editorial - S3 Magazine

ISSUE 27 // 2013
C O N TENTS
78
86
94
FEATURES
18
24
40
48
56
64
70
MOOSE
The Gold Standard
NURSE SHARK
WEDGIE
STAY WANGY
THE CLAP
SOUL INTACT
94 IA SPRING MEET
110 PROJECT MK6
30
YOU CAN’T
HANDLE
THE
BOOST
PHOTO BY
mattHEW JONES
Take the guess work out of suspension tuning with ST Sport Suspension kits.
Complete packages professionally designed to meet the demands of both
the enthusiast and the road with a ride quality that doesn’t compromise
performance handling and grip. Constructed from high grade steel and
galvanized for superior rust protection, ST demonstrates that is precision
tuned for the ride of your life.
To locate a dealer near you, call 800.445.3767 or visit online
www.stsuspensions.com
©2013 KW automotive North America, Inc. All rights reserved
E D I T O R I AL
EDITORIAL
Every time you
make a purchase,
you are casting
a vote on how
you want this
world to be.
People say the American dream is dead. I don’t agree
that it’s dead yet… but I do agree that it’s been left
for dead. And that’s a reality because, over the last
few generations, we have lost & forgotten what the
American dream is all about. Or any dream for that
matter. We need to all collectively get back to our
roots, and figure out what matters… or else our own
future, and the future we create for our kids is going
to lose a lot of color & possibility. And that’s real talk;
it’s not a science-fiction movie. But it’s not all doom &
gloom either… because we can turn this into a positive thing, and we can do it quickly and easily. We just
have to open our eyes to the big picture of what’s really going on… and we have to be willing to stand for
something more than just a paycheck.
Because listen - it’s not just about how many dollars
we can make & stash… with no f*cks given about
who we run over along the way. We need to take a
real hard look at ourselves when it comes to that. It’s
not just about profit margins, or finding the cheapest
cost – at all cost. It’s not about manufacturing overseas. These are the ideals that are killing the American
Dream. And yeah - as enthusiast consumers in the
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ISSUE 27 :: 2013
import culture, we should be willing to support anyone
with talent & creativity on this planet over any sea,
regardless of imaginary boarders & boundaries. The
American dream is not limited to America. But these
days, factories abroad are straight knock-off artists.
They have perfected it; and it’s a disease. They look at
what the rest of the world creates through ingenuity,
passion, education, and competition. And if it’s successful, they ruthlessly copy it… using inferior materials, no imagination, and abused employees. They
rip-off, and then undersell the visionaries.
But what if we gave up accountability all together…
and we ALL followed the knock-off path to success…
and everyone quit giving a shit. What if we ALL became copy-cats… thus giving the copy-cats nothing
to ‘copy’ anymore? The short answer is: we would all
collectively fail to progress in our passions. Nothing
new would ever come out. Nothing would ever evolve,
or get better, or cut an edge. We’d all just be looking
to somebody else for the ‘next big thing’… rather than
manning-up to create it ourselves. Hope you don’t
care about taking your car to the next level – because
it would be a 2013 catalog of knock-offs forever –
schweeet! So how long do you think it would be before
you just quit and didn’t mess with cars at all anymore?
How long before the lifestyle died out? And there’d be
no need to look for entertainment anywhere else, because all enthusiast-powered industries would be going through the same decay. Visionaries & enthusiasts
fuel progression. And progression fuels & fulfills the
human spirit. Without it, we may as well all just eat
oatmeal for breakfast, saltines for lunch, and bread for
dinner – everyday, for the rest of our lives.
It’s not about how big & rich we can become, even
though everything you see & hear in pop culture is
totally opposite to that. And I know it get’s hard to
hold onto your roots… when your entire environment
is completely fixated on flaunting money as success.
But that’s Tom Foolery. Learn to be aware of when
your environment is misguiding or fooling you. Just
because something is popular or ‘said a lot’… doesn’t
make it right. Money is not the success. Passion and
progression is where you will start to find real success.
Success lies in The Higher Cause: are you pumping
somebody’s gas… or are you getting somebody home
to see their children. And money will hopefully follow
passion, progression, and a higher cause. But money
without it - is empty. Not worthless – but empty. And
that’s where our breakdown is happening in this day
& age. People don’t have a cause, aside from ‘the
money’.
The American Dream, ANY dream, is about following your passion, and chasing down your heart’s
intent – pure & simple. It’s about finding identity &
individuality in what you do. Progressing your niche,
your culture, your community, yourself. They call it a
‘dream’… because it’s supposed to mean something.
And the task is to figure out exactly what the dream
means for you. Contrary to what people with money
will try n’ make you believe, the fact is: money is NOT
power. Motivation IS power. Remember that. And
if your only motivation is money… then yeah - your
American dream is probably flat-lining. And money
alone will never save it.
We are truly blessed to live in a society where money
& security can come from just ‘hard-work’. Think
about how simple, and elemental that is for a second… and how fortunate we are compared to other
parts of the world. You can go out and get a second
job valeting cars or waiting tables TONIGHT… and
you’ll automatically/instantly be waaaay richer than
the vast majority of most of the people in this world.
Worldly speaking, if you have a stock EF Civic, and
you’re reading this mag – you’re rich as f*ck. You’re
gonna be fine. So why do we continue to obsess over
money so much? We need to obsess over the gift
that we’ve been given, and turn our attention to doing
something real and meaningful with our lives/careers.
We need to turn that gift into motivation. The rest will
come naturally. We are blessed to be in this position,
and we ought not to waste it focusing only on getting
more of what we already have so much of.
When you support S3 Magazine and/or Still Hood…
you’re supporting fellow enthusiasts, dreamers, creators, and craftsmen in your community. You’re supporting a certain type of culture, and a certain way of
thinking. We are a people who won’t sell out when it
comes to profit, and who will never sell out when it
comes to culture & identity. And we thank you for your
support. But just as important, we hope that these
products & editorials forward YOU inspiration… and
cause YOU to dream. And go your own route to pursue those dreams valiantly… knowing that YOU also
have a voice in this world. And there are people, like
us, who are here to listen & back you. The American
Dream is only dead if we let it be dead. And the American dream only lives if we all consciously support it
in everything we do.
“Every time you make a purchase, you are casting a
vote on how you want this world to be.” -Anonymous
EDITORIAL/DESIGN
Editor Jonathan Wooley
[email protected]
JONATHAN WOOLEY
EDITOR // [email protected]
Art Director Cody Wellons
[email protected]
Assistant Editors Gregg Bucell
[email protected]
Joe Coville
[email protected]
Ross Huber
[email protected]
Yousef Alvi
[email protected]
Graphic Designers Alexander Grant
Guy Haynie
Simon Ly
Contributors
AJ Gillett
Aleksey Royt
Brady Lankford
Jeff Le
Josh Kelderman
Josh Wilson
Matt Best
Matthew Jones
Rutledge Wood
Ty Cobb
ADVERTISING /SALES
Director of Advertising Mike Sanders
[email protected]
S3 MAGAZINE
P.O. Box 1536 • Loganville, GA 30052
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S3 Magazine (ISSN 1543-1428) is published quarterly by
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Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part
without prior written permission is prohibited. Step and Get Dealt With.
EDITORIAL
E D I T O R I AL
WHAT ARE YOU
WAITING FOR?
So what exactly are you waiting for? 20 years?
Is that how long it’s going to take for something
to be cool the 2nd time? When the 1964 & ½
Ford Mustang came out, it didn’t take until 1984
for people to realize it was a cool and innovative
car. Yet, here in our hobby, we’re still enamored
with cars that have been long forgotten by the
company that manufactured them. And why? Is
it because we like the thrill of the hunt in trying
to find an S13 240sx that hasn’t been completely trashed? Maybe. Is it that we believe in
our hearts that some old man still daily drives
his ’91 Civic Si hatch and he’s going to sell it for
$700 in perfect shape? Possibly.
But why? The new Civic Si that’s sitting at a
dealership near you looks better and drives circles around the old ones… and they’re willing to make you a deal on one. Plus,
and this is a big plus, people (specifically females) would actually want to be
seen in your new K-powered Civic Si… whereas they’re not exactly lining up to
ride in your half primered, no A/C hatch that’s still rocking the single cam. Am
I wrong?
What about how wild we are over Nissan 240’s? Have you ever stopped and really thought about it? Nissan took a killer car that they made in Japan (the Silvia,
180SX)… stripped out most of the cool stuff (The head’s up display was cool)…
stuck a truck engine in it… and then tried to convince us it was a true sports
car… all the while knowing it wasn’t. And how many of us look at them online
all the time? If I had a nickel for every SR20 swapped 240sx I’ve seen online
that didn’t have the correct power steering and AC lines, I’d be a wealthy man.
Let’s think about the FD RX-7. It’s a monumentally cool car. And if you’re a great
mechanic with lots of time on your hands, it’s the perfect car for Dr. Wankel’s
legacy to live on. OR - like everyone else with one, you can ditch the rotary heritage for either a Chevy LS powerplant (Yeah C’mon!) or even the uber popular
Toyota 2jzGTE swap. It’s a great way to drop 20 grand on a car that you have
insured for $8,000… so don’t drive it anywhere because it could get stolen.
And you know what’s crazy about all this? For the money we end up sinking into
to these old sports cars – from constant maintenance, to paint, to over fenders,
to suspension, to ridiculously wide wheels that don’t really fit (I’m talking to you
Gregg), we’d probably have enough to just go buy a nice car. Ahem, like the
Scion FR-S, or even the Ford Focus ST and the soon to be coming to the U.S.
Ford Fiesta ST. Or the Volkswagen GTI (Wooley)
I’ve said in my column before what a great car the FR-S is, and now that I won
the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race piloting one, I hope you’ll believe me. It’s one of
my favorite cars I’ve driven… and it’s a car I’m actively trying to get for myself.
And - I believe it’s one of the best cars geared toward automotive enthusiasts
in years. Iconic – like the 1964 and ½ Mustang. You know how we all love the
AE-86 Corollas? Guess what… it grew up, went to college, and it came home
hot as hell and it wants to take you out for dinner. It’s called the FR-S. Now, get
off your lazy ass and go test drive one at a dealership. If you don’t… then don’t
wonder why in a few years we’re not going to get fun cars like this to drive…
and instead you’ll be looking to a car made 20 years ago that’s far cooler now
than when it was first released here.
How about the Focus ST? That’s a killer car for the money… and a global platform, which means parts aren’t going to be super expensive and hard to find.
Have you sat inside a new Focus? They have stepped their game WAY up from
any Focus you’ve known in the past. My pint sized co-host Tanner Foust flings
his 600+hp Fiesta ST around the Global Rally Cross series every week. He’s one
of the best drivers I’ve ever seen in my life - and he loves that thing. Guess what
else he loves? His daily Focus ST. He hooked up with Crawford Performance to
make his ST even more fun… and even has some special edition Tanner Foust
Edition parts on the market. Maybe I should do that with ’83 Honda Civic Wagons? Wait, no… that defeats the point of what I’m trying to say here.
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ISSUE 27 :: 2013
Look - I’m not knocking anyone for loving the cars that they love or building
the cars that we do, but I AM wishing I could help paint a big-picture for this
segment of the auto industry. Right now, automakers are giving us some cool
cars… they’re testing the waters to see if enthusiasts are really willing to put
their money where their mouth is. And if we don’t support them, I’m afraid I’ll
have to go back to trying to find a 240 that doesn’t have a massive dent in the
rear quarter panel, or finding an AE86 that still has a full interior, original LSD and
the owner is asking less than $6,000.
Oh, and if you beat me to the punch and buy an FR-S before I do, you should
know I’m confident that it will drive circles around your old ass, half finished,
truck motor powered 240. Stock, no less. And as cool as I think they look right
now, I’m not going to cut up a brand new FR-S to put a Rocket Bunny kit on,
despite its obvious hotness… because let’s be honest, that’s not going to look
cool forever. If you doubt it, go check the jeans that AC Slater (Mario Lopez) used
to wear on Saved By the Bell. Are those still cool 20 years later? Nope. But EF
hatch’s still are!
RUTLEDGE WOOD
S3 CONTRIBUTOR
EVERY ARTIST WAS
ONCE AN AMATEUR
This saying has been stuck in my head every since I heard it, and it’s been
making me think a lot about how it relates to our scene. I have been in this
industry for over half my life now (scary thought), and I don’t think I have ever
meet anyone who just bought a car and instantly & miraculously turned it into a
magazine cover car or the fastest car at the track. And for those few guys out
there that did, congrats, but I guarantee they had some help and great advice
along the way. See - our scene has gotten so caught up in what’s cool online
and what the reaction of the forums is going to be, that we have lost sight of
that fact that we all started somewhere - usually at the bottom. And that’s not
all bad; because there is a ton of fun to be had at ‘the bottom’ when you’re
just starting out.
I will be the first to admit that there have been a ton of styles over the years
that I have absolutely hated. But that didn’t give me the right to tell these guys
that I hated their car, or wheels, etc… because they were just doing their thing
like I was doing mine… and we both had an infection for this lifestyle. As car
enthusiasts, we are supposed to be a community - a brotherhood if you will.
We are supposed to look out for each other, encourage each other, and help
keep this scene alive. Do you think Grampa, who has been into hot rods his
whole life, is going up to guys at hot rod shows telling them that their wheels
suck? Haha - probably not. He’s realized that life is full of ‘better things
to do’. And I have been to Hot Rod and Japanese CLASSIC shows around
the country… and have never once heard anything negative from these guys.
They understand - that even if their style is different
from the
guy parked next to ‘em… at the end of the day
they’re all enthusiasts. That’s how their scenes
have stuck around so long… and so many people
have stuck IN it for a lifetime. Bottom line – it’s
time for a lot of us to grow up and chill out. Do
some soul searching. It’s time for us to see beauty & personality in ALL of our differences. Cars
represent the owners. Unless you’re a leftover
Nazi… you should be appreciating & celebrating
all the different creative styles that people come
up with year after year. Honestly – it’s amazing!
So many different walks of life, enamored with
continued on PAGE 10
EDITORIAL
E D I T O R I AL
THE redbox
theory meets
the life of print
Ok, who here actually loves using Redbox? You
know, the little movie kiosks that you can find in
most grocery stores?? Hands… anyone? Yeah that’s kind of what I thought. I’ll admit it; I was
pretty pumped about Red Box when it first came
out. It was supposed to make movie renting more
convenient and more cost effective. But what
happened?
To be fair – let’s look at the positives first. First of
all it’s super cheap. Only $1 per movie! You can’t
beat that! Next, there are locations everywhere!
No doubt. There are way more movie kiosks than
there were ever actual movie stores. But that’s
pretty much where all the fun ends. The rest of it was good in theory, but it’s kind
of flopping when put into real life.
One big problem - they are always out of the new releases. Most of the time,
that’s exactly what I want to see! So now, my only option is to go home and order
it from On Demand. That kind of kills the whole cost-aspect of it. Then there are
the lines. Granted, not that big of an issue, but it is pretty tedious to watch the 3
people in front of me slowly scroll through their choices. Next is ‘the glitch’. Maybe
it’s because I live in hot-ass Georgia, but the heat seems to really give these kiosks
problems. I have visited them countless times, only to be turned away because the
screen was frozen. Not only that – but on the reverse side of the problem, I have
driven to a box to RETURN a movie from the previous night, and the damn screen is
frozen… leaving me with no way to return the movie… other than driving to another location somewhere else and hoping for the best. Also – I’ve been there before
looking at a frozen screen, standing next to someone who ordered & reserved their
movie online, had already been charged for it… and now doesn’t have any way to
get it out of the box. This is what happens when you replace people with machines.
You are completely at the mercy of technology. There is no reasoning, compassion,
or customer service. The final problem is the one that really hits home for me and
kind of puts this whole thing into perspective. That is the absolute lack of selection.
It is so piss poor… that it’s normally not worth going past the first 3 pages. Back in
the good old days of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, we had more selection than
ever! Rows and rows of movies, video games, and any TV show you could think of.
If someone at lunch told you that you were Un-American because you hadn’t ever
seen Ferris Buller’s Day Off… you could go rent it that night. Hell – you could even
make a pretty good impromptu date-night out of it. This is what made movie stores
so great. It was an experience; an event. It was a staple in American pop-culture.
My point is - that we HAD a great product. It was a grand solution to a simple need.
But that was the American spirit. It was almost so grand, that it became a little adventure. And most of us look back on it with nostalgic, fond memories. Now it’s all
gone. We forced these glorious places out of business because we, as consumers,
are stingy… and they, as corporations, are greedy… and we all thought that we
had found the next great replacement. Instead - what did we end up with? These
f***ing kiosks that make me want to punch babies… and no more movie stores to
come running back to. We now have a much worse product than what we originally
started off with… and really have no choice but to accept it. Finally - don’t be surprised when we see the cost of these Red Box movies rising – now that they have
cornered the market. It all kind of sucks if you ask me.
And the reason I bring any of this up - is because I’ve been seeing this type of
thinking make its way into the print industry. “Print’s dead!” (…says the guy who
hasn’t been featured in print) Do you really think print is dead? Do you want it to
be dead? If so – be careful what you wish for. And before you go making all those
wishes, be careful to consider the long-term effects. An enthusiast print magazine,
much like an old fashioned video store, is an experience. It puts you in a world that
no blog or website can take you to. It is an escape. It is captivating. You sink into
the vibe of a good magazine… and everything else goes away. It influences you,
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ISSUE 27 :: 2013
and simultaneously, it inspires you. A good enthusiast magazine (no matter what
niche) has credibility… and it has credibility because there was a real productionprocess in order to get it into your hands. People/enthusiasts had a passion and
a vision. They created a magazine to voice that passion to others… to find likeminded people, and rally-up a movement. They preached their passion, sought out
subscribers, and sought out specific advertisers to help them get the message to
the people. They deliberated their words as a team, and wrote them down carefully.
They sought out material that fit the vision. They sought out photographers & designers to make the material come to life. They found a printing company, and put
‘em to work printing tens of thousands of copies. Then they shipped the magazine
to every last subscriber, and sent them to newsstands & shops across the country
– helping the newsstand’s business, and the post office’s business along the way.
So that’s the difference between print and digital. By the time your print magazine
gets to you – it’s already had an adventure. Print is an old war flag. That’s why
print seems to be a natural freeing experience for your mind… while digital has to
try and scrap to keep your attention from all the distraction.
So, let’s try to remember the lesson that we have learned from the movie-rental
industry. Cheaper & easier does not necessarily mean better. And – if print dies
- the online mags/blogs are gonna have free reign to charge both consumers & advertisers however they wish… because there will be no leader and no competition
setting the standard. I promise - it will end up affecting a much larger part of our
industry/culture than just print. Think Red Box.
So please –everyone remember to slow down and enjoy what we have. Enjoy ALL
your high quality products that countless companies out there bust their asses to
create for you. Be appreciative of what these people bring to your life, your hobby,
and your inspiration.
MIKE SANDERS
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
continued FROM PAGE 8
the same chassis – the same foundation. But yet, our events & online outlets are
filled with negativity. I mean - why would ANYONE post in a ‘for sale’ thread that
that owner should get new wheels? Ummm he is selling his car. If you don’t like
the wheels, buy a different car… or buy the car and change the wheels. But don’t
waste your breath, his time/efforts, tarnish his thread publically, and possibly ruin
his sale. Despite what all the t-shirts or stickers say… no one actually ‘hearts
a hater’. No one. It’s like that old saying we grew up hearing and seem to have
forgotten, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Are
parents even preaching that anymore?? Or are today’s parents just telling their
kids, “If you don’t have anything nice to say… just go online and say it to somebody who doesn’t matter.” Cause that seems more believable.
Since when did guys and girls in our scene get so opinionated about what everyone else should be doing… instead of focusing on their own cars?! This must
be the ‘Reality TV’ generation at work. They seem to think that their opinion has
value. And they live their life by critiquing other peoples’ reality… instead of their
own. See before I built my first show car, I had a guy in town I thought had a really
nice Civic. And after meeting him & getting the cold shoulder… I decided it was
time to build something to beat him at the next show. And I did. You never know
what someone has in their garage, or what they’re building that they don’t post
online. I know a lot of guys with amazing cars… that have never even been on the
forums or Facebook pages. So before getting the misconception that the internet
is reality, and that you’re the best and you know everything - think twice. Because
there is always someone with something better & faster… and they’re coming for
you… because you were a jerk to them at one point haha.
Josh Kelderman
S3 CONTRIBUTOR
Performance. Handling. Stability.
Since 1982 Tanabe has been developing high quality parts in Japan, designed for the automotive enthusiast.
Tanabe continues to strive to be the leader in the never-ending battle between man and machine.
exhaust
suspension
Street & Track Tune
Performance and Elegance for the Street
Maximum Drop
Lightweight Motorsports
Design for Enthusiasts
chassis
Full Flow for Max Turbo Power
*Downpipe is Included
Reinforced for Increased Rigidity
1849 Western Way Torrance, Ca 90501
Comfortable Feeling 40 Way Dampening for
Uncompromised Full
Suspension Tuning
Handling Balance
Sport Comfort
Balanced Artform for Improved Cornering
Prevents Unwanted Chassis Flex
www.Tanabe-USA.com
S **T
YOU
S H O U LD B U Y
SYSB
Wilwood Brakes
240SX 4-PISTON CALIPER SYSTEM
Wilwood has introduced a new 4-piston front caliper system for you 240 owners – to outperform,
and out-style the standard Z32 upgrade. As long as you are running 5 lug, then you can partake
in the high-strength Forged Billet aluminum braking system that is part of their renown SuperLite
series! It comes with 12.9” front rotors in your choice of drilled/slotted or just slotted… and comes
with anodized black rotor hats, and stainless line replacements. For more info contact Wilwood at
www.wilwood.com.
JGY
350Z Test Pipes
Our friends at JGY have just released their new test pipes for the 350Z! It’s from their Kanji
line and if you’re familiar with JGY you know that their line is synonymous with quality, value,
and power! These test pipes include flexpipes, cat-delete, and they have built-in O2 bungs (for
dyno)… all for $159! For more details: www.jgycustoms.com.
tanabe
FRS/BRZ exhaust
Toyobaru owners/fanboys!! Tanabe has released their Medalion Concept G Catback exhaust
for the FRS & BRZ. This exhaust weighs 18 pounds less than stock! Along with the substantial
weight savings, you obviously also get far superior sound, performance, and visual appeal. …And
a little bit of that Tanabe pedigree. It comes with everything you need to make your car a monster!
www.tanabe-usa.com
chasebays
ALUMINUM COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK
Aluminum Coolant Reservoir Tank. Those words all started with a capital letter…
so that has to be good right? Well it is! It’s been redesigned from the ground up to
be more compact and better looking. Its new design makes it a breeze to install
and while it’s small don’t be fooled, this baby can hold up to 14 ounces of fluid! For
more details go to www.chasebays.com.
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ISSUE 27 :: 2013
S **T
YOU
SYSB
S H O U LD B U Y
Eeffect Apparel
HONDA LICENSED APPAREL
I know some of you guys out there are familiar with Eeffect Apparel. These guys have been
supporting this culture for years and it’s awesome to see how they have grown and come into
their own. This is some exciting news…THEY’RE OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY HONDA NOW!!!
That means some fantastic looking clothing and accessories are out there for the Honda
aficionado in all of us! Go check out their site at www.eeffectapparel.com
Sylvania
Headlights and LED BAR
Headlight: If your car is older and doesn’t have projectors or HIDs... and you want to keep the
integrity of the original headlight and not retro-fit with projectors/HIDs - give these a try. They
create a clean/crisp beam of light, with an output that is brighter, clearer, whiter and better than
OEM. It gives the car an updated/modern look... without looking cheesy & cheap like the eBay
free-shipping special.
LED light bar: These are cool, because they’re easy to hide, yet they put out a TON of daytime
light and can be seen practically from space – making you highly visible to stupid people about
to pull out in front of you. And Johnny Law (stay sharp). But more importantly – stupid people
about to pull out in front of you. www.sylvania.com/auto
TOYO
PROXES T1 SPORT
Is your ling-long/wang-chung/moo-goo-gai-pan tire you cheaped out on finally
giving you second thoughts? Are you attempting to take a 20mph corner and
you hear your tire howling from misery? Did you just hydroplane out of control
on a hot summer day because it just too humid? You might want to invest some
money in a good set of tires. Because a good set of tires, can actually save your
whole car. Toyo has your back with the Proxes T1 Sport! We’re running it on our
new MKVI GTI project car and the tire is outstanding! It’s an UHP summer tire
that comes with a 20,000 mile treadwear warranty, which is super rare for this
type of tire. If you don’t like it you have a 45 day/500 mile trial period on top of
that! What are you waiting for? www.toyotires.com
STILL HOOD
TRUCKER HAT
No one likes the tuna here.
www.stillhood.com
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Smart is a tire designed to empower the driver.
For those who want to own the road, the Proxes 4 Plus delivers exceptional
all-season performance, plus it comes with a 50,000-mile warrant y.*
Explore our full line of Proxes UHP tires at toyotires.com/proxes.
*Among V & W-Rated tires. Mileage warranty will vary by tire type and fitment, and is subject to exclusions.
For complete details, visit toyotires.com. ©2013 Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
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STORY : JONATHAN WOOLEY
PHOTOS : TY COBB
DESIGN : GUY HAYNIE
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As import enthusiasts, there’s a common tendency
to complain about the lack of new prospect-cars
on the market today. I can definitely lump myself
in with this category of people. But maybe - just
maybe, the problem is not with the new cars on
the market today… maybe it’s how we, as tuners,
look (or FAIL to look) at the new cars on the market
today. Lately I’ve been coming to that conclusion.
