Man, this never gets any easier. Spotlights are always a really good way of showing you some of the cool cars we come across in our Speedhunting travels, but selecting which ones to show is one of the hardest things that we have to do. I find that trying to stick to some guidelines helps, and when the time came for me to pick five cars that stood out among the 600 or so that showed up at the Mooneyes Street Car Nationals this past Sunday, I decided to concentrate on ‘wow factor.” Now, I know that this is a very broad term, but I was looking for cars that left me surprised, amazed or impressed in some form or another. And this isn’t necessarily down to how much customisation is involved – often it’s the simpler cars that impress the most. The first one I have for you is the perfect example of that.
When talking about the Fairlady most people will automatically think of the S30Z, such was the global popularity of the car and the impact it’s had on the tuning industry. However, the generation of cars that preceded that particular model are still considered some of the best handling machines that Datsun came up with. In particular, I’m talking about the SR311 Fairlady 2000, otherwise known as the Datsun Sports.
It’s a lovely little compact thing and it sat so low that I couldn’t even see it among the rows of other cars on display until I was standing right in front of it. This generation of the Fairlady tends to appeal to the more die-hard enthusiast. Yes, there are people that do a lot with these cars, but usually nowhere close to the level of custom work that S30s receive. This particular example could be described as a purist’s car with a twist, because on top of the metallic orange color beautifully sprayed onto its restored body and hardtop, it also sat slammed on a set of Work Equip 03s.
I couldn’t fault the execution in the slightest – it was exactly how I’d have the car if I were lucky enough to own it.
This is a great example of how a ’60s classic can be made to look fresh and appealing with just a handful of well-chosen touches.
Next up it’s a car I had first seen at the Hot Rod and Custom Show in Yokohama back in December last year. It stands out for obvious reasons, because you definitely don’t see Camaros modified in a lowrider theme every day. Out under the sun it looked even more stunning – that paint job really showing off its depth and quality.
It’s interesting seeing a model with more of a performance oriented feel about it, approached in a totally different way.
On top of the metallic brown paint, each panel has tons of hand-applied detailing, from textured pin striping to more complex patterns.
Then, wire mesh wheels and white side-walled tyres continue the interesting twist.
Definitely impressive, and no surprise that it took home an award back in December.
Ushio Automobile in Osaka is known for pushing the envelope when it comes to creating wild and exciting takes on American and Japanese trucks. Their Chevy C10 is probably what they have become best known for in recent years – a truck that is still not quite finished yet and known simply as the Revolver. You might recall the Revolver 2 Daihatsu Hijet that they came up with last year, but it was their latest project – the Revolver 7 – that they brought along to the Street Car Nationals.
This 1948 Chevy 3100 sports an interesting look, probably best described as a glossy simulated-rust! The idea was to give it that barn-find/semi-abandoned feel, despite it being completely restored.
Supplying the power is an LS9 swap hiding under the bonnet, meaning – as the writing above says, that ‘it won’t be a workhorse anymore.’
The truck sits low thanks to a custom air suspension set up, and seeing the bed hasn’t been completed yet you could take a nice look at all the chassis and suspension mods in the rear.
It runs Air Lift Performance bags at each corner, which as you can see above were completely deflated to get the truck sitting at its absolute lowest.
The luxury twist
If I were judging a car by the amount of curious onlookers that it had around it at any one time, this late 1940 Ford Deluxe was easily be among the most popular at Odaiba.
This big coupe oozed presence from about a mile away – the deep, almost three-dimensional red paint job luring you in. It seemed to be a fine mix of elegant custom touches mated to plenty of power.
Make that lots of power thanks to a Chevy V8 motor running what seemed like the entire Edelbrock catalogue. Once the bonnet is closed that carb setup peeks its shiny twin scoops through, helping catch all the air the big motor could ever need.
Every surface has been chromed for a true show car look.
The badge says it all, the DeLuxe was Ford’s luxury take on the regular cars they offered, something to bridge the gap between regular models and the higher-spec Lincolns.
If the element of surprise was something I was looking for while picking the cars to spotlight, there was definitely plenty of that happening when I came face-to-face with this Astro van.
Aside from the curious headlight set up and the Rolls Royce-like grille, it didn’t strike me as anything out of the ordinary. Until I took a look inside. The old Japanese calligraphy on the upholstery was a cool touch I thought, as was the burnt pine wood trim on the door handles and speaker surrounds. But then I went and had a look in the back…
Mind blown! The entire back section had been turned into an old Japanese living room, with centrally mounted tea brewing irori-type table, tatami mats, shoji screens and more copious use of charred pine. There was even a period correct miniature wall clock!
Dividing the front and rear is a slide-type wooden door.
This is just one further example of how good the Japanese are at making their cars stand out. It seems the envelope never stops getting pushed! To finish up my Mooneyes Street Car Nationals coverage I will be heading into the car park next, which is always a must at this event. Back soon with more…
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com
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