Welcome Miguel - Newera
Welcome Miguel - Newera
Like all of you I'm a car nut. My wife tells me I talk about cars in my sleep, I spend my spare time either researching what mods to fit, or working on them in search of perfection, although I've come to learn there's no such thing as a perfect car!
I lived in Tokyo since 1998, but since having a baby girl at the end of 2008 & as the credit crunch began to pinch us, we decided to move away from the city. We searched for a suitable house (A large drive was a pre-requisite!) and I had to giggle when the one that came up & we decided on turned out to be only 2km from Fuji Speedway. My wife didn't find that quite so amusing, but she knew she was marrying a petrol head when she did and she hasn't tried (yet!) to change me.
I have a few projects. The RX-7 started life as a near standard daily runabout - 8 years later it's a fully tuned single turbo'd stealth car with 450 bhp at the wheels with handling and braking modifications to match. It didn't turn out quite what I'd expected... too nice to use as a runabout... It's probably the most completed car I have as there's not much more I want to do to it...
I had a mildly tuned S2000 for a couple of years just before getting married. But then with a Border Collie and a wife, it was too small so I decided to sell it and buy something sensible. Was sad to see the S2K go...
So thinking it might be fun to do some drifting, I bought a tuned AE86 4 years ago. Unfortunately it's twin 46 Mikuni carbs were so dated there weren't even any new jet for them... One thing led to another and through frustration with imperfection I ended up getting a full race built N2 screamer of a 4AGE engine and my sensible intentions all went downhill from there. Did I mention this was meant to be my daily driver to replace the S2K and be a sensible car to drive the wife & dog in on weekends?
Car's ended up with fully rose jointed suspension links, TRD gearbox, TRD 2 way diff, fully caged, 6 piston calipers, etc. It's so loud my wife has only spent 10 minutes in it on the track.... Engine drowned her screams as we spent all the time sideways, but she said she enjoyed it, lol.
Then 3 years ago I came across a mint E30 M3 - a car I'd always dreamt of owning since being a teenager. I bought it for Newera's stock at first - but fell in love with it as I drove it back to our yard... For a while I was happy with it as a daily driver till one day I left it idling for an hour, the electric fan stopped working and it badly overheated..
One thing led to another and it's another full on project & work in progress. It's got 12.1 : 1 custom designed Gruppe A spec slipper pistons, Forged H beam rods, 292 cams, 48mm ITB's and a full carbon surge tank with lots of other supporting mods. Just waiting to fit a Vipec V44 with a new custom engine wiring harness when I get a chance, then I'll map it to perfection.
Determined this time to make a daily usable car... nearly there
Wanting to race properly - almost 2 years ago 4 mates and I bought a 98 Spec S Prelude (240 bhp) together and entered it into a 6 hour endurance race...and Team Gaijin racing was born.
It wasn't very competitive the first time around, not even the 3rd, but on the 4th race - having developed it a lot in between events to improve handling and braking it came 1st in class. It's raced a total of 30 hours so far and still going strong. Has had a couple of bashes in it's competition history, but nothing serious.
We're competing in a 12 hour event at Ebisu circuit on 28th Aug... Hopefully it'll last the entire race. Blog is on http://www.tgrdatalog.blogspot.com
Being near Fuji raceway sometimes there are events & on other occasions I also use the cars on the track. Hoping to catch the autumn drift Matsuri in Ebisu circuit later this year. If I do, will post pics here.
I'm a fussy ****** and won't buy anything I don't like the quality of myself....
Finding the cream is the hardest thing, most older cars are pretty tired in Japan these days and it takes a lot of searching and dissapointments to unearth the truly cool stuff. We used to only target mint Japanese tuned cars, but recently have been buying interesting pristine low mileage BMW's, Maserati, Benz and other interesting stuff like Renault 5 Turbo 2 homologation specials, etc. too. I guess as they've always been used in Japan they can be considered sort of Japanese.
We have experience working on many Jap cars (not only our own, but many customer's cars over the years - which are created before shipping to Europe, etc).
We recently put the finishing touches to a stunning wide bodied RX-7 (Which will be appearing in Speedhunters imminently) and there's a full race spec. totally restored TRD wide bodied AE86 which is awaiting some custom dashboard work.. Will share the details & pics here as it gets nearer completion..
