「A Very Special One-Owner FC3S!」A Spirited Daily Driver with a 485HP 13B-REW【Phantom Tokyo Auto Salon 2021】

The engine bay is finished beautifully!

 

Tuning shop RS Pantera grants a customer’s request for a simple look

 
Retaining its near genuine factory look but packing some serious upgrades under the surface, this super clean one-owner FC3S is a true “wolf in sheeps clothing”. The owner tells us he enjoyed driving it on a circuit in his younger years when it was still a new car. He had still been using it as a daily commuter for years until its most recent tuning evolution. He turned to tuning shop RS Pantera in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture to bring his RX-7 up to the ultimate street spec machine.

 

 

“Aero parts do well to make a car look aggressive but to be honest they’re not ideal for street use. The owner gave us a specific request to keep it simple,” says Mr. Sato of RS Pantera. Focusing on RE Amemiya parts, a deliberate choice to not stray far from the genuine factory form was made.

 

 

The engine was upgraded to a 13B-REW from an FD3S because it is easy to increase output without raising the boost. Power steering and air conditioning parts from an FD3S were also.

 

 

The turbo installed is an HKS TO4R. For normal use, boost is kept at around 400ps but at max boost of 1.35kg it produces 485ps. An HKS cast exhaust manifold was also mounted.

 

 

The intercooler and radiator are V-mounted to improve cooling efficiency. The air ducts in the ERC bonnet are also modified to discharge heat effectively.

 

 

The one-off original exhaust has a silencer that emphasizes efficiency and comfort of city driving. It has a carbon cover attached to give it a visually impressive and sporty finish.

 

 

The front and rear fenders were hammered out around 13mm beyond genuine factory widths to accomodate FD3S size tires and wheels. The wheels are 17-inch Enkei RPF1 and tires are Dunlop Direzza ZIII (235/45). Up front, an RS Pantera original Brembo caliper kit and 330mm rotors were installed. The rear has genuine FD3S brakes to accomodate the larger wheels.

 

 

The cockpit is simple yet sporty. The full roll cage has a gusset plate connected to the A-pillar that is intentionally bolted rather than welded.

 

After purchasing this car brand new about 30 years ago, the owner has continuously evolved it while making countless minor changes. Its current state shows a refined balance that reflects the owner’s deep love for the car.

 

TEXT：Daisuke Yamamoto

PHOTO：Nobutoshi Kaneko / Hayato Tsuchiya / Daisuke Yamamoto

●Special Thanks：Sato Shokai　5220-2 Kitayama, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture TEL：0544-58-4837

 

 

【Related Links】

Sato Shokai

http://rspantera.com/