The plan after the Lowstars Meeting in Nikko was to bolt over to Tochigi City, where a private kollection of incredible automobiles are nestled away under the roof of an old train JR (Japan Railway) station.
The ‘Mahoujin Supercar Museum’ is deceiving on first encounter; it seems like an old, unused building that has been preserved for the local community or something of that nature. But step past the ticket barriers (after you pay for admission) and what welcomes you is pretty astonishing.
The cars you are about to see are what I believe to be the pinnacle of supercar history. The 90’s machines have that perfect balance between technology and rawness, and the cars that predate that decade are pure analogue bliss.
I am sure you will spot some of your all-time favourites in this assortment…
… ‘cos I know I did when I caught this red Delta HF Integrale Evo 2 sitting in the corner of the gallery.
This 959 was at the centre of attention as this group spent some time getting excited over it
This very well-kept XJR-15 was something special
To my surprise, according to the manager of the museum, it wears Mazda 626 corner taillights!
An Acura NSX from the US of A, was clearly looked after because I was surprised to see such a tidy example with 100,000+ kms on the counter!
The dudes you see gathering around that Porsche 959 arrived at the museum in a convoy, one had some kind of Mercedes 2-door coupe which didn’t peak as much of my interest as the FD2 Civic Type-R (which I probably should have chosen to rent out instead of the Integra) and the two Alfa Romeo saloons. Dare I say, the Italian 4-doors beat the heck out of the Honda with their sharp looks.
Upon exit, the owners of these cars followed behind and they got chatting after they caught me taking photos of that black 159. I vented my frustration with the rental car, so they offered to phone the company and give them a very polite, Japanese earful. Nothing came out of it really, but at least they tried. A couple of them reckoned it was a faulty crank/cam angle sensor, which I also speculated, but that wouldn’t explain the nasty throttle pedal feel.
We did compare engine bays, his was pretty much showroom-quality in comparison
Something about the stance of this car was magnetizing
Thats all I have for this one, the visit was more of a bucket list check-off than anything, and since it happened to be along the route to our stop in Tsukuba, I thought I’d might aswell pay it a visit.
The post to follow is gonna be exciting, as you might have guessed by the aforementioned destination…
April 14th was when the race weekend commenced for Luke, whom I have mentioned in previous posts and you will have spotted him both photobombing my shots, and being sniped by me and my camera. I had the honor and chore of being his right-hand man as he couldn’t pitch up a “one-man” gazebo solo. Luckily his Caterham, which you will see quite a bit of in this entry, held up well and took the heavy trackwork in its stride all weekend so I didn’t even touch a spanner or socket which I suppose is the benefit of racing one of these solid machines; check oil level and tyre pressure, torque the wheel nuts and back out you go.
Camp set up, I left Luke to have some personal time with his car and went to wander and browse some of the cars parked up next to their respective owners’ tents and motorhomes. The variety was cool, I like seeing all sorts in the same arena which is what the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) Northern Saloon & Sportscar series is able to demonstrate with open-wheel kit cars and V8 “supercars” pitted against each other amongst other types of vehicles, albeit with a very broad range of competitiveness. Its a pretty stark contrast to the Caterham Graduates Championship (the one that Luke races in) but I guess the mix delivers to all audiences. Here are some of the battlers that caught my eye when walking the campsite.
Before cooking up some food and hitting the sack, we took the opportunity to go for a track-walk whilst the sun was still above the horizon. The track literally just had a well-needed resurface and Luke would be amongst one of the first to put rubber down on the fresh tarmac. It is surprising how much you notice when traversing the course on foot. Things like slight kinks in corners where the ground isn’t entirely flat and the aggressive undulations on some of the rumblestrip. These are some of the elements that you may not pick up when driving, so I can see why making the effort to stroll the circuit can be beneficial for drivers.
