Fusing Iconic Lines: A Unique RWB Creation

I’m someone who feels no need to make any excuses for RWB cars.

Why, you may ask? It’s simple. You see, when I met Nakai-san for the first time and started covering the cars he built, it all clearly fell into a category of Japanese car culture. Here was a guy doing his own thing, following his own style, in order to transform 911s into dedicated track cars. Every RWB built in Japan at that time was a properly abused, often tracked, and a little rough around the edges. Add to that the wide-body look, the stacked wings and the slammed stance, and the style was so easy to recognize.

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Nothing much has changed with Nakai’s Japanese customers; the majority build their cars for thrashing around Tsukuba, Fuji, Sodegaura or Motegi, not to mention tight and challenging mountain passes.

Outside of Japan, however, RWB shines with a different light. Many cars are built as show pieces and prized possessions that often don’t get used much. I may be generalizing here as there are exceptions to everything, but this main difference is very apparent at least. And that’s why it’s so nice to see Nakai’s work being used in the way that he always intended it to be used. To that end, this backdated 964 had me drooling when I spotted it in the Tsukuba paddock at the recent idlers Games.

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The long 901-like hood conversion and ’70s IROC-inspired bumper with a hint of a square air dam is a look that really does it for me. Here, it’s been spiced up further with a functional carbon fiber splitter.

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But it’s really the unbalance, if you can call it that, between the narrow front end and the chunkier rear.

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And the way it’s so cleanly integrated into the bodywork gives another dimension to the work that Nakai-san can do. The pelting marks caused by the front Hankook semi-slicks only add to the look.

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The massive 935-inspired rear wing further fuels the imbalance I mentioned; it makes the whole rear end look ridiculously long to the point of being exaggerated.

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In typical Japanese fashion, the wing is then further extended with an additional element painted black.

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And finally, the turquoise body is contrasted by black Work Meister S1s.

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I’m a sucker for a car that’s put to good use on track. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a 911 or not, or if it’s a RWB creation or not either – the most important thing is seeing these cars being used properly.

Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com

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1

Whether you like it or not, seeing articles about RWB almost daily is becoming quite boring...

2

There's been about 10 articles featuring an RWB in the last 6 months. Go count.

Author3
Dino Dalle Carbonare

It was idlers, it's packed with RWBs...

4

It's like trying to go to an american event without seeing or mentioning a Camaro.

5

Do you ever take your 34 to the track?

Author6
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Yes, back in the day. Once it's done it will be used properly :D

7

Love me some RWB, but that rear wing is too much for my taste.

8
Matthew Dockery

I don't particularly care for most RWB's, but this one might be my favorite. It's one part great molded flares (better looking than bolt on imo) and one part the most ridiculous wing ever. The two work oddly well together.

9
ReallyForeverAlone

Definitely like the molded fenders better than the bolted as well. Looks so much cleaner, much more "OEM".

10

That wing is hella big, though. Like, seriously big. But hey, it looks good. And it's being used as a track car, and that's what really counts.

11

Not really. When you talk about Aerodynamics separation boundaries and pressure centers are actually what matter. Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is. These cars are absolute crap and the sad part is most people in the industry are so uneducated on the subject they just take things at face value. There's a reason why aerodynamicists are paid so much in F1 and touring car racing. I bet if you drove one of these back to back with a factory modified car it would feel like a piece of shit.

Author12
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Very big! Makes you look and stare as it just looks wrong. But then you begin to sort of like that unbalance.

13

Possible to broaden the article base? Maybe a bit less of the same rwb hack jobs over and over and over and over.......

14
Cynicalyricist

How is this a hack job?

15

He doesn't do it well. Proper way to cut the sheet metal would be with an air nibbler, then make a flange on the metal, then sand/prime/paint the edge to prevent corrosion. He doesnt' do any of that. He just hacks it off and attaches his body kits with self tapping fasteners. Again, dissimilar metals between sheet metal and fasteners = hack. Correct way to do it would be to line up body kit, mark drill holes, remove body kit, drill oversized holes, treat metal edge for corrosion, install plastic inserts, remount bodykit, and install fasteners into plastic inserts.

The whole way he goes about installing his kits is lazy and hack. It's not the style, it's how poorly it it is executed, but you can't see that on a web page

16

The original fenders were hacked (cut) to fit the wider fenders. Hence, hack job.

17

any chance of a video of it on the track?

18

I completely agree with what you're saying: I’m a sucker for a car that’s put to good use on the track. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a 911 or not, or if it’s an RWB creation or not either – the most important thing is seeing these cars being used properly

19
Nicholas Cefaratti

HOLY HELL!!!! An RWB without bolt on flairs?!?!?! And the guy uses the car in anger?!?!?! I can get behind that ALL day.

20

The backdate looks surprisingly lovely!

21

What's this one called?

22

They are amazing looking cars, no doubt. However, if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all.

23
JBfromSiliconValley

So...it gets a ton of track use yet the oil cooler box isnt functional or open?

That said, I actually dig this RWB bc of the color and the sweet looking rsr/IROC rear windows. Molded widebodies just look so much better vs bolt ons imo.