Because a truth is - we are still passionately loyal
& committed to manufacturers like Honda, for cars
that they built 10-25 years ago… but do NOT build
anymore. Do they really still deserve that loyalty? I
don’t know - that’s an open ended question. But has
time proven them to be loyal to us, the enthusiasts?
The answer is a very sobering – no.
It would be elementary, obvious, & probably bitter
for me to list the great Japanese cars that have
been killed-off over the last 15 years… and we
don’t even need to go that route in this article,
because it will lose focus. And we will always buy/
love/mod those imports of yesteryear because they
all mean so much to us. But what happens when
it becomes a requirement to buy/build something
newer as well? My opinion is - we shouldn’t get the
past twisted for the present. We shouldn’t distort a
manufacturer’s heritage, for their current line-up.
Heritage turns into pedigree if you build on it (see
the Mk2 GTI article). On the other hand, heritage is
nothing more than history if you lose your way. I am
personally loyal to Honda… for what they did in the
late 80s-early 2000s. But most of those racer execs
responsible for all that awesomeness have since
moved on, and they have somehow been replaced
with keyboard-cat-loving execs with 1/8th the balls.
I don’t know that to be 100% fact, but it’s the only
conclusion that makes sense when I see what’s
available at dealerships these days. So my loyalty,
as an enthusiast, has to stop there.
I’m not going to buy a hybrid CRZ, because I love
the CRX. It’s not the same soul. And when I wear
my Eeffect Honda shirt… I’m damn sure not trying
to represent the Crosstour and the new Accord – if
you know what I mean. So maybe we don’t need
to follow the natural tendency to be a little closeminded to a car like this Mini… because it’s not
from Japan. Maybe this is the new sport-compact
we’ve been waiting for… and we just haven’t
noticed it yet, because we still have our blinders on.
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HERITAGE
INTO PED TURNS
IGREE IF
YOU BUILD ON IT.
Motorsport. Defined.
www.stackltd.com
SL27
World Class Instrumentation
© 2013 Auto Meter Products, Inc.
The standard in motorsport engineering with a storied history
of innovation and elite performance spanning over 25 years,
STACK represents the pinnacle of function and design.
Trusting your passion to anything less is simply not an option.
2012 Mini JCW Coupe
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
BMW 1.6 liter w/ twin scroll turbo
DDM Works race intake system
Getrag 6-speed manual transmission
INTERIOR
Custom leather
Custom Alcantara suede accents
EXTERIOR
Pepper white paint, w/custom painted roof & mirrors
to match
JCW Aero Kit - custom painted to match car
De-chromed accents
WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION
17” JCW black Challenge Spoke wheels
205/40/17 Yokohama S Drives
JCW Brembo brakes
Megan Racing coilovers
THANKS TO...
Cole Brothers (615) 865-4532 Custom leather seats
Extreme Window Tint (615)-573-1616
Vogley & Todd Custom Paint (615)-256-7137
Ty Cobb’s Photography
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Text:Jonathan Wooley / Photos: Aleksey Royt
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JIM LE HAS BEEN MARRIED TO
THIS CAR
FOR
A
DECADE
NOW...
AND THAT IS LONGER THAN A LOT OF REAL MARRIAGES
What were you doing 10 years ago? Where were
you in life? How old were you? Think about all
the things that have happened in your life over the
last 10 years… all the things that were so important back then, but aren’t anymore. Think of all
the things that were NOT very important back then,
but are now. Think of all the things that have come
& gone. For Jim Le, 10 years ago, he was just
starting with this FC RX7. He bought it as a running project… and he had no idea how long the
road would be. Because 10 years is a long time
to build a car. It’s longer than most people in this
country even own their car. 10 years is enough
time to drive a new car off the dealership floor, and
pretty much use it all up – if you don’t keep after it.
What I mean is: a decade has the natural tendency
to decompose a car… not re-compose it. They
say that ‘marriage’ is a public declaration of love &
devotion. Well if that’s the case, Jim Le has been
married to this car for a decade now… and that’s
longer than a lot of real marriages.
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Jim’s relationship with this particular FC began just
as the drift scene in America was starting to find
itself. 10 years ago, in America, the foundation for
drifting was being laid out. Precedents were being set. The personality of drifting was forming &
shaping. Careers were being made. It was like
settling the West. 10 years ago – anything was
possible. Today – everything is possible.
And all the while, over the last decade with all that
has happened in the import culture & drift subculture (JDM, stance, V8s, recession)… this car was
evolving. When the motor popped, Jim put it in the
garage and bought a JDM Turbo II front clip. He
wanted to use the clip not only for the motor, but
also to convert the car to right-hand-drive. And
since the RHD conversion was gonna go pretty
deep into the bones of the chassis… he used that
as a reason/excuse to strip, prep, and paint the
entire car. There’s something that happens when
you paint a car. All that time with your hands on
it… it forms a bond… a complete awareness of
every last accent line & crevasse on that car. Time
passed. There were seasons where he worked on
the car furiously. And there were seasons where
it was all but forgotten… covered up under dust
and other projects. But Jim Le always ended up
coming back around to it.
10 years is a looong time. But what it really is: Is a
testament to Jim’s character… that he never wrote
it off. He never gave up, or moved on, or lost the
interest, or got out from under it. And beyond just
him – this is a testament to ALL of our characters.
That with everything that goes on in our lives, especially at this stage of our lives… with everything
that comes and goes, and changes and grows…
so many of us stay loyal to this culture. We find
our roots here, and we find a peace here. And the
strength that we gain in this culture - makes us
stronger people outside of this culture. We’re better off for that. So just because you’ve got that
project in the garage, and you’ve been slightly
down on yourself because you haven’t touched it
in a year or two… it doesn’t mean the story is over.
It doesn’t mean that it was a bad decision, or that
you’re never gonna finish. It may just not be the
right time yet. And the story changes as soon as
you decide to change it.
1988 MAZDA RX-7
ENGINE
interior
THANKS
JDM 13B turbo motor
Right hand drive
Buddha Concepts Design
FMIC
KNIGHT SPORT gauge cluster
Style Over Comfort
HKS air filter
NARDI steering wheel
New Year chrome and polishing
KNIGTH SPORT FBCD
NRG quick release hub
Single Source
PROOF blow off valve
SPARCO bucket seats
Powered By Max
FUJITSUBO exhaust
WHEELS/SUSPENSION
Dan Snook
PANASPORTS G7 gold plated centers 18X10 front
18X11.5 rear
Team Praxis
Street port
EXTERIOR
D-MAX wide body fenders and quarter panels
FD3S Rx7 brake conversion all around
GP SPORT bodykit
POWERED BY MAX coilovers
4 stage custom paint job
JDM bumper lights
JDM tail lamps
JDM aero mirrors
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FALKEN ZIEX 215/40/18 front 245/40/18 rear
ISSUE 27 :: 2013
Larry Ramos
Everyone that risk their lives taking pictures of the
car every day I drive to and from work
My car is not a show car; it is not a race car – it’s
my daily driver.
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Text:Jonathan Wooley / Photos: MATTHEW JONES
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Allow us to introduce you
to our new lawyer.
They say that it is lawyer’s responsibility to represent you in court. Be your
council. But what kind of ‘representation’ are they really? What do they represent? They don’t represent us. We don’t live in their society. We don’t wear
suits to work like they do. We don’t check the stock market when we get into
the office. We don’t comb our hair to the side. We don’t hobnob at the country
club on the weekends. And the only reason we stop in at any dry cleaners… is
to find out which Asian dude owns the yellow hatch parked out back. So the
way we figure, having ‘that’ kind of booshie lawyer to represent us… would not
be fair representation. We’d already be lying under oath, before the gavel ever
dropped. And that’s not our style. It’s not us. Besides - how could THEY ever
‘council’ us, when they can’t even get a real-world grip on what motivates us,
moves us, or who we are? Nah – they can go elsewhere. This is our guy.
His name is Mr. Costyn – attorney at law. He graduated from the University of Georgia Law School, and
things started happening quick for Costyn. Shortly out
of college, he got picked up by a powerful & respected
law firm. And within a short time – he was making a
quarter million dollars per year. The dream = won!
Big money, big power, and big respect at a young
age… what could be better - right? This is the stuff
movie characters are made of. He had done it. He had
beaten the game. Big dick decision-maker. He was
the one… and HE was in control.
But back up back up… because the real question is
– what was the trade-off? That kind of immediate
success can be dangerous if you’re not real careful,
and it definitely comes with a price. So what was it
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costin’ him? Funny huh – that his name is Costyn…
and this was his lesson to learn. The lesson of true
Cost in life: a lot of us go through our entire lives,
and never grasp this… because we stay blinded to
what’s really going on. Our ultimate goal is to drive
a new BMW, because it makes us look richer & more
intimidating than the other people in traffic. We have
to have heaps of money stashed away in a bank, because it’s never enough. And we’re trading literally
‘the time of our lives’ to get those things. Life is time;
our time here on this earth makes up our life. It’s that
simple. So essentially, what does society’s version of
‘success’ cost you? A lot of times, it costs you your
life. You lose the valuable moments of your life, chasing what society tells you is success.
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Truth be told, sometimes I feel like I’ve done this dance
before in another life maybe, and I did it wrong. And
it ended badly. And it’s not gonna happen again – this
time. Costyn was having those visions too. On paper,
he was living a real success story… living the dream.
But who’s dream was it exactly? He felt like he was
starting to sober up to what was really going on… but
they were trying to keep him drugged and seduced
with the image and the income. He was looked up to,
admired, and respected in all the right social circles.
But he kept having feelings that he was a slave. He
owned all eyes & ears in any conversation… but his
gut told him – he was owned. The people he had
associated himself with – they now owned his life,
his income, his image, and his identity. And he was
only going deeper and deeper into the web. $250,000
per year given… sounds great. But not at the cost of
100% of everything taken. 80 hours a week. What
good is cash-flow, if it only buys you a swank condo
to sleep in for a few hours… and a nice car & nice
suits to rush back to work in? It’s a leash, that’s what.
You’re a hamster with the nicest cage and spin-wheel
in the whole neighborhood. But don’t let the glitter
blind you to the reality that you’re still in a cage.
Costyn felt the cage closing in, so he broke out. You
know why? Because he’s fucking wild – that’s why.
And that may sound dramatic in print. But remember
not to confuse ‘dramatic’ for ‘truth slapping you in the
face’. Because the truth is – that there are a lot of
people out there who just can’t wait to be domesti-
cated in life, and protected by society, and fed every
night at 6:30 before bed. (PS: When I say ‘domesticated’… I don’t mean married. Love is a totally independent thing from being sackless.) And if you don’t
stay in touch & true to the living spirit within yourself
- that will be you. The numbers grow with every generation, especially in mainland America. But some
people, at their core, will always defy the guidelines
of society. It doesn’t mean they’re dangerous; it just
means they’re wild… deeper in character, possibility,
and exploration… than socialization, and conformity.
And they’re an inspiration to all. The domesticated
breeds always seem to look upon the wild ones with
wonder & amazement… and that’s because it’s who
we ALL are at our roots - wild. It’s the way we are
supposed to be. But like I said, a lot of people are
blinded, and the initial wonder & amazement often
turns to envy, criticism and ostracism at someone
who lives their life a different way.
So here’s what happened: Costyn looked the
$250,000+ in the face, and walked away from it…
in search of something better, more meaningful, and
more real. He ditched the corporate chains, took
a huge pay cut, and opened his own law firm - to
do it on his own terms. And for that, he gets my
full respect. Because it’s truly admirable to come
from ground-level, and make your own way up. But
it’s a whole different league to take everything you
ALREADY have (that society says is ALREADY success)… question it, give it the finger, and throw it all
COSTYN FELT THE CAGE
CLOSING IN, SO HE BROKE OUT.
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away… only to try and do it again by your own rules.
Today - Costyn still works hard, but he’s not working
in the herd. There’s a big difference there. Like I said,
he’s wild. His life belongs to him, and the dude lives
it with an absolute realization & appreciation of that
fact. It literally took us 4 months and 3 countries…
just to pin him down long enough to shoot the truck.
When he arrived on location, he had to brush an assortment of knives and guns and animal hair off the
passenger seat for us to even get in it. During the
shoot, he stepped on a thorn… and the thorn was
so gnarly, that it literally went through his shoe…
and blood started oozing out his sock like a gunshot
wound. Didn’t faze him though… he just let the sock
& Georgia dirt soak it up. I guess when you’re just
getting back from Thailand… a little puncture in your
foot ain’t that big of a deal… so long as nothing’s trying to slither up it.
This guy owns two big huskies... but he never bought
a leash. He’s got a wife… but she still lives in Haiti.
It sounds like a beer commercial, but this is real. And
that’s the thing that gets me: They try and sell you
beer based on what ‘the most interesting man in the
world would drink’. But f*ck that noise; it’s just hipster
marketing. Because the most interesting man in the
world wouldn’t sit around drinking beer in a tailored
suit, gossiping about how awesome his life was. He’d
be out ramping his 1JZ 4Runner… crashing it into
courtrooms… getting people off the hook.
