Thursday 25 January 2018

Aero Bortex! The Enkei M5 / M5F...

A recent Yahoo Auctions Japan sighting, blowing the dust off a couple Instagram posts from all the way back in July 2016...

 "...another-wonder... Civic, in advertising: close-up of an '85 two-pager for the Enkei M5 (and FF-specific M5F), featuring a handsome grey (..on red.. unghhf..) 3dr sporting a set of M5F mesh - complete with their directional aero-covers. Never see these. Looks tremendous. We're all missing out. Righto everyone, your best sad face...... #wondercivic #honda #hondacivic #civic #3rdgencivic #enkei #enkeiwheels #enkeim5 #enkeim5f #rarewheels #wheelporn #turbofans #aerocovers #japanesenostalgiccar #1985"

"...and a step back to appreciate the whole two-page advert. Enkei M5/M5F, 1985... #wondercivic #honda #hondacivic #civic #3rdgencivic #enkei #enkeiwheels #enkeim5 #enkeim5f #rarewheels #wheelporn #turbofans #aerocovers #japanesenostalgiccar #1985"

That day has finally come.
Not only are they clean...
Not only are they complete...
No, these are New Old Stock, unused, still stuck in their impressively tidy original boxes.. and are in an AW11-tastic 4x100 15x6JJ +35 M5F form. I painfully watched these run through the auction last week with little love, to an auction's end at the damn starting price. Eesh. I just can't do any more damn wheels. That's right - I didn't dabble. The shame...

Here's hoping they find their way onto something cool. Something entirely-white and currently on bricks... just waiting for the day...

Done. Now excuse me while I go have a little cry...




Tuesday 16 January 2018

JACKAROOLS!

...orrrrrrr Isuzu Trooper-ules.. or Chevrolet Trooper-ules.. Chevrolet Stallion.. Subaru Bighorn, SsangYong Korando Family.. uhh..

Yes, it's the first-generation of Isuzu's (Rodeo) Bighorn; a model sold in Australia as the Holden Jackaroo for the full stretch of its Isuzu-badged brother's ten-year production run.

The Jackaroo in my photoset here is one of the final '91-build cars, with the LS badge pegging it as top-of-the-tree for the year.

Most importantly for me however - as always - is that this poor old thing was still largely complete and original. For whatever reason, I very rarely see these things neither out-and-about or at the wreckers; so when I spotted this one on a wrecker-run a fortnight ago, I was certainly excited to give it a good look over!

..well, 99% original...

Interesting to see the barn-doors in what I'd consider to be a LHD-specific configuration; but a quick google confirmed the generation that followed was the same. I guess I'd just forgotten. Regardless, years of being around large-right or right-hinged PajerosPatrols, Prados, Discos - and symmetrical Landcruisers - made this 'feel' different/wrong almost instantly..!

Large and light, practical and airy; the useful cargo area behind those doors..

The business-end of that fawn-coloured velour interior..

..with highlights that include - other than the obvious 5speed and vent-windows(!) - a console-mounted digitial clock...

...that rather awesome auxiliary gauge area...

...clear instruments in a very unique pod unit... 

...aaaaand a totally sweet rubber bootie around the trip-meter reset switch. Yeah!

To the point.

A little light dirt and staining on what's otherwise an interior that has held up very well. 

Even tidier back here!

For the kids - "Shotgun passenger side!!"

The 4ZE1 petrol four; a single-cam, 2.6litre petrol unit that turned those four wheels (part-time!) with the equivalent of one hundred and twenty underwhelming old horses. 
"..but Mitsubishi's (Astron) 2.6litre used in Pajeros of the era put out little over 100hp; the 4Runner's 22RE 2.4litre even less..!" 
Yeah - base engines - both models offered 3.0litre V6's for petrol-fans wanting more. Remember, this here is as high-specced as a '91 Jackaroo got in Australia..!

..and on that note, we're done. 
A little bummed I couldn't get a good look underneath (at what appears to be the period's standard-issue torsion IFS and solid-axle leaf rear) but chuffed to have even come across one so complete regardless.
While parts availability and aftermarket support is probably a little lackluster (compared to a 4Runner or Patrol..), it's a good looking thing with some nice detailing; an interesting option for those wanting a light-use classic off-roader that's a little different!


Thursday 11 January 2018

A blast from the Little Red past.

An impromptu driveway-photoset of Little Red (..Little Reh, Lil' Reh, lelrehhh...) my long-loved 1987 Aussie-delivered AW11 MR2, a whisker over ten years ago. Because it's the 10th anniversary of its 20th: my now-thirty-year-old Toyota when it had just crept out of its much more spritely teens.

Yep, t'was December 2007, and it's this shiny-but-odd 'bitsa' look that's how I best remember it through large chunks of AW11.. err.. 'shenanigans'.. in my early years of AW11'ing..

The MK1A/<86/zenki/pre-facelift front bumper, making zero sense against the facelift lower spoiler directly below...

...towering over a set of 14" Black Racing BR-8s and their 185-wide Pirelli Dragons...

...the MK1B/Kouki/facelift tail-lamps, never originally fitted to what's clearly a EU spec car...

...and the matte-black Supercharger engine cover.. that was never latched.. ever. Interesting aero meant this'd make a casual appearance in the rear-view mirror at ~150km/h...

Ahhh! Such good times!

..no doubt a little too much fun was had though! For everyone's sake - and for what was neither the first or last time - I was forced to set it aside. I didn't drive the car again until well into 2009.