QotW: What Japanese tool is a must-have in your arsenal?

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Wrenching on your car or project can be made much easier, and even more pleasurable, if you have the right tool. It’s no secret that Japanese tools have world-class quality and thoughtful designs that can make a difficult task just a bit more effortless. Unfortunately, some of these tools aren’t available in the US, or if they are have a steep import and shipping premium attached.

But if you happen to be in Japan, say, for the Tokyo Auto Salon, a tool we can’t live without are Lobster adjustable wrenches. These totally underrated spanners have very little jaw play, have a longer mouth opening, and are flatter and lighter than conventional adjustables.

What Japanese tool is a must-have in your arsenal?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car unfairly lives in the shadow of another?“.

In order to live in another’s shadow you must first have a bright, burning star. Sometimes, that comes in the form of a movie star, like Takumi’s AE86 from Initial D, that casts a shadow big enough for many cars.

According to Aiden Brock, those include the AE86’s 4AG contemporaries, the AW11 MR2 and AE82 FX-16, sold at or around the same time. For Lavender Null it’s the successor AE92, pitied for its FF layout. ynori advocates for the Tercel, honest transportation that gets one through life without complaint, while daniel picks the A40 Carina as the understudy of the E70 Corolla, which itself lives in the shadows of the AE86. Shadows within shadows!

Similarly, the AE86’s biggest rival, the Nissan S13, casts an unfair shadow over the earlier S12, reports Franxou. Speaking of Nissans and speaking from ownership and racing experience, Michael Jue says that the Datsuns Fairlady 1600 Roadster is unjustly overlooked by the Fairlady 2000. And ra21benj is correct in pointing out that in coupe-favoring America, 90s Honda coupes are routinely preferred over the same-era sedans, even though the latter is what touring cars of the time were based on. As for the smallest shadow of the week, nlpnt says that the erimaki Mitsubishi Mirage was largely ignored due to Mitsubishi’s SUV and truck-heavy lineups.

We led the discussion by posting a picture of an FC Mazda RX-7, indicating its undercard status to the FD. But Blue_Mountain_Ridgerunner has learned from a chance encounter that it’s actually the SA22, or FB. Likewise, Joe Musashi posits that the NC lives in the shadow of the NB, which lives in the shadow of the NA, while Jay A asserts that the 323 GTX and GTR lives in the shadow of the entire Miata lineage.

Or course, halo cars are the biggest shadow casters of them all. Everyone knows the Toyota 2000GT, leading TheJWT to say that the 1600GT doesn’t get enough of the spotlight. In similar fashion, the Mazda Cosmo Sport greatly overshadows Negishi no Keibajo‘s pick, the R130 Lucé Rotary Coupe.

From the modern era, we have greats like the Supra Turbo. Ken postulates that the Lexus ISF and GSF get shortchanged as a result. For Alan, it’s the older A70 Supra that gets passed over.

Godzilla casts an enormous shadow, and for Taylor C. the Z32 is one of the many darkened by it. The Z31 is often hidden by the Z32, but even within the Z31 lineup, according to 4non, the straight-six 200ZR, doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

With so many good answers it was a hard to crown a champion, but the winner this week is Random Rascal. The R33 Skyline GT-R might seem too obvious a choice, be we really like Rascal’s impassioned case:

THE SKYLINE GTR!

Which is a halo car, so to be specific, the R33 generation of the Skylines, because OH, it gets so outshined by its older brother and younger brother.

Comparing the 33 with every other generation, let’s think about it. The father and uncle both got prestige, even being given nicknames with Hakosuka and Kenmeri, respectively. Its older brother, the 32, became THE Japanese racing monster with Godzilla, and when it came time for the 33… yeah lets just give them the same name/nothing special to add.

The 34 was also thrown around as a Godzilla, and actually, at one point, even when the 34s were being produced, the 33s had a period of popularity as the more desired car, but since it became a Hollywood star, the 33 got left behind.

I know the question specifically looks at #2, but I can’t help but think the 33 truly and unfairly lives in the shadow of its racing famous 32 and media icon 34 as the MIDDLE CHILD.

Shoutout to all the middle kids, this one came from the heart.

Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!