Maybe I can also help some of you when you need some technical help with your jap motors. Anyways, rambled enough - so I'll stop here. Cheers for reading
Miguel - Newera
13-07-2017, 07:00 AM #11Thanks for the welcome, all!
Like all of you I'm a car nut. My wife tells me I talk about cars in my sleep, I spend my spare time either researching what mods to fit, or working on them in search of perfection, although I've come to learn there's no such thing as a perfect car!
I lived in Tokyo since 1998, but since having a baby girl at the end of 2008 & as the credit crunch began to pinch us, we decided to move away from the city. We searched for a suitable house (A large drive was a pre-requisite!) and I had to giggle when the one that came up & we decided on turned out to be only 2km from Fuji Speedway. My wife didn't find that quite so amusing, but she knew she was marrying a petrol head when she did and she hasn't tried (yet!) to change me.
I have a few projects. The RX-7 started life as a near standard daily runabout - 8 years later it's a fully tuned single turbo'd stealth car with 450 bhp at the wheels with handling and braking modifications to match. It didn't turn out quite what I'd expected... too nice to use as a runabout... It's probably the most completed car I have as there's not much more I want to do to it...
I had a mildly tuned S2000 for a couple of years just before getting married. But then with a Border Collie and a wife, it was too small so I decided to sell it and buy something sensible. Was sad to see the S2K go...
So thinking it might be fun to do some drifting, I bought a tuned AE86 4 years ago. Unfortunately it's twin 46 Mikuni carbs were so dated there weren't even any new jet for them... One thing led to another and through frustration with imperfection I ended up getting a full race built N2 screamer of a 4AGE engine and my sensible intentions all went downhill from there. Did I mention this was meant to be my daily driver to replace the S2K and be a sensible car to drive the wife & dog in on weekends?
Car's ended up with fully rose jointed suspension links, TRD gearbox, TRD 2 way diff, fully caged, 6 piston calipers, etc. It's so loud my wife has only spent 10 minutes in it on the track.... Engine drowned her screams as we spent all the time sideways, but she said she enjoyed it, lol.
Then 3 years ago I came across a mint E30 M3 - a car I'd always dreamt of owning since being a teenager. I bought it for Newera's stock at first - but fell in love with it as I drove it back to our yard... For a while I was happy with it as a daily driver till one day I left it idling for an hour, the electric fan stopped working and it badly overheated..
One thing led to another and it's another full on project & work in progress. It's got 12.1 : 1 custom designed Gruppe A spec slipper pistons, Forged H beam rods, 292 cams, 48mm ITB's and a full carbon surge tank with lots of other supporting mods. Just waiting to fit a Vipec V44 with a new custom engine wiring harness when I get a chance, then I'll map it to perfection.
Determined this time to make a daily usable car... nearly there
Wanting to race properly - almost 2 years ago 4 mates and I bought a 98 Spec S Prelude (240 bhp) together and entered it into a 6 hour endurance race...and Team Gaijin racing was born.
It wasn't very competitive the first time around, not even the 3rd, but on the 4th race - having developed it a lot in between events to improve handling and braking it came 1st in class. It's raced a total of 30 hours so far and still going strong. Has had a couple of bashes in it's competition history, but nothing serious.
We're competing in a 12 hour event at Ebisu circuit on 28th Aug... Hopefully it'll last the entire race. Blog is on http://www.tgrdatalog.blogspot.com
Being near Fuji raceway sometimes there are events & on other occasions I also use the cars on the track. Hoping to catch the autumn drift Matsuri in Ebisu circuit later this year. If I do, will post pics here.
I'm a fussy ****** and won't buy anything I don't like the quality of myself....
Finding the cream is the hardest thing, most older cars are pretty tired in Japan these days and it takes a lot of searching and dissapointments to unearth the truly cool stuff. We used to only target mint Japanese tuned cars, but recently have been buying interesting pristine low mileage BMW's, Maserati, Benz and other interesting stuff like Renault 5 Turbo 2 homologation specials, etc. too. I guess as they've always been used in Japan they can be considered sort of Japanese.
