I almost didn’t recognize the Step-Up Z33 without it’s massive rear diffuser and front splitter attached to it’s exterior. The car in this state takes on an almost street car look, aside from the chassis mounted GT wing. It wasn’t running in the Attack event, but was there supporting other drivers. I would have liked to see how it performed around Suzuka in the wet compared to some of the other similarly powered RWD cars. I included a video of a hot lap around Suzuka below.
With the Fairlady being built with the support of Step-Up, formerly known as Ricoh Racing, and an assist from renowned shop Wacky Mate, you know the car performs on circuit. To top it off, the rather large shop, is a stones throw away from Kota Circuit, in Aichi, and just across the pond from Suzuka, so they have some good choices as far as test locales go. It’s refreshing seeing this chassis built for circuit racing as I don’t come across them as often as others; it could be the weight, or the VQ35 not being in demand for time attack. Whatever the case it’s nice to see, because when these cars are built properly they look very cool.
The Z33 sits on 18×10.5 inch TE37SL’s at all four corners, wrapped in 295/35 A050’s (some Dunlops for street driving). The wide BN Sports fenders accept the large wheels with no problems at all. Carbon parts are strewn across the car in just about every attempt to get the hefty chassis’ weight down to acceptable numbers. Esprit dry carbon doors, ASM dry carbon hood, a Benetec carbon rear hatch, and Benetec dry carbon roof are used to shed unnecessary pounds from the car. Even the glass as been replaced with a lightweight alternative. With the back half of the interior removed, the car weighs in at about 1300kg’s (roughly 2866 pounds). Still on the heavy side but a world of difference from it’s stock curb weight of almost 3400 pounds.
Assisting in keeping the rear firmly planted to the track is a chassis mounted GT wing. The Voltex Type 7 usually works in conjunction with a custom diffuser and splitter but I guess they aero bits are removed for street duties.
A custom, center exit Tomei titanium EXPREME exhaust shoots through the rear bumper and provides a bump in power, as well as beautiful sounding exhaust notes.
Front braking has been upgraded in the form of Endless Racing 6 pot calipers, and Endless two-piece slotted rotors.
The ASM hood meets with the custom Strosek Design front bumper to make a very clean looking front end. The side mirrors have been swapped for a set of carbon Craft Square units; a must for circuit racing and style.
No one ever says you need less carbon, right?
The car sits on high end, custom spec’d Ohlins dampers with 16kf/14kr spring rates. Assisting the dampers are an array of stabilzation from Revolfe S.A., Auto Staff, and Cusco. The whole package has been tuned by Wacky Mate, and to-date, has netted a fast lap of 2’23.872 around Suzuka. I hope to see it on track one day in it’s full aero.
Almost hard to understand why you wouldn’t race a VQ35 with a sound like that.