Thursday, July 21, 2011

7's Day 2011 - RE-Amemiya's Time Attack Legend


This car has really inspired me since I first saw it way back when. 2002 Maybe. Soon after setting records on all of Japans top circuits.


And I think this man has had arguably the biggest impact on the rotary scene. Isami Amemiya.


 Every time we've seen the workshop recently the car has been collecting dust on the hoist so I'm glad Ama-san dusted it off and gave us a good look once more.


Overall, it has basically remained as it was. A "street legal" time attack machine. The bumper was originally designed for production car N1 racing in Japan. The AD GT Kit was actually on sale just before this in 2000 or so. the Fender diffusers and canards and diffusers were all evolutions. Rear wing is a little more agressive than street versions.



While it has long ago given up it's street driving duty, there's no real reason it couldn't be driven there.
nothing is too extreme on the car really. The Scoot FC behind is probably less "Legal"



One of the new details on the car are the Hood 9 Vent Gurneys that draw more heat from the bonnet.


Dry carbon is used a bit on the car. How's you backwards reading going? The right side of the car has reverse graphics save for a few sponsors.


Rear nipple lights saves a few grams as well as a lot of under hood and hatch drilling. Wing is chassis mounted and a single fastener at the rear of the removable hatch with acrylic window.


With the RE-Amemiya crew supporting so many cars on the day, making sure everything is sorted is vital. The car actually did a lot of laps on the day that was organised partly by Ama-san


Underbonnet is just as cool as the outside.


Check this image for a while. Check the detail here. Lots to look at. Welds, bracing, tanks, piping and the newest turbocharger Ive seen in a while.


Enkei RP-f1 look good, but I remember Chrome ones on debut. Front tyre size also seems to have increased slightly. Brembo's still stopping.


Drivers receive a supportive Bride seat and there's always a passenger seat. It's a street car after all.


Note the vented fenders. If you have an AD GT widebody, make sure you vent the fenders. After purchasing my AD GT kit from Ama-san in 2003, It was something I regretted not doing when I fitted the kit.


Anyone for a cool interior. Motec remains with the addition of a new EVC boost controller. That big stick is the sequential shifter. Probably the first installed in an RX-7.


Time for some action. On track is where the car belongs. The rear really squats for traction and the camber really shows as the rear wheel sits right under the guard.


Blasting around with Taniguchi and co. Many rotary fans paid for hot laps. (not so expensive. $30 maybe) Sometimes it's better to be a customer than press.


By today's standards, time attack has come a long way from this. Today's best time with Taniguchi before I left the track was 59.988, which was the second fastest on the day. There's probably a lot Ama-san would change so I guess the Hurricane was a better option.



By the time the car hit the track I hadn't adjusted to my new camera, but after a while things got better as you'll see. Playing with settings while still taking in the awe of the "Dream car"



Something is so right about the car.


Around the Tsukuba Hairpin, you can see the suspension travel. The tyres way up inside the guards.


The rear also squatting for traction.


Roll is a part of this car's suspension setting. Who knows how much time was spent setting up the car, I doubt   the car was running a perfected setting on the day. Almost another shakedown after years of storage.


Some times the car was pushed to the limit and other times it had a 40~80kg weight penalty.

Oh to be that passenger.

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