Back again with another BM issue coverage. This one is from 2001. With the start of D1GP that year, the idea of purpose built drift cars started to become a thing. Until then, drifting was just a grassroots sport without many big shops building full on race car level chassis/engines to compete. But that would come to a change with the introduction of a high level series across the nation. What was until then a grassroots sport was going to become at the front line of Japanese car culture and bring people from all other racing sectors to drifting.

This can be seen with a particular car in this issue that stands out a lot even all these years later.

THE CRASH

High level driving can sometimes result in high level crashing!

Drift Tune Special part 1!!

East Corporation SR R32 Type-M

“‘I wanted to create a car with unprecedented agility,’ says Nasuno of East Corporation, the company that created the SR swapped R32 Type M. It’s a Skyline, but with a more nimble and responsive ride. Ordinarily, the Type M Skyline is not a car that’s quick on its feet. It feels sluggish, as it was designed to be. So, East Corp decided to swap in an entire SR drivetrain from an S14, and at the same time, swap in the rear suspension system from that same S14 as well.

The result is a car that is somewhere between an R32 Skyline and an S14 Silvia. It certainly is more responsive. It has a shallower angle, which has been a modern trend, that allows for fast drifting. It looks like a Skyline, but moves like a Silvia. The front end is around 70kg lighter. There is no change in the weight at the rear. However, the weight reduction of 70kg at the front axle is quite significant. For example, it is the same difference as if an adult was sitting in the engine bay. This means that the front can turn in better and move more quickly.

Another advantage of this engine swap is the abundance of SR engine parts. There are many engines and countless aftermarket parts available. This makes tuning inexpensive. Incidentally, if you bring your own engine, the SR engine swap for a Type M starts at 200,000 yen. At East, the wiring is custom-made, which means the original cluster and oil pressure gauge still work.”

“If you drove it blindfolded, you wouldn’t know it was a Skyline, right? It feels very similar to the S14, but the S14 has McPherson struts in the front. The Skyline has multi-link wishbones. Multi-links give the tires a better contact patch with the ground than strut types. That’s why it has the best of both worlds. The S14’s front struts have a somewhat sluggish feel, with the camber gain and the caster shifting as the steering is turned. But this Skyline front doesn’t have that same feel.

Also, the rear suspension provides excellent traction. There’s been a change to the rear geometry, which is probably the reason, plus the Airfolk Kei from Kei Office are a perfect addition. The angle is shallow, but a shallower angle means you can step on the accelerator and push forward. For a four-door, it’s a really well built car for going fast. I recommend the SR engine for the Type M Skyline.

If we continue to refine this car, I think it can be a real winner. It’s a car with a very high level of competitiveness.” -Yasuyuki Kazama

Hakaiho’s R32 Type-M

“Izumida, the president of Hakaioh parts produces has wanted to own a GT-R ever since he drove an R32 and R33. He wanted to get one before turning 30. But even though they’ve gotten cheaper, they’re still not exactly everyday cars. So he decided to try out the Type M with the same body style. ‘Honestly, you don’t need the RB26 power for drifting,’ says Mr. Izumida.

After actually running it on the circuit, it felt just as expected. He became convinced that it could be great with the RB20 it comes with. He admitted he hadn’t expected it to be this fast. The turbocharger used is from the RB25. This was chosen considering Mr. Izumida’s driving style. A smaller turbine makes drifting easier. Usually, with the R32 Type M, everyone ups the displacement to 2.2, or swaps in an RB25. Some install Tomei engines to overcome the power deficiency. However, Representative Izumida had the desire to make this Type M a kind of benchmark car for everyone.

‘If we’re spending money on the engine, couldn’t we do something else with that budget?’ That was the shift in thinking this time. So, they kept the RB20 engine and just swapped in a cam, head gasket, and turbocharger. This is similar to what SR guys do. They wanted to build this Type M in that fashion. ‘How much fun could we achieve at this level?’”

