ISSUE 29 // 2014

C O N TENTS

14

76

92
FEATURES
30
38
46
54
60
68
84

FLAT IRON
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Take the guess work out of suspension tuning with ST Sport Suspension kits.
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22

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To locate a dealer near you, call 800.445.3767 or visit online

DESTINATION
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2013 KW automotive North America, Inc. All rights reserved

EDITORIAL

YOU EARNED THE RESPECT...

Motorsport. Defined.

EDITORIAL/DESIGN

Paul Walker was quoted saying, If one day the speed

kills me, do not cry because I was smiling.

Art Director Cody Wellons
cwellons@s3mag.com


Assistant Editors Gregg Bucell

gbucell@s3mag.com

Joe Coville
jcoville@s3mag.com

Ross Huber
ross@s3mag.com

And Ive tried to follow his instruction. But you know

what - I cant. I AM crying.

Yousef Alvi
yalvi@s3mag.com
Photography Editor Sean Bradford
seanbradford@s3mag.com
Graphic Designers Alexander Grant
Guy Haynie
Simon Ly
Contributors
Adam Jabaay
Brian Nguyen
David Avila
Dustin Kessler
Garrett Wade
Greg Szoda
James Tippett
Jay Baumgardner
Jonathan Walker
Joshuea Coleman
Pat Lauder
Rutledge Wood
ADVERTISING /SALES
Director of Advertising Mike Sanders
msanders@s3mag.com

S3 MAGAZINE
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S3 Magazine (ISSN 1543-1428) is published bimonthly by ourselves.

Each issue is the result of our hard work and our ideas, and we
hope you enjoy it - cause if not, theres no refunds. Our address
is P.O. Box 1536, Loganville, GA 30052. US subscriptions are
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pictures and manuscripts become the property of S3 Magazine
LLC. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.

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ISSUE 29 :: 2014

Im crying for who we lost: Probably one of THE most

recognizable faces of our culture. And the truth is Paul Walker was one of the good ones. He was a good
soul. He did us proud. We, as the tuner nation, knew
that while he was alive, but unless you knew him personally we really didnt seem to know how deep
his heart went. And - the part that really, really hits
me hard is that it took his death for a lot of that to
start coming to surface. But at the same time I guess
- theres a certain poetry to it happening that way. So
many of us out there lost a longtime role model and
inspiration. only to find out that the REAL person behind the character was more genuine, and
had more character than anything Hollywood could
ever create for a screen. Paul Walker WAS the real
deal. Yeah - he was one of the good ones.
Im sure by now that most of us have heard about the
Marine & his girl in the jewelry store 10+ years ago
dreaming about engagement rings that they couldnt
afford. Paul Walker was in that store that day. He
overheard the conversation, took the clerk to the side,
bought the couple the $10,000 ring of their dreams,
told the clerk to keep it anonymous, and then walked
out & went on about his day. It wasnt until after Pauls
death, that the clerk finally spoke out about what he
did that day because she felt like the world needed
to know the story needed to know what kind of guy
he was. Pauls own dad didnt even know about that
ring. And Pauls dad said he would do that kinda stuff
ALLLLLL the time. I wonder how many more stories
are out there that well never know. I mean - if it
hadnt been for the clerk voicing what happened 10
years ago, that Marine & his now wife would STILL
never know who gave them the ring that afternoon
- who gave em a jumpstart on their forever. What
kind of heart does it take to pull a completely BOSS
move like this and never speak a word about it
to anyone? How does it feel to be able to do that
and then just get back to your day knowing that you
just made two peoples lives. Can you image the grin
on his face when he jumped in his car and drove off.

I can. It was probably a lot like the one where he

told Tyrese to put his blouse back on. To me - thats
knowing what true wealth is all about. Its not that
shit you hear on the rap songs, or that garbage you
see on the reality TV shows - this is it right here. And
this is the guy who represented OUR culture to a
world full of movie-goers.
And then there is Reach Out Worldwide (ROWW), the
charity that Paul Walker founded in 2010. Basically,
ROWW is a group of guy/girls, a team/crew, who are
there to help when disasters strike - anywhere across
the world. They cut through the red tape of nonprofits
or government aid. They cut through the bullshit
and they just go help. Its a simple strategy. One
that Paul set up, because he would get frustrated at
the politics & delays behind helping a situation. He
looked at it like a lifeguard would look at someone
drowning in the undertow: If people need help, then
you help them - now. You dont wait for backup, or
call it in. He had a big heart & a simple frame-ofmind when it came to this kind of stuff. But I didnt
know about ROWW until the day after Pauls death.
How is that possible? Im embarrassed, and broken
hearted that so few of us (worldwide) knew what he
was doing in his off-time while he was still with us.
But at the same time, it makes me proud, that while
most celebrities would be on E News talking about &
promoting their good cause from under full makeup
& studio lights Paul was out there getting his hands
dirty like a man. Not fluffing a story to build up his
Hollywood image. Thats not the kind of guy he was.
Instead, he loved more natural things. Paul loved the
ocean. His dad said Paul was drawn to it his whole
life mesmerized by its vastness, and its beauty,
and its power, and its possibility. Matter of fact, before his acting career took off, Paul was a marine
biology major. Some people find themselves when
theyre near the ocean. And when you love the ocean,
you jump in. And when youre in the ocean, looking
back on the land your perspective changes, and
you cant help but to love the earth. And when you
love the earth your perspective changes again, and
you cant help but to love people.

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.