We have experience working on many Jap cars (not only our own, but many customer's cars over the years - which are created before shipping to Europe, etc).
We recently put the finishing touches to a stunning wide bodied RX-7 (Which will be appearing in Speedhunters imminently) and there's a full race spec. totally restored TRD wide bodied AE86 which is awaiting some custom dashboard work.. Will share the details & pics here as it gets nearer completion..
Maybe I can also help some of you when you need some technical help with your jap motors. Anyways, rambled enough - so I'll stop here. Cheers for reading
we love pictures...
very interesting reading there are you by any chance related to Matt???
Don't suppose you have any jobs going do you lol :thumbup:
Welcome Miguel very interesting reading there
are you by any chance related to Matt???
Don't suppose you have any jobs going do you lol :thumbup:
Notice there's a fair few IS200's on this forum - some heavily modified. Good to see.
Not a lot of these are as heavily modified in Japan though there are a couple in D1!
I'll put up my own garage section sometime or do a thread on them as each car has a story to tell, but for now here's a few pics of each of my projects, as more introduction.
I don't care about clothes and I was never much into smoky bars and chasing sluts
My vice is 100 RON and cars are the things I spend most of my income on...
or used to. I've promised myself I won't start any more projects, as now I have a wife & daughter I can't justify blowing most of our income on cars any more.
To save money I did most of the work myself in evenings & weekends, but stopped at building engines as I don't think I can get anywhere near the quality of workmanship that comes from experience of some of the best tuners in Japan.
I hope to grow old in Japan and sometimes imagine what it'll be like to still drive these same cars in 20 year's time...
Can't help thinking the fourthcoming FT-86 is going to be a helluva car to modify, but then I remember my promise to self.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't done these three projects, but saved every penny and bought a brand new 997 GT3 RS.... But how was I to know Porsche would make a car like that. Anyways, good to dream...
Cheers for looking.
I have a passion for induction sound and properly tuned N/A engines. To me turbocharging's a bit like cheating as it's force feeding an engine air and fuel.
A well tuned N/A can have lovely response and an engine sound that makes me blush with passion.
Here's the E30 M3's rebuilt engine. It's a full tune 2.3 BMW S14. I didn't go large capacity as I couldn't justify importing a 2.5 block from US or Germany and besides, I wanted revability to 8,500 rpm - with safe piston speeds not a longer stroke. Runs a piggy-back Alpha-N ECU currently but about to fit a waiting Vipec V44 standalone ECU & custom harness, high speed ID injectors, sequential fueling and ignition, etc. These should give very smooth manners combined with wild performance especially at higher revs.
![[Image: M31510091.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/M31510091.jpg)
![[Image: M315100911.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/M315100911.jpg)
![[Image: M31510092.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/M31510092.jpg)
![[Image: M315100914.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/M315100914.jpg)
The Levin AE86.
![[Image: MiguelsAE86Feb200826.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/MiguelsAE86Feb200826.jpg)
The engine is a full race spec 4A-GE. Revs to 9,250 and makes around 200 bhp. Feeds through a TRD close ratio box and a 2 way TRD diff with lots of initial torque. Car has an incredible amount of grip - but also makes a very adjustable drift car. Driving this car makes the hairs on my neck stand on end. Despite being the lowest powered car I have, it's my favorite. On a tight country road there's little that can keep up with it...I once let a friend drive it and it sounded so good screaming through the forest, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face for the rest of the day! :w00t:
![[Image: DSC_0960-1.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/DSC_0960-1.jpg)
![[Image: DSC_0995.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/DSC_0995.jpg)
![[Image: Nikko20Miguel1202007-07-25-1.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/Nikko20Miguel1202007-07-25-1.jpg)
![[Image: MobaraCircuit-March20077.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/MobaraCircuit-March20077.jpg)
![[Image: MobaraAE86_2.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/MobaraAE86_2.jpg)
...& finally some pics of the FD. This was the first Japanese car I really fell in love with and went mad on. I discovered Tokyo C1 night racing with this car and made a lot of great memories with it.
What I like is how easy it is to drive in traffic. It's totally well mannered.
But with the pedal mashed to the floor it has left people speechless and in one case actually made one person literally **** himself (This is not an exagerration)!
