When Francisco Gurule isn't indulging in his pastime shooting photos of his '97 Alpine Silver, Limited Edition, 15th Anniversary Supra, he can be found either driving it or working on it. Franciso says 99 percent of the work involved in getting the stock-block 2JZ-GTE to hit the 718 whp, 577 lb-ft of torque mark was accomplished by him.

Generally, reliability and horsepower figures multiplied by factors of more than two don't mix, that is, unless you're dealing with Toyota's 2JZ. While the power figures are impressive, it isn't hard to believe Francisco's claims of driving his Supra 1,000 miles to Texas' TX2K Supra meet and cranking up the boost, leaving a Hayabusa rider little more than a whiff of what the 2JZ/Precision Turbo 74 GTS combo ignited, compressed and ultimately spit out. The MKIV's augmented with a GReddy three-row intercooler and a TiAL 46mm wastegate that's popped opened and closed when the HKS EVC VI boost controller tells it to; in Francisco's case that's 1.1 bar on pump gas and 1.7 bar on C16. Either way, all is tuned with nothing more than an HKS VPC and GCC combination and monitored with a PLX wideband air/fuel ratio meter and GReddy peak and hold gauges. Surprisingly, the ECU remains completely untouched. Fuel vapors for the Hayabusa guy come courtesy of twin Walbro in-tank pumps, 880cc/min injectors, Powerhouse fuel rail and Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator. Francisco also ensured all that torque is applied effectively with the addition of a Getrag six-speed gearbox fitted with an HKS triple-disc clutch and chrome-moly flywheel. HKS Hipermax II drag coilovers keep the tires planted properly and Hawk brake pads, in tandem with steel-braided lines and stock rotors and calipers, get them to stop rolling on a whim.

Francisco says he plans to turn up the boost to an even 2.0 bar and see just where that leads him. Is a fully built 2JZ-GTE in this Supra owner's future or are we about to witness one of the most powerful stock-internal 2JZ's?

Nick Brown says Subarus are few and far between in Somerset, MA. He says that's one reason his '05 Subaru STi stands out from everything else. We disagree. Nick's STi would likely garnish its fair share of attention despite the number of other WRX's and STi's in its presence.

Nick and his STi spend ample time at the dragstrip as well as at the shows. As such, this Subie's been modified accordingly. On the race side, Nick fitted his STi's underside with Cobb Tuning sport springs and Rota Formula Mesh 18-inch rims accompanied with Toyo Proxes T1R tires. Power figures are enhanced with a Perrin big MAF intake system, inlet pipe and blow-off valve, Invidia 3-inch turbo-back exhaust, UR up-pipe and dump tube and an Agency Power header. The Helix RR500 turbocharger is regulated by a TiAL 38mm wastegate and Prodrive boost solenoid. Cobb Tuning's AccessPort also handles tuning, which lets Nick access maps for both 93 octane and 116 octane on the fly. Race maps are made possible with the addition of Helix 860cc/min injectors and a Walbro 255lph fuel pump. An SSAC front-mount intercooler kit eliminates the factory-positioned top-mount unit for a more aggressive look and cooler charge.

For show duty, Nick's reengineered the STi's outside with a repainted hood, roof and trunk matched with a carbon-fiber scoop and front lip, HID's and JDM taillights. WRX side skirts were swapped in place as well as a JDM rear skirt and more carbon-fiber bits in the form of window pillars and mirror overlays. The interior hosts an ATI three-gauge pod, Prosport boost, air/fuel and voltage gauges and Eclipse CD/DVD navigation unit. The headliner was rewrapped in black suede and the pillars, visors and door handles were redone in black, while the shift boot and emergency brake handle were customized to a blue with black-stitch finish.

Give yourself some credit, Nick. This STi's likely to stand out anywhere, regardless of the Subaru count.

Las Vegas is a crazy, crazy place. This is common knowledge already, thanks to Vegas' healthy reputation as the headquarters for sin. But don't think for a second that alcohol and gambling are the only after-school specials going down in excess. The town is just as much a haven for speed addicts as it is for poker addicts. Nestled away from the bright lights and billboards of the tourist-ridden main strip is Factor X Racing, one of the nation's premiere builders of turbocharged Acura NSX's. It's not uncommon to see Factor X-tuned mid-engine rocket ships cruising through the streets of Las Vegas, all of which are packing north of 500 hp.

This blue 1993 Acura NSX, owned by Vegas resident Paul Siu, is outfitted with Factor X's FX500 turbo package, which is designed to push more than 500 hp. Two years ago, before Sui seriously started this build, his NSX was much more mild. Acura's flagship provided massive thrills at first, but an addiction to power soon took over and mere bolt-on parts wouldn't cut it. As an employee of the extravagant Bellagio resort and casino, Siu is used to seeing his fair share of high rollers. But when your neighbors start coming home in Porsche 911 Turbos and Lamborghini Gallardos, you know it's time to step up the game on your NSX.

Siu started the build on his NSX by laying the supporting foundation for high horsepower first, and then adding the turbochargers later. Smart man. Bigger tires would be necessary to contain the upgrade in power, and Siu didn't cheap out. A set of 225/25/18 front and ber-wide 315/30/18 rear Michelin Pilot Sport tires were stretched on to custom Burning Black Work VS-SS wheels. The front ten-spoke beauties are 8 inches wide, but the rears measure a whopping 11 inches across. Filling up the void behind the front Work wheels is a four-piston AP Racing big brake kit, which is an especially wise investment considering how fast this NSX really is.

In order to cover these enlarged rollers, some new bodywork was in order. Once upon a time, this NSX wore a Wings West body kit and stock fenders, but the new rubber convinced Siu to upgrade to the Cantrell Studios widebody conversion kit. The front end still wears the same Wings West front air dam and louvered carbon hood, but the front fenders and rear quarter panels were traded out for Cantrell's widened and flared pieces. After adding a Taitec rear diffuser and massive MAX Racing rear wing, this NSX began to live up to Siu's nickname for it: the Blue Devil.

But no devil would be complete without hellfire. Driving down a desert highway to work one morning, Siu received a honk from a pickup truck and a simple shout, "You need a turbo!" As it turns out, that truck was driven by none other than Factor X mad scientist Mike Angel, who was spreading the love of NSX turbos his own way. Angel's FX500 turbocharger package was whipped up for the car, designed to put out more than 500 hp on pump gas. Siu's FX500 system began with the removal of his stock C30A and the installation of one of Factor X's spare race engines. Larger 93mm bore Wiseco pistons are hung on rebushed stock titanium connecting rods, along with the stock forged steel crankshaft. The cylinder heads are ported by Portflow and were finished with new valves, springs and retainers before re-installation.

The turbo portion of the kit uses a secret-spec turbocharger, which is mounted low down and away from view. Connected to modified Comptech headers, the turbo blows into a custom downpipe and out the Taitec JGTC center-exit exhaust system. This NSX uses a Cantrell Concepts air induction system, which scoops cold air out of the fender well and feeds it into the stock air box. A Factor X in-tank fuel pump feeds thirsty 720cc/min RC Engineering fuel injectors, based on the tuning of the HKS F-Con V Pro standalone engine management system. Factor X has tuned the car seamlessly for daily driving, and with the turbo system hidden low and away from view, this NSX's engine bay could almost pass for stock. That is, until the first rip of the throttle.

In order to strengthen the stock five-speed drivetrain from the shock of 500 hp, Siu knew he couldn't leave stock equipment in place. A RPS clutch kit was installed, consisting of a stronger single clutch disc and lightweight flywheel. A JDM five-speed gearset was also installed, featuring shorter 2-4 gear ratios that the Japanese and European NSX's received stock. Then, as if those gears weren't short enough, Siu added in a OS Giken limited-slip differential and shorter OS Giken 4.44:1 final drive ratio gear. With both shorter gearing and more power on tap, this NSX flies through the gears, eating up the road like a ravenous animal.

The NSX has always been praised for its stellar handling prowess, but car control gets tricky when generating the kind of speed possible with 500 hp. So Siu added in Ground Control coilovers and Comptech sway bars to keep his handling tight, while NSX-R reinforcement bars and a Carbing rear brace keep the body as stiff as possible. To help tame the notoriously twitchy rear end of the first-gen NSX chassis, Science of Speed non-compliance rear beam bushings, pivot clamps and toe links were added.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things about Siu's Acura NSX is the fact that the car is an unbelievable thirteen years old. With the new Cantrell Studios bodywork slathered on and the massively obvious MAX Racing wing stuck on the rear, this NSX is no longer a stealthy machine, but rather an in-your-face tire churning missile. Siu's accomplished goals include: updating the look of his car; adding power; increasing driving fun; and, most importantly, being able to spank all of his Euro-loving neighbors. Now his Lambo-driving neighbors just might try to retaliate with upgrades, too. No matter, the almighty Lamborghini still got its ass handed to it by a turbocharged update to one of Acura's finest creations.

Specs: 1993 Acura Nsx
Engine
Base Engine: C30a, 3.0l V6
Darton Iron Ductile Sleeves
93mm Bore Wiseco Pistons
Wiseco Piston Rings
Displacement Increased To 3.2l
Rebushed Stock Titaniumconnecting Rods
Stock Forged Steel Crankshaft
Billet Oil Pump Gear
Arc High-Capacity Oil Pan
Head Porting By Portflow
Stainless Steel Valves
Dual Valve Springs
Titanium Valve Spring Retainers
Factor X Spec Turbocharger
Tial Blow-Off Valve
Factor X Modified Comptech Headers
Factor X Custom Downpipes
Taitec Jgtc Center-Exit Exhaust
Cantrell Concepts Air Induction System
Uni Dual-Stage Drop-In Filter
Polished Science Of Speed Coolant Expansion Tank
Rear Low Mount Intercooler
Factor X Intercooler Piping
Factor X In-Tank Fuel Pump
Rc Engineering 720cc/Min Fuel Injectors
Hks F-Con V Pro, Tuned By Factor X
Science Of Speed Custom Valve Cover
Science Of Speed Custom Intakemanifold Cover
Cantrell Concepts Radiator Shield
Carbon-Fiber Fuse Box Cover

Drivetrain
Rps Single-Disc Clutch
Rps Lightweight Flywheel
Jdm Nsx Short Gearset
Os Giken Limited-Slip Differential
Os Giken 4.44:1 Final Drive

Suspension
Ground Control Coilovers
Comptech Sway Bars
Nsx-R Reinforcements Bars
Carbing Rear Shock Tower Brace
Science Of Speed Non-Compliance Rear Beam Bushings
Science Of Speed Non-Compliance Pivot Clamp Kit
Science Of Speed Non-Compliancetoe Links

Exterior
Wings West Front Air Dam
Cantrell Studios Gt Front Wide Fenders
Cantrell Studios Widebodyrocker Panels
Cantrell Studios Widebody Quarter Panels
Cantrell Studios Billet Gas Cap Cover
Carbon-Fiber Louvered Hood
Max Racing S-Tai Spoiler
Taitec Jgtc Rear Diffuser
Lexan Rear Hatch
Custom Blue Paint

InteriorCustom Seat CoversBillet Aluminum Racing PedalsScience Of Speed Carbon-Fiber Gauge Pod Garnish
Billet Aluminum Instrumentcluster Rings
Carbon-Fiber Dash Trim
Ritmo Carbon Door Sill Garnish
Cantrell Concepts Carbon-Fiber Door Sill Plates
Science Of Speed Harness Bar
Four-Point Safety Harnesses

Brakes
Kvr/Ap Racing Big Brake Kit
Front Four-Piston Calipers
Stainless-Steel Braided Brake Lines
Two-Piece Brake Rotors

Wheels/Tires
H&R 25mm Wheel Spacers
Work Vs-Ss Wheels, Burning Black18x8-Inch Front (+21),18x11-Inch Rear (+31)
Michelin Pilot Sport Tires, 225/25/18 Front And 315/30/18 Rea

It's been three and a half decades since Datsun first astonished the world with their mass-appeal 240Z. With a few exceptions (perhaps most notably the Toyota 2000GT), this was truly the first accessible Japanese sports car. Also, the fact that it humbled cars double or even triple its price was almost just icing on the cake. The Z-car has been making waves ever since, when turbocharged or naturally aspirated.

