I hate to ask a question this late, but is there any requirement for a catalytic converter? Nothing in here enforces a cat, and I could see aftermarket cars running a test pipe instead, but it’s always worth checking.
Just to clarify, when you say no engine requirements, does that include the engine year as well, as in an 80s car with a 2000s engine?
If it didn’t mention in the requirements, you’re free to not add cat.
nope.
In view of this, this challenge deserves to simply be called the Wangan Challenge - it’s not just for sleepers anymore, after all.
1 Like
Mara Kavaler AMM Millenium Extreme
After spending much of the 1990s on catching up to the rest of the world after the global market liberalisation, Mara realised that while they now had a reasonably modern and competitive line-up with the larger Kavaler and numerous variants of the smaller Zvezda, they still lacked brand credibility outside of purely budget-minded customer segments.
For this reason, they charged their internal performance division AMM with creating a no holds-barred performance-oriented halo version of the Kavaler sedan. Targets to reach were 0-100 km/h under 5s, an attainable top speed beyond 300km/h, and a release before the year 2000. AMM also had to build upon the existing components; fundamentally altering the car or engine architecture, for example, was out of the question.
By enlarging the standard 4.0 Blyz Progress V8 to 4.6 litres and essentially rebuilding and tuning all other parts for highest performance, AMM managed to convert the base Kavaler V8 into the ultimate sleeper, easily surpassing the performance objectives. Beyond the engine, a flat undertray and reduced cooling substantially improved aerodynamics. Tyres were made wider, brakes larger and the suspension adjusted to cope with the almost doubled power output, along with two novelties for AMM: a much needed electronic traction control and their first foray into electronic adaptive suspension. A rear spoiler was also added for some modest downforce.
The otherwise quite plain appearance of the Kavaler remained unchanged - partly because they did not want to be associated with the excesses of 90s tuner culture (and their Irena and Zvezda coupes had been victims of that often enough already), but also partly because the entire project had enough trouble staying within budget as it was.
Road tests found the car to be surprisingly mild mannered for the amount of power produced, the attainable top speed, and Mara/AMM’s lack of experience in producing truly high-performance road cars. Originally, the car - painted in AMM’s signature yellow, of course - was intended to be a one-off project, but since there was sufficient interest at the car’s first public presentation at a car show, AMM decided to take a limited number of orders for additional cars beyond the prototype. No further information is available about eventual buyers, and differences to regular AMM versions of the Kavaler are hard to spot.
1989 Solana GT Turbo
Just a modified JDM Solana GT Turbo. This late 80s cruiser has been modified to push out some serious power, with its modified 5.2l turbocharged V8.
3 Likes
1998 Schnell L6 3.5 LSi
This L-Series Coupé has been modified with a grille mesh delete, 2 piece wheels and spoilers, side skirts and lip, tow hook and 5000K Halogen headlights to make it not so yellow, a upgraded RETECH radiator and ITB’s along with a tubular manifold and a middle muffler removal to make it very loud. Also has fake LS Sport badge.
Lore n' Backstory
Lore: The L-Series line of Coupes were introduced in 1998. Schnell managed to make the 3.5L V6 pack a healthy 200HP. It was revolutionary for the brand. Gone were the underpowered V8 models in the midsize D-Series. It was also the result of Hakumai buying half of the corporation due to the brand being fairly a bit bland. With Hakumai manufacturing more econoboxes each day.
Backstory: This car was bought by a average businessman. He used it to drive to work, and daily drive. It has 52,826km. He had to sell it so his insurance company would keep him since the car. It was a bit of a Gas Guzzler to him. Then he sold it for 547,430 Yen, (5000USD in NORMAL money).
Eventually a 22 Year old street racer bought it. she totalled her base model L4 Sport 16v when she spun out in the tight roads of Japan.
This L6 came bone stock before she bought it and modified it. She was forced to sell it later on due to family problems and that their daughter didnt need such a powerful, unreliable German machine. (Lost some value, Because its German)
1 Like
“1992” Alba Cordillera S-Type (Street Runner)
First off. It’s not a 1992 model. That’s probably deductible by the styling.
The original model from '68 was a rather quaint and comfortable tourer, Hauling from England. Yes, England. That might be confusing, considering that it is rather similar to Japanese sports cars of the era.
However, The version here presented is heavily modified:
A reinforced chassis, Panels such as the Bonnet replaced with Aluminium, Widened fenders, 3 Liter Inline 6 engine…
You may be asking: Inline 6 3-liter? Isn’t that a bit small?
