These acquainted with early-2000s Japanese drifting will undoubtedly know who Atsushi Kuroi is. If you happen to don’t, take into account this an vital historical past lesson. It’s all the time troublesome to summarise somebody’s achievements with out discounting their significance in historical past. Nevertheless, I’ll try to inform the story Kuroi-san deserves.
Atsushi Kuroi was extra than simply your common D1GP competitor – he’s sometimes called a pioneer of drifting. Perhaps it’s a results of Kuroi-san’s outlandish driving, unimaginable automotive styling, distinctive engine selections or the ever-present mixture of the three. Operating a tuning store referred to as River Facet in Osaka, Kuroi-san turned well-respected off-track too.
Debuting as a privateer driver within the 2001 D1 Grand Prix championship, Kuroi-san competed with minimal exterior assist till the 2003 season when a partnership with Toyo Tires was fashioned. He competed till 2008, reaching a number of podium finishes, together with an outright victory at Fuji Speedway in 2007.
What these outcomes don’t mirror is Kuroi-san’s unmatched type and love for drifting as a interest and a sport. Regardless of not dominating Japan’s professional drift competitors, Kuroi was extremely nicely revered amongst his friends and remains to be thought-about a drifting legend within the Kansai area and past. Tragically, he handed away in 2010 from accidents sustained in a bike accident.
The lack of Kuroi-san touched the native and worldwide drifting neighborhood. At D1GP’s 2010 season opener at Odaiba in Tokyo, a message e-book was neglected in his memorial stand for individuals to signal and go away a number of phrases. The primary entry was left by Kuroi-san’s Toyo Tires teammate Masato Kawabata.
This blue Nissan ‘Onevia’ (RPS13 180SX entrance on a PS13 Silvia) is the ultimate iteration of varied S13 chassis that Kuroi drifted all through the years.
As talked about earlier, Kuroi-san was well-known for his distinctive engine selections, initially competing with an RB26 in his yellow Onevia. This automotive isn’t any exception, that includes a fully-built Toyota 2JZ-GTE with an enormous Belief T78 turbocharger hanging off the facet of it.
Turbo lag? Don’t fear about that – the inline-six is nitrous oxide geared up, serving to the turbo spool as quick as doable. On the time, this was fairly a sophisticated setup for a D1GP automotive.
Up entrance is a custom-engraved Koyorad radiator and accompanying water sprayers. Keep in mind, this automotive was developed nicely earlier than rear-mounted radiators entered the professional drift scene. Sending the facility to the Nissan’s rear wheels is a 6-speed sequential transmission.
The inside definitely tells some tales as nicely. It has all the pieces you want and nothing you don’t, beginning with a 6-point roll cage and a pair of Bride Zeta III bucket seats with HPI harnesses. All vital engine telemetry is displayed through an array of Defi gauges, an A’PEXi Energy FC’s FC Commander hand controller, and the gear place indicator for the sequential transmission.
The outside screams ‘2000s drift machine’, a mode near my coronary heart. So many individuals try to duplicate this look these days, so it’s extremely cool to see a automotive that has remained comparatively unchanged since its remaining type in 2009.
I imagine the Onevia encompasses a ‘Streamline’ physique package by Origin Labo however I’m joyful to be corrected as that’s solely a mildly educated guess. A mix of underneath panels and canards end off the aggressive look, together with a GT-style rear wing synonymous with early D1GP automobiles.
Because the proverbial cherry on prime, the Onevia sits surprisingly low on a spectacular set of early Work Emotion XD9 wheels in a black chrome end.
While you begin itemizing modifications on a automotive like this, you rapidly realise the simplicity of it. As an alternative of being merely a sum of its elements, it’s the execution that makes it so good. Mix that with the comparatively delicate presence of battle scars, and it’s clear that the looks goes deeper than floor degree. It’s concerning the aura it exudes, one thing just a few automobiles can obtain.
I received to drive this automotive a really quick distance at Ebisu Circuit, and it’s an expertise I’ll always remember. As a chunk of drifting historical past, I can solely hope that it continues to be cherished by the brand new proprietor.
We bear in mind and have fun Atsushi Kuroi as a mode king and one of many forefathers of drifting as we all know it in the present day.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
