Drift Tengoku — September 2004 · Page 295

‘People often say I don't pay attention to the line, and they're right! I just want to drive right at the limit with the accelerator fully down. Control can come afterward.

Smoke and dramatic driving are more entertaining to watch,’ he says. In pursuing impact, he repeatedly clutch-kicks despite the K3-450R's roughly 450 horsepower, destroying numerous transmissions and driveshafts. ‘I've broken a driveshaft after only three laps of Ebisu South. It would break whenever I went practicing, so I often entered contests in my less powerful second car, an S15.’ Remarkable! [Historical interview; not driving advice.]

NOS is controlled with an [brand damaged] NCS controller. It can control activation by engine speed, throttle opening and vehicle speed. The dry nozzle is set to operate from 3,200 to 5,000 rpm at more than 70% throttle; the wet nozzle operates over almost the whole range, 2,800–7,000 rpm, above 90% throttle. The factory ECU is remapped so one map accommodates both NOS on and off .

…to install a NOS system. By adding power, he hoped to reduce clutch-kick frequency and drivetrain loads. There was another reason: standing out by doing something others weren't. ‘Contest cars are mostly the same.

If the cars are the same, I don't think the driving will differ much.’ That thinking extends to functional parts: an OS Super Lock differential and Exedy carbon single clutch, for example. They aren't the usual choices, but he likes how the differential's abrupt initial lock starts rear slip earlier, and how the carbon single clutch grips without slipping yet engages more gently than a twin, easing gearbox loads during clutch kicks [owner's claims].

Promising Newcomer 2004

Interior: Bride Maxis II seat; [brand damaged] steering wheel; electronic gauges for boost, water temperature, oil temperature and oil pressure.

Weight: about 1,100 kg. Reinforcement bars are welded to the body to improve their effect.

Anyone who sees his driving is bound to think, ‘This guy is going to do something remarkable!’ His accelerator is always wide open. From the far outside, he throws the rear out very early and enters sideways. He pays little attention to the ideal line, emphasizing speed, angle and white smoke for maximum impact…

Notice the thorough body reinforcement too!

Pivot [gauge brand fragment]

Takata four-point seat belt

Modified Cusco ten-point roll cage

A high-power engine with reinforced drivetrain [opening fragment damaged]

To tidy and lighten the engine bay, the fuse box and battery were moved behind the rear seat. Underseal was removed, and all windows except the windscreen were replaced with acrylic, keeping weight to about 1,100 kg . The crossbar extends into the boot and is welded to the strut areas .

…indeed.

Because body flex wastes power, he added side bars and a rear crossbar to a Cusco through-dash cage. ‘I've driven an S14 with a normal cage too, but welding it in makes the rigidity feel completely different,’ says Ofukuchi . Pillar attachments further strengthen the body.

In-depth examination

But winning in his main S14 would be more satisfying…

…so he switched to factory GT-R driveshafts and a Trust sequential gearbox.

Ofukuchi Takera

…kit. ‘I wanted a mature image,’ he says, choosing moderate lowering and width, with a design that isn't excessively flashy. For a more luxurious appearance, he painted the candy-green color…

with SILVIA

…himself. The lowrider-inspired flame pattern is pinstriped in paint, commissioned from TAP, an Ibaraki specialist in sticker design .

Friend

Wearing aero parts he designed himself, with a lowrider-style appearance. Small details keep it from being too flashy!

EXTERIOR

Takera Motorsport front bumper / side skirts / rear…

NIS… [brand fragment]

Tires and wheels: front RevSpec RS-02, 235/40-17; rear RevSpec RS-02, 275/35-18 [rear label damaged].

Bonnet, unknown manufacturer

…rear bumper

off+12)

GT-4, 9.5J-17…

GT-4(10.5J-18

Factory… [fragment]

Front and rear fenders…

Ganador Super Mirrors / factory rear wing / hammered-out fenders / acrylic side, rear-quarter and… .

…offset +15

WHEELALIGMENT

…rear windows).

Negative 2.5 degrees [camber]

Negative 2 degrees [camber]

Camber

1 degree

…out, 1.5 degrees [toe specification fragment]

Front: toe…

But he even broke that sequential gearbox. This finally troubled the king of breakages…

At that point, Inose of Friends recommended…

Two 5 kg NOS tanks are fitted in the boot. Winter requires a warmer to maintain the stated pressure of ‘900–1200 kg/…’ , while in summer exposed tanks apparently work well. Because the system activates only when needed, this amount lasts comfortably for two track days. Refilling reportedly costs about ¥15,000 per tank [historical owner report].

The NOS system finally gave him…

…the performance he wanted. He says he still cannot control it fully, but with measures against breakage in place, all that remains is…

…more driving practice.

Drift Tengoku — September 2004 · Page 295

Page 295 — English translation

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