24 PSIWhen the brawny 350Z came to life in 2003 as a base model that produced nearly the same power as the last-gen turbo model, it was an instant hit. With a low entry price, plenty of grunt and muscular looks, the car played a serious role in bringing Nissan back from a potential grave. Yet, for a select few, an essential ingredient was still missing: turbo power. Enter the Car V2 350Z shown on these pages.

First, a little history of Car V2. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, Car V2 established their reputation in the late '90s by catering to modern sports cars from Japan. Unfortunately, business came to an abrupt halt in 2003, when owners James Cusack and Jay Kang found their shop under four feet of water, with no flood insurance. Every car on the premises was destroyed, including two beloved shop cars.

However, all was not lost. Car V2 was able to scrape together the finances necessary to not only survive, but amazingly, to open a bigger, better shop in an entirely new location. Game on. Now all they needed was a new mascot to carry their torch. Their eyes fell squarely on the then-brand-new 350Z. They quickly snatched up a brand new 350Z and got to work. The legend of the twin turbo Z-Car would soon be reborn, and subsequently boosted into the stratosphere.

In late 2003, there were not many companies able to assist with engine parts for the VQ35 motor, at least not for forced induction applications. CP Pistons came to the rescue and supplied a set of low compression (8.5:1) heavy-duty pistons, and Crower was soon able to provide ProBillet rods. ARP offered tried-and-true fasteners to keep the cylinder heads and caps secure-even in the face of 25-plus pounds of boost. Aside from an overly complicated search for stock bottom-end bearings, things looked as though they were finally falling into place.

With the bottom end built to their satisfaction, it was time to work out the turbo system itself. They turned to Bob "The Builder" Cossaboom for his expertise in turbocharging naturally aspirated engines. Bob was happy to blueprint and assemble the system in-house at Car V2. In fact, Cossaboom states that he was so impressed with the stock VQ35 cylinder heads that he decided to leave them untouched and get to work on the turbo system itself.

Thanks to a brand-new GReddy twin-turbo system with front-mount intercooler, the Z had its first taste of forced induction with little hassle. Now sporting a pair of TD05H 18G turbochargers and a small boost jump to 9 psi, the Z was putting down hp and torque figures in the 400 range. Not bad at all. But being that their end goal was a touch more "optimistic" (say, 600+ bhp) than this setup could handle, they needed to start looking elsewhere for an engine management system, an appropriate fuel system, and of course, a clutch capable of putting that kind of power to the ground.

Based on how well RPS clutches worked for Car V2 in their MKIV Supras, the RPS Stage 3 setup (clutch, pressure plate and CYN-R-G flywheel) was sure to get the job done with ease. Luckily, the 350Z aftermarket was just starting to take off, and Car V2 was able to get their clutch needs taken care of with no hassle.

Fuel delivery was another story altogether, and would have been quite a pain had it not been for a trick fuel return and race-duty swirl tank. By eliminating the stock in-tank fuel pressure regulator, the setup from Altered Atmosphere Motorsports (AAM) combines 750cc injectors and billet fuel rails to get the motor properly fed. A Walbro GSS342 HP in-tank pump was used to feed the swirl tank, where a second external pump from Bosch sends the fuel to its final destination within the motor.

Controlling the fuel, as well as ignition, is a UTEC engine management system from TurboXS. Essentially a parallel "plug and play" setup designed to work alongside the stock ECU, the UTEC is rated for use with injectors as large as 1000 cc, and up to 45 psi of line pressure.

With the Z up and running again, the guys at Car V2 were surprised to discover that the GReddy wastegate created a slight bottleneck at around 18 psi, due to the 90-degree re-entry of the exhaust path. At saner boost levels, say 14 psi and below, the GReddy setup worked fine, but for their plans they needed AAM's help. By relocating the wastegates and replacing the turbo outlets with full 3" downpipes, the twin TD05's now had atmospheric outlets and the problem was solved. This also added a truly demonic soundtrack to the Z, like a jet at full song flying just overhead.

This layout has performed flawlessly, and the Z has been ripping up Car V2's dyno, routinely laying down 500 whp and 500 lb-ft of torque. Turning up the wick from 15 psi to 18 psi produces a jump to 565 whp and 576 lb-ft using 93 octane pump gas. For the truly insane, the use of C16 fuel allows an incredible 24 pounds of boost and lets this Z belt out 624 whp and 674 lb-ft of torque.

Most shocking of all is that all this power is achieved with a stock crankshaft and cylinder heads. The cams and throttle bodies have not been touched, and show no sign that they need to be. The car has been operating flawlessly, always starting on the first crank and spinning lean and clean every day. Aside from a pair of Ergo seats from Bride, and the obligatory handful of aftermarket gauges and meters, the Z is as comfortable as stock on the inside. The exterior, complete with the C-West carbon-fiber skirt kit, now sports a purposeful and aggressive appearance.

Keeping all this power in check is no easy task, but the massive rotors and 4-pot calipers found on StopTech's Big Brake kit are up to the task. The car's road manners are primarily controlled courtesy of Tein's Type Flex coilovers and Michelin Pilot Sport tires wrapped around some SF Challenge wheels from Volk Racing. The end result is a frighteningly powerful, yet daily-drivable, beast of a Z. It seems that through the good folks at Car V2, the twin turbo Z-car truly lives again, and it's a sight to behold.

Specs: 2003 nissan 350Z
624 whp, 674 lb-ft of torque
Engine
CP - XT Pro Prototype PistonsForged 8.5:1
Crower Billet Rods
ARP Head Studs / Main Studs
GReddy - Twin 18G Turbo System
Tial - 38mm External Waste Gates
AAM Waste Gate Relocation Kit
HKS - Type-II Racing Blowoff Valve
GReddy 3 Row Front Mount Intercooler
GReddy Oil Catch Tank
TurboXS - UTEC EMS and 4 BAR MAP Sensor
AAM - Return Fuel Rail System
Billet Fuel Rails
AAM- MaxFlow Big Pump Upgrade Race-Spec " Swirl Tank Fuel System
RC Engineering - 750cc Fuel Injectors
Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator
AAM - 3" Race-Spec Downpipes
CarV2 - Custom 3" Y-Pipe
JIC-Magic - Single Sided 3" Race Exhaust
NGK - Iridium Spark Plugs
Hondata VQ35 Lower Plenum Heat Shield
Sun - Hyper Earth Grounding Kit
ARC Titanium Radiator Panel
RPS - Stage 3 Clutch
CYN-R-G Flywheel

Suspension
JIC-Magic Carbon-Fiber Strut Bar
StopTech - Big Brake Kit 355mm / 4 Pot F / R " Brake Kit
Tein - Type Flex Coilovers
Volk Racing - SF Challenge Wheels
Michelin - Pilot Sport Tires

Exterior
C-West - Carbon-Fiber Skirt Body Kit
JDM Z33 Fairlady Smoke Side Markers

Interior
Blitz - FATT DC3 Turbo Timer
Blitz - SBC-ID Boost Controller
Blitz - Power Meter-ID
PLX - Wideband O2 Meter
Defi - 60mm Boost / EGT Gauges
Defi - Control Unit II
Bride - Ergo Seat / Harness

If there's one thing to be said about drifting, it's that the sideways sport is a very subjective form of motorsport. There are no lap times, no sectors and no flagged finishes. It all just boils down to the driver, his opponent and the almighty judging table. Lurid slides and billowing clouds of vaporized tire can wow the judges into a win, but the psychological factor of tandem drifting cannot be denied. When it comes down to a heads-up drift battle, forcing your opponent into making a mistake is key.

For all those unfortunate enough to have to compete against this RB26DETT-powered S13 in Formula Drift and U.S. Drift competition, intimidation is a big problem. From the sinister black hue and clean bodywork to the impressive turbocharged power output, this 240SX is a fearsome sight in the paddock of every event it enters. Built by JE Import Performance of Baltimore, Maryland, and driven by JE owner James Evans, this Nissan has scored multiple podium finishes in local drifting events and qualified fourth at a recent Nevada Formula D Pro-Am event.

Forgotten and mistreated, this clean title 240SX started out as an abandoned husk. Sitting at the junkyard with a blown engine and a hastily installed Kaminari body kit, this S13 had obviously seen some hard years. Evans picked up the car and took it back to JE Import Performance, where it collected dust for a full year. During one fateful day at Mid-Ohio, Evans contacted a wall in his original 240SX drift car during a 90mph maneuver, totaling the vehicle.

With no other immediately available ride, and a good S13 chassis at the ready, Evans went ahead and began the build on this 240SX. The SR20DET engine was pulled from the wrecked S13 and then dropped into this machine. Tanabe coilovers with custom spring rates were added at all four corners, which work in conjunction with Tanabe sway bars. The sway bars used on this car are so large that JE Import Performance had to fabricate custom mounts for the bars to fit correctly. Tanabe adjustable suspension arms and TEIN tie-rod ends add more precise control and the ability to dial in finer alignment settings.

With the suspension firmed up and tuned accordingly, JE turned their efforts towards the chassis. The interior of the car was stripped out for competition use - losing the interior panels, door panels and sound deadener. A custom roll cage was then fabricated by JE Import Performance, which ties the rear shock towers and chassis together with side-impact door bars and multiple support bars. Bride Exas III racing buckets are used for both the driver and passenger, with the requisite green JDM Takata four-point safety harnesses to match.

After abusing the SR20 in drift competition for a year, Evans made the decision to step up to the heart of a GT-R, the RB26DETT engine. JE Import Performance kept the internals of the engine stock, right down to the head gasket and camshafts. HKS GT2540 turbochargers replace the stock units, bolting directly on to the stock exhaust manifold. Providing as much exhaust exit flow as possible for the turbo setup is a pair of JE Pro Fab twin downpipes, which feed into a custom 4-inch exhaust system.

The intake charge is funneled in through a pair of custom JE Pro Fab intakes, topped with matching HKS air filters. Post compression, a Precision Turbo & Engine front-mount intercooler is used for cooling duties; fit and fed by JE Pro Fab custom intercooler piping, with a matching port for the Turbosmart blow-off valve. Providing the supporting fuel for the monstrous amount of squashed air is a Walbro high-flow fuel pump feeding a Nismo fuel pressure regulator and a set of Precision Turbo 680cc/min fuel injectors. Set to 15 psi of boost using a GReddy PRofec B-Spec2 electronic boost controller and tuned by JE using an A'PEXi Power FC, this RB-powered 240SX lays down 480 whp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Plus, other than the cooling capability of a Koyo radiator and GReddy oil cooler kit, this Nissan runs using mostly OEM parts and equipment.

With just 2300 pounds to carry about and more than 500 hp at the crank, this Nissan needed braking upgrades in a flash, drift car or not. JE Import Performance added Nissan 300ZX brakes at all four corners, with the correct 300ZX master cylinder to match. Also added specifically for drifting use: a custom hand lever and hydraulic setup to enable locking of only the rear brake calipers.

