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Out for a walk, we discovered one of our neighbors has a curious stash of cars tucked away, including an early Mazda, and three-wheel Mazda and Daihatsu trucks...
He came for afternoon tea in his S600 roadster later than afternoon to chat.
Seems he is also restoring an early Benz too...
Amazing images and an amazing thread.
So so refreshing to see someone enjoying their car as well as their life.
Looking forward to more updates.
Thanks! Get out and drive ... and all that.
National Route 120 to Chuzenji-cho is a great touge.
Two lanes up, so you can pass the tourist buses, and spectacular views at every corner.
R250 takes you further into the mountains above Nikko, and with the recent warm weather the snows were clearing allowing for some stress free driving on summer tires.
I envy the mountain passes you get to drive all the time in Japan!
Japan's touge (mountain passes) are indeed legendary for good reason.
Here's a mapped summary of 157 touge, from a few thousand or so - the map includes details, and links to YT vids as well, each detailing local scenery and attractions.
We've been lucky to drive nearly 40 on this list, and use it as a guide to our next destination, side trip, or simply an excuse to drive somewhere.
Hopefully, I can add a few more in the Cayman...
Work this week though, has been finalizing the change over of the OEM Sport Chrono stopwatch to a VDO analog clock:
I am very happy with the results, and the ease of simple plug-and-play process.
Full details here.
A quiet day's run out to Ashio Dozen (mining town) in Tochigi-ken.
Some great roads, and lots of old and interesting stuff (haikyo) to explore... we've been going there regularly for many years accordingly, and this was the first time in the Cayman.
Some previous stuff below:
(Camera: Bessa R3a. Film: Kodak Portra 400 and Polaroid 600SE with Type 667.)
My partner was working a booth at the Gay Pride Parade, so I took the Sunday to drive south to Yokohama, and enjoy a road stop breakfast and some car spotting.
Some random grabs from the hundreds of cars there, with some snarky observations:
A first for me; a USDM Z, converted to JDM spec (fender mirrors, RS Watanabe wheels, oji-san JAF badge, and everything), which looked pretty strange in LHD mode.
I parked adjacent to this Boxster Spyder, wearing the same wheels as my Cayman, but in bright red.
This hastened my desire for simple five-spokes, though I might admit they did look pretty neat on the Spyder.
At first, I thought this Cayman was a Boxster with a hardtop.
But then realized it was a wrap.
If you're going to over-cook your 993, try to keep it reasonably tasteful?
Though, we might just be seeing this example before the Pikachu stickers are applied.
Subaru 360 with roll-back roof.
Kind, or even vaguely amusing words escape me to describe this classic example of Japanese style bypass.
Lovely Alfa sneaks away.
Glorious noise!
Kenmeri Skyline in GT-R disguise.
These last two seem to have the same intent in mind, just thirty years apart!
Leaving behind the Instagram addicts, some drivers were obviously enjoying the Wangan and Shuto curves.
Cayman included...
I find it really hard to understand how a culture that produced such a simplicity and elegance in painting, pottery, and swords has also produced some of those cars.
I find it really hard to understand how a culture that produced such a simplicity and elegance in painting, pottery, and swords has also produced some of those cars.
So do I.
However, new money and bad taste go together everywhere it seems, even in places that should know better?
Include insecurity, the desire to be the center of attention, and internet clicks, and we are all doomed to be subjected to fake wide-bodied and over-winged cars, velvet blankets, neon, silly wraps, bogan donk, and diamante badges.
... and in other news...
An early morning start for a touge drive, and another step in making the Cayman S a bit more subtle; a new set of Michelin PS2s, and pending a set of 18s I can reduce my spoke count from 60 to 20.
KN, great pics, thank you, some amazing cars there and of course great scenery
Thanks much!
With a lot of guests in town and coming into Spring, we've done a lot of touring recently.
Which suits me and the camera fine... especially in a Cayman.
Arriving at our local stand for a wheel and tire change, we were surprised to see another white, RHD, PDK Cayman S in the tire bay.
It was in for shaken (Japan's registration certification process).
Curiously too, it was fitted with the 19-inch version of the 18s getting mounted on the 987S.
Even on the short drive home, the PS2s were obviously quieter and a lot more compliant at 40-series over the previous 30-series rubber.
Next job; swapping out the colored center caps to monochrome to further tone down the looks, and some real photographs on film...
With some guests due at the minka, it was time to run some early morning errands.
I happily volunteered - taking the long way via the local skyline - and stopping for a quick drink to watch some locals, similarly enjoying the roads and the recent cherry blossoms.
Keeping a careful watch though for over-weight, sharp-toothed, big-eyed critters on the road...
05-01-2019, 12:14 AM
