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After selling my WRX, I decided I would get myself something else that interested me, and any semblance of practicality be damned. Mission accomplished.   Meet my new toy, a 1994 UK market EA11R Suzuki Cappuccino.   I remember these things coming out, and always thought they were cool, but when I've looked before, I wasn't able to find one that I felt was worth pursuing at a sensible price. Not to say that this car's perfect, it's got plenty of evidence of its rapidly approaching 20th birthday, but it's fundamentally honest, and more importantly not a crusty one (seriously, Cappos can take the fight to Italian and British metal in the corrosion stakes). It was owned by a middle-aged guy who just used it as a fun car every now and then, clocking less than 900 miles in the last three years, and up for a price I didn't even bother haggling over. Cappuccinos pop up in posts on AI every now and then, which means more than a few of you will already know about them, but for the uninitiated, they are a product of Japans Keijidosha ("light car") vehicle class, which sees a less burdensome ownership experience of vehicles which meet certain limits for size, engine capacity, and power output. Most Kei-cars take the shoebox hatchback approach to squeeze as much interior volume and practicality as possible into the permitted footprint, but the Cappuccino, along with the Autozam AZ-1 and Honda Beat, simply made a sports car to fit the rules. What makes the Cappuccino interesting is that it was officially imported into the UK in the early nineties, with Suzuki selling about 1000 cars, supplemented by grey imports of Japanese-spec models (there's about 600 or so left now, maybe 2/3rds of which are on the road). Here's the business end, 657cc (yes, forty cubic inches) of fury:  Three pots and a puffer. An ickle baby IHI turbo force-feeds three cylinders of the twin-cam about 11psi of boost through a miniature FMIC. The engine itself is cast iron with an alloy head (later EA21R models, which were Japan only, had an alloy block), and actually has forged crank and rods as standard. Output stock is 63bhp, but the car only weighs 700kg, so it nips along quite happily. The astute among you will notice the engine is mounted longitudinally, and it drives the rear end through a five-speed manual box. Of course, front engine and rear drive isn't the best thing for packaging, and this is especially noticeable in the boot:  Really, I have suitcases that are bigger. The picture actually make it seem bigger than it is, too. Those vinyl things? Those are the bags for the roof panels, which is another one of the car's party tricks. You can remove the left and right side of the roof to give a T-top for maximum mullet action:  Or you can continue and ditch the central spar for a targa top:  The removed panels pretty much fill the boot (you have to put them in the right way to get them to fit) - notice the strap to stop them bouncing around and getting damaged, as they (like the bonnet) are made from aluminium.  All that's left to go is the rear window, which unlatches and swivels down into a cavity behind the seats to give you the full open-top experience:   On the inside, things are... cosy:  With the seat as far back and as reclined as possible, I just fit, my knees touch the dash. Actually, other than being a bit of a bugger to get in and out with any sense of decorum, it's a pretty nice place to be. There's a lot more headroom than you'd expect, visibility (of everyone else's wheels and sideskirts) is excellent, and all the controls fall easily to hand. Or, indeed, to thumb:  The aircon works, too. Obvious thing for a car in Japan or warm climate, but for the UK in the early nineties, standard-fit A/C on something this size was  . Dat redline  . Not even where it'll stop, either, apparently the rev limiter is set to 9,300rpm. Suck it, S2000. Not that there's any point to winding it that far, the power's pretty much done by ~6,500rpm, though it's probably good that it likes to rev - the gearing's so short that 70 in 5th is about 4,700rpm (I think there's a limiter set at 85mph, but I haven't gone looking for it yet).What you will notice by its absence is a boost gauge, instead there is a little turbo symbol just above the temperature gauge which lights up when you're on boost (though you can hear it spooling up anyway):  Now for the big question: If I can (sort of) get all six-foot-two of my defintely not skinny self into the car, exactly how small is this thing? Comparison time! Here it is parked next to my workmate's Fiesta:  Here's a modern Mini:  And here's what everyone normally thinks of when you say "small two-seat convertible", an MX-5:   Yeah. It's titchy. I've got a to-do list for the car, which I will try and give updates on as I progress, but let me know if you want to know anything specific about the wee beastie. 
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Feb 22, 2014 23:49
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 19:08 |
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That thing looks awesome. Super jealous of people that are able to take advantage of the kei cars.
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Feb 23, 2014 00:07
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How tall are you? That is an awesome little car, but i could probably wear it as a shoe.
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Feb 23, 2014 00:13
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Powershift posted:How tall are you?
