Star Struck on 8/6 Day
Things are far from normal at the moment, but that didn’t stop a small group of AE86 enthusiasts from meeting up on the celebrated date of 08/06/2020, aka 8/6 day. Honestly I forgot about the date entirely, as the flow of time is convoluted in 2020, but thanks to the wonders of social media I was made aware of this meet. As to be expected, the turnout was small, but it was a pleasant reprise from the monotony of quarantine. It was a much needed taste of normalcy that was only slightly soured by the constant reminder of reality that was the mask I wrapped around my face. To no surprise to anyone, it only took the mere suggestion of getting to be around one of my favorite cars to draw me from my home and out of my hermit ways. While it was the AE86 that drew me out, what really ensnared me was another classic 80s Toyota that holds an even more special place in my heart.
I came to this event excited to see a handful of AE86s, but what I ended up with the most pictures of was Ron’s Toyota Starlet. I have a special connection with Starlets. Ever since 2013 I’ve been on the hunt for one and in that time I’ve only found two that I’ve wanted to purchase. On both occasions, things unfortunately didn’t line up and it’s another car in a long list of “the one that got away.”
I remember seeing this Starlet on Instagram back when Ron first got it and I was taken back. You never find these things anywhere close to stock, they’re either chopped up drag cars or modified past the point of return in some other way. Yet Ron found one that looks like it stepped out of a time capsule. I’m trying to put to words what this made me feel in the moment, but the biggest takeaway I had was “holy fuck!” The original very 80s vinyl graphics are as close to perfect as they could be and hell it even has louvers! The only modification present is a set of very fitting Takechi Project Racing Hart wheels and as a sucker for four spoke wheels, I wholeheartedly approve. I was content to hear that he intends to keep it as it is.
Of course it was an 86 meet, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Ron’s 86 as well. Sitting in the tidy bay is a 20v 4A-GE with R35 coil on spark ignition that’s powered by a Haltech ECU. The ITB adorned setup pushes out 145whp and matches the rest of the performance oriented aesthetic that permeates throughout the car. Despite the small turnout, every flavor of 86 heart was represented from the more standard 4A-GE to the iconic BEAMS.
Even though it was 86 day, Miles’ TE72 Corolla got to enjoy a bit of the limelight. The patinated exterior wore well and in its core was yet another 20v 4A-GE. In the absence of a fresh coat of paint there were a ton of small details I loved about this. The Marchal headlight covers, the peace hand side mirror, the Mooneyes antenna topper, the connecting rod tow hook, and the very kyusha reminiscent chin spoiler all give the aged chassis even more soul.
My good friend Alan decided to leave his 86 at home and become Kesuike for the evening when he showed up in his beautiful RE-Amemiya kitted RX-7 Type R. Alan is known for his talents in building cars that handle and perform extremely well, but he doesn’t slouch on the aesthetics either. It’s a very simple approach, but the RE-Amemiya bumper, Advan RGIIs and a self-designed BridgeMoto wheel all come together and make one damn good looking, driver focused car that represents exactly what Alan is about.
The sun had almost set and I had my fill of Starlet and AE86 fueled joy. I was about to roll back home for a very late dinner when one more 86 decided to show up and of course I had to stick around to see it. If I recall correctly, the owner said he owned this for nearly a decade. Its older respray holds up pretty well and the 15” SSR mesh wheels fill the wheel wells without straying too far from the more classic appearance. Inside the car the interior panels have been trimmed with a pattern that the owner admitted was something he did as a result of following trends at the time and while it may not have aged the most gracefully, it still manages to look good.
Even in the midst of a year that has turned the world on its head, an aging economy car can get people to come together and engage in Toyota fueled camaraderie. I think everyone is searching for some sort of taste of normalcy to take their mind off the state of the world. I’m just glad I was able to do just that with the company of like minded people as we celebrated one of my favorite cars. Happy belated 8/6 day folks, stay safe and try to keep your spirits up!
