Two Tone Time Machine

Cast your mind back to 1989 the golden era of crazy styling and even crazier driving. Japan during this time period was lawless and completely unaware of the influence it would have on the car community across the globe. The Toyota soarer GZ20 along with other legends of the time included the R31/R32 skyline, gx71 Cresta, C33 Nissan Laurel, s13 silvia and the infamous AE86. Just looking at the features of this iconic chassis is what makes it feel right at home in that era, from the long square front to the boxy rear end this design Is seen throughout performance cars of this time. although the design and shape of these cars was somewhat simple the remaining features are far from simple.

Prior to meeting up with the owner Jordan I had an idea of what this car had to offer and the quirky Japanese features these cars have, what I wasn’t expecting from a car made in 1989 is self locking doors, digital dash, electric windows, electric sunroof, electric mirrors and air purifier all working exactly like they did a mind blowing 33 years ago when it rolled off the assembly line. Its one thing to have a car of this age up and running it’s another to have it functioning better than most cars on the roads today and for that it really does prove the saying as old as time “if you have something of great quality if cared for properly it will last forever“.

And to the people who may think its been painted back to the original two tone colour but this is the original paint that came on the car not without its minor marks but very clean paint nonetheless. The two tone style was a popular choice back in the day as it’s seen with other 80’s models such as the cresta, AE86 and s13’s. With the paint in good condition and maintained properly I think respraying the body would take away from its heritage and authenticity which I was happy to hear the original paint was staying.

the Soarer is known for its big presence on and off the road. The fact this is a two door car it seems to never end if that’s due to the fact of how low it is but it’s quiet the walk around. I think cars of this shape really have a sharp presence almost arrow like.

As a whole cars like this are seldom seen in person and the fortune of knowing someone quiet close with the perfect example to write about is a great result. Id like to thank Jordan for bringing the car out running very low on petrol one a days notice to show what this machine is really built to do. (not for the faint hearted)

so we set off to chase more light at a local carpark but I got a real look at the capabilities of this car.

Powered by a 1jz with a built bottom end. the original engine out of this car was blown from what I know and the choice of putting a 1jz vvti in its place was definitely the right choice. Paired with a r154 1jz gearbox connected to a heavy duty cutch kit working with a Kass two way LSD diff runs 390bhp at 0.8 bar boost and it is aggressive in nature.

The root of the aggression stems from the 58mm Garret GTX3076r turbo set up this car is running. Garret being well known for they’re innovation in turbo technology it’s a must have for a safe and stable set up. Only trouble that comes with the territory of running a big single turbo is the lag which does not go unnoticed. On first pull you kind of think something is up and just as you approach that holy shit threshold what once was a car turns into a fighter jet for a split second.

Cooled by a Trust intercooler and regulated by a Turbosmart waste gate its also running K&N filters, NGK race plugs, apexi power fc, fuel pressure regulator and for safety a Funk motorsport Turbo/ reservoir blanket. installing parts branching out from some of the most well known and trusted brands in motorsport results in reliable power and in turn reliable fun which is why we do this stuff, just so happens in this case it looks Just as satisfying as it sounds.

Moving from inside the engine bay to inside the cockpit of this 80’s jet, when choosing a steering wheel for a car built in such a historic era few options come to mind but instead of going period correct for Obvious reasons of availability the choice was narrowed down to a 330mm Nardi steering wheel, connected to a NRG snap off hub. A stealthy black alcantara wrapped wheel with rich red stitching is just what’s needed for controlling this raging animal. The longer you look at the interior on this car the more little quirky things you notice, at first glance the handbrake looks innocent until you notice it’s a Cusco drift button handbrake. every detail down to the cigarette lighter which holds a genuine Nismo kill switch lighter, it’s little pieces like this that makes cars like this stand on its own level.

Upon opening the passenger door your greeted with a fire extinguisher on a bracket slotted beside beautifully conditioned Bride Brix 1.5 recliner bucket seat which in hind sight should have indicated I was in for a exciting drive. These seats are getting harder and harder to find in this condition and they really do tie it all together.

It’s little pieces of history in builds like this is what I love a prime example would be the train handle draped from the back handle. Known in Japan as Tsurikawa, back in the days when the bosozuko ran the streets of Japan they decided that the otherwise boring train/bus handles was gonna be a way of effectively giving the middle finger to society and the law by illegally taking the handles and hanging them either from the handles inside the car or draped off the back bumper.

As far as historic roots go the owner Jordan is just as much of a Japanese history fanatic as myself, without needing to ask he had brochures on display in the back seats to add to the nostalogia.

As difficult as it would be to source this car I can imagine sourcing the brochures was a task in itself think about how many people would throw away a brochure of a 3 series bmw. The fact that someone kept these brochures of a car built 33 years ago not knowing how special it may be one day is a testament to how special these cars are in today’s market. It’s little touches that really tie a build like this together to give it some depth.

The first time I seen this car I always wondered to myself what wheels are they because they are quiet big and bold, certainly a change from the small dished wheels of the time but that’s why I think these wheels are a great choice because they draw the eye and that’s what it’s about standing out from the crowd and with these rare Advan AV6 1st generation wheels task accomplished. These wheels are 18x9 and of course with big wheels means not as much room to play with the height of the car but it’s a set up that just keeps giving. Taking care of these bad boys is fully adjustable BC racing coilovers and they deliver like they have been for years no matter the obstacle.

as you can see there is no margin for error when pushing this car to its limits, at first glance not many will notice the black splitter at the front as Jordan refers to it as the Laguna splitter, as you can see the Gap between the splitter and the ground is very minimal but in my opinion it’s needed because I’d rather have to replace a black splitter than a bumper built back in the 80’s. Certain measures need to be taken to preserve cars of this age and it’s also the reason it’s in the shape it’s in today.

In a time where wide body kits and big wings come into play something like this stands the test of time because while those things are innovative and interesting the one look that is always gonna be timeless is simplicity. No wide arch kits, no led lights, no crazy flake in the paint. it’s a simple concept of form and function and to add that bit of personal touch is stickers. it’s a trend that has died and risen but to keep the styling of the stickers to appear period correct is just enough to add that feeling of authenticity.

Which brings me onto this sticker, for a lot of you old school drift fans option drift was where it was at. With the magazine being a success in came the world of video and broadcasting video, so in order to watch the latest of the action you would log onto the above website link. The V standing for video differentiated from the usual image site to bring you video and how else would they advertise this but to make window stickers that they would place on your car entering the event as your entry ticket and As a means of advertising wherever the cars would go. Ino genius!

More additional stickers were sourced from different influences sources such as ‘Juicebox’ ‘Revive Japan’ and ‘Zero Team’ beautifully designed in that tradition Japanese styling.

The exhaust is a 3inch pipe stemming from the manifold right back to a set of shotgun pipes, very clean yet very bold but I’d expect nothing less. Paired with the sweet tune of the 1jz it really is music to the ears on the first turn of the key.

With the sun slowly setting in the distance we were holding onto every minute of light we had. Discussing elements and features of the car i Reflected on the idea of how many owners how many adventures this car has been on and how many close calls it had survived or how many garages it has lived in. When cars like these are imported into Ireland like this car in 2014 it always begs the question, what has it been through in its previous life in the land of the rising sun.

To that Question there is only curiosity but the real answer is above all else is to preserve cars like these we may never know the true extent of its life in Japan but i know the love and passion for these cars here on this little island is enough to preserve this time capsule of an era gone but never forgotten.

Please enjoy this gallery of the remaining photos from the shoot.

Till next time..