The Week I Drove A Honda S800M Thru Japan

David Beckam
Advent

Why can’t plans pass our manner?

I’m severe. This from any individual who does much less exact making plans and extra basic course pointing, however nonetheless! We as car fanatics have a plan of journey throughout a street shuttle; a imaginative and prescient if you’ll of ways we see an epic adventure unfolding. We steadily wait months, once in a while setting up lengthy hours of wrench time and spending extra money than deliberate, however isn’t all of it justified after all?

I’m a US army member who has lived in Okinawa, Japan since early 2020. Over a yr in the past, I bought a 1969 Honda S800M that used to be as soon as owned by means of long-time Eastern Nostalgic Automotive contributor Skorj. This used to be after a two years of virtual correspondence between myself, Skorj, an S Automotive Honda Membership mechanic, and the automotive’s then proprietor/collector. You’ll learn extra about all that during The Day I Purchased A S800M.

Now, again to my newest bankruptcy on this tale…

17

Let me paint the image: I deliberate an epic 10-day street shuttle with my brother who used to be going to fly in to Japan from the USA to sign up for me. We’re speaking a generational pilgrimage-type street shuttle right here; stops at all of the meccas of Eastern car heritage places and bucket checklist websites. Honda’s god-status tuners Spoon/Kind One and Mugen? Sure please! Nismo and RWB? In fact! Daikoku Parking Space for iconic automotive meets? You betcha!

Then, for our adventure south, we deliberate in a single day remains in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Kumamoto. We might steer clear of expressways the place imaginable and search out conventional touge routes throughout the mountains for the whole JDM fanboy enjoy.

This is able to all be completed within the vintage Honda icon I had simply bought. True formative years dream come true stuff. However alas, it used to be now not supposed to be.

It will had been a bit of too formidable in point of fact, particularly throughout an period of ongoing pandemic go back and forth restrictions. On the time, I figured Japan would quickly open again as much as tourism and the whole lot can be again to customary, properly sooner than our decided on get started date, which after all got here and went. Existence has a humorous humorousness and historical past is 20/20 as a result of I used to be manner off.

The time ultimately got here after I may just not hang off at the shuttle hoping for ideally suited stipulations. The automobile needed to transfer sooner than April after spending longer than deliberate within the care of a beneficiant pal with an additional automobile parking space. Those had been the playing cards I used to be dealt, so I needed to make the most efficient of it.

As a substitute of a shared Eastern street shuttle between two American brothers residing their very best lives, I give you a comfort prize of a four-day dash from Tokyo to Okinawa. One filled with lengthy hours at the freeway, common stops to native comfort retail outlets for speedy meals, turning into a primary time open ocean car ferry passenger, and hoping my 50-plus-year-old Honda didn’t go away me stranded in a rustic that I don’t discuss the local language.

Day 1

I arrived in Yokohama by way of plane and teach on an early March morning. My circle of relatives and I had spent Christmas in Tokyo only a few months prior, so I used to be feeling assured in my massive city public transportation navigation talents. I simplest were given misplaced as soon as…

6

Like a person on a challenge, I walked as much as a well-recognized workshop and pleasant grasp mechanic that have been taking good care of my little Honda whilst I lived greater than 1,000 miles away. We exchanged greetings and I thanked him for the kindness he had proven me. His brother, who additionally dabbles in vintage Shōwa-era vehicles, used to be on the town and in combination the pair did a last mechanical test of the Honda sooner than serving to me pack it with all of the spare portions I had received throughout the previous yr and a part.

7

In standard Eastern politeness, they escorted me to the closest kōsoku-dōro (freeway) front to peer me off at the get started of my solo street shuttle.

I had a large number of miles to hide till my first in a single day prevent and simplest part an afternoon to do it. With a room booked in Kyoto for the evening, it will be every other seven hours sooner than I may just leisure up. Like the general public, I like to make lengthy drives in sunlight if I’m unfamiliar with the course. It used to be one much less factor to fret about amongst different variables that might make this complete shuttle pass south. I made up our minds to push the little Honda to get forward of the clock, and it didn’t disappoint.

At the start constructed as a high-revving sports activities automotive with Eu inspiration, the early Honda S-cars don’t seem to be in point of fact designed for sustained fashionable freeway speeds. Thankfully my automotive is a later S800 Coupe type that traded 1,000rpm from the rev restrict (now simplest 9,000rpm as an alternative of 10,000rpm, the horror!) for extra usable torque, a couple of creature comforts like an effective heating gadget and extra reliability. In fact, my automotive had additionally simply won a mechanical refresh of all the engine and drivetrain with a couple of bits thrown in to bump up the unique energy output quantity and building up reliability around the board.

