Passion and anger: Takashi Mine’s S13

Red is an interesting colour, as it sits on both ends of the emotional spectrum. It can easily represent drive and passion, yet is just as at home wearing the anger and danger nametag. Takashi Mine’s passion is drift, and through pure inspiration he has created one of the angriest street-drift cars I have ever seen. “Being interested in drift and passionate about drift are two different things,” Takashi explained. “I sink every spare bit of money I have into drifting, it is my life and it is not only a sport, it is an art.” 

Takashi’s Nissan S13 started out in a much more humble state in 1990, although two years ago, after selling his previous S13 — the Tomcat Navy–inspired build — it was time to reset the system and create his own original definition of the perfect street-drifting machine. “You are not a real drifter unless you can swap angles with your best friends in the dark up the touge,” Takashi said, laughing. This car is designed purely for being drifted on the street. Less is good in Takashi’s book, yet the amount of detail and thought that has gone into the build will still leave you speechless. “Presentation is important, it can go well, but if it looks like a bag of crap then you should have more pride in your creation. There is no excuse for having an ugly machine,” he remarked. With form and function equally important, Takashi went to Kei Miura for all his bodywork needs. 

A heavily customized S13 Rocket Bunny kit was applied, with a Takashi twist. Custom fenders allow the car to be pumped out an extra 30mm wider on each side — the rear fenders are actually fenders added onto fenders. Aggression is the name of the game here, and as a street drifter Takashi decided certain things should be left off the car. Having it bumperless is not a new styling cue, it is his own drifting insurance, every street drifter’s nightmare is clipping rails and leaving behind the rear bumper sporting your number plate, so to avoid that issue the car doesn’t run one. Without the bumper though it was lacking a little something, so a customized Rocket Bunny 180SX rear diffuser was installed, and this makes the car look simply menacing. 

Up front the lip spoiler is just as low as the rear of the car, and many street drifters wouldn’t even entertain the idea, although Takashi doesn’t have too many issues with it. “You keep your foot up it so the back squats and lifts the front up,” he told me with a laugh. The bodylines were perfected with a custom set of side skirts, and the simple yet aesthetically beautiful ducktail spoiler ties all the customized work together just right. One thing about this S13 is the amount of sticker work attached. Friends, sponsors, and acquaintances all adorn the panels, there is a large amount of respect and cameraderie in the Japanese street-drift scene, and all the decals are there for a reason.

With an angry-looking body kit there was only ever one wheel choice for Takashi besides his set of shiny Equips, and that was a set of TE37s wrapped in Federal rubber, of course in offset colouring on each side of the car. Up front it runs 9Js at -10, and the rear sports 10Js with -20 for the perfect look. 

When you lift the bonnet the bright-blue rocker cover jumps out at you. With aggressive looks aplenty one would assume the engine must crank out some serious power, but it doesn’t. With no trailers to get the street drifters home, Nishimura Engineering prepared the engine to squeeze out 298kW (400hp). This comes courtesy of a Trust TD06 20LG L2 turbine, plus a Trust exhaust manifold buttoned up to a Trust Type-R external wastegate and intercooler. An original hand-crafted exhaust system gives the engine note a throaty raw rasp, and even on idle the car sounds just as good as it looks. The original transmission was dumped in favour of an S14 five-speed, running a RG metal single-plate clutch and Nismo GT Pro LSD with a final ratio of 4.3.

With the power side of things nicely in check, and delivery smooth as silk, possibly the most important part of the build was then making sure it would slide nicely. Takashi’s go-to was Megan racing suspension, with 8kg/mm springs up front and 6kg/mm installed into the rear. 
True to drifting style there is plenty of lock for tight mountain roads thanks to MOZE original short knuckles, and the lower front arms being extended out, which in turn has given the S13 a hefty dose of front camber. All the geometry in this car has been carefully examined, checked and tested, and now having found his ‘sweet spot’ it is performing just as he would like. 

Stopping power is delivered by Voing Special custom ECR33 brake calipers, rotors and pads. Nothing on this car was just taken out of the box and bolted straight on. “All my drift cars have been individual, I like my cars to reflect how passionate I am about drifting.” 
Inside the drift office everything is set up to ensure the best driving experience possible. Takashi is held in place via a Bride Zeta III bucket seat and a Megan Racing five-point harness, the passenger isn’t as well equipped with the R32 GTR seat, but it makes the ride more interesting, right? Looking around there are plenty more details, a Nardi Classic steering wheel, Blitz boost controller, Defi gauges, the fluffy dice, and some Rocket Bunny wristbands wrapped around the screwdriver-top gear shifter, plus some classy chequered driving mats to top things off. 

Despite spending most of his time out on the street, chasing tail lights through tyre smoke, Takashi maintains that as lawless as street drifting is, they ensure no one else is in danger. “We are not out to show off in public places, we often drive a couple of hours into the middle of nowhere to skid.” The sense of responsibility is ever-present with these guys, and with a high level of skill, good roads, and close camaraderie it is a sure-fire way of having a good night out. 

Standing back looking at the car at the end of the shoot and talking with him, you can’t help but feel impressed. You can feel the passion he has for drifting, and coupled with the angry, dominant attention-commanding presence of the car, you realize that it could only ever have been painted in one colour. Italy — this one gives you a run for your money in the passion department!

1990 Nissan Silvia (S13) 

Heart

• Engine: Nissan SR20DET, four cylinder, 2000cc 
• Block: Factory
• Head: Factory
• Intake: Trust Z Type-R, Z32 AFM, front mount intercooler
• Exhaust: Minekeru Original exhaust 
• Turbo: Trust TD06 20G, L2 turbine, Trust manifold 
• Wastegate: Trust Type-R 
• Ignition: Factory
• ECU: APEX’i Power FC tuned by Nishimura Engineering 
• Cooling: Koyo three-row radiator

Drive

• Gearbox: S14 SR20 five-speed
• Clutch: RG Metal single plate 
• Flywheels: Factory 
• Diff: Nismo GT Pro LSD (4.3 ratio) 

Support

• Struts: Megan Racing coilovers (F) 8kg spring (R) 6kg spring 
• Brakes: (F) Voing Special EC33 calipers and rotors (R) Voing special S13 calipers and rotors 
• Extra: Adjustable tension rods, MOZE knuckles, extended LCAs, adjustable toe arms, traction rods, RUCAs, reinforced subframe 

Shoes

• Wheels: (F) 17×9 (-10) Rays TE37V (R) 17×10 (-20) RAYS TE37V 
• Tyres: 235/45R17 Kenda Kaiser KR20 

Exterior

• Paint: 2k red 
• Enhancements: TRA Kyoto Rocket Bunny 6666 Customs front bumper, TRA Kyoto Rocket Bunny 6666 Customs side skirts, TRA Kyoto Rocket Bunny 6666 Customs ducktail spoiler, TRA Kyoto Rocket Bunny 6666 Customs front and rear diffusers, Origin overfender and flare, front overfenders 

Interior

• Seats: (Drivers) Bride Zeta III (passenger) BNR32, Megan Racing five-point harness 
• Steering wheel: Nardi Classic 330mm
• Instrumentation: Defi, Blitz boost controller 

Power: 298kW (400hp) at the rear wheels
 
Driver profile

• Driver/owner: Takashi Mine 
• Age: 29
• Location: Kobe, Japan 
• Occupation: Automotive refinishers 
• Build time: Six months 
• Length of ownership: Two years

This article was originally published in NZ Performance Car Issue No. 227. You can pick up a print copy or a digital copy of the magazine below: