Kenji's New Car

Takumi had just received news that his special over seas order for Kenji from North America, had just arrived to the ship cargo loading area. This was going to be a new and interesting machine to take to the mountains. He had ordered this machine as it was still stock, compared to some of the others found throughout North America. Masashi was able to track one down and have it shipped out in about a week and a half. Masashi was one hell of a mechanic and was also able to order any part for anything, anywhere. He knew a friend over in America that hooked him up with this special ride.

Takumi and Kenji were then on there way down to the shipping yards when they received word from Masashi that he was already there waiting for them while the cargo box was being unloaded off of the ship deck. With the smell of fish, and what seemed to smell like raw sewage, Kenji turned up his nose as he and Takumi made it to where Masashi was standing.

"Open her up guys!" yelled Masashi over the rumbling of the crane as the engine came to a reverberating stop.

"You got it boss!" one of the men yelled back. "Open her up!"

As soon as the doors to the cargo box swung open, there was a loud bang as they flew back and hit the sides of the box.

Masashi stepped forward and into the box with two other men.

"Loosen the straps so that I can pull it out of there" Masashi said to the men.

Takumi and Kenji just stood there while Kenji wandered what was going to come out of the box. Takumi had made it a secret and only told Kenji that we would love the car, when he first laid eyes on it. As far as Kenji could tell, the box looked empty from the distance they were standing outside of the box container.

All of a sudden there was this loud revving sound coming from out of the container. Making a loud screeching sound as the car came out of the box, Takumi and Kenji could not help but complain as to how loud it actually really was at first. They weren't used to hearing tires screech on a metal surface. Masashi pulled up next to the young men. That was when Kenji first laid eyes on his new ride. He instantly fell in love with it. He could not believe his eyes and how good the Ford sounded for still only being stock.

"So what do you guys think of the new ride?" Masashi asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Kenji said as he was looking at his new '93 Ford Probe GT from every angle imaginable.

"How much horsepower is that for only being stock?" Kenji asked curiously.

"When it was put on the diagnostic test before being shipped, it measured at 164 hp at 6,000 rpm, giving you alot of power to the front wheels to work with for only being stock." Masashi told Takumi and Kenji.

"Thanks Masashi, I owe you one." Takumi whispered.

"No problem man. I know how Kenji felt after that accident in his Nissan 180 SX. I just felt bad."

"You boys just make sure you take good care of it. They are becoming harder and harder to find nowadays." Masashi said

"They stopped production of them back in 1997. I remember hearing that they were great cars for American drift, and they had amazing handling for an American-made car." Masashi started to explain to the boys.

"What makes you say that Masashi?" Takumi asked

"The reason they stopped production is because they were not selling as many as they had hoped and planned. The Americans are too picky about body styles. The car is great; it was the body style that people were turned off by. So Ford stopped the production of the Probe." Masashi told the boys.

"You ready to take your new ride for a spin for the first time?" Takumi asked Kenji.

"Hell yeah man!" Kenji replied. "Let's take it for a spin before taking it back to Masashi's shop to have it tuned."

"I guess I will see you guys back at my shop in a few hours then." Masashi said, as he realized that Kenji was more excited then he thought he would have been.

The boy's sped off through the shipping yards. Masashi's shop was set up with the shop in front facing the main street. Masashi's house was just above his shop in the shipping yards. It replaced and old abandoned warehouse. It was great to have a shop right off the main street, and to have shipping yards in back where you could have all your cars setting out and nobody to worry about messing with them. Not many people knew about the little drift track set up in the shipping yards behind the shop. Only members of the Akina Speed Stars knew about it. This part of town was considered part of their turf.

After taking the car for a few rounds around the track, Kenji could still not believe what he was driving. This second generation of Probe had to be the best.

"Thank you so much Takumi! "This really means a lot to me to be able to get back out there and race." Kenji told Takumi.

"I know that it wasn't your fault that led to the accident. Takumi started to say.

"People sent a ton of video in to our website generating a ton of unremarkable video and photo. While reviewing some of the video, and while trying put together some good video, I thought we could post online, I came across a clip where you had your accident." Takumi told Kenji.

"Sorry Takumi, but I would rather not talk about it or the past." Kenji said. Kenji brought the Probe to a screeching stop.

"But that's the thing Kenji," Takumi said back in a hurry. "It wasn't your fault though!" Takumi said discretely.

"What in the hell are you talking about? It was too my fault. How can you prove it wasn't my fault?" Kenji asked.

"By showing you the video, and showing you from a different angle where it was caught! You were set up during the run! Takumi started telling Kenji in a disappointed tone.