SKcats fleet. Mazda 323f collection.

[Skcat]

7 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

That's awesome. How much was it to get it over here with all the fees,tax etc?

Worked out to be just over 6k, I've learnt a lot from the process and might do things different another time, japense auction photos don't give you a idea of a cars paint condition. I'm sure it will take some more money to get it ferried around, mot'ed and registered. Let's hope it does not take too long. Rear fog is installed in one of the reverse light fittings, Waiting on a red bulb for it. 

The weird Panasonic battery in it started to come back to life but I reckon it was a liability so it's been replaced. It was also the wrong size for the car. 

It's much more then I've ever spent on a car before. But I like to imagine it's a old car, that I so happen to have gotten in much newer condition. I can also get any part I need at a dealer as they made these till 2017. It's also nice to get something where the aircon works without any hassle! 

I have found some odd bits in it. 

It was a driving school car, I estimate for 5 years then as far as I can tell someone owned it privately before it went to auction and I bought it. The private owner has removed thr brake pedal in the passenger footwell, and disabled some of the driving school features. I will probably remove the rest making it more Inline with a taxi/ privately owned one. 

I'm yet to actually drive it properly yet, ive only had it up to around 15mph.

[MrBig]

That's an awesome choice! Probably the only one in Europe, let alone the UK!

Fond memories of my first couple of visits to Hong Kong when taxis seemed to be exclusively these. Scared the crap out of me when I walked up to it and the rear door came flying open! I didn't realise that they had remote actuators on them... 

[Volksy]

I seem to remember D Hirst formerly of this parish bought a similar Taxi Spec one which was already in the UK. 

Are they a six pot? IIRC his was designed to only run on LPG

[Skcat]

7 hours ago, MrBig said:

That's an awesome choice! Probably the only one in Europe, let alone the UK!

Fond memories of my first couple of visits to Hong Kong when taxis seemed to be exclusively these. Scared the crap out of me when I walked up to it and the rear door came flying open! I didn't realise that they had remote actuators on them... 

Going to hong kong is what made me want to get one. As far as I know there is about 8 of them In the UK. But most of them are the mild hybrids, I tried buying one this time last year but I just decided I wanted to import one.

Another one in the UK

7 hours ago, Volksy said:

I seem to remember D Hirst formerly of this parish bought a similar Taxi Spec one which was already in the UK. 

Are they a six pot? IIRC his was designed to only run on LPG

They is quite a few engines as they were made for a while. Very early ones were four cylinder diesels but they seemed to stop making them around 2000. then were four cylinder petrol or lpg ones till 2018. A six cylinder one was offered for a few years In the 2000's which could be optioned as a mild hybrid, that's probably what he had. They are called GXS12's and there seems to be about five of them in the UK! 

Thankfully all the engines available have been sold in Europe in diffrent Toyotas so getting service bits is not a issue, but you might struggle finding someone who knows how to work on the LPG variants over here. The lpg ones are mostly taxi's in Asia, so by the time they come up for auction they are probably much more worn out. 

I had to learn what the chassis numbers mean so I did not end up with a lpg one. You can also get them in two lengths, 4.6 or 4.7 meters. You are limited to legnth you can buy depending on what drivetrain you want so it's best to just ignore the length and just choose the engine and trim you want. From what I can tell the Wikipedia page on them is pretty accurate.

[Skcat]

Yesterday I stuck the red bulb in for the rear fog and got it in for a mot today, It passed. Very happy as I can register It now. 

I've already gotten sick of the AM only radio in it, it's so extremely bad. 

I toyed with the idea of keeping it as it suits the car but It's just unbearable. So I stuck a period correct jvc in it! 

[Spottedlaurel]

Great news about the MoT and interesting to find out more about this model. I was dimly aware of it, but didn't appreciate there were different wheebase versions.

Saw this Crown Comfort at a local meet recently:

 

First registered here in 2021 and listed as being 1980cc, which doesn't appear to tally with any of the 2-litre engine options. Not listed as being LPG. I like the Camry-style wheels!

On Wikipedia it mentions the swing-roof option for Shinto weddings:

[Skcat]

4 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Saw this Crown Comfort at a local meet recently:

 

First registered here in 2021 and listed as being 1980cc, which doesn't appear to tally with any of the 2-litre engine options. Not listed as being LPG. I like the Camry-style wheels. 

Very cool, that's a "GBS12". So a 1G-FE with a mild hybrid system, and the long wheel-base. The wheels are orginal!

That's essentially the upper trim version of my car with a upgraded dashboard, floor pedal. Handbrake, pass through front seat, they could be optioned with wool interiors, I imagine all the ones in the UK have it as its really nice. 

I fancied the basic version. Although I went for one with electric windows and with the slightly better seats. Thankfully they all come with aircon. 

[Skcat]

It took about a month! But it's now insured, MOTed, taxed, insured and I put a private plate on it. It was a bit of a process but I could do it in half the time if I had to do it all over again. 

The aim was to get a format that's extremely similar to the hong kong taxi's and this was as close as I could get. 

Nice to finally drive it, it's a strange drive. The seats are very odd. On occasion it seems to cut out now and then, I will get some miles on it and see if it changes. First order of buiness will be undersealing and cavity waxing it! 

Unfortunately the paint is in much worse condition then I expected. I will see if clay baring it will help. 

[Skcat]

I could not stand the wheels fitted too it, it's meant to have 195 but for some reason it came on 175. They were fine in the dry but as soon as it rained it became very slippy. 

I bought a set of alloys of some kind of crown and fitted them with some fresh tyres! 

[Skcat]

On with little jobs with parts I've been stockpiling. 

Fitting orginal Toyota yellow fogs Is next. Just looks a bit cooler. 

Not sure why there is yellows and clear available. But I wanted it! 

[Skcat]

Just been dropped off in my little taxi as I'm on route to collect the mazda 323f in London! Wish me luck.