CC Outtakes: T87’s Singles Collection (May-June 2024) – Part 1: Japanese Cars

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– Posted on July 1, 2024

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It’s that time of every-other-month again, folks! The pickings were (as ever) pretty rich, so let’s get to the JDM goodies already, starting with Toyota. This 2nd gen Celica GT Rally zoomed past, but I did manage to snap a decent photo.

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This T160 was backing into a specialist garage. Looked real nice in that Team Europe livery.

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Pity this awesome early ‘70s Corolla coupé was behind glass. It’s for sale though. All you have to do is ¥ask, apparently.

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Ten years later, the Corolla coupé was the almighty AE86. There are a lot of these around, so I do try and restrain myself. The notchback version is rarer, so this one will do.

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We haven’t had many of these yet, have we? These P80 Starlets (1989-94) were pretty popular in Europe when I was a teen. Judging from what I’ve seen here, the home market was less keen. As the GT Turbo version, this one is obviously the more interesting of the breed.

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The final Starlet was the fifth generation, sold between 1996 and 1999. This is obligatory the retro-flavoured Carat version.

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This 2nd generation Cynos (1995-99, known as the Paseo in some markets) was based on the same platform as the Tercel and Starlet. Rarely seen hereabouts nowadays, especially in convertible form.

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The Toyota Duet may just be a badge-engineered Daihatsu Storia, but these pre-facelift cars (1998-2001) always make me think of the Panhard PL17, with that rounded snout, thick chrome bumper and big bug eyes. But maybe that’s just me.
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While we’re on smaller Toyotas, here’s a relatively rare P-Coms EV. This is why Toyota are nowhere near competing with the Chinese, Americans, Europeans and *shudder* Koreans in the EV field. This microcar is what they viewed, until very recently, as a viable electric vehicle. About 10,000 of these tiny single-seaters have been made since 2012, the overwhelming majority of which are B-Coms – the delivery / commercial version.

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New body kit time! This is the “Havana” model from Cal’s Motor – based on the Toyota Raize. Has quite a bit of a Mitsuoka Buddy feel to it.

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A similar treatment is available for the HiAce, dubbed “Carica.”

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Call me predictable, but I’m more partial to the real thing, i.e. the 3rd generation (1982-89) HiAce.

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The decals on this mid-‘80s HiLux Wagon are cool as can be. The wing extensions and that giant front bumper, I’m less keen on…

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More body kit weirdness with this second series (1989-99) MR2. That macaroni-shaped air duct on the rear window is particularly recherché.

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A lot of X80 Mark II hardtops (1988-92) still prowl the pavement. Fine-looking machines, in my opinion.

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In the Crown corner, a very nice third generation model (1967-71) was found betwixt a duo of Willys Jeeps. And with interesting curios as a backdrop…

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The S130 Crown is a mainstay of these Outtakes. This bad-ass one was impossible to pass up, obviously.

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The wagon version is even more iconic.

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Peek-a-boo! Almost didn’t see you hiding in there, white ‘80s Century. We meet again, I see.

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The next generation V12-powered Century was rarely ordered in white. But this one teamed up with a black one for a terrific pairing and an appropriate way to punctuate this post’s Toyota chapter.

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Honwards with the Hondas, then. Plenty of cute little ‘60s roadsters about, notably this S600 (I think).

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The S800 (1966-70) is the definitive and most common version, I guess. First one I’ve seen with the optional hardtop.

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These are seriously growing on me. Might this be the perfect sub-1000cc convertible?

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What an odd pick for a street rod. The paintwork had to be seen (in the sunlight) to be believed – the photos don’t do it justice.

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One sees about 20 Toyota X80 Mark II/Cresta/Chasers for every one of these Inspire hardtops, it seems. Pity, the Honda is also a very fine execution of this concept. This is the “wide body” variant with the 2.5 litre 5-cyl. engine.

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I’ve seen a few of these pseudo Acuras around. Pretty sure they were sold as Honda Integras here originally, back in 1990-93, but some folks must prefer this badge’s extra cachet. Easy enough to stick one on there.

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Classic JDM Hondas are more often than not on the smaller side, like this cute late-model Today.

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The original City (1981-86) also has a strong following – even more so in Cabriolet form.

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I’m sure this one will be restored to its former glory in due course.

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The other highly desirable City is the Turbo II, naturally. But the real show-stopper would be to also own the minuscule moped that could fit in the trunk.

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Here’s that 50cc beast, like a toaster on wheels. Very rare nowadays, but what a unique design.

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While we’re on two wheels, let’s take a gander at this mid-‘80s Beat scooter. Great styling on this thing.

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Another (far less cool) old Honda scooter at the end of its single-cylinder life. The question here is: how did the seat get to disintegrate this way?

