A Tuner tells the story of a reliable race car that remains close to his heart
This car was the catalyst for me to remember the excitement of drag racing that I had almost forgotten. The fact that I can remember the old days as if they were yesterday is largely due to the great relationship with the car. Mr. Chiba, owner of “Screen”, a pro shop in Miyagi Prefecture, talks about his unforgettable car.
Fascinated by heavy machinery and motorcycles from an early age
“My grandfather was a heavy equipment operator, so I was familiar with bulldozers and shovels from a young age. I loved construction vehicles because they looked like the vehicles used by Sentai (squadron) hero TV dramas,” said Hiroshi Chiba, president of Screen. Oddly enough, his father was not interested in cars, and his grandfather had a great influence on him. Though growing up in the lush greenery of Miyagi, Mr. Chiba wasn’t interested in nature, insects, and fish.
There were plenty of playgrounds, so from the time I entered primary school, I rode around on my pocket bike. I also began to enjoy riding a 50-cylinder geared motorbike when I was in second grade”.
He also bought a red and black DR30 at the age of 17. Of course, he was influenced by the TV drama “Seibu Keisatsu (西部警察)”. Even before he got his driving license, he tuned up his FJ20 with the help of an older colleague, eight years his senior, who worked in a garage.
He said: “At the time, my senior, who drove a Skyline GT-R S20, tuned it in his spare time away from work. I used to visit him, so tuning became a familiar part of my life. I decided to tune my first car as well.”
From engine completion to 0-400 soon after getting driving license
The engine was finished just in time for him to get his driver’s license. The displacement was increased to 2.2 liters with Tomoe’s 2mm oversized pistons, and the ports and rods were polished to a shine. The injection was changed to a 44Φ Solex and a Trust muffler was chosen. The barn of his parents’ house was the workplace.
Immediately after completion, he entered the street 0-400 at Sendai Shinko. Under the guidance of his seniors, he beat a DR30 with similar specifications. Feeling good, he also introduced a 74-degree cam. However, this was unexpectedly difficult and did not go well. That’s how effective the cam was, he realized.
As soon as he got his license he was hooked on tuning and 0-400. His job at the time was as a mechanic at a Suzuki dealership and every day he would leave work quickly and go to the shed to do nothing but tuning.
Although the FJ20 had the appeal of explosive power as a 4-cylinder, he couldn’t win a 3-litre car. A year later he switched to the S130Z. The engine was changed from L20 to L28, initially a Solex 44Φ 3-litre with NA 250hp specification. Later it was upgraded to 3.1-litre with Solex 50Φ for 300hp.
Immersed in tuning with anti-GT-R spirit
However, this was the time when the R32 made its debut and NA couldn’t win. So, he decided to turbocharge the car. After several modifications, the TD06 twin was up to 600 bhp. It was quite fast,” said Chiba.
The year a drag strip was built at Sendai Highland, he set a record of 11.3 seconds with this car. He became the record holder in the street class that first year. The following year, however, it was easily overtaken by a friend’s 3.1-liter TD08-spec Skyline, ”Hakosuka”.
At the age of 21, he quit his job at the dealership and went to work for a car parts wholesaler owned by his cousin. Not only was he able to buy parts through the company’s sales, but he also received information on the latest tuning parts. At the time, he was driving S130Z, S13, S14, and other Silvia, tuning them to beat the GT-R.
“I was anti-GT-R. I had a strong desire to somehow beat a car that was believed to be fast. That was the driving force that got me into tuning.”
He also took the order of tuning his friends’ cars, and it became more than just a hobby. It was age of 26 that he turned it into a career. He set up a factory next to his parent’s house and opened “Screen”. Two years later he installed Dynapac and improved his tuning skills. I felt like a professional tuner.
He said: “I became more reliable because I could test differently like how to accelerate and how to apply boost. I didn’t break cars anymore”.
Focused on the racing track, he learned the GT-R’s greatness
He was 29 when he got his first GT-R. He started with an R33 and drove three R34s.
“I decided to do circuit racing with the GT-R because the high-powered 4WD had a big advantage on the track.” He said.
When he had more circuit customers, an R34 user came in and ordered a drag race spec.
“He knew I used to be crazy about drag racing and invited me to go with him. It made me realize something important that I had almost forgotten.”
Mr. Chiba was 39 years old when he decided to take the drag race seriously after a long absence. That was the time 12 years had passed. In addition to the customer’s R34, he also built a drag racing car for himself. The base car was an R32.
“I had been an anti-GT-R, but I had realized how great it was when I built circuit racers. I chose the R32 because it was the lightest among them.”
He has experience with tuning. He concentrated on tuning within his budget. The R32 was just a hobby for him. The HKS T51R KAI was fitted with HKS 280-degree camshafts for both IN and EX. The pistons and rods have been changed to Tomei Powered while the displacement has remained the same. The head is the result of his extensive knowledge and experience. The injectors are 1000cc and controlled by HKS V-Pro. A HKS dog clutch has also been fitted. The engine now runs with 2 kg/cm2 of boost and produces around 700 hp at 8500 rpm.
With this level of power, there have been no engine or transmission problems and there has been no hassle. He could construct a lean tuning menu that was cost-effective.
The R32 GT-R became a reliable partner after its comeback
“It had been about 10 years since I had left from drag strip, but I didn’t feel any blanks. I was strangely able to concentrate on the starting light.”
Drag racing may seem like a simple straight-line race, but it is quite profound. Warming up the tires before the start, shifting gears, etc. are simple but make a big difference in performance. The start of the race is particularly tricky. It is very important to know which driver will turn on the prestige light first.
“This tactic has a huge impact on the game. There is a preference to turn it on first or later, but I always turn it on first to set the pace.”
The value of a car cannot be judged on horsepower alone. In the end, it is all about compatibility. The R32 GT-R is Mr. Chiba’s best partner.
“I was very happy to get 9.5 to 9.6 seconds consistently. The R32 is very special to me. I have officially stepped back from the title of the anti-GT-R.”
An important car that reminds him of drag racing is his starting point.
Mr. Chiba started his drag racing career with street 0-400 at Sendai Shinko. The R32 recalls him of that street 0-400 was his starting point.
“Some people love street 0-400s, but I prefer drag racing where the odds are clearly against me,” he said.
However, the Sendai Highland dragstrip was closed in 2013 due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Street 0-400 is no longer held, so the R32 has lost the strip anymore.
“But I still won’t let go of this BNR32. I’m waiting for the dragstrip to return. There are a surprisingly large number of people who want to do it.”
The R32 is surely waiting to be driven by Mr. Chiba again.