It's gearing up to be an interesting couple of days up here in Ebisu Circuit with the G1 Gaijin Grand Prix tomorrow and then the Spring Drift Matsuri on the weekend. I spent most of the day chilling out with Andy and Emily from Powervehicles.com looking through their impressive selection of drift cars but the highlight of the day was without a doubt when Kumakubo dropped over and told me it was cool if I went down to K-Style to shoot a few pictures of his new D1 car.
Obviously, as you can see from these pictures, the C33 Laurel is far from done, but as Koyama-san of Koyama Racing Labo (KRL) assured me, the planned debut will still be for Round 3 in Fuji Speedway. Hard to believe, but he is known as "God Hand Koyama" after all!!
At this stage the car is nothing less than a bare chassis, spot welded and fitted with a custom racing roll-cage braced onto the pillars.
Might not look like much but most of the hard work has already been done like moving the steering rack forward by 40 mm and prepping the front subframe and the engine bay to accept the 1,200 HP RB26.
I spotted a couple of HKS gearboxes sitting around the car…
…so maybe one will be finding its way under the spot welded transmission tunnel. Although with the target power Koyama-san has in mind, I imagine a Hollinger sequential might end up being used.
Here is a view of the interior where you can see how special attention was given on adding much needed rigidity to the center of the shell, which has no B-pillars.
The doors have been stripped and seemed to be quite light, probably not requiring FRP replacements.
Iwata-san of K-Style lifted the car up and showed me the rear subframe which came from an R33 GT-R.
To achieve the 1,200 HP the Team Orange guys are shooting for, "a little help" will be needed to boost power and help the Trust T88 spool up. Koyama-san has accumulated most of the parts for the engine build and will begin putting everything together very soon.
I spotted the exhaust manifold sitting in a corner of the workshop…this is going to look sweet when fitted and holding up the T88.
Close up of the front struts. The front wheel arches will be getting tubbed.
Can't wait to see this thing completed.
No RB20 powering this Laurel!!
The front suspension has been modified and converted to run full pillow arms, still a work in progress.
I have to thank Koyama-san and Kumakubo-san for allowing me to check the build out at such an early stage and Iwata-san for giving me time to shoot every detail of the C33. I wonder what the final car will look like at Fuji!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
wow this car is he11a jdm fatlace Mark Arcenal tire stretch tight.
Interesting choice of platform, way to think outside the box!
i can not wait to see more on this build. t88!
Ho yeah..
1200 Hp rb26....
wow cant wait till this debut in round 3. koyoma san's next awesome creation. 1200 HP!!!! with kumakubo behind the wheel?!?! i smell another championship in stores hahaha
C33 and C34 Laurels are already sort of popular for drift cars, since they're so cheap and all, and have a great chassis. It is a grandfathers car though.
But 1200hp? Can't wait to see this thing in action.
1,200hp in a D1 car? That more than double the power of almost every other D1 car.Thats ganna be crazy...Cant wait to see it.
Any info on Daigo's new car?
interesting, keep us updated!
Kuma needs 1200hp to get away from them hachi's that always seem to cause trouble for him.
...."yeah.....600 hp are not enough, let's double that".....what kind of mentality is that? Kumamuko is turning into the American philosophy? HP is all it matters?
Although the RB26 is a very stout engine....constant replacement of parts will be needed to keep the engine from blowing up.
A chassis without a b-pillar? That's safe.....and that cage with tiny gusset.....no comment.
Should have stick to the proven EVO X.
Awesome! It might be the craziest D1 car ever!
POWEEEEEEERRRR!!!!
I am eagerly waiting for updates of this awesome drift machine!
These guys at Japan are always radical!
1200HP ?
WOW!!!
C33 is a well proven chassis and is often used all over the pacific. We love them here in NZ, as they're a little less common than all the other FR nissan chassis.
1200 neddies does seem a tad excessive but who gives a rats? It's Kumamubo! He'll be able to tame that monster. Or die trying!!!
too bad it's not FD Legal
I always wondered about the rigidity of hardtop 4 doors i see getting thrown around so violently. something to keep in mind, i suppose.
1200hp...What, is it now a drag race to the entry? Hilarious how everyone here blasts anyone in FD for anything, yet here's the grossest over-the-top statement of a drift car ever made...and you guys are falling all over yourselves to jock it.
Readers, please, a little reality and consistency, I'm begging you.
Kumakubo is by far my favorite driver...I hope he does good in this, but honestly I would rather see him for another year in the EvoX. I don't think he really got used to it like he was the GDB.
I can't wait to read the comments when the first LSx gets dropped into a D1 car. Someone's gonna do it and you guys are going to implode.
Thats great news, cant wait to see him throw the big sedan round the track. 1200hp, have the think there may be some traction issues! And its gonna need a sick Gbox for that, forget HKS handling that abuse.
i cant wait to see the smoke bombs this beast will produce hahaa
excess ats its best
Rad. I'm feelin this. CAN NOT wait to see it finished(but have to...)
I remember seeing this car back in November on the flatbed truck outside their shop..
It's got alot of work done to it since I've last seen it.. I need to come back to Japan..
I hope he tints the windows and keeps it looking pillarless
Great Post Dino! Please update more when you have the chance to! As I'm building my A31 Cefiro and I guess there should be quite some similarities. So I can read as reference of a Professional built drift car and my back-yard-built. haha.
Oh yeah, All the welding has been done really good too! Admire the craftmanship these guys have! Cool!
looking good so far.. ticking 'all' the right boxes too..
1200hp, and I thought Saito's 800hp JZX100 was crazy enough.
alex go fuck yourself! its kumakubo, nuf said
Love him or hate him.. This car will be awesome when its ready. No big fan of KumaKubo my self, but Koyama knows what he does, and this car will probably be super nice..
Not one bit of that build impressed me... Fabrication was poor. 2/10 for the cage and most of the seam welding was pointless.. Its got a big engine.. Whoopty sh!t people..
Shoulda used the VK56 V8 instead of the 1200hp RB. Drifters need torque, not an overdone amount of power. What ever happened to balance? Kuma should be in a next gen Impreza IMO.
ah i love the C33, im eager to see this thing melt tires..all the haters GTFO. if you think the build sucks then top it or your opinion is useless. great photos and coverage as always, specs of the 26 when available please?!
LOVE roll cage/chassis features!!!
I think Team Orange is trying to make a statement with this car.the technical aspect of drifting is starting to disappear and it's all about HP.They want to show that you can win with a scrap car and HP to make people realize that drifting has gone away from its roots.
One new D1 car we've all been waiting to get a closer look of is Kumakubo's new Laurel. I've