1988 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
ENGINE/transmission
1JZ GTE twin turbo motor - moderate boost - approx.
420 HP, 154F 23-spline 5-speed transmission with a
custom mounting plate, Custom radiator/intercooler
mount, Marlin Crawler transfer case 2x4 high, 4x4
high, 4x4 low, Custom drive shafts, Braided steel fuel
lines, Custom 3” single exhaust
EXTERIOR
Frame and body bobbed 8” in rear for better approach
angles, Frame and body stretched 3” in front to accommodate engine swap, 10,000 lb winch, Custom
welded front and rear bumpers
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INTERIOR
Mostly stripped & painted with truck bed liner, Sony
head unit, Sony door and rear speakers, Rockford
Fosgate 12” Subwoofer, 600 watt amp powering all
speakers, Sheet metal console cover to accommodate
shifter and transfer case lever
WHEELS/SUSPENSION/BRAKES
Solid front axle - Detroit locker, Detroit locker rear
axle, Upgraded disc brakes - 1” larger than stock,
Braided steel brake lines, BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain
T/A 35” tires, 15” off road steel wheels, Rancho
shocks, Relocated leaf spring brackets, 8” suspension lift
TRUST YOUR BRAKES
TRUST DBA
Designed and built in Australia
XG150 High carbon alloy iron
Innovative slot designs
Kangaroo Paw ventilation system
TSP Thermal treatment process
www.dbausa.com 866-477-7071
ACURA
AUDI
BMW
DODGE
FORD
HONDA
HYUNDAI
INFINITI
MAZDA
MITSUBISHI
NISSAN
SCION
SUBARU
TOYOTA
VOLKSWAGEN
Each Raceland product carries a two-year complete coverage warranty.
All components including shocks are covered completely for the duration of the warranty.
ISSUE 27 :: 2013
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NURSE
SHARK
ALEXANDER
GRANT
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JONATHAN
WOOLEY
ISSUE 27 :: 2013
ALEKSEY
ROYT
A lot of guys out there buy BMWs for the status.
Booshie bitch weenies.
They stretch themselves thin to afford ‘em,
and then they wear the car like a fancy
watch. And I don’t a have a lot of tolerance
for that kinda shit. It’s petty; it’s poser; it’s
foolish. And in my own opinion, that’s a sign
of an empty, shallow, selfish, misguided
life… trying desperately to impress/intimidate the people around you, and trying to
use money as muscle. I’m not with it. I see
through it. And I don’t want to be around it.
BUT…….. then you have a minority group
of guys out there who love BMW for the pedigree. True enthusiasts to the core… who
are hypnotized by the bodylines, the kidney
grills, the exhaust tones, the heritage, and
the sound of an M3 tearing down a backstraight of any given racecourse on any
given morning. Now THAT…that I can completely get down with. Own a BMW because
of what it can do physically, not for whatever
We all know that douche-bag saying,
YOU’VE GOT TO PAY TO PLAY
Well the way I see it, that saying has two interpretations.
you think it can do socially. So – which side
of the fence do you think the owner of this
M3 is on? Haha. You think he wears this
thing like a fancy watch? Or do you think
he wears this thing like a bowie knife. And
how ‘bout you? Make sure you always stay
pushing down that grounded path.
The most common interpretation is:
You’ve got to spend money to keep up.
That’s Babylon mindset creepin’
in. And if you want to try and live
your life like that – go ahead &
good luck. But I’d be willing to
bet that you’re never gonna keep
up... and you’re never gonna be
content... because there is always
going to be somebody faster than
you, with more advantages (fair &
unfair), and more resources.
The second interpretation is:
Commit to your goal.
Go all in, and pay your dues - see
it through. That payment may be
money, it may be work, it may be
sacrifices, and it may be education. Or it may be all 4 plus some.
Whatever it is – get through it,
knock ‘em down, and get there.
And when you get there – play!
If you don’t know how to play
and enjoy the fruits of your labor,
and you’re just trying to keep
up… then you’re missing what
it’s all about.
Thanks to GOD; my PARENTS; my brother ALLAN; my girlfriend JADE. MIKE MA @M2-Motoring for getting me in the scene and for all the help. FREDDY @AutoFashion USA. CHRIS and all the guys
@HorsepowerFreaks. PEDRO @Bavarian Garage. LON @HRE Wheels. ROB @Oink Fab. TOYO tires. MOTHERS detail. All the homies that supported me through the way - you all know who you are!
ENGINE
Horsepower Freaks Stage 2.5 Turbo System,
Precision T6766 Turbo, HPF Fully Built Motor,
HPF Methanol Tank, FJO Methanol Fogger &
Pump, HPF Stage 3 Fuel System, HPF Motor
Mounts, JIC CROSS SS Section 2 Exhaust,
Agency Power Muffler Ti-Tips, Rogue Engineering Oil Cap & Bimmian Oil Cap, VRS CF
Engine Cover, CF DME Cover, Ballast Cover,
Bin Cover, Clutch Masters FX850 Twin Plate
Clutch/Flywheel, Autosolutions Short Shifter
INTERIOR
Tecnocraft T2 CF/Kevlar Seats, Takata Racing Harnesses, Custom Black Suede Interior
Trim with Red Stitching, 4-Point Roll Bar w/
Removable Harness Bar, CF Ashtray Overlay,
Shifter Trim, Center Console, Harmann Gear
Shifter, LeatherZ Imola Red/Black Shift Boot,
E-Brake Boot, Bimmian E-Brake Handle and
Pedal Set, Defi & AEM Gauges, HPF Steering Column Gauge Pod, Knock Siren, Race
Mode Switch, Methanol Switch, Polished
Fire Extinguisher, Memphis Audio Components, Custom Ffiberglass Autofashion Sub
Box and Plexiglass Amp Enclosure, Wrapped
in Imola Red Leather, 15” Monitor, McIntosh
Power Meter, 3M Dinoc Vinyl Trim
WHEELS/BRAKES/SUSP.
Brembo GT 8-Piston Front Brakes, Brembo
GT 4-piston Rear Brakes, Brembo GT CrossDrilled Rotors, Custom Caliper Brackets
by Oink Fabrications, HRE C93 20x9.5 F,
20x11.5 R, Toyo Proxes T1S 235/30-20 F,
275/30-20 R, Renn Spec Stud Conversion,
Kics Neo-Chrono Lugs, JIC CROSS Competition Coilovers, Camber plates, Rear Shock
Mounts, Dixis Titanium Front Strut Tower
Bar, Eibach Front & Rear Sway Bars, Radenergie CF Rear Control Arms, HPF 8-Point
Xhassis Brace, Turner Poly-Urethane Front &
Rear control Arm Bushings
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- Parts Specialist
www.ballengines.com
premium
EVO
series
• NEW waterproof
boost sender
Place your order online
or over the phone
727-572-9011
11930 31st Court North
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
• 4 colors in 1 gauge
• 60mm (2-3/8“)
• Fully programmable
warning feature
• Plug and play wiring
• Daisy chainable
• Dimmable (6 stages)
• Peak recall
PROSPORTGAUGES.COM
[email protected]
Text:Jonathan Wooley / Photos: Aleksey Royt
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Since – what – the 50’s? Southern Cal has always
been a trendsetting spot for the automotive scene.
The birthplace of aftermarket. And it’s no different
with imports either. California guys love cars. California guys have got style. And the weather + environment support their habit 365. But this car? This car
is cool even by Cali standards. And if you’re a Cali
kid who doesn’t agree with that… then maybe you’ve
been drinking your own Kool-Aid for a little too long if
you know what I mean. You ig’nant.
Because this sh*t is sauvé! This is an ‘84 Celica. It
takes a bit of an independent mind to build a car like
this, in these days. Yeah – it’s an import. But it’s not
winning any trendy import popularity contests. No
‘prom queen’ awards. There’s no “Toyota Tuning”
magazine to celebrate it. The aftermarket support
is nil. And this ol’ Craigslist impulse-buy type-of-car
has been completely overshadowed by its comeback
kid brother – the ‘86 Corolla. But every once in a
while… somebody like Jesse James Ortiz comes
along and interprets all that empty press as an incentive, rather than a reason to pass. And thank God for
people like Jesse James; they keep me from poking
my eyes out after looking at the same 5 import chassis with the same 3 wheels issue after issue after
issue after issue.
Jesse got this car from a buddy for free. Not too
surprising – nobody wanted it. Kinda like a teenage
orphan with pubs (hmmm that joke is regretful). If it
were an AE86, it would’ve been 5 grand. But since it
was a Celica… it was just a broken piece of shit in
somebody’s driveway, and they needed it gone. So
Jesse took the car, originally with a 22re engine (the
bulletproof motor from the trucks), and had it running
smoothly within a couple of days. It kinda became his
daily driver after that. He started bringing it back to
life & spirit, and restoring the car in his garage little by
little as he continued to drive it. He fit AE86 coilovers
on the front, S13 coilovers on the rear, and fit it with
a neat set of Epsilon wheels. All the while, Jesse was
sort of conspiring to kill the 22re motor ‘accidentally’
so he could reasonably justify a swap. But the damn
thing just kept on running. Finally – after a couple
years, the motor went in a tremendous sputter of
glory. So he pulled it in the garage one mo’ gen, and
swapped a rude Toyota 1jz in it. Now – Jesse has an
unknown, undocumented, 2200lb mystery Yota with
350hp… disguised as a low & slow car.
And kinda some food for thought: In the Southern
California scene, there are a lot of trendsetters…
roger that. But most of ‘em closely follow each other’s
influences, do pretty much the same things with the
same selection of cars, hang out in the same social
circles, and get it in Cali-based import mags over and
over again because their friends work there. And
these guys are cool. And they’re part of the Southern
California scene. But they’re not the ENTIRE Southern
California scene. Jesse just does it for the love of the
car, and the intrigue of building something that could
potentially be a wild card. When you take-on a car
that is less popular, you are adding more uncertainty
to your plate - obviously. But that doesn’t mean it
can’t be worth it. Variety counts for something.
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SUMMER 2013 COLLECTION
NOW AVAILABLE
When you take-on a car
that is less popular,
you are adding more
uncertainty to your
plate - obviously.
But that doesn’t mean it
can’t be worth it. Variety
counts for something.
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ENGINE/transmission
2.5 1jz-gte motor swap, R154 transmission, CxRacing
66mm turbo, CxRacing exhaust manifold, CxRacing
wastegate, Cxracing aluminum radiator, Cxracing intercooler, Custom intercooler pipes, Custom motor and
transmission mounts, Greddy RS blow off valve, Dual
Flex-a-lite 12’ fans, Custom 1-piece driveshaft, Custom down pipe to side exhaust, Apexi exhaust valve
EXTERIOR
Sapphire Blue paint, Shortened rear bumper,
Front air dam
INTERIOR
Wood grain steering wheel, Momo hub, Custom Pabst
beer tab shifter, Pioneer in-dash, Pioneer speakers,
Broadway mirror
WHEELS/BRAKES/SUSPENSION
Epsilon wheels 15x9.5 -25 front 15x10 -30 rear,
205/20/15 Falken 502s, Ground Control coilovers in
front with camber plates, Daiyama 240sx coilovers in
the rear, Mk2 Supra sub-frame swap
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THANKS
My family and friends who helped me with the swap
- Renes Motorsports, Jose mufflers, and CxRacing.
This car was given to me for free! A good friend of
mine was being forced to get rid of it… and I offered
to take it, even though it wasn’t running. After telling me it didn’t drive, I was able to get it started and
drove it home. After replacing a few things, this Celica
became my daily driver with 400,000+ miles on the
odometer - and I drove it like that for a good few years.
It wasn’t very pretty, but it was loud, slammed and
mean looking. I started drifting it, and the 22re was
just not enough power, so I decided to put the 1jz in
it. With the help of a few of my friends, we were able
to mount it in, wire it up, and got it running! The only
time this car saw a shop was to get the exhaust done.
Besides that - it was all backyard built. Shortly after
getting it running, me and my cousin decided to paint
it – another job done right in my garage. This car was
difficult to build cause you get no help from the forums.
This swap isn’t very common and nobody really fixes
the Ra65 chassis. Everything is pretty much trial &
error. This car has served me 7 years… and 4 of those
years with the 1jz. It’s not a trailer queen; I drive it everywhere - loud, dirty, and slammed… oh, and no AC.
Heard aBout tHe
4.3l VQ
350Z
See the
prOJEcT:
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700HPrB25
See the
BUiLD:
in Your
S14
Want to do it Yourself?
We sell all the Parts
And Ship EvErywhErE.
www.JGyMOTOrSpOrTS.cOM · 276-782-9100
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Text by Jonathan Wooley / Photos by AJ Gillett
Forrest Wang is a Formula D driver. He was born and
raised on the island of Oahu. Oahu is not the physically biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, but it is the busiest – with the most population, the most traffic, and
the most tourism. There are 3 big cultural influences
on this island: the native Hawaiian influence, the US
military influence, and the Japanese influence. The
cultures obviously differ from one another… but at
their essence, they do actually share a lot of the same
core values – values that are strong in character, family, and discipline. And it’s probably because of those
values, that the three cultures thrive harmoniously &
respectfully on the small island. The Japanese traditions are strong, because during the 70s and 80s,
when the Japanese economy began to boom, Oahu
caught the eye of many Japanese investors, who
came to build hotels, businesses, and buy real estate.
