Speedhunters, are you ready to be rocked? Matt Field is back and bigger than ever for the 2010 Formula Drift season! After months of intense work, fueled by protein shakes and maybe a little Sudoku on the side, Matt is unleashing his upgraded Nissan S14, and it’s designed to blow your minds.
This year marks a monumental shift for Matt as he steps into the full Formula D season as a Team Need for Speed driver, rolling on Nitto tires. It’s a significant leap from his grassroots beginnings, and he’s overflowing with gratitude for the support from Need for Speed and Nitto. And guess what? He believes you should be stoked too, because this means he’s about to bring an even more intense and frequent dose of high-octane drifting action your way. Beyond Formula D, you can still catch him tearing it up at All Star Bash and other grassroots events, keeping it real and connected to his roots.
Nissan S14 with new livery parked in a garage
First things first, let’s talk about the visual transformation – the 2010 livery.
Side view of the Nissan S14 drift car showcasing the Need for Speed livery
This isn’t just a minor tweak; it’s a full-blown visual overhaul. Matt wanted something that screamed excitement for the new season, something that truly embodied the Need for Speed spirit, but with his signature rock and roll edge. The result? A livery that’s as fierce as a wild animal ready to pounce, or a rockstar commanding a stadium stage. What do you think?
Front three-quarter view of the Nissan S14 highlighting the aggressive stance and Need for Speed branding
But the changes aren’t just skin deep. Last season, Matt candidly admits his car was lagging behind in the horsepower department, a real handicap in the fiercely competitive Formula D arena. Fear not, because while he’s sticking with the reliable KA24DE engine, it’s been given a serious shot of adrenaline.
Under the hood, you’ll find a performance parts list that reads like a drift enthusiast’s wishlist: a Jim Wolf Technology rod/piston setup, prototype Jim Wolf C78 cams, a JSP turbo manifold, Part Shop MAX piping, and a GT3071 turbo with larger housings for increased airflow. To handle the power, the car now boasts an OS Giken 1st-3rd gear set and a twin-plate clutch, all tied together with a Jordan Innovations wiring harness. The engine build was masterfully executed by Big Tom (Tommy Roberts’ dad), and Matt emphasizes, “it rocks.” They’ve cranked this motor up to eleven, and as Matt jokingly adds, “Girls love it.”
Engine dyno chart showing horsepower at the hubs for the upgraded KA24DE engine
P.S. That dyno chart is wheel horsepower, not flywheel, despite what it says! Tuning magic courtesy of Jim Wolf Technology.
Now that you’re caught up on the major upgrades, let’s dive into the build process with some behind-the-scenes photos. Apologies for the photo quality – Matt humbly admits he’s no Linhbergh!
“Here’s my front end all unbolted and with the motor out. This was after a big crash at FD team drift last year – part of my commitment to keep this chassis going strong. There’s nothing like stacking extensions and wrenching on your car while practically standing next to it, maybe even sipping a smoothie at the same time.”
“…and this is my motor right before I put it in, looking clean. My car looks great without the fender huh? This dent used to be called “thor.””
“One time at all star bash my floor got so hot from the exhaust, that the bathroom rug I had for a floor mat caught on fire! Lesson learned – heat shielding is now a priority.”
“I made this gauge cluster at JSP, then my tach goes in the stock location still.”
“Here’s the front end more together and my messy garage.”
“Here is a shot of my old wiring harness. What a nightmare! And this is the new wiring harness from Jordan Innovations. Circuit breakers instead of fuses are a major upgrade. I even had him wire up the fuel pump and ignition separately so I could label them “sex,” “drugs,” and the starter “rock and roll” – gotta get in the zone before hitting the track, haha.”
“I got some new rear fenders: BN sports! The rest of the car is DMAX.”
JSP exhaust manifold, a key engine component for the Nissan S14
“I’m really excited about my new exhaust manifold from JSP. This is John Russakoff’s shop. He is also one of my favorite FD drivers.”
“This is my wastegate dump tube. Yes, it is a megaphone haha. Basically whenever I do anything on my car, I try to consider what is going to rock you the hardest, and this is what I came up with. Instead of asking “is this too much?” I now judge myself according to “Is this enough?” I’ve never seen anyone use a megaphone like this before. I also have one on the exhaust.”
“Here is the piping all made up from Part Shop MAX and a pic of the engine bay complete… gauge panel and ebrake stuff.”
“Same Gram Lights as last year, but now 18’s for the rear! I changed to these wheels from the lipped VSXX last year right before Irwindale. I gave up a lot of lip, stretch, and good fitment for these but overall these have way more impact.”
“Also had some issues with my spline type lug nuts last year, so I got some new ones. This is Clark from JWT tuning my car. I love that he has to cover his ears up now while tuning my car.”
“These are some photos from my first test day. My friend/main pit crew guy Max, getting super jacked on an energy drink. We had a lot of these this weekend.”
“Me, probably sitting in LA traffic.”
“These are my gloves. The left one is actually JTP’s glove, and I wear it because he is my favorite drifter and I want to drive more like him.”
Matt Field leaning against his Nissan S14 drift car after testing
“Set up at the track… at Willow Springs oval. Kinda cool photo where you can really see the layout of HTM in the background. Some pictures from balcony: Love the Nitto NT05 smoke! Great first day…”
So, there you have it – a glimpse into Matt’s world over the past month. He’ll be bringing you regular updates on Speedhunters and his own website, driftparty.com (go check it out!). The excitement is building for Formula D Round 1 at Long Beach. Will we see you there?
Matt.