Built with an absolutely dark and muscular appearance, this Nissan is rocking 19-inch Volk Racing wheels with Hankook tires, as well as a flurry of body mods. A Seibon carbon-fiber hood, hatch and doors shed excess pounds, while the widened bodywork gives barely a hint at the nasty turbo powerplant lurking underneath the hood. Showing supreme dedication to his craft, Evans completed all the body with Dan Bock of Dan's Midnight Auto Body in two days, both of which ended well past the midnight marker.

With a purpose-built interior, a reworked suspension, a downright mean body and the power to match, JE Import Performance's Nissan 240SX is perfectly set up for any competition, drifting or otherwise. It's got the power and balance to smoke its hides for days on end, and the visual aggressiveness to send shivers of fears down its competitors' spines. The complete package is so intense, it begs the question: Is there anything better than a potent RB26 and lightweight 240SX combination?

Specs: S13 nissan 240sx
450whp, 400lb-ft of torque @ 15psi

Engine
Stock Internal Skyline Gt-R Rb26dett
Custom Engine Mounts, Custom Wiring Harness, Twin Hks Gt2540 Turbochargers, Stock Exhaust Manifold, Twin Je Pro Fab 2.5-Inch Downpipes, Custom Four-Inch Exhaust, Je Pro Fab Custom Air Intake Pipes, Hks Air Filters, Turbosmart Blow-Off Valve, Precision Turbo Front-Mount Intercooler, Je Pro Fab Intercooler Piping, A'pexi Power Fc Standalone Ecu, Engine Tuning By Je Import Performance, Greddy Profec B-Spec Ii Boost Controller, Walbro High-Flow Fuel Pump, Precision Turbo 680cc/Min Fuel Injectors, Nismo Fuel Pressure Regulator, Ngk Spark Plugs, Je Pro Fab Modified Oem Oil Pan, Greddy Oil Cooler Kit, Koyo Aluminum Radiator, Thermalnator Intake Manifold Gasket

Drivetrain
Competition Clutch Twin-Disc Clutch
Competition Clutch Flywheel
Competition Clutch Pressure Plate
Ats Limited-Slip Differential
Motul Gear 300 Gear Oil
Nismo 4.36:1 Final Drive
Custom Sicky Products Driveshaft

Suspension
Tanabe Coilovers
Custom Spring Rates
Front Upper Tower Bar
Tanabe Sustec Swaybars
Custom Swaybar Mounts
Tanabe Adjustable Suspension Arms
Tein Tie Rods And Tie Rod Ends
Custom Modified Steering Rack

Wheels/Tires
19-Inch Volk Racing Gt-V Wheels
Hankook Ventus Sport K104 Tires

Brakes
Nissan 300zx Four-Piston Front Brakes
Nissan 300zx Two-Piston Rear Brakes
Nissan 300zx Master Cylinder
Stainless-Steel Braided Brake Lines
Motul Rbf600 Brake Fluid
Custom Hydraulic Rear E-Brake

Exterior
Seibon Carbon Fiber Doors
Seibon Carbon Fiber Hatch
Seibon Carbon Fiber Hood

Interior
Bride Exas Iii Seats
Takata Four-Point Harnesses
Sparco Suede Steering Wheel
Je Pro Fab Roll Cage
Greddy Boost Gauge
Interior Stripped For Competition Use

Passion. A human condition that affects all of us in one way or another. Some people like to collect stamps, others to listen to classical music, but for our friend Andy at Powervehicles.com, it's drifting. Andy came to Japan a few years back from his native Scotland to do one thing, and one thing only: Drift. And we're not talking about your monthly excursion to some semi-abandoned parking lot with a drift-track, we mean serious drifting. His commitment to this innovative form of motorsport deserves respect because not only did he move halfway across the world to Japan to pursue his love for the art of going sideways, he also set up his business exporting cars here. When not working, Andy is prepping his BN Sports built Nissan 180SX full-drift car for his next trip to the racetrack. We met up with him during one of his outings at a Motorsports.com drift event in the Mobara circuit in Chiba-prefecture.

Andy got his 180SX from BN Sports. Being one of the company's demo-cars, the car came fully tuned and ready to go. All of the important bits were already fitted, most important of all, the SR20DET from an S14. Replacing the standard CA18, the SR20 is the engine to have if you want to go drifting. There are so many hop-up parts available on the market that it's easy to fine-tune this four-cylinder to your specific application and driving preferences. When he first got his hands on the car, the engine was being force fed by an HKS GT-SS turbo, but that was soon replaced by an externally gated Trust TD-06 blower offering considerably more power. In this game more power equals more smoke, something that was perfectly demonstrated at Mobara. Other important upgrades to the engine come in the form of upgraded fueling thanks to a set of 700cc/min injectors and a Nismo pump. An A'PEXi Power FC keeps everything in check and can easily be retuned via the Commander mounted inside the car. Custom intercooler piping has been kept small in diameter to promote a sharper and more instant throttle response, a very important thing in drifting. Cooling is imperative while going sideways. The engine is always doing a lot of work, at high rpm and maximum loads, but the radiator always gets limited airflow due to the car's angle of drift. So a large-core radiator, intercooler and oil cooler were thrown on to keep those temperatures low. Nothing puts more stress on a driveline than a drift car. Sure, drag cars get the number one spot for this, but with drift cars the driveline is subjected to abuse continuously, lap after lap, not just on a quarter-mile pass. This is where a need for a tough clutch becomes necessary; and this BN Sports 180SX is fitted with an OS Giken unit, which easily copes with the aggressive inputs Andy subjects it to. The first three gears have been swapped with shorter OS Giken cogs to help get as much use out of the engine's power curve as possible. Out at the back is a 2-way Nismo LSD, which has the job of keeping those rear wheels locked tight, both under power and under a trailing throttle.

Andy's 180SX attracts its fair share of looks when out on track. This is thanks to a full BN Sports widebody kit finished off in a very catching shade of deep candy red. A massive rear GT wing helps give more control during high-speed drifts, while the bronze Rays TE37 17-inch wheels offer nice contrast. Even the interior has been sprayed in the same candy red, including the bolted-in roll cage - one of the most important things one should fit to these type of cars, as drifters usually drift into something sooner or later. The car has been fitted with two racing bucket seats and full harnesses to keep occupants safely strapped in. To help with up-changes and know when you are on the limiter, a Pivot shift light sits on the steering column right behind the deep-cupped OMP racing steering wheel. A Yashio factory digital water meter is also a must-have gadget on a drift car, as it's easy to read with its large red LCD display.

Andy is planning a power hike to around 400 PS next with some wilder cams, a metal head gasket and a good dosage of extra boost. Then it's up to fate to see if the poor engine survives the constant abuse it's subjected to. However, one thing is certain: nothing will keep this drift-crazy Scotsman away from his favorite drift tracks!

Specs
1993 Nissan 180 SX
Power: 330ps at 1 bar of boost

Engine:
1997 S14 SR20DET engine, Trust TD06-20G turbine, Trust exhaust manifold, Trust external wastegaste, Trust downpipe, Stock catalizer (competition requirement), Yashio Factory exhaust System, GReddy induction pipe, HKS air filter, 700cc injectors, Nismo in tank fuel pump, Z32 air-flow meter, Large core radiator, Braided radiator pipes, GReddy, Intercooler, Trust oil cooler and relocation kit, Cusco Oil Catch tank, A'pexi Power FC ECU & Commander (tuning by SIMEX)

Transmission:
OS Giken twin plate clutch
OS Giken close mission gear set
Nismo 2-way LSD

Suspension & Brakes:
Zeal fully adjustable suspension kit
Zeal front camber adjustable top mounts
JIC rear adjustable upper arms
JIC adjustable rear rods
JIC rod ends
JIC tension rods
Cusco rear strut brace
ER33 Skyline GT-S brake calipers (front & rear)
Kazama Auto brake pads all round

Wheels & Tires:
Volk Racing TE37 17x9 (front & rear)
Good Year RevSpec tires 215/40/17 (front) Federal S595s 235/45/17 (rear)
5-stud conversion
GP Sports wheels spacers
Volk wheel nuts (17 mm)

Exterior:
BN Sports front bumper
BN Sports rear bumper
BN Sports hood
BN Sports wide front fenders
BN Sports wide rear fenders
BN Sports side skirts
BN Sports front bumper canards
BN Sports rear GT wing
Auto Craft carbon side mirrors
BN Sports special candy red full paint job including chassis/interior/roll cage 6x strobe lights front & rear

Interior:
Full BN Sports bolted in roll cage
Bride full racing bucket seat
Sabelt racing harness
Thrash racing passenger seat
Simpson racing harness
OMP alcantara racing steering wheel
A'pexi Power FC, dash mounted
Yashio Factory digital water temperature gauge
Pivot large type shift-up light
Razo ball-type shift knob

As the winner of the 2005 D1 Grand Prix Championship, as well as the 2006 United Kingdom D1 exhibition match, Yasuyuki Kazama is no rookie driver. Having appeared in Best Motoring, Top Gear, JDM Option and more magazines than you can shake a stick at, Kazama is one of the most recognizable drivers in the D1 ranks. Having heard about drifting at the young age of 17, Kazama has now risen to become one of the superstars of the drifting world, and is as well known for his twin-drift technique as he is for his out-the-door "rodeo ride" parade lap.

Although he started drifting in an AE86, Kazama is best known for driving S15 Nissan Silvias, such as the green Kei-Office machine he used for his maiden win at Irwindale Speedway. This S15, campaigned by Team Move, is a blue tinted 509hp beast that can go sideways with just a blip of the throttle. Used by Kazama to seriously kick some European ass, this S15 was crowned the champion at the UK exhibition round.

Maintained by JDM tuner house Auto Produce Boss and built in conjunction with Nismo, this Silvia represents the professional side of drifting. No expense has been spared when building this car, which is designed to conquer the art of delivering flawless, smoke-filled drifts. This particular S15 Silvia began life as a Silvia Spec-R model. Featuring GT-R derived aluminum suspension design and a reinforced body, the turbocharged Spec-R model was the platform of choice for tuners. The SR20DET engine contained within the S15 features a square 86mm bore and 86mm stroke 2.0L turbocharged engine that produced almost 250hp in stock trim.

The factory S15 T28 ball bearing turbocharger is a popular upgrade for older model S13 and S14 owners, but this D1 machine demands the best. The stock SR20DET engine was removed in favor of a fully built Nismo R1 R-Tune concept engine. Only after sleeving and fitment of a prototype Nismo crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons, will a SR20 be considered an R1 engine. Assembled at the Nismo Omori Factory service center, which houses an amazing showroom and is the final exit place for many Skyline GT-R Z-Tune models, this R1 motor uses an enlarged 2.2L of displacement along with Nismo 272-degree camshafts to push the exhaust flow.

Competing in D1 level drifting events is hard on a machine, and Kazama's abuse necessitates reliable maintenance. Along with the RS*R drift squad and their own fleet of incredible demo cars, this Nissan is regularly repaired by Auto Produce Boss. A Nismo fuel pump feeds AP Boss 890cc/min fuel injectors, which spray enough Japanese premium fuel to match a healthy 21psi of boost. Force-fed by a HKS GT3037 Pro S turbo, the S15 uses a one-off Nismo stainless-steel exhaust manifold, which leads into a Nismo turbo outlet elbow and a full tract of titanium AP Boss goodness.

The Nissan parts bin was raided for the intake tract, donating a larger Z32 Fairlady (300ZX in the US) mass airflow meter and 60mm throttle body, sourced from a naturally aspirated Silvia model. Nismo also provided the front-mount intercooler, intercooler piping, oil cooler and aluminum radiator, which all conspire to help keep the intake air, coolant and oil temperatures in check. This is very important in a drifting situation, since the Silvia will spend large amounts of time sideways without proper airflow, bouncing off the rev-limiter and being fed lots and lots of boost.

