20-year-old racer Rami Sasaki takes vintage car for a spin
This is a project in which 20-year-old female racing driver Ms. Rami Sasaki, who loves old cars, is asked to test drive a variety of old cars to give her honest impressions from a young person’s perspective. This time, with the cooperation of the Endless 130 Collection in Nagano Prefecture, she rode a Toyota ‘Sports 800’, known affectionately as the ‘Yota Hachi’.
“Yota-Hachi” restored and modified by ‘Endless’
Ms. Rami is a young female racing driver born in 2004 who made her four-wheel racing debut in the 2023 season in the KYOJO CUP, a motorsports category for women only held at Fuji Speedway. She recently celebrated her 20th birthday. She is an old car enthusiast at heart, to the extent that she posts about her participation in old car events on SNS. During race week, when she sees an old car at the circuit, she gets excited and her eyes light up with excitement.
Aside from being a racing driver, she usually works for MSC Corporation, the company that manages Formula Drift Japan, and lives a car-obsessed life both publicly and privately. This season, she entered the KYOJO CUP as she did last season. In the opening round on 12 May, just after her birthday, she took the chequered flag in 5th place, her best finish. She will also make a spot entry in the GR86/BRZ Cup Clubman Series this season.
We asked Rami, such an old car enthusiast, to test drive a Toyota ‘Sports 800’, a vehicle on display at the Endless 130 Collection. The Endless 130 Collection is a facility opened in March 2021 by Endless, a parts manufacturer famous for its brakes and suspension. It has a café with a focus on flavor, a museum with a collection of vehicles on display, and a racing garage where race cars are maintained. The opening of this facility was a long-time dream of the late Isao Hanazato, founder and chairman of ENDLESS.
Open the door to surprise: where is the rearview mirror?
This Toyota Sports 800 is a 1965 model and was finished to be exhibited at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon. From its initial rusty, putty-covered state, it was fully restored and modified in the Endless style over about six months.
“The round shape is so cute!”
That was Rami’s first comment when she saw the actual Sports 800.
“I like the overall rounded silhouette and the design of the front face, including the lights. I also like the way the rear design fits in with the body lines!”
She also liked the points unique to the 130 Collection specification.
“The PIAA fog lights have been added, and I like them because they give the car a kind of racing car feel.”
And as she was about to get into the driver’s seat, Rami was surprised when she opened the door.
“I’m surprised that the door is so thin and light! I guess the car weighs quite light too. The room mirror is …… oh! Is it on the dashboard instead of on top? That’s kind of interesting! Also, I like the way the frame sticks out from the interior, it gives it a racy look.”
A heavy steering wheel for a light car
When she actually started test-driving the Toyota Sports 800, the first point that impressed her was its lightness.
“I can really feel how light it moves. It’s probably the most nimble of all the old cars I’ve test-driven so far. Also, to be honest, I think the engine torque is thin, but perhaps because of the light weight of the car and the crossed gear ratios, even though it doesn’t feel full of torque, it moves forward firmly.”
And in terms of footwork performance, she seemed to be able to get a solid feel for the Endless tuning.
“Maybe it’s because the suspension has changed, but it feels crisp and seems to take it well over bumps. I think the balance is good because it’s a light RWD, but I think the settings are also well set because the front and rear move in the same way. Also, the brakes are good! Not only does it stop firmly, but it’s easy to feel from the brakes, and it’s easy to control.”
By the way, this Toyota Sports 800 has an Endless Function X Plus-based one-off suspension installed at the front, and where the brakes are normally four-wheel drums, the front has been converted to disc brakes for official approval (with replacement shoes at the rear).
The car has also been driven on the Fuji Speedway racing track in the Super Taikyu Classic, so its performance has been proven. Other tuning points include an Altrack muffler, exhaust manifold, and Raydyot mirrors.
Rami was pleased with the lightness of the car from start to finish, but some areas puzzled her a little.
“Initially, there is a sense of play in the steering response, but I was surprised that the steering is the heaviest it has ever been because there is no power steering. I knew it had S tires, so the higher the grip, the heavier the steering. However, I like the fact that there is firm information when the steering wheel is turned in. The feeling from this steering and the lightness of the ride make me want to go on the offensive!”
Rami Sasaki’s Review: Likes and Dislikes Behind the Wheel
What is your favorite point?
“The face that matches the body lines! And then there’s the nimble driving!”
Are there any negative points?
“The playful feel of the initial steering response is a little hard to get used to.”
translated by DeepL