Rare car that never met other owners
The Toyota Levin and Trueno were the hot models of the Corolla and Sprinter, respectively. The only popular generations were the fourth generation AE86 models, known as “Hachi Roku”, or the first generation TE27 models, which were accepted by enthusiasts as old cars. A rare second-generation TE47 Toyota Sprinter Trueno was spotted in an event venue. We spoke to the owner Mr. Akihisa Kaneko about his car.
His passion for the Corolla family has continued since he was 19 years old
Based on the Toyota Corolla, the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno were introduced in 1972 as models with a 2T-G engine trained in the rallies of the time and refined for speed. The successive generation of cars that actually sold well were the fifth-generation AE91/92 models, which switched from FR to FF and gained popularity with the bubble economy. But it was undoubtedly the 4th generation AE86 model, which became famous worldwide as the “Hachi Roku” in the manga “Initial D”, that became the talk of the town.
Mr. Kaneko’s car, however, is the second-generation Sprinter Trueno model TE47.
“Even when I was 19, I drove a 1979 Trueno Liftback. The engine was a 2T-G injected version, and it was the model that actor Mr. Masaomi Kondo appeared in the TV commercials.
I really wanted to drive a DOHC twin-cam engine, but at that time the model had already been changed and was expensive even used. So I decided on a liftback, which was easily affordable with a loan, but the sound and driving feel were not enough for me.”
Mr Kaneko had already bought a TE25 ‘Corolla 400SL’ when he was 18 years old. Moreover, his uncle owned a Type 47 and he had a strong admiration for it.
He drives an R31 Skyline wagon and searched for a TE47
So much so that he owns a TE47 Trueno, we can imagine that Mr. Kaneko himself is quite the car enthusiast. When we asked him about his past and current ownership history, we discovered that he is actually an enthusiast who loves Nissan’s Skyline 7th generation R31 wagons and has driven several of them, and still owns a wood wagon. He also owns a Honda N360 and a Toyota Celica Liftback, which is awaiting repairs.
However, he has never been able to shake off his desire to drive a TE47 Trueno and acquired this one 13 years ago.
“I searched for years, using the internet and other sources. And because I had specified that I wanted a white color, it was difficult to find one. This vehicle was originally in the Kanto region and came to Nagasaki.”
The suspension and exterior were customized to his taste
After acquiring the car, the engine compartment was painted and the underbody was repaired, while the suspension and exterior were changed to my liking. The front spoiler was fitted by turning the TE27 rear spoiler upside down and cutting it to length. The rear spoiler is a B310 ‘Sunny’ rear spoiler, which has been a standard item since that time. The dashboard mat is for the TE37 and additional gauges have been fitted.
“This event allowed me to meet the same TE47 riders for the first time in over a decade. There are so few of these cars in existence that they are basically kept in garages and only ridden on special occasions such as events. When I drive it, I treat the interior gently so as not to tear it up, and take the utmost care not to bump the exterior. I enjoy it with that in mind!”
Maintaining a rare car is more than just passion. Mr Kaneko’s spirit of not damaging or crashing them is no doubt the common opinion of old car riders all over the country.
translated by DeepL