Of all the Japanese cars FD's to me are the best of all Japanese performance cars. Sublime high speed handling, great tunability and a proper driving machine with the only assistance being ABS. Rotaries make a lot of exhaust gas, so turbo lag is minimal too. Mine's been very reliable considering the hard use it's been through. Provided they're looked after well they're as good as any other Jap sports car. They do drink a lot though! :thumbup:
I recently changed the back end, as I didn't like the carbon diffuser vibrating at high speed. No pics of the revised rear at the moment.
![[Image: RX-7withRobbie3.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/RX-7withRobbie3.jpg)
![[Image: VU1S9753.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/VU1S9753.jpg)
![[Image: SundayPolishing15040712.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/SundayPolishing15040712.jpg)
![[Image: Miguel-TsukubaOct2004.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/Miguel-TsukubaOct2004.jpg)
![[Image: BAL_0007-2.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/BAL_0007-2.jpg)
Miguel - Newera
14-07-2017, 06:56 AM #16Been looking at some of the cars in Garage section. There are some lovely machines there. Drooling stuff...
Notice there's a fair few IS200's on this forum - some heavily modified. Good to see.
Not a lot of these are as heavily modified in Japan though there are a couple in D1!
I'll put up my own garage section sometime or do a thread on them as each car has a story to tell, but for now here's a few pics of each of my projects, as more introduction.
I don't care about clothes and I was never much into smoky bars and chasing sluts
My vice is 100 RON and cars are the things I spend most of my income on...
or used to. I've promised myself I won't start any more projects, as now I have a wife & daughter I can't justify blowing most of our income on cars any more.
To save money I did most of the work myself in evenings & weekends, but stopped at building engines as I don't think I can get anywhere near the quality of workmanship that comes from experience of some of the best tuners in Japan.
I hope to grow old in Japan and sometimes imagine what it'll be like to still drive these same cars in 20 year's time...
Can't help thinking the fourthcoming FT-86 is going to be a helluva car to modify, but then I remember my promise to self.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't done these three projects, but saved every penny and bought a brand new 997 GT3 RS.... But how was I to know Porsche would make a car like that. Anyways, good to dream...
Cheers for looking.
I have a passion for induction sound and properly tuned N/A engines. To me turbocharging's a bit like cheating as it's force feeding an engine air and fuel.
A well tuned N/A can have lovely response and an engine sound that makes me blush with passion.
Here's the E30 M3's rebuilt engine. It's a full tune 2.3 BMW S14. I didn't go large capacity as I couldn't justify importing a 2.5 block from US or Germany and besides, I wanted revability to 8,500 rpm - with safe piston speeds not a longer stroke. Runs a piggy-back Alpha-N ECU currently but about to fit a waiting Vipec V44 standalone ECU & custom harness, high speed ID injectors, sequential fueling and ignition, etc. These should give very smooth manners combined with wild performance especially at higher revs.
The Levin AE86.
The engine is a full race spec 4A-GE. Revs to 9,250 and makes around 200 bhp. Feeds through a TRD close ratio box and a 2 way TRD diff with lots of initial torque. Car has an incredible amount of grip - but also makes a very adjustable drift car. Driving this car makes the hairs on my neck stand on end. Despite being the lowest powered car I have, it's my favorite. On a tight country road there's little that can keep up with it...I once let a friend drive it and it sounded so good screaming through the forest, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face for the rest of the day! :w00t:
...& finally some pics of the FD. This was the first Japanese car I really fell in love with and went mad on. I discovered Tokyo C1 night racing with this car and made a lot of great memories with it.
What I like is how easy it is to drive in traffic. It's totally well mannered.
But with the pedal mashed to the floor it has left people speechless and in one case actually made one person literally **** himself (This is not an exagerration)!
Of all the Japanese cars FD's to me are the best of all Japanese performance cars. Sublime high speed handling, great tunability and a proper driving machine with the only assistance being ABS. Rotaries make a lot of exhaust gas, so turbo lag is minimal too. Mine's been very reliable considering the hard use it's been through. Provided they're looked after well they're as good as any other Jap sports car. They do drink a lot though! :thumbup:
I recently changed the back end, as I didn't like the carbon diffuser vibrating at high speed. No pics of the revised rear at the moment.
