Just a drizzle

As much as I like this Mercedes AMG Petronas umbrella, I thought it would be sitting in the display after it’s first and only use in Austin.  Since this is Socal, there’s not much use for rain gear.  So when the opportunity to attend a Formula D event, with a possibly of rain.  Just couldn’t pass that up to watch some drifiting use this high performance umbrella.

Fd long beach

 

It's about 6a.m. on a Friday morning.  Just hopped off the train in Long Beach Ca. It's cold, and i'm hungry.  Jumped over the fence into the Formula d pit area (not a good thing).  Searching for Taka's pit spot. What the hell was I thinking?

Early TORC

With TORC already over with here's a couple of photos from one of the early days of TORC. Before it became more mainstream. I think these photos were around 01 maybe 02. The event was still at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, but at the parking lot. Back then there weren't that many cars that showed up. Amazing how much it has changed since then. Though we don't see much Toyota oddties like these:


Early, maybe '68, Toyota Corona speedster. It was for sale when I saw it at the event. I wonder if it's still running?


Toyota Fire truck?? Yes they even had those. But this wasn't an american market vehicle. It was actually brought over from a small town in Japan. I wish I could remember the whole story of the vehicle but after almost 10 years and of tires and gas fumes. Even my memory gets all fuzzy.

There was a few interesting bits I saw that day, but I could only find a few photos from that day.

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Toyota 2010

Another year another TORC. You think I'd get tired of this. And I do, cause it's the same suspects but different year. But I wanted to show a friend how nutty Toyota, Lexus and Scion enthusiasts can be. I'd have to say this year was very different. More out of the box thinking and rare stuff that's not very common to see now a days.


Chopped up, ratted out Scion XB. Super ugly and so different, that's what I like about it. Not following that Japanese trend, or wheels that stick out thinking it's flush.


A really nutty mid 70's corolla. I'm not sure who built it, but it wasn't a filipino cause there wasn't a 2TG with carbs on the side. Nor a Puerto Rican cause it would have turbo 3TC running single digit quarter miles. What's under here is a V8 from a Lexus. I'm kinda swaying it's a white guy who built it, but that V8 would have the markings of a bowtie and demon carburetor. So that leaves me clueless on who may have built this thing.


This Cressida wagon was just plain clean, nothing over top. I really like it that way, something that would be a cool car to cruise in.


Here's something that I'd like own one day. Toyota S800, a car that was never officially imported by Toyota. Only through gray market and military guys coming back from overseas were these cars able to land on American soil.

There were quite a few rare bits of old school performance parts,


TRD racing engine that was produced for racing only. And to own one of these engines means you got some deep ties with TRD and it's legendary racing feats. How many of you actually know what this engine is? Hint: it's based off 18RG engine.


HKS turbo kit for an 18RG engine. The early HKS kits turboed the carburetor engines. I don't how many of these kits are in existence, but i'm sure not many were imported here or still complete. But to see one up close was really cool.


4TGTE homologation engine built by Toyota for it's efforts in Group B and WRC back in the early 80's. So there were a few streets cars who had these engines installed from the factory for this effort.


For me the holy grail of Corolla parts: HKS exhaust system, not that new single tip rubbish that you see now a days. I'm talking about the old twin tip design. Long since discontinued, it's very rare see these around anymore. Brand new these came in an aluminized silver paint. The owner has painted this one black, probably cause it was starting to rust. But for those who grew around import street racing, this brings back some memories.

There was lots to see and for some reason this year, I saw a lot of old friends and acquaintances from industry this year.

For the rest of the photos

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Long Beach Grand Prix 2009

Long Beach, California, home to the Ice Dogs, the Queen Mary, and my old hometown. Once a year in April, the thunder of Indy Cars fills ocean drive. Way back I used to come here every year. Lately it's been once in a blue moon. Fortunately, this year I was able to score a ticket for saturday.

Pro winner Al Unser Jr. and celebrity winner Keanu Reeves taking a victory lap!

Which included the Toyota celebrity race and

Taka Aono in the lifestyle expo hall.

Formula D tandem practice.

Definitely a plus to see awesome cars racing and drifting. The highlight of the day was having Danica Patrick passing by within inches of me, she must be practicing. Definitely a minus for my camera crapping out early and didn't get a picture. The pics themselves are not that great either since it's literally pointing and shooting. If you recall the screen is broke.

Anyways for the rest of the crappy pics go here.

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