After the 2.1 mile lap, it was time to chill. -5 degrees Celcius made that easy…
The Saturday morning sunrise entered, almost seamlessly from the night before. I got approximately 3 hours sleep in my car, because the tent was just as frozen as I was. As for Luke, who’s probably better suited to irregular sleeping patterns due to his day/night job, he got zilch shuteye. Its not as if he needed any energy for the day ahead like…
Some more entrants rocked up early in the day, including these that I thought were photo-worthy.
Better overnight accomodation than ours
Potent pair
Very stylish rear wing setup that resemble antlers
…And putting up with the sound of that supersized peashooter!
Probably had their cars delivered to the track for them
Demon in angel’s clothing
Owner of this LanEvo V told me its all VIII engine and transmission
Very wild heart transplant donated by Nissan Fairlady / 350Z
My heart raced when I spotted this E46 M3 at the end of the row. Unfortunately this supercharged monster was troubling the team, I guess that comes with the territory when shooting for nearly 700 horsepower. I hope they come through strong as I caught it out on track and its Martini-livery-draped armour looked nuts. Easily wins the beauty contest of the series!
House on wheels – Luke’s next investment…
After having a nosey at the other competitors, the time had come for Luke to suit and ready up for the qualifying round. 20 minutes to set a hot lap, which then determines where you start on the grid for the initial race. The accents of blue on his car reflect the driver’s calmness, unphased by the 32 opponents he would need to fend off during Saturday’s heat.
Lapping a swift 1:30:899, Luke was content with the pace he could make on the new-and-improved Croft Circuit. To put his time into perspective, a Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 997 Turbo take roughly 7 seconds longer to get around the track according to http://www.fastestlaps.com. That is lightyears in comparison.
These Mini’s that had their own series looked stupidly fun, with almost every single one three-wheeling the first bend.
Next on were the roadcars-turned-racecars. These were enjoyable to spectate, each one looking different, sounding different, driving different. Their individuality is what appeals to me. How far can one go with the budget and resources they have in order to further amplify an already capable road-going chassis.
I didnt’t manage to get many keepers of Luke in Race 1, but those I did snap came out nice. I need to get around trackside quicker and experiement more with different vantage points. This section at the far end of the circuit offered some picturesque backdrops.
Coming out 5th overall and 1st in class, Luke rolled out the pits satisifed with the result. He repeated this outcome the following race on Sunday, something like deja vu. All he is fokused on now is prepare to the fullest for his outing at Snetterton in the first weekend in May. So if you you see a blue flag, Luke’s seeing red.
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More to come, especially with Time Attack season starting soon here in the UK.
Last month I was invited by Luke, again, to act as personal photographer/pit crew member/brake checker at a track day put on by ‘Circuit Days’ over in Donington Park. This venue is located in Derby, UK, and has its roots in the birth of MotoGP. Noteworthy is the fact that Ayrton Senna put some rubber down on the circuit in the European Formula 1 Grand Prix during the early 1990’s.
Donington Park is a really well done and sorted race track, which is most likely due to the acquisition made by MSV (Motorsport Vision) in 2017. This organization clearly want to see British motorsport grow, and this is evident in the quality of their facilities.
You will see this wheel frequently throughout this postWith the Caterham race series nearing, some of the entrants were getting as much valuable seat time as possible; and where else is better than the 2.487 mile-long GP Course at Donington.I have always respected the Caterham marque. This was the first time I was exposed to the ‘scene’ and I now realise how sharp these cars can handle the asphalt. That day was not the warmest, as you would expect in England during the winter season, but the onslaught of 50+ mph winds didn’t make it easy for us bystanding spectators.The basic yet bold look of this deep-blue example caught my eye as it pulled back into the pits. I also thought the clean look of the side panelling, with the roll cage outboard of the body, suited the car much better.Caterhams forcing much higher powered machinery to fall to the side is a common sight.Lucky Number SevenLuke sold his MNR Vortx last year, and shocked us with this new investment. Specifically, a 310R model, equipped with a 1.6l inline-four Sigma engine produced by Ford, power output close to 150bhp. But lets not forget, this thing weighs around 600kg, so it gets about if you tune in to its very sensitive chassis. Avon ZZ-S tyres did for the time being, but Luke has now wrapped the wheels in Yokohama Advan A048s instead. Trust the Japanese to make it right I guess…Thankfully, we had our own pit garage all to ourselves since our neighbour was a no-show. As soon as we stepped outside though, we get slapped by the cold breeze.Later in the day as the track surface dried up, adjustments were made to the anti-roll bars for additional stiffness in the rear, which allowed for more rotation in corners, especially the two extra hairpins you run on the GP layout of the circuit. As you would expect, the “interior” of this car is not that of a normal road-going vehicle. The fixed-back bucket seats and four-point harnesses secure both the driver and passenger in as safety is critical.Here is what is known as ‘craner curves’, a right then left down a fairly long decline, where speed can be gained in dangerous measures before ‘old hairpin’ right-turn. Not an engine I have ever come across, maybe because they are originally made for and found in Ford Fiestas (yawn), but with a short-ram intake and opened up exhaust, the straight-four does make a healthy buzz when you stomp on the gas.That MX-5 in the distance seems like it ran a bit wide from this angle.Very interesting colour combination hereSimilar to Cadwell Park, this track has some great views as the elevation difference adds a dynamic element to both the course and trackside.I wish I got a closer look at this – what seems to be – E46 M3 CSL (‘CoupeSportLightweight’ for those wondering). Amazing design and still sharp-looking to this day. This was the BMW M3’s more athletic version, with only approximately 15bhp more than the standard car, this machine makes up for through the extensive use of carbon and fibreglass on the bodywork and windows, and shed a whopping 110kg in kerbweight!This E92 M3 was spotted doing plenty of rounds which was nice to see, as they are usually rolling slow on public roads, with some smug-faced driver behind the wheel. The pilot of this white-on-black example seemed to be having a laugh throwing into every corner, as you should do in a car with this level of capability. A serious track weapon E46 stormed by a few times. The straight-six note is one you cannot hate, to be honest. Another top BMW, this E82 1 Series was modified tastefully and with an obvious functional focus. Here is a shot I took trying to depict the dramatic dip in altitude, but it is only when you experience it for yourself that proves how intimidating this section of the track in particular is. The many ‘offs’ drivers have should they push too early on corner exitApparently so…Me and Luke saw the behind of this car quite frequently when out on track. It is astonishing how capable the GT-R is when you put into perspective the weight difference between both cars. But it is equally, if not more astonishing, how much pace a Caterham can keep with a lacking power & torque spec. The chassis is impressive and extremely well balanced, and there is still more room for improvement. Must be nice running errands in this. Belonged out on the field!I have no clue what this was. A Volkwagen of some sort. The engine/exhaust sounded phenomenal.Here is the trusty chariot. All I will say about the Benz is that it is comfortable, but I cannot get over the mundanity of it. Thats a wrap. Hopefully you enjoyed the read and the photos, log on next time and you might see the Caterham in a more competitive environment. Thanks to Luke for trusting me to drive his new machine a few laps around the exciting circuit. It was eventful, but I learnt a lot in the limited seat time I had. The car isn’t so much twitchy, but the controls take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, the satisfaction of tracing clean lines on a racetrack is unmatchable. More car fun!
It was bound to happen, but this journey out to the ‘land of the rising sun’ came to manifest unexpectedly for me. I can say it was destined, you could say it was just coincidence. My father’s childhood friend who lived in the same village when they were both growing up in India, had travelled further east, and ended up working and settling in Japan. My dad kept in contact with him, I think, on and off meeting up to reminisce whenever their trips to India coincided, or the one time he and his Japanese family visited England years before I can properly remember.
