Tokyo Auto Salon 2016: RE-Amemiya's Buzzing Rotary Rockets

"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy) 01/18/2016 at 08:07 • Filed to: None

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One of the most awaited booth this year at the TAS 2016 was RE-Amemiya’s. Every year, Isami Amemiya comes to show a selection of his best rotary-engined cars... Whether you want a sporty daily driver or a pure time attack racecar, Amemiya-san is the person to see to build your new dorito-powered vehicle.

Most of you will know him through all the Best Motoring/Hot Version videos he has been featured in, racing his cars on the touge against Amuse’s or J’s Racing’s Hondas S2000, all that with Keiichi Tsuchiya, the Dorifto King, at the wheel.

He started with a car repair shop in the early 70's and quickly ended up being attracted to the rotary engine, which he found extremely practical and easy to deal with (rotaries are very light, small and can be entirely rebuilt in 3 or 4 hours if you know what you’re doing). He started racing but discovered he was a better builder than he was a racecar driver. So instead of racing himself, he hired a driver and started to win everything in Japan. Today, he keeps on building race and time attack cars for the best drivers in the world.

13B powered Mazda Chantez

The Mazda Chantez is originally a small 490kg (just under 1100lbs) kei-car. At first, this car was designed to come out with a rotary engine, but due to complaints from other manufacturers, Mazda wasn’t able to pull this through and it ended up with a 359cc 2 stroke engine. What RE-Amemiya only did, was re-making the car the way it was originally supposed to be... and “upgraded it” a little. This specific car is a 280HP naturally aspirated 2-rotor beast revving up to 9000rpm. Imagine how it must feel: less than 500kg and 280hp. This is almost the same as the Bugatti Veyron’s power to weight ratio! And all that with the throttle response and the smoothness of an NA 13b rotary. Insanity at its finest!

20B FD3S Time Attack Rx-7

Appart from noticing all the weight reduction work that has been done on this one, with full carbon door interior, made with this “hand-made” feeling so typical of Amemyia weight reduction products, and that massive carbon fiber wing as wide as the car, I don’t know much about the car as we have yet to see it run. It is absolutely monstrous looking, and knowing how Amemiya’s time attack cars are, this 700hp+ turbo-charged monster will be amazing to witness for sure. I can only hope we’ll get to see Tsuchiya behind the wheel in a test video in the near future!

Last picture stolen from “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! " on instagram as I didn’t have a picture of the engine bay...

NA 13b SA22C Rx7

If I were to give a “best of show” award. It would go this one. Sure, I’m completely biased, but who cares? It’s a tuned car that look like it came out from a Mazda showroom. The peripheral ported 13b develops nearly 3 times what the original car made in 1979: 275hp!! That’s about 50hp more than the SA22C that won at the 24h race of Spa Francorchamps back in 1981. Of course, cars at the time did not have the chance of being mounted with Yokohama Neova AD08R (tires I’m actually thinking of getting for my own RE-Amemiya SA22C), nor was it daily drivable in any way. This car is though, and I want one... desperately!

So clean, so perfect... If you ever come to Tokyo, on your way back to Narita airport, don’t forget to check out his shop, which is within a short taxi ride distance from the airport itself (like 5 miles or so). You will be able to drool on the absolute best of what the rotary world produces today and trust me: you won’t regret it!!

Wheelerguy > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 08:43

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One please.

Wheelerguy > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 08:45

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This is pretty damn tall. Also, haven’t seen a regular-mount wing in a long time.

Wheelerguy > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 08:45

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This is a tastefully-done office.

Flavien Vidal > Wheelerguy 01/18/2016 at 08:48

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I loved seing the simpleness of this car, all this in the middle of the freak show that is the TAS :)

space_captain_steve > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 12:02

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280hp from a naturally aspirated 13B is extremely impressive.

DayWooTang > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:23

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Chevy Vega!!

Flavien Vidal > DayWooTang 01/18/2016 at 18:26

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hahaha it does look very similar indeed :)

Invinciblejets > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:27

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To bad they look like they are straight out of 2002.....

That sa22 probably sounds nasty peripheral poreted.

