It always brings a smile to my face when a VIP car from Japan drops in my inbox. It really brightens my day. I love VIP cars and I love Japan, so I really love seeing VIP cars from Japan, haha. There’s just something about seeing a VIP car from the motherland that makes me take a step back and look at the scene in the big picture, and realize that Japan is still ages ahead of the US. Don’t get me wrong, the US scene is very strong right now, but the guys and gals in Japan just take it to another level. Let’s demonstrate with this UCF30 from First Class Japan.
What appears to be a rather simple UCF30 Celsior is anything but. The subtleness and intricacies hidden in the car are what Japan does best, and what puts them a step above the US. The craftsmanship flows so well, you could mistake some things for OEM, like the fender radius. The execution of this car is top notch, and the big reason behind why we wanted to share it with you.
We’ll start on the outside and work our way in. After all, presence is what VIP is about, and it all starts on the exterior. This lovely UCF30 has a mixture of Aimgain and Vlene pieces that comprise the bodykit. The front bumper is a Aimgain JUN VIP, while the side-skirts and rear bumper are Vlene Existence. The fenders and quarter panels were radiused slightly as well as widened to allow for a lower ride height and some deep-dish wheels. The factory hood was shaved of its washer nozzles, and a custom trunk spoiler was welded in along with a subtle body-line that works its way into the factory line along the side. Details and execution people.
To get this Celsior planted to the ground, First Class turned to the suspension gurus over at T-Demand. T-Demand is the cream of the crop when it comes to suspension components, in my opinion, and it’s no surprise to find a host of their parts on Fujiki-san’s Celsior. This car is much more than just some coilovers and arms though. When you want to go this low and keep it static, you gotta put in a little bit more work.
To get the car this low, a set of custom-spec T-Demand coilovers were installed along with custom short-knuckles to lower the car further. Once the guys at First Class determined where they wanted the car to sit, the real work began. First, the engine, transmission, and differential were raised up to provide more clearance. Along with raising the engine and transmission, both front and rear sub-frames were sectioned and raised as well. After that, the crew relocated the fuel tank along with the fuel lines and brake lines that run along the bottom of the car. Pretty much anything important to the functioning of the car got raised or relocated. This is how you really slam a car.
With the hard work done, it was time to fine-tune the suspension. To go with the T-Demand coilovers and custom short-knuckles, the team at First Class installed a combination of arms in the front and rear. Up front, a matching set of T-Demand lower arms and tie-rod ends assist with front end adjustments, while out back sees the catalog of Megan Racing components including rear upper arms, rear lower arms, tension rods, and toe rods.
All that suspension work and fine-tuning wouldn’t mean a whole lot without a killer set of wheels sitting under those widened and radius’d fenders. Now, I’m an absolute sucker for fat, dish-faced wheels, and these new Work Lanvec LD1s have me feeling some type of way. They look absolutely killer on Fujiki-san’s Celsior. Measuring up at 19×10 -21 up front and 19×12 -46 in the rear, and wrapped in Nankang rubber, these babies get up close and personal with the fenders, and get the SN seal of fitment approval.
Honestly, it was refreshing to see a car like this in my inbox, and really serves as some inspiration for me. I’ve been eyeing up UCF30s as potential projects since I got rid of my UCF20 and my Y33 is pretty much done. The UCF30 was my first love when it came to VIP platform cars, and this car really rekindled that flame. Major props to First Class Japan and Takahiro Fujiki for a job well done. The car is absolutely stunning. Till next time.
