EVENTS: Sagamiko Forest Skyline & Kyusha Meeting, Part 02

012-1-10_Sagamiko Forest Skyline & Kyusha Meeting

Our coverage of the Sagamiko Forest Skyline and Kyusha Meeting continues with even more Skylines (and other Nissans too, but mostly Skylines). Approaching the event, a cardboard sign warned attendees “Do Not Blip Your Throttle”, a favorite activity of kaido racers. Having good manners so that future meetings can take place is important.

009-1-7_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri

Back in the day there were more surf line Kenmeris than today. They were either uncut or had works bubble Katayama flares. One of our favorites, this Kenmeri sported a classic look, a textbook tasteful kaido racer with nothing but a suspension drop, wheels, and a Laurel side marker. In period, you knew the guy had money and he didn’t have to try hard. He let the 14-inch Yayois make the statement, a more cultured bosozoku.

004-1-3_Nissan Skyline C110 yonmeri bosozoku

On one gurachan Yonmeri, all the key cues of gurachan style were amplified to the extreme. The front had been extended with stock body contours in what is known as a “full long nose” constructed via metalwork. The lighting and star motif in custom glitter paint, a typical bosozoku theme, was borne from the Hoshino Siliva and served as the inspiration for the Mad Manga.

014-1-27_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri 015-1-12_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri

With Napoleon door mirrors, a debadging, and accessory rivet kit to fill in he holes, another Kenmeri exemplified many popular mods from back in the day. Of particular interest were Trans-Am flares over deep steelies and Toyo tires. The removed inner taillights gave this style the name “one tail”, appropriately.

020-1-16_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri

Yet another white Kenmeri sported custom off-the-shelf flares, denoted by their reverse contour, an accessory ducktail spoiler, and standard-issue SSR MkIIs.

024-1-20_Nissan Bluebird-U 610 025-1-47_Nissan Bluebird-U 610

The lengthened-nose version of the 610, the Bluebird-U is quickly becoming the next big car to modify in Japan. The sculpted front end is a work of art, and attracts kaido racers far more than the regular 610 Bluebird.

032-1-24_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka 033-1-25_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka

With perfect placement of nekome headlights, works wiper placement, and period correct Napoleon Bacca mirrors, a perfectly lilac Hako epitomized the more aggressive kaido racer style inspired by works Skyline GT-R racers.

034-1-34_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka035-1-45_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka

Body-color painted flares make a big difference, and the tires are Dunlop CR-88-style reissues from Liberty Walk that retail for about $450 a piece.

037-1-30_Nissan Skyline C110 yonmeri

A very textbook Yonmeri sported “110” on the door as a nod to its chassis code and a paint scheme paying tribute to the Tokyo Motor Show KPGC110 race prototype, except in brilliant purple two-tone. Rounding out the look were Cherry X-1 tails with crystal lenses, chokkan exhaust, glitter panel, custom widened steelies.

050-1-44_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka

With a subtly cut bumper to expose the oil cooler, transparent racing covers for the headlights and a killer stance, one white Hako showed exactly why Skylines are such stunning machines.

044-1-38_Nissan Skyline C210 bosozoku

The Skyline Japan’s model life overlapped with the dawn of radical modification of the kaido racer. That’s when the cars began to see items like the wild colors, grille kits, and bubble flares. A magenta and silver C210 had those traits and more, including a S130 hood vent, Carmate mirrors, mesh covers for its turn signals, and even details like painted bumper ends.

043-1-37_Nissan Skyline C210 bosozoku

Back in the day, many cars were a mix of quality mods and seemingly jury rigged add-ons. For example, a silver-green Skyline Japan had exemplary details like first-gen Mazda Titan taillights, a roll bar, Pioneer TS-X11 parcel shelf speakers, and a blended spoiler. On the other hand, it also had a huge rear wing and tacked-on fenders. It was perhaps a bit too period correct. Today owners are building cars in the same style but of extremely high quality and refinement, cars that they wish they could have had in their youth.

041-1-35_Nissan Skyline C210 bosozoku

Another interesting C210 had a high-contrast Kenmeri works prototype-inspired livery, but confounded onlookers with Mitsubishi Galant GTO taillights, Yonmeri Rear bumper and 430 Cedric/Gloria turn signal lenses. It also sported fine details, like color-matched megaphone exhaust and widened steelies with metal flake lips, just like the rear panel.

021-1-18_Nissan Skyline C210 Hiro Motor

One of the most significant cars at the show was a painfully 80s electric blue Skyline Japan. A tribute to the (or perhaps the actual) car featured in Hiro Motor’s ads, it was a pivotal car the endeared him to the bosozoku crowd. Hiro became more prevalent in 1982-83, so side skirts are part of the package. Today, slit mask headlight covers are super rare and highly coveted.

023-1-19_Nissan Laurel C230

Another Hiro kit was found on a C230 Laurel with a massive Trust banner and somewhat tongue-in-cheek Datsun emblem on the fender.

053-1-50_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri 054-1-51_Nissan Skyline C110 kenmeri

Even more extreme was a kaido racer Kenmeri symbolizing the style most westerners probably think of when they think “bosozoku”. Again, the 1972 KPGC110 prototype livery makes an appearance, as does the one-tail conversion. A Mazda Cosmo RX-5 grille differentiates the front end. This style was immortalized in the Aoshima Works series model kits.

046-1-40_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka sedan

Not all the cars present were so drastic, however. A simple white white Hako sedan proved that you could have something simple, attainable, and yet so perfect.

049-1-43_Nissan Gloria 430 HT

A Gloria 430 Hardtop represented the Bubble Era luxury style with muscle car staple Cragar S/S 5 spokes and chrome fender trim.

005-1-4_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka wagon

With a mild lowdown, a Hakosuka wagon was resplendent with full surf line. A snub-nose 1800, it was cheap back in the day, even in Deluxe trim. Today, it’s been equipped with Riverside R107 wheels and Nissan accessory foglamps and modern headlights (though we’d install Cibie or Marchal beams instead).

052-1-49_Nissan Bluebird 510 Coupe

In Japan, the Skylines were coveted and considered king of the streets, in contrast to the US where 510s were the most popular Datsuns. As you can see, there was no shortage of Skylines, but only a single 510 Bluebird Coupe made an appearance. They didn’t inspire quite the tuning craze that the Skylines did, and their numbers today reflect that.

055-1-52_Nissan Skyline C10 hakosuka sedan

And for the purists, a beautiful short-nose Skyline with nothing but a mild drop and pinstripe whitewall tires. In a sea of retina-searing paint jobs, this humble little sedan stood way out.

To be continued…

We’ll have more coverage from the Sagamiko Forest Skyline & Kyusha Meeting coming soon, so stay tuned. Until then, in case you missed it, here’s Part 01.

San Mamiya is an illustrator whose work you can find on here on JNCInstagram and BigCartel

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4 Responses to EVENTS: Sagamiko Forest Skyline & Kyusha Meeting, Part 02

  1. Bird says:

    Awesome cars, great photos, and tons of details!

    Thanks for providing all the information about the cars.

    Can’t wait for the next part!

  2. jdm only says:

    wow! love it, great coverage

  3. Brett says:

    The Gloria 430 Hardtop is very cool.

  4. truth says:

    i cant help to feel how much you hate these cars in the way this written lol. but at least you guys realized your audience doesn’t care about factory restos all day finally

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