With the plenty of S13 body kits on today's market, Tsai opted for a full Charge Speed of Japan ensemble. The Charge Speed parts include: a set of wide front and rear fenders; a carbon-fiber hood and trunk lid; and S13 Silvia front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and grille. Complimenting the vehicle's appearance is a pair of APR carbon-fiber rear-view GT mirrors and wing. The wing produces the necessary down force to the rear tires. P.J. Bonifacio of P.J. Bonifacio Autobody, in Industry, Calif., applied the body kit and finished off the factory skin in Nissan Titanium Silver. Tsai designed his artwork while Redspot of Temple City, Calif., applied the vinyl.
A quick peek into the interior reveals the true nature of Tsai's S13. With the driver's seat and steering wheel on the right-hand side of the vehicle, this is a true JDM vehicle-there's no room for posers in drifting. Bride seats on both the driver and passenger side are mismatched in color as performance and comfort are Yoshihara's main concerns. Tightly strapped in with a Takata five-point harness, Yoshihara is surrounded by a SCCA certified six-point safety cage, which both protects the driver and adds rigidity to the chassis. In addition to firming up the body, a set of URAS Pineapple sub-frame bushings resides on the S13. GT Fabrications of Buena Park, Calif., performed all the necessary chassis prep.
So what's in store for Silvia version 2.0 as the 2004 season comes to a close? Tsai is booked for the remainder of the season because the renowned die-cast toy company, Muscle Machines, is currently designing a model based on the S13. And we can't forget to add a shameless plug: Pacific Rim Motorsports Fashion unveiled a shirt of the S13, which is available at www.iloveracing.com. As this article goes to print, Yoshihara is one of the leading competitors in the Formula Drift series; he currently sits third overall in the championship points standings. As Tsai's Silvia tears up the tarmac in hopes of overtaking the leader, Sam Hubinette in his Mopar-sponsored Dodge Viper, we patiently await the final race of the season. We wish Yoshihara, Tsai, and Team Pacific Rim the best of luck.
Tsai thanks all his sponsors at Pacific Rim Motorsports Fashion, ilovedrifting.com, Autolink Motorworks, Phase 2 Motortrend, Muscle Machines, Yokohama Tires, ORC Clutch, Charge Speed/Versus Motorsport, APR, P.J. Bonifacio, RO_JA, Magnaflow, Battle Version, Kei Office, Endless, Blitz, Edmatic, Mistral, Superior Nissan and GT Fabrications.