Enkei Wheels

Michael Essa – Formula Drift Orlando Recap

Enkei Team — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:23:00 +0000

We started with Thursday practice where the car was feeling down on power and struggled on initiation to mid-bank. Data showed boost was down 50% of the target. We finished practice as we couldn’t find any issues and dialed the suspension and tire pressure. After practice ended we found a crack in the intercooler end tank and were able to weld it up.

Friday practice we managed to get in 4 laps before qualifying and continue to dial the car in with our increased power levels. Went into our single qualifying lap and scored a 90-point run, securing 9th place.

Saturday pre-competition practice we once again managed to get in 4 laps in the 2-hour session. The venue was packed with fans to capacity, and we met and conversed with many of them at our paddock with the car on display.

Just before the top 32, the rain came. We hadn’t driven in the rain at all this event, so we put our wet setup on the car and went into battle with Ryan Litteral. Having the higher qualifying position, I led first and put down a great lead lap. In the chase position, I was able to stay close and be aggressive, but not push too hard and force myself into a mistake. We got the win and went into the top 16.

Top 16 battle was with Kazua Taguchi. The track was now almost completely dry, so we put the dry setup back on the car. He led first as he out-qualified me by one position. I stayed close and pushed hard. My lead was on point and he made a few big mistakes, so we got the win and moved on to the great 8.

Great 8 was with Fredric Aasbo, so we knew it would be a tough battle. We added a bit more grip to the car and pushed 100% to stick with him, even bumped his door with my front wheel coming off the bank. The Enkei RS05RR wheel was unfazed by the contact so we didn’t need to call our 5 min to do any repairs and went straight into my lead run. I had a killer lead, but Aasbo stayed close, although he cheated the line to do so. The judges give him the win in a somewhat controversial call, and our weekend came to an end.

Overall we felt that it was a good weekend, the car performed well and my team worked hard. Got to meet and interact with many fans and promote our sponsors! Looking forward to the next event in New Jersey in just a few weeks. – Essa

Michael Essa Formula Drift Long Beach Recap!

Enkei Team — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 07:42:00 +0000

-Tuesday:
Media day- unveiled the 2022 livery. Filmed content with Throdle (new social media app, like Facebook but 100% automotive). Gave ride along’ s to media personnel. Made minor changes to car setup. Clutch feel was not great.

-Wednesday:
Return to the shop, replace clutch assembly with new unit. Clean and prep the car. Load up.

-Thursday:
Load in day. Set up awning and pit space. Drivers meeting, photos and orientation. 7PM to 9PM, drive in the FD parade, park at the Pike shopping center, greet massive amounts of fans, sign autographs and hand out swag.

-Friday:
8 laps of practice, 1 qualifying lap. 1st practice session track was good with consistent grip. @nd practice and qual, track heated up and grip level changed drastically, very low grip in outside zones. Put together a decent lap and landed in 9TH place for qualifying.

-Saturday:
Early AM practice. Track was cool and grip was somewhat consistent but changing quickly. Made a gearing change for more wheel speed and smoke. Worked better, but it was harder on the clutch. End of practice clutch was feeling iffy. Top 32 lead run, clutch was starting to go out. Follow lap lead car entry speed was very slow, when i got back on throttle, clutch slipped causing me to nearly straighten. Halftime break was very busy, more fans than we have ever had, lots of direct engagement. Filmed interviews for multiple online publications and vlogs.

Post Event:
Look for clutch upgrade solution. Prep car for Long Beach Grand Prix Super Drift event.

D-Sport Gen ZX Enkei RS05RR Feature

Enkei Team — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 07:18:00 +0000

As seen on D-Sport, this 300zx looks incredible with Enkei RS05RR Racing Revolution Wheels. More photos are below.

750 Horsepower Time Attack Civic – RPF1

Enkei Team — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 20:29:00 +0000

It all started 2 years ago in my garage. A Honda Civic hatch chassis and a dream to build one of the fastest time attack cars on the planet.