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One last two-wheeler – and perhaps the first classic Kawasaki we’ve had in this Outtakes series. This is a Mach III 750 from 1969-70, with a matching Plymouth in the background.

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Back to four-wheeled…er…normality with the Mitsuoka Himiko.

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Suzuki-wise, things got off to a promising start with this little early ‘90s bomb. Works for me.

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The Alto Works’ van cousin is the Hustle. Odd, but not unattractive.

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I sometimes wonder, a few weeks after I photograph them, why I honed in on a particular car. This 1990-98 Cervo Mode, for instance, would not have caught my attention normally. Oh, I remember now! It was those wheels. For once, aftermarket was the way to go.

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Sorry for this post being so Suzuki-heavy (if that’s not an oxymoron) – just a couple more to go, including a very fetching mid-‘80s Cervo. This is the high-trim CT-G version with the 5-speed manual and 40hp turbocharged 550cc triple.

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OK, this one was a little bit of a challenge to capture, for non-giraffes. But it’s a Suzuki Cara, the badge-engineered version of the adorable Autozam AZ-1, and it’s the first one I’ve ever seen, so that’s got to count for something.

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Right next to the Cara was this Daihatsu Atrai Classic – but the pickup version, which I don’t think I had ever seen before either. ¡Kei surpresa!

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Only keis on the menu for this edition’s Subaru corner, starting with a rather busy-looking Vivio Bistro (1995-98). Guess for some, once you start it’s hard to stop with the extra bits and bobs, huh…

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We’ve seen the Tommykaira ZZ fairly recently. Well, after that little experiment came and went, they got back to making parts and especially body kits for all manner of cars. Such as this gen 1 (1998-2009) Subaru Pleo.

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It’s amazing how tiny these 360s are. VW Beetles positively tower over them.

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Isuzu quit selling cars in Japan about 20 years ago, yet they still prowl the streets in decent enough numbers. Piazzas account for a fairly large proportion of survivors, but so do 117 Coupés.

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There, what was I just saying?

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The rear end is the best angle on these later post-1977 models, in my view.

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That’s a lot of extra plastic on that RX-7. The quad headlights are an odd addition, too.

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Always a pleasure to find a Eunos Cosmo out in the concrete jungle. The quad tailpipes make this the famous triple-rotor version, too!

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Let’s see what we have filed under Nissan, shall we? A bright green 510 Bluebird gets us off to a good start.

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To think they called this a B12 Sunny. It’s about as overcast (and overgrown) as could be…

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I haven’t posted a Rasheen in a while, more due to a lack of interesting examples than outright scarcity. But this one was particularly well-preserved, and in a cool and unusual colour, too.

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Woah! That’s a lot of brightwork on that Y60 Patrol. Not that I’m complaining, but Ray-Bans were a must when encountering this one.

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We must of course pay our customary respects to the Fairlady Z.

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Oops! Forgive us, Fairlady-san. Didn’t mean to peek at you in your boudoir. Please proceed with your… oil change and whatnot.

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Only one Skyline, this time. It’s as if they’ve been hiding, these past few months. Except this R31 Coupé, that is.

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The mandatory Y30 of the post came in two similar but distinct flavours, this time. No wagons, but two formal saloons. To start off, this ill-shod (but otherwise superb) post-facelift Cedric, draped in immaculate white…

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…And this far more authentic pre-facelft (so 1983-85) light beige Gloria.

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That 1st generation (1988-91) Cima is not sitting right, I feel. The higher-trim ones can have air suspension, so that might be it.

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How the mighty have fallen. Final President (2003-10) by name, but barely VP by nature.

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Let’s end things on an awkward note with Mitsubishi, starting with the evergreen classic Jeeps they made for decades.

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The star of the Mitsu Jeep range has to be the unique 4-door wagon. Most of the ones I’ve caught thus far have been lovingly restored, but this one’s obviously not had that yet.

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Army surplus, here we come! Meet the Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck – an almost luxurious military all-roader!

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Under the rugged olive drab exterior lies the humble (but very capable) Pajero / Montero platform. These replaced the CJ Jeeps in 1996 and have been in production ever since.

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Not quite a walkthru van and too tall for a wagon – just what is the Minica Toppo? It’s its own thing. This is the bubbly 2nd generation (1993-98). Fun little kei.

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Built in the US and only sold in Japan in LHD, the Eclipse is Mitsubishi’s prodigal son.

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We’ve seen this GTO before, but never out and about – nice to see it can still handle a Sunday outing.

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For once, the CC was photographing back! Ah well, that’s why smartphones have erase buttons.

 

See you tomorrow (or perhaps the day after) for some of the foreign stuff – there will be two posts of imports, as per usual.

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