“Therefore, they only replaced the front bumper with a big, aggressive one. For the side steps and rear underbody, the stock parts were used. Overall, the Skyline is a car where anything you want to do is easy to do. Plus, the engine is tough. You can even use GT-R parts. And even if you buy a lower-grade car, the wheels are 5-lug, which makes it no hassle. The R32 Type M is a car packed with many advantages.”

“Making it a fun and cool car to drive. That’s the car-building philosophy of the Destroyer Izumida which never changes. This year, he’ll be active on various circuits with these two cars: the Type M R34 and the JZX100 Mark II. Keep an eye on that front too.”

Teruaki Itai’s RPS13 180SX

“Metallic Blue 180sx, Purpose Built for Drifting with a Meticulously Reinforced Body!“

“A Major Overhaul by a Drift Veteran After 10 Years!!“

“Itai-kun, one of the leading drifters in the Chubu region, built his dream car from scratch. The result is this Blue Pearl 180SX. It’s a serious race car, meticulously reinforced with parts transplanted from his previous ride. To put it simply, he got his hands on a sunroof equipped body that he’d always wanted, since the body of his previous 180SX was starting to show its age, he decided to go for it and build a new car from the ground up.

The chassis was built without compromise. The undercoat was stripped, and extra spot welds were added. Every spot weld was meticulously placed. Roughly 15 times than what comes from the factory. This work was done by Ricoh Racing. As for the fenders, K-STYLE fenders were chosen for the front, and the rear factory fenders were flared out by about 25-30mm. This really completes the 180SX’s style.”

“With this much chassis modification, the suspension inevitably needs a complete overhaul. Previously, the approach was to lower the ride height and stiffen everything up to prevent contact. However, this chassis reinforcement has now allowed the suspension to articulate more freely. The chassis now provides solid support. Therefore, instead of the previous stiff suspension setup, a more compliant setup is the goal. Otherwise, the stiffened chassis would make the car incapable of drifting in the rain. The suspension setup is still very early in the refinement process.”

“Now, the engine. This is a complete transplant from the 180SX Itai-kun previously drove. Oversized pistons were installed to make it a 2.1 liter, and the turbo was swapped out for a larger one from Apex, resulting in a power output of about 450 horsepower. It’s certainly fast, but it’s also a pretty demanding setup for mini circuits. Still, Itai-kun says he wants to make drifting with this massive power output his signature style. “Honestly, I struggled to control the car at first. Once it started sliding, it felt like it wouldn’t stop. I think that’s definitely a result of the extensive bodywork we did. Someone watched me drive from the outside and said, ‘It looks kind of stiff and jerky.’ I’m going to work on that and make this car my own.””

“Adjusting the spring rates and reviewing the alignment. Significant footwork adjustments were also required. But each and every one of these tasks was a an absolute joy. Furthermore, after breaking it countless times before, an overhaul of the transmission was undertaken. A cross-type OS transmission from the GT-R was installed. This should finally eliminate the situations where the transmission breaks down during runs.”

“Itai-kun has been driving his 180SX for seven years. This spec is the result of driving it all this time. Admittedly, compared to the S14 or S15, the 180SX has many disadvantages. But once you fall for this style, it has a strange charm that makes you unable to leave this car behind. That charm is tied to the “cool looks” that are so important in drifting.

Many drifters pursue their ideal driving style with this car. Itai-kun is one such drifter. His driving style is one that never misses the mark. I think it’s a style that captivates with speed, beautifully tracing the line. Itai-kun himself says he aims for an extreme, aggressive style. Once this car’s setup is finalized, I’m eager to see how his driving evolves.”

SPEC LIST

Aero: Hot Road full aero kit, Racing Service MAX vented hood, K-Style front frp fenders, pulled metal rear quarters, CBR400 mirrors.

