7's Day 2011 - Finding the right Mix

 How do you put your own personality into your car? How did this car end up this way?

Many like to go the tried and true route of a full body kit from a single manufacturer. It has that known quantity about it. Just buy the three or 5 piece kit and be done with it.

However, if you don't have all the cash up front many choose one component that suits the basic shape. Lets say the Feed type 2 front bumper in this case is a great match for the stock body FD or maybe you bought it like that already on the car.

Over time your tastes and needs change and a year or so may pass can pass before you go further and add pieces here and there. Kazama front fenders and skirt. A Pan Speed bonnet, some ganador mirrors and a GT rear wing. You might get the circuit bug and add a splitter and soon you have something like this. A mix of parts that maybe doesn't balance aesthetically, but wouldn't need much to perfect.

I think these cars are a work in progress that may never be complete. It's all an evolution of needs and money. Combine that with interior mods like seat gauges and cage, some mechanical mods, V-Mount, turbos and exhaust and your priorities can easily change from body to speed.

Rays SE37K were discontinued long ago and to find them still in use on cars like this is testament to their quality.

With this car registered in the Tsukuba area, you can be sure it's a regular fixture at meeting at TC2000

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7's Day 2011 - Private Excess

In the last post I showed you how to "get by" at the circuit. For some that's simply unacceptable.

Some people say. "Do it 100% or not at all" or "Never do things half-hearted" This car is heading towards the other end of the privateer scale.

A full tune Amemiya machine with more than enough extras. Side windows are Acrylic Super GT style and deep SSR rears feature soft Advan AO50 G/S in 265R18 which only last a few laps at 60000yen each tyre. Titanium exhaust for that performance kind of bling and all the goodies you need.

Maybe it needs a bit more roll for the S-tyres at this offset, but you get the idea. Pushing hard!

With a few sets of tyres, you can concentrate on setting that special time with the best available. Inside there is a full welded cage with gussets and the small details on this car are top spec and unique. Like the painted carbon bonnet. Carbon bonnets are expensive enough, but to go and paint them too proves money is not really an issue.

Nothing liked cracked carbon fibre. If you use this bumper combo in the street things like this will happen. You can get up every driveway perfectly.

If you are after that 59 second or so time, then it's the little extras you might need to get there. Nothing like the best of the best to make life that little easier.

While this car is street registered. Like mine, it's one of those cars that is probably on ever driven to the tuning shop for parts or to the circuit and back.

But when you think about it, If you can afford to, that's a good enough purpose.

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7's Day 2011 - Daikoku - Bright Lights

It's all cool at Daikoku on 7's Day!

Someone has found a way to improve the RE-Amemiya lighting. A customised cover is also in effect. It's a good option for cracked ones. interesting Mirrors on this car too. Bike mirrors are small and light. Scissor doors and Grenade rims. That little bit of bling for effect.

This car wears a discontinued Speed Connection Bumper developed for N1 racing. A creative solution for lighting here also. Side indicators replaced with RX-8 items also on the "Xtreme Trancer".

A nice bit of poke on the B.I.M rims covering some serious brakes. Yumekobo Dream Works vented bonnet is another rarely seen item.

Daikoku on 7's day is the place to see unique combos and great ideas! Much more to come.
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7's Day 2011 - FD Forever!

What makes a driver a good driver? How do you measure your performance?

Some people change their car to get performance, some people change themselves. Some people practice a lot. Some have natural talent.

Whatever your choice, you can't beat track time. But that costs money. For privateers it's the balance between performance and how far you can push a package for little cost.

This particular car is an example of balance. Basically all you need to get satisfaction from an FD.



There's no doubting the basic FD shape is good. A slight flare on the rear fender and a set of FEED front fenders make for a good size to accommodate grippy tyres and don't upset to look. 255/45/17 usually do the trick for a cost performance tyre and these R33 skyline rims are light, strong and most importantly, CHEAP!

Other proven mods have accumulated over time. The 2000 model Facer N1 with Under sweep and canards is still an amazing looking bumper. This one has been opened up because the front mount inter-cooler is in a good position. You find that privateers also find ways around problems such as overheating with FMIC and come up with great solutions.

Raising the IC lets enough airflow to the radiator without having to run a V-Mount. (Fujita still use this approach also) This also allows users to keep the under-sweep in tact. Running a V-Mount requires cutting a huge hole in it to extract hot air and therefore lowers it's effectiveness also. The Hood 9 is doing the extraction in this case.

Completing the exterior are forgotten, but cool, DAMD side skirts, a high mount RE-Amemiya rear GT2 wing with gurney trim and diffuser for less drag. The small flap in front of the rear wheel probably helps airflow in some way too. I think you'll agree, for a circuit hack, this is still very cool!