And finally Paul Walker was a car guy. And THIS this we all knew very well.
He was one of us. Not only onscreen, but offscreen too. And
tragically, he died by the sword. And
even though he says not to - I will
cry for him. I will cry for his family. I will cry for his daughter. I will
cry for the person that we ALL lost.
I will cry because his influence
within this culture stretched to all
points of the globe. He was an
honest actor; he could only really play himself. And thats what
the car guys loved about him.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

World Class Instrumentation

www.stackltd.com

2013 Auto Meter Products, Inc.

Editor Jonathan Wooley
jwooley@s3mag.com

SL29

EDITORIAL

EDI TO RIA L

I think a part of me, in time, will be able to smile at his exit. Because of the movies, we know & understand his obsession with speed. And because of the movies,
we all know exactly how the thrill of speed looked on his face. We can all see his
face in that Carrera GT with Rodas moments before and it was smiling. It is bitter sweet & almost fitting that he died eyes-wide, at speed, in a blaze of glory,
alongside one of his best friends - living it. It just happened too soon for us, and it
hit too close to home thats all. But because he died like this - he has validated
the F&F movies. He has given them a sense of reality. A stamp in time. There will
be a day for some of you way down the road, where some kid generations younger
than yourself, will ask if its true: Did that actor, Paul Walker, really die in a fiery
blaze because they were street racing an exotic Porsche - really - in real life? And
you will say with a smirk - yep. And then youll tell the kid about a time in your
youth, when men were men, and bad-boys were in fact good-guys once you looked
beneath the surface.
Paul Walkers death was untimely. It has left us shocked, empty, blindsided, speechless, and a little unable to accept the reality. But lets take the next few months,
and regroup. Lets find ways to make the most out of this tragedy - and honor the
person what he was. And lets make it stick - embed that into our culture for a
lifetime - not just the season of his passing. Lets use his loss to remember what
we stand for FAMILY. FAMILIA! It was a part of the movies, that was NOT over
exaggerated by Hollywood. Family is what we are. And Pauls family is our family
now. His daughter is our daughter. This is how we live. No matter where she goes

in life, we all have her back - today, tomorrow,

10 years from now. Paul would be honored by
that. And she will be comforted to know what
her dad meant to so many people. The same
thing goes for Roger Rodas. He had a little boy,
and now that little boy needs some family. He
needs to grow up seeing all the positive things
that his dad was a part of. To all you guys living in Southern
California in their neighborhoods - take these kids under your wing. Let em know.
Pauls charity, ROWW, is now our charity. Do not forget with time - how this loss
impacted us & brought us together. DONT let that feeling fade. Id love to see what
we could do with it. The import culture stretches all across this world. If we band
together, join forces nationally AND internationally, and support ROWW, we can all
be a symbol of strength in Pauls memory. This is an opportunity for us to finish
what he started - hands-on. Pauls inspiration had reach, more than we knew. But
so does this culture. And ROWW is how we can make him live on. The Fast & Furious meant a lot of things to a lot of people. Paul Walker meant a lot of things to a
lot of people. Keep the scene united in his honor.

JONATHAN WOOLEY
EDITOR // JWOOLEY@S3MAG.COM

LIFE IS A CRAZY THING.

When youre a kid, it seems like it takes forever
to grow up. Days can feel like years. Then, by
your senior year of high school, it seems like time
starts slipping by a little quicker. Next up, college.
Before you know it, this whirlwind ride is flying by
right before your eyes. If you think life moves fast
now wait till you have kids. My wife and I have
two daughters and a third on the way. And I can
tell you - life moves so fast, I cant wrap my mind
around it most days.
But sometimes - life slows down. It can be from
work, from family, from personal issues. And
then sometimes - life stops completely. When I
heard about the possibility of Paul Walkers accident time just froze. My phone
started going off like crazy from friends asking if it was true or not. Paul was a
guy that I never met, but we had many mutual friends. Roger Rodas was also a
guy that I never met, but we too have mutual friends. Its sad when anyone you
know passes. But when people pass in an industry thats very close to yours, it
makes you question a lot more than just how an accident could have happened.
Being in the entertainment industry is an amazing thing. Its what I always wanted to do and somehow it has happened. People want to believe that success is all about being in the right place and the right time. But you know what?
It isnt. Its about hard work and a LOT of it. Its about not giving up. Its about
pushing so hard for what you want that its hard to even get the storm of ideas
that rush around constantly in your head to calm down long enough so you
can get other stuff done in a day. Paul was one of those guys. He worked for
it. He gave his heart & soul in his projects and it showed. When you hear comments from fellow actors or people in the industry, they talk about how genuine
Paul was. How much he liked cars, how humble he was, and about how hard he
worked. Its easy for other people to just see the glamour & glitz of his job and
what he did. But the reality is - Paul worked his ass off for what he had, what he
loved and I believe he felt it was a reflection of who he was: a hard working,
caring guy who loved acting, cars, and his family.

WWW.S3MAG.COM

ISSUE 29 :: 2014

Mortality isnt an easy subject for a lot of people me included. Because of

working on Top Gear America, I have put myself in harms way (not on purpose)
more than a few times. Its never something we plan for and something I hope
we dont find on that show. But - I know the opportunity that I have in front of me.
This is truly a dream job, and I am going to follow that dream as hard as I can.
One thing I cant plan for though, is if something did happen to me, what will my
legacy be? What will people remember most about me? My beard and glasses?
My undying love of plaid (not flannel)? Possibly winning the Toyota Pro Celebrity
Race and proving that Im a better driver than people thought? Maybe. But I hope
that people remember my love for my wife and our kids, and how much I love
my family and friends. I hope that people who met me knew I was the same
guy they saw on tv. That I really love cars and people as much as they thought.
I think that would be nice.
So heres the question I pose to you. Whats your legacy going to be? What do
you want people to remember about you? Is it those wheels youve been saving
for? That rattle canned paint job you did last weekend? Or that shell youve been
building over the past year? Maybe, just maybe, its more than that. Maybe its
not about what we have at all? Maybe its just about who we are and how we
make people feel while were here. I for one, am going to keep striving to try
and make people feel good every chance I get. Its the best feeling in the world,
honestly. And no matter how big or how small the effort is, people notice. I promise you, people notice. So make a difference. Leave a legacy. But slow down
and enjoy your life so that you dont have to leave that legacy for years to come.