They used to have Hawaii Raceway Park on Oahu –
which included a road course racetrack. HRP was a
popular spot for locals. Fathers brought their sons out
to the track, and the lifestyle/hobby was passed down
through the generations. Taking into account the
Japanese influence, and the physical location of Hawaii between the US and Japan… JDM cars/trucks/
culture were & are a pretty natural way of life. But –
after 40+ years, the track was shut down in 2006…
leaving racers & enthusiasts with only a few options:
1) De-tune & de-mod the cars back to street-legal. 2)
Try and ship them to the mainland to either race or
sell. Or 3) Head up to the windy roads on the North
Shore mountains and hope the police didn’t catch on.
As you can image, Option 3 was the reality…
Forrest Wang was one of these enthusiasts who were
left in a jam with a track prepped car, and nowhere on
the island to legally run it anymore. And sure – the
underground Hawaii import/drift scene was getting by
& get away with running at night in the mountains.
But Forrest knew in the back of his mind, that it was
only a matter of time, before the heat came down on
him. Let’s be real - how long can you get away with
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running the same mountain roads on the same small
island in the same well-known high-profile green
240… before the street-racing odds stack up against
you? Police don’t even need to show up and ‘catch
you red-handed’. Everyone on the island knows you
because of your car…hell the cops can just park in
your garage, eat a sandwich, and wait for you to come
back home. Plus, the necessity of doing everything
under time pressure, in secret, and with unpredictable
conditions was stunting his growth as a driver.
At the same time, Formula D and US drift scene was
really starting to take off on the mainland. So over the
course of a few months, Forrest did some deliberating, and came to terms with the fact that it was time
to go for broke and leave the island. He decided to
pack it up, move to the mainland, and give it a go as
a professional driver in an upcoming sport. And the
reality was… that the move was a hard pill for Forrest to swallow. He didn’t want to leave his home, his
family, his friends. But - he wanted his passion for
motorsports to fulfill a dream… not end with a shredded license, a loss of freedom, and a bunch of regrets.
Home will always be waiting there for him.
So he saved up his money, had everything shipped to
the mainland, and rented a place in Southern California with Justin Pawleck and Ross Petty. Those were
the early days, and those three dudes were at it together, trying to make a name for themselves – running local events, NOPI Drift, Formula D… whatever &
wherever they could get experience & track time. And
now the rest is still kind of an unfolding story. Forrest Wang has settled into Las Vegas, and opened a
shop called Get Nuts Lab (no homo). He is running his
second year in Formula D with the green 2JZ swapped
S14… and this black S14 pictured is his daily driver.
Pretty cool that he keeps it so real with his daily – as
most drifters, out of necessity, end up driving full size
trucks on a regular basis. This black S14 is a clean
& complete SR swap, retaining A/C, interior, stereo…
all the amenities making it possible to actually daily in
Vegas. As far as Formula D goes - Forrest is stoked
to see how far he can actually take it. But he doesn’t
stress the driving career or the Formula D pressure.
And that’s that Hawaii boy positive/chill attitude kicking back in. As far as he sees it, he’s already won.
He’s content. He’s happy. He’s got a life in the desert
that he honestly enjoys. His shop, Get Nuts Lab, is
exactly the way he always saw his career-life going.
These guys seriously have a wicked setup; it really is a
Fantasy Factory. They have ¼ pipes on the side-walls,
and they have a full, legitimate, paved drift course out
back. When the sun goes down, all the toys come out.
And it’s legal! Forrest even keeps a couple of drift
sleds on deck for friends and/or newcomers to hop in
and try out. What better way to sell parts – than to let
people feel them out and get hooked on a test-track.
So after a couple of hours of hanging around
the shop one night during SEMA, Forrest let me
jump into the driver’s seat of one of his missile
cars. For those of you who do not know me, I
like drifting... but by no means am I great drifter. So I went out on the track with my buddy
Pat Goodin. He rode with me and gave me a
few pointers and before ya know it, I was linking the course, hitting NONE of the clipping
points. After about 10 minutes of driving the car
around, I hear an engine grinding in from my
driver door… Forrest had jumped in his car, and
was now banging his front bumper on my door!
Need me to remind you, I am no drift king. I
now have Forrest Wang, one of the best drifters
in the world, bullying me around a track! When
Forrest and I pull back off the track, I couldn’t
move. My arms were weak and shaking… but I
had a huge adrenaline rush going. That was my
first time ever running tandem, and it was in a
missile car with a pro driver.
– Gregg Bucell
AS FAR AS HE SEES IT,
HE’S ALREADY WON.
Now please please please don’t go kicking rocks
around Let Nuts Lab… waiting for Forrest to give you
a car to drive… because odds are that it’s not going to happen, and I don’t want this to put him in an
awkward spot. But that’s the vibe of the shop. It’s like
a tuner garage meets a skateboard park. It’s like the
cars are their decks… and the course is their bowl.
The way they jump in… and jump out… and then
just kick it on the sidelines for a while. It really is like
a skate park for leadfoots - local boy’s paradise shop.
And there in the middle of the damn desert, Aloha lives
strong. You don’t have to be from Hawaii to get it. But
growing up in Hawaii, or even spending some time in
Hawaii… will put something inside of you, if you let
it. It’s so much more than clear water and suntans.
Hawaiian culture will put a spin on the way you look
at things. I can’t really explain it. I think a lot of it is
because – there is a sense of genuine love there… a
sense of accountability to watch over your brothers
and your sisters… a sense of responsibility to watch
over your environment. And a sense of simplistic satisfaction… to be purely content in the ‘now’. Because
‘now’ is what it’s all about. A lot of times, we lose
all that on the mainland… because our ‘island’ is so
large and cut-throat. We end up forfeiting our ‘now’
because we’re obsessed with our future. We end up
turning our backs on our brothers & sisters, in order to
search for personal gain. We look for ways to use our
environment/culture, rather than embrace it & shine
in it. But good things come out of honest dreams &
intentions. Get Nuts Lab is proof of that. This shop
was Forrest’s abstract/undefined dream when he
made the decision to leave his home on Oahu. Now it
has shape & definition, and it is his dream come true.
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1995 NISSAN 240SX
ENGINE
S14 SR20 engine swap, S15 T28 turbo, HKS wastegate actuator, GReddy stainless turbo elbow, 3in
stainless downpipe, 3in dual tip exhaust, S15 6spd
transmission, OS Giken str twin plate clutch, Nismo
engine and tranny mount, GReddy oil pan, Yashio factory water pump pully, Koyo radiator, JDM S14OEM
fan shroud, black silicone radiator hoses, custom Get
Nuts intercooler system, Power Enterprise accessory
belts, working climate control, ARC radiator cap, Tomei
oil cap, Tomei fuel pump, K’s Racing boost gauge
WHEELS/SUSPENSION
Stance XR pro comp coilovers with Swift springs - 8k
front 5k rear, Battle Version rear camber arms, rear toe
rods, rear traction rods, front tension rods, Get Nuts
power brace, solid welded bushings on rear subframe,
Get Nuts spindle mod, relocated steering rack, Tein tie
rods with extended rack spacers, Hardrace rack bushings, welded diff with R33 cover, Tanabe sway bars
front & rear, Cusco front strut bar, JIC rear strutbar carbon fiber, S14 SE 5 lug hubs, 350z track front Brembo calipers, DBA slotted rotors, Project Mu front pads,
braided stainless brake lines – front & rear, STI rear
Brembo calipers, Project Mu rear pads, Brembo drilled
and slotted rear rotors, R33 e-brake assembly with
Project Mu brake shoes, SSR Vienna Courage wheels
18x9 neg 10 offset front, 18x11 neg 10 offset rear
EXTERIOR
S15 front end conversion, OEM S15 headlights, Diamond Lighting technology HID kit, Origin conversion
fenders, Dmax type-3 front bumper, Dmax carbon
vented hood, Dmax LED mirrors, Dmax roof spoiler,
Dmax side steps and rear bumper, Rocket Bunny carbon fiber trunk spoiler, Get Nuts pulled rear fenders,
Get Nuts paintjob, JDM S14 rain gaurds, OEM S14
Kouki taillights
INTERIOR
Bride Brix driver seat, Bride Ergo passenger seat,
Bride low rails, Rear seats reupholstered in Bride material, Dmax floormats, custom Koa wood shift knob,
Sparco steering wheel quick release, Vertex 330mm
steering wheel, Yashio factory drift knob, Pioneer dvd
touchscreen head unit, Alpine component speakers,
Alpine Type R 12 inch sub, MTX amps
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If mediocrity deserves applause - why don’t we
all go find a Ford Focus, and clap around it?
-from the movie Fired Up
When I personally sit down to do a write-up, the general process includes: looking over the car’s appearance &
demeanor… and then going through an interview with the owner, so I can coordinate a feel for the article and
a plan of attack. Every once in awhile though, I find a car that has too many great possibilities for a starting
point… which I imagine is kind of like Germany trying to decide how & where to first invade France in WWII. All
the options just kind of leave you dumbfounded.
This Ford Focus SVT, owned by Kevin Lewis, is one of those conundrums. 1) It’s a Ford Focus… so really, what
the hell is it doing in a magazine anyway. 2) We have Kevin’s upbringing as a domestic-lovin’ mid-western
boy. 3) Kevin’s got quite a unique story on the build… full of trials & tribulation. And 4) This car is more about
pushing the throttle through the floor… than looking pretty in a parking lot. All of this makes for a build that’s
so much more real & genuine than what first meets the eye of most import enthusiasts when they see ‘a Focus’.
So let me try and pin it down.
Like most car-kids in the Midwest, Kevin grew up at events with his dad - peering under hoods of healthy V8’s
that hailed from Detroit. The mentality behind these builds was all about wiping the smile off of some tool’s face
at a stop-light… not trying to prove yourself as a new-generation underdog with a 4-banger. Kevin was naturally
following in the old man’s footsteps, because that was his influence. And at age 15-16, he had been scouring the
local area for an older Corvette, Grand National, or Mustang. But one day, his dad came home with a Mustang
mag featuring a compact Ford Focus - that had a 5.0 V8 shoved into its bay. Joe Dirt I mean Kevin grabbed the
Mustang mag and was like, “Oh Daaaang”… instantly falling in love with the idea. It was a slap in the face. He
fell in love with the theory of a low tuner sport-compact with a motor swap. He fell in love with the stigma of
being an underdog… being the one to take a disrespected, overlooked car… and put it in surprise attack-mode.
Text by Josh Wilson / Photos by Jeff Le
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It’s like the import addiction hit him all at once from
every direction. It just happened with a Focus - that’s
all. He had been called to action! And his dad was fully
on-board to lend a helping-hand. He quickly picked
up a Focus, sourced a V8… but sadly, an old lady in
a Lexus plowed into that car before the build ever had
a chance to get going. During that period, however,
Kevin had studied up quite a bit on the ins-and-outs of
his chassis. On his second Focus, Kevin was changing his game-plan. This Focus was going to be the
SVT model… and he was throwing the V8 idea out the
window. After three months of searching, Kevin finally
found the right SVT, which would be the start of a build
that would span over an 8 year period.
Now, 8 years later, here it is in print. And I’m sure a few
of you are mumbling, “Why the f*ck is a Focus getting
a feature.” But that’s what makes Kevin’s Focus so
good – it honestly deserves one. If this thing was a
JDM Civic or 240, you would’ve seen it shared on every
popular Facebook page by now – fact. But because he
picked the ‘girl next door’ chassis… above the supermodels that the crowds swoon over… Kevin and his
Focus remain a little overlooked and underappreciated.
But that’s ok. Just because it’s a less popular car, does
not mean it was built substandard, or behind the times.
In a lot of cases, that might turn out to be true. But
this time – it’s not. When the SVT got in Kevin’s hands,
he knew from the start that he would be battling the
critics. And he wanted to build something that wasn’t
going to just fade into the vast sea of trendy small
four-cylinders ricing about town. His power-plant had
changed a bit between Focus’ - from a muscle V8
mindset, to more of a sport-compact mindset. From a
domestic mindset, to a tuner mindset. But the general
idea of a sleeping underdog Focus remained intact. No
one ever gives an old Focus the time of day… it gets
pretty much no love from any enthusiast base. And
Kevin wanted to use that to his advantage.
So - Kevin instantly began researching forced induction
with the SVT. He started out with a Pro-charger, which
at the time was the best option for him. After a year of
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running that setup, the engine popped. And the next
4 1/2 years would be a slow, daunting ‘coming of age’
process of building a REAL motor, and hoarding turbo
parts, so his Focus could haunt the streets once more.
This would be the toughest part of the build for Kevin.
