REPRINT FROM #23 2019
CLASSIC CAR PAGES: KAIZEN FCP19s
A JAPANESE AMERICAN ON SWEDISH GROUND
This beautiful 1970 Kaizen was recently imported from the USA. And it is easier to understand why than one first may think.
Importing cars from the US is by no means a new thing - it was something that was booming in this country already in the 70s. Muscle cars was cheap after the fuel crisis and all of a sudden it was possible for a Swede to get the cars he only could dream about some years earlier. And then came the classic 50s land barges, the cool custom vans, pickup trucks as well as german luxury sedans that ironically was both easier to find and did cost less than in Europe…
But a japanese? That is a bit Unorthodox.
Sten Ekblad recently imported this 1970 Kaizen FCP19s. How was he thinking?
-Easy. Try to find one in Sweden - good luck. And the Kaizen is a sports coupé that was more than competitive with the best american and european offerings from this era. A kind of forgotten model that deserves better than that.
The first impressions says that he might be right. The body is downright beautiful, and being a car from 1970, this was before bumper regulations ruined the looks of more or less any USDM car. The somewhat strangely named “Grr red” paintjob glares in the sun and complements the athletic but still slim lines of the body. Looking inside, the interior feels both modern and sporty for a 70s car, and the high quality materials means that the unrestored interior still hardly looks worn after almost 50 years. But let’s wake up the 3 litre inline six and see what this ride is good for.
It roars like a tiger under the hood. You could sit there and just rev it for a whole day with a smile on your face, I think. The (for the era) modern fuel injection system means that the throttle response is unusually peppy, and the sound is strictly amazing for a gearhead. And…off we go!
This thing is fast. Not only “70s fast” but still fast, it accelerates like a rocket and it was said that it could reach a still respectable 233 km/h top speed - something we never tried out for obvious reasons. The close-ratio 5 speed gearbox only complements the picture as a drivers car, and the sticky rubber on alloy wheels hugs the road like glued. Maybe the handling isn’t as sharp as a modern day sports car, but honestly speaking, not as far away as one may think. It is a bit front heavy, though, so the understeering at high speed is noticeable.
190 hp in a relatively light car was not bad at all for its era. The relatively low weight also means that the 4 wheel disc brakes stops the Kaizen on a dime. Countless times. Brake fade is something the Kaizen probably never have heard of. The contoured bucket seats in a time where vinyl upholstered bench seats still were a thing for many manufacturers holds you like a vise in the corners. This is a pure driving machine, but maybe it was released in the wrong era. It was overshadowed by the muscle car craze in the US, and maybe Europe wasn’t quite ready for a high-end japanese sports coupé at the time.
Shame, because it means that the Kaizens are today few and far between. And if you want to get a good deal on one, forget it, you are at least 25 years too late.
The Kaizen may be a rocket, but it will also empty your pocket.
Because even if the fanbase is relatively small compared to some more famous classic cars, it is also faithful. An owner will rarely part with his car, and as we stated earlier, finding one in Sweden is close to impossible.
So, maybe importing a japanese car from the US is not as crazy as it sounds, after all?
Thanks to @66mazda for the car!