Rue and Dac Xint's Pocket Rocket

[Rue]

Those familiar with us two GTP old hands may know that Dac Xint and I are fellow car photographers with a love for Japanese quirk, and we've been talking about twosing up on a car for years. Despite living opposite ends of HK is still a pretty small place so it's not too hard to share a weekend car. Talk was always of an MX-5 or in a perfect world an R32 GT-R, but when this little Suzuki Kei Works recently came up for sale via a friend for beer money I just had to call DX and tell him that I'd found our perfect camera/project car! It's not going to win any traffic light Grand Prix, but when you're talking K-cars you're talking smiles per hour!

Anyway onto the specs:

Wait, sorry that's the wrong one. Far too powerful!

Engine: 658cc, 12v, DOHC
Aspiration: Turbo
Drivetrain: AWD
Max. Power: 63 bhp
Weight: 790kg
Transmission: AT (for now)

And here's the beast! >_<

Sorry, close but wrong again...

Plans for it? Well, HK modifying laws are getting pretty strict so we're not going to be able to do anything drastic to it, but we'll surely give it a couple of tweaks. They're pretty rare here so it might be nice to keep the outlook original beginning with getting those stickers off and then focus on giving it a bit more poke. When I first saw the car from the outside the boy-racer in me thought strip it out and sling in a single racing seat and roll cage but when I opened the door I happily disappointed to see that the interior is almost immaculate! No marks or anything, it's unbelievable for a 68,000 mile car. Anyway, DX and I will talk about all that over many beers I'm sure.

Bonus: Car is in Gran Turismo, so it must be good >_<

Watch this space...

(More pics soon)

 

[homeforsummer]

You both win several internets for that one. And you probably take the title from my Insight for "weirdest car from Gran Turismo owned by a GTPer".

Still want to own a proper Kei-car pocket rocket one day. Possibly a Wagon R RR.

 

[Rue]

Haha! Thanks HFS! Yeah, wanted a Kei car for EVER! Coincidentally I was hooked when I sat in a black WagonR RR at the Earl's Court motorshow many, many moons ago. I assume it was on Suzuki's stand but strange as they never sold it. Interest check maybe?

 

[homeforsummer]

Probably just dangling a forbidden fruit over our heads. Or as a half-assed promotion of the regular Wagon R that we got in non-kei form!

 

[Aquarelle]

Oh man I want one of these things sooooo bad, but the price is still hiked here for the novelty because so few of these top spec models actually made it to NZ.

I'm buying one as my daily when I move to Japan, so much love for the Alto!

Are you intending on manual swapping? they really come alive with a stick shift

 

[CDailey]

That is so cool. I love these small strange Japanese cars. Congrats on the purchase.

 

[Kitten]

I though you were serious on the washing machine..

 

[Rue]

Oh man I want one of these things sooooo bad, but the price is still hiked here for the novelty because so few of these top spec models actually made it to NZ.

I'm buying one as my daily when I move to Japan, so much love for the Alto!

Are you intending on manual swapping? they really come alive with a stick shift

Yes, we're seriously entertaining the idea of dropping a manual tranny in it. The only problem is finding a donor car...

 

[Anathema]

If America had these... I'd love to have one.

 

[Rue]

Just driving home last night when I saw these little Hondas parked up by the side of the road so I took the opportunity for Kei themed group shot. Excuse poor quality...

 

[Crash]

Major congrats on the Kei car! That's a neat little thing, and the great thing is that you don't really need much power in HK. What good is 1000hp anyways when you're stuck in traffic trying to cross the harbor tunnel? The fact of its tiny size will probably serve you better in the tight confines of HK.

Anyways, excited to see the updates on this car. You'll have to let us know how you two end up figuring out a system for sharing the car. Also, whose name is the car and insurance registered to?

Despite living opposite ends of HK is still a pretty small place so it's not too hard to share a weekend car.

What, north New Territories and Stanley?

 

[homeforsummer]

The fact of its tiny size will probably serve you better in the tight confines of HK.

There's something very liberating about driving a tiny car around a big city. It's amazing how many more gaps it seems to open up. And I imagine the little turbo engine is good for nipping through traffic too. The closest I've got to that is a BRABUS Smart, which was hilarious to drive for the whole week I had it.

 

[Rue]

Major congrats on the Kei car! That's a neat little thing, and the great thing is that you don't really need much power in HK. What good is 1000hp anyways when you're stuck in traffic trying to cross the harbor tunnel? The fact of its tiny size will probably serve you better in the tight confines of HK.

Anyways, excited to see the updates on this car. You'll have to let us know how you two end up figuring out a system for sharing the car. Also, whose name is the car and insurance registered to?



What, north New Territories and Stanley?

Sai Kung and Tung Chung. I should have said opposite 'sides'.

 

[Rue]

A few pics of the little rollerskate. Nothing new to report yet though...

Suzuki Kei Works by Rupert Procter, on Flickr

Suzuki Kei Works by Rupert Procter, on Flickr

Suzuki Kei Works by Rupert Procter, on Flickr

 

[Ronald6]

That looks like one clean Matchbox car. Don't mind me, I'm just jealous.
Seriously though it looks like it just rolled of the production line.

 

[Katiegan]

It's so cute!

It's like that one little puppy in the litter that thinks it can take on anything. I love it.

 

[Cano]

Dude, YESSSSSS! How have I missed this? This thing is absolutely awesome! Cool that you two finally got your hands on a kei car, I know you both love them and have wanted one since a while ago. And great camera car too, look at those 4 doors!

Awesome pics too, I see you have gained a proper cir-pol filter too. Engine bay/interior pics!

 

[Rue]

Hey Cano! How goes it my old buddy?! Don't worry, we just got it last week. Weather is horrendous at the moment. More pics soon!

 

[Ibonibo]

Epicuteyness (?)

Awesome car. Love it.

 

[Cano]

Hey Cano! How goes it my old buddy?! Don't worry, we just got it last week. Weather is horrendous at the moment. More pics really small Watanabes/TE-37Vs soon!

YES.

 

[Dac_Xint]

Holy Hell Rue, you're a ninja, I did't even know you started this thread. I stumbled upon it in a Google image search of our car!

Anyway, this is us meeting our car for the first time. Sorry, no banana for size comparison.

 

[Dac_Xint]

It's so cute!

It's like that one little puppy in the litter that thinks it can take on anything. I love it.

Come at me brah! Take your best shot coz that's all ya gonna get!

 

[Hayden]

It's like that one little puppy in the litter that thinks it can take on anything. I love it.

Thats gotta be one of the most fitting descriptions of a car I've ever heard!

Anyway, this is us meeting our car for the first time. Sorry, no banana for size comparison.

 

[Rue]

YES.

DON'T! Tempt me Frodo...

 

[Rue]

Epicuteyness (?)

Awesome car. Love it.

HAH! Pissed myself a little.

 

[Cano]

HAHAHAHAHA I genuinely laughed out loud at this

DON'T! Tempt me Frodo...

You know you want to. Big drop, 13-inch Watanabes. In Bronze.

 

[Robin]

Just found this thread,

Great buy there Rue, especially as you got it cheap. I would say yeah keep it stock outside and in but do some minor tweaks with the engine.

Obviously been really taken care of considering the condition for the mileage. In HK is hard to see a normal car not dented or scuffed seeing as bumpers are used as gap closing devices there