Drivetrain: VCT SR20, Apex 87mm pistons+sleeved block (2.1cc), Apex RX-6 mid mounted turbo, 264° Intake cam, 256° Exhaust cam, lash killers(?), 850cc injectors, Ricoh Racing tuned ECU, Ricoh Racing 3 layer aluminum radiator, Trust oil cooler, Mass rear muffler, R33 GT-R OS transmission.

Footwork: Kei Office Airfolk Coilovers (12k/9k), S15 rear subframe, fully adjustable control arms, 17×9+15 TE37s on 215/40/17 for the front, 18×9.5+12 on 225/40/18.

Interior: Bride recliner driver seat, R32 GT-T passenger seat, Apex dash mounted gauges, Next Miracle Japan cross bar, Cusco Safety 21 roll cage, Pivot shift knob, personal steering wheels. *Lots of the interior parts would be changed/added later on.

For me, Itai’s car is one of the all time greats. Not just for 180s, but in all of drifting. He is definitely one of the first to build an all out “drift car” with no compromise. The only other cars I could compare it to at the time might be Koguchi’s 180 and the Friends built FC RX7. Full chassis stripped and rebuilt cars with one purpose: drifting.

I love the styling of Itai’s car, it’s a very cool balance of stylish yet performance oriented. No GT wing or crazy body kit (which isn’t a bad thing) it looks like a normal street car from the outside. But is a full blown racecar on the inside. What’s even cooler tho, Itai still drove/drifted this on the street!!

MFP WORKS R 86s & Sunny Trucks

Cool G-Corp ad on the left page.

Hideo Hiraoka’s new 180sx, the suspension and engine parts of his choosing.

Suspension setup:

“The rear upper arms and toe control arms are made by Ikeya Formula. These are the minimum necessary parts for lowering the ride height. Other parts, such as the lower arms and the knuckles, have pillow ball joints installed by PCR. There are various types of pillow ball joints, and these are the kind used in racing, so they are less prone to play. That’s why we chose PCR’s pillow ball joints. K-STYLE plans to commercialize these (price and release date are yet to be determined).

If all the arms were made with spherical bearings, there would be no room for error. Of course, racing cars use full spherical bearings, but I wanted to give this car some room for error. If there is no give in the bushings, the subframe itself will be subjected to higher amounts of stress. If the normal subframe is equipped with all solid bushings, it could break. Taking that into consideration, I added reinforcement to the subframe of this 180SX in places where it might break. In reality, making the subframe itself rigid would increase the rigidity of the body, but then it would be like a racing car. So with that in mind, I decided to keep factory subframe bushings to help relieve some of the stress.

The same applies to the front. The front engine member is made by Slash Racing Garage (there are no photos of this as the parts were not available at the time of the interview). It is reinforced and strengthened. Therefore, it was decided that it would be okay to use pillow ball bearings for the lower arms as well, and Ikeya Formula lower arms and pillow ball tension rods will also installed. The brackets where the tension rods are attached were custom made by attaching sheet metal and adding reinforcement.

As I mentioned before, the shock absorbers themselves are from PCR. I plan to leave the car with PCR to have them set up the suspension.”

-camber and toe arms made by Ikeya Formula
-S15 subframe conversion
-S14 rear lower control arms
-Roll center correction front lower control arms made by Ikeya Formula
-stock S14 knuckles
-S14 rear traction arms
-front and rear Largus swaybars
-S14 rear knuckles

“As for the engine, it will remain a 2 litter of course. But with upgraded cams, rods, and forged pistons. All made by J•ing. The head and combustion chamber were slightly modified/ported.

The turbine is a Kazama KZ350 II. The intercooler, boost controller, and gauges are Blitz products. The previous intercooler was hit, so I plan to attach this one slightly higher so that doesn’t happen again.

I recommend the Blitz SBCI boost controller, I really trust these things.