Not only was it his first time building a motor from the
ground up, but it was a Ford Focus… which meant a
huge lack of aftermarket support. Most of the parts
under the hood are either the first of their kind, or
they’re parts made in extremely small quantities.
Kevin admits, “I’m not quite a pioneer for the Focus…
but there wasn’t a whole lot of tracks laid out for me
to follow.”
Well exercised patience turned out to be vital in the
build, since so many parts had to be made one-off.
He wanted everything to be done right, no matter how
long the task was going to take. After the car had sat
for 3 1/2 years, most of Kevin’s buddies had writtenoff the build… giving him shit that it would never run
again. But that was just the kind of motivation that
a guy like Kevin needed. So for the last year, Kevin
worked on the Focus in complete secrecy in his garage
like a mad scientist. As he closed in on completing the
build, he decided to pick up a 350z for a daily driver.
This was the final straw for the few remaining friends
who held on to a thread that the SVT might actually
get completed. For everyone but Kevin - it was time to
stick a fork in the SVT because it was done.
But one fateful evening a few months later, Kevin’s Focus came back to life with a pop… and then a roar.
Kevin was sporting an instant ear-to-ear shit eating
grin on his face… that was 8 years in the making. And
to have a little fun with the victory, he decided to drive
it over to where a few friends of his were hanging out
that night. “I casually drove it over, parked it outside,
and went downstairs without saying a word about it…
just waiting patiently for someone to leave or show up.
Finally, one of my buddies said he was gonna run to the
store. I listened as his feet trucked up the stairs. The
grin came back to my face – just waiting for it. About
30 seconds later he came avalanching back down the
stairs freaking out. Haha - it was surreal; totally worth
it. It was finally done, and no one could believe it.”
After years of work, Kevin’s Focus SVT is representing
hard. The suspension has seen a complete makeover
to help with handling and aesthetics. Appearance
wise -Kevin has kept it very simple and almost painfully clean, since he has been shooting for a “sleeper”
from the very start. Only the meaty tires and front
bumper cut-out hint that something unusual might
be going on. Other than that, it is a very clean and
tasteful look for a Focus. And it effortlessly keeps up
appearances with the popular imported hatchbacks of
the scene.
Of course - the majority of the time and money has
been spent under the hood of this SVT. A bored out
’98 ZX2 motor has been fully built, with a grocery list
of components being replaced along the way. On
top of that - a custom turbo setup (highlighted by a
Garrett GTX3076R with a Tial stainless steel .63ar
turbine housing) was added to an already healthy
four-cylinder. Kevin’s Focus now boasts just over 400
horsepower.
But even with those kinds of HP numbers and this
somewhat unarguable clean look… Kevin still hears
the “It’s still a Focus” type of comments. Or the “Why
spend that much on a Focus when it can be done on
another platform for less??” Because that’s what car
guys do, Goofy! We spend a lot of money & time on a
car that we love, when none of it is really necessary.
If everybody thought that ‘statistically’ – then nobody
would have ever touched a Civic back in the 80’s &
90’s… and nobody would have ever pioneered the
import culture. For Kevin, and a lot of the rest of us –
we like to have a car that some people can’t seem to
justify mathematically or practically. That’s part of the
mentality that binds us all together, am I right? It’s a
love; and Love is not restrained to math or practicality.
So why bind some of us inside of the culture, only to
outcast others with the same love… but a different
badge on their hood?
2002 FORD FOCUS SVT
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION
Block bored .027”, Clevite 77 bearings, ARP studs/
bolts, Polished crank, Eagle rods, CP Pistons/rings,
Ported and polished SVT head, CFM exhaust cam gear,
CFM PCV delete plate, Billet oil pump gears, VF Engineering engine & tranny mount, Garrett GTX3076R
with Tial stainless steel .63ar turbine housing, TopSpeed turbo manifold, Tial MVS wastegate, Custom
intercooler piping, Tial ‘Q’ blow off valve, Precision
intercooler, Custom down pipe/dump pipe/intake
pipe, Diablo Sport mass-air-flow interface adapter,
CFM 65mm throttle body, TopSpeed intake manifold,
Moroso catch can, Greddy Profec-B Spec II, N2MB
WOT box, SCT ProRacer Package, 2 Walbro 255’s,
Steeda fuel rail, Injector Dynamics ID1000’s, Aeromotive boost reference regulator, SPEC stage 3 clutch,
Fidanza flywheel, Torsen T2 limited slip differential,
Ford Racing short throw shifter
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR
5% rear & 35% front window tint, 03-04 SVT HID’s,
Blacked out corner lights and grill, Lamin-X yellow
fogs, AEM UEGO wideband Air/Fuel gauge, Autometer
NV series boost gauge, Autometer NV series electronic
fuel pressure gauge, Autometer NV series voltmeter,
Kenwood KIV-701 head unit
WHEELS/TIRES/SUSPENSION
ESM 004 17x8 +38, 215/45/17 Dunlop Direzza Z1
Star Specs, Ground Control coilover sleeves, Eibach
pro-kit struts, H&R 24mm front sway bar, Steeda
28.6mm rear sway bar, Energy Suspension endlinks
f&r, Ford Racing front strut tower brace, Focussport
rear strut tower brace, Massive rear camber arms,
Factory SVT brakes with Hawk pads
THANKS
My family - for putting up with me and the car. My
friends - for the help, and keeping me motivated. Fernando at Racing Parts Solution - for making the car
run as well as it does. Lastly - of course my dad for
getting me into this crazy lifestyle and teaching me all
along the way.
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photo by: CHANGAROO photography
[email protected] // 1.888.ZENMOTO // 770.904.2868
www.zenmotorsllc.com // 3620 Burnette Park Dr., Suite D, Suwanee, GA 30024
Just
don’t
bite
it.
it don’t matter
Text:Jonathan Wooley / Photos: Aleksey Royt
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The GTI brand is authentic. It is a progression of a theory – an evolution of an ‘idea
for a car’ that spans over generations, and careers, and lifetimes. The Germans
have a track-record for doing this very well. To give an example, consider the
Porsche 911. That car was introduced in 1965 – almost 50 years ago… and it has
never, to this day, lost its vision of the original intent. An absolute confidence in the
advantages of a rear-engine driver’s sports car - Porsche set out to prove it a halfcentury ago. It has defined the entire brand. And think of how many careers have
been spent at Porsche over the last 50 years… how many brilliant minds have all
been focused on perfecting one car and one theory. It is an exercise of patience,
determination, and perfection.
The GTI nameplate has its own unique story, but the theory of evolution is the same.
Volkswagen was/is the peoples’ car. And with the GTI, the theory was to take practicality… and put it on steroids. It may not sound like too much of a ground-breaking
idea by today’s standards. But back in 1976 when the GTI was introduced in Europe, there was no Civic Si. There was no Type R. Or ST or SVT or Type-S, or GT or
GST… or any of that cool shit. Gas was at a premium in that day… and cars had
lost their punch. But with the GTI, Volkswagen engineers set out to do ‘more’ with
‘less’… and to do it with an affordable chassis that they were already producing.
And that last sentence is very significant to our heritage as enthusiasts, because it
set the precedent for ‘sport-compact tuning’ – the idea of swapping engine/brake/
suspension parts & modifying pieces… to make an overlooked economy chassis
into a pocket-rocket. Other manufacturers like Porsche and Lotus were succeeding
on the premise of doing ‘more with less’… but they were doing it at a more extravagant price-point (more with less… with more). And it was the theory & success of
the GTI – that subsequently lead to cars like the Civic Si… and so on. And now, the
GTI is passing its 35th birthday… and its essence is still strong & pure at its core.
Much like its wise uncle, the 911, each new generation of GTI never strays very far
from the generation before it. It’s never a complete morph in shape or style. It’s
more like - a natural, sensible evolution of its predecessor. Soul intact.
...WITH THE GTI, THE
THEORY WAS TO TAKE
PRACTICALITY...AND
PUT IT ON STEORIDS.
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The Germans listen, and learn from their cars. They let time and real-world-experience tell them where the car could be tweaked & improved. And then they focus
on those points for the next generation – to make the car better. For example
– the Mk6 GTI is both lighter & stiffer than the Mk5 GTI. And the MK7 is lighter
and stiffer than the MK6. Not many other cars on the market are getting ‘lighter’
these days. The engines are evolving simultaneously with the chassis, increasing
in displacement over the last decade from 1.8 turbo to 2.0 turbo – moving from
timing belts to timing chains. Turbos & fuel injectors are becoming more efficient,
yielding more miles per gallon, but also yielding more power. The stock fuel
system in a MK6 GTI can handle 340+hp – just by ‘dialing it up’ through software
tuning programs.
And here’s the best part - the part that comes full-circle and gets poetic: With each
new generation and each new mark that’s released in succession – the car gets
‘better’. True. But somehow…….. so do the old ones, like this MK2. They get
better too. Each new model is an evolution… but with each step forward, it kind
of makes you have to take a look back, and love the old models that much more.
Love them for their purity. Love them for their simplicity. Because it takes the
newer designs, still standing apart from the crowd, to make you truly appreciate
& understand & feel the passion of what the original designs are all about. The
new models bring a vindication, and a credibility to the originals - because the
soul of the car has lasted through the ages. It has endured. Time has proven it
right. And on a day-to-day basis we kind of just overlook it. But it’s one hell of
an achievement.
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1990 Volkswagen GTI
ENGINE/transmission
‘95 Vr6 swap, Techtonics chip, 2.75” mandrel bent custom exhaust, Magnaflow
muffler, 3” stainless steel turn-down, Unorthodox pulleys, WhanAB billet aluminum dipstick.
EXTERIOR
Paint - Sport Classic Grey 2011 from a Porsche 997, Shaved Items: Front bumper
turn signal, fog light holes, license plate recess, hood vents, side markers, driver
side wiper & roof antenna, rear hatch wiper, squirt nozzle, rear key hole, rear bumper exhaust cut-out and tow door, rear dip lines deleted, ABD Racing grill spoiler,
Aero lower grill piece & badge-less grill, 1986 golf rear hatch - no 3rd brake light
Jetta windshield - no rearview mirror tab
INTERIOR
Auto Meter gauges - Pro Comp series: 5” speedo, 5” tach, 3/8” water temp, oil
pressure, fuel & volt, Corba Monaco racing seats, Momo steering wheel, Custom
6pt cage - welded in, 5pt Crow racing harness, Audi A4 chrome door latches
WHEELS/TIRES/SUSPENSION
FK Silverline coilovers, Neuspeed rear sway bar, Custom rear tie bar, 16” BBS E50
wheels - 9” front and 10” rear (Falken Ziex F 205/40/16 front, 215/40/16 rear)
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STORY: JONATHAN WOOLEY // PHOTOS: MATT JONES // DESIGN: GUY HAYNIE
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Call it old fashion, but
sometimes it’s still nice to
see a good car progress in
natural steps.
We thought this car was pure & cool, because it’s a
real-life daily-driven modified FRS… owned by a guy
who lusted after it long before it hit dealerships. And
when it did finally hit dealerships, he went and bought
one… and paid for it with his own hard-earned money
and/or credit. You know – the old fashion way haha.
Because see - here’s an industry secret, if you don’t
know it already. Often times, when a significant new
model like the FRS hits the market, a lot of the cars
you see initially flooding magazines & websites are
‘dollar cars’. Meaning that the owner (or aftermarket
co.) got it for $1 from Honda/Toyota/Ford/ETC
corporate… based on promises to get it heavily
modified & heavily publicized. A lot of times, these
are the cars that the aftermarket companies use to
R&D their new parts for that particular model… so
they can have a catalog ready to go when the car
officially hits the market. And that’s a good thing for
us, the consumers. Sometimes the dollar-car does
not even have VIN numbers – meaning that it can’t
legally be on the street, and that it has to be given
back and possibly destroyed after its purpose has
been fulfilled. Bummer. In other cases, the owner gets
to keep the car. Win! And when all these cars begin
to flood the social media outlets… it’s an awesome
instant gratification. It’s a quick high. It creates a
lot of instant hype & buzz for the new model… but it
creates a lot of instant HATE as well. And long term,
with regard to the bigger picture – it sort of cheapens
the whole experience of seeing the car evolve… and
forming your own opinions as informed enthusiasts.
Because we all know that social media has a way of
trying to form our opinions for us.
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2003 - 2013
www.facebook.com/eeffectapparel | eeffectapparel.com | twitter.com/eeffectapparel
I mean – these days, before you can even see & touch
& smell a new car in person at a local dealership,
you have already seen 10 online or in a mag that
are already waaaay more built than yours could/
would ever be. The whole ‘story unfolding’ process is
skipped… and that kind of takes the fun, suspense,
and the motivation out of it. It’s kind of like jumping
straight to the end of a movie or book… without
witnessing the beginning or the middle. That’s the
pace of our world these days. And we need to slow it
down sometimes. Keep a grip on things.
So what we’re showing you here – is ‘the middle’
of the movie/book. This is the part where the
enthusiasts get to watch the PROGRESSION of their
cars… to see, feel, and enjoy it at different stages.
