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Maxichamp
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka
I opined that it was a Toyota since that is who sponsors Kaz in the Williams. Here are most of the other drivers in their fancy cars and a short video of the parade.
[karakullake.blogspot.com]
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scroggzilla raids again
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka
Actually, it looks like a Prince Skyline Sport....which did come in both coupe and convertible form..but the headlights are wrong.
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.357
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka
Easy. Nissan Cube Spyder.
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pauljones
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka
A Daihatsu Compagno Spider?:

[en.wikipedia.org]

(I'm a domestic car guy, so this is my best guess)

Edit- My guess was wrong. Oh well. What did you expect from a domestic car guy at 6:53 am?
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Edited by pauljones at 10/12/09 9:56 AM pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred

Graverobber
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka

That's a Toyota Publica. here's another one-
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pauljones
10/12/09

@Graverobber: I'll be damned. I didn't even think to look at old Toyotas; my first thought was either Honda or Daihatsu.
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.357
10/12/09

@Graverobber: You and Jim-Bob win.
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
10/12/09

@Graverobber: Makes sense - until the early 80s, Toyota put different odd emblems on different models (my favorite being the dragon/swan thing on the first few generations of Celica).
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BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ
10/12/09

@Graverobber: Too easy for you, from the main stream brands you know even the designer of the fender mirrors.
I´ll try to find something more obscure to post on FB
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Jim-Bob
10/12/09

In reply to Help Us ID the Mystery Roadster of Suzuka
Looks like a Toyota Publica to me. The Toyota Publica was Toyota's answer to the Japanese government's call for a people's car. It's name means, literally "Public Car". It later evolved to become the Tercel.

Edit: It could also be a Toyopet 700. They both look almost the same with the grille and the way the character line swoops up by the rear wheel well. There was also a sports car based on this chassis called the sports 800.
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smalleyxb122 promoted this comment Edited by Jim-Bob at 10/12/09 9:56 AM Jim-Bob was starred Jim-Bob was unstarred

smalleyxb122
10/12/09

@Jim-Bob: A quick Google search, and Graverobber's subsequent post both support your "guess". You win.
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Jim-Bob
10/12/09

@smalleyxb122: Well, I pride myself on my extensive knowledge of obscure cars that were never sold in the US, or the continent of North America. If I were a wealthy man, I would own one of these, a ZAZ 965, ZAZ 968, etc.
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Peter Orosz
10/12/09

@Jim-Bob: I stand amazed.
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brandegee
10/12/09

@Jim-Bob: The Sports 800 would be more appropriate for this event, but sitting on the targa top might be a little precarious.

I just learned Toyota made a few Sports 800s in left-hand drive for Okinawa...some of which could easily have made their way to the U.S.
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MushyHeirloom
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
Mosquito comments aside, it's still badass.
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skaycog was here
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla

There are some amazing tire sculptures out there, especially of animals. I particularly like this sculpture of a car.
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scroggzilla raids again
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
Hmmmnn....I think it's time for some "urban renewal".
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Flathead Smith
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
When I was a kid old tires were commonly used in the city parks and school playgrounds. They were used as swings and obstacles to step thru; sometimes you would see a huge tractor tire used as a sandbox. Now days you only see tires on a few ancient playgrounds that haven’t been updated yet, or remnants of old treads may be vaguely seen in the non-skid rubbery safety surface. Today’s children are treated to sterile, static inducing, plastic playgrounds that are made so that the little kiddies won’t get hurt. Gone are the massively high stainless steel slides, wall of tires to climb over, swings that you could swing to the sky in, and the old 1920’s era fire truck you could climb around on. I guess into today’s litigious society, we should be thankful we even have a place to take the kids.
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Edited by Flathead Smith at 09/28/09 10:05 AM Flathead Smith was starred Flathead Smith was unstarred

CptSevere
09/28/09

@Flathead Smith Prefers the Days of Danger: No more diving boards at pools anymore either. Now HERE's a slide, it's at the ghost town of Ruby, AZ.
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Flathead Smith Prefers the Days of Danger promoted this comment CptSevere was starred CptSevere was unstarred

superbadd75, now I remember why I left...
09/28/09

@Flathead Smith Prefers the Days of Danger: Ah, yes, I do remember the tires with their lower halves buried in the ground, painted bright hues of blue, green, yellow, and red. Playgrounds back in the day were definitely different. Safety was a word that never seemed to enter the equation when designing them.