RUTLEDGE WOOD
S3 CONTRIBUTOR

S **T

YOU

S HOU LD

B U Y

SYSB

MACKIN
The people over at Gram Light have just launched the all new 57FXX-Pro! Its their first
new 2-piece wheel in a few years now, and well just look at em! Do we really need to
say more? I mean come on. You want them I want you to have them. So go make this
happen. Its the American way. www.mackin-ind.com

WILWOOD
Are you looking for an awesome way to clean up your engine bay? Well - Wilwood is here to help you with their Side Mount Compact Master Cylinder. The
beauty of this little sucker is that it is designed for wee little space clearance, but
it is pumping out the exact same capacity as a full sized master cylinder. What
that means for you, is that you wont lose braking performance in your never
ending quest to unclutter your engine bay! All of Wilwoods performance master
cylinders are loaded with cutting edge technology, built on decades of domination in world motorsports, and proven reliable through Zero PPM defect supply to
OEMs (what that means in English is sh*t dont break). www.wilwood.com

BLUES AUDIO
There is an awesome new speaker line out there called Blues! Here is
one of their innovative products for you to behold! Its called the Blues
BC-65 2-way Component System, and it features a 6.5 midrange and a
1 balanced Mylar dome tweeter. Now if you dont know that all means
it means you need these a lot more than you think you do. Some of us old
folks remember a time way before tiny iPhone speakers & Beats By Dre
lego headphones. A time where music was loud. Where it was not only
heard but felt. A time where we made the whoooole block have to listen
to whatever we were booming and it was great. All of this goodness for
ONLY $139.95! www.bluesaudiousa.com

SKUNK2
The Alpha Series Connecting Rods from Skunk2 are the ultimate in rod design
(giggles) and performance. They feature forged 4340 chromoly steel and a
straight H-beam design which gives you the ultimate strength-to-wait ratio
along with Skunk branded ARP bolts! If you want the best connecting rod out
there for your Honda, you know where to go to. www.skunk2.com

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S **T

YOU

S HOU LD

SYSB

B U Y

POWERBASS
Do yall miss the thunderous boom that came from the epic systems back
in the day? If not, then you miiiight want to reach down there and check on
your penis because it might have died. Truly - I miss seeing the vibrations
of rearview mirrors that come when youre pumping something obnoxious
that will short-circuit the Prius next to you. PowerBass has introduced their
bass package PX-BP12. This package contains a 500 watt amp AND a pair
of 12 inch subs to get you back into the game! The best part - its $199!
www.powerbassusa.com

ORACLE
Do you want a slick, easy way to control your 12 volt accessories? Oracle
just introduced their new Flush LED switch, and it looks awesome! Its as
simple as pushing it on and then off. But along with that, you also have a
momentary-on setting, which lets you also use it as a push-button push
down to turn on and just let go once you have had enough! Its comes in a
variety of illuminated LED colors for you to choose from!
www.oraclelights.com

DEZOD
Dezod Motorsports has introduced their new Green header series for the Scion tC.
This ingenious 4-1 header comes with a high flow cat, which is 49 state legal, and
saves you from staring at the ever-annoying CEL. The power gains to be expected
are about 8whp, and 6 ft/lbs of torque. www.dezod.com

STILL HOOD
Im just going to be blunt and say it: Our shift
knobs are awesome. Weve put a lot of work
& thought into these little suckers. They are
beautiful to behold, weighted perfectly, and
come in variety of colors to make you very, very
happy. These are our newest colors, and you
are going to buy both of them. While youre at
it youre also going to buy our Ricer T-Shirt
as well. For a limited time, all Still Hood shirts
are only $11.97. www.s3mag.com

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Theres something about an old, shoebox-sized import

with new chrome & straight lines. The Datsun 510,
the Mk1 Rabbit, the BMW 2002. Id be willing to bet
that damn near all of us have looked one of those up
at one point or another checking prices, checking
the aftermarket. Theres just something about em.
Theyre cars that we can all agree on. You might not
like the LS1 powered M3 in this issue. You might think
the wing on it, and the RX8 for that matter, are flat
icky. You might think the Accord is hella-idiotic, that
the Evo is too ricey or that the EP hatch looks like
a Mario Bros cloud. It might not be your thing and
thats ok. Creative variety is what gives this culture
the endurance to be well a sustaining culture
and not just a quick trend. But this Datsun is common
ground for almost all of us. You want to slam & swap
one, your old man wants to restore one even your
mom will admit that its cute. I guess when youre
square it kind of makes you timeless in a way.
So what do WE do that makes us timeless? Right
now, there is a lot of hate going around in the import
culture. That is NOT a sign of timelessness. And we
need to man up and collectively squash that before
it eats us alive. We have no right to hate 2 quick
reasons. 1) Most of the hate we see eating away at the
import culture is nothing more than youth-ignorance,
envy, arrogance, and pettiness thrown up online
where everybody has a voice even the people who
do not deserve one yet. Point blank. I wish it went
deeper than that, but it doesnt. Go online, and you see
people hating on things that they cant afford and
hating on people whose lives they want. The growth
of the import scene was timed well with the younger
generation of enthusiasts and it was also timed
well with the coming of the digital age. That worked
in our favor. But by acting stupid, we do ourselves no
justice, as the younger generation. By acting stupid,
we look stupid end of story. 2) Were not training
for the Tour De France here. Were just building cars &
pushing them around. Yes, modifying cars does take
endurance, in a way. And it does take strength, in a
way. But a lot of guys out there with the well built
cars act as if theyve trained a lifetime to get where
they are. That doesnt necessarily translate. Some of
them (and I do mean only some) have developed skills
as fabricators & mechanics & drivers but for a large
part of the scene trendsetters, the most brutal part of
training for this sport... was opening up their wallet.
So how do they justify their snotty judging & criticisms
of other peoples rides other peoples form of
expression & enjoyment? I really want an answer to
that. Who do they think we are? Thats like a guy
with a $10,000 bicycle talking shit but look behind
the clean stretchy spandex, and you see chicken legs
and a beer gut. Am I supposed to bow down to you
because you had the money to blow and the nerdskill to find some rare JDM wheels that you bought
online and then installed on your car with 4-5 bolts.
That doesnt earn my respect. No. Online, secondhand purchasing is not a display of strength. What
earns my respect is character personal character. I
will respect you for what YOURE made of not your
car. When we look amongst ourselves at the import
scene, we need to see people first, and cars second.
(Just like surfing is more focused around the lifestyle
than the actual board theyre using that day.) If we
only focus on the physical, then what were doing is
shallow, materialistic, and meaningless. And with that
environment of course its going to lead to hate.
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CREATIVE VARIETY IS WHAT GIVES TH

IS CULTURE THE ENDURANCE TO BE

A SUSTAINING CULTURE

But add the people, their dedication, and their

passions to the mix and this becomes family
by which we are all bonded. Family has common
ground, and common history, and an understanding.
And from time to time, you might talk a little shit
about your family but you dont turn your back
on em. WE have the power to lure people into this
culture or we have the power to push them away.
Anyway this guy, Chris Houst, has been into 510s
for a while now, and hes had a few. Its kind of a
thing with him. He used to track one for a time,
then he sold it and moved to an Evo 8, which was
his first legitimate official badass car. And then sold
that and moved to a 330ci, which was even nuttier.
Both saw track-time regularly. But he felt the need to
get back to his 510 roots for a street car this time.
(510 Roots equals awesome shop name.) He found
a 4-door for sale in Dallas, and went to check it out.
When he got there, turns out the guy was a full-blown
Datsun guru, and had a bunch of old Datsun stuff
around. He saw this RHD coupe sitting up in back.
Chris said, Hold on, I dont want this 4-door anymore;
I want that dusty coupe!
And the guy said, Not for sale.
Chris said, Cmon, everythings for sale. with a grin
on his face.
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ISSUE 29 :: 2014

And the guy said, Not that coupe.

Chris let it go, and bought the 4-door as planned. He
started building & driving the 4-door, and one day
later, somebody backed into it like a jerk crunching
one of the four doors. Chris ended up calling the
original owner back to see if he had another door
stocked up that he might sell.
Guy said Yeah come get it.
Chris came out to get the door, and the guy said with
a sigh, Ok, lets talk about this coupe.
Long story short, they worked out a deal. Chris gave
back the 4-door, handed over a wad of cash, and took
this coupe home. He got to work right away, blocksanding the car, and getting it straight & sweet again.
He pulled the original motor, prepped the bay, painted
it gray, and then painted the car back to a custom
shade of blue. He opted for a more modern, more
powerful, affordable SR20DE swap with a custom
header for clearance, and a converted wiring harness
made by Wiring Specialties. The Advan wheels were
no problem as they were actually already lying in
Chriss garage just waiting for a car to go on. See
like many of us, Chris has an addiction to eBay,
and has searches open morning, noon, and night
notifying him of any new obscure posts. Chris had
actually picked up these wheels for $300 (set) before

he ever had a car to put them on. Yes you heard that
right - $300 for the set maybe a little more with
shipping still definitely cheap enough to make you
sick that you missed it. From there, he converted the
rear to sweet Wilwood disc brakes and did a 280z
retrofit on the front. The 280s up front may not be
quite as purdy or modern as the Wilwoods, but they
were engineered to stop the heavier 280z so they
can triumphantly handle the lightweight little 510.
Chris finished off the retro stance & suspension by
sitting the car on a set of Techno Toy Tuning coilovers.
The interior was restored & reupholstered periodcorrectly. And Chriss eBay addiction scored him yet
another appalling deal on the unworn, vintage Recaro
seats. Ugh. It hurts.

1970 Datsun Bluebird

Coupe 1800SSS
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION
Custom engine bay color (dove grey), SR20DE motor
swap, SR20DE custom header, NISMO oil cap, Wiring
Specialties engine harness, Custom radiator, Optima
red top battery, Chrome wiper motor, Polished catch
can, Restored inspection light

EXTERIOR
Custom blue Nissan paint (RAE), JDM lit plate, New
SSS badge, Optional Rear supersonic badge, New
bluebird badges

WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION

Advan Onis 16X7 +12 (Front) 16X7.5 +2 (Rear),
Sickspeed neo-chrome extended lugs, Wilwood
rear disc brake conversion, Wilwood proportioning
valve, Brembo rear rotor, Hawk HP rear pads, 280zx
front brake upgrade, Slotted front rotors, Ceramic
front pads, New brake lines, Steel braided fuel lines,
280zx front suspension, Techno Toy Tuning coilovers,
Eibach springs

INTERIOR
Prosport Gauges, Vintage Recaro front seats, Takata
harness, Quick release, Nardi wood grain steering
wheel, Custom seat brackets, New carpet, New
headliner, New rear upholstery, NOS am radio

THANKS TO...
Wiring Specialties, Prosport Gauges, Kennys
Kustoms, Sylvania
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TEXT - WOOLEY // PHOTOS - PAT LAUDER // DESIGN - GUY HAYNIE

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THE ROCK SAID ABOUT PAUL WALKER: THIS DEVASTATING LOSS IS AN

IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT THE BEST WAY WE CAN HONOR OUR LOST
LOVED ONES - IS BY LIVING AND LOVING AS GREATLY AS POSSIBLE.
I think a lot of us in this tight import culture have
been moved in these fresh days following that
tragedy. In this life, we owe it to ourselves, and just
as importantly, those close to us to live greatly
while were here, to love epically, and to strive for
awesomeness. To stand for something positive, LIVE
for something inspiring, and (no pun intended) be
a rock for those around us. Were only here for a
short time, maybe even a lot shorter than we plan
for in our heads. Thats reality. And it doesnt matter
whether all of lifes privileges are stacked up in your
favor, or stacked up against you - it changes nothing.
Youre still right here, right now, alive with options
& possibilities and that clock is still ticking. So
what are we doing? Are we living passionately,
energetically, lovingly, taking it all in, and going for
broke - here in this life? Or are we slouching into
a rut wishing away the present day, because
of present-day excuses & circumstances and
putting all that weight on the future. A future thats
not guaranteed. The Rocks emotional, yet elemental
words reflecting Pauls passing are so easy to get
teared up about in the moment and then forget
about moments later. Do NOT forget. Plant that seed
within you. Say it to yourself when you wake up every
morning, and then PROVE it to yourself during your
day. And let that seed grow into something beautiful.
I was having some trouble figuring out exactly what
I was going to write in this article until Pauls
passing and until I saw how it affected so many
of us so much more than we thought it would. The
Rocks words seem to reflect the inner motivation
of Mark P, the guy who built this Mk4 R32. Mark
is a man who thinks big and has grand ideas, and
he doesnt chop em down to size either. Hes not