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Feb 23, 2014 00:22
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That is awesome. What kind of suspension does it have, out of curiosity? IT looks like the 1995 and later versions had double wishbone and a LSD!
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Feb 23, 2014 00:24
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Timmy Cruise posted:That is awesome. I don't think mine has an LSD, but they are available. Earlier this evening I picked up a spare differential assembly from a guy, and am intending to dismantle it and get the measuring kit out to see if it happens to match up with the AWD Suzuki Swift unit, as Quaife have that in their catalogue.
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Feb 23, 2014 00:33
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It's an up jumped go-kart, and I love it!! Does the a/c still run R12?
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Feb 23, 2014 00:49
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I love it! It has all the essentials in a tiny little package. It looks like there are a few inches in front of the motor. Is that just empty space?
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Feb 23, 2014 01:31
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Oh man, this is one of my favorite cars. The 90s really were the best. 
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Feb 23, 2014 01:38
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First AI Cappuccino, you are awesome sir. So what are the common mods to squeeze a bit more power? I'm assuming you could upgrade the turbo and it's components pretty easily?
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Feb 23, 2014 01:52
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Those photos next to the Miata are amazing.
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Feb 23, 2014 02:18
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leica posted:First AI Cappuccino, you are awesome sir. I was just going to say it's about time someone in AI got one of these. As a lover of small fun cars I look forward to you hopefully posting a lot more. That top design is super interesting... Not as slashable as a soft top while only being slightly less inconvenient to remove. Does it add any structural rigidity like a hard top normal does for convertibles? How about rollover safety?
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Feb 23, 2014 02:22
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Holy poo poo, a Cappuccino. I love those little things but driving one in the US would be suicidal. Never knew the roof did all that neat stuff, that's awesome.
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Feb 23, 2014 02:25
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I'm super jealous of your ability to purchase and drive one of those. That particular car is a fantastic example. It looks to be in great condition. Thank you for taking so many detailed and informative shots. I never knew about the turbo spool light. That is pretty rad.
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Feb 23, 2014 02:27
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Wow, that looks like a lot of fun. Also very… narrow. I guess that's part of the kei-car regulations because every other vehicle of that class looks super skinny too. Now to find someone with an Autozam AZ-1.
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Feb 23, 2014 03:05
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Feb 23, 2014 03:13
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I'm so excited someone in AI finally got one of these. I'm more excited that the original post contains all of the questions I've had about the car. Too bad about the rot - I had a chance to drive one of these once when the economy hadn't taken a poo poo yet and a used car dealer had them in stock, but by the time I got around to visiting they had sold it. How cramped is the engine bay?
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Feb 23, 2014 03:25
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Seat Safety Switch posted:How cramped is the engine bay? Doesn't matter because should the engine ever let go, a turbo hayabusa will fit. (Plus we know a 13B-T fits because of the RE-A AZ-1 and Capp/AZ-1 share the same engine.) E: Almost forgot - congratulations! Totally jealous!
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Feb 23, 2014 04:51
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Totally wish there was a way to import kei cars to the states. Pretty jealous here.
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Feb 23, 2014 05:02
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 I want one. I can't imagine anything more fun to bomb around through suburban sprawl in.
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Feb 23, 2014 05:23
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I have loved those since I first saw them in the auto mags way back. I'm still a little bit bitter that we never got them in the US. And now I start my day off jealous and mad, great.
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Feb 23, 2014 11:31
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EVERYWHERE 
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oh my god it's perfect i want it so bad you have no idea  Yes, I know what a terrible idea a capp is on american roads. Don't care. Sweet ride.
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Feb 23, 2014 11:53
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Honestly every time I see one, I always think I realy wouldnt want to have an accident in it. I always imagined some dozy bint driving a RRS/Q7/X5 'not seeing you' and turning the thing into a cube. I didnt know they made uk market cars though, thought they were all grey imports, although I can see its got a fairly factory looking rear fog/reverse light. Which is better than the stupid caravan lights people sometimes use. How does it ride on our bumpy rear end roads? Also is it possible to do a skid.
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Feb 23, 2014 11:53
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These things always look great fun but scary. My mum had a Daihatsu Copen for a couple of years and it used to terrify me, especially pulling up alongside an arctic at a roundabout.
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Feb 23, 2014 12:06
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Nice work, I looked at these for a while but I couldn't find one for right money which wasn't absolutely rotten. Turbo Kei-cars are great, I've got a Daihatsu Mira Classic Turbo 4WD and previously had a Daihatsu Cuore TR-XX Avanzato R4. The funniest point is that despite the tiny little engines they're as vastly tunable as any other turbo motor, if anything they've been detuned to keep them down to the mandatory 63hp limit - usually via a weedy exhaust, tiny little airbox and intercooler. General rule of thumb is that 100hp is fairly easy to achieve without touching the engine, 150hp can be done with a turbo kit and overhauled internals, 200hp has been done but only for racing/drag car type setups. Here's a couple to look at: http://www.kc-technica.com/tuning/ea11r/index.html http://www.suzukisport-racing.com/english/sales/cappuccino/list/ Also look at parts for the Alto Works, they've got the same F6A motor.
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Feb 23, 2014 13:13
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150 horse should move that thing right along. Color me jealous, but there's no way that I'd be comfortable in that.
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Feb 23, 2014 13:52
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I have a question: can I have it? Better question, Will it fit in the back of your landy? Awesome car, I love the fact that this replaces your wrx  I understand tuning these goes : airbox, exhaust, wear lighter clothing.
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Feb 23, 2014 15:23
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sharkytm posted:150 horse should move that thing right along. Color me jealous, but there's no way that I'd be comfortable in that. Honestly 100 would probably be enough, as they weigh pretty much gently caress all. Honestly they are so small even here in the uk, doesnt help that nowadays most normal cars are huge anyway. Every time I see a cappuccino, or a honda beat parked up its just shock the drat things arent even at leg height. I did see a yellow cappuccino on a tow truck yesterday, but wierdly sans rear end which was sitting infront. Actualy thats a thing, do they have lsds? Also a fun fact is that caterhams base model is powered by the K6A, which is the all ali version of the cappuccino motor, i think.
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Feb 23, 2014 15:47
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Wow that's awesome! I find it funny how tall people are attracted to small cars so much. How's the performance? Seems like it has a better power to weight ratio than a Miata.
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Feb 23, 2014 15:52
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bald and fail II posted:Honestly 100 would probably be enough, as they weigh pretty much gently caress all. I'd guess going for much over 100hp would mean compromising the midrange?
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Feb 23, 2014 17:38
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This thing is awesome. I love how the wheel/tire combo look so big on it, what size are they? 14",13" wheels? From the pics it looks in immaculate shape, and projector headights? nice.
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Feb 23, 2014 20:08
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Ok, I guess AI approves, then!DrPain posted:It's an up jumped go-kart, and I love it!! CharlesM posted:I love it! It has all the essentials in a tiny little package.   leica posted:First AI Cappuccino, you are awesome sir. Betacord posted:Nice work, I looked at these for a while but I couldn't find one for right money which wasn't absolutely rotten. McTinkerson posted:Doesn't matter because should the engine ever let go, a turbo hayabusa will fit. Mat_Drinks posted:Does it add any structural rigidity like a hard top normal does for convertibles? Mat_Drinks posted:How about rollover safety? Terrible Robot posted:I love those little things but driving one in the US would be suicidal. Coydog posted:I'm super jealous of your ability to purchase and drive one of those. That particular car is a fantastic example. It looks to be in great condition. StandardVC10 posted:Now to find someone with an Autozam AZ-1. Yep! Seat Safety Switch posted:I'm so excited someone in AI finally got one of these. I'm more excited that the original post contains all of the questions I've had about the car. Mr. Wiggles posted:Totally wish there was a way to import kei cars to the states. Pretty jealous here. meatpimp posted:I have loved those since I first saw them in the auto mags way back. I'm still a little bit bitter that we never got them in the US. Previa_fun posted:
dubzee posted:oh my god it's perfect i want it so bad you have no idea bald and fail II posted:Honestly every time I see one, I always think I realy wouldnt want to have an accident in it. I always imagined some dozy bint driving a RRS/Q7/X5 'not seeing you' and turning the thing into a cube. bald and fail II posted:How does it ride on our bumpy rear end roads? bald and fail II posted:Also is it possible to do a skid. Lastronaut posted:These things always look great fun but scary. My mum had a Daihatsu Copen for a couple of years and it used to terrify me, especially pulling up alongside an arctic at a roundabout. sharkytm posted:150 horse should move that thing right along. Color me jealous, but there's no way that I'd be comfortable in that. Cakefool posted:I have a question: can I have it? Cakefool posted:Awesome car, I love the fact that this replaces your wrx bald and fail II posted:Honestly 100 would probably be enough, as they weigh pretty much gently caress all. Honestly they are so small even here in the uk, doesnt help that nowadays most normal cars are huge anyway. mafoose posted:Wow that's awesome! Edmund Honda posted:They're marginally lighter than an original Elise, and that did 0-60 in under 6 seconds with 120hp. Bajaha posted:This thing is awesome. I love how the wheel/tire combo look so big on it, what size are they? 14",13" wheels? From the pics it looks in immaculate shape, and projector headights? nice. The headlights are a combination of H1 and H3 bulbs (or should be), I think it's just the lens design that makes them look like it has HIDs. The headlights have got a bit of yellowing to them, actually, I need to have a go at compounding it out. As I said, it's good, but not perfect.
