Car Spotlight>>socal Shakotan Cressida

While walking through the paddock at Irwindale on Saturday, there was one car that immediately drew my eye. It wasn't a car competing in the drift event, or even an entry in the car show. Nope, this first generation Toyota Cressida was simply parked in the paddock amongst the heavy duty Chevy and Dodge support trucks. With our focus on all things low and wide this month, I knew this would be a great car to spotlight, and a perfect example of an authentic Japanese style kyusha in the USA.

While Japan has all sorts of Mark II's, Crestas, Laurels, Cedrics, and Crowns ripe for the picking, us Americans have a much more limited selection of old school Japanese sedans to choose from. Luckily, the first generation Toyota Cressida sold between 1977 and 1980 is nearly identical to the Mark II sold in Japan. As you can see, the car is representing Serial Nine , a small company that specializes in parts for the Cressida.

For a car like this, you can't just order the parts you want off of Ebay. Even in Japan, it can be very difficult sourcing parts for a car like this. Keeping that in mind, the owner has done a fantastic job outfitting the car with period style parts. For example, the chin spoiler mounted under the front bumper.

Of course it wouldn't be complete without a pair of fender mirrors…

The bolt-on fender flares are what transform the soft luxury sedan into a badass cruiser. Of course you also have fill them with a proper set of wheels and tires with lots of stretch.

Although from a distance the wheels look like SSR MK 1's, they actually look to be some very wide 15" Centerlines, with an offset well below zero. Also note the two-tone paint, something I'm not sure is original or not.

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm guessing this rear spoiler is something adapted from another car. Again, this something you see often in Japan.

Another authentic Japanese touch is the retro style Pioneer Carrozzeria speakers mounted behind the back seat.

The car is just full of little details, like the tape on the passenger side headlight.

It's been a while since I've seen a car that captures the spirit of retro Japanese street style like this one, and I can only imagine how sweet this thing looks while cruising on the freeways here in SoCal.

-Mike Garrett

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1

clean ass cressida !!!!!

2

Cool! What's under the hood? I've seen one of these with a V8 that looked original.

3

I love cressidas eveytime you post one i end up searching japanese export websites to see if thry have any for sale.And the same applies to c33 laurels and GX71 crestas.

5

Nice!



Perfect style, has even the License plate in the correct anti speedcam shape :D

6

best car spotlight ever.

7

ae86 spoiler??

8

i think the wheels are ssr's mk1's but they look to be reverse mounted - ie inner rim towards the outside.



so cool!

9

So is shakotan a new word for describing wide fenders and wider tires on an old school JDM car? Hahaha I may have to start using that. Awesome feature tho!!

10

That is one cool cressida!

Thanks for the pics!

11

Where do you get those rear towing hoops? I can't seem to find them?

12

So is shakotan a new word for describing wide fenders and wider tires on an old school JDM car? Hahaha I may have to start using that. Awesome feature tho!!



No... It's not.



That wing is from a cressy also..

13

Also... They are called hangrings, not towing hoops. The one on this car is a home made one, not a real tsurikawa which are found on JDM trains and some buses.



 

14

the wheels are centerlines, the wing is for an ae86 coupe...

15



awesome fitment, 100% proper!

as for the tsurikawas there is a guy selling them here

http://choufukai.blogspot.com/

17

Very cool to see this car in the states! Love it! Need more vintage J tin.

18

thanks for clearing everything up guys...yeah 15x10-42 centerlines(im too poor to get mkI's)

fake tsurikawa(home made thanks marv :P i aint payin $60 for a piece of plastic)

stock under the hood for now but trying to decide on a swap.more than likely 1j or 2j but comtemplating a 1uz.

ae86 coupe wing yup...

dont worry i have a surprise coming...

19

??????? ?????))

20

JDM trains



lol



I'm pretty sure there's no 'domestic market' for passenger trains.



Japanese trains.

21

*searches autotrader for 77-80 cressidas*

22

Rdmndrifter - Shakotan is used to describe a low car. at least that's what it is over here in Japan. Dunno what you guys in the states turned the word into, hehe.

23

Nah definitely aren't reverse mounted SSR's, because they have valves on the right side, and covering the valve holes on the other side, would be so no worth it...

But mint MX32 :D

It's Lloyd's. Hopefully this article boosts the sale price. ^_^

24

Now that`s cool style,but I`ve seen this on a lot of JDM cars and i don`t know,why is the rear plate like that,you can see it on the last picture.

25

Now that`s cool style,but I`ve seen this on a lot of JDM cars and i don`t know,why is the rear plate like that,you can see it on the last picture.

27

Would be even better with a hakosuka wing but still great!

28

That wing is an AE86 N2 TRD wing.

29

Thank you so much for all the vintage jdm. For the dude wondering about the license plate being like that. It is intentional. It's all apart of the style.

30

i agree on the hakosuka wing...

its still a work in progress

thanks for all the kind comments everyone :)

31

I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!!!

32

I said busses also.. So not just trains.. As we have imported buses here in australia with them on..



You must have not enough love for it then.. A real tsurikawa will look 50x better.. I would take the fake one off tbh.



Good to see you don't have that horrible exhaust on :)



Whats the wing off? There is a cressy down here in a wreckers with an old wing like that.. Well is a bit different..? I noticed after I posed that it doesn't quite fit towards the rear of the boot.



Awesome car :D

33

Thanks Ameen !!!



marv,we all have priorities and a hangring isnt one of mine.id rather spend $60 on something useful.

send me one if you want one on my car ??? hehe

wing is TRD ae86 coupe

new wheels,flares,suspension bits,and motor swap/5 speed coming up

34

Yes. So good. I love this car.



Wallpaper of first photo?!

35

Brilliantly observed.

36

Car looks good, but that spoiler looks out of place.



Mario Maneski: The reason the guys over here bend their plate like that is to hide them from the cops when running from them. Alot of the bike groups over here also turn their plates up. Most of the S chassis cars over here have a bolt you can take out so you can swivel the plate up to hide it from speed cameras and cops

37

Over the last several days the state of California has been hit hard by a series of cold rainstorms coming off the pacific - covering the mountains with snow and bringing chaos to the usually sun-drenched freeways of Los Angeles. Fortunately, the weather

38

Over the last several days the state of California has been hit hard by a series of cold rainstorms coming off the pacific - covering the mountains with snow and bringing chaos to the usually sun-drenched freeways of Los Angeles. Fortunately, the weather

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