It was a dark and stormy night.
From deep in the mists of ‘80s movie lore emerges a Cressida with a worryingly stretched front end punctuated with a Bosozoku-style exhaust jutting menacingly out of a 1jz powerplant.
Bobby Nitro has always wanted to start a feature with these words, and here’s the perfect opportunity, Harvey Appollis’ mashup creation on a Toyota Cressida base.
Harvey, better known as D1 Monkey and as a judge at Drift Outlaws, spoke to Bobby about his Mad Max-inspired Drift car.
He says: “From a young age I followed car magazines, the Japanese car scene, and combined with my love for movies such as Mad Max, Knight Rider and Pirates of the Caribbean, seeds were planted in my imagination that have culminated on this build.
“It has been an outlet for my creativity, and the crazier I went the better. I am all about standing out and looking different. If I was to be in an apocalypse, The Pearl would be what I would be driving.”
One example of this creativity is Harvey’s fix after the back window popped during body work.
Instead of trying to find a replacement window, he used decorative burglar bar pieces and scrap steel to build a louvre.
Like all fascinating tales, this one begins on a different-but-related tangent, with Harvey’s girlfriend offering to buy him a racing seat for his birthday. He says: “I persuaded her to give me the money and I would purchase it. It just so happened that she left Cape Town on a short break. While she was away I was contacted by one of my buddies who told me that there was a Cressida body on wheels for sale, so instead of a seat I bought a car, and the rest is history. She returned and had a cadenza.”
As for that exhaust fashioned from the nudge bar of a bakkie, Harvey says it’s Bosozoku-inspired.
Bosozoku means “violent speed tribe” and is a term coined in the 1970s originally referring to modified scooters ridden by rebellious teens, but soon spread to cars with lowering, boxed fenders and crazy front splitters.
The other Bosozoku feature on the car is the bonnet and front fenders which were extended after the entire front end of the car was cut away, giving it a shark nose look and making access to the engine easier.
The radiator now sits where a back seat should be. Rear wings were fabricated from sheet metal that was re-purposed from an old sign.
Harvey adds: “All the signage and stickers on the car were done by myself as signage is what I do for a living. There’s still a lot more that I plan to do on the car. She’s about 75% complete.
The Toyota 1jz GTE with bigger turbo is apparently good for 250kW, but only managing 170kW on the dyno due to clutch issues. He says: “I’m aiming for reliability because, as we know, with great power comes deep pockets!”
Harvey started out in RC Drifting, started attending car shows and meeting the people who shared his passion, and became part of the Drift community and a judge. He says: “The Razor Customs Drift Outlaws series has afforded the drifting community in Cape Town a place showcase our skills and talents.
“I follow most international drift series and events so I’m constantly keeping abreast on what is happening on the international fronts.
“The knowledge gained is what I use when marshaling and judging in the drift series.”
Bobby had to ask about people’s reactions when they see this car. Harvey says: “Many are confused and don’t really understand what it is that they are looking at.
“They are curious about the thought processes involved with the build. Most people like it, yet there are some mixed reactions, but hey it’s my car, it’s my ‘Precious’.
“My main aim is to have fun and it has been. If people want to see more then they can follow me on @D1_monkey or @mgi_signage.”