The Last Few Nights In Tokyo…
A Dream Come True

If you had the chance to spend an extended amount of time in Japan, what would you do? Sure, there are months worth of exploring and sightseeing to do in this country, but if you’re a car guy we all know what will be going through your head – and a long time before you actually even set foot in Japan!

Cars obviously, and events, meets, races – you name it. You’ll probably spend an unhealthy amount of time looking at sites like Car Sensor to try and get a feel for what jewels are out there, or maybe Yahoo Auctions to find some bargains. But when Nathan Vosburg had the chance to hang out in Japan while his parents were here working, there was only one particular car he was thinking of: the Porsche 911. Or more specifically, an RWB Porsche 911…

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You see, aside from being into air-cooled Porsches for as long as he can remember, Nathan has fostered a real interest in Nakai’s style and creations. That’s something that first kicked off in 2008 when he stumbled across an obscure Yahoo group and some pictures of the iconic RWB build – Stella Artois. With an interest in the older and wider cars of the lineage like the IROC RSR, the 965 3.6 Turbo and the 993 GT2, his attraction to the RAUH-Welt Begriff style was justified. But it wasn’t until January 2014 when he first met Nakai-san at the yearly RWB party held in Roppongi, that his interest turned into an obsession.

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It was a few months later that I met Nathan at an early morning Cars & Coffee get-together at T-site in Daikanyama, and after a short chat he mentioned that he had put an order in with Nakai. As luck had it, a manual 964 Carrera 2 that Nakai had previously worked on was up for sale, and Nathan jumped the chance to use it as the base for the build. Nathan’s plan has always been to take the car back to his hometown of Louisiana, but in the short-term he’s been able to enjoy the special Porsche on its home turf. I knew the big move was not far away, so one night I messaged Nathan and asked if he was free. “Sure,” he replied, and soon after we rendezvoused in Daikanyama where we originally met.

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I dropped my car off and jumped into Nathan’s 964 with the idea of driving to an unquestionably-Japanese location for the shoot. Seeing as the car will soon be cruising on Louisiana streets, we just had to give it a fitting send off and drive it to some cool places around the city.

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While Shinjuku was our goal, I decided to do a little detour so that I could finally grab a shot in front of the famous Prada building in Omotesando. This place is usually packed with traffic and general movement during the day, but late at night – just before the lights go off – there’s an opportunity for a few clean images.

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I also thought that it would serve as a complete opposite look to what we’d find as backdrops in the backstreets of Shinjuku.

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And it wasn’t long before Nathan was making his way through the said roads, as we entered the area of Kabukicho.

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This is the place, that every night right through until the wee hours of the morning, Japan’s underground life unleashes. You name it, you can find it in Kabukicho – everything from innocent little corner eateries to the seediest of establishments.

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It’s in areas like this, where excess is the order of the night, that the Japanese drop their guard for a few hours of relentless fun. So bringing along a car like an RWB Porsche just seemed so right.

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Once you dive in and select one of the multitude of roads that crisscross through the district, you’re on your own. Japan is always described as a safe destination, but in Kabukicho anything can happen. Act like a baka gaijin with the wrong guy on the street, and you might be surprised at the reaction you get.

You Can’t Get Any More Tokyo Than This
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So where to park the 911? Well, Nathan pretty much dropped it right in the middle of the biggest open area in this fun and exiting part of Tokyo – right outside the big Toho cinema complex. We expected a shop or bar owner who was angry at the fact that we’d just parked up in front of their establishment to tell us to move on within a matter of minutes, but the reaction was the complete opposite. People stared, some came over, and others – many of which obviously had a few drinks in them – engaged us in conversation about the car.

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There may have been a ton of people walking by, but with the lighted billboards and buildings around us providing ample illumination, the spot served as the perfect venue to check out Nakai’s custom work up close. Nathan’s 964 runs a complete conversion, which of course means it sports RWB’s signature fender flares.

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Seeing Nathan has plans to drive the hell out of his car, Nakai was instructed to keep the overall stance of the car more user friendly. In that respect, it doesn’t sit quite as low as some of RWB’s other more track-focused builds and the wheels run a slightly more conservative offset.

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Still, the custom painted 18-inch SSR Professor SP1s boast some serious girth – the 10.5-inch wide, -5 offset fronts fitted with 265/35R18 Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyres.

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The front end runs a 993 GT2 inspired RWB bumper which incorporates the 964 corner intakes but features a pair of nostrils for a more race-oriented look. It’s then topped off with a conventional splitter rather than the band of rubber that Nakai uses on some builds.

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Compact canards stay true to the road-going feel and the smoked position lights are a nice touch. The latter were modified by Nojima-san of Nojireal, Nakai’s painter who’s always busy at work in the RWB lair. When chatting to Nakai about the build of his car, Nathan mentioned that he’d like the car repainted and that he had a soft spot for Guards Red. Being an RWB special though, a factory-spec colour was never going to fly, so Nojima came up with his own mix using less orange than the iconic Porsche hue. The result is hard to criticise.

