Roadster Garage “Hakoste” Hakosuka + Stagea
January 1, 2010 by Justin Karow
Filed under Latest Articles
Toyota 2000GT replica producer Roadster Garage has brought together two very unlikely candidates to bring the old school and (relatively) new school together: the Hakoste! The name “Hakoste” comes from Hakosuka, meaning “box Skyline”, and the first half of the Stagea name (ハコステ).
Roadster Garage made a lot of noise at the Tokyo Auto Salon and Nagoya Auto Trend last year with their Aki-Coupe, a Toyota 2000GT replica powered by none other than a 600PS N1 version of Nissan’s RB26DETT. They also produce kits for Mazda Roadsters (Miata/MX-5) to turn them into mini 2000GTs called the Roadster Hiroshi which, if you ask me, doesn’t pull the 2000GT look off as successfully as the almost perfect Aki-Coupe…
Back to the Hakosute though, it seems that Roadster Garage haven’t updated their website to include any details yet but it’s been featured in the December 2009 issue of Japan’s Custom Car magazine already. The engine is a similar N1 version RB26DETT like in the 2000GT replica so it’s not short of power that’s for sure. The kit consists of the front end conversion you can see in the photo above plus the C10-style “surfline” crease in the rear fenders and along the sides, C10 GT-R tail lights and chrome rear corner bumpers. So restyling isn’t just confined to the front like we thought initially, but a “complete car” as Roadster Garage put it. So how much will all this set you back? Well for a complete car built by Roadster Garage (the customer supplies the car obviously) they offer two options, the front kit only for 900,000 JPY, or the full kit for 1,700,000 JPY! The front and full kits are also available separately for 498,000 JPY and 980,000 JPY respectively. These prices of course only cover the exterior bodywork, so you’ll have to fork out more for wheels and suspension work to get it looking like the demo car here.
So what do you think? As a very different approach to front end swaps seen on Stageas previously, most notably the R34 GT-R face by Masa Motorsports, this Hakosuka face on the WGC34 Stagea looks… good in an interesting way? A few blogs have mentioned that the C34 Stagea can’t be made to look any uglier so the Hakosuka face is somewhat of an obvious choice seeing that the Stagea is so boxy as well. The black overfenders, fender mounted mirrors and choice of wheels (and fitment) all go together to pull the conversion off quite convincingly, don’t you think?
If I had the $20K or so burning a hole in my pocket, I wouldn’t say no to one!
Words: Justin Karow
Image: Custom Car
Jalopnik would call this so ugly that it’s beautiful. Pretty interesting work on this car.
It’s certainly different I’ll give it that. Just looking at that seam down the side it seems to marry up to the front guards nicely so they haven’t just slapped it on. So in that regard I think it’s good but maybe not something I’d have in the driveway
I think I have a copy of that magazine, it’s got some prices listed but that’s all I can understand (it’s in japanese). I’ll scan it in and email it to you if you’re interested
Yes please Blake if it’s not too much trouble. Thanks for the offer
Contact details are here: http://www.7tune.com/contact-page/
I have mixed feelings with this car. Mostly of anger mixed with frustration…actually that’s a lie, I just don’t like how the lines just don’t match up. Curvy first gen lines and then straight StageA lines.
Sent you an email Justin, hope it helps!
It’s actually motivated by an RB26. I deemed it the Stagesuka wagon (I noticed the S-chassis guys usually use the faceplanted end after the base vehicle ie. s13.4). It not only has the front end, but also the Hako taillights, surfline rear fender and rear chrome bumperettes.
http://kyushakai.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/audi-rs6-avants-are-garbage/
Thanks Blake
Thanks for that too Kyusha Kai, Blakes pics also showed the RB26DETT under there, just haven’t had time to update the article. Anyway I’ve got some pricing info now too so check it out.
Also about the name, “ハコステ” (Hakoste or Hakosute if you want spell out the katakana) is what the car is known by in Japan so that’s why we called it that.
Not sure how I feel about that front end… It’s all wrong but yet, right in some way. I think aesthetically, at least body wise, cars should be left free from the old vs new splicing.
I’m all for new tech under the body replacing the old stuff but you cant half caste a hakosuka!
Any more pics guys??
I can appreciate the workmen shop that has gone into it…but definitely not my cup of tea.
I find this build genius! Where can I find more pictures and details of it?
BURN IT WITH FIRE!!! I love Stageas, and I love C10 Skylines, but that is a monstrosity!