Clash of Cultures: Japanese Built 911
Daily Slideshow: In a world where everyone wants a 911, how does one make sure their 911 is uniquely theirs? One way is to add a bunch of carbon fiber, intake scoops, and custom doors.
The 911 curse.
If there is one thing every Porsche owner wants, it's to stand out. The 911 is a great car, there is no denying that, but to non-enthusiast the whole idea that they all look the same holds true. It's because of this that buyers of the new 911's are asking for custom colors, custom stitching, or anything that can make their 911 feel unique. But what is one to do with the older 911's?
3 Cures
There seem to be three ways these days to make an older 911 more unique. One is to build it in the style of Singer or Magnus Walker by simply improving on the ideas of the original. Two is the ever increasingly popular Safari off-road build with the quad lighting and roof rack. Three is, of course, the RWB widebody crazy aero approach with exposed riveted over fenders. While Kouichi Kakuma's 911 shown here may look like an RWB build at first, it is not. It may actually be wilder than the creations of Nakai-san.
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Carbon everything
First off, what looks like a simple matte black paint job from a distance is actually carbon fiber. In fact, most of this 911's outer skin is now carbon fiber. The original sunroof equipped roof was replaced by a carbon panel. Even the entire rear quarter panels and doors were replaced by carbon fiber pieces.
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Keep it light
The craziest bit of carbon work has to be the one piece clamshell front end though. All this carbon work was done for the sake of lightness. Even all the glass was replaced with polycarbonate. Kakuma's car started off life as a non-turbo model and is still powered by the basically stock 3.2-liter. Since power was limited the choice to "add lightness" was made instead. But the idea to leave the car naturally aspirated is not the only choice Kakuma-san made that may make some people cringe.
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Doors don't open that way
One area the Japanese seem to thrive in would be modifying cars without feeling the need to fit a mold. In this case, the scissor doors certainly fall under that category. They are for sure one way to stand out and be unique, and they make Kakuma-san happy, which should be what modifying cars is all about. Surprisingly they suit the 911 better than most other cars that this treatment has been applied.
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Intake all the air
The other very obvious outer modification is (if you hadn't noticed it on the second photo) this massive intake roof scoop. Now one could argue that this gigantic scoop is interfering with the aerodynamics of the rear wing, and it may be, but there is no denying that that engine bay is getting all the cool air it needs. In fact, using airflow to keep temps under control seems to be a theme. You may have noticed the large oil cooler under the front clamshell being fed by those asymmetrical scoops.
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No need for carpet
Given how much work has gone into keeping the chassis of the car light, it is no surprise to see a completely spartan interior. The customization to the pedal box area is quite unique, with the custom gas pedal spacer most likely helping with heal-toe shifting.
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Cutting corners
Another easy way to lose weight from a car is a titanium exhaust system. Though 911's don't have nearly as much exhaust piping as a front engine car, there is still a weight saving to be had by switching to more exotic materials. Titanium exhausts also just look cool due to needing to be pie cut and welded into bends giving an awesome rainbow effect.
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Never blending in
When it comes to modifying old 911's, there may be three main molds, but Kakuma's 911 has shown that there are still ways to break out of those molds and build something that doesn't blend into the crowd.
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