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the kind of personality to put it off or to wait &

see how it might play out. Some of us think about
things too much, and dwell on ideas long enough for
practicality to weigh in & scare us away. Mark P
never gives it that much time. :)
Back in our younger years, when booming stereos
were a must in every tuner build Mark didnt go
with one or two subs - he had five. And yes - there
were repercussions to his hearing ability, and there
were repercussions to the glass in the back of his
hatch. But through all the growing pains, Mark began
to see it like this: if there are no repercussions he
must not have taken it far enough.
And that would kind of shape his direction of
thinking, and become his guideline for survival going
forward. And so far - it seems to be working out ok.
Mark sold the booming car long ago, and picked up a
MK4 GTI that would become his baby, and tie him
into the Volkswagen scene on a national level. True
to Marks nature, the GTI turned into a wild, limittesting, well-known build. But as his horsepower
numbers went up & up & up Mark wanted to get
into the AWD game in order to be able to put all the
power down. He was dog-like loyal to his boosted
FWD GTI though, so he began to plot a way to do
a one-off, high-profile AWD conversion. In the end,
the cost of the conversion was going to outweigh all
sanity & possibility, so Mark decided to pony-up &
buy the already AWD MK4 R32 and experiment
with boosting the Rs 6-cylinder for macho power.
To make it feel like the soul of his FWD GTI lived on,
he swapped all the already-shaved/molded panels to
the R (and vice versa), then sold the GTI to a loving
new owner, and went full-bore on the R32.

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This is the kind of car, just like Mark, that is always

grinding & evolving. In fact, it makes it difficult to
even shoot for a magazine because the car is
always getting better. Just when you think youve
got it pinned at its best it gets better. And that
goes to reflect Mark Ps determination to live greatly,
in everything he sets his mind to. There is no sort
of with this guy. If you think its fast enough, hell
prove you wrong and make it faster. If you think its
as slick as it can be, hell tear it apart and redo it
again to make it better. Mark is the first guy that Ive
personally talked to - who runs bags AND tracks the
car. You cant keep up with a guy like this, because
his mind is chronically running 1,000mph on what to
do next and how to push himself.
Mark is from Miami, which explains the groundpounding bass of his youth. But more recently, he
moved out to San Jose, California, to chase down a
dream/idea that he had for a television show (hes

not allowed to talk about it yet). Its a bold move to

cross the country for a hope & a promise. But hey - if
you dont sack up and commit to the moment then
you never really know what might have happened.
And if you DO commit then you just might find out
that youre strong enough to find a way to make it
happen - somehow.
Now that Mike is on the West Coast, it hasnt slowed
him down or mellowed him out. A lot of times, the
West Coast car guys dont get too far from home
simply because they have so many sources for
influence & activity going on right in their own state.
But for Mark P, the East Coast will always be in his
blood. He jumped in the R, as it sits here, and drove
the damn thing from Cali to Georgia for Southern
Worthersee - a weekend event in the GA mountains.
No crew, no caravan, no hyped-up videographer just him gunning for it. Then, only four short months
later, he had the car shipped from Cali to Ocean City,

Maryland for H20 where he flew out, and syncedup with the car, along with his East Coast car family.
After the event, he flew back home, and had the car
shipped back to his house.This car has been driven
to events all over the country - all across the map side to side, AND top to bottom. You would think that
the guy is heading a pro race team with this much
travel. But hes not. All the effort comes out of his own
pocket, and comes out of his own free time.
And whenever I question Mark about the expense
and the inconvenience, he just shrugs it off, saying,
Yeah but how else was I gonna get it there? And
thats the truth & beauty behind Mark Ps mentality
- he never lifts. He never gets complacent. He
recognizes a missed opportunity, and he thrives off
of hit opportunities. The more life & love that you put
into ANY experience the more that youre gonna get
back from it. Putting in nothing is guaranteed to yield
nothing. But going all-in is guaranteed to yield ????

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
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ENGINE

WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION

3.2 24v AWD - with aftermarket turbo setup, HGP

air-to-water intercooler and intake manifold, Garrett
GTX 3076R turbo, Custom exhaust with MagnaFlow
muffler, Head gasket spacer, 034motorsport tune,
450hp to all four wheels, Clutchmasters FX650

EXTERIOR
Shaved Euro-R line front & rear bumpers, Shaved
doors and rear quarters, Audi A6 door handles,
Pulled & flared fender arches, Shaved hatch, Shaved
hood with baby boser, Shaved antenna, Stubby
mirrors, Inpro all red tail lights, OEM euro HIDs,
Custom color: Fiat 500 punk grey

INTERIOR
OEM R32 interior, Bora R trim, Pioneer sat/nav,
Liquid tt diagnostic screen

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Airlift XL front struts, Custom rear end, Accuair

management with custom trunk install, IDF tubular
control arms subframe and dogbone mount,
Spherical rear upper & lower control arms, Spherical
trailing arm bushing, Solid subframe bushings, Solid
steering rack bushing, Fifteen52 Tarmac R40 wheels
with brushed faces, brushed lips, and gold hardware
& center cap (18x9.5 +6 front and 18x10.5 +8 rear),
Toyo Proxy 4 tires (215/40/18 front and 225/40/18
rear, OEM R32 brakes with Tyrol spacers, Cobalt
brake pads, Adams Rotors rotors, USP stainless
brake lines

THANKS TO...
Fifteen52, 034motorsport, Accuair, Dorbritz
Designs, Ace sullins Carstar, Wave track, Evolution
Racewerks, Fourseason tuning, Clutchmasters

FIXATION
Words Wooley & Brian Nguyen Photos Sean Bradford

2004 HONDA RUCKUS

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Humans. At least some of us anyway - once we fixate on something, theres not much
that can fully take our mind off it. We can rationalize it down. We can make ourselves try
to believe its unnecessary and pointless. We can put it on the back burner. We can keep
living life almost as normal. Years can go by. But until we ultimately make it happen
it is not done. And whether or not its functional, practical, and/or useful to our lives doesnt matter. Because well find a way to adjust our life in order to justify the need.
Whether you admit it or not, thats the mentality of most of us reading this magazine (and
also working for it) and thats the mentality of Brian Nguyen. And hopefully, that will
clear up any of the But why? questions you may have about this little Honda scooter.
Brian has always been a fan of Honda Ruckuss & the scooter lifestyle coming out of
Japan. But the reason he never picked one up until 2011 was because he was still
building his E46 M3. Brian is a very meticulous kind of guy, very disciplined when it
comes to his builds. And once he starts a project he will see it through to completion without going astray or getting himself off track. A true one thing at a time kind
of guy. So while the idea of a Ruckus was in the back of his head, he wanted to make
sure he finished the M before he let himself give in to any new projects. Finally he
had the M just how he wanted it.
Coming from a Canibeat/Stanceworks/Hellaflush featured background with the M3
I now felt like everything else I built in the future had to be on par with the M.
Brian had big plans for this Ruckus from the moment he got it. But like anyone diving
into new territory, he didnt really know where to start. He had an overall vision for the
bike but all the new terms, all the new parts, and all the sources were totally foreign
to him. He was lucky to have one valuable resource on his side - and that resource was
his buddy, Kenny Cao, who is pretty much a full-blown Ruckus guru. Kenny stepped up
and referred Brian to many new companies: Dorbyworks, Password JDM, Rucksters,
Ruckhouse, MNNTHBX, Drowsports, and Japanwebike.

I was really nervous on how it would come out. This could be a hit or a miss.

At first, Brian had convinced himself that he was content (and actually determined) to
just mod the Ruckus around the stock GET 49cc motor no swap. He wanted to keep
that Honda powerplant. And after months of planning, and mountains of UPS boxes
stacking up, Brians build was turning out really nice. That is - until he finally met up &
saw some of the other modded Ruckuss in his area.
GY6 150cc motors-swaps, 2-piece wheels, custom candy paint you name it. Brians
not the kind of dude who is comfortable at the back of the pack, and he became acutely
aware of the immediate need to step his game up - again.
I HAD to build a Ruckus that set itself apart from all the others. Thats when I got with
John Kokenda hes one of the best airbrush artists I have ever seen. I knew that with
his art on my bike, I would truly have something that no one else could ever replicate.
We both threw around many ideas on different paint schemes but we just kept coming back to the Flying Tiger Shark Bomber. Ive seen it done on cars, bikes, planes,
boats, but never a scooter and never a Ruckus. The flying tigers symbolize industry,

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military, lethality, history, danger, Americana. It represents all these

things on a little scooter haha. To be honest though, I was really
nervous on how it would come out. This could be a hit or a miss.
The scooter was torn apart, and everything was sent to John Kokenda for airbrushing. In the downtime, while the motor was out,
something HAD to be done to get more power. Even with all the mods
Brian had been throwing at it, the 49cc Honda GET motor was still
NOT cutting it.

Brian called Ying Wang from Dorbyworks to plot a new motor build. This time around, it
was gonna have to be a swapped GY6 150cc. Ying Wang said, Yeah yeah thats cool,
but do you want to do more? I can bore it out to 160cc, 170cc, 180, 190? However nuts
you wanna get.
Ying advised Brian that he should really go 170cc big bore. Its a huge difference, it
would definitely run, and he could still build it reliable enough to last. Naturally, Brian
took the advice of the master, and Ying started the build in his lab. There was going
to be a tormenting 2-month downtime scheduled for the paint & the motor build. That
whole time Brian was driving around in his killer, jaw-dropping M3 but all he could
think about was getting that little Ruckus back. Funny how that happens sometimes.
When everything finally arrived - Brian and a couple of friends went straight to work in
his basement, building the beast. This was their first time putting a GY6 together, so
there was a lot of trial and error. But after about a week, the bike was complete. The
first start-up was the best feeling in the world for Brian. He was off the ground! The
Ruk seriously sounded like a Harley - not a pit bike. Hearing that rumbling & popping
idle coming out of that scooter just doesnt make sense to your brain its like youre
looking for the chopper hidden behind a curtain or something. Its awesome. Brians
first ride put an ear-to-ear grin on his face, and it hasnt left yet. The bike was indeed
fast really fast. Not a lot of people get off a scooter with their hands trembling but
this one will do it every time! To try and put it in perspective, Brian got a ticket for doing
77 in a 45 at H20 this year. Bookin.
Over the past 2 years I have completed 2 builds with this Ruckus, and I am 100%
happy with how it sits now. This thing would not be possible without the help of my
friends: Kenny Cao, Jeffery Ky, Ying Wang, John Kokenda, Drew Kavounis, and Janine
Scarcella. You guys dont know how much your hard work and input mean to me. Also
- thank you to Nina Angeles for inspiring me to finally go GY6.

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ENGINE
170cc Big Bore GY6 Built By Dorbyworks, Dr Pulley 10g/13g Roller Weights,
Drowsports GY6 Carbon Air Scoop, Dorbyworks GP Exhaust, 30mm Carb +
Air Filter, Open CVT Cover, Lightweight Flywheel, Turbo Fan, Extended Throttle
Cable, Extended Brake Cable, MNNTHBX Oil Catch Can, Composimo Brushed
Aluminum Starter Cover, Uni Filter Dual Layer Pod, Hoca 30mm Slide Carburetor, GY6 Performance Billet Intake Manifold, NCY Unlimited CDI, Smooth Drive
Face, Daytona Belt, Performance GY6 Clutch Bell, Trail Tech Vapor Speedometer, ATR GY6 Wiring Harness, Ballistic 8 Cell Battery

BRAKES & SUSPENSION

ATR Low Stance Rear Coil Over Shock, RRGS Low Down Forks, Dorbyworks
Titanium Rotor Bolts, RRGS Front Disc Brake System, RRGS Front Titanium
Axle, Password JDM Axle Pullers, Password JDM Anti-Flex Bars