Fast-forward to 2016, almost as if it was at random, my parents had booked flights to Japan and I can remember not being particularly excited at the time. Maybe I was just stunned and could not grasp the fact that it was actually happening.
Anyhow, you will now view the gallery of photos I snapped when I was out there. 59 is the image count, so commentary will be dialled down to the minimum and the pictures will paint the scene. Enjoy…
On the drive from the Narita International Airport, I was armed ready with my camera. The journey to my Uncle’s home was mainly through rural settings, occasionally passing through small parts of town. This was a Mazda I had never laid eyes on before, in all its basic-looking blandness.
Traditional Japanese buildings are a thing of beauty, so much so, it feels blasphemous referring to them as things. More like pieces of art.
Wakaba means ‘young leaf’ in Japanese. It is also the word used to describe the yellow and green symbol found on all these “JDM as f*ck” cars that you see and used as a symbol with an alternative meaning. In Japan, its originally intended purpose was for inexperienced/new drivers to be made known to others on the road, analogous to the ‘L/P’ plates in the UK.
Welcome to Autobacs, the Japanese version of Halfords (kinda). And yes, they sell SSR alloys. This is scratching the surface, but unfortunately I did not manage to get many good photos of the other items for sale, mainly due to the crazily extensive options. You name it, they got it. Then there’s the ‘Super Autobacs’ stores. I never paid one a visit, but from what I have seen online; whole other level.
Literally a minute walk around the corner from where we were staying, this gem of a find which goes by the name ‘Body Make Kazu’ stopped me in my tracks gobsmacked, and this was only Day 2 of the holiday! It was what seemed like three separate buildings in close proximity, perhaps owned by one guy or family run. It comprised of two small garages, a medium-sized storage unit, and then a little single story office/reception building across the road. Very odd, but outside on the yard was a plethora of all sorts. The Liberty Walk GTR obviously caught my attention, but not as much as the cold stock silver RX7 FD. All this wickedness in some random, remote village in Kamagaya about 25 miles away from the airport.
These boxy beaters are ace and look like fun to chuck about on the touge.
Enroute to Hakone, near Mt. Fuji
The highlight of the trip without a doubt. I rented an FD from a small but growing business called ‘Fun2Drive’. Without going into too much detail, the RX7 was a machine that did everything right. The perfect sports car, front to back. Oh yeah, the roads in Japan’s mountainous areas are sublime.
This red legend will be revisited in a future post.
The first R34 GTR I saw on Japanese roads. I went bananas, the people on the bus must have been weirded out.
I almost didn’t get the chance to experience 7’s day that year. But thanks to the typical friendliness of the Japanese, a scenario played out that was written in the stars, for real. Long story short, I was young and dumb, I failed to plan, realised at the wrong time that Daikoku Parking Area is access-only via vehicle, a bystander who had just finished work in the evening offered to take my parents and I into the service station. For me, even that very short 15 minutes, felt like complete heaven.
The Land-Jet…
Tokyo’s tree in the sky
I found that the Japanese are really enthusiastic when it comes to cars. A big surprise to me, was the amount of non-Japanese marques, like this Mini. Very cool to see.
Roll on chrome… back to the early 00’s
Another tuner/service garage a few streets down from my uncle’s house. This place, ‘Seed Racing Car Engineering’, seemed like it was serious. I am regretting not taking enough photos, being overwhelmed by it all. What a place…
My last day in Japan on that trip. I went for a walk around the neighbourhood’s surrounding area and these final three images conclude this post well. That stall was selling fresh blueberries I think. Unmanned, the CCTV camera caught anybody trying to ‘do the dirty’ and not pay the 300 yen (~£2) in exchange for a box. Also, for some reason, I took a liking to the houses out there. The design of their residential buildings are cool and each house had character. I used to play Pokemon on the GameBoy Colour, and weirdly enough, it felt like I was venturing through one of the fictional towns and villages from the game. Odd, I know…
S O U L 志向 F O K U S 