7's Day 2011 - DEEF

Passionate collectors are going to hate this DEEF FD. Why?

Because of this. No 209 is dead.  Get over it. It can always be restored in the year 2102 for it's 100 year anniversary when it's all irrellevant anyway. By then I'll be able to molecularly build anything I want.

The DEEF fd was at Tsukuba primarily for the Hot Version /now/ Option 2 DVD that will feature the FD3s / Rx8 tuner race.

Fujita-san has chosen the single turbo Spirit R "Street" version for the race.

So why did he add all the DEEF stickers? Surely he want's to promote his products.

I mean almost everything under the bonnet has a logo. Radiator, Air Separator, Strut bar, Piping, Throttle Body, Radiator Cap, Oil Cap, Battery Holder, and more.The lighter and higher output alternator is becomming a common item.

 But these logo's don't say DEEF?

Ahhh, now I get it. The reverse side has the FEED logo. Afflux and Sonic Power are the other Fujita Engineering brands.

On track the car still has that certain fujita style. But the rear remains un-fendered. It's the rear fenders that really make these cars look fat but as the rears can always accommodate big rubber, the fronts are really all that the car needs.

Screaming past the main stand, It's still a very clean and smooth machine.

Heading under the Dunlop bridge, the spinning 17" Advan RGII wheels look good.

Fujita's Afflux II body kit really looks the part also. Don't know about the massive logo though, but it does get attention.

Even if it is spelled reverse half the time. DEEF grid position for the race was 5rd. that means it started from the mid field. Behind were Revolution and Pan speed RX8, RE-Amemiya's 9 and FAM Speed's 630hp car.

You'll have to watch the upcoming video to see where the "deef" FD finished.
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7's Day 2011 - Suzuki FC3s

 No that's not a error. A look at the ever evolving FC driven by Suzuki-san.

You have to get up early to photograph drift cars at their best. Because, much like in rally, by the end of the day, they are usually destroyed in some way. Suzuki-san on the left.

Here's the result after the first few laps. A small coming together with the Moccomans fd. The bumper repaired with the same colour tape. A common repair technique for the drift fraternity.

 Even not sideways, the car looks awesome. Suzuki used to drive the RE-Amemiya's prep'd D1SL FD. The car features re-a mirrors, diffuser and light conversion, but that's about it. The Livery however dates back to Ama-san's first FC3s adventures and the older Greddy cars.

 Pink Advan Model 6 are a cool touch along with the super Vatman Sanai wing.

His other car, the Sexy Knights FD, has had a few problems recently so wasn't ready for 7's day unfortuantely.

But the FC still rips up the Tsukuba hairpin without issue. LED rear lights are one off and cool.

This was the last shot before the car was destroyed in among a 6 car train.  It sometimes ends that way. Tsukuba circuit isn't so forgiving.

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7's Day 2011 - Pan Fried Banana

There's something about this particular banana coloured machine that just works that gives it extra caramel sweetness.

Unlike their red demo car. This one is a recent build. As much as I groan about the red car, this one receives all the superlatives and I don't know why really. Maybe it just has a bit more attention to detail and a bit more attack in the times.

It is a complete build single turbo street car that runs 58 seconds. Non-Pan Speed additions to this machines are RE-Amemiya diffuser and sleek lights, some small motor bike mirrors and that's it. But those few thinks really change the appearance.

The bright in your face colour also hides the rear fender line and mismatched fenders. The car also sits much lower due to the shock absorber top mount spacers create stance borrowed from the main Time Attack SPL. Front tyres sit well inside the body.

The front spoiler wave also seems to disappear in the colour. V-mount retains A/C for the trip to the track.

17" Rays Volk Racing CE28N are complementary to the brembo calipers and slotted rotors.

And the brakes seem to work at the end of the front straight. As the front of the car squats down those few extra mm, it creates a flat and low image. Cars like this seem to have extra appeal for me. Frontal clearance must only be about 40mm and through corners even less.

So basically, this Pan Speed machine ran 58.673 to keep it's name as the "Street King"

And yes, that is a Sard Banana wing.

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7's Day 2011 - Lucky 13

13! Cool! 13 B! Yes! Sometimes it just makes sense.

Pan Speed cars are a bit interesting for me. TA car aside, they never look 100% finished.

If you consider their parts selection individually, some are very cool...

unlike RE-Amemiya however, their components don't mix and match so well and that leads to the "that could be better" imagery. Some components usually look better on cars with other manufacturer's bodykits.

As Pan Speed's bumpers and fenders have evolved, the "tacky" rear over fenders and old style mirrors are starting to look really dated and fail to match the newer front. Can you really see any benefit at all for that small bend in the front splitter? It just seems to disrupt the line. The normal bumper also looks a bit out of place without a big down force generating diffuser.

However these points are minor. Side skirts run far under the car to create a flat floor and are an awesome design.

This shot in profile looks pretty good with a little blur covering some detail. I'd say change three or four minor things and it would be perfect. The small defelector behind the front wheel is a newer part that works well to cover the gap usually behind and tries to match the vent on the fender. Anyway, Gold CE28N in 17" are the wheel of choice with Dunlop providing grip. Aussie GCG turbo's are a company that seems to have successfully penetrated the Japanese market.

I've got another post coming on the slightly more aggressive and very very fast yellow street machine. It's about 98% Awesome.
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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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