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Feb 23, 2014 20:53
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This thing is loving adorable.
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Feb 24, 2014 02:37
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In an effort to get a two-for-one of easier entry and egress, plus a slightly nicer cockpit, I decided to fit a removeable steering wheel kit. There are a load available on Ebay and the like from the £20-£30 range, but I'm not entirely convinced by the quality of them. Instead, I chose a Brown & Geeson kit which looked pretty nice, and it certainly seems well made:   It's machined so it can only go together one way, has contacts so the horn still works, and there's a detent to stop you absent-mindedly unclipping it because you think the release levers are shift paddles or whatever. Usefully, the stock Cappo wheel is actually mounted on a standard 6x74mm PCD, so you can just bolt on a wheel that matches that and be done with it, but I had a Momo Race wheel lying around, and it's a design I really like, so I used that instead:  It's no smaller than the stock 14" wheel, which isn't ideal (I think 12"-13" would work best), but on the shelf = free. Now, this wheel has a 6x70mm PCD, but that's ok, the quick release is universal, so all I have to do is use the 74mm set of holes on the hub side and the 70mm ones on the wheel side - were I not using the QR, though, you can get half-inch spacers to do the same thing. By some combination of dumb luck and design choices, the two standards have their PCDs clocked round 30° from each other, so the holes from one intersperse neatly with the other. Popped the roof to get better access without bashing my head all the time:  And the cover just unclips from the wheel. Bit manky under there.  Added a supplemental earth wire for the horn (the stock button earths through the assembly, whereas my Momo one needs two connectors).  Bolted the hub side of the QR in place. The two little brass cheesehead screws are the contacts for the horn electrics, there are sprung equivalents on the wheel side.  Just snap the other half of the QR into place, bolt the wheel on like you would any other kit, and plug the horn in, job done:  Obviously, the QR kit adds length to the column, and brings the wheel a couple of inches closer to you. I can compensate for a certain amount of that by sliding the column adjustment all the way home (why the hell do so few cars have adjustment in both directions? Pleasant surprise to find that Cappuccinos do it properly) to bring it down to a net change of about an inch from where I had the stock wheel, which is about liveable with, but it doesn't help with the fact that the wiper and lighting stalks are now set back a couple of inches, so they don't fall to hand quite right. Having had a bit of a drive around, I think what I'm going to do, rather than try and modify the stalks to move them closer, is to get another steering column hub and modify it to remove an appropriate amount of standoff so that it brings the wheel on the QR to about the same position the stock wheel was in, I'll see how I get on with that. I also mounted my dashcam - it had to go above, rather than behind, the rear view mirror, but that's fine, it gives a good central field of view, and all I'll need to do it put a smidge of tape over the activity LED to stop it bugging me out the corner of my eye. Currently it gets this view, but I think I might rotate it down one click so the bottom of frame is level with the trailing edge of the bonnet - it won't lose anything useful off the top of frame and you gain a slight bit of extra view either side. I also find something "right" about having the bonnet in frame.  Definitely going to get some better tyres when I've refurbished the spare set of wheels I got off a guy in the owners' club, it's pretty drat easy to break loose with the current hedgemaster specials, especially when you're tight enough in the cabin to make countersteering an interesting exercise!
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Feb 25, 2014 00:26
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I keep expecting it to smile broadly and fly away on magical wings. It may not be bugeye Sprite adorable, but it's close!
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Feb 25, 2014 00:32
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 it's like a power wheels for adults.I kinda want to see if I fit in one now, at 6'5". There are none on craigslist in the US, however, probably as they won't be importable until 2016.
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Feb 25, 2014 04:16
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love it
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Feb 25, 2014 04:33
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I like how the battery is almost the same size as the engine. 
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Feb 25, 2014 04:48
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mafoose posted:Wow that's awesome! It's a curse. I actually cannot physically drive an S2000. An Opel GT is over 7" wider and thirty loving inches longer than this car. Holy hell that's small, and the Opel GT definitely ticks the "people will literally run you over because they don't see you" box.
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Feb 25, 2014 04:54
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 19:08 |
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Please post a clip of this cars horn. I'm imagining that it is an adorable meep meep sound.
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Feb 25, 2014 07:04
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