Whether it’s good or bad, photographing unique cars always turns heads. But it’s even more fascinating when those cars are in Rocket Bunny gear and parked in the hills of Italy.
During my recent trip to the 2024 Tarox Mansion super fight (MSB), I had the pleasure of photographing two stunning builds: Gianluca’s FC3S Mazda RX-7 and Alessandro’s S14 Nissan Silvia, both on the track and in the idyllic local mountain towns of Perugia.
I often find myself hanging precariously between various vehicles, but rarely in an environment this picturesque.
The contrast between highly modified JDM cars and classic decors is striking. This winding mountain road, with Lake Trasimeno glistening in the distance, provided the perfect backdrop for photographing Europe’s first official Pandem-equipped FC RX-7.
Gianluca’s FC, built in 2021, marked a pivotal moment for Pandem in Europe. The concept for this demo car emerged during a dinner in Tokyo with Jun Takahashi of Hardcore Tokyo and Kei Miura of TRA Kyoto/Rocket Bunny.
In 2020, they started sketching ideas for construction. Miura-san initially proposed a yellow-over-black scheme, but the design evolved into the current violet-over-black.
Racing Service Watanabe has created a custom 15-inch set of its iconic eight-spoke wheels, which perfectly match the aesthetics of the car.
The Mazda rides on HSD Mono-Pro coilovers and air cups from Stanceparts, giving the big wheel and tire combo that extra bit of leeway when attacking local Italian roads.
Inside, atop a custom roll cage, the full hardcore Tokyo catalog is present, including the seats, harnesses and shift knob.
When we stopped at a hilltop town, the sight of the FC among the traditional architecture evoked different reactions. My favorite came from someone who compared it to a spaceship, an apt comparison considering all the Fiat Pandas populating the area.
The car is equipped with an HKS exhaust, a Mazdaspeed rear strut tower bar and RE Amemiya mirrors. Otherwise, Gianluca’s FC remains standard. With Italy’s increasingly strict customization laws, staying out of the prying eye of the authority has become essential to Italian car culture, and this Pandem FC isn’t doing itself any favors when it comes to flying under the radar.
After a memorable afternoon in the hills with Gianluca’s FC we headed back down to photograph the equally out of place Rocket Bunny S14.
An official collaboration with Hardcore Tokyo, Alessandro’s Nissan features the Rocket Bunny Boss kit – a unique design in a region where Nissan Silvias are already a rarity.
Freshly completed this year, the S14 – in stock form – was originally Gianluca’s car. It was transformed in collaboration with Alessandro’s shop, Carrozzeria Del Confine, now with a fully built SR20DET engine and 326Power wheels.
Inside, the S14 has a full Sparco setup, including carbon fiber bucket seats, steering wheel, harnesses and gear knob.
Back at the track we took the cars out for a few parade laps – a much more fitting scene.
Capturing these two parts of Japanese culture against the backdrop of the Italian hills was something I could never have imagined. I’m so glad I had the chance to experience it.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco