R/C Models

Radio control is another fun way to enjoy Fd Life. There are many scales to try your luck with and many types. Petrol engine, Electric, 2wd and 4wd versions come in 1/10 scale all the way down to the Miniz for the lounge room and the BitCharG that you can race on your work desktop.

The 1/10 Rc scene is still big in Japan with over 100 entries at a recent "Drift meeting" that even attracted the D1 drivers who have Yokomo as a sponsor. Yokomo offers the best package at the moment with the ability to drift insanely and offers Apexi and Re-Amemiya bodies in the D1 style. There's a movie to watch on this site. http://www.driftpackage.com

1/18 scale has the RS4 which also has veilside and standard Fd polycarbonate bodies for their electric beastie.

The 1/24 scale MiniZ also (Initial D and Mazdaspeed) is now producing a 4wd drift capable machine that you can run in your driveway or garage. The small scale doesn't compromise on performance either. http://ros-speed.com/ has heaps of cool modified versions and videos.

So whatever your Fd looks like, these days there are heaps of options. So put your batteries on charge and get into it.

Russ - 1/12 scale Australian Junior Champion! :)

Diecast Models

Want a solid replica of your car thats more robust than plastic? Then you have some options. Recently JADA have some very affordable,not so scale, Fds that you can butcher and shape to create your own replica. They come with extra wheels and other parts you can use to change them to the way you like. If you like them the way they are that's all well and good, But I tend to modify them further.

Having recently rebuilt a few cars that came with figures in an Initial D form, I continued to create replicas of myself and friends. Fooboy and I have a replica of his black Fd3s seen elsewhere on my blog and I have a white widebody, C-west fronted car that I will repaint when I can find some clours to match my previous Fd.

I have remodified some 1/24 die cast cars from Hotworks but they are a bit fiddly when doing metalwork so the 1/18 base is a good size.

For more scale items, Kyosho make a great replica with working steering and more opening compartments than the real thing and the detail is amazing. If you can't see your car when it's in the garage, then this is the next best thing.

1/18 from http://www.jadatoys.com/
1/24 from http://www.hotworksracing.com/

Russ.

FD Plastic Models

If you cant afford the real thing, then dont worry. One of the options you have is to build the plastic models you remember from being a kid. I was lucky enough as a child to have a father who owned a hobby shop. This allowed me to become familiar with the mighty Japanese brands like Fujimi, Tamiya and Aoshima.

These are the main companies that still produce new Fd kits to this day. Buying one in Australia will cost $70AUD so thats nuts! In Japan 1200yen will get you a kit so I have quite a collection. The latest offering is from Fujimi in the form of the RE-Amemiya AD GT widebodykit version that was seen in Initial D and now also appears as the blue Time Attack car.

Over the last few years many different versions have appeared from all three manufacturers and have included R-Magic, C-West, Border, Amemiya and of course, Mazdaspeed. I have over 30 FD kits and I am still yet to double up... maybe? So for something to waste some time and take you back to childhood. Get a Plastic ( pura model ) kit and test your tiny fingers.

Russ

Daikoku Futo

Daikoku Futo is the Tokyo - Yokhama high speed street racer's pit stop. This rest stop is a crazy place thats ideal for showing off your car and meeting up with friends and drivers of similar machines.

Day or night on the weekends, you can often find a swarm of Fds, GT-Rs or NS-Xs lying around the car park, in amongst the VIP lexus LS400s, Vans full of stereo gear and the odd tuned Pajero. The odd fibreglass replicas are also here from the 70's with their tailpipes 3 meters in the air and 14"x14" inch rims covered by original 1970s slicks. It is quite a sight. Especially on 7's day.

Weekdays are reserved for the more serious runners with less cars out and about, you dont get bothered by any "Bosozoku" or other cruising cars.

It allows a start point for the Aqua Line or the Southern Route of the Wangan. Sections Koseki-san knows well.

As you wind up out of the carpark you head towards the Yokohama bridges and start grabbing more gears.
Some of the activities that happen here are quite strange. The art of "engine dancing" is one that must be seen to be believed. Select neutral, then rev your car and make it like a beat near the rev limiter, while guys dance around your car like a rave party with glowing battons to direct you. NUTS! You can also climb up on the viewing platform and watch the Street drifting that takes place out-side in the wee hours of the mornings.

This is also an engineering masterpiece. There is a skywalk that follows the coil style route down from the wangan about 150 meters above this place. You are litterally between two bridges in the middle of nowhere. A great place for any lover of cars. Yahoo Map

Day or night. There is always something here.

Russ.

Hakone Skyline

The mountains are FD territory. Winding fun that you can hang the rear out or drive hard. but make sure you stop and go for short walks.

The views are amazing.

The Hakone Skyline road actually starts a fairway up the mountains and is known as the Ashinoko Skyline and looks over Hakone and the lake Ashi, which is basically the foothills of Fuji.

This volcanic area is famous for hot springs, hot exhaust and hot brake pads.

