Spread over Japan is a mythical chain of stores that bring miracle and excitement to everyone who visits.
‘Up garage’ reads courageously in blue and red over yellow, a name known to JDM enthusiasts. But for those who think manga is a new American political term, a visit to the garage feels like a visit eBay Motors In the real world.
See it as ebay Circa 2008, when real bargains could still be found. That’s because garage is not your average parts store. Everything here is used – wheels, bumpers, headlights, exhausts and more. The best of everything, no two -up garages are the same. So if you are willing to spend the day from branch to branch, you are sure to find many interesting parts against a fraction of their original costs.
Shopping at Up Garage is an easy way to change your Japanese car with a budget, especially if you make something popular such as a Toyota 86 or Honda Civic. But not everyone wants that easy option, no matter how tempting it is. Take Kazuma Hara for example. While a visit to his local garage can make his life much easier, Hara-San prefers a challenge.
“If you get your first car, you just want to drive to a garage and buy coordination parts,” Says Hara-San. “But if you want to stand out, you cannot use the same car or the same parts as everyone else. Sometimes it is better to take a more difficult route. “
And so he chose a little far from the mainstream – a JW3 Honda today.
If you’ve never seen one, it looks a bit like a shrunken civic today. That is no coincidence; The model was one of Honda Boulder Auto offer up to the 1980s and 90s, taken on the strict mini-auto regulations of Japan: a 660cc engine and a length under 11.2 feet (together with limitations at width and height).
Hara-San’s love for today did not start with the car you see here. Five years earlier, when Hara-San was only 15 and was still at school, he started racing with another JW3 chassis.
It may seem like an obscure choice, but these cars are cheap, light (only 650 kg) and perfect for purchasing your racing fund work. In fact, they are even a good choice for Time -Ecovers races, as Dino discovered in 2023.
Hara-San had raced for a number of years before earning his driver’s license, now needed a daily driver. And yes, another JW3 today – this one – soon joined his stable.
“I know these cars very well, so it seemed like an obvious choice once I had my driver’s license,” He explains. “The problem is that there are far fewer parts than a Civic or Integra, so if you want to make something unique, you often have to do it yourself.”
What Hara-San discovered by talking to other JW3 owners is that some parts-such as the motorcycle, shared with the Honda Beat. This knowledge cleared the way for Hara-San to add more performance-oriented parts, including an E07A (MTREC) Beat-Engine that, although remaining 656cc-one has a higher rev-limit and more peak power than the comparable variation in today is mounted.
The relocation of the engine was raised by a whisper to 700cc and a JB1 Honda Life 4-speed gearbox Manual transmission with shorter transmission ratios was next. Then Hara-San focused his attention on the inlet and exhaust.
Three Keihin Flat CR (FCR) carburetors with alloy inlet trumpets are fed by the now removed passenger’s chat, while an SS Works-walking system was one of the few ready-made parts that Hara-San could use.
Inside, Hara-San has taken a similar route like its old racing car, stripping the interior and building an adapted roll cage in the back. He also followed the body for extra strength and strengthened the engine confirmations.
And who doesn’t like a large old stacking meter in the middle of the dashboard? Completing the interior is a Ciena-Bucket chair with a Sabelt Harness belt, a Momo steering wheel and a full-size spare wheel on the back.
As far as wheels are concerned, Hara-San runs various sets, including 14-inch Mugen MR5s wrapped in Dunlop Direzza Semi-Slicks.
“For the outside I had a very specific look that I wanted to reach,” Says Hara-San. “I have always loved the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) and from a young age, while racing, I always wanted to make my car look and feel like a racing version. There are many Integra and Civics changed in Japan in a similar way, so I didn’t just want to copy this look and are like others. That’s why I wanted to do it on the JW3 today. ‘
His favorite car from JTCC era, the Kool Jaccs Honda Accord from 1997, would be the inspiration for his Livrei today. But this is not a vinyl foil-hara-san painted the green, gold and white itself, with a friend who made the stickers to complete the JTCC look in ‘Micro’ shape.
“What I like today about the JW3 is that it is only sold in Japan, so it is very unique before you start adjusting it,” Hara-San explains. “I could have buy a civic, got many parts of the shelf and built the car very quickly. But it would not have given me the same feeling, especially when seeing similar cars that makes you no longer feel unique. All the work on my JW3 was done today only by myself and in my spare time. To drive, I remind me of racing when I was younger, and I hope that feeling will never go away. “
Mark Riccioni
Instagram: Mark_Scenemedia
Twitter: Marriccioni
mark@speedhunters.com