My favorite way to travel especially in Spring & Autumn. Being a parent and not being able to afford time off work if something goes wrong, I'm probably a lot more sensible on 2 wheels than 20 years ago though. Age definitely makes us get slower...
![[Image: DSC_1024-1.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/DSC_1024-1.jpg)
![[Image: DSC_1001-1.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/DSC_1001-1.jpg)
The long road home:
![[Image: DSC_1139.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/Miguel-Newera/DSC_1139.jpg)
Miguel - Newera
14-07-2017, 06:57 AM #17Finally - It's not a car, I know - but I'm not always law abiding on it... so does that make it an outlaw bike?
My favorite way to travel especially in Spring & Autumn. Being a parent and not being able to afford time off work if something goes wrong, I'm probably a lot more sensible on 2 wheels than 20 years ago though. Age definitely makes us get slower...
The long road home:
The threads you have supplied us with are Awesome I think the BMW is a real Beauty and the condition is fantastic.
I have stayed away from motor bikes as I would kill myself on one like I nearly did on a Go kart lol
I would love to come to Japan one day...
The threads you have supplied us with are Awesome I think the BMW is a real Beauty and the condition is fantastic.
I have stayed away from motor bikes as I would kill myself on one like I nearly did on a Go kart lol
He's got a pretty sweet R34 GT-R at the moment...
Lexusboy - We probably supply more R32 GT-R's at the moment than anything else.
I think people are beginning to cotton on that mint examples are definitely becoming collectable...
I think everything of interest will eventually become collectable though. I mean - can you see Mazda ever making another RX-7 as good as the last, or Subaru making a 2 door Impreza as fun as the Sti Type R? Just look at the really old Japanese stuff like 240Z's and how much a true minter's worth. Or better still look at how much a genuine Hakosuka GT-R fetches... $100,000 USD is about medium price. Some fetch more though!
Miguel - Newera
14-07-2017, 07:14 AM #19Chri5 - Matt's our rep on the GTR forum. He might be along here shortly...
He's got a pretty sweet R34 GT-R at the moment...
Lexusboy - We probably supply more R32 GT-R's at the moment than anything else.
I think people are beginning to cotton on that mint examples are definitely becoming collectable...
I think everything of interest will eventually become collectable though. I mean - can you see Mazda ever making another RX-7 as good as the last, or Subaru making a 2 door Impreza as fun as the Sti Type R? Just look at the really old Japanese stuff like 240Z's and how much a true minter's worth. Or better still look at how much a genuine Hakosuka GT-R fetches... $100,000 USD is about medium price. Some fetch more though!
I'd be happy to supply recommendations of things to do and places to visit. Not the usual stuff like Autobacs Odaiba, Top Secret, etc...
The best stuff are things like Nissan's special collection of race, concept and one off cars at Zama (Near Yokohama - visits are only possible by special arrangement) and Toyota's museum in Toyota city. Truly jaw dropping stuff!
Or if enough of you are into winter sports, combine a visit with snowboarding in Hokkaido and see the ice festival there. It's pretty awesome.
If anybody's interested I can put up a seperate thread sometime of Japanese scenery throughout the seasons. Summer's the worst time to visit.. Currently over 40 Deg C in Tokyo with 70% humidity. It's like being in a sauna all day long in August!
Miguel - Newera
14-07-2017, 07:21 AM #20Lexusboy, for sure you guys should plan a group trip to Japan sometime.
I'd be happy to supply recommendations of things to do and places to visit. Not the usual stuff like Autobacs Odaiba, Top Secret, etc...
The best stuff are things like Nissan's special collection of race, concept and one off cars at Zama (Near Yokohama - visits are only possible by special arrangement) and Toyota's museum in Toyota city. Truly jaw dropping stuff!
Or if enough of you are into winter sports, combine a visit with snowboarding in Hokkaido and see the ice festival there. It's pretty awesome.
If anybody's interested I can put up a seperate thread sometime of Japanese scenery throughout the seasons. Summer's the worst time to visit.. Currently over 40 Deg C in Tokyo with 70% humidity. It's like being in a sauna all day long in August!
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