JB's daily - 'KEI 796' The Tokyo Tribute

[JB]

Like a lot of MB owners, I have a second 'parts car', in my case, a yellow example with a stuffed F8B, bought unregistered and sitting idle for quite some time. As my other car, MB993 is taking some time to complete, I thought I would 'just get the yellow MB going', make it my daily driver, and start joining in on some cruise days. As it turns out, it take's a lot of work to get an unregistered, non-running car back to life! I probably could have finished MB993 in the time it has taken to get 'KEI796' going.

Admittedly, I couldn't help myself, and the build is not just a throw it back together job. I've decided to give the car a bit of a theme, and as the title suggests, it's a tribute to the kei cars I saw around Japan, and a nod to some of the Japanese car culture in general.

So first off, the engine. I had it rebuilt by Mick at Suziworld, who, like a few guys who have dealt with him here, I highly recommend. He understands us enthusiasts, and is very willing to help. But I wanted to do something different, so as you will see in the pic, it's running a 40 DCOE Weber on a sweet little manifold sourced from Japan. (Thanks to Ben, and his keen eye, for spotting a very small add for the manifold in G-Works magazine, and sharing it with me). I was able to get a low profile ram tube set locally, and it all fits in beautifully.

I'm running the usual ebay special Mini radiator, and a low profile fan.

Thanks to Han's at HPC for my sweet little extractor set.

In this shot you can see that I ditched the mechanical fuel pump.

I've plumbed in an electric pump and a filter just above the fuel tank.

I fabricated an 1 3/4" exhaust system myself, with a hot dog and muffler. Not a great shot, but you get the idea.

[JB]

With a few upgrade made on MB993 even though it's not done, this car was the beneficiary of a few parts. Most significantly, the front suspension. I put new bearings in the uprights, but put on the 'old' Koni dampers, slotted rotors, rebuilt calipers and Green stuff pads.

The Pulsar ET mags, now with Japanese car club 'Idlers' stensil on the tyres.

The old fibreglass bonnet. Although I've modified the scoop, and repainted it.
It's just resting on the car, hence the bad fitment.

And my favourite donor part, the original fibreglass tray cover (before I made the carbon part). Painted as a rising sun tribute (not technically correct mind you), and covered with stickers I collected from Japan whilst on my honeymoon their earlier this year.
As a nod to the Itasha cars of Japan, Hatsune Miku features on the rear window.

Oh, and like all Kei cars in Japan, the car runs Yellow license plates, the 796 the size in cc of the F8B.

More to come very soon, with a focus on the interior.

[Brayden]

You know I've said quite honestly to many people that MB993 is an absolutely outstanding example of how to build a MightyBoy. This ute is also very, very impressive. Keep up the excellent work.

[JB]

Thanks Brayden, I don't expect this MB will be to everybodies taste, but it will have a few cool bits and pieces to raise a few eyebrows, not all is revealed just yet...

[Brayden]

Irrespective of taste, I appreciate your considered approach to modifications. Everything looks like it is done with some thought, not just slapped together quickly.

That being said I really like the treatment of the rear cover - not just because it mirrors the TMB shirt design I made.

[JB]

I had a goal in mind for KEI 796, and that was to get it all together, running, roadworthy and registered in time for this years Classic Japan car show. Sadly, I didn't quite get there. But better late than never right? So once it was registered, I took all the stuff off that made it legal, factory seats, steering wheel etc, and put on better stuff, to be revealed now...

[JB]

Not exactly not road legal, but certainly tacky in all the right ways is this drinks/smokes holder picked up from Super Autobacs during my honeymoon in Japan, with authentic Japanese snack containers. Sorry about the flare on the packaging.

[JB]

Given that the car has a rebuilt F8B, I thought I would start over with the odo, and I managed to fit this AutoMeter gauge right where the factory speedo used to be, I even got the plexiglass front back over. It's electric, so I had a tone wheel laser cut that fits to one of the axles, for the speed sensor to read.

[JB]

Next was this wide view, Evangelion rear view mirror, another Autobacs find. Also notice the gatchapon egg keyring dangling in the breeze.

[JB]

Pull back to reveal some more crap. From left to right; Blitz keyring from Tokyo Auto Salon, Blitz gadget holder holding the remote for the under-seat mounted radio, oil pressure gauge, another gatchapon thing, Gundam iPhone charger, extra cigarette lighter, and at the bottom, Hello Kitty iPhone holder, all mounted on a custom aluminium panel I folded up. At the far left is a MoTeC lambda meter I am borrowing to see what the Weber is doing, and how I might need to set jets/chokes. In the middle is the classic dildo shift knob.

[JB]

A great shot of the gear knob! Sparco wheel to replace the skinny factory item, with little tacho peaking over the top. You can also see that the lower dash panel joins up to a central panel, also fabricated from aluminium, featuring Japanese air freshener 'Blang' in chrome with fake diamonds. Also had some new footwell carpets made up in a delightfully contrasting deep red/maroony type of colour.

[JB]

But my favorite interior change is the seats; R32 GTR. And no, they didn't just bolt in, not by a long shot. I had to cut off all the original mounts, back to just the rails, and start over. A lot of work, but damn, they are a great place to park one's arse.

[JB]

Continuing the Japanese theme, I made up an aluminium catch can that I mounted inside of 2 vending machine tea cans. I'm quite proud of this one!

[JB]

Back on the outside, I had some stencils made up, and painted the side mirrors with the manga pig logo as run by the Japanese WRC driver Toshihiro Arai, also replaced on of my Idlers tyre stencils with a Speedhunters version.

[JB]

At the back end, the hardcover as seen in a previous post, now with a couple more stickers, and a rockin' Hatsuni Miku on the rear window.