Built on a rotisserie and every part was purposely selected to be in/on the car. I wanted the fabrication on the car to follow the best in the industry. This car (Rocket) is built to break records. All parts and components are the best in the industry. So it only makes sense that we would choose to run Enkei Wheels on the car from the beginning. Enkei Wheels are a company and product I truly believe in.

I wanted to keep the car front-wheel drive but also give the car the maximum amount of grip on the track. During the fabrication of the chassis, we tubbed the front and rear wheel wells to fit an incredibly wide wheel and tire.

Fitting 18×10.5 Enkei RPF1 up front and 17×9 in the rear. These wide racing wheels are wrapped in Toyo Tire (Front -295/35/18 Rear -255/40/17 ) and will give me the grip and the ability we need in a car that makes over 750 horsepower.

Here is what 750 Horsepower looks like. Most of the custom carbon was done in-house. Notice the wheel well tub on the left and right side of this image. That partially allows us to run a wheel so wide on the car. Similar methods were used in the rear. Fortune Auto Suspension had the car stance and ride properly set up.

Fast forward and the build is complete and unveiled in the Exedy booth at PRI 2021. With the new livery and Enkei Wheels on full display, the car has huge expectations for the team. We are excited to announce our partnership with Enkei and look forward to racing the car at Time Attack events across the country in 2022.

See you at the track!

Subaru Forester Can-Jam Drift Taxi on Enkei RPF1

Alex Nunez — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 15:31:28 +0000

Text & Photos by Jesuel Rivera

There are a lot of reasons why people get hooked into this scene. But at the core, it always starts with exposure. Right time, right place, right atmosphere, stage set… and then ‘flick’… all the dominos start falling & you’re in this thing. Well – Roel Mallari is living to spread that joy. He’s a 1st domino.

Roel was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. He grew up playing with legos and locking-up the back wheels of his bicycle to slide marks on the streets of the 6. Like most Filipino youth, Roel was encouraged by his parents to go into the medical field as a nurse or doctor. But his experience with legos and getting sideways translated into something more. After high school, Roel started working at a tire shop and bought his way into the seat of a Nissan 240. Naturally, his 240 led him into drifting for fun. In 2012, Roel capped out on the tire shop & got himself hired with the team at Cam-Jam Racing. It was odd for a Nissan guy to be dropped into a Subaru shop. For the most part, the Nissan world is a lot more budget friendly than the Subaru world. But it didn’t take long for Roel to get behind the 5 stars.

Roel caught the eye of a Forester that had been sitting outback at Can-Jam (get it… Outback??). It was easy for him to envision the Forrester modded-out… and it wasn’t long until he worked a deal & made it his daily. But missing the enjoyment he got from drifting his 240, Roel and the Can-Jam team did a RWD swap. His comfort kicking-out the rear end of the SF grew… along with added mods like a WRX turbo, STI trans, and Nissan r200 diff. During a Canadian Sport Compact Series event in 2018, Roel wrecked the car. Being a drifter, most would just rebuild as much as possible & not worry about the scars. But Roel & the team saw this as an opportunity to start something new with their Forester experience.

After seeing Chris Forsberg drifting around Road Atlanta 4-seats-deep, Roel made the move to make a reinforced Forester built to share the G’s with passengers. He found a 2nd-gen Forester, known as the SG, and decided to go all-in with Can-Jam Motorsports. They put together what looks like a hundred point roll cage to safely hold 4 buckets seats. Even with a helmet on, the violence of the fully-built EJ25 pushing 600whp screams like nothing I’ve ever heard. (Check out our S3 Magazine Youtube channel for the ride-along.)

When I asked Roel what’s next?, his response was important for everyone to hear… “To just keep having more fun, you know? It’s a party car.” You gotta love that attitude. It sets the only true expectation for the season.