The power output of the car is strong, but the torque numbers are even more impressive, cresting the 456lb-ft mark with ease. This makes spinning the rear Bridgestone RE-01R tires easy, and keeping them lit even easier. Nismo provided their grippy Super Coppermix clutch kit, which spins a Nismo GT Pro limited-slip differential through a Nismo six-speed transmission. Built with reinforced gears, the Nismo six-speed transmission still uses a non-sequential H-pattern box, which Kazama rows with fury during competition.

Although his green S15 Silvia drift car rode on Kei Office suspension, Kazama uses DG-5 coilovers on this blue machine. DG-5, the latest suspension company by Keiichi Tsuchiya, uses his years of experience in racing and drifting to create precisely set up suspension systems. Spring rates are set up for drifting and use a relatively mild 9kg/mm front and 7kg/mm rear rate. Peeking out behind Prodrive GC-010G wheels are the telltale signs of performance: a set of black Brembo brakes. Offering more than enough stopping power for the art of drifting, the Brembo setup is good enough for a road course time attack, if the mood should strike Kazama.

The blue paint job hides GP Sports body work and a huge SARD carbon fiber rear wing, but this is mainly a competition vehicle, not a pimped out show car. Much of the interior remains, and a Nismo catalytic converter is present in the exhaust tract. While we're not quite recommending that you drive this Silvia daily, it does make you wonder. The D1GP was founded on the principle of drifting street legal cars, and Kazama's S15 keeps the torch burning strong. A six-point roll cage is present for safety, but the Nissan retains much of its interior panels and carpeting. The Bride Gardis seats were originally designed for JGTC racing and may be a little bit too much for street use, but hey, we'd use them if we got a pair. The Prodrive dished steering wheel and Kenwood double-DIN headunit are just two more examples of products that would fit perfectly into any properly set up street car.

When your nickname is "Mr. Exciting," you know you've been delivering to the crowd. Having more than proven his skill in one drift competition after another, Yasuyuki Kazama is looking forward to taking many more D1 championships. Plus, with the power and reliability of this fully built S15 Nissan Silvia at his command, Kazama should have no problems sliding circles around the competition.

Specs
S15 Nissan Silvia Spec-R

Engine
Base Engine: Sr20det, Output: 508.9hp, 456.4lb/Ft, Boost: 21psi, 2.2l Displacement (87mm Bore, 92mm Stroke), Nismo R1 R-Tune Concept Engine, Nismo Prototype Crankshaft, Nismo Prototype Connecting Rods, Nismo Prototype Pistons, Nismo Prototype Sleeves, Nismo 1.2mm Head Gasket, Hks Gt3037 Pro S Turbocharger (56t Trim, 0.87 A/R, Nismo One-Off Stainless-Steel Exhaust Manifold, Nismo One-Off Turbo Outlet Elbow, Auto Produce Boss 80mm Titanium Downpipe, Auto Produce Boss 90mm Titanium Exhaust, K&N Air Filter, Auto Produce Boss 80mm Aluminum Intake Pipe, Nissan Z32 (Fairlady/300zx) Maf, Nismo 272-Degree Camshafts, Nismo Prototype Valves , Nismo Prototype Valve Springs, 60mm Non-Turbo Silvia Throttle Body, Auto Produce Boss 890cc/Min Fuel Injectors, Auto Produce Boss Fuel Rail, Nismo Fuel Pump, Ngk Spark Plugs, Auto Produce Boss Tuned Ecu, Nismo, Aluminum Radiator, Radiator Overflow Bottle, Nismo, High-Pressure Radiator Cap, Nismo Front-Mount IntercoolerAuto Produce Boss Intercooler Piping, Nismo Oil Cooler Kit, Aluminum Oil Catch Can, Nismo Catalytic Converter, Nismo Oil, Filler Cap, Motul Motor Oil, Japanese Premium Fuel

Drivetrain
Nismo Six-Speed Transmission
Nismo Super Coppermix Clutch
Nismo Super Coppermix Pressure Plate
Nismo Gt Pro Limited-Slip Differential
Motul Differential Fluid
Motul Transmission Fluid

Suspension
Dg-5 Coilovers
Dg-5 Springs (9kg/Mm Front, 7kg/Mm Rear)
Pillowball Front Upper Mount Camber Plates
Nismo Front Tower Bar

Brakes
Four-Piston Brembo Fixed Brake Calipers
Nismo Brake Rotors
Nismo Brake Pads

Wheels & Tires
Prodrive Gc-010g Wheels
Bridgestone Potenza Re-01r Tires
Sized 245/40/17 Front And 265/35/18 Rear

Exterior
Gp Sports Bodykit
Sard Carbon Fiber Rear Gt Wing

Interior
Nismo 280km/H Combination Speedometer
Bride Gardis Iii Seats
Prodrive/Sabelt Four-Point Harnesses
Prodrive/Sparco Steering Wheel
Nismo Gt Shift Knob
Blitz Sbc-Id Boost Controller
Blitz R-Vit Type Ii
Kenwood Doube-Din Headunit
Battery Cut-Off Switch
Dual Fire Extinguishers
Six-Point Roll Cage

Having all but conquered the world and crowned itself as the king of the import world, the Nissan Skyline GT-R was put out to pasture. Although legendary, the GT-R's potent RB26DETT power plant, all-wheel drive system and muscular tones are all now dead. There is a new GT-R lurking on the horizon, but for now, the only car bearing the Skyline nameplate is naturally aspirated. Sold as the Infiniti G35 here in the United States, the smoothly styled Nissan coupe is known as the Skyline in Japan. Rumors abound that the new GT-R will be a variant of the Skyline coupe, stuffed with a turbocharged engine. But what if you took a current G35 and crammed a tuned RB26 engine into it? Would you then have yourself the new Skyline GT-R, or would you just be labeled a mad scientist?

James Evans, owner of JE Import Performance in Baltimore, found himself in just that situation. This Infiniti G35 coupe originally arrived at JE in dire need of help. An unscrupulous shop had installed an overly ambitious nitrous oxide system, which blew the stock VQ35 engine in short order. The owner came to Evans looking for a new engine, and the brainstorming began. Looking to build something stronger and a little different, the decision was made to swap to a RB26 GT-R engine. Having tackled numerous RB26 engine swaps, mostly into 240SX bodies, JE was up to the challenge. As a Honda Challenge champion and former Speed World Challenge team member, Evans knows a thing or two about building a fast car.

After removal of the ailing VQ35 engine, the first task was to fit the RB26 into the engine bay. JE Import Performance tackled the task with a custom set of motor mounts, a front cross member, a modified oil pan and all the necessary wiring modifications. Keeping in mind the popularity of such an idea, JE is going forward with a production version of this kit by the time you read this. So if you want to put a RB26 into almost any Nissan FM platform, whether it be a 350Z or G35, you know who to call. Evans let us know that the drivability is impeccable as well. By using an A'PEXi Power FC standalone engine management system and a few wirings mods to allow the headlights and other such accessories to work, the car drives as well as any other street legal daily driver.

Currently outfit to put out near 680-690whp, if the need calls for it, the tuning has been conservative, but still peaks above the 620whp mark. The stock engine internals are still utilized, although the crankshaft has been knife-edged and the connecting rods shot-peened. The cylinder head was given a port and polish job before being cinched down with ARP head studs. Hotter HKS 264-duration camshafts are used up top, along with HKS adjustable cam gears. The stock RB26DETT intake plenum was removed along with the factory individual throttle body setup. A polished GReddy unit is now used on top of a Thermalnator heat barrier gasket, and has been heavily modified in order to clear the G35's body, as well as to provide a mounting spot for the single Infiniti Q45 throttle body. JE Import Performance expects to have a production intake plenum available for those looking to complete this swap.

A JE Pro Fab stainless-steel exhaust manifold is used in place of the stock unit, dumping the twin turbocharger setup in favor of a single PTE GT4067R turbo. The front-mount intercooler is also a JE Pro Fab piece, which is the in-house brand name of JE Import Performance parts. A Bosch 365lph fuel pump pushes 93 octane gas through stainless steel braided lines to the custom fuel rail and PTE 780cc/min fuel injectors. Tuned by JE Import Performance using an A'PEXi Power FC, the car currently puts down 625whp and 506lb-ft of torque. The OEM viscous rear limited-slip differential is still used for now, and Evans tells us, the car has a hard time driving straight when boost hits.

Although many RB-swapped 240SX owners choose to use the rear-drive RB25 transmission from the Skyline GT-S, JE chose to keep the RB26 all-wheel drive transmission. In order to use the AWD setup in the rear-drive G35, a few choice modifications had to be made. The front axles were dumped, along with the transfer case off the side of the transmission. A custom driveshaft is used, and a JE Pro Fab custom shift lever was made to give the car a completely stock look interior-wise.

The suspension setup is relatively mild, consisting of TEIN Type Flex coilovers with custom spring rates. The suspension is set up low and mean, giving the GReddy bodykit even more of an intimidating appearance. Dropped on top of 19-inch Volk Racing GT-V wheels, this G35 uses 235/35/19 front and 255/40/19 rear Hankook Ventus Sport K104 tires. Plans are already in effect to increase the rear tire contact patch with some wider rubber. The stock brakes remain, flushed thoroughly with Motul RBF600 brake fluid. Although they were axed as a dealer option from current G35 models, this 2004 coupe wears the factory Brembo brake upgrade. Consisting of fixed brake calipers and monster brake rotors, the Brembo system is ready to haul down more than 620whp of speed.

Although they have accomplished what many only dream of, JE Import Performance is not going to sit still for a second. There are already plans to push this Frankenstein'd new age Skyline GT-R into the 900-1000whp range, with all the necessary mods to survive at that level. If the new GT-R turns out to be any bit as potent as this Nissan concoction, we can all rest a little easy. That is, until it comes time to reign in the next Godzilla.

Specs
2004 Infiniti G35 COUPE

Engine
Base Engine: RB26dett
Output: 625 Whp, 506 Lb/Ft Of Torque
Boost: 18 Psi
Pte GT4067r Turbocharger, Shot Peened Stock Connecting Rods, Knife-Edged Stock Crankshaft, Arp Head Studs, Cometic Head Gasket, Port & Polished Cylinder Head, Hks 264-Duration Camshafts, Hks Adjustable Cam Gears, Jun Auto Oil Pump Drive Collar, Stock Pistons And Rings, Greddy Timing Belt, Greddy Engine Pulleys, Custom Modified Greddy Intake Plenum, Infiniti Q45 Throttle Body, Thermalnator Intake Plenum Gasket, Custom Je Pro Fab Intake Pipe, Je Pro Fab Custom Aluminum Oil Pan, Pte 780cc/Min Fuel Injectors, Bosch 365lph In-Tank Fuel Pump, Je Pro Fab Custom Fuel Rail, Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator, Stainless-Steel Braided Fuel Lines, Je Pro Fab Custom Engine Mounts, Je Pro Fab Custom Front Crossmember, Je Pro Fab Front-Mount Intercooler System, Je Pro Fab Custom Stainless-Steel Exhaust Manifold, Je Pro Fab 4-Inch Downpipe, Greddy Evo2 Twin 3-Inch Exhaust System, 93 Octane Pump Gas, A'pexi Power FC, Engine Tuning By Je Import Performance

Drivetrain
Stock Rb26dett TransmissionModified For Rwd Use Only
Custom Driveshaft
Custom Je Pro Fab Shift Lever
Competition Clutch
Oem Viscous Lsd
Motul Gear 300 Gear Oil

Suspension
Tein Type Flex Coilovers
Custom Spring Rates

Brakes
Stock Brembo Brakes
Motul Rbf600 Brake Fluid

Wheels & Tires
Volk Racing Gt-V Wheels, 19x10 Front And 19x12 Rear
Hankook Ventus Sport K104 Tires, 235/35/19Front And 255/40/19 Rear

Exterior
Greddy Bodykit
Custom Modified To Clear Front-Mount Intercooler
Painted Oe Original Brilliant Silver
Paint By Magic Customs

Interior
Aem Uego Wideband A/F Meter Gauge
Autometer Boost, Water Temp And Oil Pressure Gauges
Autometer Dual A-Pillar Gauge Pod
Dual Autometer Gauge Mounting Cups
A'pexi Fc Commander, Installed In Center Armrest
Greddy Profec B-Spec Ii Electronic Boost Controller,Custom Installed In Center Console

Building a fast car is one thing, building a show car is another. Combine the two and you have a pretty hard job on your hands. Ogura Racing Clutches (ORC for short) has been in the aftermarket tuning game since the beginning. Their lineup of racing and street clutches has for years earned them the respect they deserve, and their experience in the racing field has helped greatly advance their products. And so for 2006 they thought it would be a good idea to go all out and create a car that would not only attract crowds during this year's show season but also perform like no other on the road: Enter the ORC twin-charged 350Z.

