1989 Paris Dakar Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser with Tamiya as sponsor

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Original source in Japanese language: My navi news

Go out to meet the machines that came to the facilities and events of the city, jumping out of the circuit and garage, the series ‘A town car racing car’. This time is the story of “Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser” which is a Paris · Dakar Rally participation vehicle that we met in the front garden of Shizuoka City · Tamiya head office building.

“Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser” @ Tamiya Head Office (Shizuoka City)

The goal point of Paris Dakar was the capital of Senegal

Senegal who fought Japan against the group league at the FIFA World Cup 2018 Russian tournament. Such capital Dakar of Senegal is famous as the goal point of “Paris · Dakar Rally” which is said to be the harshest rally in the world. It was a competition that ran from France / Paris to Dakar once, but due to political instability of transit countries, it is currently held under the name of “Dakar Rally” in South America.

“Team Land Cruiser · Toyota Auto Body” who participated in Dakar Rally 2018

At the Dakar Rally 2018 held in January, the “Land Cruiser 200 (VDJ 200 type)” of the “Toyota Auto Body Team Land Cruiser” won the class in the diesel car division without retailing commercial vehicles. We have achieved 5 consecutive victories as a team. About 30 years ago, “Land Cruiser 70 (BJ 74 Type)” who was participating in the same class from Japan is “Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser” introduced this time.

“Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser” 1989 Specification

“Team ACP” who challenged Paris Dakar for the first time as a Japanese

It is Paris Dakar that began in 1979, but in 1981 “Team ACP” by media correspondents started participating from Japan as soon as possible. In the same year I finished with Toyota “Starlet”, and in the following year I won the class with Toyota “Carina”, so I took up the topic with my 2WD car. In addition, it also serves as a support for 2WD cars, and also entered from Land Cruiser from the beginning. I kept fighting with Land Cruiser all the time until the year 1993 which was the last challenge of the team.

Challenge from Japan. It has an international number to bring it overseas

When the actor, Yosuke Natsuki, participated from ‘Team Children’ s Wolf ‘in 1985, the degree of public attention in Japan of Paris Dakar rose in a stroke. In 1987, the popular TV program “NARUTO! THE WORLD” closely adheres to the team ACP, as a singer / Yumi Matsutoya Yumi singing to another private team’s support caught up in a wide range of media. Participating warfare team from Japan and sponsoring Japanese companies will also increase.

The logo of various Japanese companies color the body

In 1989 and 1990, team ACP was sponsored by world model manufacturer Tamiya. With that kind of affair, it was exhibited in Tamiya head office building. Although the photograph is a specification car in 1989, the 1990 specification car is also made into a popular hobby “familiar Tamiya” mini 4-wheel drive “

Body color reminiscent of Tamiya’s logo mark

Running a course over 10,000 km, the second best in the class

This “Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser” participated in the 11 th conference in 1989. From Paris to Tunis (the capital city of Tunisia) – Dakar run over 20,000 kilometers over 20,000 km, shining 2nd in the diesel car category with no retail cars.

Mr. Kubota is a driver, Ryuji Tsuruta is a navigator

Safety equipment including a seatbelt for competition and a roll cage for protecting passengers during rolling are added, but the main parts such as engines and transmissions are the same as the commercially available land cruiser. Activities at PARIS DAKAR are also proof of the reliability of commercial vehicles.

The same BJ74 type “Land Cruiser” that was on the market at the time

Even after Team ACP leaves Paris Dakar, it has been selected as many teams and continues to be active even now, “Toyota Land Cruiser”. “Toyota Auto Body Team Land Cruiser” is going for test runs from May as early as possible for the Dakar Rally 2019. It is anticipated for the 6th consecutive title of the commercial car division!

“Team Land Cruiser · Toyota Auto Body” who won class in Dakar Rally 2017

Team ACP Toyota Land Cruiser (Specified in 1989)

Full length × full width × full height 4,265 mm x 1,690 mm x 1,905 mm
Wheelbase 2,600 mm
engine 13B-T type in-line 4-cylinder diesel turbo
Displacement 3,431 cc
Maximum output 120 ps / 3, 400 rpm
Maximum torque 29.0 kgf-m / ​​2,000 rpm

About Tamiya headquarters
There is a real car exhibition corner with the showroom at the Tamiya head office in Shizuoka City, and tours are possible (reservation required). Every year, an open house (general tour without reservation unnecessary) was held according to the public release date of the Shizuoka Hobby Show, and this year I was greeted by this “Land Cruiser” at the front yard.

It is along SBS street lined with ward office and large shopping center

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