What are Kyusha Shoes?
Kyusha (aka 旧車) is a Japanese word literally meaning old car. Given that, I suppose that Kyusha Shoes could simply refer to wheels for old car. That, however, is not a complete description of what this website or the passion of its contributors is about.
If we define Kyusha Shoes simply as “wheels for old cars”, we are forced to acknowledge all sorts of modern wheels from manufacturers who have recently realized a growing interest in old Japanese cars and a rising market for wheels that fit them. A recent abundance of modern re-productions, or clones of wheels that were popular 30 or even 40 years ago is a sure sign that the popularity of Japanese car culture has come a long ways in the past two decades.
Modern re-productions, or clones from other, sometimes non-reputable manufactures, are quite usually cheaper, and better sized than their often bent and corroded, “authentic” counterparts. This can be a huge plus for some enthusiasts looking for classically styled wheels for their vintage Japanese projects.
Others however, may find themselves wishing for wheels that are more unique – shoes that share some of the history and character of the car that wears them, or the owner that drives them. “Wheels for old cars” can be produced by anyone and anytime. “Kyusha Shoes” however, are treasures that define a project.
With tens of thousands wheels out there, we define Kyusha Shoes by the following characteristics:
- JWL/VIA Certification
- Original production dates prior to the year 2000.
- Non-OEM productions
They are wheels that can be fit to anything from a Showa era sedan, to a brand new sports coupe, it doesn’t matter. Wheels are THE defining feature of a cars appearance, and Kyusha Shoes are how we choose to distinguish a car as being one-of-a-kind, assembled with care and consideration, and not a victim of whatever just happened to available in the parts catalog at the time.