One look at this extreme machine and it's not hard to understand why the ORC stand was flocking with curious people at the Tokyo Auto Salon back in January. There is absolutely nothing sedate about this pearl-white Fairlady Z. The result of combined efforts from names such as Top Secret, Bravery, Rays Engineering, Project , Obayashi Factory and Maziora, this Z is certainly an eye-catcher. With ORC becoming more involved in the D1 Grand Prix drifting championship together with the Top Secret Nissan 350Z, ORC decided to go with the Z coupe for this project. Top Secret were the first to get their hands on the car and transformed its looks in a way only the Chiba-based tuning garage knows: extreme all the way! The car was stripped down and fitted with the full GT-300 wide body aero kit, GT carbon wing and carbon rear diffuser. Maziora provided the never before seen shade of white-pearl which shifts reflections from mint-green all the way to a faint blue, highlighting the new lines of the bodywork. It was then off to Bravery who took care of the next step of modifications. First off, the bonnet had to be addressed. ORC wanted something special, not only for looks but to clear the monster ORC supercharger that would be sitting right on top of the VQ35 motor. So a rather big scoop was molded right in the center, while on each side a small air outlet would aid in engine-room cooling.

Next on the agenda was the engine. Keeping with the whole extreme theme of the project something had to be done to give the bits under the bonnet as much appeal as to the car's exterior looks. So Bravery went to work fitting and designing a twin-charger system. A twin what? In case this terminology sounds a bit strange, it's because it hasn't really been done many times. We are of course talking about a supercharged and turbocharged engine. One of the most famous twin-charger applications was the rally-spec Lancia Delta S4, which in the mid-'80s blitzed through rally stages thanks to a supercharged and turbocharged 1.8L, 4-cylinder, mid-mounted engine. The idea is much the same on the ORC 350Z, except it's obviously been set up for street use. An ORC supercharger takes care of the low rpm boosting while a large Blitz/KKK K5 turbine comes into play at higher revolutions. The result? Power all the time with an impressively immediate throttle control. The engine remains completely standard, but even the low boost setting that is currently being used now is enough to develop an impressive 550 PS and a very full torque curve that peaks at 60 kgm. Lots of custom work was needed to set up such an innovative layout. ARC took care of supplying a high-flow intercooler while the rest of the piping was fabricated by Bravery.

In essence the system is very simple. The V6 engine spins the Blitz turbocharger through the specially built exhaust manifolds, which in turn feeds the intercooler. Then a large diameter pipe directly connects the intercooler to the supercharger intake via a mechanical throttle body. At low rpm, when the turbocharger can't muscle up enough positive boost pressure, the supercharger compresses the intake charge. Once the turbo spools up, the supercharger is cut off via the pulley that drives it directly from the crank. If that wasn't enough, the ORC is fitted with four Nitrous Express nitrous oxide tanks, which, when used, can add an extra 100 PS! That would effectively make this Z triple-charged!!! ORC staff wasn't too keen to demonstrate the effects of the additional (third) charging system, no doubt concerned about the engine's wellbeing. After all, it's already quite impressive that they're getting results like this from a standard unit. The nitrous system also feeds the intercooler cooling circuit, which, when needed, can dramatically reduce the intake charge by spraying freezing gas onto the main core. Sending the unrelenting power to the gearbox is an ORC twin-plate carbon clutch, which is as easy to use as a standard factory unit. A Nismo 1.5-way limited-slip differential has been fitted between the driven wheels taking care of unleashing all that torque to the asphalt.

A Roberuta air suspension system has been combined with the Cusco adjustable coilovers, after all this is a show car and needs to be lowered all the way to the ground once it's sitting on the show stand. A set of deep-dish Rays Engineering Volk Racing GT-7 wheels were chosen for the job, which, thanks to their enormous 20-inch diameter, manage to fill those enormous, widened arches without a problem. Comfortable yet grippy Bridgestone RE050 rubber was chosen in 245/35/20 for the front while extremely low profile 285/30/20 have been fitted to the rear wheels. Project 6-pot calipers grab the slotted front rotors, while at the back standard Brembo calipers and discs have been left untouched. High-friction Project pads are used all around.

Obayashi Factory assisted the ORC 350Z project for the interior and audio/video system. While the supple Bride leather racing seats and Key's Racing steering wheel will keep the driver happy, there are certainly enough toys to keep the passenger equally entertained. The entire center console has been molded to effortlessly integrate the three factory instruments as well as the large Alpine LCD screen, Alpine head unit and Blitz SBC-iD Color boost controller. Just below the three rotary A/C controls four micro-switches individually control the boot-mounted nitrous tanks. On the passenger side of the dashboard six Blitz gauges keep the driver informed of vital engine temperatures and pressures. The Alpine audio/video units send their signals to a full Alpine surround sound system, which has been custom mounted around the cabin. A large subwoofer in the boot area makes sure the bass is always pumping.

Out on the road the ORC shines in a number of ways. The immediate acceleration and lack of lag are what first surprises; there is no trail off of low-down torque or high-end power, and the boosted V6 seems to pull all the time in any gear. It's almost electric in character. There are all sort of noises being made: supercharger whine, large turbo spool up, an exquisite exhaust note and external wastegate chatter when you lift off the throttle. What gets you next is the amazing grip, especially considering the high torque output. Floor the throttle in any gear and there is very little wheel spin, just a momentary sideways step of the rear end in the first three gears, but nothing dramatic. We couldn't help pull a few (20 inch!!) burnouts, the car is fitted with a line lock system so it would have been rude not to oblige. The ORC guys were more than happy to go along with it.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: The Skyline GT-R is an outright amazing machine. You may think that it's just the one sided attitude of uppity auto magazines that the GT-R is all that, but the car's potential is undeniable. Take this BNR34 Skyline GT-R, tuned by Autech Tsukada. Weighing in at more than a ton and a half, Autech's R34 is still able to clock Tsukuba Circuit in under a minute, and in street form no less.

Autech Tsukada, also known as ATTKD, is a hardcore JDM racing shop that lives for only one thing: to run super low lap times. Owner of one of the fastest naturally aspirated 350Z's in Japan, as well as a monstrous black R32 GT-R race car, ATTKD's white R34 GT-R is one of its rare street projects. But, don't judge a car by its full interior. Although this 3064lb Nissan is laden with twin turbochargers, an iron block and a complex all-wheel drive system, ATTKD has managed to clock a 58.6-second lap time at Tsukuba Circuit during shakedown testing sessions.

The recipe for on-track domination began with the engine. ATTKD removed the RB26DETT engine and tore it apart to install a HKS 2.8L stroker kit. Consisting of a new crankshaft, pistons and connecting rods, the stroker kit uses increased displacement to push more power to spin the twin HKS GT2530 turbochargers. Held in place by the stock exhaust manifold, the HKS snails exit into an ATTKD titanium down pipe and into a refreshingly stealthy ATTKD titanium exhaust system. Breathing in through a pair of HKS Power Flow intakes, the GT2530 turbochargers blow into HKS intercooler piping and an ARC front-mount intercooler. Sharing space in the nose with a HKS oil cooler kit, the ARC unit helps keep the intake charge temperature under control.

Fuel is provided by a Nismo fuel pump and Power Enterprise 800cc/min fuel injectors, which collide with a regular 17psi of boost. The exhaust camshaft has been changed out for a JUN Auto 280-degree unit, while the intake camshaft has been replaced by the technically intriguing HKS VCam system. The VCam system replaces the intake camshaft and allows the use of variable valve timing on the intake side whenever the system is activated. Interfacing with a HKS F-Con V Pro engine management system, the VCam system has been used by ATTKD to maximize the power band for more than just high-RPM track use.

Although the stock RB26 six-speed transmission and drivetrain setup has been proven time after time to hold more than 750whp, ATTKD demanded more. A Hollinger six-speed sequential transmission was sourced for this car, allowing split-second shifts that are carried out faster than any human being could even begin to process. The stock clutch has been changed out for a 630whp-ready ATS carbon clutch, which feeds into an ATS carbon limited-slip differential. Autech Tsukada also produces all the fluids used in this R34, from the motor oil on down to the differential and transmission fluid.

Prodigious power and a slick sequential transmission are always welcome items on a track, but a successful street/track car must possess the full package. In order to repeatedly and consistently stop this massive white missile, ATTKD installed a set of Endless six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes. Fit with huge 355mm front and 330mm rear two-piece brake rotors, the Endless calipers squeeze Endless NA-R brake pads and have proven to be fade-free lap after lap at Tsukuba Circuit. Covered by gold Volk Racing CE28N forged aluminum wheels, the brakes are ultimately only as good as their connection to the asphalt. Luckily for the driver, ATTKD uses Dunlop Direzza Z1 tires, in a grip-inducing 265/35/18 size.

As impressive as the ATTKD-tuned RB26 engine, drivetrain and braking setup is, the real jewel is the adjustable Autech suspension system. Accented by a set of Ikeya Formula suspension arms and ATTKD roll center adjusters, the ATTKD coilovers provide the perfect dampening settings, set up using hours of trackside research. Giving the R34 balance and control, these coilovers allow the heavyweight GT-R to dance like a flyweight and drive like a car half its size. Dry carbon fiber is also used as part of the diet regiment, showing up in the doors, hood and trunk. All the carbon body parts, including the front bumper and GT Wing, are produced in-house by ATTKD. The lightweight body parts are immaculately molded, with the doors passing for OEM replacements to the passing eye. Offsetting the weight of the six-point roll cage, the carbon body parts combined with the lightweight Recaro bucket seat and stripped backseat to help bring this R34's hefty curb weight down to a reasonable number.

The key to building a great street-legal track car is not that difficult to figure out, especially if you've got years of experience to build upon. ATTKD's R34 GT-R is not your average 631whp Skyline, and ATTKD is not your average tuner garage. Changes have been made to the engine, transmission, brakes, tires, body and interior, but every piece has been engineered and thought out to provide a distinct advantage. So it's no wonder that when you take the mighty Skyline GT-R, and then add in Autech Tsukada to the equation, you end up with success.

