For the first time, SEMA 2016 didn’t have just one, but two Hakosukas present, both parked side-by-side, each representing two powerhouses in the Japanese tuning industry. One, more of a street build at ENEOS, the other, a fully prepped race car representing OS Giken. ENEOS wanted to tell a story this year with its vehicle selections: as cars have progressed, so has their product line. What better way to explain their JDM heritage than with iconic vehicles, such as the Hakosuka.
The Hakosuka you see here belongs to Ginash George out of Chicago, Illinois, best known for running JDM Chicago. ENEOS was looking for a classic Japanese car to display, and through a recommendation by IND Distribution, decided to bring Ginash’s car.
“They wanted to showcase an older Japanese car to highlight their involvement with these historical vehicles,” Ginash said. “In fact, they released a promotional vehicle that features my car, a current GT-R and their history as an OEM oil supplier.”
Ginash felt this would be a great opportunity to bring something different to SEMA, and judging by the amount of photos we saw on social media, people love different.
“To have my street Hako adjacent to [OS Giken’s] purpose-built track car was really cool,” he said.
Though the popularity of the Hakosuka is soaring high right now, Ginash has owned his for a good four years. He originally wanted a R35 GT-R, but the high dealer prices prevented him from buying one. Instead, he started looking into importers that were bringing in older cars from Japan, such as JDM Legends, the shop that brought this very Hakosuka stateside. After patiently enduring some time on a wait list, he called to ask when one would finally be available, when shop manager Eric Bizek told him a clean model was on its way over. Ginash sent his deposit in immediately, and he worked with Eric to get the car cleaned up and retrofitted with some GT-R parts before it was sent back out to Chicago.
JDM Legends gives every car a standard inspection, which includes a compression and leak down test; the Hakosuka motor was still strong, but it had been built by the previous owner at some point. As much as purists try to keep these cars as original as possible, Ginash is looking to do an engine swap soon.
“In case you’re wondering, 90 horsepower is as bad as it sounds,” he confirmed. “With that said, I’m looking at possibly a more modern RB for improved power, reliability and safety. As much as I love the original L20, it’s time for more power and something I can take on long cruises without worrying or it needing constant tweaking.”
At the end of the day, both ENEOS and Ginash hope enthusiasts who saw this Hakosuka can walk away with a newfound appreciation for a vintage car.
“The reception was unbelievable,” he added. “I was very humbled by the reactions of those who stopped by to see it.”
(Photos: Byron Yoshida)
See more photos of the Nissan legend in the gallery below.
Keyword: ENEOS Brings a Nissan Legend to SEMA 2016