26 replies to this topic

[Formula Once]

I know this car did the Japan Grand Prix in 1968 (?) and won, but has anyone more information about other races it did, if any. Thanks.

[ohazamiizugahara]

Yes, Mr Makino's web site is a good site to know early Japanese motorsport.
Small comment from me.

There three typs of Toyota 7
1968 3000cc
1969 5000cc
1970 5000cc with turbo

In 1968 Toyota 7 could not won the Japanese GP.
The winner was Nissan R381 with Chevy.
2nd Porsche 910
3rd Nissan R380

Best Toyota 7 was 8th !!

After the Japanese GP Toyota entered their machine to local Japanese races and won most of the races.

The winner of Fuji 1000km race


In 1969 the Japanese GP
The winner Nissan R382 with 6000cc their own engine
2nd Nissan R382
3rd Toyota 7

Toyota 7 Turbo never raced.

[Team Result]

While browsing through the latest issue of Best Car at a newsagency yesterday I found a photo of a Toyota 7 in their interesting Motorsport History of Japan '60's & '70's feature.
It was the 5-litre model with the high rear wing competing at the Fuji Can-Am race in November 1969.
It's car number was 5 and the driver had an unusual three character family name, which I couldn't decipher - something-ko-da His first name was possibly Hiroshi.
Well, the interesting part of the photo caption was the claim that this car was the only '7' to be built using a modified McLaren chassis (M6?) !

[Formula Once]

Well, these are the results I found of that 1969 race... Looks like you mean Hiroshi Fushida who is here listed as driving a Toyota powered M12. Fushida was at the time a Toyota driver. Interesting.

1. 8 Minoru Kawai (J) Toyota 7 Series II
2. 45 John Cannon (CDN) Ford G7A J10
3. - Lothar Motschenbacher (USA) McLaren M12 Chevrolet
4. - Gary Wilson (USA) Lola T163 Chevrolet SL163/19?
5. - Kuniomi Nagamatsu (J) Porsche 908 Taki Racing Team
6. - Shigeki Asaoka (J) Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet Isuzu
7. - Hideo Ooishi (J) McLaren M12 Chevrolet 60-09

Did not finish:
- Jackie Oliver (GB) Autocoast Ti 22 Chevrolet

Other starters:
- xxx Toyota
- xxx Toyota
- Tony Dean (GB) Porsche 908/02 015
- Peter Revson (USA) Lola T163 Chevrolet SL163/18
- Fushida McLaren M12 Toyota
- Chuck Parsons (USA) Lola T163B Chevrolet SL164/21

[Formula Once]

In the meantime, I understand that the turbocharged Toyota-7 built for 1970 (planned to race in the Can-Am Challenge) never raced because Toyota stopped the project after both Sachio Fukuzawa (driving a closed version of the 7) and Minoru Kawai were killed in testing.

[Team Result]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Formula Once
[B]Well, these are the results I found of that 1969 race... Looks like you mean Hiroshi Fushida who is here listed as driving a Toyota powered M12. Fushida was at the time a Toyota driver. Interesting. [QUOTE]

Ah, yes it could also be read as 'something-shi-da' with the something read as 'Fu'.
However the article definitely calls it one of the Toyota 7's, which makes sense with what you say about Fushida being a works driver. Perhaps a foreign journalist discovered the origin of the chassis and wrote McLaren in his report that your results are based on.
Interesting information about the turbo Toyota ' programme. If they did their testing at Fuji, the infamous banking may have been part of the reason for the fatal accidents. The same article I read had a photo of an accident between a 908, a modified 240Z and a another sports-racing car with No1 on it. I'm not sure if this was during the Can-Am event.

[PS30-SB]

Originally posted by Team Result Perhaps a foreign journalist discovered the origin of the chassis and wrote McLaren in his report that your results are based on.

The use of that McLaren chassis was widely reported in the Japanese specialist press at the time. There was no real 'secret' about it.

Originally posted by Team Result If they did their testing at Fuji, the infamous banking may have been part of the reason for the fatal accidents.

Sachio* Fukuzawa's fatal crash happened at Fuji Speedway ( 12th February 1969 ), but just before the '30R' hairpin - after the '160R' left-hander and kind of mid-way through the '100R' right-hander. It wasn't anywhere near the banking.

Minoru Kawai's fatal crash happened just before the '300R' corner at Suzuka ( 26th August 1970 ).


* The kanji of Fukuzawa's given name is sometimes reported as reading 'Yoshio' - but he used the reading 'Sachio'.

