I live in north Tokyo, so I do have a tendency to go south into the city for my regular CC hunting trips. Last week though, I decided to go due north, cross the Arakawa river and explore Saitama prefecture in a little more depth than usual. I’ve done this before, but pickings were usually slim. Not this time: purely by luck, I found Flex Auto Review, a pretty big classic car dealer. Let’s look around the forecourt and see what we have.
This is the one that caught my eye from quite a distance away, as it was parked on the side of the road. It’s a 1970 Toyota Crown, with a few mods here and there (yikes on those wheel hubs!). Awesome colour, though. And as it beckoned me towards it, I realized it had a lot of little friends for me to greet.
This 1974 Toyota Sprinter Coupé was having a bit of a tune-up. The 1970 Skyline saloon behind it was lowered and GTR-ified, as many of those are. The Fairlady Z looked presentable, but I elected to keep out of the forecourt, as they were busy getting another (very rough-sounding) white Fairlady in there.
I was far more interested in the pair of black first generation Debonairs anyway. This is a 1985 model – one of 205 units produced in that penultimate year for the Mitsu flagship.
The other one was a lot harder to photograph – here’s the best I could do. Looks like a slightly older car, probably late ‘70s. Hands down, this is my favourite Mitsubishi. One day I’ll find one curbside and willing. One day!…
The Debonairs were bookended by another Sprinter Coupé, conveniently enough. It’s a ’73, according to the Flex Auto Review website.
There were quite a few doubles. This Isuzu 117 Coupé is a 1981 model – the very last year for these remarkable cars. But if you didn’t like the colour, there was…
…this superb red ’79 – with the correct wheels, to boot! All of the cars we’ve seen up to this point had already found an owner, but this one is still listed on the website. It’s only got 71,000km on the odometer, which averages out to a bit less than 1000 miles per year. Yours for just under ¥1.9m (US$ 12,200).
There were more than two Fairlady Zs, to be fair, but we’ll keep things to a manageable level. Again with those chrome wheels? Yawn…
And there they are again, on an otherwise very presentable black Fairlady Z. I’m suspecting that the good folks at Flex Auto Review are pushing those rims on their customers. Maybe they have a deal with the manufacturer.
There’s a bright 2nd gen Z if I’ve ever seen one! This is a ’79 model, but it’s had a lot of mods – such as the mirrors being moved to the doors, among many others. All for the low low price of ¥4.28m (US$ 27,500).
What happened to you, poor X30 Chaser? Caught the six-spoke rim disease, it seems. Ah well. It’s a 1977 model with 140,000km on the clock – barely broken in, really. Yours for ¥2.5m (US$16k).
Another notable duo was composed of a very nice 1968 Corona 1600 hardtop coupé, on the one hand…
…and on the other, a rare 1967 Toyota 1600GT – not badged as a Corona, because it was a lot more exclusive and sportier, what with its DOHC engine and 5-speed manual. Those are very sought after, justifying the ¥3.5m (US$22,500) asking price.
The lone kei car was an adorable 1969 Subaru 360 Deluxe. Truly, the only kei of its generation to have a dedicated and widespread following here.
I’m not sure whether this circa 1990 Crown S130 3-litre hardtop was part of the display, or if it belonged to someone who worked there. It was the youngest car of the bunch, tied with an MR2 that I didn’t even bother capturing.
Another fine-looking Mitsubishi (not a phrase I’ve had the occasion to write very often) was this 1972 Galant GTO. A steal at ¥2.48m (US$15,900).
In front of yet another Hakosuka “GT-R” (in two-door form, this time), the real star attraction Datsun-wise: a 1970 Bluebird 510 saloon – the spicy 1800 SSS version, too. And in a great shade of burgundy. Just needs proper wheels. Thoroughly merited ¥4.29m (US$27,500) price tag, if you ask me.
We started on an S50 Crown, we’ll end it on an S50 Crown – albeit the coupé version, model year 1969. If you have ¥2.59m (US$16,600) burning a hole in your bank account, why not go to Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture and take this beauty home?
That’s all I could catch from the outside of the place. If the website is to be believed, there are at least twice as many classics hidden somewhere. Maybe I should go visit the other two Flex Auto Review locations – there’s one in south Tokyo that is within reach, as well as a Yokohama branch. That one would take a bit more doing, so we’ll see. Which of the cars in this post would be your pick? I’m torn between the Debonair(s) and the Bluebird.
I’m pretty sure that Galant GTO is the top spec twin cam “MR” version, so yes, please mark me down for that one, a tasty morsel indeed! If it’s gone by the time I get back again, perhaps the Isuzu 117 might do too, just need to have a fitting first to be sure, I’ve apparently shrunk over the last few years but still a few hairs over 6′ with the same 32″ inseam…
Oh, always with that inseam, and always just as I’m eating. I mean, really, must you?
I suspect it might actually only be 31.5″, maybe I should get it “professionally” measured instead of just going by my off the rack trouser size and misleading people. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as to the matter.
Were you enjoying the Kielbasa with a side of whole red potatoes, perchance? What were you washing it all down with?
More of a cocktail frankfurt with a couple of sultanas, as it happens.
Can’t quite remember what it was all washed down with, but I do recall that the erasure of memory was the aim in having as much of it as I did.