Specs
Skyline Gt-R
Max Power: 631.2whp
Car
Bnr34 Nissan Skyline Gt-R

Engine
"Base Engine: Rb26dett", "Power: 631.2hp, 17psi Of Boost Pressure", "Weight: 3064lbs.", "Hks 2.8l Stroker Kit", "Twin Hks Gt2530 Turbochargers", "Stock Exhaust Manifold", "Hks Vcam System", "Jun 280-Degree Exhaust Hicam", "Attkd Titanium Exhaust System", "Attkd Titanium Downpipe", "Attkd High-Flow Catalytic Converter", "Hks Twin Powerflow Intake Kit", "Arc Front-Mount Intercooler", "Hks Intercooler Piping", "Nismo Fuel Pump", "Power Enterprise 800cc/Min Fuel Injectors", "Hks F-Con V Pro D-Jetro", "Hks Evc Pro Boost Controller", "Stock Radiator", "Attkd Radiator Overflow Tank", "Samco Silicone Radiator Hoses", "Pitwork Radiator Cap", "Hks Oil Filler Cap", "Hks Oil Cooler Kit", "Oil Catch Tank", "Painted Valve Cover And Intake Manifold", "Attkd Motor Oil"

Drivetrain
"Hollinger Six-Speed Sequential Transmission"
"Ats Carbon Clutch"
"Ats Pressure Plate"
"Ats Carbon Limited-Slip Differential"
"Attkd Differential Oil"
"Attkd Transmission Fluid"

Suspension
"Attkd Adjustable Coilovers"
"Attkd Coilover Springs"
"Nismo Front Tower Bar"
"Attkd Roll Center Adjusters"
"Ikeya Formula Suspension Arms"
"Stitch Welded Chassis"

Brakes
"Endless Six-Piston Front Calipers"
"Endless Four-Piston Rear Calipers"
"Endless 355mm Front Two-Piece Brake Rotors"
"Endless 330mm Rear Brake Rotors"
"Endless Na-R Brake Pads"

Wheels & Tires
"Volk Racing Gold 18-Inch Ce28n Wheels"
"Dunlop Direzza Z1 Tires, 265/35/18 All Around"

Exterior
"Attkd Front Bumper"
"Attkd Dry Carbon Fiber Hood"
"Attkd Dry Carbon Fiber Doors"
"Attkd Dry Carbon Fiber Trunk"
"Attkd Gt Wing Spec 3"

Interior
"Stack Meter Display"
"Eclipse Avn4405d Double-Din Headunit"
"Hks A/F Knock Amp"
"Six-Point Roll Cage"
"Recaro Spg Driver's Bucket Seat"
"Sabelt Red Driver's Harness"
"Momo Steering Wheel"
"Backseat Removed"

Input an inline six block, single-turbo pressurization and four-digit horsepower figures, and your cerebral cortex conjures up images of a Supra 2JZ-GTE engine with a stand-by default of a Skyline RB26ETT. Imagine the surreal rampant misfiring synapses when an S52 call sign is revealed. The S52 engine code identifies a BMW powerplant, in this case the engine from an E36 M3. The E36 M3 debuted in 1995 with a 3.0-liter variant of the S52. In 1996 displacement jumped to 3.2 liters, where it stayed until the end of the E36's run in 1999.

The E36 M3 is known for its handling prowess and smooth application of thrust - not so much as a platform for four-digit power. Enter George Kakalentris and ICS Performance of Stamford, Connecticut. Their mission: to prove that the S52 is indeed strong enough to handle big boost. The car is a 1995 Dakar Yellow coupe, the engine is a later 3.2-liter S52. The amazing thing is that the Bumble Bee represents Plan B.

"Many moons ago European Car magazine laid down a challenge of a 1000-whp BMW, and we were about to answer the call with a black M3 already making 800+whp," says ICS' Brian Rosenberg. "This was a customer's car that we had been using as a showpiece. We had several major manufacturers in our corner on this project, where they supplied the new technology that was going to take it to the next level. Long story short, the owner of the car said he was going to have it repainted about one week before a major BMW show. He picked up the car and we never saw it again! We also never saw the $28,000 in parts that was owed on the build, and that hurt! But what hurt more was that this client was considered family."

"George and I were standing there wondering how in the world were we going to find 1000whp when we didn't even have a car. It was at that very second that our beat-down stock E36 M3 parts hauler pulled in from a parts run. We looked at each other and said, 'there she is.' After that, it was all hands on deck tearing the stock car apart. I had called all the vendors that were involved in the original project and told them the story behind the black car's betrayal. The universal answer from all parties was, 'What do you need? We'll get it out today. And don't worry about the money, just get her done for the magazine.' With all of our suppliers behind us, we created the fully built 'Bumble Bee' in two weeks of night-and-day wrenching. It made 1025 whp."

"So when we were on our 1000whp mission we hit up ICS and found they were in the middle of revamping the turbo, cams and other tidbits, and retuning the Bee for more power. A sense of deja vu set in as the ICS crew was once again racing the clock."

The original project started with heavy machinery as M&B Machine honed the cylinders and prepped the block of battle. ICS assembled the short block using the stock crank and forged CP pistons and Pauter rods.

Head flow is a key component of making power on a forced induction or naturally aspirated application. Headway Performance handled the big machinery porting and polishing the head. The head was filled with proprietary ICS gear, stainless steel and coated 1mm-over valves, stainless double-spring valvesprings and ICS keepers. The cams are a key player in the BMW's high-boost aspirations. The 'second generation' Bumble Bee runs VAC Motorsports Turbo Profile billet cams. A turbo cam is far different than a cam designed for a naturally aspirated engine because the turbo cam has pressure on its side. An all-motor cam has valve overlap designed into it to promote exhaust gas scavenging and quick cylinder fill up. There is no need to trick exhaust gasses or inspire the next intake charge because the turbo is pressurizing the system.

Further in its effort to scavenge an aggressive all-motor cam with a lot of valve overlap may have both intake and exhaust valves open simultaneously for too long, which would be detrimental on a turbo engine because the charge air would flow right out of the cylinder. This is why a 'turbo grind' should only be used in a turbo application, and more aggressively overlapped all-motor cams should be shied away from in a turbo application. The VAC Motorsports turbo-spec cams are available in both a mild version and an aggressive version for high-boost, high-rpm applications. Obviously, ICS went with the aggressive grind.

The S52's high boost is supplied by an Innovative Turbo Systems (ITS) GT80 turbo that features a ball-bearing cartridge, .96 A/R on the hot side and a 80mm compressor wheel. This turbo is significantly bigger than the 1025-whp unit from the original build-up. The rest of the turbo system consists of a 48mm Turbosmart wastegate, an ICS-built front-mount intercooler and a Turbosmart blow-off valve vented to atmosphere. The intake manifold, a large-plenum aluminum PPF piece fitted with a 75mm Accufab throttle body, is also a new addition. A Turbosmart E-Boost II controller regulates flow to 25 psi on the street and 35 to 40 psi in serious situations when C16 is in the tank.

The C16 is pumped to the engine by a Weldon in-line unit capable of supporting 2000 horsepower. The fuel system uses -12 AN lines and leads to an ICS rail, 1600cc Precision Turbo & Engine injectors and an Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator.

Spark energy is enhanced by an Electromotive high-capacity system that is used in accordance with the engine's tuning scheme: an Electromotive TEC3R. The TEC3 is the latest evolution of Electromotive's Total Engine Control line of engine management computers. Programmed via Electromotive's Windows-based WinTEC software, the TEC3 features digital direct ignition control, distributor-less ignition, four to 12 cylinder configuration, true sequential injection capability, programmable staged boost control, multiple injector drivers - so high- and low-impedance injectors can be used - and 100sps on-board data logging. ICS wired up the Electromotive system and tuned the combination on its Dynojet. At session's end, the Bavarian-bred inline six belted out 1025.35whp and 859.81 lb-ft of torque. The ICS crew still plans on turning up the boost for even more power and expects to see 1300-plus horsepower out of the inline six eventually.

The M3 chassis is stellar, but four digits require some extra attention. ICS added custom chassis stiffening touches to the undercarriage and installed a set of JIC Magic coilovers. The driveline was fortified by a Clutch Masters clutch built especially for this application and a modified rear end featuring a 2.79 gearset, polished gears and 60-percent lockup. After de-clawing the fifth-gear spline during some heated full-throttle, full-boost antics, ICS grafted in a Euro-spec six-speed transmission to hopefully better handle the tremendous torque coming from the S52. It's always wise to increase a vehicle's stopping power in proportion to its increase in acceleration. Consequentially, braking power was addressed with a Stoptech upgrade front and rear. The front and rear setups feature Stoptech's ST-40 four-piston calipers and two-piece 332mm slotted rotors. Rolling stock consists of 18-inch Breyton wheels and heavily abused Avon tires.

This M3 is a mission accomplished for ICS. It's an adrenaline gland's best friend as it effortlessly lays long black patches during 90-mph throttle stomps...bolting sideways in the process! Isn't that just what a four-digit freak is supposed to do?

If we could have a drum roll please, we'd like to set the stage to introduce Turbo's latest project vehicle: the Toyota Yaris. We have patiently waited for years for Japan's Toyota Vitz (Europe's Toyota Yaris) to make the leap across the pond into our welcoming arms. (In fact, long time Turbo readers might even remember a feature we did on a Vitz that Toyota had loaned to us when they were considering bringing the Yaris over to the United States back in 2000.) We would have never guessed that the Yaris would go into production here since Toyota opted to bring the similarly pint size Scion xA out. When the xA came out we thought that meant the U.S. door on the Vitz was forever closed.

With the Yaris using the same engine as the Scion xA and xB we aren't quite sure what Toyota is banking on, or why now is the time for the Vitz. Our best guesses are for the targeting of a different consumer base and the competition of the Honda Fit having just so coincidentally also being released. From the ad campaign it's clear that Toyota is aiming for an older customer base than the youth-oriented xA model. While the premise at Scion is "the car is meant to be modified," the Yaris ads are targeting the pocketbooks of future buyers. The focal selling point is the Yaris' excellent gas mileage (40 mpg) and how much money that will save your little piggy bank. Needless to say tuners in the 18-24 age group aren't thinking about their savings accounts (heck, half probably don't know the difference between a savings and checking account). If this strategy works, Toyota will end up on top. The youth tuners will buy the Scion and spend their disposable income on dealer customization options, while the thrifty consumer worried about today's gas prices will buy the economical Yaris.

As for beating the competition, the Toyota wins the battle against Honda with the Yaris because it makes more horsepower than the Fit. The Yaris also notably has a lighter curbside weight than the Scion xA. Maybe all the anti-SUV rhetoric worked, and now the American public wants efficient compact cars. Goodness knows in the history of Turbo we have never owned an SUV or a truck.

This having been said, our armchair speculation on the marketability of the Yaris is neither here nor there. We really could care less - we're just happy that the Vitz made it to our side of the Pacific Ocean. As soon as we heard the news we gave Toyota a call and requested a Yaris of our own (5-speed, blue, pretty please) to build, and add it to Turbo's precedent of being one of the first to build Toyota's other recent debuts: the xA, xB, and tC. We weren't sure what reception we would receive, as the Yaris obviously has a different PR campaign than the Scions. However, our doubts were put aside as Toyota immediately, and enthusiastically in fact, agreed to give us a pre-production Yaris. We even got the manual transmission and blue color that we requested, which is usually unheard of in preproduction vehicles where there is little choice (hence our previous pre-production automatic xB and tC).

It turns out that Toyota is not turning their back on their long motorsports history and indeed is still looking to court the tuner market with the Yaris. While the ads on TV are flaunting miles per gallon, in actually talking with Toyota they are eager to see what the aftermarket industry has to offer the Yaris and hope to see a wide variety of built Yarises at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas. Part of Toyota's excitement may stem from the fact that the Vitz has long been a popular tuning car in Japan. Knowing that it's a club car favorite, they might be wise to the fact that the Yaris already has a cult following in our U.S. market here. Loads of Japanese aftermarket products are already available for the Vitz, so this will make an easier transition to those companies' U.S.-based headquarters. This is great news for us performance enthusiasts and equally great for Toyota, as our consumer group is now more likely to buy their vehicle.

