Author Archives: Garth Ivers

Daikokufuto Nights

Daikokufuto (大黒ふ頭), an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, is not only a major warehousing centre but home to what is probably the most complex highway interchange in Japan. The carpark, which resides under the twists and turns of the highways above, is a common meeting point for almost every tribe of Tokyo car culture.

’86 Day (at least according to an American calendar) falls on the 6th of August and every year, and in Japan, Tokyo’s AE86 elite gather at the infamous Daikokufuto carpark for a celebration of driving excellence.

(more…)


CHMS AE86 BTCC Touring Car

While Bob Holden and the other AE86 pilots from Group A racing in Australia are common knowledge to most of us on HR, the other parts of the world had similar stories with heroes of grand driving stature. Andy over at Speedhunters has the low down on the UK’s local hero; Chris Hodgetts.

Chris Hodgetts was a successful club racer in the UK and made his debut in the BTCC at the beginning of the 80’s.  With the help of Toyota GB, Securicor and Brooklyn’s, a Birmingham car dealer, Chris put together ‘Chris Hodgetts Motor Sport’ for the 1986 season, running a Toyota Corolla AE86, initially for himself, before expanding to a two and then three car team in 1987.

Check out the full article outlining his cars and successes here.


What The F…?

Takumi ain’t got nothin’ on this winged drift king…


Impulse N2 @ Okayama ’08

Harley is currently in Japan resting after spending the day at Okayama last weekend, (no, he didn’t explode from AE86 overload but I’m sure he was DAAAMN close…) So whilst we wait for our full report on the 2008 AE86 Festival in Okayama International Circuit, we give you this in-car footage of the Impulse Car Service N2 racer smashing the OIC in 1’42.6. Simply pure audio heaven, not to mention some superb steering work!

So stay tuned as we will be bringing you first hand coverage from the event next week!

For our Japanese Contingency: インパルスAE86-N2マシン岡山国際サーキット車載ビデ.


Peru Gets It’s ’86 On!

Now for something completely different…. Today we have some coverage from our hachiroku brothers in Peru! This is the second meeting for the new site for AE86ers in Peru called Club AE86Peru.  The event was just a small photo session in the parking lot on Costa Verde in Lima, but with the views of the Pacific Ocean in the background it was a great success for the new club the club has about sixty AE86 total in Lima City alone!

(more…)


Group A Endurance Racer AE86

Another AE86 squirreled away in an abbey (of all places) has been ‘found’ for us internetziens all to gaze upon. This time the boys from SPEEDHUNTERS have stumbled upon this little European gem from the days of 24Hours Spa race when ‘tin top’ touring cars roamed the track instead of the GT-spec monsters we see there now.  Apparently it was steered to victory several times and was one of a few AE86’s which competed in the endurance race! Antonio writes:

So we entered the old abbey, and Patrick led us downstairs, into what he said was the crypt – where they used to store dead people! Kinda creepy… but when we got to the bottom of the stairs and turned the corner, I was completely floored. Actually, Rod and Patrick were walking in front of me, because I stopped to take a photo of the stairway… and then I heard Rod say, “Wow. Antonio’s going to completely freak out.”

Check out the full article (with lotsa photos) over @ SPEEDHUNTERS.


On Any Given Sunday

Hangin’ out, talking shit & driving the best car ever made.. What could be better?


’86 Drifting Bikini Girls? Oh Yeah

Probably the coolest yet most bizarre thing I’ve seen this year, this spin off of the ‘DRIFT’ series of DVD’s is the story of 3 girls dubbed the ’86Angels’, one 86 and an all-girl drift battle to end all battles.

Titled DRIFT Special: Beauty Battle, you only know it’s going to be awesome. Here is a short highlight, but make sure to watch the entire story (with dubious subtitles) from the first video.


Even More Ebisu Drift Madness…

This time it’s the crew over @ 7TUNE with their version of the event. Lots of ’86s in action in the photos (it’s huge gallery and almost every picture has an AE86 in there somewhere).

Check it out here. I just can’t get enough…..


VIDEO: Flame Throwin’ 86!

Enjoy some highway anarchy today with this classic… I nearly fell off my chair laughing at this because I can clearly remember the QLD boys doing the exact same thing a few years back one night on the highway.  Doesn’t do anything except waste fuel and possibly foul plugs but DAMN that shit looks and sounds wicked!!