Owner/Driver: Roel Mallari

Vehicle: 2003 Subaru Forester
Built By: Can-Jam Motorsports
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Engine: EJ25
Horsepower: 604 whp / 591 ft-lb tq

ENGINE / DRIVE
● Custom Can-Jam MOtorsports (CJM) 2.5 – sleeved closed deck gas ringed block
● JDM Ver8 ported heads w/ +1mm oversize valves
● Cosworth camshafts
● Omega high comp pistons
● Arrow rods
● Arrow lightweight crankshaft
● 14mm RCM head studs
● BorgWarner EFR 8374 Turbo
● Custom CJM intercooler & piping
● Rotated JDM Ver8 intake manifold
● C&R racing radiator
● Dual SPAL fans w/ custom shroud
● Setrab oil cooler
● Motul 300v 15w50 engine oil
● MoTeC M800 ECU
● JDM STI 6-speed transmission modified
● Carbon driveshaft
● Nissan R200 rear diff w/ 350z axles

WHEELS / BRAKE / SUSPENSION SETUP
● Enkei RPF1 – 18×10 +35 front / 18×10.5 +15 rear
● STI brembos w/ twin rear calipers
● Wilwood hydro handbrake
● Performance Friction brake pads
● Ohlins coilovers

LOOKS
● JDM Cross Sports kit
● Fender flares
● CJMxML24 roof scoop
● Voltex Type 5 GT-Wing

PARTNERS
● Can-Jam Motorsports
● Autokloak
● TiAL Sport
● Valino tires Canada
● Motovicity Distribution

SIDEBAR PHOTO
Twin rear-caliper setup with Wilwood’s hydro handbrake!

Video: Speed Academy EVO 6 Switch to PF05

Alex Nunez — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 07:04:14 +0000

After running into a slight fitment issue on the rears, the guys at Speed Academy are switching from an 18″ GTC02 to a 17×9 +40 Enkei PF05. They also start the engine up for the very first time! Give the video a watch and don’t forget to subscribe to their channel!

Emelia Hartford’s S14 on Enkei RS05RR

Alex Nunez — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:35:20 +0000

Emelia Hartford is an Automotive Youtuber and Amateur Racer, more recently known for her appearance in Netflix’s “Fastest Car” with her green Nissan 240sx S14 featured on Enkei Wheels. “I am here to show you a little about my A1 since day 1, my ride or die, my LS Swapped 1995 Nissan 240sx S14 Zenki named Envy. The car is riding on some super sexy RS05RR Gun Metallic Wheels with 18×9.5 +22 in the front and 18×10.5 +15 in the rear. Wheels are wrapped in some sticky icky Nexen Sur4 245/35R18 in front and SU1 275/35R18 in the rear.”

“A little history, I picked this car up in Bloomington Indiana when I was 17 (shoutout B-Crew!), already swapped on leaking bags, overheating, running terribly, spewing black smoke, wouldn’t hold an idle, and more. Did some of the basics and shortly drove it cross country to Los Angeles. I then had the car sitting for a while before I picked up a vlog camera and set a goal to build her into a drift car and learn to drift in a month. I didn’t realize how much work was needed but it was a huge learning experience for me.”

“We ended up touching nearly every inch of the car and slowly got everything set up correctly and running well. We started with the engine, we ended up fixing multiple vacuum leaks, the O2 sensors were on the incorrect sides so the car was fighting itself in closed loop. Dropped in a fatty radiator and two big Spal fans and cooling hasn’t been an issue since. After getting the engine healthy we started working suspension. We installed full GKTech Wide Angle Kit and rear arms, replaced all the bushings, welded the diff and installed CX Racing Coilovers revalved by Feal Suspension. We fixed a nasty leaking master cylinder, redid all brake lines and installed R33 dual calipers in the rear with a Sikky Hydro.”

“Then upgraded the engine with Katech CNC ported heads, Comp Cams camshaft, valve train, FAST intake, throttle body, and injectors. While the motor was out, we dropped in an ACT Prolite Flywheel and HD Sprung Clutch, and switched over to a Haltech 2500 with their latest and greatest IC7 dash connected via Wiring Specialties pro harness. We swapped out some old busted knock off seats for Sparco Evo’s, caged the car and installed Street Faction seat delete, door cards and heel plates. We then covered it all up with a custom Hermes Performance two-tone interior paint job that I think came out soo good!!”

“Last touch was a custom livery inspired by Period Correct, final design by AWS Graphics and pulling off the impossible wrap was Extreme Wraps.”