Once we got news that we are now the proud parents of a new Yaris we immediately rang up all the Japanese companies here we know that make Vitz/Yaris products. This is a million times easier than when we built the new Scion tC and no one made products for it yet. Having seen our fair share of modified Vitzes at Turbo's Tokyo Auto Salon Tour we knew right away whom we wanted to contact to build our dream Yaris. Like kids in a candy store everything is available - both performance and aesthetic-enhancing products. From body kits to supercharger kits, the sky is the limit. So future Yaris owners, the world is your oyster.

We're finalizing the plans for our Yaris, so expect it's newly modified debut next month. We hope to compile the best Yaris aftermarket products out there to build an all around great streetcar with both looks and performance. After we're done with debuting it at SEMA we plan to strip it down and build a pure racecar. Now that is something that hasn't been done before; we can't wait to see what Toyota thinks about that. Maybe Toyota will see the light and come out with a track-driving Yaris racing commercial like those for BMW. Yeah right...but at least we can still turn heads at the track ("Did I just get passed by a Vitz?!").

You're fast and you know it. You've spent countless hours pouring over compressor maps in order to pick the perfect turbo, and you just got the engine tuned dead-on perfect. Suspension, tires, brakes, chassis stiffness - all figured out. You hit the road and nothing can touch you, not even the odd nitrous-fed V8 minivans lurking around. But there's one thing that is always beyond your reach, one world that lives on a whole different plane of acceleration and speed: The land of the sport bike.

Packing roughly 130hp and moving just 357 pounds, the current Yamaha YZF-R6 is just one example of how scorching fast modern sport bikes can be. With a capable rider on board, a sport bike is able to destroy almost any automobile it runs across on the street. But as Garth Weaver of Las Vegas, NV, would let us know, almost does not mean all.

Weaver, the brain behind Leading Edge Performance of Las Vegas, NV, is the owner of a fire-breathing, smoke-snorting, twin-turbocharged 2002 Dodge Viper GTS that puts out more than 1,500whp. The Viper's power output is enough to incite page after page of Internet web battling, but Weaver has little time to care about what other auto owners think of his ride. With 8.0 liters of displacement, two turbochargers and ten cylinders pounding away, there is almost no lag and boost is available anywhere in the rev range.

Weaver's best time so far is 9.1 seconds at 163mph in the quarter mile, and 8-second times are easily attainable with stickier tires. So Weaver's target of choice isn't a car, as there's been no four-wheeled vehicle that can catch this Viper. Rather, this Dodge was built to hunt down Las Vegas' most ballsy sport bike riders.

Few cars are capable of going this fast, and one would easily assume that any 1500whp ride is destined to end up wrapped around a tree. But Weaver is also the owner of a 1034whp street driven Toyota Supra that previously appeared in Turbo. Not afraid of four-digit power numbers, Weaver has been taking it to motorcycles for years on the Las Vegas pavement, and this American beast is his latest weapon.

Weaver began the project by shipping his Dodge to Underground Racing in Charlotte, NC. Underground Racing, a shop well versed in producing forced induction Vipers, tackled the task at hand by pulling the pushrod V-10 engine and disassembling it to its seams. A custom offset ground crankshaft was installed along with CP Pistons, billet main caps, Oliver connecting rods and Hellfire piston rings. Following all the internal work, the Viper's already monstrous displacement was increased from a huge 8.0L to an even more massive 8.4L. The camshaft was replaced with a custom "turbo" grind cam by Underground Racing, and Weaver had his cylinder heads ported and polished by Jeff Morey of Detroit, MI.

The turbocharger system uses twin Precision TE PT76 turbos, each hung on custom Underground Racing exhaust manifolds that are fed by opposing five-cylinder banks. A fitting was constructed to accommodate the TiAL external wastegate, routing exhaust gases into custom stainless-steel side exhausts and Burns Stainless four-inch mufflers.

TiAL is also responsible for the blow-off valves, one of the few visible indicators of boost under the Viper's hood. Custom polished charge piping by Underground Racing is used to feed a single front-mount intercooler setup before entering an Extrude Hone'd stock intake manifold. A higher cooling ceiling is achieved with the use of a Fluidyne aluminum radiator and an oil cooler from a late model SRT10 Viper.

Aeromotive external race pumps and fuel filters keep the Viper's custom aluminum fuel rails fed, which is always a good thing considering the hefty 96lb/hr. fuel injectors used in this situation. AEM's EMS standalone ECU is used to tune this machine with 1156whp available on 91-octane pump gas and 1546whp on tap when using C16 race gas. The EMS is set to ramp up boost toward 29psi relative to the car's speed, although a Blitz boost controller is on tap for those rare situations when Weaver needs to dial in a single boost setting.

The Viper's stock six-speed transmission has stood up against four-digit power so far, although the stock clutch was changed out for a McLeod twin-disc unit. A Quaife limited-slip differential rests in the rear pumpkin, and Weaver went ahead and made the jump to Mark Williams CV-style halfshafts. He tells us that the Viper has proven itself to be both robust and reliable, even under the incredible strain that a twin-turbo V-10 and Weaver's heavy right foot regularly dish out.

Upon return from North Carolina, Weaver and Leading Edge Performance set about adding the requisite safety items. Baer six-piston monoblock brakes rest at all four corners, equipped with race pads and massive 14-inch, two-piece brake rotors. Covering the Baer binders are 19-inch HRE 547 wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport tires, sized 275/30/19 front and 345/30/19 rear. Weaver also fit his Dodge with Penske double-adjustable coilover shocks, which were custom valved and setup for drag racing. Trust us, when you've got this much power on tap, big brakes and good tires are considered necessary safety items.

Designed solely with the pursuit of speed in mind, this Dodge Viper GTS has been set up to hook up and maximize the use of its incredible power. In fact, Weaver anticipates that this full-interior, nearly 3500lb snake has the potential to go 180mph in the quarter mile, a claim that is backed up by his installation of a 8.5-second NHRA certified rollcage and parachute. Consider this a warning shot to all you Hayabusa riders: Watch your backs.

I'm not really sure why I wanted to buy a GT-R. I've never really been a guy that likes a lot of attention, but I couldn't get over the fact that in my opinion there was always a Japanese car out there that could outperform the Supra. I had already gone 10.32 @ 141 in my Supra. I just wanted to be faster than that, period. I guess I felt like if I wanted to be faster at the drag strip I needed to be able to get out of the hole faster. My thought process led me to the epiphany that an AWD Supra would be the ultimate car. I guess I figured the GT-R to basically be an AWD Supra. I had heard all the stories of how strong the blocks were and how they could make the same power as the Supras with less mods, the basic stuff you read on the internet or in magazines. So I went on the hunt for one." - Jake Diehl

If I had a nickel for every time someone came out with the phrase "I am going to buy a Skyline, and make it 1000hp", I would have my own 1000hp Skyline by now. The Skyline has been one of the most sought after import automobiles in this country since the day it first appeared in the pages of a U.S. magazine. The 1000hp Skyline is the fabled creature you hear about, you read about, you dream about but never see unless you download the car guys' spank films put on the Internet by Top Secret Japan.

The rumor came to me one day while in conversation with Erik at ATI Procharger about a trip we were planning for a few feature cars I had to shoot in Kansas City. While we were ironing out the logistics of the trip, Erik mentioned he had an associate through his private company that was the proud owner of an 1100hp Skyline, and at first it was disbelief.

At first I thought to myself: "The car doesn't exist stateside." Then the true reality of it all hit me: KANSAS? What the hell is a car like that doing in Kansas of all places? Do Dorothy and Toto really need an 1100 hp Skyline to get to Oz? And how do you drive a car that heavy on a yellow brick road with HKS Hipermax Drag coils? And who is the mad scientist hiding behind the dark curtain in this fantasy world? After all, isn't Kansas supposed to be Mustang, Mopar, and Camaro country? This monster can't exist in a place like Kansas. Even the day I got off the plane I still didn't believe it until I touched it with my own two hands. From that day forward I have believed in unicorns and leprechauns.

However, Jake Diehl, owner of Dieman Motorsports and our fabled Skyline, is not as much of a believer in fairy tales, as his road to completion with the R33 project was bumpier than any yellow brick road, filled with more fairy tales than Disney's archives, and riddled with personal anguish.

If you were ever thinking of buying a Skyline you may want to make sure you enjoy being beaten in your wallet by a sledgehammer over and over again. Problems include: there's no warranty for these cars, it's nearly impossible to get parts for in the United States, and it's a pain in the ass to get by DMV and emissions testing.

As if just getting your new Skyline registered isn't enough, there is always the "what if." Remember Murphy's law? Anything that can go wrong will. Our very own Dorothy, Jake was carried off to California one day by a United-owned, Boeing-powered Tornado and dropped into the driver's seat of his new/used R33 Skyline to drive over the river and through the desert all the way back to Kansas City, but wait... Murphy's law... What do you do when you try to get home in your new car and spin a bearing just 2 miles from where you purchased it? In Jake's case you push it back to the dealer, get on a plane home the following morning and wait for the phone to ring. The dealer agreed to fix the bearing problem and to deliver the Skyline to Jake in Kansas City as soon as it was ready.

Approximately one year later, the car was delivered from its California crypt to Kansas City only to provide another fantastic surprise: Jake made it another, you guessed it, 2 miles before the familiar noise of mashed bearing crawled into the cabin from under the hood yet again. At this point the car was tucked into a corner of Dieman Motorsports to collect dust while Jake pondered what to do with his shiny new, $50,000 paperweight that he had driven a total of four painful miles in the last year. At this point Jake decided to make some phone calls looking for a built motor, only to be met with the challenge of a lifetime.

One particular phone call to the dealership, which Jake was skeptical of at this point, included the statement: "Let an associate of mine build the motor, he is more than capable of building a 1000hp Skyline motor." This was the trigger for the 1000hp desire that would ultimately be the goal of Jake's project R33. The wheel was spun and the needle ultimately landed on the only other person in the United States supposedly capable of building a 1000hp RB26 (to be left nameless). "I told him I had a Supra that ran 10.32@141 and I wanted to better that time with my new Skyline," Jake said. The response he got was "Here's what you do kid. You send the car to me and write me a check for $100,000. Then I'll build you a car that runs faster than 10.32 @ 141. You can't build a 1000hp GT-R in the states without me. It will never be done." And the 1000hp goal officially became a mission, to prove it could be done.

One last call to the dealership led to the mention of a motor builder by the name of Wakita, and after some checking in the GT-R community, the consensus was that Wakita was the man for the job. Reluctantly, Jake shipped his car back to California for another attempt at life for his car with the stipulation that no one but Wakita was to touch the car. Three months later, with no calls from California, the nerves started again. Jake finally got in touch with his builder who questioned Jake's intended setup, and convinced him to sell everything and let them take charge of the build.

"I almost had a heart attack, but at this point I was so frustrated that I broke down and said fine, just build the car," Jake said. "If we are going to do it this way, make it the most extreme GT-R this country has ever seen, no questions asked. I basically gave him an open checkbook build." This is a bold statement from anyone, especially when his car and the shop building it are over 1000 miles away. It was time to go to Cali unannounced and make a surprise visit to Blast Racing.

The magicians at Blast Racing, Wakita and Naoto, were shocked to see Jake walk through the door, but to Jake's surprise they had a number of parts already purchased and the build started. While in California Jake and Naoto ordered the roll cage and planned the interior layout. Every month Jake would receive pictures of new parts bought or fabricated for the Skyline, and every few months Jake would send a check. At nine months Jake put his foot down, it was time for the Skyline to be born and shown for the first time at HIN Kansas City.