The second Fairlady Z shown (black?) has a ZG nose on it. Certainly that would be worthy of mention. If it was black,I remember some story in the back reaches of my mind that Nissan wouldn’t build a black Fairlady for many years. Something to do with the Crown Price had one built so there could be no others. Anyone else remember a similar story?
I like that sporty GT coupe of the Corona. I dont know if id buy form one if these classic car dealers the seem to be popular now, seems like its asking to get ripped of
The ’70 Crown sure as a strong ’65 Dodge Coronet 4 dr. vibe from the side, doesn’t it?
Wow some cool cars i n that yard Tatra, the prices echo are quite reasonable compared to what people ask for them here, but then the cost of importing one kicks in, after that the authorities nail you to a wall getting your prize complied for road use,
One non factory weld can see you paying to have the underside sandblasted clean an inspected, and everything replaced properly to local repair industry standards, the import dealers know what will pass and what wont, private importers are more optimistic and get burned on a regular basis, 75k to repair a restored 57 Chev panel delivery out of Brisbane to NZ roadworthy standard for example,
That hubcap spear is a classic example, truck accessory, not legit on a passenger car.
Sounds a bit of a NZ-govt con-job to me, or at least, repairers taking the piss out of such a system. RWC standards (in Victoria, anyway) are pretty tight these days, and pictures and records have to be kept of all work.
Step away from the Galant GTO, thats mine. Its so godamn cheap compared to what is asked for them here,
On the other hand a stock standard ex JDM car with zero issues is a good buy over here any modifications ring loud alarm bells for compliance time, it wont pass it wont even get close and you are in for a lot of wallet pain getting plates, previous collision repairs have to be done to current repair industry standards or done again by a certified repairer, you do the math, I’m getting another door fitted to my Citroen because some idiot backed into it and after finding a repairer certified to work for my insurance company Ive got a good handle on what panelbeaters charge.
Tatra-san, very nice! Me, I would probably go with the 510 Bluebird. I had a ’69 4 door that I put a quasi SSS mod on, twin SUs and a Nissan rally cam.
Have not seen a lot of special cars like the ones you run into on this trip, but I did find this Airstream turned into a coffee place. Still with Oregon plates and last tagged in 2008 if I read them properly.
Love you posts.
(posting from Nozomi 1, so hopefully goes through)
Nozomi? Welcome to the neighbourhood, Train man-san! Hope you took advantage of the beautiful weather today and moseyed on down to the Meiji Jingu Gaien – the main gingko-lines avenue is currently a no-parking zone due to the busloads of fall foliage tourists, but there were still a dozen or more classics about on the corner street.
Those Isuzu 117s are things of beauty.
Both the Crown coupe and the Corona coupe (1600 GT) are talking to me.
The front of the 1970 Toyota Crown reminds me of the 1964 Studebaker Daytona sedan.
Either of the Coronas would be welcomed in my driveway!!
Notice no non-Fairlady Datsuns from their weird styling era: 610, 710, some 210s and the ever odd F10. Guess even in Japan they were and are outliers.
Knowing how cars are maintained there, one wanting one of these on display would likely find them a decent buy, given the prices posted, if only they drove on the “right” side of the road. To switch at this late stage of the game as did Sweden and Iceland in the ’60s, and many others way before, would be insanely complicated,expensive, and probably impossible to do at this point.
From what I hear from my Japanese friends, the only non-Fairlady Nissan from that era that has what you’d call a following would be the ‘Kenmeri’ Skyline, but then any Skyline seems to be special. The Laurel from that era is derided as ‘butaketsu’ (pig’s butt), and that era’s Silvia (200SX) has an even more derogatory name – which I can’t remember right now.
Photos #6 & #7: Mitsubishi Debonair
The front reminds me of a ’64 or ’65 Chrysler Newport or Chrysler Imperial.
The rear reminds me of a ’73 Mercury Marquis.
Love them all, Tatra-san, but then you guessed that, right?
If I had to take one… the X30 Chaser.
Ooh, I do like the Crown coupe with the funny headlights. Nice, though it also does look like a Crown that may have smoked something.
Actually, with that particular OHC six, it probably did – namely, oil, from casual (and clattery) valve seals, like all its more seriously-countenanced siblings did at low-ish miles.
As for the wheels fitted to all and sundry at this emporium – seemingly chromed off-roads, only worse than that – they could all Flex off, and be missed only by those bereft of taste.
Price (?) in the Windows:
The Debonairs has a window sticker with 219.7. I’m interpreting that to be 219,700 Yen which translates to $ 1,415.00.
The Datsun Z has a window sticker with 427.9. Again, I’m interpreting that to be 427,900 Yen which translates to $ 2,756.00
As for the Crown, the sticker indicates 258.8. If that is 258,800 Yen, the car is available for $ 1,667.00
And the Toyota Corona GT has a sticker of 348.3. As per currency converter, 348,300 Yen translates to $ 2,243.00
If I’m misinterpreting these window stickers incorrectly, please let me know before I make a trip to Japan this Spring with cash in hand!! 🙂
You’re off by a factor of 10.
Japanese has a word for 10,000 and no word for million, so they count things in a different way. Basically, you have to multiply all those numbers by 10,000. So for example the Crown’s 348.3 stands for 3,483,000 yen.
Oh T87, what a fab car yard that is! I used to love wandering car yards in the weekends, but everything seems so boring nowadays, except for this yard of course. Prices are unexpectedly low, so Crown coupe and a Skyline or two for me please!