[Team Result]

Thanks for the clarifications.
I have since found a contemporary Japanese report where it was called a McLaren Toyota.

[Formula Once]

Dear PS30-SB,

I wonder: is it true that Fukuzawa was driving a closed coupe version of the 7 and was Kawai also driving a 7 (the turbo?) that fateful day in August 1970 i.e. was the Turbo project not cancelled until late in the 1970 season?

Thanks for any information you may be able to share.

[PS30-SB]

Formula Once,
There were some follow-up articles about the crashes in the Japanese press of the period, and I have some of them - but will have to research them before answering fully.

But just off the top of my head I think both were open Toyota 7s. I don't remember one of them being a Coupe shape.........

Let me locate the articles in the magazines again and see what I can find. Bear with me. Most of this stuff is in boxes in the loft......

[ohazamiizugahara]

Regarding Fukuzawa's death.

As far as I know his fatal crash was at Fukuroi circuit which was Yamaha private test course.
His machine is another mistery.
His machine was a special machine.
It has closed body which was designed by Pete Block.
But Toyota did not disclose in detail.

[ohazamiizugahara]

The winner of 1969 Japanese CanAm race.
5000cc Toyota 7.

[Pedro 917]

Goodwood FoS 2007 :






Copyright Luc Ghys

[PS30-SB]

Originally posted by ohazamiizugahara
Regarding Fukuzawa's death.
As far as I know his fatal crash was at Fukuroi circuit which was Yamaha private test course.

Many thanks for the clarification. The report of Fukuzawa's accident that I had referred to mentioned that the crash happened in Shizuoka prefecture. Of course, Fukuroi ( then only recently built ) and Fuji Speedway are both in that region. I automatically presumed it had happened at Fuji. My apologies for the mistake.

Originally posted by Formula Once
I wonder: is it true that Fukuzawa was driving a closed coupe version of the 7 and was Kawai also driving a 7 (the turbo?) that fateful day in August 1970 i.e. was the Turbo project not cancelled until late in the 1970 season?

I have been looking for the follow-up reports in the Japanese specialist press of the period, and there are several that give some information - but it looks as though Toyota were not being all that forthcoming. I saw more about Kawai's accident ( including photos of the car both at the crash site, and after having been taken back inside a building - probably for examination ) which shows clearly that it was an open-topped twin-turbocharged version. The turbines themselves are visible in the post-crash photos.

Fukuzawa's accident at Fukuroi in February '69 seems to have less coverage overall, but the May 1969 issue of AUTO SPORT Japan ( issue no.48 ) carried some interesting photos that were taken at Fukuroi before the crash. The photos were probably taken without full authorisation, and look more like what we would call 'spy shots' today.

The photo captions tell us that two cars with new ( more enlosed ) bodywork and improved chassis were being tested. One car was black and one was "grey" - but the photos all seem ( to my eye at least ) to show a black car with two different rear end treatments. Two different crash helmet colours can be seen, and I believe the darker is that of Fukuzawa. The photos captions speculate that the lighter coloured crash helmet might be that of Hosoya, and it certainly looks like him.

The captions go on to mention the "unnatural" driving position ( both drivers' heads are clearly sticking out of where a door would fit ) and the fact that a distributor is visible through the clear engine cover. They mention that it resembles that of an "American V8 engine" - but they don't categorically state what engines were being used, and most likely because they did not know for sure.

Here are the photos from the report:









Final photo shows one of the cars nearing the spot at the end of the long straight where Fukuzawa went off to his right:



All photos copyright AUTO SPORT Magazine Japan, taken from the May 1969 issue.

[D-Type]

For those who are interested in models: Del Prado produced a 1/43 model of the unraced 1970 Toyota 7 Turbo. It and others in the Del Prado range can currently be found in £1 shops in the UK.

Others in the series I have seen are: Lola T70 coupé , Ford GT Mk2 (Le Mans 1968 winner), Datsun 240Z race car, Subaru Impreza rally car.

[PS30-SB]

From the April 1969 edition of Auto Sport in Japan:

A two-page spread in the magazine reports that on the 10th of February there was an opening ceremony event held at Yamaha's new Fukuroi test circuit, including a parade of Toyota sports racing cars. A total of 5 cars took part in this parade, and one of them was a new closed coupe in a light colour - so I'm wondering if this could be the "grey" coloured car that was reported in the 'spy' testing shots article that was carried in the May edition of the magazine?

Of course, this circuit opening ceremony and Toyota parade took place just two days before Fukuzawa was to perish there.......