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The rear SP1 wheels sport a massive 12-inch width and an even more exaggerated -48 offset. Despite the SSR’s staunch proportions, Nakai added 10mm spacers on both sides to help the wheels perfectly fill out the massive fender flares.

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The car came with the obligatory stacked wing, but Nathan had a ducktail rear end made up as well, so when he’s back in the US he’ll be able to change up the look whenever he feels the need.

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The 3.6L engine is internally stock, with just a few little touches added to enhance its already unique character. Things like deleting the catalyst and inserting a bypass pipe to allow it to sing with a little more vigour.

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An RS-spec clutch and lightweight flywheel give a more direct feel and connection to the motor while an LSD makes sure that power is unleashed efficiently to each of the rear 295-section tyres. Nathan has kept his driving style on the conservative side as gets used to the car, but he is always blown away at how Nakai drives it. That is, throwing it around with total control and keeping the engine on the boil, never dipping below 4,000rpm.

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The longer we spent in Kabukicho, the more attention Nathan’s 911 attracted. I often had to step aside as interested passers-by had a quick look or their picture taken next to it.

Soon To Be Stateside
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There was a crowd assembled pretty much the entire time we were in the spot, and seeing as no one came to tell us to leave, we just enjoyed it and hung around for a little longer.

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There is something so functional and right about Porsche cabins, and that goes for the older cars right up to the 991. So it’s understandable why RWB doesn’t really mess around much with this aspect.

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Nathan’s 964 has only a few additions, most notably the Recaro seats – a fixed SPG bucket for the driver’s side and a reclinable SR for the passenger to allow access to the small rear seat.

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A Momo steering wheel completes the touches, but as Nathan tells me there is more he wants to get done in here. On the to-do list is swapping out the Midnight Blue interior trim for a black RS-spec equivalent – including carpets, door cards and the rear seat delete.

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But that is all stuff that he can deal with later on. Once the car is back in the US there’ll be plenty of time to address the smaller details.

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Right now, Nathan’s number one priority is to enjoy the car in Japan, while he’s still here. Picking up the 911 directly from Nakai’s shop and being able to drive it on the streets of Tokyo has been like the ultimate factory delivery experience.

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His nights consist of cruising the Shuto and hitting up Tatsumi PA where he often has a chance to hang out with other RWB and idlers crew members. They have all been so inviting and accepting it has made the experience even more of a dream come true. Nathan says the best thing has been dropping by Nakai’s shop at night and just hanging out with him, watching him work and seeing him apply his magic to new and upcoming projects.

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With the pictures wrapped up it was time to get out of Kabukicho. Nathan cranked the flat-six into life and let it rumble through the narrow backstreets, all the time attracting even more attention.

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After all, a great part of an RWB Porsche is its charm – an unquestionable aggression that just draws people in, regardless of whether they’re into cars or not.

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This particular RWB build has quite a journey in front of it. For the simple fact that it’s a Japan-sourced car, built at RWB in Kashiwa by Nakai and enjoyed on the streets of Tokyo, it’ll be a one-of-a-kind Stateside. But there’s one last thing that Nakai needs to do before it goes, and that’s to name it. It’s something Nathan is patiently waiting for, wondering what random word the great master himself will choose to further differentiate this 964 from all the others he has applied his world-famous touch to.

Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com

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56 comments

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1

I only know what gaijin means because of Sean.... I think about it every time is see the word.

2

RIP 964. Stock motor, pretty much sums up RWB's commitment to performance.

3

loslogo buzzkill. how exactly do these mods hinder the performance if not much at all is being done to it? Surely rwb porsches aren't the most absurd thing in the scene.

4

loslogo Are you suggesting this to be the name of the car? LOL!

5
turbo BEAMS ae86

stock engine? i cry
1 hid? i cry
body? i love

6

I initially though this article was about Dino moving away from Japan and I nearly had a heart attack.

Love this car! Probably my favorite RWB build I have seen.

7

Does Nakai-san give the name for all his RWB creations or would the client also have a say on the name? Same with the color scheme?

8

The photography in here is so, so good. I'll never tire of RWB cars either, there's just nothing else like them.

9

such beautifull pictures!

10

@turbo BEAMS ae86 1 HID is probably due to the fact that 964 was originally designed for LHD countries, and therefore the left headlight is dimmer than the right (sort of, you get what I mean). But in Japan, it has to be the other way around. I personally don't see anything wrong with it. Function >>>>> Form.

11

loslogo Why wouldn't stock power be adequate to an owner? Granted it's debatable whether RWB kit is beneficial to handling or not, but out of an enthusiast point of view, I think it should be good for someone to enjoy stock horsepower with extra handling stability and of course some bling factors.

12

Dino, These photos are too tempting ! How do I migrate to Japan ?!

13

It'll be interesting to see this on the streets of Louisiana.  Hopefully he'll be close to Baton Rouge.

