Cars
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Motorex Skylines
The sordid history of Skyline importation into the US as told by 0-60 Mag: Access Denied
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New Toy – 19xx Yamaha Chappy
This is an original ad for my new (old) toy, a Yamaha Chappy most probably made in the seventies, imported from Japan into Thailand. Actually, it has all the signs of having been stolen at some point, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how it got to Thailand. I bought it off my boss who apparently bought it right after it was brought over. She let me have it for just about $100 US (3500 Baht). w00t! Engine size: 50 cc Top speed: 35 kph on installed speedometer, reading at over 40 on the much newer scooter riding along side during test run This thing really puts a smile…
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The Fattie R35s Have Landed
New Skylines at the Port of Long Beach. Someone totally needs to cut a hole in the fence and Swede another episode to the 2 FRIGGIN’ FAST, 2 FARGIN’ FURIOUS universe.
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Ford Escort Mk1 1300 De Luxe
I took a few photos of Nam’s uncle’s Escort this morning. It’s from around 1971 or so; check out my favorite features including the “dogbone” front grill, the recycled 1500cc Nissan engine, and transplanted (Toyota + Mitsu???) steering/dash/gauge assembly with permanently lit “TURBO” indicator. (Oh also – this is not the Escort we had in the US from the 80’s, it’s the European model.) The absolute coolest thing about this car is that even though I can’t find online records of these early Escorts being assembled in Thailand, the VIN plate clearly states it was so:
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good juju, bad juju, it’s all just plain old juju
Yes, sometime I will probably stop trying to write blues lyrics in the titles… but today is not the day to do so, because yesterday, I ran over a chameleon sunning himself on the highway. When chameleons are chilling, sometimes they do this curious push up routine where they puff out their chests and bob up and down (apparently, this is the best time to catch them – in order to eat them, of course – at least my Thai friends tell me so). I was on my way to work in the Crown, cruising along in fifth gear and enjoying engine noise, the wind in my hair, and the…
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More Crown History
I got a mail out of the blue today from the previous previous owner of the Kujira Crown I bought last year: I owned the Crown before you bought it off Chris. Thought you might like to hear how I came (although it was in my wifes name ) to be the proud owner of that lovely old girl. In 2003 I was an in house English teacher at a semi-conductor factory in Pathum Thani. While waiting for the remainder of the class to arrive the boys were talking about cars. As we do!?P, one of the best guys in the class, asked me what sort of car I would…
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but do i deserve to be?
Yes, I’m still alive. Just finished finals week; now it’s time to grade 500 tests from nine different classes. This 30-hour teaching week thing has finally come to an end. Yay. Car maintenance side notes: The Crown was acting like she needed a new battery or alternator, so I changed the cheaper of the two and everything is fine again. The front brakes on the Cefiro were squealing so I got the rotors ground; they are still being broken in.
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28 Weeks
Oh, and I’d just like to point out my outstandingly awesome parking skills as seen in this photo…
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Homely
We put in curtains (cream) and grass (green) today. It’s amazing how much more this house feels like home now. As a side note, there’s a dirt track to the rear of our house where dump trucks come to drop fill dirt at the back end of the development. I took the Crown back there today to drop off 16 bags of black loam I bought (20 Baht/bag) to lay under the grass. After throwing the bags of loam over our fence, I got back in the car and did donuts and long drifts in the dirt all the way back to the paved road. All of the laborers working…
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The Toyota Collection
Speaking of the Crown, Ive been meaning to post an original sales brochure for it that I found on this page (They’re restoring a Kujira Crown they found on e-Bay). You really have to click on the photo to open the enlarged version and read the copy at the bottom; it’s pretty trippy (I’m relieved to see that mine has at least one of the options listed – seat belts!). ///////// What comes straight out of a rarified atmosphere of true elegance and good breeding at 100mph, replete with luxury, power-steering, Cooler Air Conditioning, 8-track stereo and every creature comfort? The Crown Special 2600 Automatic. A precious object for collectors…
