D Car — November 2003
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About this issue
250 available scans from D Car — November 2003, in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 19 — English draft translation
“This isn’t a show car. The idea is to build as much of it ourselves as possible and make a car nobody else has,” Alexander explained in fluent Japanese. He regularly exchanges information with members in Japan and abroad, and the know-how he has gained through the team’s administrative work has helped with the build. The project did not cost much money, but it took a great deal of labor. The roughly ¥200,000 build is astonishingly well finished.
Captions and page details
A Weld-tuned engine with an S14 turbine and a triple NX3 setup produces more than 500 horsepower.
Sponsored parts
Loaded with show-off details. Jason chose a 180SX for his base car—an unusual choice in the sport-compact scene, which makes the project more rewarding. He is already planning the next round of modifications. The car also carries many sponsored and not-yet-released parts…
TEIN
…including police-style strobes, which also draw attention. His favorite details are monitors mounted in three places: a 4-inch unit in the mirror, a 7-inch console screen, and a 13-inch rear screen. Along with the triple NX3 setup, the engine produces about 520 PS. Next he hopes to work on the wheels and audio system as well.
It’s not just about looks
The 520-PS maximum output makes for fierce acceleration!
Like the exterior, the interior is finished in blue. He has paid attention to small details, from a BR-DE shift knob and a Momo steering wheel to Canadian-made switches.
A Japanese-American bilingual…
70
…the Dave Spector of the sport-compact scene!?
Andy speaks Japanese fluently and is a former U.S. serviceman who works as an English teacher. He lives near Yokota Air Base and also handles much of the team’s administration, making him a behind-the-scenes leader.
The quiet leader
Alexander…
Clint
TEE
AREA 51
The luggage area is also finished in blue and fitted with monitors. The layout was carefully planned to show off the equipment. The members sometimes play games on the Xbox monitors…
…
Warning
Fussa
The dashboard panels, rear deck, and wheel pieces were also made by hand. They took time to build, but were finished carefully to a near-production standard.
The current audio system uses MTX, but he is considering switching to Alpine. He says a major automotive-accessory retailer may sponsor the car.
…
Civic EG Ferio
Honda
TEAM SOLO
180SX
Nissan
The combination of a lowered ride height and 18-inch wheels looks extremely purposeful. He is considering switching to RO-JA wheels, though.
D-CAR
The exterior vinyl was cut from sheet material and applied by hand. The front cooling duct was also fabricated by the owner. There is no body aero kit, but the lowered stance is extreme!
MEX
TEAM SOLO
Data
Base car: Civic EG8; owner: Alexander K…; dress-up budget: ¥200,000. Exterior: roof and bonnet… Engine: one-off muffler and one-off air cleaner.
Weld
19