I’ve wanted to shoot this car for years, and we grabbed a quick chance to take some proper up-close photos on our visit to Paul Keenan and friends some time ago. Ever since this car popped up for sale years ago on Yahoo auctions, and then landed in the UK and finally into the hands of Paul, I was always invested in and loved the character this 81 has.
This one had been in the works for some time, Paul had always asked us up but the timing never worked out. One weekend things were in our favour and myself and Flip decided to call up and check out the lads and Paul’s personal car collection. I love how much Paul downplayed this as we really were in for a treat. Things just kept getting more interesting as the tour progressed, between the group of friends and then the collection they had back at the house, this was and still is the best collection I’ve ever visited in Ireland.
We visit a hidden collection of rare Japanese cars in the Irish Midlands.
How cool is this JZX81? Our friend Rob imported this last summer for a customer, and he called down once it was on the road. I was floored when I saw it in real life. The car is a time capsule from the millennium era of VIP culture.
Two eighties babies, the last of them crossing over into the nineties, both signing off that era of styling for Japan.
After years of shooting cars for the website, there has been many a car which I missed out on, occasionally you think cars are going to be around forever and you keep a somewhat relaxed attitude to arranging a shoot. Before you know it the car has been broke for parts or left the country and you are left thinking about the missed opportunities. This x81 shoot was in the making for quite some time.
What I enjoy most about this event is how varied the selection is, not narrowed down to only drift enthusiasts or classic car its a perfect cocktail of car people right across the board and anything, literally anything can make an appearance. Check this KP pickup for example, something I have never seen before. A crazy idea!