And yes, it is. It’s a Single turbo, even. Which means: It is most likely “Underpowered”, At about 440 hp. This does mean that the engine is easier to reach and work on, considering the body’s Smaller engine bay, and simpler construction when compared to a V-Engine.
But what didn’t go into Power, Went into Lightness and Grip, Pulling some respectable ~1.2 Lateral Gs at higher speeds thanks to Downforce.
3 Likes
MY1999 Leonardo Vigore 560TC "Cherry Bomb"
Mister Otane (real identity withheld) is a retired lawyer, who grew up longing to be in the Italian sports car grand prix he heard on the radio in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. He was able to build quite a nest egg following some smart investments in technology corporations just before the dotcom bubble, and cashed out sometime in 1998. Ever since, every night he cruises the streets he has adopted the persona of MISTER ROSSI, in honor of his favorite racing driver.
His preferred weapon of choice is a model year 1999 Leonardo Vigore 500, upgraded heavily with parts rumored to be sourced from teams participating in the 1998 Euro Touring Car Series. These parts include racing slick tires, titanium camshafts and conrods, 6-speed racing manual transmission, periscope air intake, two-point flank safety bars for both driver and co-driver, pushrod suspension and heavy-duty AWD torque conversion system, alongside creature comforts like cushioned Recaro bucket seats with 5-point seatbelts, A/C and a casette player.
Behind the pilot sits a monster 5.1L twin-turbo V8, peaking at 560 HP and 480 lb-ft while keeping the car just under a svelte 3000 lbs. Modestly-trimmed, the car catapults you at 0.9 g’s up to 100 km/h, followed by a quick hustle to 1/4 mile in just under 11 seconds. Not bad for a car with RWD and no traction control, huh? The total street price of his car is estimated at $75,000 USD, but he’s said to have poured ten times that into simply having the chance to acquire the parts necessary for such a force of nature…
1 Like
DMC took a 1995 Franklin Marshall HiWay and made a few changes. It’s the 3 door sport hatch which normally has a transveres, 2L, Turbocharged i4…
Things that DMC kept, from the original car, include the galvanised steel chassis and…most of the shape…and that’s about it!
Changes include -
A 450bhp, inline 6, turbocharged engine which is now fitted longitudinally. This is mated to a 6speed manual and is now all wheel drive.
Removal of rear seating which helps with new roll cage.
Sports front seats.
Carbon fibre body panels.
We also thought it would look cool with red piping and suicide doors!
0-62 - 3.4s
1/4 - 11.5s
Top speed - 200mph
We call it the MiWay…
1 Like
1985 Zephorus V8 Wangan Edition
The V8 from Zephorus makes 630hp with a 9000rpm redline and a lot of lag
After a few test runs of the Yatabe Test Track the driver reached a top speed of 234Mph, there proved to be enough stability at the rear with the wing removed, just leaving the endplates for sideways stability.
Some say the name “Wangan Edition” came from the current owner of Zephorus, I mean how else would you get your hands on a GTB Prototype and be allowed to modify it without being shot?
15 Likes
1981 Haniyasushin Monaaku IV RO Special
In 1981 a white Monaaku IV rolled of the production line. It was just a standard middle trim with a 3.2L I6, it was purchased by a salaryman who enjoyed this car for about 8 years. In 1989 a younger mechanic, nicknamed RO, purchased the vehicle. He tuned it for racing on the wangan with a large turbo. He quickly made a name for himself and started his own tuning shop named RO Tuning, with the Monaaku as halo car.
In 1993 he blew his engine during a run and crashed it, but it was rebuild: faster, stronger and lighter. First of was the engine, which was swapped for a 6.4L Monaaku V V12. The tuned V12 makes 583,7hp and 684,7 around 7000rpm and it’s coupled to a racing 5 speed manual. The chassis was strengthened and some of the body panels were replaced with carbonfiber. This massively increased body rigidity and slightly lowered it’s weight to 1635kg. Further modifications were applied to the brakes and suspension which were taken from a Monaaku IV GT car. To finish it off the bodykit was slightly tweaked and it was coated a shiny black. This massive overhaul produces a black brick that’s able to run at 333kph whilst also reaching that top speed relatively fast, not to mention it can pull corners at 1G.
To this day it’s still running the wangan and it still holds it’s status as RO halo car. But something more suprising is that RO still uses this car daily, hence the rear bench.