To my reduction, cruising at 70mph (112km/h) proved no hassle in any respect, if now not a bit of buzzy with the 4-speed transmission. There used to be abundant energy to encourage self belief and the coupe design makes the cabin really feel extra like the interior of a miniature Jaguar E-Kind when it comes to perceived area. I felt like I used to be a street rally driving force of the previous as I soaked up the miles to Kyoto.

Day 2

11
13

Kyoto for a foreigner is more or less a ‘pinch me’ second, and I awoke early to take a look at and do a little sightseeing sooner than I hit the street. Although the unique shuttle plan used to be a bust, I didn’t wish to leave out a chance that may now not provide itself once more.

Strolling the streets you’ve simplest noticed on Instagram is a bit of surreal. Colourful temples on the finish of winding alleyways, cherry blossoms lining streets and framing wood development – Kyoto in point of fact made me really feel fortunate to be residing in Japan. Because of the early time there used to be now not a lot foot site visitors, so it used to be ideally suited for taking photos. Alternatively, the malls had but to open so I may just now not clutch any souvenirs to take house with me. It’s a just right explanation why to return again needless to say.

18

Riding from Kyoto to Fukuoka took essentially the most time at the back of the wheel. It used to be right here, as I moved clear of the town to the nation-state, that I got here to in point of fact respect the Eastern roading gadget. Sure, the tolls had been dear, however I may just see precisely the place the cash is going.

16

The pavement used to be superb and I drove over masses of bridges and thru dozens of mountain tunnel passes that should break the bank to deal with. The roads had been all as clean as glass, freed from trash and particles, well-lit, and massive leisure spaces had been common. In the USA, you level your giant SUV in a course, set the cruise regulate and check out now not to go to sleep. This power used to be other in each manner. Consistent sweeping turns and hills to play with and the most efficient roadside handy stops on the earth.

As soon as once more, I couldn’t imagine {that a} child from Maryland whose first automotive used to be a 1991 CR-X that were given totaled (now not my fault, I promise) used to be using Honda’s first sports activities automotive throughout the Eastern motherland.

19

Having arrived in Fukuoka sooner than the solar set this time, I did what any Speedhunter would do – discover the streets on foot from my lodge with a digicam in tow. Regardless of the wet climate, I discovered some fascinating websites, together with a boutique racing store that had a Nissan Fairlady Z and a number of other really nice Eu sports activities vehicles within.

What do you suppose is beneath that purple automotive quilt? Most certainly a Ferrari, and most likely carrying a Liberty Stroll package? That’s simply my wager…

Fukuoka itself has a particular Eastern town feeling that separates it from the extra well-known towns within the north. It isn’t the glittery world vacation spot hotspot of Tokyo, the hipster coastal town of Osaka, or a world-class historical tradition and tourism hub like Kyoto. It doesn’t faux to be any of the ones factor both, and I will appreciate that. It’s like a small difficult child that needed to develop up with larger people at the playground and become a bit of of a rascal with a chip on its shoulder. It jogged my memory of my little outlaw S800M, preserving its personal amongst different JDM legends.

24

Day 3

The trend of early morning emerging persevered on day 3 and it used to be nonetheless raining. Nowadays used to be going to be the remaining power thru mainland Japan, my vacation spot being the south port town of Kagoshima to catch a ferry again house. The send used to be scheduled to leave early afternoon with a 25-hour sea adventure time to Okinawa, preventing at more than one ports alongside the best way.

26

As standard, I left with simply sufficient time to make it to the dock. My success used to be nonetheless preserving out, as a result of simply unintentionally I checked my GPS at a prevent 10 miles from the town and noticed that I used to be headed to the fallacious location. The car gods should had been nonetheless smiling down on me…

Let me cross on some recommendation if you happen to ever come to Japan: Don’t be too proud to make use of Google Translate and just about beg the locals to take pity on you if you happen to’re a deficient ignorant American. After I arrived on the ferry ticketing place of business, I used to be informed I may just simplest reserve automotive slots on-line the day prior to departure. I had in truth attempted to do that a couple of occasions, however Eastern monetary institutes and companies don’t all the time paintings properly with US banks so the acquisition by no means used to be in a position to move thru. In standard cowboy style, I figured I’d display up and care for it after I arrived.