Once it’s all built up, we’re aiming for 360-370 horsepower. All these parts will be the base for the ultimate four-throttle drift engine. built by a tuning shop called J•ing in Fukushima Prefecture.

‘This engine is designed to rev smoothly from low to high RPMs, be easy to drive, and have no turbo lag. It’ll have torque, without blowing the tires off.’ says Hiraoka, describing the kind of car he wants to create. To get closer to Hiraoka’s ideal setup, the differential’s final drive ratio is set to 3.9. This gives the car a looser feel. He didn’t want it to be too intense to drive. The four-throttle setup offers good response, plus looks cool when the hood is open.”

For the keen readers, you would’ve noticed the mention of a “four throttle” engine, (4連スロットル) this would as it sounds refer to an ITB setup. But as seen in the pic here the K-Style Intake manifold is a normal, single throttle one. I’m unsure if this was a typo or if the end setup would feature a GTi-R/Ikeya ITB intake manifold.

I guess we will never know…

IHI turbos used to be a lot more popular back in the day, they used to supply a decent amount of tuning shops with their own spec’d out turbos. But they don’t seem to be popular in the aftermarket scene anymore.

The Ikyea Formula Sequential shifter was a huge invention for the time. These can be seen in a big number of drag, race, and drift cars in the early 2000s. It was a relatively cheep way to put an end to shifting errors. Turing a normal factory H pattern shifter into a sequential pattern shifter without the cost of a full racing transmission.

However the shifter would prove to be a bit of a technical liability in some circumstances, talks of them destroying transmission synchros can be seen online, although some claims have no evidence to back them up. The discontinuation of the shifters by Ikeya and the disappearance of them in professional motorsport might be a tell sign.

A very ambitious idea by Mr- Ikeya, that might have not worked out as well as he’d hoped.

Reinforcing parts was starting to become a common thing on purpose built drift cars, mainly the control arm joints on the subframes.

There is more coverage of the Rapid Hiraoka 180sx build in other BM issues . I’ll cover them whenever I cover the respective issues.

D-Style by M Sports

“The key feature of the D-STYLE aero kit is that the four companies were involved in its production. Each focused on making their own individual front bumper designs to showcase their personality. However the rear bumper and side steps were jointly developed by all the four companies together. The front bumper is produced according to each company’s unique style. And the side steps and rear bumper are designed to fit any D-STYLE aero kit.”

The M Sport variant (Type A) is still available till today! One of the best flowing aero kits, and super high quality stuff.

D-Style by Produced

“Provence was originally a manufacturer that produced VIP-style aero parts, and these new front bumpers for the 180SX is a product they have contributed to the D-Style lineup.”

First ever Hokuriku Battle Cup

“The BM Cup in the Hokuriku region featured many spectacular drivers and machines. The weather was perfectly sunny, ideal for drifting. Nearly 150 drifters entered the Extreme Drift class.

With the two top teams getting a chance to compete at the national championship!”

I won’t go too into detail for this BM Cup, mostly because there aren’t too many recognizable names to me. So I’ll just let you all enjoy the photos of the cool cars instead.

1st place winner: Hiroyuki Komamura

D-Style & Garage S ads

The before mentioned D-Style aero kit, the result of the 4 way partnership by M Sports, Provence, Wise Sports, and Final Konnexion.

A few of Garage S’s most popular product, their vented hoods. A very sought after part nowadays.

G-Grow ad

Will never not include a G-Grow ad, even if its contents have been covered before lol.

The newer Version II bumper in this ad is a more true to oem frp replica bumper. The Version I has a more smooth bumper to lip section. Very small difference between them though.

Did I mention how much I like overalls and how I’d love to have one of these?

Vivid Night Gal Drifters

Round 1 Chubu Battle Cup

1st place winner Akinori Utsumi [cover car]

“The BM Cup Chubu Tournament was held at the Suzuka Circuit South Course, a venue used for the BM Cup for the first time. Although it was held on a weekday, it was a huge success. Over 100 drifters gathered, all aiming for the top spot. Under clear skies, the goal was to qualify for the BM Cup Championship. It will be exciting to see who takes home the title, but it’s also clear that the intensity of drifting competitions is increasing year by year.”

