EVENTS: 2010 New Year Meeting, Part 2


Welcome to Part 2 of our 2010 New Year Meeting coverage. JNC operative Derek Y. has sent us photos of Toyotas, Mazdas and Mitsubishis and a solitary Honda. We know you’re eager to get to the eye candy so let’s jump right in.


Most Americans are familiar with the little hatchback KP60 Starlets, but this is actually the first generation, a KP42 Toyota Publica Starlet. It was introduced in 1973 as an upscale offshoot of the Publica line, available with 1000cc 2K or 1200cc 3K engines. The ST grille on this one leads us to believe it’s the latter.


Team Wizard is a regular at the show, with their twin-cam Celica liftback and TE27 Corolla Levin. A race-spec 2T-G-based 16-valve 151E engine resides under the bonnet of this beast.


Home sweet home: TOM’S Igeta wheels on a TE27.


The Celica’s sunken daruma face looked mean but behaved like a scoop, aerodynamically speaking. On the track they were fitted with visors, and I would sell a kidney just for that clear battle mask.


Personally, I think the JDM rear garnish is far prettier than the USDM ones. Nice stance free of body modifications on Hayashi Streets, too.


Hey look, a hundred bucks off of 2T-G headers! Not enough kidneys.


This T80 Toyota Corona sedan taxi is so nostalgic! The color might indicate service in 1970s Fukushima Prefecture. The sticker on the side advertises that this cab is equipped with air conditioning so you can ride in cool comfort. This generation was called the burabo Corona thanks to ad campaigns that exclaimed “Bravo!”


This ’79 Toyota Mark II Grande looks innocent enough from a distance.


Beneath the skin, it’s a different story. The beautifully crafted motor is a fuel-injected 5M head bolted to 6M bored and stroked to 3.1 liters, connected to a W58 5-speed and Soarer LSD. The suspension is composed of X70 Cressida components, X80 Cressida 5-lug hubs and HCR32 Skyline brakes.


Mazdas have traditionally had a small showing at the New Year Meeting. Perhaps die-hard Mazdafarians don’t want to travel cross-country from Hiroshima to Tokyo. Though if it were up to us, the Mazda Cosmo 110S, which already looks like a jet-age expressway bullet, would be the way to travel in style.


Calling George Jetson! The Mazda R360 club was out to celebrate the model’s 50th anniversary (the car debuted in 1960).


Amazingly, not just one but an entire team of Mazda Roadpacers showed up! A Holden-bodied GM yacht powered by a 13B pushing 135hp was the pinnacle of Mazda’s blind faith in the rotary engine.


We never get tired of the Mazda T2000. We love them so very much.


If the Step Van’s a rockin’… The guy who customized this Honda Life Step Van obviously took inspiration from the 1970s vannin’ trends in the US. But it’s not retro; this car was built in the 70s and has been preserved all this time! It’s apparently quite famous in Japan.


Due to it’s clean flanks we’re guessing this Mitsubishi Galant GTO is a replica of the original rally car raced by Aussies Doug Stewart and Dave Johnson in the 1972 Australian Rally Championships.


The team came in third, behind a pair of Holdens. Not exactly a stirring victory, but at least the vintage Citizen and Cibie decals and  Castrol livery decals look sweet.


If anyone would like one of Matt’s kidneys instead, here’s a 1973 Mitsubishi Galant Coupe FTO. Little brother to the GTO, engine choices ranged from 1.4-liter Neptune to 1.4- and 1.6-liter Saturn motors.


Check out how gigantic the fender mirrors look on this Mitsubishi Minica. The mounds of fun that could be had in a rear-wheel-drive kei car, however, is nothing to scoff at.

For you impatient Nissan Nuts, we’ll have Dattos-a-plenty tomorrow. In case you missed it, here’s Part 1 and coverage from the 2009, 2008 and 2007 shows.

permalink.
This post is filed under: events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, toyota and
tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

8 Responses to EVENTS: 2010 New Year Meeting, Part 2

  1. Benson says:

    Sexy Mark II. Do you have anymore coverage on the Mark IIs of old?

  2. bert says:

    Look at the little Japanese dude standing next to the Roadpacer!! I know rotary’s can be pretty strong(in a lightweight car) but why did Mazda think they could push these boats?! Thats like asking Tatoo to give Mr. T a piggyback ride.

    I agree with Benson, more X chassis coverage please!!

  3. VGV says:

    Very nice show !!!!!

  4. DVLA Plates says:

    Wow. That black Celica is absolutely awesome. Loving the Mitsubishi Galant Coupe FTO as well. I never realised old Japanese motors were so cool. How much would these go for in the UK?

  5. BlownArrow! says:

    I want, Need bad…! Drool.. trembling , pillage, steal , must have! Ahhhh..
    1973 Mitsubishi Galant Coupe FTO!

  6. Mark says:

    Great work!
    I think the pinnacle of rotary craziness at Mazda is probably the 26 seater Parkway 26 Rotary bus though…

  7. PFG says:

    “Mazdafarian?” Man oh man, I am totally getting that tattooed somewhere.

  8. jawad says:

    hi
    h r u i like a toyota corona mark1 like a mark1 price a car mark1

Leave a Reply to BlownArrow! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *