Author: Brian Baker

Vintage blue car with Japanese stickers on windshield, showcasing classic design and detailed exterior, captured in daylight.
Vintage blue car with Japanese stickers on windshield, showcasing classic design and detailed exterior, captured in daylight.

All About Mirrors

I like to think of a finished build as a sum of its smaller parts. Each small detail combines to form the cohesive larger image. One of these smaller details on a kaido racer build is the mirrors. Some of these mirrors are no longer produced, making a pair of

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A white sports car with Shinigami and 2998cc written on it, and six people posing behind it on a sunny day.

Tuning shop SIGMA – 死喰魔

In the 1970s and 1980s, prior to there being UpGarage, Autobacs and Yellow Hat shops all over Japan, individual tuning shops thrived. There used to be a lot more shops where you could buy used cars along with wheels, tires, steering wheels, body kits and other accessories. Sigma was one

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Vintage Pioneer car audio system components against dark background. Includes speakers and equalizers. Retro electronics.

Vintage Pioneer stereos — Lonesome Car-boy 101

The Lonesome Car-boy ( ロンサムカーボーイ ) line of component car audio was released in 1977 in Japan and would also make its release worldwide as Pioneer Component. This was the first component system released with other companies soon following. Sony had the “My Deen” component system, Kenwood had the “Trio”

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Yellow building with signs for Up Garage and Japanese text advertising a used car parts specialty store and a tire store.

Is UpGarage worth visiting in Japan?

Now that Japan is open for tourist visas, many car enthusiasts are excited to either return to Japan or visit for the first time. Over the years there has been a lot of hype around visiting UpGarage and other parts stores. Looking back at my past trips, I would like

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Vintage blue-striped car abandoned in a field.

The first kaido racer in the USA?

Recently discovered in Pennsylvania by the Instagram user @all_vehicle is not one, but two rotting Nissan Skyline C211. The first Skyline features Speed Star Racing MKII wheels, a Hakosuka Skyline wing, and an Okinawa Y plate. The second Skyline features a hood scoop, vented fenders, fiberglass body kit, a kamome

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Modified blue Honda with wide body kit and TRUST sticker on windshield parked on a road.

Uncommon Bases – Honda Prelude

The Honda Prelude isn’t a platform you would think could be a kaido racer, but in the 80s the Prelude was a base a few builders used. The second generation Honda Prelude was released in 1982. It came with an all new wedge shape design that was much more aerodynamic

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