While every visit I make to Japan brings with it the chance to uncover some amazing machinery, I equally enjoy meeting the people behind these cars and hearing their stories. One person I met on my most recent trip was Teruhisa Inoue, the owner of the wicked looking B110 Nissan Sunny you see here. Teru-san hails from Kumamoto Prefecture on the extreme western edge of Japan, but like many Japanese folks his career has lead him to Tokyo. When he made the trip east he also brought along a strong passion for vintage cars and a keen sense of automotive style.
I first noticed Teru’s B110 in the coverage from last year’s Hellaflush event at Fuji, and I was very excited to finally see the car in person. The 110 Sunny is very well known car in Japan with a strong motorsport heritage, and Teru’s managed to take that competition character and inject the right amount of shakotan street style. The result is a subtle, but aggressive looking machine that catches the eye of all who pass by it.
You won’t find an exotic engine swap under the hood of the Sunny. Instead, you’ll find a modified variant of the proven A-series OHV engine -one that displaces 1600cc and is fed a pair of Weber 45s. It’s no powerhouse, but the Sunny has always been more about agility than horsepower.
Up front, Teru had the Sunny specialists at Technical Factory Yabuki work up a custom shortened suspension, while in the rear he adapted SPAX suspension originally made for a Mini Cooper of all things. The SSR Mk.IIs wheels measure 13″x8J and 13″x9J in the rear with 175/50/13 tires all around.
You may notice the lack of a front lip spoiler, making the front look a bit “naked” in these photos. Just before I met up with Teru, he actually lost the spoiler in one of those common “shakotan incidents”.
No worries though. He’s since replaced the lip and is back to cruising around Tokyo in top style.
-Mike
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
=)
What do most people use to paint the tyre name on there tyres? Is there a special kind of paint for it
What do most people use to paint the tyre name on there tyres? Is there a special kind of paint for it
love it!
This Sunny needs a 13B with ITB's!
@KyleLewallen They make special tire paint, but some people just use normal old spray paint. Not sure exactly what Teru used.
@JDMized That would be pretty wild.
@KyleLewallen
I've seen some just do it with white spray paint and a stencil, but you can buy tire specific brush paint.
@Mike Garrett Simple, light and compact.
@Mike Garrett Simple, light and compact.
@KyleLewallen Most people cut off a stencil from cardboard and spray paint it (Nakai's Porsches for instance).
Other use white-thick pen and do it that way, granted it takes longer.
@KyleLewallen Most people cut off a stencil from cardboard and spray paint it (Nakai's Porsches for instance).
Other use white-thick pen and do it that way, granted it takes longer.
@MarianaGrigorovici
+1 Very nice
@MarianaGrigorovici
+1 Very nice
I used to have a Datsun B210, way back in the day. It was a great daily driver but there wasn't much, if any, of an aftermarket for it. I wish I had kept it long enough to sport it up like this. Nice!
I used to have a Datsun B210, way back in the day. It was a great daily driver but there wasn't much, if any, of an aftermarket for it. I wish I had kept it long enough to sport it up like this. Nice!
@JDMized or a sr16ve. the reason for the sr16ve is to stay with the 1.6 theme. the 13b would be a great option to especially if its a renesis.
@JDMized or a sr16ve. the reason for the sr16ve is to stay with the 1.6 theme. the 13b would be a great option to especially if its a renesis.
what is it about classic cars american or japanese that makes them so lovable?
what is it about classic cars american or japanese that makes them so lovable?
@hanablemoore Good question. Perhaps a subject for a future editorial?
@hanablemoore Good question. Perhaps a subject for a future editorial?
@MattAtDoyle Yeah the 1200 and 210 never really caught on too big in the US market as far as modification goes, but they've always had a pretty big following in Japan.
@MattAtDoyle Yeah the 1200 and 210 never really caught on too big in the US market as far as modification goes, but they've always had a pretty big following in Japan.
@MattAtDoyle Yeah the 1200 and 210 never really caught on too big in the US market as far as modification goes, but they've always had a pretty big following in Japan.
A awesome little machine, really cool seeing these battle old Toyota Starlets and Corolla's.
A awesome little machine, really cool seeing these battle old Toyota Starlets and Corolla's.
@hanablemoore because they have style, not saying modern cars dont, just saying there's a certain sense of style about them.....oh dont forget european cars as well
I love this thing, my father has a B110 project that i hope to get when i get out of college and restore along with my maverick!
@KyleLewallen If a tire manufacturer is present at a track day here they will do it for free!
B110, B210, B310. Much love for classic RWD Sunny!
@hanablemoore part of it is the style, but also the designs were exhibited in the days before anyone outside F1 knew anything about aerodynamics and drag coefficients - somehow this made them more "pantomime" as Richard Hammond rm Top Gear says. As well as the lack of all these safety regulations that we have now, that put a stop to any "creative" and/or "passionate" designs. Not to mention you could actually feel the "car" as opposed to all this power everything, active this and that, electronic here and there etc etc ad nauseum!
@TheDude69 i meant to say the euro's too but i already press "post comment"
@BigFoigg Also i think peoples feelings towards cars has changed in general since the sixties. A car does not mean what it use too. A car is more of a appliance now like a blender. So styling is going to suffer. Nobody cares that there blender is stylish as long as it blends.People just want to get to point A as safe and as boring as possible. At one time body styles use to change every year not every four or five years. Its good for the manufacturer as far as saving money i guess. But safety regulations should not effect the styling of a car that much. Your right style is non existing.
SPEEDHUNTERS can I have your job?
IrnandaW wok maen biliar yok
that front is pure Mk2 escort.
Which came first? Sunny?