I sometimes feel like I’m living a crazy life with all manner of crap going on around me. I don’t have the same level of independence compared to others so I have to deal with a lot more people just to get out the door. I make music, post photos of cars on Instagram, play racing games, post to GT Planet, watch Hell’s Kitchen on YouTube and write these blog posts on the odd occasion. There’s also a whole load of political BS but at least the memes are funny. We live on a strange planet filled with weirdness and delusional overlords but Highball Cars And Coffee doesn’t have any of that because everyone is welcome. This edition didn’t have as many “big ticket” items so to speak but we still had some interesting rides showing up. The colour theme on the lawn was blue, hence the title, but with such a big range of hues, it wasn’t quite the same as last time. Anyway, that’s enough of my waffling, so let’s get into it.
What’s better than one R34 GT-R? 2 of course! These specimens in Bayside Blue are the sort of things that a lot of young American kids wished they had more access too. Here in Australia, you can live out your JDM dreams without dealing with stupid laws. Interesting how both the front bumpers and body kits are different.
This is a Volvo 850 owned by my good friend Carter, who has something of an obsession with the 850. I mean his Instagram name is 850Visuals for god’s sake so this was always going to happen one way or another. Unfortunately, he went through two before getting this one. It’s a little scuffed but I don’t care because when people think Volvo, this is the car they visualise. A boxy wagon with a charm that’s typically Scandinavian. Can’t wait to see more of this thing.
The Dodge Charger is one of my favourite cars and HEMIHP is the nicest one you’re ever going to see. It wasn’t even in the main event area but that doesn’t matter because I’ve been desperate to do a proper set of photos since seeing it for the first time at Highball In The Mall 02. I can’t say enough about the presence this vehicle STILL has 56 years after it was built. It’s a proper muscle car.
Now for something more stylish: an Aston Martin DB12 Volante. The open-top edition of the DB11’s successor is an absolute stunner and I think it’s even better looking than the DB9. Don’t know if dad will agree but the brand is classier than ever under the leadership of Lawrence Stroll. They are on a roll right now with an incredible selection of cars and I for one am a big fan. This exquisite car with a twin-turbo V8 was loaned to Patrick (2PJZ), who said it felt “illegal” to have such a car. You’re a lucky boy mate.
When BMW wanted to make it’s open-top Z3 sports car a coupe, it ended up becoming a weird hatchback that quickly gained the nickname of “clownshoe”. The long bonnet and strange cabin looked like a shoe with an oversized front cap for the toes, but this in turn gave it a cult following where the styling is embraced. The performance of the car (officially named the Z3 M Coupe) is no laughing matter though with an inline 6 producing 315HP, rear wheel drive and the trademark BMW handling. Be careful who you call ugly.
How about this metallic blue Evo 6 with white wheels? I’ve seen a lot of nice Evos before but none are quite as dazzling as this one. I don’t think this is a factory colour because the purpose of the Evo was to attack rally stages in all types of conditions, not star in a fashion parade. However this one would because everything about it is just perfection. JUST LOOK AT IT. A definite contender for car of the year.
Now, let’s have some more blue cars.
This intermission was sponsored by the DevMacCars Shop.
This is a Huracan STO “Spyder” – a model that doesn’t officially exist in the Huracan lineup, so what’s going on? Well based on the wheel fitment, this is a normal Huracan Spyder with an STO bodykit, not an STO with the roof cut off. This car is obviously not going to perform the same way but the aero would still provide a small performance benefit over the standard model. I suppose the next step would be fixing the wheel fitment because at the moment it looks like a Need For Speed mod. I would be interested to know how much the parts cost and whether they are legit Lamborghini items.
Here is a formidable duo of Japanese icons that have become extremely desirable in recent times. The white NSX-R from 2002 is one of the rarest variants of the mid-engined hero that went toe to toe with the Ferrari 348 more than 30 years ago. Of course by 2002 Ferrari had well and truly moved on but anyway, a factory spec NSX-R will command a higher price than a Ferrari 360 today. The yellow FD RX-7 would not but it’s still a wonderful car with the correct mods as you can see. If you treat the 13B engine right, it will prove to be reliable.
The E34 BMW 5 Series/M5 is not a car you see very often around here so seeing 3 of them in one day is a treat. All the cars shown here are in fantastic condition with the right stance and wheels. Stock E34’s are appreciating in value at the moment and it’s easy to see why. The car is reliable, handsome and practical with a cool factor that only a 90’s BMW can provide. It’s not the most advanced car on the road but that’s not a bad thing when you have a quality product.
When I saw this Ferrari 296 Spider, I immediately thought of a pistachio nut. It’s an odd colour choice for a mid-engined supercar but that’s what makes it interesting compared to other Ferraris. Another thing that makes the 296 interesting is it’s engine: a 2.9 litre V6 with two turbo chargers and a hybrid system making over 800 HP. Curiously, the 296 is the first V6 Ferrari road car because the Dino never had a Ferrari badge on it. Some may lament the passing of the V8 but I don’t because the performance from this car is mighty.
Did the Japanese mafia show up? Here are two Toyota Century limos and they’re some of the most gangster cars I’ve ever seen at Highball Cars And Coffee. I don’t know how these cars came to be but there’s sure to be an intriguing story because there can’t be too many around.
I must admit, I felt a little disappointed after leaving but once I saw the photos, I realised that I was being too harsh. There was still plenty to talk about and more than enough content to keep my Instagram page going for a little while. No matter how bad things get, you can always rely on the Highball Motor Club to put on a fantastic car meet.
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