Professionalism it’s something that is often sorely lacking from our ever-growing import scene here in New Zealand. We have the cars, the ability and the knowledge to lift things to an all-new level, but in classic Kiwi style, most of us would rather just sit back and take things as they come! if they come.

Jairus 'JT’ Wharerau is one of the most recognisable names and faces in the Kiwi import scene. We spent an evening with his latest rotor-powered sled

While it’s what we love about our laid back, seemingly nonchalant culture, I sometimes get the feeling that there are many über-talented New Zealanders out there who are destined for more, yet never quite get there for fear of trying. There are exceptions to this rule of course, people who have the hunger and the desire. People like Jairus Wharerau.

Although you shouldn’t really need an introduction, I’ll give you one anyway. Growing up a troublemaking kid in the far north, Jairus has spent his entire life thus far doing, well, what most would regard as stupid s**t. Whether it’s slamming off

one of his Honya pit bikes, pouring beer down journos’ shirts (thanks buddy), or hustling through the Pukekohe sweeper full lock at 180kph, JT is just one of those guys who always has something to say and something to do.

When it comes to the scene itself, Jairus is about as OG as it gets. Hell, even before anyone knew what drifting was, Jairus was plastered across the pages of NZPC with a feature on his turbocharged EG Civic. Since then it has been a veritable whirlwind of feature cars in the magazine and five full seasons as a D1NZ competitor, one of which ended with him as champion.

The thing with rotors is, as long as you don’t cheap out on the build, you get the right person to put it all together and you look after it properly, you can run 500hp all day, every day

Now that JT has made a bit of a splash with his latest weapon, NZPC decided to coax him and long-suffering partner Alicia out into a cold winter’s night to get the skinny on his awesome new machine, based on an FD3S Mazda RX-7.

After so many years competing at the top level of drifting here in New Zealand and overseas, JT knew that it was time for him to step things up a level or two. This meant that although the S13 K-Style Silvia he had been campaigning was a good car, JT needed something that could compete against any of the world’s best drivers and their machines.

After a bit of research, it was decided that Mazda’s venerable FD RX-7 chassis would be the best option if JT was ever to raise the level of professionalism here on Kiwi shores. “I knew it would have grip, which is what most cars here were lacking at the time, plus it is relatively easy to get big power out of the 13B motor. It is just the perfect front-engined, rear-wheel drive setup, with awesome suspension geometry, amazing chassis and, of course, beautiful aesthetics.”

It didn’t take long for JT to get the wheels grinding in his grand plan for world domination, and there was soon a bright yellow S6 Bat sitting on a boat destined for Auckland Harbour. Once through customs and finally in JT’s hands, the year-long process of turning this beat up sled into one of New Zealand’s top drift cars began.

In regards to the body, I think most will agree that JT has chosen well; in my opinion there is simply no better looking car to ever come out of Japan than Mazda’s FD platform. The factory sweeping lines and muscular haunches of this particular Bat have been enhanced with a combination of Vertex and Vanquish bumpers and side skirts, supplied by Street Pro Kits.

The body tends to take a bit of a beating every time JT hits the track, so a good kit sponsor like Street Pro is an absolute must when it comes to drift cars. Then coated in the classic Drift Corp white by fellow sideways slider Steve Sole of Steve Sole Customs, the car was looking good, but in order to be great, it needed a serious amount of vinyl.

A very effective and eye popping scheme was designed and applied by Brown Brotha’s, and although very intense, it works with the car’s shape to give it that top D1GP drift monster look.

As with any slide ride, looks are all good and well, especially when attracting potential sponsors, but if you want to compete, big power is needed. One thing JT was a little unsure about when choosing the FD was the rotary engine package. Would it be reliable? Would it be strong enough to take a hammering out on the track all day long? Now that JT has been competing in the car for a few months, he says he shouldn’t have worried. “The thing with rotors is, as long as you don’t cheap out on the build, you get the right person to put it all together and you look after it properly, you can run 500hp all day, every day. I haven’t had the slightest bit of trouble with mine.”

So who is the “right person” then? For JT it was Brent Curran of Curran Brothers Racing, a young fella quickly establishing a name for himself in the local rotary engine-building scene. Although the more exact details of the engine’s internals remain hidden, what I can tell you is that Brent has given it a mild Stage 2 porting, although that is soon to change to Bridgeport in a bid for more power.

It was decided that Mazda’s venerable FD RX-7 chassis would be the best option if JT was ever to raise the level of professionalism here on Kiwi shores

Externally, the motor pulls in air through a very large Masterpower turbo, sharing space with a 50mm Turbosmart wastegate on a custom stainless steel exhaust manifold. The super-heated charge is cooled by a V-mounted intercooler, meaning instead of being straight up and down in the front bumper, it is mounted nearly flat, cutting down on piping length and keeping those precious fins well out of harm’s way.

Fuel is fed to the uprated injectors by a pair of meaty 500hp Walbro pumps, which in turn are fed by the original Mazda pump.
As with the majority of other hard-tuned rotor motors, JT’s 7 uses the awesome MicroTech LT-10S engine management system and MicroTech igniters.

Once a 3-inch exhaust system and custom alloy radiator were bolted up, the computer helped the total package make an honest 500hp. When combined with the relatively light shell and a set of Mickey Thompson ET Streets, that’s good enough for a ticket into the NZPC 10-Second Club. A full-blown drift car doing 10s? That’s right. Jairus recently hit Meremere drag strip and, after a day of low 11s, cracked out an impressive 10.96 @ 206kph.

Back to the main job at hand on the sweepers, JT needed the best of the best when it came to suspension. Luckily, Autolign came to the party and supplied him with a set of Tein Super Drift coil-overs, complete with electronic in-cabin damper control, known as EDFC. In terms of drivetrain reliability, the FD is blessed with a fairly bad-assed 5-speed manual transmission that seems to take a fair amount of abuse before it will let go. This is simply mated to a six-puck solid centre clutch, and feeds power to a factory locked rear differential, and then out to a set of black 17×10-inch Cyber rims, wrapped in Kumho rubber. 

All in all, if JT had to pay retail and labour costs without the help of friends and sponsors, this machine would have cost around the $70,000 mark to build. “I really can’t thank everyone on my list enough. Without them it just would not have happened,” he says.

So with solid results for the car in the past, and surely even better on the way, has the new FD been deemed a success? “Most definitely,” says JT. “The RX is leagues ahead of any other car I’ve driven, let alone owned. It handles perfectly, is damned fast, and looks angry. I’m stoked with it!”

A kick-arse car, bucket-loads of driving talent and plans to push the professionalism of the sport far past its current standings. Is this where JT saw himself all those years ago when he first got into cars? “It was a distant dream back then and now it’s a reality. It’s all relative though, I just have bigger dreams now.” Now that sounds like a man well worth keeping an eye on.

Tuning Menu

Engine: Mazda 13B-REW, Stage 2 mild port, custom apex seals, custom CBR motor build, HKS air filter, custom intake piping, Masterpower 500hp turbocharger, 50mm Turbosmart external wastegate, stainless steel exhaust manifold, Turbosmart blow-off valve, V-mounted intercooler, alloy piping, 2x 500hp Walbro fuel pumps, factory pick-up pump, Sard Racing FPR, factory primary injectors, 1500cc secondary injectors, MicroTech igniters, 3-inch stainless exhaust system, A’PEXi TI muffler, custom alloy radiator, external water pump, external V-mounted cooler, MicroTech LT-10S engine managementsystem

Driveline: Mazda 5-speed gearbox, 6-puck solid centre clutch, factory locked diff

Suspension: Tein Super Drift coil-over shocks/springs, Tein EDFC controller, factory 4-wheel disc brakes, Znoelli rotors, competition pads

Wheels/Tyres: 17×10-inch Cyber rims, Kumho tyres

Exterior: Vertex/Vanquish body kit, gloss white paint, custom race graphics, blue tints, strobe lights in headlights

Interior: Full MSNZ-spec cage, Racepro Tarmac seats, Momo steering wheel, HKS gear knob

Performance: Dyno Power — 500hp @ 18psi, 0-400m — 10.96 @ 206kph

Driver Profile

Age: 27

Previously owned cars: Honda Civic EG9 turbo, R32 Nissan Skyline GTS-t, A31 Nissan Cefiro, C33 Nissan Laurel, S13 Nissan Silvia, R34 Nissan Skyline in the build

Dream Car: Something flash so no one calls me a boy racer Build time: 10 months

Length of ownership: 15 months

Thanks to: Justin and Shamus for all the long hours re-assembling the car, Ian Sheppard for all the fabrication & the roll cage, Henry & the team @ Autolign (Tein), Steve @ Racepro, Paul @ FBI Performance, Brent Curran @ CBR, Oliver @ Frantik (Masterpower), Frank & crew @ Republic Apparel, Mark @ Tricky Tune, Leon @ Znoelli, Steve @ Steve Sole Customs, Grant @ Midas Onehunga, Brent @ Silverfern imports, Kumho tyres, Resene, Castrol Edge, Import X, Aaron and all other part-time pit crew, my brother-in-law Troy Bentley for all his solid effort and support, finally my parents Eddie & Trudi Wharerau and my stunning partner Alicia. Thank you everyone for making my dream a reality.

Words: Peter Kelly Photos: Quinn Hamill