This is a strange one. It’s not all that uncommon to see cross-manufacturer engine swaps, with there being a number of 2JZ/1JZ powered S30s out there, but nonetheless; this F20C-powered TA22 Celica is on the list of unexpected swaps! I can’t fault the guy’s dedication though, that is one thoroughly well planned and executed engine swap and overall restoration. Thumbs up from grandJDM!

Original forum thread
via Japanese Performance Car News

Oh man!  When I decided earlier in the year that I wanted to return to full-time study, there was one part of being a student that had somehow slipped my mind—homework!  Urgh.  So therein lies the reason and the apology for the lack of updates lately.

Moving on!

RB and SR powered Datsuns aren’t uncommon by any stretch of the imagination, but old Hondas with new motors—that’s something you don’t see as often.  I wonder why that is?  Perhaps there’s just not as much community support for these projects, so nobody wants to take the risk of being the first one to do it, and having no large knowledge-base to turn to when it all goes south.

Check it out.

Heading towards Laguna Seca for the Monterey Historics, you get to share the highway with some pretty choice machinery. An aggressively-driven Aston Martin DB9 came up fast from behind, but moments later this green 510 absolutely ripped past everyone and disappeared into the horizon.

Next up, a pair of resto-modded nostalgics in the form of a 240Z (hmm, is that taillight cluster a Ferrari or Skyline tribute?) and an ‘81 Corolla liftback. Below that, survivior second-gen stockers: Celica and Accord.

Seriously, it’s not funny anymore. The west coast has so many old cars cruising around that at this point we think they’re just mocking us. Here’s a gallery of random roadcraft that just happened to cross our paths during a period of three or four days during our recent coverage of Motoring J Style and the Monterey Historics. This Corona wagon belongs to Alvin from the Back in Da Dayz crew, who we’ll be introducing in greater depth in a future piece.

Other gems include a two-tone Celica, a green Z, and during breezy nighttime prowls, a Subaru Brat and an dead mint Honda Accord hatchback, which we really wish we got a better shot of.

West coast, quit rubbing salt in the wound. East coast, quit rubbing salt in the roads.

Source: [Mild Winters]

Here’s a scanned photo from waaay back (as in, before the days of digital photography) from Dutch member honda-ronny at 1stgencivic.org that shows just what happens when law enforcement receives a contact high from nearby Amsterdam, or when they’re not saddled with a requirement to drive Crown Vics.

According (haha, sorry) to honda-ronny, this first generation Honda Accord hatchback was conscripted into the Rotterdam police force in the early 1980s. Koel!

Source: [1stgencivic.org]

Three chaps from the Uke bought a 1982 Nissan Laurel for a hundred pounds sterling, or just under 200 US dollars. That may not seem like breaking news, but these gents intend to drive their banger saloon from Calais, France to Rimini, Italy as part of the 2007 Scally Rally, a trans-Europe voyage that passes through several sovereign nations, the Alps, and some truly gorgeous terrain, all in the name of charity. With their bargain mule, you’d think it’d be easier just to ditch it on the Italian coast and jet home, but the trio plans to drive the car back to whence it came, totaling 3,000 plus miles overall and putting our Cressida jaunt to shame. Well done, lads!

The team is rallying for Ulverston’s St Mary’s Hospice and emerges from the Chunnel on September 14 to commence Alpine antics.

Source: [North-West Evening Mail]

Europe’s acceptance of minicars has allowed Daihatsu, Japan’s specialist of small, to thrive. Whereas they packed up their subcompacts (possibly in suitcases) and left the US and Australian markets in 1992 and 2006, the Old World still gets the new stuff.

2007 marks Daihatsu’s 100th year in business, and the company is offering Centenary editions of many of its cars. In the UK, you can get a Sirion (Daihatsu Boon/Toyota Passo in Japan) Centenary Edition that comes in silver and has alloy wheels, power mirrors and Y-axis driver’s seat adjustability. The Terios (Daihatsu Be-Go/Toyota Rush) micro 4×4 comes also in silver and alloy wheels, but receives a leather steering wheel, fog lamps and roof rails. Just 100 of each will go on sale in September.

In Germany, you can get also get a 100th Anniversary Copen (pictured), the kei-sized hardtop roadster, which comes in either silver or gray with a red interior or dark green with a beige one. Extras include an upgraded head unit, aluminum trim and a Momo steering wheel. The Deutsch special edition Sirion comes in black.

Check out Daihatsu’s 100th Anniversary sites in the UK and Germany. Earlier this year, Daihatsu opened a museum in Osaka.

Source: [Daihatsu]