“My goal for the car has always been a clean, well-kept, but fully functional race car. I think she came out amazing and is probably one of the cleanest drift cars that actually see’s the track. The car now performs better than ever and I can’t be more thankful for Enkei supporting and believing in me since day one!” If you want to check out some of Emelia’s content, she’s documented the whole build. She also has some pretty crazy projects going on right now, including a Track Built Twin Turbo C8 Corvette, 1979 Buick Regal Manual Drag Car, and a Subaru GC8 EJ207 Build.

Photos by Larry Chen

Follow Emelia on Youtube: Youtube.com/c/EmeliaHartford or Instagram: @ms.emelia

Chassis
1995 240sx S14

Drivetrain
5.7L LS1 Aluminum Block
Katech CNC Ported LS6 Heads
Comp Cams Custom Ground Cam
Comp Reduced Travel Lifters
Comp Hi-Tech Pushrods 5/16”, 7.400”
Comp LS2 Adjustable Timing Set
Comp Max- Lift BSR Shaft Rockers
FAST Billet Fuel Rails
FAST 60lb/hr Injectors
FAST 102mm Gen III Intake Manifold
FAST 102mm Big Mouth Throttle Body
Melling High Volume Oil Pump
Custom 4″ Intake w/ K&N Air Filter
Mishimoto Carbon Fiber Catch Can
GM T56 transmission
Pro 5.0 shifter
ACT Prolite Flywheel
ACT HD/Perf Sprung Clutch
Custom steel driveshaft
Hinson Engine Mounts
Hinson Headers
GTO Front Sump Oil Pan with Improved Racing Baffle
Koyo performance 4” Radiator
Dual Spal 12” Fans w/ Shroud

Exterior
PPG Custom Paint Job
Seibon OEM style carbon-fiber hood with AeroCatch hood locks
Extreme Dimensions front bumper, rear bumper and C-West side skirts
JDM Zenki front grille
Supermade Zenki headlights
D-Max Zenki front corner lights, side markers and rear roof spoiler
Origin 30mm front fenders and 30mm rear fenders
Intense Power LED taillights
Engine Management
Haltech Elite 2500 ECU
Wiring Specialties Pro Series Harness

Suspension
FEAL rebuilt CX Racing Coilovers
GKTech V3 Offset Strut Tops
GKTech V4 Superlock Pro Drift Front Drop Knuckles
GKTech V2 High Clearance Front Lower Control Arms
GKTech V4.2 Tension Rods
GKTech Tie Rods
Coming Soon: GKTech Full Rear Suspension Kit

Brakes
OEM R33 Front and Dual Rear Brake Calipers
Sikky Hydraulic E-Brake
Custom Machined Dual Caliper Bracket with Additional R33 Rear Calipers
OEM Z32 Brake Master Cylinder
Wheels & Tires
Enkei RS05RR Gun Metallic Wheels 18 x 9.5 + 22(F) 18 x 10.5 + 15 (R)
Nexen Sur4 Tires 245/35R18 (F) 275/35R18 (R) Tires

Interior
Sparco Evo 2 Seats
Custom 8 point roll cage with foot intrusion bars
Nardi “Maziora Edition” 350mm steering wheel
OEM Corvette Z06 shift knob
Street Faction Rear Seat Delete
Street Faction Door Cards
Street Faction Gusseted Heel Plates
Full Interior 2 Tone Paint

Good Feeling Machines, Part 2 – Alex’ 240SX

Enkei Team — Fri, 29 May 2020 08:00:52 +0000

Hi, My name is Alex. I am 25 years old. I live in Cleburne Texas where I run my own small business Corsa Tecnica specializing mainly in vintage road race cars, race preparation, fabrication, machining, and general service.

After several years of campaigning and driving a Datsun 240z in a regional road race series and building a few Nissan 240sx’s for myself and with my friends. I got involved in a competitive drift program and began to build new interests in tuning in the sport of drifting.

