In this detail based post, we look at some of the finer points that can be seen on these much loved machines. But as a special treat the second half of the post contains medium format black and white shots from a good friend of Auto Fiend who likes to mix it up and experiment. The images are square due to the nature of the old Hasselblad camera, but the detail and quality of the prints is incredible.

The VIP guys really go hard on the details, with the dash mounted trays and boss accessories seen here.

Sometimes the additions aren’t complex, but as simple as a towel across a back seat.

The interior of a car is somewhere you can go as crazy or personal as you want, as when your driving you can’t see the outside, why not spend some time and effort on the area you actually inhabit. This AW11 MR2 has the vibrant tartan on point as well as being extremely clean and tidy inside.

Trinkets from the mother land are always cool, the more quirky the better.

I personally love and collect many stickers, so it is a pleasure to see our own in the presence of such esteemed brands.

Sometimes the details are all original. like the refurbished or remade VIN plate and plated hardware on this Prince.

The brass and copper accessories on the straight 6 are bang on. A feature making its way to the bike scene in recent years. Also who doesn’t love open trumpets on side draught carbs.

Very clean and smooth engine bays with refreshed engines are a visual delight for onlookers.

The raw metals of this TOM’S supercharger had so much character.

A long standing tradition within automotive modifying culture has been to find the smallest car possible and throw the biggest engine you can fit in there as seen in this mazda ute now running a worked Nissan FJ20-DET.

Some details are wholly based around their rarity, such as the Nismo Omori factory hand built R1 specification RB26-DETT found between the towers of this millenium jade R34 GTR.

The cast branding of an aftermarket piece can be so rough and cool.

Then you have the more extreme side of things, like the homemade boso pipes fitted to our mate Mitch’s Hilux. A bit more extreme than when we first saw his ute at last years Classic Jap event.

Retro decals on performance machines from the 80’s are just so cool, whats under the bonnet, well lets check out the door, also phat dish on the SSR Meshies.

Mitch’s ute back at it again with the details. This time the tyre stencils applied to stretched tyres on hand polished SSR mk1’s front and back, tucked into the front guards…

And hanging out suitably at the rear with a fair bit more stretch.

Then we head over to a more practical fitment from another good friend of the page with Paul’s TE71 with its 14 x 7 Work Equips wrapped in very grippy and meaty Dunlop Direzzas.

Also this set of SSR Super Star’s was a bit of a rarity mounted on an SA series RX7.

This set of Enkei Cross fever are not common, and were recently repaired by a friend to be used on a track spec TA22 Celica.

Lets talk RARE for a second. The man who owns these wheels and this car knows about rare. His car is rare, a Mazda/Autozam AZ-1. His wheels are rare, Sanko Metal Galbola. Ever heard of them? Me neither. But they are damn cool and the owner only knew of one set in Japan, and they are now his. He also knows a little something about rare parts, because it is what he does for a business. Looking for rare parts, then hit him up at Jdmparts.rupewrecht.com.

Now I leave you with some lovely medium format photos of the events attendees and attendants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fantastic event and one I intend on returning to indefinitely, Sakura Picnic is so much more than just the vehicles. It is a chance for everyone to come together and celebrate, being involved in this game and the friends that can come with it. Or better yet take the family along, everyone can only benefit from such an experience.

 

Photos: Laurent Budihardjo + Nick Drew

Words: Nick Drew