6 Likes
Yatabe awaits. One of the Wangan folks decided to give a shot with the 1968 Sanzou 2000. They fitted the 1990 ST8 Sports bodykit and swapped the engine with a tuned RA77 which made 330HP. Here is the result.
1968/1990 Sanzou *HNS2000(AS10)
*HNS stands for High Noon Samurai.
4 Likes
' GOLDEN WIND, KIN NO KAZE '
by @Falling_Comet & @that-s-cop
345 KM/H / 214.373 MP/H
WANGAN SPEEDSTER | PREMIUM CRUSIER
PREMIUM COMFORT
YATABE SPEED GOLDEN WIND
GALLERY
STATS
Sendo Solaire LX, Taka Fuji Suisei I6 Turbo Swap |
4L I6 Turbo | 680hp RWD. Stock premium interior minimal changes, cruise in absolute comfort and luxury at highspeed.
Stiffer suspension with SCH parts and new Brembi brakes supplied with Tyrlli sports compounds to maintain grip with its high power, paired with turbofan rims and new smaller grille surface.
Manual transmission and rebuilt to hold the high power from the engine swap, redid clutch and new geared diffs in replacement of the stock viscous and advance auto Sendo-matic 5 speed.
Widebody kit of the ‘Gold Wind’ Modification, and ‘Gold Wind’ Livery to show the groups efforts of pursuing comfort and speed.
25 Likes
I feel like i have the least powerful car here. There’s no way i’ll be in the charts with a very underpowered tuner car while everyone’s rocking 400+HP Sleepers and tuners
March 1999
Shutoko C1 Loop
1:20 AM
The highway is nearly empty as nobody is seriously driving in such times. Except for some racers, known as the High Noon Club. The club is famous for its powerful modified cars and the top speed figures recorded on public highways.
A red Ursula was driving by at that exact time. Inside, Matsumi Izuhara, the driver, is cruising the car in high speed. On the wheel, she droves calmly as she tries to avoid any obstacle, while her right foot is heavily pressing the pedal. The sound of the V10 roars over the highway.
And yet, she found peace in her mind, on this exact highway.
Matsumi, who was 20 that time, is the only daughter of the Takeshi Izuhara, a wealthy businessman who owns the largest banking company of Japan and reportedly has ties with the Yakuzas. At that time, she was just graduated from University of Tokyo and being a bright student, she aced all her studies. Of course, like her father, she is also a car nut, driving cars since 14 and always having new cars to drive every month before the recession hit.
Of course, her father was against her ideals, as he is worried about her daughter being well, bad. Her rebellious nature strained her relationship between her dad, and nearly have their relationship broke. Luckily, nothing serious outside that happened, and calmness has prevailed since then, as she became more mature by then.
Yet, her love for speed retains till then. However, what happens next on the highway, is a mystery.
1994 Ursula R1 600S x4 “Midnight Racer”
The Ursula R1 was launched in 1991 as the successor to the V7 convertible GT. Unlike the V7, the R1 is only available as a coupe in its lifetime (although convertible versions were considered, but ended up being not available). The car was initially available with inline-6 and V8 engines, but in 1994, a V12 model, the 600S was released as the flagship of the series.
The car was purchased in 1994 by a rich businessman in a Ursula showroom located in downtown Shibuya. Since the car was the guy’s daily driver, it was kept stock in its first few years, before the owner decided to sell the car due to the economic downturn in 1997.
Matsumi bought the car (with cash gotten from her father) in 1998, as she is impressed with the car’s potential and comfort, despite the vehicle had just stopped production at that time. Of course, despite loving the car she felt the car “a bit too soft”, which means that modifications will come next.
Over the months, the car’s original 5.2-liter V12 was swapped with a twin-turbo V10 from the Altus XR-10 supercar (which was modified again for more power), alongside some serious modifications such as better brakes, carbon body parts, a race ECU system, race suspension, magnesium rims, semi slick tyres, and all the other stuff that make the car more fun to drive.
The result? 722 horsepowers moving the car from zero to 100 in just 2.8 seconds, an unbelievable figure at that time. Despite all those power the car still retains most of it’s creature comforts (save for the deletion of 2 rear seats), and the all-wheel drive system still remains intact. Of course, rumors stated the car could break 350 km/h, but even then the car is often rarely seen, even within the group.
And the best of all? It’s a one of a kind. It’s probably hard to recreate another one again, since there’s no way we could find out.
7 Likes
Classic! Reminds me of SSC all over again! ;p
3 Likes
