Love it or hate it, engine swaps have become a normal occurrence in the import scene. American V8s (LS motors, to be specific) power numerous street cars, amateur cars and pro cars alike. In Japan, you'll find occurrences along the same lines, with larger engines being stuffed into smaller chassis for better power-to-weight numbers. However, that's not the topic of today's discussion. Today is an appreciation of factory-allotted straight six power from Toyota: the JZ engine and the owners that love them.
Straight Up Love for the Straight Six
Each year at Fuji Speedway, tucked into the misty countryside of Oyama, Japan, the distinct sound of Toyota power plants cuts through the fog. Although the name is technically "All Japan 1JZ Drift Meeting," 2JZ and 1.5JZ powered autos are now allowed to attend and drift around the outer lots of Fuji. Since adding the 1.5 and 2JZ, the number of factory-produced JZ cars in attendance has jumped to over 25 different models (and that doesn't even count the numerous cars around the parking lot with JZ transplants under the hood). This engine-specific meet (rather than marque or model-specific) allows for a commonality and bond between attendees, while still offering a variety of cars to drool over and photograph.
Luckily the event allowed us to scour the parking lots for hidden gems and watch the big bodied JZ drift cars slide about in the rain for a few hours, so enjoy the big gallery at the top!