064 http://www.fastcar.co.uk
OUT THERE
Kei classics
Hidden in a far-fl ung corner of the site (and remember,
Japfest is absolutely bloody vast) we found an amazing
cache of obscure little kei cars. It was the Autozam AZ-1
that fi rst drew us in, because gullwings affect us in the
same way that the bat symbol works for Batman, we
just can’t look away. And going in for a closer look, we
also found a Daihatsu Mira Avanzato TR-XX R4, which is
essentially what would happen if your Impreza Turbo
shrunk in the wash – diddy little box with a zingy turbo
motor and four-wheel drive. There was a Honda Beat,
which is a super-cool car as it was the last ever model to
be offi cially signed off by Soichiro Honda before he died
(so the Beat is to Honda what the F40 is to Ferrari), plus a
Suzuki Lapin - we think it’s the only time we’ve seen a Lapin
in the UK. Kei cars are just brilliantly weird, we love them.
Ed-to-Ed build-off
You’ll have read about the Ed-to-Ed build-off elsewhere: our very own architect
of mayhem, Mr Jules Truss, is taking on the venerable Midge from the Banzai
dynasty, to compete in a series of modding challenges over the year. True to form,
they’ve stitched each other up by buying a right pair of shitters – Midge got Jules
a Suzuki Alto, and Jules returned the favour with a Daihatsu Sirion. There are no
winners here. At least... not yet. See, the boys have so many cool builds under
their collective belts, they can make even these terrible cars
cool. And the fi rst challenge? Setting a time on the sprint test,
making a few mods, then setting another to see how they’d
improved. Both of the lads started off by bolting on a set of
stupidly big wheels (like, Carlos Fandango wide) with fat sticky
tyres that they have no hope of ever breaking traction with,
and from then... well, let’s just say they reverted to type: Jules
got busy with the power tools, cutting the crap out of his Alto
to make the wheels fi t. And Midge? He obsessively chased the
weight-saving by stripping everything possible from the Sirion
- seats, doors, tailgate, the lot. He managed it all in about ten
minutes, because he’s from Dartford.
What mighty oaks will grow from these rotten acorns?
Some say the wide-arch ... those people are blind
movement is slowing down...
You just can’t Beat it (sorry)
