Freak of the Week: Road Star 2000GT

While working on the Toyota compilation earlier this week, I rekindled enthusiasm for the legendary Toyota 2000GT.

 

In the generally Euro-centric world of automotive enthusiasts, many have made the claim, and even more listen and believe, that the original Jaguar E-type is the most beautiful car in the world. That's fine, and maybe it is.

I, on the other hand, am born with an unusual condition that only friends have grown to accept and understand. After a while, I begin to dislike things that everyone else won't stop talking about. Before anyone questions my claims, we can agree that there are always exceptions to the rule. But yes, I dislike the Eleanor GT500 in Nicholas Cage's Gone in 60 Seconds and every single starring sports car in the F&F franchise; we can make that official.

And that is the same reason why I was quickly over the E-Type and went on to search for the next '60s sports car that I could spend hours upon days daydreaming idly about.

Sadly, I never saw a Toyota 2000GT in person and nor have I ever seen an example posted on Ebay. After a quick Google search, the current market price for a clean 2000GT will run around $300,000. I was absolutely stunned. It's a beautiful piece of art but surely it doesn't deserve to be that expensive! I believe there has got to be another way.

After some more browsing, Makoto Kobayashi showed me an even better way:

thank you again, Speedhunters

Introducing our FotW #15: Shown at the 2009 Tokyo Salon, Kobayashi-san and his shop, "Road Star Garage," created this fine Toyota 2000GT Replica on a Datsun 240Z S30 chassis and transplanted the car with a Nissan RB26DETT N1 GTR motor tuned by Nismo, originally used to participate in Bathurst for Group A and Group N racing. The only similarity the Nismo plant has to the original engine from 1967 is they're both straight 6's and... I believe that's about it.

I am convinced that if you ever want to own a piece of automobile history, don't. At least not in New York City. Where would I park the car without feeling paranoid? How much would insurance cost? With a replica like Makoto Kobayashi's, I get a car with a monster engine, that pushes all the right buttons and gives all the right sensations at a fraction of the cost. I could probably even register it as nothing but an old Datsun.