mobyfubar

Wow, finally caught up. What a thread! I enjoy your photography and subject matter tremendously. Thanks so much , and keep up the great work!

Kuro Neko

Neat!
Glad you enjoyed it...
Is over 50 pages getting too much?
I cannot recall everything, and I am sure I am repeating myself - so, sorry about dat.



As a famous author was going to be in Tokyo, one of my editors pinged me and suggested we meet and see if we could generate some content.

The author was Mr Richard von Duisberg Esq, who due to his regular - more urbane - day job, goes by the pen name of Rich Duisberg to keep himself anonymous.
I promised I would not tell anyone...

We had scheduled a Sunday morning drive to Daikoku Futo PA in an attempt to garner a good cross-section of Japanese car culture, but unfortunately the weather wasn't very cooperative.
Due to the passing bands of tropical system Shanshan, we had for the last week been subjected to the occasional squall and guerrilla rain.

Sunday morning popped up, and forecasts suggested similar occasional onslaughts over the day.
But, with my guest having traveled all the way from the UK, we were committed and hit the road south to Yokohama accordingly.

Damn the typhoon, and full speed ahead.



The roads across Tokyo were pleasingly empty, and stopping for coffee was an easy experience.
With the cool air, I enjoyed open-window motoring across the megalopolis, and the sound of the Carnewal mufflers bouncing off the Tokyo canyons.



This E500 driver had a similar idea, and listening to that big Porsche-built Benz, with its burbling V8 running quickly from the lights was pretty neat.



Coming into Roppongi Sunday morning wasn't too bad.



Running out R246 toward the Palace.


I did not realize it at the time, but the passing of Shanshan itself provided a nice precis of car culture in Japan itself.
As though Daikoku Futo is sometimes full to overflowing on a Sunday morning, the typhoon had kept most passing aficionado away, with the usual kyusha and exotica remaining tucked away at home in their air-conditioned garages.

However, while there were no Ferrari, no Lamborghini, no Pagani, no Koenigsegg, no McLaren, no Aston Martin, and no Bugatti, there was however a good summary of drivers' cars on site.
That is, those that drive, weather regardless…

On this day, it meant we had lots of Toyota, a few Honda and Lotus, and of course Porsche.
Because, there’s nothing that looks better than a Porsche kicking up rooster tails of expressway spray.



3.0 Carrera, black-on-black, has to be one of the best configs!



Elise mingles with the trucks.



Pocket racers, S660 and Cappuccino.



Cayman in the wet parking lot.



Possibly a bagged set of fried eggs?



Tidy looking Trueno, with a ride height perhaps set for rally, not touge hunting.



Something about 'fleeing' written on their rear clip, sure to be popular with Mr. Plod when they're pulling you over for speeding.



My companion made a witty comment about the door graphics on the MMC GTO, which I would repeat here as my own, if I could remember it.



Four-wheel drive super car otherwise, perfect for the weather.
This one was from Nagoya, and I imagined its typhoon expressway cruising all the way at speed.
I cannot remember though, if it was a V6 or turbocharged.



FF Trueno!
A rare machine these days indeed.



Trueno squad; FR, FF, and FR Levin.



More S660, satisfying the dating-for-cars parking obligation.



Part of the many GR Toyota present on the day.
Though, not sure what that BMW is doing there.

Rich had nicely brought me a copy of his most recent book, and as often when someone gives you an expected gift, I was caught off guard,
But acting cool, I tried to give the impression that I was a regular book reader and had the time to sit down and read like a regular Boomer.



Looking for the Real Weasel though, is great!
I would thoroughly recommend it.
Not only as a compendium to anyone interested in the peripheral history of either the UK F1 scene and the Great Train Robbery, but also as a humorous diversion to pick and enjoy.

You can also find Mr von Duisberg on Amazon, where many of his books are available, and Amazon nicely includes this recommendation:


Curiously perhaps, I was able to contribute a bit to the Great Train Robbery discussions we had, as I had lived a few streets away from Ronnie and Charlene - after they had scarpered off to Aus with the loot.

By the way, Rich Duisberg will be racing Slim Borgudd’s Rover at the 24 Hours of Lemons soon (Borgudd of course being the Grammy Award winning F1 driver who drummed for ABBA).
Rich can be found on one of those social media sites with the handle @motorpunk, and I am sure worth the follow.



That's Slim and Benny in period.
Racing his Rover seems a fitting tribute.



Previously mentioned crossing, and a photograph everyone is obliged to take these days.



Running back home via the Palace again.



Wildly random drive-by shooting of the Rainbow Bridge under darkening skies.



Joining the Wangan Route though the fast lane was empty and I was able to open the Cayman up, at least until the skies opened again.



Last tunnel before the Aqualine.



The forecasts had kept most sensible people and the tourists off the roads.
It was a bit like COVID-19 lock-down in some places.



Quick stop for supplies.



Home just in time to get drenched again, and it was another three days of rain before i was able to put the cover on the Cayman...

(Camera: Bessa R3a, 75mm f1.5 Nokton. Film: Kodak Portra 160.)

SSDVC

NICE !