That’s proper, I flew around the nation, drove a vintage automotive 900+ miles in a land that I don’t discuss the local language in any respect, praying I didn’t ruin down someplace with out a actual approach to simply get the automobile repaired, on a trust that the ferry corporate would promote me a price tag at the day of departure to satisfy my tight timeline. The reaction from my spouse when I texted her an replace used to be, “why do you reside your existence this manner?”. I shouldn’t have a just right resolution, so shifting on…

That is an instance of me doing basic course pointing relatively than having a real idea out plan, like I discussed at first of this tale.

27

An instant hurdle used to be that the car hang used to be complete. Sensible travellers, who adopted the traditional process, had reserved all of the to be had spots. I love to live to tell the tale the threshold.

The following ferry used to be in two days, which might now not paintings with my agenda as I used to be departing on a piece shuttle once I were given again to Okinawa. So I did what any self-respecting guy in my place would do, I requested for lend a hand. I defined my state of affairs by way of Google’s robotic voice, carried out to the innate Eastern courtesy I’ve come to extremely recognize, and threw myself at their ft for mercy.

The younger guy at the back of the counter stored my butt. No longer simplest did he persuade his supervisor to promote me a passenger price tag, but in addition introduced a deckhand from the send to actually measure my automotive within the parking space to peer if there used to be room for it. There used to be! My success at this level should had been mythical.

Inside half-hour I used to be in line to load the little Honda with the remainder of the automobiles being transported to Okinawa within the send’s shipment bay. By some means, in opposition to all of the odds and with a large number of lend a hand, I had reached the overall a part of the shuttle. I used to be thankful, however all I may just consider on the time used to be whether or not or now not sea illness can be in my instant long term.

Day 4

I used to be now not in a position to e book a unmarried person passenger room since I used to be just about one step off a stowaway at this level. The passenger hang lodging had been separate cubby areas with sleep mats in a big open house. Although we had handed thru some beautiful tough water between the mainland and the southern island chains, my heavy tiredness and empty abdomen stay me affordable and most commonly handed out for many of it.

With calmer waters forward I ventured for a past due lunch within the eating house and sat outdoor to cross the time, starting to procedure the previous few days. It have been a whole dash thru Japan, however one thing I’ll by no means overlook. Adventures like those carry us nearer to our vehicles. The reports we percentage bond us to our machines and carry them past easy, fascinating purchases. It used to be additionally an ideal crash path within the S800M’s quirks. I’ve began to determine what it does properly and what I will make stronger on.

34

Arriving in Okinawa used to be directly ahead. I may just power my Honda proper out of the shipment hang on the course of the deckhands, throughout the port gate after which onto the road. I nonetheless had an hour power again to my area, so after a snappy prevent for gasoline I used to be on my manner, cruising in acquainted territory.

36

Taking the coastal street as an alternative of the freeway offered every other perk of possession I had but to experience. The slower motion tempo and common stops for site visitors lighting fixtures allowed me to percentage the automobile with others for the primary time. On extra events than I may just rely, the little sports activities automotive drew smiles, seems to be with pointed arms and thumbs up from the Eastern locals.

What are my plans now that the S800M is in my ownership complete time, it’s possible you’ll ask? Neatly, there’s all the time rust to fix and give protection to from, particularly on a tropical island within the Pacific. I’ll admit it’s not precisely sensible being a tiny two-seater with out a air-conditioning for full-time circle of relatives tasks, so I will be able to be retaining my day-to-day beater in the interim. I nonetheless intend to take the little Honda with me after I transfer to my subsequent project in 2023.

35

Truthfully, at this level I simply relocated it from one hibernation spot to every other, however we added a lovely vital bankruptcy to the e book of possession and that makes this essential.

So I suppose this brings this a part of the tale to an in depth. Certain, it used to be now not the unique street shuttle I deliberate, on the other hand it used to be a whirlwind journey however. One who I will be able to cherish and respect each time I take a look at this little rascal. Daddy’s “toy automotive,” as my youngsters say. Till subsequent time!

Brian McIntyre Ray
Instagram: brianmr87

Extra IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER posts

How To sign up for the IATS program: We have now all the time welcomed readers to touch us with examples in their paintings and imagine that the most efficient Speedhunter is all the time the individual closest to the tradition itself, proper there in the street or native parking space. In case you suppose you’ve what it takes and wish to percentage your paintings with us then you definately must practice to turn out to be a part of the IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER program. Learn the way to get entangled right here.

Next Post

Why Iciness Is a Excellent Time to Get started a House Growth Venture

Many of us suppose spring or summer time is the perfect time to finish house transforming in Brookline, MA. Whilst those seasons are busy for reworking contractors, it isn’t essentially the one time you will have to believe transforming your own home. Iciness may also be a very good time […]

Subscribe US Now