Get in the thick of it. This is Justin Dennis’ FRS. It’s
low on a nice set of BC Racing coilovers, and it’s
got a great set of Work wheels. It’s got a Vortech
supercharger – paid for, not sponsored. It’s got a
few headlight tweaks. It’s still sporting the factory
paint. It does not have a widebody kit yet, it does
not have a 2JZ swap, and it does not have some skyed wing… although any of those options would be
highly endorsed for later on down the road haha. It
gives us time for our immediate lust to develop into a
more meaningful love. This is roots tuning. And roots
tuning is why we can love a local AE86 more than a
top-tier Formula D car.
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Scion FR-S
EXTERIOR
Scion badges converted to Toyota GT86 badges
Factory headlights blackhoused with candy yellow
high beam lenses
Perrin shorty antenna
5 Axis Designs rear spoiler
WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION
Work Emotion XD-9 wheels 18x9 front, 18x10 rear
Falken ziex tires 225/40/18 front, 245/40/18 rear
BC Racing coilovers
Whiteline front and rear swaybars with adjustable
end links
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Vortech supercharger with 10 psi pulley
ARK Performance catback exhaust
Borla UEL header
Competition Clutch stage 4 clutch and 12lb flyweel
THANKS TO...
Thanks to my Fiancé and my Parents for putting up
with me, and supporting me in whatever I want to do.
My buddy J who is always there and willing to lend a
hand. All my friends in Ground Level car club. Finally
everyone else in the car scene that I’ve met over the
years that has influenced me and given me exposure
that helped to get where I am today.
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So you know that saying “Do what you love and the rest will follow”?
Well, C.J. is the John McClane of this mantra — that yippee-ki-yay…
just don’t give-a-shit sort of guy. In an age where we’re all so conscientious of how others view us — through ‘Likes’ or by ‘Followers’ or
by ‘Subscribers’ — this saying seems harder than ever to follow. Yeah
– it’s easier than ever to SAY, easier than ever to put on a sticker, but
harder than ever to actually follow & put into practice.
So when we find someone who really embodies this,
we have to give credit where credit
is due.
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How can we ever truly know how individualistic our efforts and actions are with this constant media and
feedback stream being shoved down our throats on the daily? Do you really even like Red Bull? What really makes a Miata a girls’ car? Is drifting really that anti-establishment? How can anyone full-heartedly
say their choice in life was a completely independent decision - unaffected by external factors, opinions,
and marketing slants?
We are strong believers that true individualism lies in how an individual deals with
the hate dished out to them by a million anonymous forum users and Internet gang
bangers. It’s easy to say “I love haters” or “I do this or that for myself, and myself
only,” but it’s a totally different story when you’re balls deep, thousands of dollars
in, and relatively e-famous because of a car that unfortunately gets hated on just as
much as V6 Camaros.
So then, coming to his senses, he trades that Miata for… get this…
another Miata! He dilly-dallies around with suspension mods until he
ultimately said “enough is enough” with this Miata game. Who knows,
maybe it was like Air Jordan getting tired of not dunking on fools… but
C.J. needed something with a little more grit and balls. So he got opted
for an ACR SRT-4: 1 of roughly 1,100.
I have a good feeling that C.J. is the real deal: the “speak softly and carry a big
stick” sort of guy (well, in his case, “speak with a good ole’ Southern accent and
drive around in an outrageously dumped two-seater roadster”). So I’ll set the record
straight and give you a crash course in simplistic C.J. badassery. See – C.J. had a
turbo ’87 Supra in high school. Before you go ahead and get all ‘Mk4 fanboy’, understand that the 7m-gte still makes for a pretty ballsy car for a teenager — especially
for a teenager who has unlimited access to a car lift and welding materials. Yeah
- C.J. worked, and continues to work his ass off at his dad’s shop. Throughout high
school, he was able to reap the perks by pullin’ his pop-up light goodness into the
empty bays after shop hours instead of studying for finals.
So everyone thought C.J. came around again. He ditched the small
displacement naturally aspirated life for some domestic rice, and was
back in the fast lane… with big boy door handles this time. However,
remember when we said C.J. is sort of like John McClane?? The kind
So just like any teenager would, C.J. got fed up with the constant repairs needed to
keep his Japanese IROC on the road, and decided it was time to go for something a
little more reliable; something with a wealth of aftermarket options. Ya know, like a
WRX or SI right? Wrong! This guy goes for an autotragic Miata. As if he didn’t catch
enough flak from his car buddies for selling his Supra… he ends up with the ultimate
Bad Luck Brian concoction of finger-sized door handles, Lego-man seating position,
and a 4-speed slushbox. This decision was kind of like Michael Jordan quitting the
Chicago Bulls to play baseball.
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It made
SRT-4 was just too much of a safe bet… a sure thing.
of guy who thrives on un-ideal conditions?? Well, the
Miata!
it…
for
wait
r….
anothe
yet
up
picked
and
l,
softbal
him a little uneasy. So he threw everyone another curve
. This
comes
it
as
it
al for this particular car. He just takes
C.J. didn’t — and still doesn’t really — have an end-go
good
in
find
to
rare
more
even
and
…
combo
r is a rare
Miata attracted him, because the black with red interio
he went for a set of
so
bling,
fresh
some
wanted
He
rs.
coilove
t
bough
condition. He wanted to go LOWER! so he
bar and
pictured). He wanted to carve about - so he got a roll
Klutch SL1’s (which he later sold for the Work wheels
ed life… so he got an oil
slamm
the
of
bruises
&
bumps
ble
inevita
the
reinforced frame rails. He wanted to survive
to the car was a methodical decision.
pan skid plate and raised the engine. Every addition made
for rear
coming of age and resilience (and masochistic hatred
The Miata you see here is the combination of C.J.’s
d.
booste
not
it’s
and
ed,
swapp
not
It’s
ment.
ance depart
seats). To be honest, this car is relatively stock in the perform
in ’93 when it was
back
did
it
than
panels
body
r
cleane
and
work
Sure, it has official Work Equips, flawless fender
cthat a lot of guys in the scene still struggle to grasp: perspe
new, but the real upgrades are more apparent in areas
lity.
menta
tive. The “love what you do and the rest will follow”
knows
owner of his family’s business down the road. The guy
C.J. is a freakin’ mechanic, and in line to become shop
wrong, C.J. has
us
get
Don’t
.
Miata’s
with
history
his
from
hate
fast from his Supra and his SRT, and he also knows
n of
. But what he did with this specific car is representatio
big plans down the road for this thing — he’s no slouch
and SRT guys
Supra
the
sure
I’m
and
it,
get
really
t
doesn’
pops
his tastes and his wants. Sure his muscle car lovin’
didn’t get it either. But this time, C.J. got it just fine.
“The Miata is like that one ex
-girlfriend. You know the one
…
no matter how many times
you break-up, you just keep
going back.”
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1993 Mazda Miata LE
(ONLY 1500 Produced)
INTERIOR
Sparco Speed 2 Seats, Grip Royal Steering Wheel,
OEM Nardi Shift Knob w/ extender, HardDog Hardcore
Rollbar
EXTERIOR
& Rear Lips,
Brilliant Black, OEM Trunk Spoiler, Front
ls, Full Red
Signa
Turn
R-Speed Sideskirts V2, Clear
oiler
w/Sp
top
Hard
OEM
e,
Badg
s
Euno
Tail Lights,
SUSPENSION / WHEELS
Work Equip 03, 15x9 -6 O-Disk, Toyo T1Rs 195/45/15,
Raceland Coilovers w/custom extended top hats, Oil
pan Skid Plate, Raised Engine, Flyin’ Miata Frame
Rails, Magnaflow Exhaust
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STORY : ROSS HUBER // PHOTOS : Brady Lankford // DESIGN : GUY HAYNIE
ISSUE 27:: 2013
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There are two factors in life that when not in
equilibrium can squash our dreams and aspirations.
The classic “ID” and “Superego,” the angel and the
demon on your shoulders. The voice that tells you
how it should be, and the voice that tells you how
it could be. It’s up to you to forge the harmony
between the two, and not just give up. But what are
the two factors?
Preferences and priorities. One you’re allowed
to have, and one you must have. But which one?
Sure, your preferences might say, “zero offset,
blast pipes, and racing seats,” but your priorities
say “daily commute, family, and sanity.” Is this
really how our minds work at their core, or just a
programmed societal code? We’re taught that
your priorities must align with that of a responsible
adult: fiscal responsibility, age-appropriateness,
and maturity. However for those of you in the tuner
scene, you say “F&ck that!” The average adult isn’t
a tuner, nor does the general public (the people who
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assign these priority norms) understand the raw
inspiration we get from seeing builds come to term,
or dropping huge bucks on cars that get driven
twice a week. What if it’s your priority to follow your
preferences? The ability to stand outside yourself,
consciously observe the world, while still following
your own beat, and keeping your unique tastes. For
some, the priority #1 is to be true to yourself - to
rigorously and confidently pursue your preferences.
Are you confused yet? If so, it means you’re a
human being. We ‘sort of’ know what we want,
and ‘kind of’ know how to get it. But for Shawn,
this whole process came a little more naturally.
First thing you should know about Shawn is that
he has more insight than a Chinese Zen master.
You’d think he was raised by guidance counselors
or something just by his cool, calm, and collective
demeanor. When Shawn was 18 he set out saving
for his first big boy sports car. When I say “saving,”
I don’t mean just scrounging up some paychecks
for a down payment, but straight up hoarding a
year’s salary. This is not a popular option - sitting
outside on your lunch break hearing cars rip down
the freeway knowing that one day you’ll have your
chance. But more importantly for Shawn, was
knowing that when that day came, the car would be
his: no debts, no loans, no looming payments.
Like most of us breaking into the import scene he
started out looking for the usual suspects: 350z, Rx8, etc. Shawn could have easily picked up some
rust-bucket with bad synchros, spewing smoke all
in the name of wanting in on the car game as soon
as possible, but that lifestyle wouldn’t jive with the
standard Shawn set for himself.
After a year of ball-busting saving he ultimately
settled on the AP2 s2000 you see here. Not having
an extensive automotive background, Shawn just
relied on his own research and findings to determine
the high-revving, go-cart-like Honda was for him.
Shawn knew the s2000 wasn’t the fastest car on
the market, nor the best power-per-dollar option.
But power to weight ratio was good, the power to
displacement ratio was record-setting, and the
9,000 redline definitely made it just what he was
looking for. That being said, this is where things got
interesting. Shawn had an aesthetic vision. He knew
exactly what he wanted his car to look like, so after
he tended to the usual power-adders, he set out to
transform the car- to put his imagination in motion.
He sourced all of the exterior pieces, and handed the
keys over to Yager Autowerx. What was probably
similar to losing a child to social services, Shawn
went six long months without his S2K.
Let’s recap: homie saves for over a year and buys a
car in full. Then he buys nearly half the car’s worth
in aftermarket parts, and drops it off at a body shop
where it sat for a good fraction of the time he owned
it. After a few weeks of surviving solely on his daily
driver, Shawn caved. He got a taste of the sports
bike life from a friend. (when I say a “taste” I really
mean a taste - he seriously saw the bike and said
“Hey! I want one of those!”) Shawn tapped into his
turbo-kit fund and unloaded on an ’08 Yamaha R1.
Uhm, wut?
For a guy who bolted a roof on his s2000, because
he wasn’t too much of a fan of the convertible life…
a sports bike makes perfect sense, right? So never
having ridden a motorcycle before, Shawn crawls
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on his new toy and goes nuts. Can you imagine
what the Yamaha nut-swingers on the forums would
say? Starting out with a 250cc or something piddly
to ‘learn the essence’ of biking was not an option
for Shawn. Why should it be? I guess it all comes
back to the preferences and priorities thing: Shawn
wanted it; he had the cash that he earned from
years of working the graveyard shift, and pulled the
trigger on it. Case closed.
Shawn now had a mix of insane speed, and with
his S2K finally coming out of the shop, loads of
steeze and style. Everything fell into place. With
the relentless speed of the bike, he didn’t feel
like he HAD to boost his S2K anymore… he just
enjoyed it for its loud, high-revving, balanced, N/A
glory. And - he didn’t have to sell his S2K to get
the bike. He also didn’t have to annihilate his credit
because he was too impatient or restless. Shawn
simply pursued his preferences while maintaining
his priorities: save up, follow through, and know that
all the hard work is worth it in the end.
This is what is missing in a lot of our culture:
temperance. We need to stop thinking in terms of
‘finished products’ and understand that the journey
is 90% of the fun. It’s what makes us who we are,
and gives us the life-lessons and stories that inspire
others. It’s what makes the cars in magazines that
much more interesting. These projects become a
timeline of yourself, your choices, tastes, and outlook.