“In the BM Cup, Utsumi’s PS13 always manages to get to a good position, but then gets eliminated due to machine trouble or other issues…that’s the impression we get. The same was true for last year’s BM Cup Championship. His run in the final tournament really captured the hearts of the spectators. But machine trouble forced him to use a replacement car, which caused him to spin out and get eliminated. However, he’s a man who always manages to become a highlight in every competition he competes in.”

“That’s the man who made it to the top this time. It was the victory he had been waiting for. It seemed like he was in great form from the morning. In the judging corner, he showed off a drift performance that seemed to say, “How’s that!!” A flashy performance with a sharp edge to it.

An aggressive style of running… this phrase perfectly describes Utsumi’s PS13. He didn’t falter even in the one-off final battle. On the contrary, his driving seemed to accelerate even higher. Utsumi-kun has recently been known for his comedic side, but when it’s time to make a move, he shows off his cool side to the fullest.”

The judges:

“Everyone has a chance to win. Even today, the outcome of this tournament was the result of seizing the opportunity. So, I want everyone to hone one skill that no one else can compete with. That way, when the opportunity arises, the win is yours for the grabbing.”

-Yoshinori Koguchi

“I think everyone drove true own to themselves in this competition. You could see the people driving with fire in their hearts. Seeing them like that made me want to drive alongside them. I think the winners today are the ones who drove with confidence in their own style. I want them to push themselves to the limit, doing exactly what they aim for. Technique is important, but so is your mindset.” -Yasuyuki Kazama

“Mr. Fukuzumi, the representative of MASA Motorsports, the organizer of this competition, and also a drifter himself, served as a judge.”

Team Rin Run

Calendar Car(s) for AUG 2001

YZ Circuit Renovations Complete!

(Itai!!)

One of the OG drift tracks in Japan, it’s unfortunately not around anymore but the videos and pics of this place live on. And you can find it on Assetto Corsa which is cool.

New Product News

Love wing raisers on R34s

Wild Garage BB kits.

Hot Road front bumper update, not something major but interesting to read about.

“Theoriginal front bumper spoiler Ver III for the 180SX has undergone a minor change. The Turbo A duct area has been smoothed out in advance, and the license plate mounting hole has been processed in the center. The duct mounting position and the angle inside the duct have also been newly adjusted. As a campaign, a limited number of 10 units will come with a HOT ROAD original sticker.”

More Part News & Kazama Auto ad

Favorite Kazama part is probably the catch can!

Dart Izumi Jr ad

Kanagawa’s No.1!

“Kanagawa is nationally renowned as a hot spot for drifting. Among drifters, the region has consistently led the street scene, even giving rise to a distinct “Kanagawa-style” of driving. While this is partly due to the area’s favorable environment. Be it mountain roads or the empty docks, it is also a testament to the intense passion for the sport by the locals.

Legendary mountain pass teams like Master Mixers Amigo, B-BLUE Racing (a collective of harbor drift teams such as Out Run and Night Walkers), as well as active teams in competitions like Running Free and COOL”D” have long been involved in Kanagawa’s drift scene.

This tournament aims to determine who stands at the top of the prefecture’s current drift scene.”

1st place winner: Hayashi Wataru of T50Japan

cool sticker

“And then there was Selection’s Kobayashi S14, who lost to Sasada in the second round. His bold, aggressive driving style was truly that of a challenger, and he put on a powerful performance.

At this event, there was truly a strong sense of determination among the younger drifters. those who could rightfully be called the next generation, to seize their chance. It seems these drivers are the ones who will be leading the Kanagawa drift scene forward from here on out.