14
turbo BEAMS ae86

hanzr never thought that way..quite Wise

15

loslogo With the exception of a few minor bolt-on parts, RWB is primarily a body kit manufacturer. If you want to see more perfomance parts on RWB cars you need to complain about the individual owners of each car, it is their decison not to tune the engine, not Nakai's or RWBs.

16
Dilly Pickles

I was about to say the same thing, I'd love to see this car in person.

17
Thashen Naidoo

I opened this post extremely worried that speedhunters_dino was leaving Japan! What a relief

18

Such a beautiful car. Is there a way to get a copy of the cover shot as a wallpaper? To me, it's a picture that's actually a little bit motivational. Sometimes seeing a moment that's common in the car scene, but often not thought of, brings it home as to why we chase these cars. Pulling over in your car waiting for a mate to go cruising, and watching the busy traffic pass mainly unaware of the special machine siting idly to the side. 
That sounds lofty, but it's a point of enjoyment i am waiting to feel again once my project is complete. Might just be nice to have a picture that can kick me up the ass to complete it when the spirits are low

19
Speedhunters_Bryn

@braad Click on the monitor icon in the bottom left hand corner of the image, this will open up the whole article in presentation mode. Every image is then desktop sized and easily downloaded :)

20

loslogo   I smell troll

21

That rear spoiler is literally a work of art (along with the rest of the car).  Nice shots Dino!

22
speedhunters_dino

Tinj Car's already running the ducktail now

23
speedhunters_dino

Thashen Naidoo speedhunters_dino Haha I has so many people say the same

24
speedhunters_dino

Dilly Pickles Pretty easy to spot I'd say haha

25
speedhunters_dino

MOU89 Get on a plane and do it!

26
speedhunters_dino

Nick Elias Thank you!

27
speedhunters_dino

Paddy McGrath Thanks Paddy!

28
speedhunters_dino

Kimchiwarui Depends on car and customer but the owner can have a say

29
speedhunters_dino

andrewhake LOL, still here

30
speedhunters_dino

hanzr It was just broken and soon to be fixed

31
speedhunters_dino

hanzr loslogo Big power is so overrated these days. Nothing is more important thanks feel

32
speedhunters_dino

johnbezt LOL

33

speedhunters_dino hanzr Hahaha was about to comment on the broken HID. Should've done a retrofit though.

34
greenroadster

It will be cool if the name of the car will be somehow like "Crazy gaijin" :)))

35

hanzr loslogo As far as I'm concerned this car is ruined. Call me a hater, RWB is cancer. There's no way those absurdly wide wheels and pointless aero would help it drive better than it would in stock form. Whatever, as long as the owner is happy with it.

36

Is this the "good hills speed" RBW?  I saw the youtube vid featuring it a few years back.

37

What a superb article, Dino...the atmosphere that you create with your pictures and words is amazing.  *You* are the primary reason Daikoku PA is on my bucket list !
Cheers - and I'm glad its not you that's leaving Japan !

38

Does the owner have an ig id love to keep up with this build once it goes state side? Thanks in advance

39

Love this one! RWB doing it right. I'd love to see this one and Project Nasty hanging together stateside some day...Larry, you listening??

40
speedhunters_dino

MRinaldi There you go Larry, the requests are coming!

41
speedhunters_dino

zcandler He does, let me check if he wants to share...

42
speedhunters_dino

Malc_R Thanks for the kind words! And no, I'm staying here for the time being lol

43
speedhunters_dino

greenroadster lol

44

MRinaldi Ok, I will work on it.

45

Gotta love Japan. I wanna go back!!!

46

speedhunters_dino Thanks man I appreciate it! love your work by the way I check for new articles everyday at work!

47

Hi @zclandler, it's Nate. You're welcome to follow me at @natevos. See you on IG!

48

I know it's been said before but... Video video video please! Even just a quick clip of him ripping past

49

Hoangy Hey, sorry to be so late to reply -- I'm from Prairieville, so I spend quite a lot of time in Baton Rouge... maybe I'll get a chance to take it out to a C&C -- I saw some pics from a recent meet, seems like BR has stepped up its game!

50

NateVos Hoangy Cool deal, I didn't realize there was one in town.  I'll have to get the details!

51

@turbo BEAMS ae86 Keeping it stock for now except for some RS upgrades, but there's always a chance that a future rebuild will be an opportunity to add some boost -- a buddy is having his 3.6 turbo'd now and I'm watching the results with interest... but for now I've got a pretty hot 930 for my high-horsepower kicks. Ha, one of my HIDs failed just before the shoot, but I'm running some super nice LEDs now :)

52

Hoangy NateVos Look at the #carsandcoffeeBR tag on insta -- just starting out but there's a couple of heavy hitters who make it interesting...

53

Amazing pictures, Dino. Absolutely gorgeous car and great location. I just added a lot of images to my rolling wallpaper.

54
SebastianStrini

Thank your for that awesome Articel!

55

Excellent.

56

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