The Legend of Fortune: Exploring the VeilSide RX-7 FD3S Body Kit
The Legend of Fortune: Exploring the VeilSide RX-7 FD3S Body Kit
The Mazda RX-7 FD3S is a JDM icon, celebrated for its sleek lines, rotary engine, and perfect balance. However, when the legendary Japanese tuner VeilSide got their hands on it, they didn't just enhance the car—they completely redefined it. The VeilSide Fortune wide-body kit didn't just modify the RX-7; it transformed it into a muscular, almost extraterrestrial machine that captured the imagination of tuners worldwide. This article delves into the background of one of the most polarizing and famous body kits ever created.
The Birth of a Wide-Body Icon
VeilSide, founded by Hironao Yokomaku, established itself in the 1990s by creating extravagant aerodynamic components. The Fortune kit for the third-generation RX-7 debuted in the early 2000s, pushing the boundaries of automotive aesthetics. The goal was simple yet audacious: turn the lightweight, subtle FD3S chassis into a true GT racer with extreme presence.
The design philosophy jettisoned nearly every original body panel, replacing them with components that dramatically widened the fenders, reshaped the bonnet, and introduced aggressive, low-slung bumpers. Most distinctively, the kit replaced the signature retractable pop-up headlights with fixed, teardrop-shaped units, giving the car an entirely new, predatory look. This wasn't merely styling; it was an extreme performance statement, often requiring significant modification to the underlying structure to achieve perfect fitment.
Hollywood Stardom and Cultural Immortality
While the kit was already well-known in tuning circles, its true global fame was cemented by its starring role in the 2006 film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Driven by the character Han Lue, the highly recognizable orange and black VeilSide Fortune RX-7 became the visual centerpiece of the movie's drift sequences.
This exposure catapulted the Fortune kit into legend, establishing it as the aspirational dream build for a generation of car enthusiasts. The kit’s aggressive lines perfectly captured the rebellious spirit and excess of the mid-2000s JDM tuning scene, making it instantly synonymous with speed, style, and exclusivity.
The Value of Authenticity
Installing the Fortune kit is not for the faint of heart or the thin of wallet. A genuine VeilSide kit is constructed from high-quality materials (often FRP or carbon fiber) and comes with a hefty price tag, reflecting the craftsmanship and exclusivity. Due to the kit’s immense popularity, countless replicas have flooded the market. However, only the authentic VeilSide version carries the prestige, engineering integrity, and perfect panel gaps that serious collectors demand.
The VeilSide RX-7 Fortune remains one of the most recognizable and enduring custom cars in history, a testament to bold Japanese design that dared to completely reimagine a classic masterpiece.