As for the competition itself, it was a fierce, neck and neck battle featuring Sugano’s PS13, who executed a powerful and clean entry into Turn 1, Hayashi’s AE86, who attacked with an aggressive entry from the very edge of the track, and Yamashita’s AE86, who is second to none in terms of speed and beauty.

Hayashi’s AE86 emerged victorious from a battle fought at such a high level that it felt as though they were competing for the national championship. Managing to claim the title of Kanagawa’s number one driver.”

BM’s Top Picks Shop Spotlight!!

BM Editer Thoughts & Friends Racing ad

There is a small section for BM editors to write some of their thoughts/stories in each issue. Most of the time it’s not that interesting, but I thought I’d translate this time just because.

“Drifting on racetracks has become increasingly popular lately, and there are even plenty of people who only drive on tracks. On the other hand, there are also plenty of die hard street racers who only drive on the streets. So here’s the deal: we want to hear more and more from hardcore mountain pass and docks enthusiasts. We don’t want this magazine to only feature track driving. Please send your tips to BM. Let’s go all out and dominate, whether on the streets or the track!”
-Chief Editor Takahashi

“Lately, I just haven’t been feeling quite myself. Maybe it’s all because of the rain… (I’m writing this in mid-June, by the way). Anyway, changing the subject, I was looking at an ad on the train and suddenly felt like going on a trip. Ideally, I’d go somewhere like America, spend my days playing at the casino, and my nights sitting on a single-person couch, sipping beer or bourbon! I find myself thinking I’d like to live that kind of life for about three months, but maybe that just makes me a really useless person. When I’m busy, all I can think about is becoming a nobody”. -Kare

looks like some of that stuff had their gloomy days…

“My friends all love cats. Two of them have cats, and both are tabby cats. The owner of one of them regretted naming theirs “Meme.” When I asked why, they said that seeing it curled up in the futon reminded them of a “ganmo” (a type of Japanese vegetable patty), and they wished they’d just named it “Ganmo” instead. “Ganmo” is cute, so that’s fine, but I really want to suggest renaming the other cat. Just because they like simple names doesn’t mean “Neko” is an option, right?!” -Gamo

“I was seriously freaked out the other day. About two days before a deadline, I tried to shut down my trusty old laptop, but it threw an error… This has been happening a lot lately. I tried restarting it like usual, but… I saw an error I’d never seen before! Windows wouldn’t even boot up!! All the drafts I’ve saved are only on this laptop. Two days until the deadline. I don’t have the time or energy to retype everything. It’s a gamble, but I’m pulling an all-nighter to try and recover the data. To be continued in the next issue??” -Hiro

Can’t imagine going through that lol.

This page also has the info on where to order back issues, and also the winners of the giveaways BM does.

Friends Racing FC RC7, probably my favorite FC other than that pretty cool yellow one.

Also their SR20 mani looks pretty cool, kinda looks like modern day Dmax

BN Sports ad

BM Soku Dri (Fast drift) Challenge Cup announcement

An unusual style of drift event that was held at Nikko circuit. The winner would be decided based on lap times! The idea was that all participants had to drift the whole course on each run (except for corners 5&7) and the judges would not give points based on the drifts themselves. Only whether the participants drifted or not.

The winner would be the one with the fastest lap time while drifting, each corner that isn’t drifted will deduct time off the final lap time. And the 1st place prize would be 200k yen!!

Interesting idea for a drift event, I’ll have to keep an eye out on the issue that has the event coverage.

Interesting Drift Cars, Kansai edition

Event calendar

Mountain Drifters of LA

“I imagine quite a few of our readers have visited Los Angeles. When you were there, what did you drift enthusiasts think?

Were you like “I’m a drift guy through and through, let’s head to out to the mountains and experience some foreign drifting!”? Or do you say, “Nah, drifting in Japan is plenty. I can’t be bothered doing that all the way out here!” and head out shopping instead?

