Museums>>the Hks Collection Pt.1

Do you ever find yourself wondering what happens to a company's race cars and tuner cars after their services are no longer needed? Sometimes they will wind up in the hands of private buyers (often overseas), in other cases they will be destroyed or dismantled, and every once in a while they'll be preserved or displayed as part of the company's heritage. In it's 35+ years of existence, HKS has built dozens of these historic competition and street vehicles, and a number of them are kept on display in a special room at the sprawling HKS factory in Fujinomiya City, Japan.

This room is not really a "museum" in the normal sense. It's not open to the general public outside of the once-a-year HKS open house, but they keep it open for special appointments and for members of the media who visit the HKS factory. When Saitou-san was showing us around the factory last month, he was happy to let me have a look at this impressive collection of cars, parts, and photographs that span HKS's entire history.

I was familiar with a lot of these cars from years of playing video games, reading magazines, and watching videos, but it was really great to be able to finally see them in the flesh.

Besides all the cars lined up, the room is dominated by this huge wall of photographs and stories that follow the history of HKS from the company's beginning in 1973 ,all the way to the present day. Most enthusiasts already know about the long history of HKS and their contributions to the tuning industry, but seeing everything summed up on this display makes one have even more respect for what HKS has done over the years. You could spend a lot of time examining everything on this wall…

The first car you see is the MA70-based HKS Zero Drag Supra. In both 1990 and 1991, this car was the series champion in the RRC Drag Race Series. The pro stock chassis was actually developed and built in the United States and then imported to Japan in 1990 when HKS began to put the car together.

It's powered a twin turbocharged 7MGTE that makes 850ps and revs to an impressive 8,750 RPM. The Zero Drag Supra's best time in the 0-400 was a blazing 7.97 seconds, which recorded all the way back in 1991.

There are also a number of HKS-built race engines on display. This one is the F1-spec V12 known as the 300E, which was built in the early '90s. The vitals – 3.5 liters, 650hp, and a redline of 13,500 RPM.

This is the Lola F3000 T92 chassis that served as a testbed for the 300E. Unfortunatley, the 300E's on-track action was limited only to testing – it never reached competition use.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of the T92's racing-spec SSR wheels and Advan slicks.

There are also a few displays that showcase some of the consumer parts that HKS has developed over the years. Were you ever curious what the inside of an HKS muffler looks like?

This is the Opel Vectra that HKS campaigned in the Japan Touring Car Championship (JTCC) during the late 1990's. I love how the famous black,green, and purple HKS racing livery from this time period.

The center-locking five spoke Enkei wheels on the HKS Vectra still look good, even 10+ years later.

Somewhere underneath all that carbon fiber is the Vectra's 300hp two liter C20 race engine. I was amazed at how much extra space there is under the hood of this car.

Long live the '90s….

I'll be back tomorrow with more nostalgic artifacts from the HKS collection.

-Mike Garrett

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1

Oh... I really wanted to see the Benz....



You guys are soooo lucky you get to see these awesome cars right in front of you...



Also, i agree Mike, the black, purple and green HKS livery ROCKS!!

2

wow, great to see these cars again, its like looking at old family photographs. I saw that exhaust on the right, and thought "glassback" lol

3

How big is HKS factory? Any pic of it? And, Saitou-san should drag the 300E, they might hold the record for all motor quarter mile. LOL

4

I wonder how those SSR's would look on an AE86...

5

Actually, nevermind the vid. YOUTUBE PULLS THROUGH AGAIN !!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3s8NSY06SA = WIN

6

@ tis - naw, if it's F1-spec it probably doens't have enough torque to pull a normal chassis around... It would however be EPIC WIN to see (and hear) a video of that pretty thing revving ^____^

7

@Naga_Ten - Torque might be an issue. But it would be fun. hehe. 13.5krpm at the christmas tree, release clutch, stall. hahahaha.



ps - HKS drag cars doesn't have normal chasis btw.

8

good shit speedhunters....GOOD, SHIT

9

Please cover the HKS Drag ST202. First FF in the 9's.

10

Wow, thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see more

11

the HKS Vectra an ex BTCC Cleland Car with Opel badging in lieu of Vauxhall

12

Hello, and prompt please where it is possible to look full assemblage of your photos Mike Garrett

13

All who heard greetings DRAG-BITVA in Russia? It is our car from Novosibirsk http://team-exe.ru/member/48 / Toyota Supra jza80 10.3 its time. On a covering without glue

14

I wanted to see the inside of the HKS muffler.... but the glare... ohh the glare.....



I kant wait for part 2!

15

Any picture of the HKS GT300 Mercedes CLK? I never got to see a good picture of it because the car raced in only like 1 or 2 races and never finished.

16

OMG, jackpot Mike, stunning

17

Wow, classy article! MORE MORE MORE! :-) Any more info regarding the 300E? Is it entirely constructed by HKS or is it "just" a stock engine modified by them?

18

is that a benz right next the Vectra?

19

do i see a HKS benz??? MOAR PIX PLZ!!!

20

HKS > Greddy

21

Would love to have some more photos of that JGTC HKS CLK! (Raced in 3 rounds of 2002 and never raced again). Reminded me of the great days of JGTC back in 2002...Japanese Big 3 vs. McLaren, Lamborghini, Vemac and M.Benz CLK all in GT500 class!

22

AS-GTR? From RSC?

23

I love the Mk3 Supra up top....MORE PHOTOS, PLEASE!! (^_^ )

24

What's that weird yellow roadster in the back in the Formula 3000 pic?

25

@musash: yup, though it has been down for a while.

26

Nobody has mentioned it so I feel compelled; in the 6th picture with the F3000 chassis there is a jet ski in the back sitting behind that older looking motorcycle. Info on the motorcycle would be cool since I can see it has the HKS livery, but for real Mike u need to find out more info on that jet ski! I mean is that really an HKS jet ski???

27

i would love to see a CT230R vs Vectra vs CLK GT500, interesting to see performance differences btw new and old race machines with different suspension geometry but same tuner

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