Scattered throughout Japan is a legendary chain of shops that convey marvel and pleasure to all who go to.
‘Up Garage’ reads boldly in blue and purple over yellow, a reputation well-known to JDM fans. However for many who suppose manga is a few new American political time period, a go to to Up Storage seems like visiting eBay Motors in the actual world.
Consider it as eBay circa 2008, again when real bargains might nonetheless be discovered. That’s as a result of Up Storage isn’t your common components store. Every little thing right here is used – wheels, bumpers, headlights, exhausts, and extra. Better of all, no two Up Garages are the identical. So, should you’re prepared to spend the day hopping from department to department, you’re sure to search out many fascinating components at a fraction of their authentic value.
Purchasing at Up Storage is a simple solution to modify your Japanese automotive on a price range, particularly should you drive one thing well-liked like a Toyota 86 or Honda Civic. However not everybody desires that simple possibility regardless of how tempting it’s. Take Kazuma Hara, for instance. Whereas visiting his native Up Storage might make his life a lot less complicated, Hara-san prefers a problem.
“When you get your first car, all you want to do is drive to a garage and start buying tuning parts,” Hara-san says. “But if you want to stand out, you can’t use the same car or the same parts as everyone else. Sometimes it’s better to take a more difficult route.”
And so, he selected one thing removed from the mainstream – a JW3 Honda At present.
When you’ve by no means seen one earlier than, the At present appears to be like a bit like a shrunken EG Civic. That’s no accident; the mannequin was certainly one of Honda’s kei automotive choices by way of the Eighties and ’90s, adhering to Japan’s strict mini-car rules: a 660cc engine and a size below 11.2 ft (together with restrictions on width and peak).
Hara-san’s love for the At present didn’t begin with the automotive you see right here. 5 years earlier, when Hara-san was simply 15 and nonetheless at school, he started racing with one other JW3 chassis.
It could seem to be an obscure selection, however these automobiles are low-cost, gentle (solely 650kg), and excellent for honing your race craft. In reality, 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 positive sufficient, one other JW3 At present – this one – quickly joined his steady.
“I know these cars very well from racing, so it seemed like an obvious choice once I had my driving license,” he explains. “The problem is there are a lot fewer parts than a Civic or Integra, so if you want to create something unique, you’re often required to do it yourself.”
What Hara-san found from speaking with different JW3 house owners is that some components – 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 components 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 At present.
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 components Hara-san might use.
Inside, Hara-san has taken an analogous path to his outdated race automotive, stripping the inside and constructing a customized roll cage within the rear. He additionally seam-welded the physique for further energy and bolstered 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 exterior, I had a very specific look I wanted to achieve,” Hara-san says. “I’ve always loved the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) and from an early age, while racing, I always wanted to make my car look and feel like a racing version. There are a lot of Integra and Civics modified in a similar way already in Japan, so I did not want to just copy this look and be like others. That’s why I wanted to do it on the JW3 Today.”
His favorite JTCC-era automotive, the 1997 Kool Jaccs Honda Accord, can be the inspiration for his At present’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 love about the JW3 Today is that it is only sold in Japan, so it is already very unique before you start customising it,” Hara-san explains. “I could have bought a Civic, got many parts off the shelf and built the car very quickly. But it would not have given me the same feeling, especially when seeing similar cars that no longer make you feel unique. All of the work on my JW3 Today has been done by myself and in my spare time. To drive reminds me of racing when I was younger, and I hope that feeling never goes away.”
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