Actually, as I wrote in last month’s issue, I was the latter. Or rather, I didn’t even know there were drifters in America. And no wonder, it wasn’t until two years after I moved to the U.S. and bought a car that I met a real drifter and became friends with him.

After buying my Onevia, I would occasionally head out with a group of car enthusiasts to tackle the winding roads near my house. That said, it was just a casual drive where we’d cruise along at a moderate pace. Since it was a mountain pass a short distance from downtown L.A., the only traffic consisted of us and the occasional local delivery truck. There was absolutely no sign of any street racers.”

“After living that way for about two years, I began to wonder, “Are there really no street racers in America?”

Since I could only find Honda cars modified for drag racing whenever I visited tuning shops, I decided to launch my own website. On that site, for the benefit of those who couldn’t read Japanese, I translated Japanese tuning magazines (Battle Magazine, Young Version, Option) into English and posted them there.

One day, I received an email from a man who called himself “Boroha Chi.” He said, “I drive on mountain passes too. I have friends who do it as well.” It was a double surprise, not only that there were American drifters in L.A., but also that he was tackling the same mountain passes as me.

When I typed the address he gave me into my computer, I arrived at a message board. This message board was none other than the one from the now-legendary site “morinonakama” (Forest Companions). The site featured photos of repair shops where the friends gathered, pictures of street racers’ cars, and articles about drifting.

The reason this site is legendary is that back then (three years ago), street racers on mountain passes were virtually unknown in L.A. Back then, the “Morinonakama” site was a gathering place for guys who read Japanese magazines and drove mountain passes, and the people who actually drove those passes were practically myths. You couldn’t meet them just by waiting around; you had to seek out the mountain passes yourself and drive them to encounter them. To put it in perspective, they were like the Devil’s Z from “Wangan Midnight.”

But even that “Forest Friends” site closed down last year because of the vandalism by Honda’s “Zero-Four” guys and the fact that too many people had found out about it. Until then, only members knew about that message board.”

Benson Hsu’s Sil80 from the SileightryMania podcast.

“While there are more and more drifting related websites, the truth is that most of them are populated by so-called “internet drifters”who are people that do nothing but talk about it online.

And the few genuine drifters that are out there keep their identity a secret; or rather, they would never voluntarily say things like, “I’m hitting this mountain pass” or “I’m going drifting.” Just as was the case with mountain passes, when the number of people increases, manners tend to deteriorate.

Especially in American culture, which prioritizes the individual rather than harmony and cooperation like in Japan, it’s difficult to foster the kind of unique, mutually supportive relationships required among street racers.

For example, the other day on a grip course at a mountain pass, regulars like the Hachiroku were waiting at the start line to enter the course. Then, a CR-X, likely a first timer on the mountain pass, that was at the back of the line cut through everyone who was waiting their turn and entered the course.

Everyone chased after that CR-X, but a few cars got bored with how slow it was and turned around. After that, I heard that CR-X ended up driving quite recklessly. I think it’s important on mountain passes not to drive selfishly, but to drive with harmony with everyone else.”

“KENTAX: He shares information about American cars. From street racers to lowriders, in Los Angeles, and also promotes Japan’s street racing culture to the world.

He is the founder and writer of http://driftmania.com, as well as an active drifter who races a Onevia in Los Angeles.”

Pretty cool to get more insight on early US/Cali drifting scene. Can always hear more about it on the Benson’s podcast which I highly recommend.

RC Drifters of Japan

Street Machine Check!!

Reader submitted car features, nothing crazy but that s13 must have raised a few eyebrows back then lol.

D-Style aero lineup

MASA Motorsports R34 Stagea Wagon

“MASA Motorsports, the company that designs and sells S15 front end swap kits for the S13 and S14 models. Has just unveiled this new R34 station wagon. It’s a Stagea that makes you doubt your own eyes the moment you see it, thinking, “Huh?”. Speaking of the Stagea, not too long ago, Katsumata-kun from “RinRin RanRan Racing” made headlines by taking one drifting. It also competed in last year’s BM Cup Championship and drew a lot of attention.