There was a park up the street from my Great Aunt's house that had the coolest rocket clubhouse type thing. It may have been 15 or 20 feet high, but as a kid seemed to stretch all the way to the sun. It was made, like most other playground equipment at the time, out of galvanized metal tubing. There was a stairway to the top, with little "windows" at a couple of places along the way to look out of. It was topped with an observation deck, if you will, directly beneath a large plastic nosecone. Well, story has it that a couple of children had climbed to the observation deck one day and were monkeying around up there. One thing led to another, with one of the kids falling, somehow, from the top to his death, at which point the rocket was doomed. They sealed off the second set of stairs with a wooden blockade, and it was just never any fun after that. I think it was eventually taken down and replaced with something much more boring.

I learned a lot more as a kid, I think, from doing things the wrong way, getting hurt, and getting in trouble. I broke both arms, had stitches, and have multiple scars from childhood, and I wouldn't change any of it. That being said, when kids get hurt or even worse, killed, it's not cool, and safety is a damn good thing. Maybe we've gone a little too far, and maybe we should let them get hurt once in a while so they learn, but I'm glad that a lot of the unnecessary risks have been taken away. There are plenty of other ways for kids to have fun that we never had, so it seems to balance out a bit.
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Flathead Smith
09/28/09

@superbadd75, with electrolytes!: My experience is that if someone doesn’t get at least a few stitches, or a broken bone, then the kids really aren’t having much fun. I broke my little toe playing churchyard tackle football and have had over one hundred stitches. I know fun, and what I see many kids doing today ain’t it.
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Joshuman
09/28/09

@superbadd75, with electrolytes!: My youngest daughter is not quite 1. While she is great at going up steps, she is not so good coming down. Her method is a head-first crawl. This is fine if there is only one step but doesn't work very well with 13. She gets to the second or third from the top and then starts to tumble. I let her go a step or so before I catch her. She isn't hurt but she is spooked a little. I then show her how to slide down on her belly, which is usually good for a giggle.

What I'm saying is, I agree, kids need some bumps and bruises. It shows them their limits and it means they are running around getting exercise.
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superbadd75, now I remember why I left...
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
Welcome to Malaria Park! You must be at least this high to enter.
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SirNotAppearing II: The Secret of the Ooze promoted this comment

Brimful of Ash on the 78
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
From the looks of it, you'd think they didn't have mosquitos in Japan.
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SirNotAppearing
09/28/09

In reply to Where Old Tires Go To Become Godzilla
Thus proving rednecks are not limited to the American south.
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Flathead Smith
09/10/09

In reply to How Google Street View Really Works
Kawaii culture is revolting. Something is seriously wrong with a society that thinks cutesy is cool.
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Flathead Smith
09/10/09

What kind of pervert does it take to do this? I feel bad for the pilots that are required to pilot this abomination.
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Peter Orosz
09/10/09

@Flathead Smith: I have to admit I love that plane.
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AlienProbe
09/10/09

@Peter Orosz: Seconded... and Chicks dig cute stuff... if you don't dig cute stuff too, well then...
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Timtoolman, sporadically speaking
09/10/09

In reply to How Google Street View Really Works
Supposedly, Virtual Earth/Bing maps is not supposed to be able to zoom in too closely for the same reason. Their birds-eye view is amazing, where available, because it's so clear and you can see from 4 angles. I use it to view construction locations (existing buildings).

I don't understand the uproar if your plate is seen by hundreds of people daily. I back my truck in, anyway, but I don't do it to hide the plate.
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Leeeeena a Jalopchick promoted this comment

Leeeeena the Jalopchick
09/10/09

@Timtoolman, now with power tools!: Do you live in a state where front plates are not required? Because otherwise, you're just asking to get a ticket, and I know a lot of areas have had the cops cracking down on that.
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typhoon5000
09/10/09

@Leeeeena a Jalopchick: Are you in a state that tickets you for backing into parking spots? My state has front plates too, so backing in wouldn't matter, but I've never heard of getting ticketed for backing into a parking spot before.
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Timtoolman, sporadically speaking
09/10/09

@Leeeeena a Jalopchick: Yes, Georgia. I have a Jimmie Johnson plate on the front, just because the plate holder is there.
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Leeeeena the Jalopchick
09/10/09

@typhoon5000: No, of course no state will ticket you for backing into a parking spot. I meant that your lack of a license plate would be much more conspicuous if the nose of your car is facing the road, as Timtoolman correctly interpreted.
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