With the proliferation of the S-chassis into the hearts and souls of everyone from 16 year old JDM fanboys to Formula D champions, the all capable FC has been somewhat overlooked. Lucky for those brave enough to delve deep into the annals of rotary wasteland, or for those who truly believe (and rightfully so) that the chassis brings forth one of the most capable platforms for drifting anywhere around, the FC has not been ENTIRELY overlooked.
This season’s first round of Formula D showcased that fact, with Kyle Mohan’s FC nearly pulling off what could have been the upset of the year had he not lost third gear during the home stretch. In addition, all points aside, during the Team Drift competition one week after Formula D, Modified Mag witnessed (from the inside of turn 1, mind you) what was arguably the most ridiculous entry onto Aquarium Way by any driver. Kyle would literally initiate at the beginning of the grandstand area seating that was well ahead of the turn, and with careful ebrake, steering, and throttle techniques would carry the drift alllll the way through turn 1 and onto Aquarium Way. All doubts were set aside. The FC platform is the real deal, and this gem by David Hruska is certainly no exception.
David purchased the car initially with a blown motor for the sole purpose of turning it into a full-on drift machine. Intrigued by the prospect of a true s13 alternative that remained lightweight, RWD, and had styling that was far ahead of its time, David figured he couldn’t really go wrong with the FC. However, like many full-on projects that start off as more of a dream than a realization, it was set-aside for an extended period of time while David brainstormed exactly how he would plan his attack. Two years passed and David finally got cracking after finding inspiration from a friend in Osaka, Japan.
In tearing down the engine for the first time, David found some of the expected rotary gremlins. Several apex and side seals were blown in the rear housing, and although he didn’t have a tremendous amount of rotary building experience, David decided to take on the build and began to piece the venerable 13B back together bit by bit, with some stout reinforcement in the form of a new intermediate housing, RA 2mm Super Seals, and Mazdatrix Solid Corner Seals. To keep temps down David also added a custom V-mount intercooler setup, a Koyo radiator, and twin FD3s oil coolers. He also added an absolute barrage of monitoring gauges from Autometer to make sure everything was running smoothly, even going so far as to make a custom cluster and triple pod setup to keep the install clean.
While continuing the motor buildup David also made a Stance in the suspension department by dumping the car on a set of Stance GR+ 3 way coilovers. A host of bushings were also replaced in both the front and rear, along with camber and toe adjustable arms from the likes of MMR and AWR. With the suspension setup properly David now faced the task of putting power to the pavement, which he addressed by installing the requisite KAAZ 2-way, along with stiffer tranny and diff mounts to keep movement in check. A CAP Clutch would also handle the rigors of repeated clutch-kicking during peak action, while an R magic shift knob complimented by the hand made Gucci shift boot from Logan Yoshida would remind him that it’s not all about business; drifting is certainly THE motorsport where if you aren’t sliding in style, well, you shouldn’t even be sliding in the first place!
Speaking of slide style, David also had a vision for his FC build that would really set it apart from the masses. Once again being inspired by Japanese styling and culture, he was able to acquire several hard to get pieces that currently stand out as nearly one of a kind here in the US. A friend, Rob Riter, in Japan, was able to source a Garage BB GT Wing along with Saturo Works knuckle arms. Not trusting these precious gems to any shipping company on the planet, David literally hand carried the parts back himself. ”It is interesting getting looks from people on the train and in the security line at the airport. Japanese people don’t like being caught looking,” David mentioned, as if carrying a huge GT wing in an airport is an everyday occurrence! “When I go to Japan, I am really impressed by the street drift cars. The cars are low, loud, and built but a lot of them retain the interior and almost all of them have DVD players. I had to follow suit!”
By Mike Maez
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