The meaning of Toyota TEQ tag

Been looking for vintage/classic Toyota parts for my next coming project and found out some "Teq" labeled accessories and emblems will always fetch a good price. I wonder why this "Teq" so special and I did some research but the outcome from what I did was totally different compare to what I understand. Thus I planned to share some information over here.

Actually the spelling of Toyoda in the first logo is correct. The other two are technically “wrong”. Toyota was founded by Sakichi Toyoda (born 1867). His name is spelled with a “da”. In 1900, when Japan started to industrialize, Sakichi Toyoda was making looming machines that accomplished the difficult task of weaving thread into cloth. In the early 1900’s it must have been very progressive to write your company’s name in “Roman-ji”. Especially when that company’s name is using your own family name, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Roman-ji means using Roman to spell Japanese words.

The second logo which is the "teq" logo is actually written in Japanese Katakana. A lot of Toyota car enthusiasts would like to give it a back story like; “teq” is short for “technology”, which is the Toyota research and development department before it was changed to “TRD” (Toyota Racing Development). So let's study the Katakana version and find out why there it is not called as "teq".

This new logo was more than just a visual graphic change. The name switched from roman letters to Japanese Katakana. When read in Japanese the last letter reads as “ta” not “da”. There are two little lines that turn the voiced “da” sound into an unvoiced “ta” sound (below).  It was decided to remove the 2 marks in the logo, and therefore change it to Toyo”ta”. So this is "teq" logo history and it is not any special performance parts that developed by Toyota.

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Shoshinsha/ Wakaba mark

Ever see those ricer/import/JDM freaks riding around with a green and yellow sticker? Well here is the meaning of that sticker! Pretty funny that the ricer world has made an entire community with these stickers! They would like to have whatever stickers the Japanese has on their car. JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) BRO! Let's see what is the actual meaning of this green and yellow sticker. "The Shoshinsha mark (初心者マーク?) or Wakaba mark (若葉マーク?), introduced in 1972, is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that new Japanese drivers must display on their cars for one year. A driver must display this mark on the front and back of the car for one year after they obtain a standard driver's licence. This obligation is only for a standard license, not for motorcycles, large vehicles, special cars, and so on. Drivers who consider themselves beginners may continue to display the sign, even after the period of a year."

OK ricers, it is something similar to the "P" sticker for the beginners. After knowing the actual meaning of this green and yellow sticker do you still want to continue to stick them on your windscreen?

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The Honda S660 - Replacement of Honda Beat?

Honda is trying to revive its kei-car production and provide more choices for consumers to choose beside Daihatsu (Japan main kei-car manufacturer).  A technical specifications of the production model have surfaced online in what appears to be scans from a brochure. From the specifications, the roadster will measure in at 3,395 mm in length, 1,475 mm in width and 1,180 mm in height where its fit nicely to the kei-car classification. 

The roadster will be equipped with a three-cylinder unit pumping out 64 hp and 104 Nm of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual or CVT transmission. While that doesn’t sound like much, do keep in mind that the Honda S660 is expected to weigh less than 1,000 kg – providing a top speed of 140 km/h. Beside the engine, a centrally-mounted exhaust pipe and redesigned rear lamps are new additions over the concept car.

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New Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Specification released in Malaysia

At the first glance, I thought that Malaysia Police will introduce several more Evo 10 as their patrol car. However when I took a look at the specification of the car, it was more to the Mitsubishi Attrage specification. Thus it might be wrong image inserted during the newspaper was printed. 

HOLD ON! 280KM/h with a 77HP and 100Nm engine? FTW! I just don't understand how the editor approve this kind of stupid mistake to be made. Or maybe I'm wrong as this might be a newly engine developed by Mitsubishi specially dedicated to Malaysia Police patrol car.

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Project Kancil: Changing Front Brake Pads for JBJL (L5)

The brake pads were changed when I did my L5 engine conversion and the pads served me well in this 4 years of time. The wear of the pads were terrible and the right pad was already wore till the metal and started to make noise when I stepped on the brake pedal. Fortunately the brake disc is still in good shape even though being tortured by the wore out brake pads for almost a week.

I got them replaced by the new brake pads and the process of changing brake pads ain't troublesome. The tools that you needed were spanner, screw driver and a brake piston reset kit. Let's start the D.I.Y process after the jump.

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Project Kancil: Radiator replacement

Sometimes I dream that is it possible to have 25 hours per day instead of 24 hours. This additional 1 hour would possibly allow me to update this blog and reply to all the comments and emails.  So I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to those who comment and mail for late response. 

Previous post I mentioned about rusty stain around the the radiator here, unfortunately what I suspected was correct. As usual needed to source for a replacement and at first I thought to replace it with a full aluminum radiator but what mostly in the market were for manual transmission. Thus gave up and straight away gave my dad a.k.a "my personal runner" to source for me in Ipoh. While waiting for my dad good news, I had to use epoxy to temporary fill up the leaking spot. Luckily without much afford he was able to get me a used aluminum unit with only RM150.

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