Honda s2000
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Password JDM intake
Password JDM cooling plate
Gladman performance cover kit
S2carbon works over flow coolant tank
Berks high flow cat
Invidia n1 cat back
NRG hood dampers
INTERIOR
OEM black carpet and door inserts
Bride Gias II
Qube engineering white LED gauge cluster and LED
buttons
Password JDM carbon fiber center console
Hard dog roll bar
ASM floor mats
Zoom engineering rear view mirror
NRG quick release
Personal Neo Grinta steering wheel
Alpine x305s head unit
Viper alarm system
Modifry seat belt lock
Modifry center console organizer
Moddiction titanium shift knob
GT Design alcantara shift boot
EXTERIOR
Smoked amber headlights
Shine ASM style front bumper
APR custom splitter
VIS - Mugen style hood
Craft square mirrors (with Mugen bolts)
Downforce side diffusers
OEM side strakes
Rockstar Garage - Mugen style hardtop
Tamon design rear spoiler
Js2k keyhole covers
Spoon rear diffuser
Shaved trunk, fenders, & rear bumper tow hook cover
Pained Grand Prix white with custom ice pearl
WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION
Buddy Club n+ coilovers…
Umbrella Auto Design variable ride cupkit
SPC camber kit
Beaks rear tie bar
SSR Type F’s - 17x9.5+40 front 17x9.5 +32 rear
Hankook V12s 245/40/17
Blox titanium lug nuts
Brake Lab rotors
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Words by ROss Huber
Photos by Matt Best
design by Joe Coville
This culture takes place in the
real world, the “now”, not behind
a computer screen.
You know you belong to something special when a
couple thousand grown men can wake up at 5 a.m.,
hop in a car an inch of the ground, and travel hourson-end while exposed to blaring exhaust and asscramping racing seats to spend a day hanging out
in a parking lot. The same guys who willingly make
themselves susceptible to cancer-inducing sunburn,
hunger pains, hangovers, and unemployment officelength lines at every Porta-Jon. Sounds crazy right?
Now take into account the fact that most of the cars
at this meet rolled off the dealers’ lots at some point
in the last three decades, costing little more than what
a used mk4 Supra goes for nowadays. This sh*t is
crazy — that sort of Lord of The Rings/Star Trek convention hall, never-taking-your-action-figures-out-ofthe-plastic-wrap sort of crazy. But you know what?
IA Atlanta brings out the best — the cream-of-thecrop. Amidst all of this, some of the nation’s cleanest,
fastest and most creative imports gather in one giant
hard-parked congregation.
Walking down the endless rows of cars is like a Hollywood movie premiere — a straight up red carpet
event. Immediately your mind turns into a Google Image Rolodex. The excitement of saying “I’ve seen that
car online on XYZ blog” quickly dissipates as you realize this is the scene you see on the Internet. The cars
you have set as your desktop background, or saved
on your smartphone as inspiration for your own build
are all of sudden staring you in the face. You see the
face behind the build, the man behind the camera, the
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crew behind the blog and the staff behind the merch.
And then it clicks: this really is an “alliance” of enthusiasts, here to share information and admire other
people’s build just as much as much as they want
theirs looked at — the sort of community where kids
want to support the scene. Paychecks cashed the previous Friday are blown coming into work on Monday,
all in the name of some new interior bling or baller
threads. It’s the scene where a conversation about
a $40 shift knob turns into a passionate discussion
about wire-tucks and flatfour boxer engines.
You see, this is what happens when you demand more
out of the scene. It’s for the guys and gals who want
more than just building a cool car. It’s the insatiable
urge to contribute more and more, to get more involved, and to forge a life within this community. This
culture takes place in the real world, the “now”, not
behind a computer screen. The vendors you see at
these events make a genuine effort to come out to
these gatherings- making sure their orders are filled,
inventory stocked, and ready to give their supporters
some genuine customer service- “enthusiast service”
if you will. This article isn’t supposed to turn into a
“support genuine products” or “stop eBay builds”
rant, but a public service announcement that as long
as groups like Import Alliance, and the supporters who
come out to these events for nothing more than to
see cars, talk shop, and support the culture, than this
scene will survive- even flourish.
Somewhere along the line, we as Americans lost
some of our ingenuity. We started looking for a paycheck outside of our hobbies and passions in order
to give us the freedoms to do what we love outside of
work instead of looking to these hobbies and passions
for the answer.
As a recent college grad plagued with horror stories
of the sh*t job market and failing economy, Import
Alliance gives me so much hope in this community.
How else can you explain 3,000 strangers spending a weekend together, renting skeezy motel rooms
and even organizing mini parking-lot meets the night
before the show? The import scene can be a selfsustaining community; a group determined to push
on with their passion beyond all the fly-by-night,
e-famous hungry #yoloswag “enthusiasts.” Import Alliance is proof that you don’t have to be a racing team
or parts manufacturer to be a part of this culture. After
all, what good is a car without a functioning, thinking
and passionate person behind the wheel?
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T ECH
Project MK6 GTI INTRODUCTION
I am ALL ABOUT the older Japanese & Euro imports. I
think that owning one develops your sense of character as a man. There is something raw about older cars
that a new car, no matter how good, just can’t capture (minus a GT3). It’s that Steve McQueen vibe; that
James Dean largely mysterious & rebellious way of life.
Man & machine… wild and undomesticated by laws &
society. An older tuner car won’t let your calyces go
soft to a pampered life’s creature comforts. It teaches
you to get by on necessity, stick with what you need,
and be adaptable. It keeps you from getting soft. Man
doesn’t need air conditioning. Man doesn’t need power steering. Man needs a clean windshield, a big turbo,
loud pipes, and a seat bolted to the floor. Anything else,
including taillights, is a luxury. Guys with the older cars
always tend to go a little bit wilder. They tend to put a
little more meaning & grit into their build. They attract
a certain interest and attention. They always have an
epic story to tell. And they can fix almost anything from
the side of the road. They’re the go-to guys.
Having said all that, I think newer imports have their
place as well. Having a new car allows you to go even
more wild with the old one in your garage – and vice
versa. The 2 cars, old and new, work together as a
tag-team. When one’s out on jack-stands… the other
one comes in and saves the day. I mean let’s get real
for just a second - if you’re a younger guy out there
trying to maintain a 20-year-old car, plus drive it every
day, plus mod it, plus drift it (or whatever else your doing with it), plus go to work, plus go to college… it just
realistically becomes an impossibility to keep up. And
it will end up beginning to ruin your daily life without
you even realizing it. If your car starts to malfunction,
it immediately takes over your whole day. You have
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to call in to work because your car broke. The parts
store will have to order your replacement, and it will
take a day. You’ll break down on the way to pick up
your date, having to cancel & thus hurting a blooming
relationship. Your grandma is left at the store waiting
for you, and she doesn’t own a cell phone… so there’s
no way to contact her and tell her that you’re broken
down… so she just waits & wonders if you forgot her
again. You’ll smell like gas at your graduation. You
come into church late, and the preacher has to pause
and stop preaching until you shut your car off in the
parking lot… because it’s too loud to talk over. It will
rain, and your entire life gets screwed because you
can’t defrost your windshield and your car is so low
and light that it floats away in a puddle. The list goes
on & on. So keep your 80s or 90s tuner – I actually
demand that you keep it. But maybe also consider the
fact that a reasonable car payment… may in fact be
the best money you ever spent.
And with the Mk6 GTI, we see this car as being built
well beyond its price range. Not to sound like another
instant VW fanboy, but the Volkswagen Audi Group
now owns/builds Lamborghini and Bentley. Not saying
that the GTI is a baby Lambo… but techniques and
information is shared between companies… and that
peaks my interest. At 200hp, it’s not the fastest car
in the class… but it feels really well built. And with
all the software tuning available for the 2.0 turbo and
DSG tranny… this thing will be a missile within a few
issues. VW’s 2.0T seems to actually be quite ‘detuned’
from the factory... with a ton of untapped potential.
And isn’t that what this is all about?
But first things first – we had to give it some wheel &
suspension appeal.
For the coilovers, we went with KW Suspension’s
Variant 2 setup. We went with the KWs, because
they are an EXTREMELY high quality, refined tuning
brand. Cruising down the street, the average passenger would not even notice the change in ride comfort
from stock. The KW coilovers take larger imperfections in the road supremely well. It’s not a Lincoln;
you do feel them. But it is much more of a ‘sports car
solid’ feedback, and much less of a ‘knock your rearview mirror off’ jarring type of experience. They are
amazingly smooth and quiet. But put the car a little
more towards its limits, and the KW coilovers come
alive and make you feel totally confident. I’ll put it to
you like this: I have Skunk2 Pro-C coilovers on my
CRX, and they are also an awesome setup that I love
& endorse 100%. But they are in race-mode absolutely all of the time. All the time. And on the street,
if the roads aren’t that great – you’ll be weaving
around dodging imperfections with your eyes peeled
and your butt puckered constantly. It’s exhausting
sometimes. But still - if you’re anything like me,
when you’re reading up on coilovers and people use
words like ‘comfort’… it can actually be a turnoff…
because you’re looking for the rowdiest and raciest,
most seri-ass setup available. You don’t wanna hear
words like ‘comfort’. That’s because you’re a man
– congratulations. But trust me, with KW Suspension, comfort VS performance is not a sliding scale.
You really do get both. And there is not any loss of
confidence or performance on the ‘race’ side of the
spectrum. If I was to try and give you a pin-pointed
description for KW coilovers – I’d say that KW is what
they would install on James Bond’s car.
The wheels are TSW Interlagos: size 18x8 +45 –
18.8lbs. The Interlagos is one of TSW’s Rotary Forged
wheels. Basically, in no scientific terms, what TSW
does is forge the rim of wheel at high pressure... at
the same time as the wheel is spun at high speed.
The process changes the molecular structure of the
metal, making it stronger… and at the same time,
making it lighter. Both of those are very good things.
And – the weight saving is in the rim of the wheel;
the farthest distance from center. That’s the very
best place to save your weight, because it furthest
reduces your rotational mass. You want a wheel to
be as light as possible throughout, but saving weight
on the outermost extremities is going to be the absolute most beneficial… and give you the most gains
in performance. When put to the pavement - losing
rotational mass will allow your car to accelerate and
decelerate noticeably quicker. Yes – it is absolutely
noticeable. A lot of the slow & slow cars are in fact
‘slow’ because of the heavy boat anchor wheels. And
kids - that’s what allows you to walk on cars with
higher horsepower numbers. Stance and offsets will
come & go… but fast will never be out of style.
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QUALITY FIRST !
Tires are the Toyo Proxes T1 Sport in 225/40/18.
These are the next generation Ultra High Performance
tire after the Toyo T1R, and now come with a 240
treadwear (as opposed to 280 on the T1R). They are
a great UHP tire that you can realistically use on the
daily, and not have to worry about watching them
shred away before your very eyes… unless you run
-10 degrees of camber. One of the stipulations when
building this GTI is: we have to be able to jump in it
tomorrow, drive it to Vegas, rob a casino, use it as our
getaway car, and then drive back home with the money. Theoretically of course. These T1 Sports will make
the roadtrip… and make the getaway. And note: If
you’re wondering about the white Toyo logos on the
tires… those are actually painted on by me… they
did not come like that. I don’t know if this is the best
way, but here’s how I did it: Put a piece of blank white
paper up to the tire where the Toyo logo is. Rub your
hand over the paper until you have made an imprint of
the Toyo logo on the paper (this ensures that you get
the correct arch of the letters for your tire size). Trace
the outline of the imprinted Toyo logo with a pencil.
Scan that traced logo into your computer. Then – I
sent it to Shocker Joe and had him increase the size
by 30% just to make it highly visible on the tire (you’ll
probably have to do this without Shocker Joe). Print
it out. Tape it to a piece of construction cardboard…
kind of like you’d use for a school project… but get
the thicker/stronger one. Cut out the logo with a razor
blade knife. Now you have your tire stencil with the
correct arch (I stuck the center of the ‘O’s onto the tire
with 3M double sided thick tape). For paint – I am using a white spray can primer with flex. I’m not entirely
sure if that’s the best paint to use… there is probably something better that I haven’t found (FYI that
tire paint at the parts store is a gimmick). See – tires
are made of polymers and oils. And within a few days
of driving, those oils will move to the surface of the
tire… and will penetrate into the backside of the paint
– turning your bright white into a dirty white/brown.
And it will just keep ‘browning’… so you have to
touch it up, and it is a lot of maintenance. That’s why
I went with a white primer… in hopes that the primer
would seal it from the oils (which it really didn’t). Also,
as you drive, tires flex & move continuously. So the
paint tends to crack & flake… that is why you want
to find something with a flex in it. Like I said, it’s a
lot of maintenance, but it gets easier & quicker. And
honestly, the darkening and cracking kind of makes it
look rode hard and cool.
ju n k i n t h e t r u n k
A young woman got pulled over for speeding just outside of New Orleans. The Louisiana State Trooper walked to her car window, flipped open his ticket book........ and the
young woman said, ‘I bet you’re going to try and sell me a ticket to the Louisiana Troopers Ball, aren’t you.’ The officer replied, ‘Mam, Louisiana State Troopers don’t have
balls.’ There was a moment of silence, then he closed his book, tipped his hat, got back in his car, and drove off.
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ISSUE 27 :: 2013