Invinciblejets > Invinciblejets 01/18/2016 at 18:28

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Too**

Flavien Vidal > Invinciblejets 01/18/2016 at 18:30

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Well the FD3s does, but the other two are much older... According the VIN, the SA22C was a non-turbo 1984 model and the Mazda Chantez was produced until 1976 :)

The goal here is not to redesign the cars and make them look modern. The goal is to make them fast. CRAZY fast :)

Hank Scorpio > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:31

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Imagine how it must feel: less than 500kg and 280hp

I can feel myself wetting my pants.

Hank Scorpio > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:33

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This is gorgeous.

Flavien Vidal > Hank Scorpio 01/18/2016 at 18:36

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In the middle of the shit show that TAS can be at times, it felt insanely refreshing.

Dsscats > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:42

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This kit doesn’t look great molded in. The rest of the car is “the tits” though

AddMustard > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:45

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Be still my rotating heart...

Flavien Vidal > Dsscats 01/18/2016 at 18:45

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Really? I personally really liked it and as I like to say “I like my cars as stock as possible” :)

Invinciblejets > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:46

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I meant 2002 tuning style in apperance...with the modern wheels on old cars and body kits and stickers.

AddMustard > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:50

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At first, this car was designed to come out with a rotary engine, but due to complaints from other manufacturers, Mazda wasn’t able to pull this through and it ended up with a 359cc 2 stroke engine.

This requires elucidation

Flavien Vidal > AddMustard 01/18/2016 at 18:56

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At the time, kei-cars were limited to 360cc but had no limit on power. Mazda wanted to put a 3A rotary engine in it... Rotaries benefit of diplacements half the size of regular engines. So a 350cc single rotor rotary would equal to a 700cc piston engine. Other manufacturers thought Mazda was trying to cheat and that it wasn’t fair, therefore MAzda had to get the car to come out with a 2 stroke engine instead.

ThatbastardKurtis > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 18:56

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I came here to say something totally unrelated. That there needs to be more Wankel Rotary engines motorcycles

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_RE…

Flavien Vidal > ThatbastardKurtis 01/18/2016 at 19:06

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You also have the OCR 1000... unfortunately only 38 or were built...

Mike > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:18

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That FD3S RX-7 looks like an amazing way to kill myself. I need to have it.

C to the J > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:32

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The last one doesn’t really do it for me but the first two are awesome!

Marfanland Man > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:44

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I was wondering the same myself, thanks for the explanation. And to add to your eloquent elucidation: man, f*** the regulations and the regulators that regulate.

evoCS > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:46

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I feel it’s just a bit sacrilegious, my favorite RE Amemiya is actually a Lotus-

http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/01/rotary…

whiteknight13 > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:47

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This is what rotary is all about. Its easy to forget rpms make all the difference. Learned how to drive stick on a built NA rx7. Shifting at 9k is the sickness.

Chasaboo > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 19:48

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So clean, and so much space in the engine bay.

Flavien Vidal > evoCS 01/18/2016 at 19:49

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It is cool indeed, but I do prefer the original one. Had he kept it a bit more “stock-looking” I would have loved the thing though :)

willsolo > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 20:16

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Surprised no one made a comment on this...

Flavien Vidal > willsolo 01/18/2016 at 20:17

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Autoshows on press days... So many journalists laying around trying to take pictures of under the cars, you don’t even notice them anymore lol

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 20:22

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I love the idea of this. If I lived in Japan I like to think I’d buy a car from RE Ameniya and let them maintain it as the guys who built it. I imagine they’d take great care of me and we’d forge a lasting friendship.

Mine would be something relatively mild - maybe a rotory in something that never had a rotory. No stickers or bodykits, just a clean and well done bespoke car.

Flavien Vidal > Nauraushaun 01/18/2016 at 20:28

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While Amemiya’s cars are the best rotaries around, don’t forget that, like every shops that “are the best”, he is not the cheapest :)

Tons of rotary specialists exist all around Japan. Mine is RE-Sugiyama in Nagoya, but I rarely go see him as I simply don’t need expensive tune-up done to my car on a regular basis.

