After the disappointment of not finding any cars at Daikoku Parking Area on Monday night (3-1) I was beginning to get the same feeling last night. I headed to the famed highway truck stop nice and early and again, there weren't any R32s to be seen. I thought then and there that this Skyline week wasn't as special as we had anticipated so I went into one of the small restaurants on the premises and cheered myself up with a steaming bowl of Daikoku Ramen (yes it's actually called that!). After slurping down the spicy noodles I headed outside and to my surprise some cars had began to roll in.
Slowly two groups formed and it seemed it was more of a couple of friends meeting up on this March 2nd night rather than an all out region-wide gathering. Still, not wanting to waste another night I grabbed my camera and began to shoot.
However as a few more Skylines arrived I noticed there seemed to be some movement on the other side of the parking so I headed over to see what was going down.
I found this group of Datsun Sunny owners that had neatly lined up for what I discovered was the "32 Day." 32 in Japanese also stands for "San-ny" or Sunny, and this was one of their biggest meets of the year, with quite a lot of cars participating. Definitely a surprise and one I wasn't going to pass up shooting but I thought I'd better get a few more shot of the GT-Rs before the owners got bored and left!
There were a total of 9 Skylines, not a great turnout for Daikoku but hey, better than going home empty handed right? The white track-prepped GT-R above had a full roll cage and I just loved the white on white look the owner has gone for with the TE37s.
How about this for perfection. Aside from the CE28Ns and a lower ride height the exterior was stock and in amazing condition.
The yellow headlight thing was popular for all of one year back in the early nineties, I guess the Japanese were taking their inspiration from the French that used to offer yellow lights on Citroens and Peugeots. Still it's a vintage feel for this GTS-4.
Check out the Super GT weight handicap stickers on the side window! 70 kg total, driver's weight?
With the selection of Sunnies growing by the minute I made my way over to start grabbing shots of these tiny little classics rides.
There were so many different body shapes and generations created over the years it was quite surprising to see so many of them at Daikoku starting with this white B110 from the early seventies.
This B120 Sunny Truck belongs to Tsukada-san who organized the gathering. He was a cool guy and even gave me a couple of "2010 Sunny 32 Day" stickers that I've already put on my camera case.
Nice lip on the Work wheels.
There were also quite a few wagons last night, oozing JDMness!
A 2-door wagon?
This is B210 Excellent GX coupe was one I had never seen before. Loved the lines, so Japanese but I also see some hints of American muscle cars in there.
Check out that rear end!
More cars kept arriving, so I just kept on shooting.
Another B120 pick up.
As always my fascination with station wagons lead me to check out rides like this 1800 GL Wagon…
…as well as this older version…
…running a fully rebuilt and tuned A12.
This was probably my favorite 4-door…
…sporting a great stance…
and some exquisite vintage wheels.
Under the hood it was all very shiny and fitted with what looked like an L14 motor running billet funnels on the carbs.
Am I the only one that thinks this particular model has the potential to become a great bosozoku car!
A Nismo kitted BNR34 showed up at one point during the night too…
…I had to grab some shots and check out the carbon wing stays the owner had fitted to his spoiler. Nice!
Quite a colorful line-up.
80's square design definitely made the Sunny different…
…but still a very cool car. More vintage rims.
Bright!
I'm not sure if this is still used to deliver Panasonic/National products but this pick up couldn't have looked more Japanese.
This on the other hand had a So-Cal theme going with the hood protector…
…while this one was in a category all of its own!
This rusted out garbage filled truck is actually quite well know at Daikoku…
…it's probably the only ratted out Sunny I have ever seen. The name says it all! Great stuff!
Check out the square overfenders on this Deluxe Wagon…
…the body needed some attention but the stance was spot on, notice the lip on the rear wheels!
It's off to Daikoku once again for me tonight. If the R33 Skyline meeting doesn't happen I'll try and grab some shots of what ever turns up. Stay tuned!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
You should do Daikoku posts more often
The cream/beige Sunny wagon in pic#13 is a 1979 model. I know this because I had one (210 here in the U.S.) in high school. Mine was "Maroon Mist", which meant it was metallic maroon. Practical little car, but painfully slow. The little 1200cc could barely pull the car to 75 mph. I think the compressor for the air conditioning made more power than the engine! It was the only wagon I've ever had with a 5-speed. And yes, it was a hand-me-down from Mom.
Love the Sunny's.
The Sunny Excellent will be running an L-series but that one that you thought was an L-series, is an A-series.
Great shot! Love the old skool JDM
Any more of the "Excellent GX"?
awesome............deluxe wagon,
loveeee this post!
What a great mix of GTR's and Retro / Vintage Datsuns.
So damn cool!
I just realized how much I like your photos from Daikoku. They always give me that "wish I was there but have never even been to Japan" feeling haha
Haha well their wasn't much for R32's but all this Vintage J-Tin more than makes up for it....dam I live this little classics!
wow! what a great shoot! I love your style. it makes all the cars look like toys shot in high res lol or is it just me?
I think the "yellow light" thing is derived from GT racing (LMS etc.) where the prototypes have clear lenses and the GT classes have yellow tinted ones, presumably so drivers can tell what class of car is behind them at night. But that is just my theory
ratsun.net
Damn.. love that ST5 truck and the Nsimo kitted BNR34 very sweet. the B210 in blue is classic.. i think it was a success when all said & done - some retro rims in there too - not too many Datsuns out and about in the UK but you can still find some die hard fans out there - count yourself lucky!! Great post too
The "Ratsun NY" custom......they have their own kick-ass blog:
http://community.ratsun.net/
I don't know how you do it, but your photos really make the subjects look like toys!
Can anyone tell me the name of those Work wheels on the blue/white truck?
definatly not alone on the boso potential for that sunny! haha too much sunnys F**#ing mad!!
this week along with the january s-chassis attempts go to show that just because the RX7 and the AE86 get their own days and meets, don't assume every other model does too!
Those old Sunnys put a smile on my face. especially the blue one is brilliant (those vintage gold wheels, and the fact that everything seems to be in its place on the car.) And the GT-R's are just so awesome no matter if they're stock or tuned.
Really like these little cars! @ Z3ph4r: haha yeah is that the genuine model of the car!?
but it was the Datsuns that started the model day thing, I'm presuming.
5/10 day has been happening for a looong time.
riversides in the house.
LOL...
gone to Daikoku for R32s, but got home with Sunnies...
Sweet!
Mean post, I love how it turned from R32s to Datsuns. Sweet pics, I'm loving the VB10 and the VB110, wagons all the way.
I'm quite sure that a Mr.Garret snapped that ratty Sunny Truck some time ago,
unless of course there is a near identical version doing the rounds.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/auto-otaku/534268106/
the excellent it´s great more photos Dino
Best speedhunters post ever! Sunny vs Godzilla
That Rat Sun-ny totally ROCKS.. hahaha luv it
Nice cars. That Nissan Sunny Excellent 1400 ( correct name for the blue Datsun with round tail lights ) is inspired ñike many japanese cars of the time on european cars like alfas and bmws of the time. American muscle cars of the time had no round tail lamps and very few if any were hatchbacks. Definitely european inspiration. Easily confused by the untrained eye. Refreshing to see an array of Datsuns that does not have only "Z", and "510" cars as you see in the US. There is more to those only 2 models in the Datsun family ! Nice photos. Thanks.