TougeFriends JP

Ah, Formula D. A series that offers the same soundtrack as a NASCAR event. A series that claims "it isn't a race" but awards drivers for putting bus lengths on the chase car from the starting line. A series whose parking lots and stands are filled with Hoonigan everything and so much vape smoke, you can't even see the track in front of you. A series which seems unable to maintain a roster of 32 drivers to compete. Formula D has received more than its fair share of criticism over the years from many people, myself included. There are those who seem to really enjoy it and what it has to offer, while there are those who are less than enthusiastic about what the series prioritizes. From an engineering standpoint, I think it's absolutely insane what these cars are capable of. 150mph+ wheel speed with over 60 degrees of steering lock while being within inches of another vehicle at speeds at nearly triple digits. These cars can accelerate faster at lock faster tha...

The STI has already had some track time over the past couple years since I bought it. The car has remained extremely simple and basic over the course of my ownership, and that was the plan all along. I didn't want to do the typical garbage of buying the car, then immediately "get an accessport and go stage 2 bro". I hear complaints left and right about the "lack of" power in these cars, and how it needs more, or how Subaru has been left behind by the competition and all that nonsense. I've felt no real need to increase the power though. The car is plenty quick and the power level is not holding me back by any means. My driving skills are definitely the limiting factor, as I know the car in its current configuration is damn quick. With the right driver, I'm sure it could put down respectable times on track. Instead of focusing on power, I chose to stick with simple brake and suspension/chassis upgrades to improve the car just a little bit in each aspe...

After taking a hiatus for a few years, I decided to get back into drifting. Being active duty and having some long days at work, I didn't want something that I would have to spend all of my spare time working on just to keep running. I also didn't care to have multiple cars, seeing as how my wife and I had a fairly small house with a small garage and driveway. That being said, I opted to go with something new. Having already driven the FRS, I knew exactly what to expect going into it. It was like a modern day 240sx. A perfect blank canvas to really make your own. We traded in my 2012 WRX and got the FRS and starting purchasing items the next day in preparation for a drift event at Mineral Wells. Started off with some STANCE coilovers, an axleback exhaust, and some shitty XXRs to hold me over until I decided what wheels I really wanted. Installed everything and had a blast. I was definitely rusty though. Fast forward a couple years and the car had seen a lot of hard us...

2017 has been extremely busy so far between work and school. It hasn't left me very much time to get out to the track. Around spring, I started getting the remaining items for the vehicle and getting everything bolted up. The installation of the new brake setup started everything off. The setup includes DBA 4000 rotors, StopTech lines, and PMU pads. HC800s are used for the street, with Club Racers being intended for track duty. I also went ahead and installed the Swift springs and Whiteline LCAs I had gotten at the end of the previous year. After getting everything on, I needed to get the car aligned. As mentioned in a previous post, Subaru really does these cars a diservice by giving it an absolute trash alignment from the factory. I'm willing to bet that if Subaru would give the car an appropriate alignment and then was tested at the track along side other vehicles, it would post lap times roughly 2 seconds faster than what it's currently doing around the tracks ri...

This car came after my 98 240sx. I only had it for a year and unfortunately lost pretty much all of the photos I had of it during the time I owned it and had the parts on it. I bought it from a friend who had bought it from a guy who had just finished refurbishing it. The engine was completely rebuilt using all factory OEM components and ran like a champ. I actually managed to get over 400 miles on a tank of gas at one point when I had it. Never managed to get out to any events but I did have some fun with it on some lots and elsewhere and really loved it. The car made no power, but I really liked the S13 chassis more than the old S14 I had. The goal was to do a simple Type X build on 17/18 TE37s. The car would sport a red BRIDE interior and a simple SR20 with an S15 T28 turbo. I figured that would be plenty for what I had in mind, but I ended up selling the car about a year later to take a break from cars as I left for basic training and enlisted for Active Duty in the Army. I ...

The beginning of 2009 came along and I made a few more changes to the car. To start off, I ditched the steam roller 3 piece wheels in favor of some smaller, more functional wheels. I ditched the SSRs and grabbed some JIC Magic JForce 07s in 17x10 all around from Forrest. Since he was running the D1GP USA series and was sponsored by Nexen, I also got a set of Nexen tires from him, in addition to the tires that were already on the wheels, in addition to a few small misc. items I was after. The new wheels allowed me to lower the ride height and change the alignment up a bit. I went from running around -2.2 rear camber to about -1.5. Also went from -3 front to -4 front. The smaller 235/40 tires meant more clearance which meant no rub, and it also allowed the wheels to break traction easier. After all, the car was a pretty basic setup, using the standard KA24 with a GReddy TD06 kit. The block was stock though, so boost was kep at a lower level. I ran 6psi on the street for 91 octane, an...