Project Crown: A New Beginning

22 February 2023

As many of you know, I loved my Eunos Roadster, also known as Project BRG. I had made it into what I thought of perfect for me which was just a simple car that was just a wheels and suspension build and was reliable, had only genuine high-quality Japanese parts, had the iconic looks I liked, while also being in impeccable condition. Other than the typical roof leaks that seem unavoidable, it was completely trouble-free motoring. This might be why you might be surprised to learn that I sold it, especially considering I had just finished perfecting it.

Well, sometimes a deal too good to pass up comes up. As many of you know, I grew up around JZ’s, and love them myself. Further on that, the reason I sold my first car, a 95’ Honda Accord Coupe SiR, was to buy a Lexus GS300, and the reason I sold my old 300ZX was also to an Aristo. This might show you that I have an interest in big-body turbo JZ cars. Well, before I could see the new car and confirm the deal, we needed to go on a quick 3-hour road trip to Oamaru to meet up.

After meeting up on a side road, the first issue was found. After lifting the trunk floor up to inspect the spare tyre well, I found that it was flooded and filled to the brim with water. Luckily no rust through. So with that, and after a bit of negotiation, the car I traded my beloved Project BRG for is a 2000 Toyota Crown Estate Athlete V JZS171W complete with a turbo 1JZ-GTE VVTi, 168,000KM on the odometer, and only 1 prior NZ owner.

It’s completely original other than some Mitsuba Alpha sports horns and some weak 18x7.5-inch Warwic Monza Mesh wheels and is in fairly good condition other than a few scratches, key marks, and a couple of large cigarette burns. Finished in Toyota Silver Metallic 1C0, it also has a 4-speed automatic and is a complete boat weighing in at 1680 KG. Luxury amenities include an Electro Multivision touchscreen infotainment with a TV and GPS, a DVD ROM, a 6-disk CD changer, dual-zone climate control, heated electric mirrors, Swinging Vents, drivers automatic window, 6-way electric driver's seat, steering wheel shifter buttons, electric reclining rear seats, and a massive 630-litre trunk.

While coming back from Oamaru in style, the complete comfort I was in was unfortunately interrupted. First of all, as we were leaving the small town of Oamaru, I found the first issue I wasn’t aware of on the drive back. The oh-so-cool EMV touchscreen was bust and half the screen didn’t work meaning that when the climate control was turned on, there was no way to turn the A/C off. It also meant that other things like the clock and sound equalizer didn’t work. Other than that, the trip was mostly trouble-free, until we were 30 minutes from home. As we were nearly home, the check engine light came on. Although it quickly disappeared, it soon came back with some very unwanted hesitations before disappearing again.

Despite a couple of issues, I'm still very happy with the deal. I mean, I got an amazing deal and ended up with a car I've always loved for its awesome powertrain and equally cool boxy wagon looks. I plan to make the Crown a reliable yet quick cruiser that just consists of a few key Japanese mods. If you are keen to see this, stay tuned to Project Crown.