Chasing AE86s On The Gunsai Touge

We’re backmost astatine Gunsai Touge for different twelvemonth of axenic AE86 bliss.

This time, Garage Infinity expanded their scope to see each 4A-GE-powered cars successful their yearly matsuri, though nan turnout remained overwhelmingly Hachiroku-centric.

My time began astatine nan Gunsai’s closest convenience store, wherever there’s ever a revolving doorway of cool cars en way to nan celebrated driving spot.

For those who are tapped into my AE86 adventures successful Japan, you’ll cognize I sewage my car from Garage Infinity. So it was only correct to be their yearly arena and soak successful nan atmosphere.

As immoderate of you know, I’ve besides delved into drifting pinch my AE86 – enactment tuned for a communicative connected that – and nan enticement to acquisition nan Gunsai Touge from nan driver’s spot was strong. However, aft respective visits, I knew amended than to consequence a tow motortruck thrust home.

As ever, nan arena attracted a divers scope of Hachirokus. I’ve ever preached that AE86s are 1 of a fewer chassis that alteration truthful overmuch from build to build, and this arena was a testament to that.

One standout for maine was this cream-over-silver Trueno hatchback.

Once again, nan Team Mouse cars came up from Kansai. These are ever my ‘how to notchback’ examples, whenever I request inspiration. In my mind, location are 2 main styles for an AE86: 15-inch wheels pinch a assemblage kit, aliases 13/14-inch wheels pinch banal Toyota aero. Team Mouse cars nail nan erstwhile perfectly.

One of nan champion parts of shooting astatine Gunsai is really adjacent you tin get to nan action. As terrifying and vulnerable arsenic it mightiness be, thing thumps opinionated down anemic defender rails extracurricular of a accelerated corner, closing your eyes to debar being deed by rocks, and holding nan shutter connected continuous occurrence hoping for that cleanable shot.

I besides caught up pinch Naoki-san and grabbed immoderate shots of his stunning 4A-GE 20V ‘Blacktop’-swapped Levin. After years of dialling, there’s almost thing near for him to modify, set aliases improve.

I moreover mounted my GoPro successful Naoki-san’s 86 for immoderate in-car footage. Check it retired above!

Hiroshi ‘Kaicho’ Takahashi was besides location pinch his iconic reddish Running Free Trueno. This car is ever evolving, and this time, Kaicho came retired to play pinch a afloat c tile swap, which was beautiful impressive.

Towards nan extremity of nan day, I hopped into nan rider spot of a car to spot if I could seizure immoderate Hail Mary action shots retired nan window. As seen successful nan video, Gunsai is fast. Sitting successful a banal unbolstered seat, dangling my camera retired of nan window, I was rather fortunate to drawback nan shots I did, and nan consequence was good worthy it.

The Gunsai Touge will everlastingly clasp a spot successful my bosom arsenic nan existent mecca of drifting successful Japan, and events for illustration Garage Infinity’s 4A-GE-only matsuri conscionable make it each nan much special.

Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco