A machine with an unusual military taste

A variety of custom cars gather at the Osaka Auto Messe 2024 (OAM). From such a venue, we spotted a machine with an unusual military taste and its owner in a pre-war flying suit style saluting beside it. We asked him about his true intentions.

“I want to pass on the memory of Kamikaze pilots from Kagoshima to future generations”

At OAM, there will be many custom cars on display, not only from manufacturers’ shops but also from the owners. Many of these machines are finished to a higher level than the shop demo cars thanks to their free ideas. This time, we spoke to an owner who was standing beside a military-style machine, saluting the gallery who were taking photos with their smartphones and other devices.

The base car is an R33 Nissan Skyline. The military-inspired finish is probably inspired by the famous ‘Zero fighter’, feared by the US military during World War II.

The owner is Mr. Maverick, a used car dealer in Kagoshima Prefecture. The reason why he decided to build this car has to do with the location of Kagoshima. At the end of the war, suicide attack teams were sent out from Kagoshima, which was a frontline base to the south. Chiran is one of the most famous places, and Maverick says that he visits this place every month to join hands with them. To tell the story of the Kamikaze Special Attack Squadron to future generations, Maverick completed a car reminiscent of the Zero Fighter based on his favorite car, the R33 Skyline.

5600 rivets are driven in by hand

As for the body remodeling, the deterioration and fading of the aluminum used in the Zero fuselage is expressed here and there by painting, to produce a bare-bones look. In the customization world, this kind of finish is called ‘Yarare’ (aged / aging) paint, but Maverick’s finish does not stop there, as rivets are hammered into the entire body to bring out the unique atmosphere of a wartime fighter aircraft.

Initially, 2,600 rivets were hammered into the body about the 2,600th year of Emperor Jinmu’s accession to the throne (equivalent to 1940), from which the name Zero-sen is derived. However, this was not enough and in the end, 5600 rivets had to be driven in by hand. However, this work was extremely difficult and, because it was summertime, he suffered heat stroke several times. Even so, it took him a week to finish it the way he wanted it.

The interior is the cockpit of a fighter plane

Other than that, as it lacks power with the stock standard, aero parts were installed by one-off processing. Over wings have been added to express the machine’s aggressiveness.

Even more impressive than the exterior is the interior design. The dashboard has been completely removed, the control panels have been made from aluminum sheet, the various gauges have been installed and even the throttle of the Zero fighter has been recreated. The bare aluminum seat also creates a good atmosphere, but this is not an aircraft seat, but a seat that is sold in the UK for customized lowrider cars.

A fuel tank in the rear tray has been installed, and the words “one-way fuel” have been carefully placed there. It is a symbol of the Kamikaze Special Attack Force. Incidentally, this fuel tank was not a dummy, but a fuel pump was pulled by a separate system so that it could be used as a collector tank.

The RB25DET engine that this R33 Skyline is powered by has a new turbine and a boost setting of 1kg/cm2, which marks a peak power of 350ps, says Maverick.

“Even with the power, it has too much camber angle on the rear, so when you apply full power, there’s nothing you can do about a storm of wheelspin……”

Maverick says he was so excited to be exhibiting at OAM, which is a special stage, that he was inspired to prepare a suicide squadron costume. He does not normally wear this troop uniform, but the car is used for everyday driving. Surprisingly, he drove himself from Kagoshima Prefecture to INTEX Osaka, the venue of the OAM, this time as well.

“I drive around the streets of Kagoshima Prefecture often, so if you see me, please give me a call!”

A message from the owner, Mr Maverick, to OAM readers.

translated by DeepL