The short article seems to be quite excited about this "new" coupe, and - somewhat curiously to my mind anyway - it mentions that the front-end treatment is "similar to the ( HINO ) Samurai prototype and the TR-250K", which were both style by Pete Brock of BRE. I wonder if this is a veiled reference to Brock's actual involvement, as previously reported by member ohazamiizugahara, without official confirmation? But to me the coupe looks far more Porsche 908/910/917-like than anything I've seen from Brock..........

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, but this was taken from original pages that were not much better than newsprint:





Both photos Copyright AUTO SPORT Magazine Japan, from the April 1969 issue ( Vol.6 No.5 ).

[ohazamiizugahara]

Originally posted by PS30-SB


Here are the photos from the report:









Final photo shows one of the cars nearing the spot at the end of the long straight where Fukuzawa went off to his right:



All photos copyright AUTO SPORT Magazine Japan, taken from the May 1969 issue.

PS30-SB, thank you very much for your posting.
I strongly beleave that this machine was 5,000cc Toyota 7.
Toyota prepared 5,000cc Toyota 7 for 1969 Japanese Grand Prix which was held 10/10/1969 at Fuji Speed way.
In those days there was an information that Nissan was making their own 5,000cc racing engine for 1969 Japanese GP.

I do not know the reason why Toyota made their first 5000cc machine with closed body.
The Japanese GP was by Group 7.

They made open body Toyota 7 soon.
The first race of 5000 Toyota 7 was Fuji 1000km race in July.
I was there.

[y44na710]

Hello. I will contribute because I found the thread of Toyota 7.
The image that I scanned from the magazine before is appended.

Toyota "6" (frist 5-litre model?)
It is one of the prototype model of the variation of Toyota 7. based on 3-litre chassis.

(I am very sorry. These images have become very very very large. Please note it.... )

http://img188.images...2/img023efe.jpg

http://img269.images.../img0212onb.jpg

The practice run was done with the Yatabe high-speed surroundings circuit at the end of January in 1969.
It is Shihomi Hosoya to take charge of driving.

http://img188.images...32/img0222l.jpg

The person who stands at the center is Hosoya.
The car of the back is 'Brock' Toyota JP6.

http://img188.images.../img0202rid.jpg

I guess the modification to the car to which these cars are contributed by PS30-SB.

Source: June 2005, Nostalgic Hero Vol.109 'The phantom of Toyota 6' Japan

Edited by y44na710, 13 July 2009 - 13:38.

[Duc-Man]

I found this one on a french site:



Artist?

And here is something about it:
http://www.ultimatec...ta-7-Turbo.html

Edited by Duc-Man, 13 July 2009 - 14:21.

[WDH74]

y44na710-I'm curious about the car pictured in your last link. The bodywork appears to be made of clear plastic. Is this meant for display purposes, or is it meant to be a "window" for the driver to be able to see out of? It reminds me of Chaparral 2H, which was meant to be a coupe and had large clear panels on the sides.

Slight hijack-are there any good English language books on the early years of the Japanese auto industry, and on Japanese motorsports in general? I've always been interested in it (so many interesting cars that were seldom or never exported, at least to the US) but I've only been able to piece things together through website articles (where the information could be suspect) and Japanese magazines, which I can't read very well.

-William

[y44na710]

There is a supplementation about toyota 7 and JP6.

Chassis Code / Motor
400S (JP6, built by BRE) / Toyota 3M
415S (3-litre) / Toyota (Yamaha) ??E (Sorry, this was forgotten. )
474S (5-litre, "New" 7) / Toyota (Yamaha) 79E
578A (5-litre Turbo) / Toyota (Yamaha) 91E

y44na710-I'm curious about the car pictured in your last link. The bodywork appears to be made of clear plastic. Is this meant for display purposes, or is it meant to be a "window" for the driver to be able to see out of? It reminds me of Chaparral 2H, which was meant to be a coupe and had large clear panels on the sides.

Slight hijack-are there any good English language books on the early years of the Japanese auto industry, and on Japanese motorsports in general? I've always been interested in it (so many interesting cars that were seldom or never exported, at least to the US) but I've only been able to piece things together through website articles (where the information could be suspect) and Japanese magazines, which I can't read very well.

-William

William
It might certainly look like Chaparral 2H. The part where the body is transparent is made of the acrylic fiber according to information in this magazine. This seem to have been to confirm the current of air that cooled the side radiator after the string of the length of about 100mm had been installed. When confirming it, it seems to have observed it from the car that accompanied to this car.
Therefore, it is different from the purpose to secure view on the side. A left side of the body is like a usual panel.

Because I am Japanese, it is not so detailed though it is a good book written in English about a car of the development period of the auto sector of Japan or initial motor sports. The wall of the language is difficult.
There is a book written in Japanese or each mind that is. Though naturally, there is no explanation in English.
Though it is a reference.....
[日本の名レース100選: 100 great race of Japan]
http://as-web.jp/rac.../backnumber.php
[ニッポンのクルマ20世紀: Car of Nippon of the 20th century]
http://www.yaesu-net...hiyomi/NP1.html

It apologizes not to be able to become your help.

Edited by y44na710, 14 July 2009 - 06:51.

[ohazamiizugahara]

Hello. I will contribute because I found the thread of Toyota 7.
The image that I scanned from the magazine before is appended.

Toyota "6" (frist 5-litre model?)
It is one of the prototype model of the variation of Toyota 7. based on 3-litre chassis.

(I am very sorry. These images have become very very very large. Please note it.... )

http://img188.images...2/img023efe.jpg

http://img269.images.../img0212onb.jpg

The practice run was done with the Yatabe high-speed surroundings circuit at the end of January in 1969.
It is Shihomi Hosoya to take charge of driving.

http://img188.images...32/img0222l.jpg

The person who stands at the center is Hosoya.
The car of the back is 'Brock' Toyota JP6.

http://img188.images.../img0202rid.jpg

I guess the modification to the car to which these cars are contributed by PS30-SB.

Source: June 2005, Nostalgic Hero Vol.109 'The phantom of Toyota 6' Japan

I did know " Toyota 6 ".
Thank you very for your information.


By the way, do you know more information of this machine ?

Toyota 6 was named after from " Group 6 " ?

[sabrejet]

I did know " Toyota 6 ".
Thank you very for your information.


By the way, do you know more information of this machine ?

Toyota 6 was named after from " Group 6 " ?

This car was at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed (2009) - on the Toyota stand rather than running. I presume it's known to many but hopefully of interest.

[y44na710]

I did know " Toyota 6 ".
Thank you very for your information.


By the way, do you know more information of this machine ?

Toyota 6 was named after from " Group 6 " ?

To our regret, I do not have detailed information more than this.
It seems that the one by the shape equipped with the roof to "7" about the name of "6" of this car.
However, I do not understand whether it is the one that the one that this is formal or the magazine originally named.

[GMiranda]

May I ask if anybody here knows anything about this Toyota that used to be in the Louwman Collection Museum, namely its chassis number, please?

 

https://www.ultimate...ta-7-Turbo.html

[PZR]

May I ask if anybody here knows anything about this Toyota that used to be in the Louwman Collection Museum, namely its chassis number, please?

 

https://www.ultimate...ta-7-Turbo.html

Toyota Japan say that the 578A 5-litre Turbo car loaned to the Louwman Collection was '578A #2'.

 

They say they created a total of six 578A 5-litre cars, five of them with the turbocharged engine and one with the normally aspirated engine. Four survive:

 

578A #1 (turbo) was apparently recycled by the factory after testing.
578A #2 (turbo) was the car loaned to the Louwman Museum.
588A #3 (turbo) is still extant in Japan.

588A #4 (normally aspirated) is still extant in Japan.
588A #5 (turbo) was the car in which Minoru Kawai was killed whilst testing at Suzuka. The remains of the car were confiscated by the police.

588A #6 (turbo) is still extant in Japan.

 

Japanese magazine 'Racing On' issue no.464 published in May 2013 carried an excellent in-depth article on the Toyota T-6 and Toyota 7 story. Recommended.  

[GMiranda]

Toyota Japan say that the 578A 5-litre Turbo car loaned to the Louwman Collection was '578A #2'.

 

They say they created a total of six 578A 5-litre cars, five of them with the turbocharged engine and one with the normally aspirated engine. Four survive:

 

578A #1 (turbo) was apparently recycled by the factory after testing.
578A #2 (turbo) was the car loaned to the Louwman Museum.
588A #3 (turbo) is still extant in Japan.

588A #4 (normally aspirated) is still extant in Japan.
588A #5 (turbo) was the car in which Minoru Kawai was killed whilst testing at Suzuka. The remains of the car were confiscated by the police.

588A #6 (turbo) is still extant in Japan.

 

Japanese magazine 'Racing On' issue no.464 published in May 2013 carried an excellent in-depth article on the Toyota T-6 and Toyota 7 story. Recommended.  

Many Thanks!!!! Sadly I don't understand Japanese, and I think there's no tool to translate from PDF's yet. I know Racing'On is a great magazine.