True to form for MASA Motorsports, a company that’s a pro at front end swaps, they’ve actually given the Stagea an R34 GT-R front end. This R34 wagon is seriously cool. The front end It looks nothing like a normal Stagea, yet it fits perfectly without a hint of awkwardness.

This Stagea wasn’t built specifically as a drift car, but rather as a sports wagon. The engine has been swapped out for an RB26, and with just a limited slip differential, it’s ready to drift. They say the curb weight is about the same as an R33 GT-R. It seems like the perfect car for anyone who wants to stand out and drive something different?”

“Just the parts needed for a front end swap (including paint and assembly) cost around 500,000 to 600,000 yen. If you want to swap out the engine (RB26) or transmission, that will cost another 500,000 to 600,000 yen. However, you can build an R3-style Stagea with an RB20 engine for 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 yen, not including the cost of the vehicle itself.

If you opt for the RB25 engine spec, MASA Motorsports sells it for around 1.98 million yen, including the vehicle (2WD; the aluminum wheels are MASA originals, not the same as those on this demo car).

“This is a highly recommended spec for anyone who thinks driving a stock car is boring. Plus, if you swap in an RB26 engine, you won’t have any complaints about power,” says MASA Motorsports representative Fukuzumi.”

“The front bumper on this R34-style car is also a MASA original. To prioritize driving performance, it incorporates ducts designed to vent air from the area behind the turn signals. The intercooler opening is kept relatively small, and the design is kept simple to ensure a smooth driving experience. This is because not everyone uses a front-mounted intercooler. So it’s designed to accommodate those who have a side-mounted intercooler.

To build this R34 Stagea, a custom set of fenders and a hood has also been released. Of course, all of these parts can be bolted on with no modifications. The suspension uses MASA coilovers designed for the S14. Only the rear upper mounts have been swapped out for S13-spec parts. Why not enjoy the elegant sound of the RB26 in this R34 wagon?”

Nakayama Circuit Battle Cup

“The Middle Class, which has been held since last year, will be held this year at five locations: Tohoku (Ebisu Circuit South Course), Kanto (Nikko Circuit), Kansai (Meihan Sportsland), Chugoku/Shikoku (Nakayama Circuit), and Kyushu (Sekia Hills). The opening round of the BM Cup 2001!! Middle Class was held at Nakayama Circuit. Only those who have never participated in or qualified to participate in a national-level drift competition are eligible to compete in this Middle Class competition. This is a competition for those who are aiming to reach the top.

This year, the top three finishers will qualify for the BM Cup national championship tournament. As a result, the excitement was even greater than last year, and Nakayama Circuit, the venue for last year’s championship tournament, was buzzing with excitement.”

1st place: Kyogo Kitayama

The judges:

Hisashi Kamimoto of Outface.
“He is the leading drifter from Okayama Prefecture, where this tournament was held. In the first round, Kamimoto-kun praised the winner saying, “His middle-class driving gave me goosebumps.” He leads the Chugoku-Shikoku region by giving various advice and tough opinions to motivate the participants.”

Akino Utsumi of Night Zone.
“This powerful drifter from Kansai, who also thrilled the crowd at the Nakayama BM Championship, is highly respected in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, where he serves as an instructor for practice sessions. He also offered advice on using the side brake of the car, saying, “It’s okay to use, but it’s pointless if it slows you down. Use the side brake effectively to create a powerful and impressive drift.””

And that’s that! Another issue covered.

These BMs got a lot of good stuff which makes for longer posts, which take long to write haha…

I’m thinking about doing something different for either the next post or the one after, so stay tuned for that. I’ll be more focused to one topic and I’ll pull scans/pics from different sources instead of this style of magazine issue coverage. But until then!