Scattered throughout Japan is a legendary chain of shops that deliver surprise and pleasure to all who go to.
‘Up Storage’ reads boldly in blue and pink over yellow, a reputation well-known to JDM lovers. However for individuals who assume manga is a few new American political time period, a go to to Up Storage appears like visiting eBay Motors in the true world.
Consider it as eBay circa 2008, again when real bargains may nonetheless be discovered. That’s as a result of Up Storage isn’t your common elements store. Every thing right here is used – wheels, bumpers, headlights, exhausts, and extra. Better of all, no two Up Garages are the identical. So, when you’re keen to spend the day hopping from department to department, you’re certain to seek out many attention-grabbing elements at a fraction of their authentic value.
Buying at Up Storage is a simple solution to modify your Japanese automobile on a price range, particularly when you drive one thing standard like a Toyota 86 or Honda Civic. However not everybody needs that straightforward choice irrespective of how tempting it’s. Take Kazuma Hara, for instance. Whereas visiting his native Up Storage may make his life a lot easier, Hara-san prefers a problem.
“Whenever you get your first automobile, all you wish to do is drive to a storage and begin shopping for tuning elements,” Hara-san says. “However if you wish to stand out, you possibly can’t use the identical automobile or the identical elements as everybody else. Typically it’s higher to take a harder route.”
And so, he selected one thing removed from the mainstream – a JW3 Honda Right this moment.
In the event you’ve by no means seen one earlier than, the Right this moment appears to be like a bit like a shrunken EG Civic. That’s no accident; the mannequin was certainly one of Honda’s kei automobile choices by the Eighties and ’90s, adhering to Japan’s strict mini-car rules: a 660cc engine and a size beneath 11.2 toes (together with restrictions on width and top).
Hara-san’s love for the Right this moment didn’t begin with the automobile you see right here. 5 years earlier, when Hara-san was simply 15 and nonetheless in class, he started racing with one other JW3 chassis.
It might appear to be an obscure selection, however these vehicles are low cost, mild (solely 650kg), and ideal for honing your race craft. In actual fact, they’re even a good selection for time assault racing, as Dino found in 2023.
Having raced for a number of years earlier than incomes his driving license, Hara-san now wanted a every day driver. And certain sufficient, one other JW3 Right this moment – this one – quickly joined his steady.
“I do know these vehicles very properly from racing, so it appeared like an apparent selection as soon as I had my driving license,” he explains. “The issue is there are loads fewer elements than a Civic or Integra, so if you wish to create one thing distinctive, you’re usually required to do it your self.”
What Hara-san found from speaking with different JW3 house owners is that some elements – just like the engine – are shared with the Honda Beat. This information paved the best way for Hara-san so as to add extra performance-orientated elements together with an E07A (MTREC) Beat engine which – though remaining 656cc – has a better rev restrict and extra peak energy than the same variation fitted within the Right this moment.
Engine displacement was elevated by a whisper to 700cc and a JB1 Honda Life 4-speed guide transmission with shorter gear ratios was fitted alongside. Then, Hara-san turned his consideration to the consumption and exhaust.
Three Keihin Flat CR (FCR) carburettors with alloy consumption trumpets are fed by the now-removed passenger headlight, whereas an SS Works exhaust system was one of many few off-the-shelf elements Hara-san may use.
Inside, Hara-san has taken an identical path to his previous race automobile, stripping the inside and constructing a customized roll cage within the rear. He additionally seam-welded the physique for additional power and strengthened the engine mounts.
And who doesn’t love a giant ol’ Stack gauge within the centre of the sprint? Finishing the inside is a Ciena bucket seat with a Sabelt harness belt, a Momo steering wheel, and a full-size spare wheel within the again.
As for wheels, Hara-san runs a number of units, together with 14-inch Mugen MR5s wrapped in Dunlop Direzza semi-slicks.
“For the outside, I had a really particular look I wished to realize,” Hara-san says. “I’ve at all times beloved the Japanese Touring Automobile Championship (JTCC) and from an early age, whereas racing, I at all times wished to make my automobile appear and feel like a racing model. There are loads of Integra and Civics modified in an identical approach already in Japan, so I didn’t wish to simply copy this look and be like others. That’s why I wished to do it on the JW3 Right this moment.”
His favorite JTCC-era automobile, the 1997 Kool Jaccs Honda Accord, can be the inspiration for his Right this moment’s livery. However this isn’t a vinyl wrap – Hara-san painted the inexperienced, gold, and white himself, with a good friend making the stickers to finish the JTCC look in ‘micro’ type.
“What I really like in regards to the JW3 Right this moment is that it is just bought in Japan, so it’s already very distinctive earlier than you begin customising it,” Hara-san explains. “I may have purchased a Civic, acquired many elements off the shelf and constructed the automobile in a short time. However it might not have given me the identical feeling, particularly when seeing related vehicles that not make you are feeling distinctive. All the work on my JW3 Right this moment has been carried out on my own and in my spare time. To drive jogs my memory of racing once I was youthful, and I hope that feeling by no means goes away.”
Mark Riccioni
Instagram: mark_scenemedia
Twitter: markriccioni
mark@speedhunters.com