Another flight back to Blast Racing for the final pickup and dyno pulls were scheduled. But an injector issue caused flooding and kept the car off the dyno. Crushed at this point, it was time for Naoto to come to Kansas City and tune on the Dieman Motorsports Dyno after the HIN show. With the injector issue fixed, the car laid down a sad 812hp @ 34 lbs of boost. "I was dejected," Jake said. Thankfully Naoto was unhappy as well and returned to California determined to figure out what the problem was. After two weeks, Naoto called back suggesting that the car needed a bigger intercooler; and Jake turned back to Erik at Procharger for direction. During a House of Boost outcall mod session in someone's garage, Erik introduced Jake to Scott Sweat of No Sweat Welding. With the new intercooler designed, built and installed, it was time for Naoto to come back to Kansas City.

After a little tweaking by Naoto, the first pull posted up a 1016 @ 2.1 kilo. The mission was accomplished, but Naoto wasn't done. Slowly turning up the boost and fine-tuning the ECU, every pass was over 1000hp. Jake was finally at rest with his investment, and Naoto was ready to go the full 2.3 kilo and see what the dyno had to say. The number was beyond anyone's expectations, 1133awhp with 670.9 lb-ft of torque. Naoto and Jake had completed the build on what would represent their collective dreams of what an R33 should be: 1133awhp with A/C, power steering, and a backseat - and in Kansas City. Now the Midwest is making a comeback, one car at a time. So Supras beware if you roll up on a Skyline west of the Mississippi. You may be in for a surprise. Visit www.houseofboost.com to view the video of the final 1133hp dyno pull.

Everything is big in Texas: the bravado, the beers, the houses, the steak dinners (free if you can eat them with out a doggie bag, or a barf bag for that matter), even the horizon looms large.

It only makes sense that the state itself is an imposing beast. It is no New England shire that you can pass through while programming your navigation system and not even know it. And cruising across the Midwest states is a nice way to spend an afternoon, but hardly a challenge compared to the vastness of Texas, which is roughly 657 miles across at its widest point. This predisposition to largeness also translates into the performance realm where big boost, big power and big displays are the norm in the Lone Star state. Those crazy Texans like using the power too. You may have seen some of the video clips of these exploits on the Net: Supras versus Vipers, Supras versus Supras, Supras versus Hayabusa motorcycles in Houston and Dallas. The inherent dangers of running insane speeds on public roads are quite obvious.

Enter the Texas Mile, a sanctioned, closed-course competition conducted over a standing mile in Goliad, TX. The speed trials are conducted at the Goliad Airport, a small regional facility with a lot of pristine pavement. The Texas Mile is a drag race meets Silver State Challenge proposition; and it has a number of categories for stock-spec cars, tuned street machines and purpose-built Bonneville land speed cars. It should be no surprise that a Supra is the top dog in the Ultimate Street class.

Tommy Banh is The Man with Texas-sized huevos and 1128 wheel horsepower under his right heel. "I set out to push the limits of a street car," Tommy said. "And the next thing I knew I was screaming past 200 mph and setting the Ultimate Street record." Tommy's shop, Autobanh Motorsports, was founded in 2004 and has played a role in the development of many high-power Supras.

Tommy's Supra once again solidifies the 2JZ-GTE as one of the all-time great engines. Tommy's engine features a stock crankshaft that has been knife-edged by G&G Performance, who also handled all the block and head machining. The 2JZ is stuffed with Autobanh-spec Weisco pistons, Carrillo H-beam rods and is held together with custom Autobanh Polydyn-coated bearings and ARP hardware. The short block is topped with a port-matched and polished head infested with top grade hardware. Ferrea 1mm-over stainless steel valves, titanium retainers and double spring valvesprings are actuated by 280-degree HKS bumpsticks. A pair of Unorthodox Racing cam gears are on call to fine tune the timing.

When it comes to turbos there is always a compromise between power and response. It is also critical to select a turbo based on the intended usage of the vehicle. So a top-speed turbo can be big, Texas big. It can be bigger than a drag turbo because it will not have to spool between gears like a quarter mile unit. Tommy's turbo makes a case that there is no such thing as too big. He runs a Precision Turbo & Engine GT4780 based on a Garrett GT series unit. It has a standard bearing center section and standard aerodynamics; only R-spec GT series turbos feature full ball-bearing cartridges and the GT42 is the biggest frame with Garrett's vented inducer aerodynamics. Rest assured the GT4780 has it where it counts.

The turbo has a .96 A/R on the turbine side with a GT47 turbine wheel and a 80mm compressor wheel. Top speed boost is 36 psi but Tommy backs this off to a 'conservative' 30 psi on the street. A trick Full Race custom manifold secures the Precision turbo via a strong T6 flange. The remainder of the turbo system features a 44mm Tial Sport wastegate with V-band clamp and a 50mm Tial Sport blow-off valve. An HKS EVC EZ controls the boost while a GReddy front-mount intercooler setup puts the chill on the charge air.

One of the real gems under the hood is the Virtual Works intake manifold. This large-plenum manifold is the new king of the castle, replacing the popular Veilside piece that's been out of production for a year or so. The Virtual manifold uses a humongous 90mm Accufab throttle body; and the importance of a high-flowing intake manifold in high boost applications cannot be overstated. Dana Westover of Virtual Works said that the rule of thumb is a T4 series turbo with a 74mm compressor wheel, which will realize big benefits from the intake. He also pointed out that a Supra making 500hp saw a 100hp gain with the intake. The problem is that most people decide to go big turbo and big intake all at once and add other things like intercoolers so there is little opportunity for strict before-and-after comparisons. Virtual Works' flow testing showed a 335-cfm flow rate and .02 percent cylinder-to-cylinder variance. Optimal cylinder-to-cylinder balance is key to making outlandish power reliably; never mind peak power for a full mile.

With the mighty GT4780 exhaling 36 psi, relieving backpressure on the hot side was a big concern. Backpressure not only causes pumping losses that sacrifice power, but the restriction that creates the backpressure can be a source of heat. A huge Autobanh-built five-inch downpipe ensures that even gale force winds can be quickly evacuated from the turbine housing. Once out of the housing, spent gasses continue out a custom Autobanh five-inch exhaust system. That's right. It's a five-inch exhaust from turbine to tip. Tommy also saw fit to put the squeeze on the 2JZ with a direct-port nitrous NOS setup jetted to 180hp.

Making power is about burning fuel and to generate four-digit power you have to be hosing the cylinders with gasoline. Tommy is running a super high flow Walbro pump, custom Autobanh fuel rail and 165 lb/hr injectors from Precision Turbo & Engine. At 165 lb/hr, that's a mind blowing 1732 in cc speak, the Precision injectors are the largest the company offers and are damn near a fire hose. The 2JZ-GTE has a capable ignition system and Tommy elected to add only a HKS DL-I amplifier box.

Even the choicest of part combinations can be reduced to mediocrity with a Stone Age tuning scheme. Tommy cleared this hurdle with room to spare, employing the tried-and-proven AEM EMS plug-and-play stand-alone engine control system and a gifted tuner. Autobanh installed the unit, and Justin Nenni of Austin, Texas' Tuning Concepts worked his magic on the keyboard. Justin has tuned a number of high-horsepower Supras including Peter Blach's four-digit whip and a number of t04r.com power chart superstars. "After the motor was broken in on the dyno and it had 300 miles of street driving under its belt," Tommy says, "we were ready to tune the car. After about 10 passes on the dyno Justin was able to get the baseline tuned with a minimum of 30 psi. The car made right at the 1000-whp mark. With 36 psi we managed to get 1128 whp with a fairly heat soaked motor. With this setup, the turbo starts to spool at about 3000 rpm and it pushes full street boost (30psi) at 5800 rpm. The 1128 whp was achieved with boost only and the motor revved safely to 10,000 rpm. Peak torque was 770 lb-ft."

Going balls to the walls for a flat mile does put a strain on the suspension. So Tommy installed a set of Tein coilovers to keep the Toyota planted. The brakes are stock Supra, the transmission is the original Getrag six-speed fortified with a Tilton triple carbon clutch and lightened flywheel combination. The diff is a TRD piece, and the drivetrain runs a custom driveshaft. The Supra tears at the pavement with a huge contact patch created by 305/35-18 Nitto NT555Rs mounted on 18x11.5 CCW 505s. Up front 18x10 505s, which look like BMW M-Parallels with their five twin spoke design, are joined by 275/35-18 Nittos. No real innovation under the car, a testament to how strong the Supra is right out of the box.

Body tuning has been kept minimal as well with the addition of Stillen side skirts, a modified Wings West front lip and a vented TRD hood. Modena Autoworks of Houston installed the body parts and freshened up the stock Anthracite paint.

Inside, Tommy made the appropriate safety moves. A sweet 10-point roll cage with driver and passenger swing outs to keep ingress and egress easy for the street was installed. The cage is approved for 8.5-second quarter mile e.t.s. Leather-wrapped Sparco Milano II bucket seats and Simpson harnesses are the only other interior upgrades, save a few well-placed gauges.

The machine still sees the road on a semi-regular basis. "The car is running around the streets of Houston with low boost," Tommy says. "And since there's nothing on the streets of Houston that can keep up with this monster, I have to find fun with 1000cc-plus motorcycles. It's known as the Bike Killer." When you're picking on two-wheelers you really are living big in Texas.

When we say hotter than hell, we mean that 100% literally, figuratively, whatever - it was hot in every sense of the word. I have never been in such desert heat before in my life - then again neither had most of the D1 drivers. With the mercury hitting 112 and track temperatures hitting 150, the drivers entered a whole new blistering territory.

This D1 Las Vegas exhibition match was the most nerve-racking suspense-filled drifting event I have ever witnessed. Pit crews were constantly struggling to adjust the cars so they wouldn't go flying off the asphalt. Scorching heat and marbleized rubber do not make for an easy drift around the track. We witnessed the best of the best Japanese pro-drifters slam their cars into the wall because the pavement was simply too damn hot to get enough traction. Their usual 100+mph entry speeds were now a recipe for disaster. With each car that came down the track, the crowd watched and wondered in nail-biting suspense if this next heat-challenged drifter was going to hit the wall.

Further complicating matters was that the track temperature varied greatly from when the drivers practiced in the afternoon to when their final runs took place at night. What worked for them earlier was often a huge miscalculation later in the day. Adding to the challenge of the unrelenting heat was that the Las Vegas Motor Speedway set up a very narrow course that didn't leave a lot of room for error. Gone was the banked expanse of the California Irwindale track - this was a narrow short course that barely fit two cars side-by-side.

The fans were amazing in spirit and number, considering the sweat-inducing heat. Some of the attendees in the huge crowd were specially rewarded as they got up close to the action: the bleachers were so near the track many walked away with tire spew all over their faces.

Our favorite D1 announcer, Toshi Hayama, kept everyone entertained throughout the heat wave. In between runs the crowd got to check out the pits, which were not roped off so you could see every detail of the drift cars' set-up and the action of the crew changing suspension specs and tires. After all the crashes there was a lot of duct-taping bodywork going on as well. This event was also run at the same time as the NHRA Sport Compact series so fans could alternate between watching drifting and drag-racing.

This Grand Prix featured over twenty drift cars, with about half of their drivers being American, and about half being Japanese. All of the Japanese favorites were on hand to sign autographs for the fans, including Kazama, Yuke's Kumakubo, Yoshihara and monkey-man Nomura. The Drift King himself, Tsuchiya, also met with fans as he announced the event for Option video. The American drivers also put out an impressive showing, with Tanner Foust of AEM leading the way. Foust managed an unprecedented 120 qualifying points, a first in D1GP history, and was the first qualifier among all of the drivers. Unfortunately for Foust, he was out in the first round after a sticky emergency brake caused him to not stop in time and tap opponent Tana