Not anything says ‘Christmas spirit’ in Japan for me just like the AE86 Competition – aka Hachiroku/86 Matsuri. The once a year travel to Tsukuba Circuit for this match is just about a necessity for somebody even part inquisitive about Toyota’s Nineteen Eighties icon.

I’d argue that there are only a few different one-make occasions that percentage the similar variety as AE86s. With virtually 40 years of building and tinkering with the chassis, virtually no two automobiles glance the similar.

The Christmas Day match used to be no other, with each the drifting and circuit categories out in drive, making for a jam-packed pit lane. The ocean of shade around the Tsukuba paddock accentuated the other routes homeowners take with their automobiles – no Preliminary D replicas right here.

Because the morning ramped up, extra automobiles start to fill the pits. There have been a few overdue arrivals, however that used to be no actual wonder given the below-freezing temperatures, which proved to be a problem for each drivers and the entire Hachirokus with carburettor-fed engines.

It used to be nice to peer such a lot of Storage Infinity go with the flow automobiles out for the day. I’m all the time inspired via the quantity of seat time many of those drivers get of their Hachis. At least 10 instances a 12 months I’ll see these types of automobiles at occasions, a gorgeous spectacular flip round whilst you imagine the way in which they’re pushed.

I used to be under no circumstances shocked to peer Oda-san out in his Trueno. Specifically at the circuit aspect of pit lane, Crystal Frame Yokohama-built machines are ample, and it’s in most cases now not exhausting to identify them.

They’re most often carrying CBY’s iconic fender flares, and on at the moment some had been even working the yet-to-be-released prototype CBY bonnet.

At grassroots-style occasions like this there is steadily a loss of workforce branding and signage, however relaxation confident, it’s now not specifically exhausting to compare the homeowners to their automobiles. Intentional or now not, there used to be no loss of colour-coordination this 12 months.

While it stays a one-make match, a temporary intermission in AE86 motion is all the time welcomed via the Assault sequence automobiles that squeeze a couple of periods in. As it is only the few periods, it’s reserved for one of the vital extra severe time assault automobiles right here in Japan. This TCP Magic-built FD3S RX-7 isn’t any exception to that rule.

You’re taking a look at some of the all-time greats in AE86 circuit racing – the Tec-Artwork’s N2 Trueno. This used to be some of the quickest Hachirokus of the day, and as soon as once more it’s working CBY fenders, hatch, flares and extra. I feel you can see a sample right here…

Tetsuya Hibino used to be again out in his authentic D1 Grand Prix automobile. It’s all the time particular to peer those automobiles doing what they had been designed to do. The time period ‘storage queen’ isn’t in lots of vocabularies at AE86 Competition, and I in point of fact hope that doesn’t exchange because the automobiles grow to be even older.

As with each match, there’s all the time one automobile that steals the display, and for me it used to be this mind-bending Trueno hatch.

Talking in short with the landlord, an engineer, he advised me the automobile has been in building for 23 years, and used to be in-built collaboration with CBY. The entirety has been changed to the intense. A an identical engine setup to the CBY automobile would think an influence determine across the 250hp mark, now not dangerous whilst you imagine the Trueno’s weight has been reduce right down to 700kg (1,543lbs).

You’ll have spotted the shifter doesn’t glance regular-H-pattern-like, and that’s since the Toyota is now working a Sadev sequential gearbox entire with air-actuated paddles.

Virtually each corner and cranny of the automobile has been both riveted, welded or strengthened by some means. Mixed with the ultra-healthy power-to-weight ratio, you’ll best start to believe how this automobile may really feel being thrashed round Tsukuba.

It takes so much to forestall any individual of their tracks at an match the place maximum automobiles are noteworthy, on the other hand on this case, there used to be a gentle crowd of similarly amazed spectators preventing to seem, ask questions and appreciate the 86.

I’d like to dive even deeper into the extremities of this actual automobile lately, however that wouldn’t be doing it justice. Be expecting a complete characteristic very quickly!

The drifting portion of the day is all the time the most well liked with the spectators. The AE86 Competition isn’t a very simple match to take part in as a motive force, making for one of the vital very best AE86 using you’ll see any place on this planet.

It’s all the time cool to peer an OG Speedhunters sticky label nonetheless caught to a automobile. However it’s now not unusual to peer those at AE86 occasions, with lots of the automobiles being held onto via their homeowners for many years.

It used to be some other a success and freezing AE86 Competition at Tsukuba Circuit, however this 12 months I got here away each motivated and puzzled as to which course I must take my very own AE86. Is it the CBY-derived circuit means, or the straightforward however undying side road automobile glance that resonates maximum with you? There’s obviously no scarcity of various avenues to take, however extra alone automobile quickly…

Within the interim, press play above to look at my 4K raw-cut video from the day.

Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco