Hachiroku Heaven At The Tsukuba AE86 Competition

Nothing says ‘Christmas spirit’ in Japan for me just like the AE86 Competition – aka Hachiroku/86 Matsuri. The annual journey to Tsukuba Circuit for this occasion is just about a necessity for anybody even half concerned about Toyota’s Eighties icon.

I’d argue that there are only a few different one-make occasions that share the identical variety as AE86s. With virtually 40 years of improvement and tinkering with the chassis, virtually no two vehicles look the identical.

The Christmas Day occasion was no completely different, with each the drifting and circuit courses out in drive, making for a jam-packed pit lane. The ocean of color throughout the Tsukuba paddock accentuated the completely different routes house owners take with their vehicles – no Preliminary D replicas right here.

Because the morning ramped up, extra vehicles start to fill the pits. There have been a few late arrivals, however that was no actual shock given the below-freezing temperatures, which proved to be a problem for each drivers and all of the Hachirokus with carburettor-fed engines.

It was nice to see so many Storage Infinity drift vehicles out for the day. I’m at all times impressed by the quantity of seat time many of those drivers get of their Hachis. At least 10 occasions a 12 months I’ll see most of those vehicles at occasions, a fairly spectacular flip round when you think about the best way they’re pushed.

I used to be by no means stunned to see Oda-san out in his Trueno. Significantly on the circuit facet of pit lane, Crystal Physique Yokohama-built machines are plentiful, and it’s usually not onerous to identify them.

They’re normally sporting CBY’s iconic fender flares, and on at the present time some had been even operating the yet-to-be-released prototype CBY bonnet.

At grassroots-style occasions like this there is commonly a lack of workforce branding and signage, however relaxation assured, it’s not notably onerous to match the house owners to their vehicles. Intentional or not, there was no lack of colour-coordination this 12 months.

While it stays a one-make occasion, a quick intermission in AE86 motion is at all times welcomed by the Assault sequence vehicles that squeeze a couple of periods in. As it’s simply the few periods, it’s reserved for a few of the extra severe time assault vehicles right here in Japan. This TCP Magic-built FD3S RX-7 is not any exception to that rule.

You’re one of many all-time greats in AE86 circuit racing – the Tec-Artwork’s N2 Trueno. This was one of many quickest Hachirokus of the day, and as soon as once more it’s operating CBY fenders, hatch, flares and extra. I feel you can see a sample right here…

Tetsuya Hibino was again out in his authentic D1 Grand Prix automobile. It’s at all times particular to see these vehicles doing what they had been designed to do. The time period ‘storage queen’ just isn’t in lots of vocabularies at AE86 Competition, and I actually hope that doesn’t change because the vehicles change into even older.

As with each occasion, there’s at all times one automobile that steals the present, and for me it was this mind-bending Trueno hatch.

Talking briefly with the proprietor, an engineer, he advised me the automobile has been in improvement for 23 years, and was inbuilt collaboration with CBY. Every little thing has been modified to the acute. The same engine setup to the CBY automobile would assume an influence determine across the 250hp mark, not unhealthy when you think about the Trueno’s weight has been lower all the way down to 700kg (1,543lbs).

You’ll have observed the shifter doesn’t look regular-H-pattern-like, and that’s as a result of the Toyota is now operating a Sadev sequential gearbox full with air-actuated paddles.

Nearly each nook and cranny of the automobile has been both riveted, welded or strengthened indirectly. Mixed with the ultra-healthy power-to-weight ratio, you’ll be able to solely start to think about how this automobile would possibly really feel being thrashed round Tsukuba.

It takes loads to cease somebody of their tracks at an occasion the place most vehicles are noteworthy, nevertheless on this case, there was a gradual crowd of equally amazed spectators stopping to look, ask questions and admire the 86.

I’d like to dive even deeper into the extremities of this explicit automobile at this time, however that wouldn’t be doing it justice. Anticipate a full characteristic very quickly!

The drifting portion of the day is at all times the most well-liked with the spectators. The AE86 Competition just isn’t a simple occasion to take part in as a driver, making for a few of the finest AE86 driving you’ll see anyplace on the planet.

It’s at all times cool to see an OG Speedhunters sticker nonetheless caught to a automobile. However it’s not unusual to see these at AE86 occasions, with most of the vehicles being held onto by their house owners for many years.

It was one other profitable and freezing AE86 Competition at Tsukuba Circuit, however this 12 months I got here away each motivated and confused as to which path I ought to take my very own AE86. Is it the CBY-derived circuit method, or the easy however timeless avenue automobile look that resonates most with you? There’s clearly no scarcity of various avenues to take, however extra alone automobile quickly…

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

Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco