1998-10 CARBOY - Akira Nakai's Porsche Carrera Project - Suspension Setup
Not only the exterior, but also the engine, suspension, and everything else follows Nakai’s philosophy.
This is where the origin of today’s RAUH-Welt mindset begins… (lol)
With a suspension kit designed specifically for ultra-low ride height, Nakai’s Porsche tuning is rapidly entering its most intense phase.
A full-throttle drift-focused attack aimed squarely at the circuit is now underway!!
Shakotan BASE Special Suspension
The engine, exterior, and suspension are gradually being transformed into the Nakai style. Here’s the latest update on this slammed Porsche. Now that it finally begins serious running… …wait—did the shock just hit the wheel?? SPL shocks installed… but the car won’t even move forward??
In the previous installment, we introduced Nakai SPL’s specially designed long-stroke shocks for ultra-low cars. With these installed, it was time for a test run…
KONK!
“What the—?”
“What just happened?”
Reporter Nakai jumped out of the driver’s seat and discovered something unbelievable. So what exactly did he see? Stay tuned after the commercial… except—there is no commercial.
These shocks, named DEED, were designed with the spindle section positioned about 40mm higher compared to stock. The idea was to secure proper suspension stroke even with extreme lowering.
A genuinely innovative concept. However, a problem appeared before the test drive.
These shocks were designed on the assumption of 16-inch wheels. Normally, Porsche wheels start at 16 inches minimum. Owners may go larger—but going smaller… well, only Nakai-style thinking would attempt that.
The issue came from the 15-inch wheels. The lower end of the shock, offset by 40mm, ended up digging into the inner barrel of the wheel.
“It actually carved a full groove inside the wheel. I couldn’t help but laugh.”
With his signature Nakai smile—somewhere between shy and wildly confident—he explained the situation. Immediately, the offset was reduced to 20mm and the setup was reinstalled.
Suspension Setup Philosophy
For now, the springs paired with this shock system are based on using the Porsche’s original torsion bars for setup. At the rear, a 2 kg/mm helper spring has been installed. A stiffer 6 kg/mm spring is also available, and the plan is to fine-tune the setup through ongoing track testing.
First Impressions of the Nakai Porsche
We asked Reporter Nakai for his impressions of the current setup:
“Until now, I was driving with almost no suspension stroke, so I thought that was normal.
But once you actually get proper stroke, you realize how much the ultra-low setup was hitting the body over bumps…”
“We raised it just a little, and suddenly the bump steer under full compression disappeared. It’s much easier to drive—and definitely faster.”
“The ride is also softer now… it’s a completely different feeling compared to an AE86. I want to develop my own setup from here.”
“It’s still evolving, but it’s already gradually entering combat mode.”
The tires have also been upgraded—from a plain sidewall “no-letter” type to a full grip-oriented performance tire. More Nakai-style modifications continue to be added.
Brutal Carburetor “Repair” Strategy!?
On the engine side, a used 46φ triple-choke Weber DCOE carburetor was installed after being acquired unexpectedly. At first, because the outer venturis were worn and loose, the engine ran terribly. The fix? A 0.04 mm feeler gauge was inserted into the gaps of the outer venturi to eliminate play. That required buying three feeler gauges… but it worked.
The throttle butterflies also had uneven clearance, so they were literally hammered into shape, then sanded by attaching sandpaper and moving the mechanism back and forth repeatedly. A shockingly rough repair method—but in Nakai philosophy, if it runs properly in the end, it counts as a valid fix.
Distributor Adjustment Discovery
Another interesting discovery was made in the distributor setup. By inserting a finger into the central rotating section and turning it, the advance curve width can be adjusted—though the maximum advance remains unchanged. For circuit driving, increasing low-RPM advance improves throttle response and punch.
Current settings:
- Maximum advance: ~40°
- Idle advance: ~15°
There is still room to advance idle timing further, while street use can be dialed back.
NACA Duct Installation
One of the original motivations for buying the Porsche was finally installed: the NACA duct. Mounted on both sides, it channels outside air into the engine bay.
“Honestly, this thing looks insanely cool,” says Nakai, clearly obsessed.
After installing the ducts, motivation went through the roof. Plans for roll cages and further modifications are already underway. The Nakai Special continues to evolve aggressively.
Alignment Setup & High-Speed Stability
At speeds exceeding 200 km/h, it becomes unpredictable where the car might go. So for the first time, a full alignment setup was performed.
Assistance came from Eikou Auto, where Nakai previously worked. Originally involved in frame straightening and body repair for Sanwa Jidosha (Porsche importer), their precision work was well known among specialists.
Nakai himself once struggled through their extremely strict dimensional accuracy standards—sometimes screaming while learning. With Eikou Auto’s precise method, the ultra-low Porsche finally received a proper alignment setup.
Photo Captions
● Caption 1
A roll cage is planned for high-speed drift runs at the circuit.
A tight-fitting custom unit will be fabricated, so the interior has been stripped in preparation.
● Caption 2
NACA ducts are installed on both quarter windows.
They look incredible—and in fact, the car was chosen partly just to run these ducts.
● Caption 3
At first glance, the engine bay looks unchanged from before… but look closer.
Carb size, distributor settings—small but meaningful changes are everywhere.
● Caption 4
The carburetor has been upgraded from a 40φ triple-choke Weber to a 46φ unit.
The reason? It just happened to be available… and bigger is better.
● Caption 5
A surprising discovery: the distributor advance can be adjusted by rotating this section with your finger.
This allows ignition timing changes at idle.
● Caption 6
The Nakai Porsche is steadily entering combat mode.
Proof: Formula R 205/55R15 S-tires now fitted at the front.
● Caption 7
At the rear: M5 225/50R15 tires.
Still running 15-inch wheels—because that stubborn consistency is part of the Nakai identity.
● Caption 8 (14×7)
The SPL long-stroke shock system for ultra-low Porsche setups—previously introduced—is now available under the brand name DEED.