Evolving in American style for 28 years
Mr. “yockey450motoring,” 54 years old, has owned a Honda Accord wagon for 28 years. His admiration for the American lifestyle is summed up in this one car.
He admired American culture where street fashion, music, and cars are linked
Mr. “yockey450motoring” participated in the “8th Street International in Kyushu” held in Fukuoka Prefecture on December 3, 2023, and his car was a 1995 Honda CE1 Accord Wagon Vi.
In Japan, the two-box station wagon boom began in the late 1980s. Subaru’s Legacy and Nissan’s Avenir showed phenomenal sales, and various companies offered touring wagons in their different models. Let us not forget that there was a time when this body shape, now considered an endangered species, was the cause of a huge boom.
“I became interested in music in high school and fell in love with black music. American cars were frequently seen in promotional videos at the time, and Run-D.M.C. collaborated with Adidas. I thought the American lifestyle, where music, fashion, and cars were all connected, was cool.”
He chose this Accord Wagon, the second generation of the station wagon. It was developed and produced by an American subsidiary and exported to Japan, where it was officially marketed. Furthermore, the wagons after this were discontinued in the U.S. and shifted to domestic development in Japan. In other words, this was the last model that could be purchased new from dealers as a venerable American-born Japanese car, and it was undoubtedly the perfect material for young people who yearned for the American lifestyle.
Incorporated as many genuine US Honda parts as possible
“I bought the car new and it was stock for only the first three days. I started working on the suspension, and since that time, I have renewed it in various ways to arrive at the style I have today. What I am aiming for is the new street style seen in the late 1990s and 2000s, and I am conscious of Euro customization from an American perspective. Moreover, I have incorporated the latest modern technology in every part of the vehicle, so I have achieved a low profile and other features that were not possible back then.”
Mr. “yockey450motoring” aims for the style of the time, and the most distinctive feature is the wheels. The most distinctive feature of the style that “yockey450motoring” was aiming for at the time was the wheels, of which he has a collection of 14 sets, as European brand chrome was the standard. The wheels on this vehicle are 109 chrome-finished wheels made by ANTERA of Italy. The muffler was also chosen to be made by REMUS of Australia, which was popular at the time. Since there was no lineup for the Accord, a US type for the VW Golf 3 was imported and installed.
DIY in vehicle construction
While the air suspension uses CANOVER from KROOZ CUSTOMS, a long-established car store in Kyushu, the air suspension cylinders, arms, and knuckles are modified to achieve higher and lower operating speeds.
“I’ve been enjoying this style for about 15 years, and I’ve transplanted as many genuine US parts as I could get my hands on. The windshield, automatic transmission shift pattern, and other details are too numerous to mention.”
As a pure privateer, he does most of the work himself, which is astonishing.
“I’ve been working on it steadily for 28 years, so it’s close to perfection now. My goal for the future is to maintain the current style well without making any major changes, and to continue to keep it beautiful.”
There must have been many people who longed for the American lifestyle when they were young. However, they did not let their admiration end there but carried it through as their lifestyle. The Accord wagon overflows with this spirit.