FRAME
Composimo Lower Headlight Bracket, Big Beat Front Fender, Password JDM
Lower Seat Frame, Gas Tank Cover, Light Weight Lower Frame Brace With
Folding Pegs, Dorbyworks 10 Stretch Mount Kit, NCY Low Kickstand, Rucksters Front Frame Plate

CONTROLS
Dorbyworks Billet Handle Bar Grips (black), CNC Brake Controls, Quick Throttle,
Dorbyworks Controller Horn, Turn Signals, Lights, Password JDM Handle Bar
Plate + Clips

EXTERIOR
Flying Tiger Shark Bomber Theme (Airbrushed By John Kokenda), Wrinkle
Black Frame And Gas Tank, Ostrich Cross-Stitched Seat, Rucksters Keyholder,
Keyless Gas Cap, MNNTHBX Bottle Opener, Spike Bolts X4, Password JDM
Carbon Fiber Cup Holder + Bracket, Washer Kit, CBR Tail Light, LED Battery Box
Integrated Front Turn Signals

WHEELS
Dorbyworks Mesh Love Wheels, Lugs, Front Wheel Hub, Rear Wheel Hub

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TEXT.Ross Huber
PHOTOS.Dustin Kessler

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They say you shouldnt judge a book by its cover

and yet we do exactly that. All the time - we still pass
judgment on a million things each day, solely based
off only what our eyes relay back to our brains. Ever
notice how all your friends on Instagram/Facebook
seem to be on the VIP list of every club, every night,
getting bottle service like a bunch of ballers? Or how
all your favorite photographers, artists, drivers, and
builders are all killing it out doing amazing things
around the world constantly? Its maddening - if
you cant separate fact from fiction for a minute
and understand that there is not a their life and a
your life. But rather - life and your choice of 19
filter-effects and hashtags that allow you to create
a persona much bigger than your own. Realize & be
comfortable with the fact that: what we broadcast
to the world is what we consider to be the best &
most interesting aspect of ourselves. Not the stuff
in between.

PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THEY CAN HAVE FUN WITHOUT GOING PRO

Its easy to suffer from newsfeed depression. Its

all-too-easy to get caught up in the immaculately
painted exteriors and flawlessly fitted wheels. However, the Internet is like the Las Vegas of the car
world. From ten feet away, all the glitz and glamour
actually have you fooled. Then you snap back to reality and see it for what it is: tons of pizzazz and
knock-off celebrity look-a-likes. We have all fallen
victim to the cell phone-quality pictures on Craigslist
ads just to discover the car is someone elses automotive abortion. Or weve seen the pictures of the
stance cars laying frame and shooting sparks but
in reality, behind all the editing software and image
filters, the car is haggard, miserable to drive, and a
headache to own. And yet we allow ourselves to succumb to these hipshot judgments, just because we
let our mind settle on the aesthetic, and not whats
actually behind the smoke and mirrors.
If we were analyzing this RX-8 purely on the looks of
the exterior and the engine bay, you would probably
think Derek King is a total RX-8 junky. By the looks of
it, he probably fell in love with the styling of the 8 in
high school, saved up his paychecks working a summer job, and poured over hours of How to Turbo your
RX8 forum threads until he found the best setup for
his whip. Youd probably see him cruising to a meet
and think, Man that guy is crazy-badass for doing
that to an RX-8. Youd probably make a rash generalization about how RX-8s are tapped out from the
factory and arent a true contender. However, similar
to the judgment youd pass on that incredibly mediocre girl now-turned-celeb-stunner thanks to the
X Pro II filter, you would have been duped. In fact,
much of the story Derek had to tell about this car,
was LESS about the car itself, and MORE about his
journey as a drifter and DIY mechanic leading up to
owning this rotary beaut.
Derek actually picked this slide piece up from a
drifter buddy (who found golf to be a better suited
past time) as a turn-key solution to mounting projects and his masochistic loyalty to rotary powered
vehicles. In other words, he has some rotten luck
keeping a dependable drift car during race season
and sought this 8 as a newer, more refined, and
more dependable alternative. Yes - you did just
hear that correctly. Derek felt that an aftermarket
turbod rotary would fill the above criteria. What else
would you expect from a guy that bought an RX-7
as his FIRST car and cant recall how many he
has owned since? Would it then come as a surprise

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to know that Derek daily-drives a modified FD RX7 all while slaving away on yet another rotary 7 FC
track car in his spare time?
So here is Derek, a pro-licensed drifter, with a trackready RX-8. He hasnt gotten down in a formal competition in a little while and yet seems so at peace
with his current situation... with an underlying optimism for next season. This guys not falling for all
the newsfeed depression. Rotary guys are good at
staying patient and keeping a cool head. He knows
hell get back on the track, and when he does, he will
have all his ducks in a row.
Maybe this is the difference between people who are
genuinely motivated and in it for the long haul versus people who lose sight & end up doing it more for
e-famous cred. Drifting isnt going out of style any
time soon for Derek. He doesnt need to make his
claim, so he can bounce and wear it like a badge of
honor. He doesnt talk about being a game changer,
or recall the exact date and time that one of his cars
was featured on a photo blog. Hes part of the rare
breed that builds and modifies his cars to race them,
and race them hard. There is no timeline - no expiration date, or golden age, or next season where he is
going to just pack it up and move on.
Everyone in the drifting scene thinks theyre gunna go pro. They need a wake up call, said Derek,
People need to realize they can have fun without
going pro.
The most curious part about this RX-8 though, is that
its kind of still at the bottom of the totem pole when
it comes to power. Even with the outwardly-intimidating turbo kit, its still only making about 250whp.
Not offensive for normal street standards, but with
power stats in the drift world forever climbing with
every new season 250 seems out-classed. Yes,
we also realize Derek isnt exactly an easy crowd to
please either, when you consider the aforementioned
FD turbo as a daily and a modified R33 Skyline in
his driveway (that was mentioned ever so subtly in
conversation what a guy!), but with a conservative 5psi of boost on the 8, Derek NEEDS to make
damn good use of every ounce of power to keep this
thing in the sweet spot and sideways.
With the Renesis 13B pretty much maxed from the
factory, and the GReddy turbo kit tuning taken care
of by the previous owner, Derek didnt exactly have
a lot options to add his own 2-cents on this build
and build power. He lucked out though, when a
friend who builds GT Cup cars offered to trade him
a 5.12 differential for his current setup. The shorter
gearing provides a much more jumpy version of the
virtually torque-less powerband and gave Derek
the bump in drivability that he needed to overcome
the relatively low power figures.
The RX8 chassis are awesome, but the motors are
slow. Even with the turbo on this one, its still pretty
slow compared to some of my other cars, said Derek with unflinching honesty.
But that cant make him stop loving it. This car is still
one of his favorites to own & to drive. He loves the
challenge of closing in on cars with twice the power.
Sometimes a good car cant be measured with numbers alone. The most enjoyable & obsessed-over
cars on the planet are often not the fastest. Automotive meatheads may disagree but fast is just ONE
part of the formula when it comes to engineering a
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true enthusiasts car. What a perfect ride for a guy

