I really like antique promoting. There’s something comforting about how products were marketed in the nice old days, the illustrations, type fonts, and slogans give them a captivating character.
So after I saw this Coca-Cola-themed Nissan Fairlady Z, I needed to contact its owner, Hajime Noto, and schedule a shoot.
That is one among five cars in Hajime-san’s collection, one other being a feature-worthy R32 Skyline GT-R. But this Fairlady appears to be the automobile he’s most happy with.
Hajime-san has been restoring it over the past five years at home. He assembled body parts and panels, built the engine, and added a splash of Coke style for good measure.
The inside is all Hajime-san’s work, too. There’s a screwdriver gear shift and a BMX grip handbrake, and if you happen to look closely, you might spot the ChoroQ BNR32, in the identical silver as Hajime-san’s Skyline. I really like all the opposite little details across the cabin, just like the pineapple door locks and the DIY door handles.
Despite the Coca-Cola theme, it looks as if Dr Pepper can also be acceptable.
The outside has also been personalised and jogs my memory of a Nineteen Fifties American diner or a Coke vending machine from back within the day. After all, it’s red – Crystal Red with extra added metal flake to be precise.
On the rear, Hajime-san built his own ducktail spoiler and retrofitted early model tail lights, but not before converting them to LED. Then there’s the custom carbon fibre garnish – discuss a mash-up of styles and eras.
The wheels? Volk Racing GT-Cs by RAYS, measuring 17×9-inch on the front and 17×10-inch out back. I’ve at all times loved these wheels, but whether or not they work with a classic automobile is a private preference. They actually give the Z a novel look.
The Coke theme continues under the bonnet, with a – yep, you guessed it – hand-painted rocker cover sporting the classic Coca-Cola script.
The unique L28 inline-six has been overhauled and fitted with oversized Kameari high-compression pistons, and breathes easily through three 44mm Solex side-draught carburettors and a custom exhaust.
The factory driveline stays too, but Hajime-san has upgraded it with an OS Giken twin-plate clutch and ultra-lightweight flywheel combo.
That is such a fun project automobile and an exercise in self-expression. Some people knit quirky jumpers, while others, like Hajime-san, construct Coke-themed classic cars. Who desires to see the opposite vehicles in his collection?
Toby Thyer
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tobythyer.co.uk
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