Inside you will find a street car spec single turbo setup which retains the air pump. Pretty much a necessity for easy registration. A ducted fresh air path to the pod filter, catch tank for typical rotary blow by and that large alloy radiator for cooling duty.

No real polishing necessary for the circuit, just a rough clean up is ok. Spend your money on tyres and brake pads, fuel and oils.

You will also notice an engine brace for positive shift feel and to increase the life of the PPF just next to the cusco strut brace.

The owner has been running Tsukuba TC2000 for many years in this same car. To say he has a good setup is, of course, true. With the car perfected many years ago in a solid reliable state, that leaves the rest up to him.

That's why this was one of my favourite cars at the Mazda Festa 7s day event. Someone with passion, dedication and persistence to enjoy his love of driving fast.

You can only see the eyes, but I know there's a smile.
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7's Day 2011 - Legging it!

Leg sport have built some awesome time attack and street cars in the past. These days their focus is on street tuning with a "club spec" feeling.

We've seen the 7 up close before, so I won't spend too much time on it. Less to say, there's a new front bumper in the works. Secretly, you can expect a nice carbon lower lip and some changes not unlike their new GT Spec RX8.

Their other car is the RX8 that has been developed for the weekend circuit runner. A lower cost machine that still delivers great grip and can dispose of those unaware of the RX8 capabilities.

Full Aero set defines their style and that funky rear wing has some serious angle.

The GT-3 type stripes kind of define the "CS" club sport style and philosphy well. These cars are capable to handle the abuse of the track, then drive home in "relative" comfort.

Their main rival is of course the R-Magic 8 which is of a similar level of tune.

When the black Revolution 8 TA machine can return from the race, the driver out of car, the Leg sport and R-Magic just returning to the pit, you understand the difference a 20b full time attack spec machine makes.

But also the difference in price.

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October 2011 - Editorial

October is here and it's time for a big German Beer. I've featured 45 spotlights from 7's Day and I still have many features to come. It's a slow process.

That also means I have been a bit busy on other things. Somehow my FD has been neglected with some minor car park body damage and that's not good, but it should be out of the body shop this week. While this blog has been a bit low there's still plenty of quick links on the face book page.

As you have seen.

The Pan Speed wide-body collaboration body-kit has finally been released by AB-Flug and their other ARDE project car is nearing completion.

The next D1 round will be interesting. Kenji Takayama should have the 810 hp 13b tuned and ready. That will be a tyre schredding machine. lets hope the federals can handle the abuse.

RE-Amemiya have been prepping the Hurricane for use and also building an NA 13b demo car with the Facer GT and their new rear bumper and lights. That will debut at Tokyo Auto Salon.

Knight Sports has a new set of subtle wide fenders and their FD engined RX-8 has been tearing it up in testing for Macau GP.

Rotary and Roadster in Sendai spells the start of the TA season. The Rev Speed event is getting closer in December and will soon be upon us also. I'll be there.

So with the time attack season approaching and cooler weather hitting Japan, you can expect some more events and other stuff.

Russ.

7's Day 2011 - Art Factory

These cars don't hide at these events. There are simply so many, they just blend in after a while.

 This car is pretty high on my cool list. As I also create my own livery designs these days Art Factory Graphics have always been a bit of an inspiration.

They take things to another level and try to incorporate all the latest vinyl onto their latest concepts. Luckily they are on board with RE-Amemiya and they can showcase their business creativity at most Auto Salon events.

This car features. RE-Amemiya Blue base and Blue tinted carbon. on top of that lies, Red, Silver and Gun Metal and Dark Blue combination with red and white and additional white carbon lettering. It all blends in to look seemless.

The car really reflects in the light and adds that impact many people search for. but it doesn't come cheap of course.

7s Day 2011 - Super Heros

As I continue to upload the EX-Demo Cars and Specific RE-Amemiya Complete customer cars, you get a feel for just how many the company has produced.

There's at least one major car every 2 months resulting in 6 or more every year, Add that to the 20 years of FD life and you end up with around 120 cars of this level. Thats pretty amazing!

This Cobalt Blue FD is pretty unique but follows a formula that results in track capable cars that are easily at home on the street, that has to be a good combo.

The below picture also highlights the First Strikers FD. (a collaboration with ART Factory Graphics)

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7s Day 2011 - Mellow Yellow

The TS Concept began the Super Greddy III Evolution at TAS this year.

Going by the formula, this car is a full street tune spec. Reliable for the Touge or the trip around town.

The evolution rear bumper still looks good with the normal hatch. The rear fender extensions are design to match the diffuser pro as fiitted to this car.

While not participating on track at sevens day, the car is more than capable, With big brake upgrade, seats and harnesses for the driver keep the G's at bay. Tilt Steering Boss allows for ease of entry, something that full bucket seat FD3s require.

Maybe we need a poll as to which colour suits the SGIII best.

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