The Skyline is a toll road and therefore you have to pay your entry fee and drive at about 50kph in the middle of the day as the "hobby drivers" take their family vans touring around. At late afternoon and night and early morning is when you have open slather use of the place and free access.

 as you approch the open hillside the road opens up and the speed increases, with longer straights in between you find yourself giving the gearbox and the brakes a complete hammering.

Amazing views on the western side towards mount Fuji.

Down the mountain (hakone touge) its really tight and twisty with some very tight hairpins.

But its fun. Up and Down, Turn Around, go again or continue to the Hakone Turnpike another fun run.

Yahoo Map

Russ.

C1 - Shutoko

The mighty C1 expressway through the city of Tokyo! Its amazing. This is street racing at its finest. I can only imagine the full out attacks that must have occurred in the 80's and 90's when the road was new and the cars were fewer in number. As Tokyo has become congested and regulation has increased a lot. The C1 route from Odaiba over the rainbow bridge is truely awesome. The speeds reached on the roads are unbelievable.

These days action is limited to parts of the C1 and the "workmen" close down 1 lane sometimes to prevent outright attack. but there are still opportunities to test your vehicle against many an opponent. You will no doubt find someone of your car type and your driving talent, but this is where the variety brings interest. Race a bike, a tuned Civic, a 600hp GTR and see how you go. There are fast sections and tight sections. High rise and fall, tunnels, bridges and all this 50meters in the air. There is little ego involved and the racing is usually finished in a few corners, unless you find someone of the same level that want to play.

I have seen a five car Fd battle and many others that just come by chance. If you are looking for a challenge, just hang out at one of the two rest stops and look for someone serious. I remember one time I saw an older man in a fully stripped out "street" Supra, with a single seat and full roll cage. S-tyres show the intent and monsterous flames show the tune. These guys will wait quietly for the "right" opponent.

Beware. Yahoo Map

The old days! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjZVaOPWKqY

Clockwise. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmBb29FJQ8M

Rx7 Flyby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S-oKoQsVF0

Russ.

C1 Parking - Tatsumi 1st

Tatsumi 1st is the C1 highway rest stop in the anti-clockwise direction. One of only a few places where you can take a break from racing without having to pay a 800yen toll to rejoin the action. Toilets and vending machines. This is where you can get steaming hot coffee to warm your body on a winters night. Then releive yourself after your next lap of the C1.

Even if you are driving a Pajero, tut-tut, this is still a place to stop and oggle the awesome parade of cars that cruise around the C1. On a Sunday night at 3am this place is teaming with performance cars. Not many spaces and they are always 2 deep waiting for the right competition to roll by.

It's a popular place for a few other reasons. The first is that it's a place to chat about tuning and it is also a place to witness the speed of the C1. Recently a large wall has been installed to stop people "viewing the racing" But you can still climb up top in places and see over it. There is a long straight following a 4th gear corner that allows a downhill run to 300kph heading towards Odaiba. Seeing a GTR in full flight here is an awesome experience.

Its also a place to marvel at the engineering of the expressway. At this particular point there are three levels of roads criss-crossing each other. About 8 lanes wide underneath and you're about 100meters in the air. Look over the edge and you realize why the road "wobbles" a bit when trucks cruise by.

As the first stop off the Wangan its also a popular stop for "cooling off" after a prolonged high speed adventure. Lots of idling down here. If your familiar with Tokyo, you're not far from the rainbow bridge and you have a good view of the metropolis. I only wish I could get an appartment within view of here or the rainbow bridge.

I think you can all get an idea where my Facer 9 fettish came from. Pure JDM street Racing.

Yahoo Map

Russ

Tsukuba Skyline

Tsukuba Skyline is rarity in Japan. A non-toll road.

Daytime, tsukuba is a great place for some test and tune.

From the top of the mountain along the ridgeline, there is a nice winding road.

Jump in your car and drive, up and back all day long.

Some interesting views and 360 degree turns.

Snake along the road.

Leaves a smile on your face.

there is one car park that fills up regularly with all kinds of machinery.

But midnight is when it comes alive.

Thanks to Blue Blood for the rides!

Russ.

Hakone Turnpike

You've probably seen this location in countless Japanese magazines over the years. It is a rest stop on the turn pike road.

The Hakone Tunpike's  Odawara entry point leads you in an up hill direction. It's a good start to a days exciting driving. Once you enter the turnpike it is pretty steep, but turbo cars have no issue. The downhill return journey is exhilarating.

This road gets such a workout that it is actually recently sponsored by TOYO tyre company and known as the Toyo Tyres Turnpike. Its a favourite for journalists and photographers as some of the shots from here are truely breathtaking. You will often pass someone reviewing the latest ferrari or audi.

Maybe you'll see someone setting up their touge car or meet an old guy just scoping out the competition. The road has a view of the coast and fuji on a clear day with a view of lake ashi at the top parking area. There are lots of places to turn around, chat with friends or let your brake pads cool.

Perfect spots for a photo opportunity.

 or enjoy the views if you need a break.

The view from the top is over the Ashinoko(lake Ashi) and along the left side in this view is the Ashinoko skyline, yet another awesome road.

A must try on your Japan road journey.

Yahoo Map


Russ.