guessing, but maybe he means minor speed bumps (think more serious rumble strips) to deter spirited drives on that road. I believe those have been installed in some of the more popular touge passes on the short straights to make it difficult to get the needed speed to drift the corners without seriously unsettling the car.

HPoz - I like Honda Fits and I cannot lie > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 16:36

I hope it’s recoverable! Would be a shame to lose a Cappucino

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 16:43

But those things don’t help nor prevent the car from going fast anyways

Chariotoflove > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 20:21

Poor car!

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal
02/24/2018 at 22:02

Is this sort of tank slapper typical in a car that has 64hp?

Flavien Vidal > Nauraushaun
02/25/2018 at 01:40

A stock Cappuccino is faster to 60mph than a 1.6L Miata... Except that 1.6L Miata usually have a LSD and this one did not... It also had minor mods that gave it a little bit more power than normal.
Cappuccinos are very tail happy cars... This one for example has a LSD making it a lot easier to control over the limit...

Flavien Vidal > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
02/25/2018 at 02:23

They don’t, but to drive the car on the road without being stopped all the time, it needs to be repaired.

Flavien Vidal > aquila121
02/25/2018 at 02:24

Yeah nad they don’t really prevent people from drifting either lol... But there are none in my area.

Flavien Vidal > fintail
02/25/2018 at 02:25

hahaha yeah I thought of that too :)

AdverseMartyr > Flavien Vidal
02/25/2018 at 08:14

The open drainage ditches on the edge of the road.

Flavien Vidal > AdverseMartyr
02/25/2018 at 08:22

oh that... it’s not just a gaijin trap haha, it’s an everybody’s trap! :)
He went over it like it didn’t exist... he was going fast enough haha

AdverseMartyr > Flavien Vidal
02/25/2018 at 08:25

My parents called them that when they lived in Kobe 20 years ago... Damn! that’s scary just thinking about it.

Flavien Vidal > AdverseMartyr
02/25/2018 at 08:27

I’m moving to Kobe area in 1 month or so... Are you going back there from time to time? It’s always cool to meet with random people from Oppo who aren’T japanese haha

AdverseMartyr > Flavien Vidal
02/25/2018 at 08:30

Sadly, I have little reason to visit that area other than being a tourist in Kyoto, and a trip to Costco if I’m near one. Though I would enjoy meeting up if I am ever in the mainland.

Flavien Vidal > AdverseMartyr
02/25/2018 at 08:32

If you ever do, just let me know, I’m always up for a beer! :)

I’m moving to Itami to be exact, which is closer to Osaka, but also close to Kobe. Currently, I’m in Okazaki, near Nagoya. I always enjoy meeting with opponauts visiting japan...

Clown Shoe Pilot > Flavien Vidal
02/25/2018 at 16:12

Kinja'd!!!

Cameron, what did you do!?!

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal
02/25/2018 at 16:37

I guess a shorter wheelbase and probably narrower tyres contributes. Thanks for the info :)

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 16:14

I need one!

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
02/28/2018 at 18:15

Well, that I can help you with! :)

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 18:29

What would buying and importing one to CA cost?

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
02/28/2018 at 18:50

A lot because CA, so... unless you can get it plated in another state, forget about it :(

Getting an imported car to pass CARB testing cost on average $5000 per car... Considering a nice Cappuccino is in the $7000 range, that makes registering one in CA a fairly bad financial decision.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 18:55

Ugh, That’s more than I want to spend on one. I would totally register it in another state if I had to, but for a small car that is a lot of dough. Maybe I’ll save a few pennies.

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
02/28/2018 at 19:03

The typical price range for Cappuccino goes from $5000 to to $9000 landed... Add about an extra $700 in broker fees, port fees, taxes..etc to get it ready for registration.

Honda Beat are cheaper, with a range going from $3500 to $6000 landed...

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 19:04

But the Beat won’t give me my morning coffee XD

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 19:05

What kei car would you suggest for a 6'2" 250lb man?

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
02/28/2018 at 19:11

At 250lbs you would most likely be a bit wide to be comfortable in the Cappuccino. Height is fine though... I’m 6'2 and 190-200lbs myself... how tall I am does not matter much but it does feel a bit narrow... I’d rather go with a regular pocket rocket if I were you... Suzuki Alto RS-X or RS-R... Subaru Vivio RX-R... Daihatsu Mira TR-XX... Suzuki Cervo Mode.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
02/28/2018 at 20:21

Hmm.... I do work at Subaru...

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
03/01/2018 at 00:03

The are rare to find though... But freaking AWESOME!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
03/05/2018 at 14:27

Do you have an email or website or anything, I was talking to my dad and he wants to see about importing something.

Flavien Vidal > CaptDale - is secretly British
03/05/2018 at 21:09

Of course, flavien dot vidal at this thing called gmail dot com :)

CaptDale - is secretly British > Flavien Vidal
03/06/2018 at 17:18

Thank you, I am sure he’ll get a hold of you