I will get an intercooler installed on mine in the near future though. For that I will go see him... But regular maintenance can be done anywhere, easily and well...

Nauraushaun > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 20:46

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That’s true. I’m sure it’s fairly expensive. But there’s something nice about the idea of paying an expert to do high quality work. So much of car modification is amateurs doing what they can in their back yard. I can see why, but the result isn’t comparable.

Hooneriphic > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 21:14

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Am I wrong for thinking this car would have been better without the wide body kit? I’ve never herd of this car before but methinks it would have been pretty sweet as a sleeper. (Well as much of a sleeper as a rotary powered car can be)

ETA: Just looked at some stock versions. Pretty homely little thing...

MozziG > evoCS 01/18/2016 at 21:40

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Mine is this awesome thing that started its life as an Autozam AZ-1:

(RE Amemiya GReddy VI)

PragmaticPanda > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 22:14

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Cyborgs are seriously crossing that uncanny valley hard!

SP-202LOFI > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 22:30

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The look of a Champion

fleshsword > Invinciblejets 01/18/2016 at 22:53

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Haha, dude go to Japan. The whole country is stuck in 2002.

DrKillJoy420 > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 23:00

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This was the first jalopnik post........I masturbated to. Am I one of you now? Is that how this works? 

Xan1765 > Invinciblejets 01/18/2016 at 23:19

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Edgy...... But seriously, the chantez is wearing Oz WRC wheels, which would be the only not racing expensive version of the old group B speedlines in a 4x100 bolt pattern, especially in something that size (I think speedline classics are minimum 17 or 18" now). Can’t tell what FD is wearing for shoes, and the sa22 is wearing some very generic 10 spokes that were featured on at least 26 cars in Initial D.

Also, at least marginally functional aero on at least one (FD) if not two (chantez) race built cars (you know, since the guy builds legendary race cars), isn't 2 fast 2 furious. You're just a blowhard who apparently thought 2,500 mile oil changes on that 88 rx7 you had were silly, and now you're a hater....

ColdSimon > ThatbastardKurtis 01/18/2016 at 23:21

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Norton made a rotary.

Xan1765 > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 23:23

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Wow, I'd like to know the details of how that lobbying went down. I mean, legally, if the damn motor displaces 360cc.... Why does the law care if it's a Dorito or a damn jet engine??? Again, I'm assuming the big wigs at Honda and Toyota pulled some strings there.

ferric oxide > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 23:28

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So what will this guy do when he runs out of Mk2 Rx-7s? This being Japan (where they pretty much crush anything over 15 years old due to insane registration/insurance fees) there can’t be a lot of them left.

Flavien Vidal > PragmaticPanda 01/18/2016 at 23:31

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haha, lightning at the show was terrible everywhere really. :)

DoglegFirst > ThatbastardKurtis 01/18/2016 at 23:32

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There was a guy three or so years ago that built a 700cc race bike and made it sound like they were going to build them to sell. I can’t remember the name off the top of my head though.

Flavien Vidal > DrKillJoy420 01/18/2016 at 23:34

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It depends where you like to ejaculate... Body kit, dashboard, engine. That would change your status in our community.

Flavien Vidal > Xan1765 01/18/2016 at 23:35

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The law suit didn’t go through and Mazda abandoned without giving a fight ;)

Flavien Vidal > ferric oxide 01/18/2016 at 23:39

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It’s an MK3 (chek the VIN, produced in 1984 and 1985). When there won’t be any SA22C, he’ll stop working on them...

As far as the “insane registration and insurance”goes, it’s an old urban legend. I drive a 31 year old Turbo SA22C unicorn. It costs me about 250$ a year to register and 600$ a year to insure. They just crush older cars because they don’t give a fuck and like “like stuff”. The car is a status symbol here. It has to be clean and new... Old stuff is not liked very much. That and they can’t wrench for shit nor want to bother about it...

ferric oxide > Flavien Vidal 01/18/2016 at 23:46

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Actually the RX-7 only had 3 generations so I guess Mk1?