Ultimately the transition into drifting lead me to a month-long trip to Japan in 2018 for the esteemed fall matsuri at the Ebisu facility. That trip inspired me to build this 1990 240sx coupe. Being influenced by 2000’s drifting in Japan and the simplicity of the cars and over all styling. I wanted to build a car that draws inspiration from southern Osaka style Japanese drift cars or something that you would see at Meihan Sportsland.

Being a vintage road race driver and conscious of days past, I always like to respect the history of the sport and pay homage to those that have done great things in the eyes of enthusiast all around and carry that spirit into the future for all to share.

I purchased the car in the spring of 2019. It was basically stock with a factory SR20DET. After about twenty laps at the first event of the year I spun a rod bearing which lead me to blowing the entire car apart and restarting the drivetrain package. The car is still powered by a SR20DET paired with a CD009 transmission. The hot side induction is a Garrett GTX3071r turbo and Full Race twin scroll manifold. The Cold side induction is a JUN intake with internal velocity stacks. It gives the car unique sound. The styling of the exterior body kit is Origin Labo racing line influence sporting 75mm fenders front and rear.

The decision on wheels always poses a difficult task for anyone that is conscious of not blending into the masses. Patrick’s car has been stored at my shop for the past year and the wheels became a familiar face to me. I grew very fond of the Enkei TX5’s on his s13. So I decided to get some for myself.

The Enkei TX5’s fit the mold for my cars influences perfectly. They give the car an aggressive look while staying relatable and reliable in form. The Car has so much personality from all angles and the Enkei TX5 just sets it off. The look is completed and is truly everything I dreamed of.

I am very grateful to be able to create cars like this and share these times with my friends. I hope to never lose my joy in driving and enjoying car life.

You can follow Patrick and Alex on Instagram @patrickcarson @corsa_tec Enjoy the rest of the photos by Ray Fair

Good Feeling Machines, Part 1 – Patrick’s 240SX

Alex Nunez — Tue, 26 May 2020 15:15:06 +0000

Howdy, Folks! My Name is Patrick Carson and I drive that pretty, blue 240SX, better known as the “Good Feeling Machine”. The sleek, champagne 240SX coupe belongs to my good friend Alex Smargiasso. They say good things come in pairs, so this write up will be split into two features! Photography by Ray Fair

I have been drifting in Texas since 2013. After a few rough years of drifting in my First S13, it eventually turned into a crumpled beer can. So I acquired another S13 shell and built this car in the winter of 2017 with the purpose of competing in the Lone Star Drift “Texas Street Legal” series.

Now going into 2020 with several event wins and multiple top 3 series finishes, the car has definitely served its original purpose and taken me so much further than I imagined since then.

In addition to drifting, I have also racked up a ridiculous amount of street miles on the car. It is important to me to be able to enjoy the car on the street as well as the track.

The car takes visual inspiration from Kansai drifters & the early 2000’s era of drifting and blends it with modern drift car styling.

While it is currently in need of a cosmetic refresh, it is currently sporting a Works9 body kit paired with Origin type 3 style 55mm fenders. The subtle chrome vinyl livery complements the color and overall flow of the car very well.

My favorite, most unique part of the car is the BN Sports inverted hatch.

The suspension setup is very simple. BC Racing DR Series Coilovers, ISR Performance adjustable arms, extended lower control arms and D. Rogers cut knuckles.

When I was building this car, I was given the choice between several Enkei Tuning Series wheels to run. I remembered seeing an Enkei Wheels ad of Aaron Losey’s red S15 on the Enkei TX5 wheels and thought they looked so cool! I loved the concave design with the sharp spokes. Since then the car has been rolling on 18×9.5 +15 TX5 wrapped in Kenda Tire KR20a’s.

Unfortunately, the car did not have a very complete interior when I had originally acquired it. It does have somewhat full interior now, albeit not the prettiest, but its mostly all there. My favorite part is my 1/1 NRG Matsuri wheel with “Good Feeling” engraved into the rim.

