It’s a cliche to say it but that’s because it is extremely true: you can always find something weird, wonderful and automotive-based in Japan if you walk or drive far enough. I spotted this particular JZX100 in the staff parking area of a 7-11 while I was waiting for the boss of Honda-specialist Aslan to park up and join myself and my friend Eiichi (himself a Tinker drift team OG) for lunch. I’d have loved to have been able to play it cool and shrug off this Toyota as just another sight that you become accustomed to in Japan but, alas, my inner-Westerner overpowered me and I sprinted back to Eiichi’s Toyota Estima minivan to grab my camera.
When you think of a JZX100 street car, the image of a big Toyota hurtling through Yokohama bay will probably come to mind, sitting low with a BN-Sports (or similar) aero kit, along with aggressive but functional wheel fitment and a subtle paint job (similar to this example). On the contrary, this Chaser was quite the opposite, which is what immediately pricked my attention.
First off, there’s that front bumper. I haven’t got a clue what brand it belongs to or if it’s the result of two different bumpers having been merged together (which isn’t an uncommon trick). What I do know is that it reminded me of a mix between a Supermade Instant Gentlemen kit and a 326POWER D-LUX item.
The front fenders had also been widened extensively – check out the detail in the vents and note how the arch curvature has been extended downwards to the side skirt.
The rear fenders have also seen a lot of attention, with the widening beginning from the furthermost point of the rear doors. Check out the photo below to see how the door handles have also been incorporated within this widening effort!
Whoever has crafted the bodywork on this JZX has clearly had a keen eye for detail, along with an awful lot of patience. I love how the fender line begins at the door and continues all the way up to the incorporated boot spoiler. Also, be sure to note the side exit exhausts poking out from the rear bumper.
Of course, I couldn’t post a feature on this car and not mention the wheels! I honestly haven’t got a clue what they are either, so hopefully someone can give me an answer in the comments section. All I do know is that they were very aggressive fitting, highly polished and looked fantastic.
I always love how keen the Japanese are to sticker their cars with website URLs, either those of sponsors, friends’ garages or their personal blogs. More often than not, you’ll see an extremely long URL such as the one below; I can’t imagine jotting that down in a hurry! It’s certainly a lot harder to remember than an Instagram username.
One thing that I did forget to touch upon was the engine setup. Seeing as I didn’t get to speak to the owner, it would be fairly impossible to provide any comprehensive detail but, after pressing my head up against one of the windows, I can confirm that this example was in fact an automatic. The interior trim also looked to be several specs below that of the famed Tourer V models, so it’s quite fair to assume that this is a non-turbo model too.
Not that that bothers me though. It’s highly unlikely that this JZX100 is used for any drifting or motorsport activities, so why put yourself through the headaches that heavy paddle clutches and turbos bring if neither are necessary. And of course, I’m sure the owner would rather drive slow enough for passers by to catch a glimpse of the incredible custom bodywork that adorns his Toyota.