FD = this

FC = this

FB = this

FA = does not exist

Flavien Vidal > ferric oxide 01/19/2016 at 00:02

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Yes, I know I own a SA22C :)

I meant it was the 3rd generation of the SA22C, which is the first gen of RX7

1979 to 1981 was S1, 1981 to 1983 was S2 and 1984/1985 are S3s :)

FB and SA22C are the same car, It just called FB in the US starting in 1981 due to VIN making their apparition. SA22C was replaced by “FB” on the VIN.

FC and FD are the 2nd and 3rd gen of the RX7.

Free Market Party Company > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 00:06

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That '79 is spectacular (always did like that restyle on the first-gen RX-7). Lovely car.

Flavien Vidal > Free Market Party Company 01/19/2016 at 00:10

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It’s a 1984, maybe 1985 according to the chassis number. The #3 in front of the chassis number means that it’s a S3 SA22C which started in 1984. My 1985 Turbo unicorn has VIN# SA22C-302466

Pete > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 00:21

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Sounds like it was something like what the Germans did with NSU. When the NSU 1st came out they taxed it as a small displacement car... then latter it was taxed as a big displacement car. The reasoning was that because the motor makes as much power as a big displacement car it should be taxed like a bigger car. I am sure some lobbing occurred from others but that was what the government told NSU and the public.

Flavien Vidal > Pete 01/19/2016 at 00:28

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That and NSU engines all broke down after 10000km. killing the reputation of the rotary in Europe for good and bankrupting NSU for ever.

I actually bought an NSU Ro80 that arrived in Japan 2 days ago. I have a review of the waiting so check back in 2 weeks or so if it gets published on Jalopnik too. But the original engine was replaced by a much better and powerful 175hp 13b ;)

godblessE39 > Invinciblejets 01/19/2016 at 00:42

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Ever notice what kids in the UK like to dress and drive? To an American like me it looks like at least pre-2004, and as far as late 90's!

MadNachos > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 01:00

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I like it too. It’s form following function. It’s function is a bit unique but its intended to do its thing and weight reduction is a big factor, and if used as intended its likely to get damaged. Under that lens it looks ideal to me.

Invinciblejets > godblessE39 01/19/2016 at 01:20

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Lol for sure

evoCS > MozziG 01/19/2016 at 01:36

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Holy Shit. I’ve never seen that before and now I MUST KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

/off to teh internets

evoCS > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 01:38

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Good God man, you are living the dream. We MUST hear more about this NSU!

evoCS > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 01:41

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I can understand where you’re coming from. I just have athing for cars with chopped rear fascias (Lancia 037 and Delta S4, I’m looking at you).

EdwardR > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 02:13

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The little square blue thing is cool just because it’s so odd but the rest...meh.

Flavien Vidal > evoCS 01/19/2016 at 02:55

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haha, I’ll do the OppoReview in a couple of weeks ;)

It’s this one:

Conan > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 06:39

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This guy? Actually cool.

Flavien Vidal > Conan 01/19/2016 at 07:10

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Yes, you can see him on this old video, casually meeting with tons of people including a young Max Orido for some not very legal stuff around the Wangan of Tokyo... He shows up at 1min55 and they call him Moustache man lol

Tubthumper > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 07:41

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Is this a dare?

Flavien Vidal > Tubthumper 01/19/2016 at 07:45

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haha, I know, but I’m used to it in Japan now lol... These are my pictures when I managed to shoot inside of the 2017 Honda NSX...

Japan... Everybody is so honest and never does shit they are not allowed to do... Problem is that not everyone in Japan IS japanese. And that’s so damn tempting lol :)

catzo5 > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 08:00

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I want that first one so much. I would clean up at the ricer races

SomethingSomethingDarkside > ferric oxide 01/19/2016 at 08:10

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You are correct that Mazda did not use FA chassis name for the RX7. However, the 77-80 Familia/323 used the chassis name FA(4).

Flavien Vidal > catzo5 01/19/2016 at 08:11

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You would clean up pretty much everywhere, with a Veyron-like powered kei-car :)

RallyorDie > ThatbastardKurtis 01/19/2016 at 08:17

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Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:03

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The Mazda Chantez is RWD. I need this in my life.

