I want to get this thread started with an extra special 'Thank you' to our old friend
bucciali who was the brilliant mind behind the original Japanese Fleet thread, and inspiration for all the others that followed. In speaking with him recently I've learned that obligations of a young family have meant that he doesn't have the time to contribute here as much as he used to, but he does still check in from time to time. It's a little strange when folks just fall off the map after being so active so I was of course glad to hear he was doing well, as I am sure some of you will be too.
The original Japanese Fleet thread was in need of a lot of updating (like all the others), and rather than wipe the slate clean on his first post, I figured I'd just start a new one for us to use and update going forward. He said he has no issue with that and encourages us to keep making progress. His original thread still holds a great discussion and some wonderful images, so check it out here if you have not been keeping up:
Recap of Japanese F1 fleet - Part 1
Okay - lets get this party started again - all contributions to the cause here will be greatly appreciated!
#029 -
After being seen for many years at Iding Power, this F1 was offered for sale by ArtSports in December 2007. Their ad identified the color as 'Brazilian Brown' which should mean #029, but the actual name for the color of this car is "Creighton Brown" as confirmed by McLaren Automotive. ArtSports and others were clearly basing the color name in the ad off the Chassis History poster included with "Driving Ambition" and we've discovered a few discrepancies in those details.
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#051 - Yoshiharu Tanaka
Often displayed and possibly for sale at LightAuto1 in Nagoya. Arrived in Japan in mid-2005 from Germany.
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#060 (probably) -
Still in plastic - probably very few miles (if any) beyond the delivery mileage. Has Gordon Murray's signature on the rear bumper. Not much other info on this one.
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#063 -
Sort of MIA - left Japan for SPS Automotive in Hong Kong in early 2007. Was then supposedly sold back to someone in Japan but I lack confidence on that being correct. We'll leave it here until it shows up somewhere else.
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#070 -
Was for sale through LMP Cars in Nagoya again.
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58F1GT - Yoshio Tsuzuki - Nagoya (ZAZ Museum)
Was originally painted Dark Burgundy with a tan interior. Returned to the ZAZ Museum in late 2007 after an absence of several years, having been refitted by McLaren with a new unique look reminiscent of the West McLaren Formula One cars of the Hakkinen era.
Here's some photos of the original look of this car:
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LM2 - Yoshio Tsuzuki - Nagoya (ZAZ Museum)
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F1 GTRs:
#25R - Hitotsuyama Racing
Raced for many years under the YellowCorn livery, then later with Tajimax sponsorship. Last seen at the 2012 Syarinmura show.
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No longer in Japan
#003 -
Arrived in Japan in October 1996. Left for the USA and was for sale through Symbolic Motorcars in early 2008. Believed to be in Florida now.
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#006 - Akhiro Tsuzuki
Formerly owned by a 'Mr Takahashi' in Japan since new. Was for sale in Nov 2008, supposedly purchased by Akihiro Tsuzuki and returned to McLaren in the UK for a complete refit. Car was resprayed in a unique piano black and was seen at the MTC gathering in 2010. Car left Japan August 2011 for Bahrain.
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#012 - TagHeuer
While I have no proof this car has left Japan, my gut feeling is that this is the F1 owned by Lawrence Stroll in Canada. We'll leave it on the list for now until the mystery is solved. Perhaps
this is #012??
Gut feeling was bunk btw - Stroll's car is not #012. Car left Japan August 2011 for Geneva.
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#013 -
Formerly with a red stripe on the ventline of the door and Gordon Murray's signature on the Brake Balance Foil. This car left Japan for the UK, then was in Germany for a short time before arriving back in Japan and again appearing in Bingo Sports inventory. It has since been sold again to the USA.
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#016 -
Originally in Japan, then sold to Germany and then the USA. Displayed at the Hard Rock Casino in the City of Dreams in Macau. Last spotted in Hong Kong.
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#018 - Yoshio Tsuzuki - Nagoya (ZAZ Museum)
In Japan until 1997 or 1998. Has since been resprayed in Dark Silver and fitted with the High Downforce Kit and an LM Spec engine. Currently in New Zealand.
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#023 - British Racing Green
Need Photos
Sold to the UK in 1997. Was then resprayed by the factory for its new owner in silver and later had the High Downforce Kit fitted. No photos exist of the car in its original condition.
Now in South Africa.
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#028 -
Fitted with a tall rear wing for a portion of its time in Japan. Arrived in the USA in Sept 2002. Currently in California.
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#031 - Shikuni Okamoto
Left Japan sometime in 2010 for the USA.
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#043 (probably) - Motokazu Sayama
Displayed in December 2001 at the British Motorsports Show in Yokohama. Featured in an issue of Genroq magazine more recently. Left Japan for the UK in 2011.
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#053 - Yoshio Tsuzuki - Nagoya (ZAZ Museum)
Left Japan in early-2006 for the UK. Was displayed at Salon Prive in the UK by McLaren in July 2006. Was later spotted inside a plane, reportedly headed for a new home somewhere in the Middle East.
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#13R - Yoshio Tsuzuki - Nagoya (ZAZ Museum)
Left Japan for Maranello Motorsports in Melbourne, Australia in mid-2005. Was quickly sold by to a customer in Germany who sent it to McLaren for conversion to road use. Now road registered in the UK.
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#19R - SOK/Team Take One
Left Japan in early 2003 for the USA. Was resprayed in the LARK livery it wore during the 1997 Suzuka 1000km race. Offered for sale again in 2008 and now in the UK.
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#28R - BingoSports, Tokyo
In BingoSports inventory since early 2008.
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That should get us off to another good start. Feel free to throw out any corrections on things I might have overlooked, or simply gotten wrong. Staring at this stuff long enough to put together a thread like this can make anyone a little scatter-brained.
I have a few more pics to add and some captions to tweak in the next few days. I know there are better pictures out there of some of the cars, but in most cases I was trying to use only images taken of them while in Japan.
If you have anything new to contribute - please feel free. We've never had a great source here from Japan but have still managed to pull together a pretty complete set of details on what is probably all the F1s that have lived or still reside in Japan. There's a few more 'probably's up there than I would like, but we'll keep at it.
Thanks in advance for everyone's help in doing so!
>8^)
ER