Over the past couple months I’ve made a few visits to Canberra for my kid cousins, 3 and 7 years of age. Each time I arrive, they’re tinkering with a new creation crafted out of used everyday packaging (bottles, toilet rolls etc.), so this past weekend I brought along two Lego sets as a present. Babysitting had never been easier…
The imagination and creativity of our youth become further diluted with each passing year, life has a funny way of allowing us to accept the mundane. Creativity takes on different forms, most of the time it isn’t as unregulated as what poured out of our heads as a youngster. Structure and routine play a significant role in this, but for those that aren’t immersed in the creative pursuits as a profession, capturing the essence of our creative youth is commonly an exercise in diminishing returns.
Automotive side, the cars we build and the things we do with them are the conduit to our past. When shooting Rick’s FD, I asked him what his motivation was for this FD, and back came a two word reply, “Initial D”. I again made reference to his FD influences when planning this feature, but Rick wasn’t having any of it, “No, it was only Initial D, I always wanted a yellow one”.
Like so many dreams-turned-reality, it’s never as straightforward getting there though, as Rick reflected, “All the yellow sellers wanted too much money, and there were only two on the market at the time. This one’s paint was immaculate, and I fell in love with the rare factory audio system in the back”.
He definitely wasn’t complaining when he took delivery of RX7FD, and wary of the notoriety rotary ownership carried, he didn’t have much planned, “the only thing I was thinking about was to change the wheels, leave all the rest”.
Granted, with the mildly-ported rebuild aside, the car remains relatively stock mechanically. Rick has instead focused on the little aesthetic touches that bring him closer to the FD piloted by Keisuke Takahashi over five seasons of the world’s greatest racing manga.
While FD prices have risen exponentially like its competitors from the nineties, Rick coming out for a shoot amidst the pouring rain proves that he isn’t afraid of driving the thing, and why not? While he admits the car isn’t the most comfortable experience, he and I don’t recall a scene in twenty years of Initial D where Keisuke’s RE-Amemiya FD is hardparked, admired from afar.
A frequent metaphor used for vehicles that are babied, is to treat your partner as if you’re saving him/her for the next person. Rick is a believer of this, “it’s good to know that I own a car that won’t depreciate, but it doesn’t really matter because she’s a keeper”. While the car doesn’t see frequent usage (it helps to have a 911 C4S in the stable), Rick’s FD is no stranger to long drives and track time.
Many enthusiasts describe driving as an escape. The cockpit their sanctuary where they either zone in on the visceral experience, or zone out and numb themselves. An oft-overlooked dynamic of driving, particularly in a vehicle you’ve lusted for over a prolonged period, is the joy of living out one’s youthful imagination.
I think this is something that gets lost with so many of us as the responsibilities and burdens of being an adult pile on top of one another. Draw up a Venn diagram of our childhood recreations and what we do in our spare time today, and they rarely intersect.
We evolve and develop new pursuits, creativity as an adult frequently takes on other mediums compared to what we engulfed ourselves with as kids. This is why vehicles are such a fascinating dichotomy. Young enthusiasts dream of one day building the dream car they’ve created on Need for Speed or sketched up on paper as a child, not yet able to drive or afford a car. Once it’s possible as a person of legal driving age, they’re constantly reprimanded for their poor financial decisions, as if they’re discouraged achieving a dream.
Cars are an adult-only appliance, but passion for them in its purest form (i.e. not to flex at Cars and Coffee, or impress potential partners), is introduced at a very young age. They touch four of the five senses, and this early exposure inundates us with ideas, and the potential to craft the perfect vehicle that embodies our perspective of the perfect all-round experience.
For Rick, he wanted the FD because to him, it was the “coolest looking car”, and Keisuke was “such a badass”. Initial D exuded an energy that young enthusiasts aspire to emulate, even today. Driving cars to their limit, wrenching on cars with friends, driving out on dates and roadtrips, going on solo drives to clear the mind, this was a lifestyle that would be fulfilled once a licence and a car were obtained. Very achievable, and it isn’t particularly materialistic, but more so, a vibe that is felt.
As adults, we’re guilty of always looking for more, the simple things that once gave us satisfaction are no longer adequate. Our dreams get grander, the goals are bigger and the release of dopamine becomes harder to achieve. Even vehicular, it’s the chase for more power, having the rarest wheels, the badge on the front and progressing to a more exclusive product.
It’s a shame, because not only are childhood dreams much simpler, but their fundamental nature means that achieving them more often than not gives the most powerful, positive reaction!
SPEC SHEET
POWERTRAIN
- 13B Mild Ported Engine
- OEM Sequential Twin Turbo with upgraded SP Caps
- Autoexe Ram Intake
- Knight Sport Super U Type II Intercooler
- PWR Radiator
- 3.5” SMB Full Exhaust
- Autoexe Oil Cap
- Mazdaspeed Engine Mounts
- Apexi Power FC
- RE Amemiya Short Shifter
- HKS LA Twin Plate Clutch
SUSPENSION
- Autoexe Coilovers
- Cusco Strut Brace
- OEM Spirit R Brake Rotors
- Dixcel Brake Pads
- Rays CE28SL 18” Rims
- Yokohama Advan AD08R Tyres
INTERIOR
- Retrimmed OEM Red Leather seats
- Nardi Personal Steering Wheel 350mm
- Works Bell Boss Kit
- RE Amemiya Carbon Shift Knob
- OEM Passenger Side Footrest
- FEED Carbon Scuff Plates
EXTERIOR
- RE Amemiya AD9 Carbon Bonnet
- RE Amemiya Super Carbon Rear View Mirrors
- Mazdaspeed Style Carbon Front Lip
- RE Amemiya Carbon Side Fender Outlet
- RE Amemiya Street Diffuser
- Odula Carbon Rear Wing Centre Piece
- FEED Style Carbon Side Skirts
- FEED Carbon Door Handle Covers
- EPMAN Push Button Bonnet Pins