JoeBloeIdaho > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:22

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So I am not NEARLY enough of a car guy to add smart comments here so it won’t come as a surprise to anyone when I say I’ve never heard of this guy and that I wasn’t aware there was any other rotary engine then the Wankel (famed for being in the 1st Mazda Rx7s to hit the US.

I was around then and loved the commercial - ha! “The piston engine goes boingdiddyboingdiddyboing but the Mazda goes huuuummmmmmm!”

Later I owned an RX7 but it didn’t last. Oil, mileage and surprising to me - slow acceleration. Also, it did NOT like the cold winters of the NY Metro area.

I didn’t realize it was possible to have a well running, fast and reliable rotary engine.

With all that said I LOVE this article! I’m excited about rotary engines again (even if I never COULD complete that model my parent bought me one Christmas)!

I will definitely be looking at securing one of these in my next car purchase.

Thanks for this!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:24

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Uncontrollable levels of want.

Flavien Vidal > JoeBloeIdaho 01/19/2016 at 09:31

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All of those engines ARE Wankels. They are just called rotaries by most people :)

Lots of different sizes too. You had a 1.2L 12A engine in your 1st gen RX7, same as mine, expect than mine is a Japan only Turbo unicorn.

RX7 have this particularity of having no torque whatsoever, but are able of revving very high and very long. They are also fragile engines, thsat requires constant surveillance, and total engine warming respects. If you live in a cold weather place and your car sleeps outside, it most likely wont last very long haha

Most modern rotaries are turbo engines, in order to compensate this lack of torque that NA engines have. The challenge of Amemiya-san is to stay with NA engines to avoid the throttle lag of turbos and still manage to make very fast torquy cars. This is why he pushes NA rotaries to their maximum and work as much as possible on weight reduction.

He is the greatest rotary builder this planet has ever known haha. His innovations in the rotary world and his passion for the dorito engine are lengendary today :)

The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) > ferric oxide 01/19/2016 at 09:32

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To expand on Flavien Vidal; this is a bit of rotary fans lingo bleeding through. Among ourselves and in our forums we refer to RX7's by both generation and series.

As Flavien said, S1 = 1979 to 1980, S2 ‘81 to ‘83, S3 = ‘84/’85

Then for 2nd Gen S4 = 1986 to 1988 and S5 = 1989 - 1991

Then for 3rd gen S6 =1992 - 1995 (one sold here), S7 = 1996-1998 (Japan, Australia only), S8 = 1999 - 2002 (Japan only)

8695Beaters > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:34

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Pretty typical of Japanese racecars. Minimal cage, surprising amount of OEM parts left, minimal aero, and the engine bay is more reminiscent of a street car than a race car. Is it a bad car? Not at all. But it seems like the majority of Japanese racecars are just glorified street cars than proper racecars. I be the wiring is a mess (it usually is in Japanese racecars).

Invinciblejets > Xan1765 01/19/2016 at 09:34

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What.

Flavien Vidal > 8695Beaters 01/19/2016 at 09:38

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It isn’t with Amemiya, trust me. He is a proper racecar builder and does things extremely meticulously. And yes, even his most hardcore time attack cars are daily drivable and you can get them licensed. He still wins races and time attack events with them though... That’s part of his fun, just like it is part of his fun to keep rotary engines as NA as possible and work on weight reduction to fight with the top instead of going the “easy” turbo way like most :)

JoeBloeIdaho > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:39

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That is so cool. I appreciate the info.

As I no longer live in the NY Metro I don’t have such a harmful environment for my sleeping RX (ha). We still have winter - and occasionally snow but, it is rare and winter doesn’t last long.

I am very happy to learn all this. My wife and I were just talknig about going to Japan in the near future too!

I think I may have a plan!!

Tubthumper > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:45

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You would never get far, but it may be fun trying!

Spoolingturbo > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 09:52

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“Just under 1100lbs”

“280 hp”

Wut.

cylent > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 10:06

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I think Mr Ameyima deserves a lot more respect and notoriety than RWB(Nakai-san). I think that he does a lot more to the cars than just slap on the same fenders and body kit on every car he works on.

Tim the KNinja > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 10:08

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That Chantez. Wow.

JustAnotherG6 > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 10:24

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so... in theory, they would be available to import into the US.