Now for the good stuff. The drivetrain is powered by a built SR20DET. Darton sleeved block, Wiseco Pistons, Eagle Rods, BC valve springs and retainers, port & polished head, and stock cams. Paired with that setup is an OEM Garrett S15 Turbo running stock boost, stock injectors and stock tuned ECU. Engine cooled by a Koyorad N-Flo radiator and stock fan. All topped off with an s13.5 hybrid valve cover and a fancy “Corsa Tec” catch can setup made by Alex.

Coolest thing I’ve gotten to do with this car is taking it to SEMA last year and shredding the Hoonigan Burnyard for the whole week! It was an incredible experience! Thank you to Enkei Wheels and What Monsters Do for helping me get there!

This car has given me an immeasurable amount of experience and happiness. It is constantly improving and evolving in small ways and I look forward to the many more adventures I get to have with this thing.

Check back later this week for Part 2 with Alex Smargiasso’s 240SX also on Enkei TX-5!

Written by Patrick Carson | Photography by Ray Fair

Anthony’s 1994 Mazda Miata on Enkei RPF1

Enkei Team — Tue, 19 May 2020 14:59:36 +0000

I picked up the car last summer after searching for about 3 months for a clean NA Miata. I drove at least 5 cars, both 1.6L and 1.8L models but many of them either had rust, weren’t properly maintained or cared for, or the price just wasn’t right. There were an equal amount of cars I didn’t even get to see in person because the market for clean NAs these days is just…cut throat. If you don’t contact a seller within 15 minutes of their ad going up, the car is already sold!

Needless to say, the whole search was wearing on me, but this gem came up on Craigslist one morning when I was at work…I jumped on it within 5 minutes & I drove over two hours to pick it up a couple of days later. The car was with its original owner, had 49k miles on it & was completely stock. It lived its life as a beach car in Rehoboth, DE (as confirmed by the sand deep in the carpets), but it was obviously well-loved & cared for.

I drove it stock for a few months, as this is my first Miata & I really wanted to learn the platform & connect with the car before I started changing parts out. My previous car was an AP2 Honda S2000 which I miss dearly, and while the NA isn’t a replacement, it’s an entirely different experience. The Miata is fun & playful while being non threatening…my favorite drives in this car are just chill & effortless. Plus you can’t beat the style…and POPUPS! I honestly never thought I’d like driving or owning a Miata, but giving this car a chance has changed my mind completely. I’m not kidding when I say I’d love to buy another one…this car is such a joy to drive.

After I singled out a couple of the weaknesses in the driving experience for me, I decided on picking up some coilovers & a wheel/tire setup that would give me the grip & response I wanted, plus give the car a fresh look. The car was on stock 14″ wheels when I got it wrapped in 10 year old all seasons…so it was long overdue. After weeks of back & forth & research on offsets & sizing I decided to go with 15×8 +28 Enkei RPF1s.

I have ALWAYS wanted a set of RPF1s…you really can’t beat the classic look, the lightweight & the price point. I wrapped them in 205/50R-15 Dunlop Direzza DZ102. For coilovers I went with Tein Flex-Z, I wanted something affordable yet adjustable so I could really dial in the look & have some control over how they rode on the street.

As soon as everything came in I slapped it all together & I have just over 2,000mi on the setup so far, I couldn’t be happier. The fitment is perfect, no rubbing…it just works. Another area that was lacking in my mind was the response from the engine, so I picked up a Racing Beat intake.

Now I know people call these “hot air intakes” but knowing I may get some heat soak or lose low-end power, I was more than willing to compromise for some much-needed induction noise…and when I’m wide open the induction sound is worth the investment. It sings! Other than that…I just have some Hawk HPS pads & Centric rotors for some extra brake bite.

At this stage, the car is the perfect cruiser & when I want to have some fun on back roads it’s a blast. I plan on picking up an exhaust system soon & I’m also looking into a higher-end coilover system for more adjust-ability & the ability to track the car. Will probably replace bushings & do sway bars.

I’m looking into an ITB setup for even more induction noise & throttle response. My entire plan for the build is clean old school club racer style. Something that looks great & I can really sync up with, whether it be cruising around town, attacking backroads, or even some track use.

Written by Anthony Stone | Photos by AMSFOTO