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.
