It’s at all times enjoyable to look into the lighthearted facet of world automobile tradition. And when you may as well present what may be achieved on the excessive finish of the customizing spectrum, that always results in distinctive characteristic automobiles. Or, on this case, a truck.
Whereas JDM kei pickups are designed for hauling small masses round Japan, with somewhat out-of-the-box pondering, they are often a lot extra. Again in 2014, Dino confirmed us a loopy construct from Hey Particular primarily based on the pint-sized Suzuki Carry platform. Let’s revisit that story for this week’s throwback submit…
2014 Function
In April 2014, I headed out into the Japanese countryside – or inaka – to search out a surprising instance of a shakotan S30 Fairlady Z owned by Oda-san. As thrilling because the hunt for the S30 was, an equally compelling purpose to be there was to analyze some fairly vibrant kei vehicles I had seen just a few months prior on the Tokyo Auto Salon. If you already know the extra curious facet of Japan’s customized automobile scene, ‘Hey Particular’ would possibly ring a bell. If it doesn’t, then what I’m about to point out you offers you a reasonably good perception into the acute work of this practice kei builder.
By now, you know the way various Japanese automobile tradition is. If there’s a kind of automobile, there will likely be a scene for it, and if there isn’t, somebody in the end will make one. I assume that’s how Hey Particular got here to be. Oda-san noticed the chance and took it. And by this, I imply he went full-out and arrange a tuning outfit that offers solely in kei vehicles.
Kei automobiles and okayei vans (kei referring to a light-weight class of autos restricted in bodily measurement with a most engine of 660cc) are very talked-about as they’re low cost to run and don’t require parking permits to point out that you’ve got house to maintain a automobile outdoors, or near your own home. Kei vehicles, however, have endlessly been the selection of Japanese farmers – their small footprints making them significantly effectively suited to be pushed down slim entry roads round rice paddies or comparable fields. And like something with 4 wheels in Japan, they fall into the tuning lure! And that’s when Hey Particular is available in.
With this wild kei, Oda-san got down to present what may be achieved on the finish of the customizing spectrum, and within the course of, have some enjoyable – recognizing that almost all kei truck proprietor could solely wish to add just a few dress-up goodies to personalize their pocket-sized pickup. To take action, he contacted a long-time pal whose store is a 30-minute drive again in direction of the middle of Kyoto.
It looks as if we may be mentioning Miura-san rather a lot recently, however the reality of the matter is Rocket Bunny has been on the core of the JDM aero world for fairly a while. The best way he works has minimize design and manufacturing occasions to a fraction of what they as soon as was once, which in flip has made it extra economically viable for small outlets – like Hey Particular – to supply their very own strains of unique aero, which is strictly what you see right here. Oda-san calls this one the Birichino equipment.
Together with the one-piece entrance bumper, which sports activities a collection of built-in facet vents and a bucktooth decrease lip, Miura’s contact for the little Suzuki pickup included a set of works-inspired fender flares. This was one factor Oda-san actually needed to go for, as it might enable for a much more aggressive fitment when it got here to the wheels.
To realize the look he was capturing for, Oda-san fitted Hey Particular’s very personal ’86’ unique wheels – a contemporary rim styled to imitate in style designs from the late Seventies and early ’80s. The 14×7-inch wheels have been color-matched to the remainder of that retina-piercing pink of the outside and had skinny 155/55R14 Nankang Sport NS-II tires stretched over them.
The Miura-designed aero has a deliberate continuity alongside the facet of the truck, facet skirts setting the tone with outlined air intakes mimicking the opposite vents all through the equipment.
You simply have to like the facet intakes – very Ferrari Testarossa-like!
A tall rear bumper part provides the Carry a rear finish you’ve got by no means seen on the again of a kei truck – all built-in with a diffuser-like grilled outlet on the very backside.
Ever seen a kei truck with a mattress spoiler? Properly, now you’ve got!
Oda-san has saved issues purposeful, so there’s no loopy quantity of destructive camber to be seen. The rear finish runs a stable rear axle, after all, which is why the wheels sit good and sq. – albeit sporting simply the proper quantity of poke.
Except for a Hey Particular exhaust tip, which actually doesn’t rely, the engine stays inventory commonplace. The one actual mechanical improve is the welded diff, which was made to rework the little farmer’s workhorse right into a fully-fledged drift truck! Okay, so ‘fully-fledged’ may be a bit deceptive, however when the on-track alternative permits, drifting is exactly what Oda-san makes use of his pink pickup for. With actually no weight over the rear axle, slim tires, and an aggressive sufficient clutch kick, the Suzuki Carry has no downside getting all crossed up. And with cautious use of the throttle (learn: pinning it to the ground), it may be saved there.
The good contact of all must be the bumper-mounted exterior oil cooler. How Hakosuka-like of the little Carry!
In the event you thought Oda-san might need stopped on the exterior with the modifications, you’re very improper. The preferred elements that Hey Particular sells are inside equipment, and all the pieces contained in the cabin of those little vehicles may be swapped out and upgraded. For his drift truck, he settled on just a few choose particulars.
That features the smooth, quilted pink-camo steering wheel cowl and a silky-smooth carpet panel on the dashboard. What made it fascinating to me is how some, if not all of those particulars are belongings you would usually see within the dekotora scene – one other Japanese customized automotive sub-genre that Mike briefly investigated in 2013.
Just like the seats beneath them, the headrests too received the pink camo therapy.
You’re looking at probably the most in style Hey Particular objects accessible: a heart-shaped tsurikawa practice deal with strap – one thing we at all times see on kaido racers.
Right here Oda-san lifts up the passenger seat to disclose the little three-cylinder 660cc KA6 engine that provides the 50 or so horsepower to the Carry’s rear wheels. Regardless of what the truck’s exterior dimensions could recommend, the engine’s place really makes it fairly a nice-handling and neutral-steering little machine.
With the cab actually over the entrance wheels the entrance suspension turrets are literally within the footwells. That makes it very straightforward to shortly modify the settings on the Hey Particular adjustable coilovers!
Judging by the situation of these rear Nankangs it’s positive appeared like Oda-san had been having fun with the odd skid – however I used to be reassured that kind of stuff is at all times completed inside the security of a monitor.
I begged Oda-san to present me somewhat drifting demonstration, however there was no means he was going to interrupt the tranquility of the Japanese inaka by throwing his truck sideways and bouncing the engine off the limiter. His neighbours can be removed from impressed!
And so my time with probably the most distinctive characteristic automobiles of 2014 got here to an finish in the course of the Kyoto countryside – the little Carry’s pure habitat. I left joyful to have met one man that has turned a enjoyable thought into a correct enterprise, catering and constructing automobiles that make individuals joyful.
The Speedhunters
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Dino Dalle Carbonare
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dino@speedhunters.com