SP Rides: Mean and Clean
By MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Reyn Matsunaga
Age: 30
Occupation: IT technician
Hobbies: Hiking, cars, beach
Year/Make/Model: 2013 Scion FR-S
Color: Raven Black
Engine: SRT Exhaust (over pipe, mid-pipe, catback)
Exterior: FIVE:AD Full Lip Kit FIVE:AD Wing JDM Clear Side Markers Blacked out emblems Rear Diffuser Custom Flat Black Headlights with Morimoto HID Retrofit (Projector and Ballasts) Custom “JDM Inspired” Side 86 Emblems
Interior: Custom mounted AirRex Digital Air Suspension EasyGo Smart Key and Push Start
Suspension/Wheels/Brakes: AirRex Digital Air Suspension with w/ Front Camber Plates and Rear Pillowball Mounts
Wheels & Brakes: 19×9.5 +40 Ray’s Gram Light 57Xtreme in Matt Graphite 225/40/18 Tires Front/Back 2013 STI Brembos, Custom Painted Neon Yellow DBA Rotors, Stoptech Brake Lines, Hawk PC Brake Pads
Thanks: Marshall Lum, Troy Sumitomo from FIVE:AD, AirRex Digital Air Suspension, Auto Customs, SE Hawaii, FT86club.com, #86Hawaii
The Scion FR-S is one incredible machine. Also known in concept as the Toyota 86, it’s the spiritual successor to the much-heralded 1986 Toyota Corolla. The vehicle is the result of a five-year collaborative effort between Toyota and Subaru.
So what’s with all the hype? The 86 was designed to create a seldom-seen enthusiast’s dream: an affordable, rear-wheel drive sports car that looked the part. It turns out the car was more than enough to attract Reyn Matsunaga’s interest.
Reyn has been through a list of vehicles, beginning with a Honda Prelude and Nissan 240 before he got his hands on a Toyota X-Runner. Eventually, he became a member of Scion Evolution Hawaii and a proud owner of a Turbo Scion TC. Thanks to the TC, he made the connections necessary to pave the current road he’s on with the FR-S. Things seemed to fall into place as he became more and more enamored with the coming of the 86 to U.S. shores. The X-Runner was sold and he became the proud owner of this Raven Black 2013 Scion FR-S in June 2012.
At the time, his intention was to bag and lower the ride — a concept that would have generated flak from performance enthusiasts.
“The biggest concern was people’s perception. I know it can handle thanks to the race-proven Airrex suspension,” Reyn says.
With Marshall Lum’s help, Reyn was the first person in North America to install the new suspension setup. He also went one step further and re-assembled the standard AirRex setup into a custom enclosure.
To silence the haters, he ran the vehicle at SCCA Hawaii’s Autocross at Aloha Stadium, both before and after the modification, with comparable results to the standard coilover setups used in other FR-S. (See the video at youtu.be/T2FoGRp-MMs)
This car is simply stunning to look at. It sports a gorgeous FIVE:AD aero kit, provided and sponsored by Troy Sumitomo and FIVEaxis, that features a wicked front lip, side-skirts and rear valance. Combined with kit, the ride features 19×9.5 +40 Ray’s Gram Light 57Xtreme covered in Matt Graphite with 225/40/18 tires in the front and rear. The setup was purchased from Auto Customs fame. A fantastic mod is the inclusion of 2013 STI Brembos to replace the stock setup with increased braking performance. The calipers were powder-coated neon green for an eye-catching contrast.
The engine modification is relatively light with the addition of a over and mid-pipe and catback exhaust. Reyn still plans to take his build one step further by either going with a turbo or supercharger setup for added power, in addition to going with a new Rocket Bunny widebody kit.
Regardless of his future mods, this ride is simply mean and clean as is.