24

i love the look of the older porsche with this RWB kit. Think it looks better than the newer ones

25

This looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Beautifully done.

26

"RWB farts and throws some fiberglass on and creates yet more automotive history!" This story today on RWBHUNTERS!

27

Is it wrong to admit that whenever I see "RWB" in the title, I first go straight down to the comments to see what kind of misplaced anger comes out of the woodwork?

Back to the actual, you know, car... I'm digging the closed off air dam and the splitter. Thanks Dino!

28
MPistol HVBullets

I'm just picturing myself washing that car - LOL - that damn wing! it's like an awning out there!

29

Like the whole car, but i liked two touches the most, the cutout plexi behind the driver side glass and that add on spoiler. Excellent photography as usual Dino.

30

SMDH at the comments here.

So any time something is cut off of a car to fit something else, it becomes a hack job? LOL okay. That's pretty much every single SEMA car, hot rod, racecar, etc. ever created. Haters act like Nakai chops off the old sheet metal with a dull axe and attaches cardboard overfenders with duct tape. Meanwhile, half of you rolled the wings on your grandma's hand-me-down Accord with a phone book and a Louisville Slugger (but that's none of my business).

As for the other common complaint about RWB cars all looking similar... uh, what's your point? First of all, they're Porsche 911's - no other car in the history of mankind looks so similar from generation to generation. Do you guys go up to GT3 RS owners and tell them "wow boring car, this looks like every other GT3 RS." If you don't like the look of a Porsche 911, that's fine, but why act like it's a concept RWB created? I mean, 99% of the R34/R33/R32 GTR's, FD RX7's, JZA80 Supras, AE86's, etc. etc. etc. on this site (or anywhere else) look similar too. That's what happens when cars are the same make/model/generation. Again... what's your actual point?

It's funny how I never see anyone complaining here about "too many AE86's" or "too many M3's" on the site when there are easily 5x more of either of those cars on here, but the RWB haters still can't seem to avoid specifically clicking on RWB articles to whine about how they don't like RWB articles.

31

He doesn't do it well. Proper way to cut the sheet metal would be with an air nibbler, then make a flange on the metal, then sand/prime/paint the edge to prevent corrosion. He doesnt' do any of that. He just hacks it off and attaches his body kits with self tapping fasteners. Again, dissimilar metals between sheet metal and fasteners = hack. Correct way to do it would be to line up body kit, mark drill holes, remove body kit, drill oversized holes, treat metal edge for corrosion, install plastic inserts, remount bodykit, and install fasteners into plastic inserts.

The whole way he goes about installing his kits is lazy and hack. It's not the style, it's how poorly it it is executed, but you can't see that on a web page so idiots like yourself think he's some sort of artist.

32

Im pretty sure havent seen a RWB build or at least watch a video of one. He eyeballs the position, measures both sides, grinds the spacers to size, making curves at his cuts for the rivets, cutting the springs and I wont list them all because he puts quite some work fitting the kits. You gotta see for yourself. He makes a lot of these year by year and the best ones are from Japan and Thailand where they actually see action a lot unlike the US and certain Europe counterparts. If its lazy and hack he would do one build in under a day.

You sound quite the salty guy.

33

"He eyeballs the position, measures both sides, grinds the spacers to size, making curves at his cuts for the rivets, cutting the springs "

Uh... yeah. Hackjob. No care for how the car will look 5 years from no, no preventative attentiont to exposed metal and corrosion. Hack.

34

Yeah, you definitely never even seen a RWB build and your comment shows it clearly. The example I gave are just some of the many work done, just example.There are some rust protection is added like a layer of spray paint just to prevent rust. Akira Nakai has done this to a lot of cars before. Its not like they are getting driven anyway by some of the drivers.

You really do know nothing about RWB cars do you?

35

This article was written by someone who is not very great at writing. It seems like something a kid in middle school would write.

RWBs are interesting but the execution is so shoddy/hack that if you did the same thing to a civic everyone would call it rice. Somehow on a 911 it's acceptable. Have better standards.

36

All this back and forth... pointless. The best thing about any car creation is that there is something to be appreciated about all of them. If you are real car enthusiast, you'll learn to give credit where it's due without introducing bias comments. All these comments are opinionated of course. I'm not a fan, but I can definitely appreciate the art here

37

The writer speaks at least three languages, how about you?

The car though is still a hack job.

38
Francisco saenz
39

Love this car, Dino. It was the one that started my love affair with RWB and led me to write an article over on Jalopnik about it. Do you by chance know the color name/code for this car? Been trying to figure it out for a very long time.

40

I'm getting your point on posting another article about RWB cars.
RWB porsche were normally build for track purpose only, beautiful and very esthetic looks of course but raceable. That's what I see in RWB in Japan.

In Europe especially we love these but people are afraid to take their car for a ride, which is the purpose actually. Instead of that we only see such cars in car salon or meets, but people are too afraid to drive them on the tracks.

I was in the Essen motorshow last week and saw a bunch, I can tell you they never saw any circuit.... Too clean no marks of battle...

Unfortunate... cars are meant to be driven.

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