8695Beaters > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 10:28

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The Japanese are very meticulous in some areas, but lacking in others. They are beginning to follow some of the American trends in racecar building. But the Japanese have a very tight focus on light weight and they believe that chassis flex helps tire grip. In many cases, they underbuild the rollcage specifically to keep it light and keep the chassis somewhat flexible. This is at the expense of driver safety.

Compare the RE Amemiya car to the ARK GT-R. The door bars are convex, giving the driver more room in case of a crash (compare that to the X-bar that is right next to the driver’s legs in the RX-7). They are also gusseted for extra strength and both tubes are continuous instead of a standard cross arrangement (which creates a weak point at the weld). Their cage also has roof supports in case of a rollover. The ARK GT-R cage also extends through the firewall and ties the entire front and rear of the car together. A bit heavier than what REA did, but it is far safer and allows the suspension to better do its job. Also, while the wiring in this unfinished car looks a bit messy, it is far from it. This car ran all Cosworth electronics wired using military-spec components. Most Japanese tuners use lots of piggyback computers to control separate functions. The Cosworth parts can do the same jobs better and with fewer components. RE Amemiya builds great cars, don’t get me wrong, but except for the very top tier of street-based cars, most Japanese racecars are just glorified street cars (as you alluded to in your response). The ARK-GT-R is a full-on racecar and while it definitely cost more to build than the RX-7, shows what a truly creative and meticulous build looks like.

Iheartmy365kHonda - Car enthusiasts do like FWD > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 10:31

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Rotary is love... Okay you get it. Oh how I want a rotary in my life!!

MachineReplica > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 11:07

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HNNNNNGGGGHHHHHH

Showed some of the photos to a guy that works next to me. Nothing made sense to him.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 11:12

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Those fender flares are positively obscene. I love them and want them. There is something about taking a little tiny car and putting absolutely ridiculous fender flares on it that I love.

PhoenixNFA: 12.5PSI of Bad MPG > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 11:25

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YES PLEASE!

axiomatik > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 11:38

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Cool stuff, though aesthetically only the FB looks good. The Chantez would look much better with more standard flares. As the owner of an RX-8 which I love driving, I wish I had a Renesis in a lighter chassis. The engine is fantastic, and in a ~2000lb chassis it would be amazing.

evoCS > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 11:45

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I am excited.

glew > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 12:05

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the first gen is odd. fb tail lights, bumpers, and trim, sa interior, including wonky in-dash speaker.maybe differences between jdm and american market first gens?

not knocking. i got an fb myself. and that one is beautiful.

Syscrush > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 12:54

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Sorry, despite the deep and broad love I have for many of the elements on this car, this open space ahead of the front wheel is awful enough to just about ruin it for me.

Also, have you ever daily-driven a peripheral-ported NA 13B? I expect that it might be a less pleasant experience than you expect.

53v3n7 > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 13:30

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Is it just me or does it look a bit like a car from the Chevron commercials?

Knight > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 15:44

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Does it come with fries?

Knight > Flavien Vidal 01/19/2016 at 15:45

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Dat ass.

Flavien Vidal > glew 01/19/2016 at 22:04

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Well, to start, there are no “FB” in Japan. FB cars got introduced when VIN numbers appeared in 1981. FBs are just SA22C called differently for the US market. This specific car is a late 1984 or early 1985 SA22C, so if it had been exported to the US in LHD, it would have been called FB. The “dashboard speakers”, are the air vents though :)

Front speakers are in the door, in the very front of it, near your feet...

This is my 1985 Amemiya turbo ;)

Flavien Vidal > Syscrush 01/19/2016 at 22:06

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It’s not going to be worse than my turbo-12a ;)

I’ve only driven one for a short amount of time, but it was very fine, borderline better than mine lol

Flavien Vidal > axiomatik 01/19/2016 at 22:08

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Totally agree but I wouldn’t do it with a Renesis... ACtually getting a NA 230/240HP 20B engine in another SA22C is something I really want to do :)

NavyMercedes > Flavien Vidal 01/20/2016 at 05:36

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I want that lil blue fucker so bad