who doesnt buy into the hype, or put much stock in
what the automotive trendsetters say. What a perfect ride for a guy who can separate himself from the
stigma, and see the true potential behind something.
Take a second and think about how similar this car is
on paper to the likes of the critically acclaimed FRS
and BRZ - high revving, great handling, RWD sports
cars. Sound familiar? Sure, it may not have the juice,
and gobs of potential that its 7 predecessor has
or a 2J swap or an LS swap. And it may not be
as friendly to tune as a four cylinder turbo engine.
But if you approach the platform with an open mind,
you do have the ingredients for a damn fun mountain
carver, or in Dereks case, a slide car with decades
of rotary heritage behind it.

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2004 MAZDA RX8

ENGINE/TRANS.
Greddy Turbo Kit, Rc 750cc Secondaries, 480cc
Rear Primaries, Stock 290 Primaries , Greddy Oil
Pan, Custom Stainless V-Band Exhaust, Magnaflow Straight-Thru Muffler, Cobb Accessport Dyno Tuned 240whp@6psi, Greddy Profec B. Koyo
Radiator, 160 Thermostat, Fan Controller, Exedy
Hyper Single Clutch, Kaaz 2-Way LSD, 5.12 Final
Drive

EXTERIOR

THANKS

Work Emotion Xt7, 18x9.5 +12, 225/40/18 Tires,

Authentic Vertex Lang Aero With Front Splitters,
Origin 3d Gt Wing

My friends & family for being the devils advocate sometimes but also for being the devil on my shoulder
when it comes to these nerdy cars I waste my money on. I can honestly say that drifting has built the family
of friends that I have today. I rarely ever drive anymore, but being able to show up at any event or any city
in passing, and have an amazing time on any given weekend is hands-down because of all my friends.
Thank you for that.

INTERIOR
Sparco Evo Seat, Momo 350mm Wheel With Quick
Release, Stack Boost, Water Temp, Oil Temp, & Oil
Pressure Gauges, AEM Wideband, Bose Stereo
With Upgraded Speakers, 6-Point Cage

SUSPENSION
Stance GR+ Coilovers, Megan Traction Arms, Toe
Arms, Delrin Bushings, Supernow Outer Tie Rod
Ends

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!
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But at a second glance by the enthusiasts they had

the hot engine options, the gear ratios, swap-ability,
dependability, and the simplistic beauty that made an
entire generation fall in love. It was more than just a
simplistic beauty it was (and is) timeless design.
But then the EP happened. And it wasnt so obvious
at first, but now that years have passed and we can
look back with clarity thats kind of where the party
stalled. It just didnt have the same contagiousness.
Maybe thats because it was heavier/fatter than its
nimble 90s Si predecessors and there was no
swap out at the time that could make up for it. Maybe
its because it looks like the cloud from Mario Brothers. Maybe its because tuners werent ready to accept the K-series. Maybe its because the new S2000
was getting all of the attention from the press and the
tuners. But whatever the reason, it was a dud.
But now much time has passed and its still the ugly
dud duckling. Haha but heres the thing: If youre a
pretty competent builder with some decent resources,
duds can be an awesome project. One reason is that
the initial buy-in price of the car falls sometimes
even plummets. The other reason is because youre
embarking on a sorta newish frontier, with kinda unpredictable possibilities and fresh options. And THATS
an exciting place to be.
See, when it comes down to it, trying to tell whether
or not a chassis is REALLY a dud is all just a boundary-less game between the legitimate potential of the
chassis design, and the aftermarket support available for it. Some cars are duds because theyre duds
plain & simple. And/or they were originally marketed
to be something that time has proven theyre not.
Meanwhile other cars are just duds because theyre
not popular or trendy right now which doesnt necessarily make them duds at all. It makes them gems.
Dustin Millspaugh had been a Honda guy for a long
time. But for this latest build, he decided to go out on
a limb when he bought this EP3. He knows the EP isnt
the most popular Honda chassis out there nor is
he on a crusade to prove everyone wrong. But youve
probably been there: A car will be completely off your
radar for years couldnt care less about it. And then
all the sudden you accidentally stumble across one
for sale and all the possibilities start to overflow out
of control in your head. Obsession takes over. Reality doesnt matter anymore. And its like the voice of
God is willing you to buy this car. What can you do?
You gotta follow the voice of God right? So Dustin
bought the Civic.

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And the problem with the EP3 was never its lack of
performance. The numbers are there, and the car
handles like a cat on carpet even from the factory. The
common criticisms, however, come from its abundance of weight, and its lack of excitement, soul, zest
(and looks). So Dustin set out to knock em down,
one by one. The first thing he did was an aggressive
weight removal. The heavy EP SI seats came out of
the car, as did everything behind the front seats. Those
60+lb factory seats were replaced with a muuuch
lighter set of Corbeaus. Airbags were eliminated, OEM
seatbelts are gone, the front & rear wiper motors were
removed, the A/C was deleted, and the front & rear
bumper supports were tossed in place of much thinner custom bump guards. Dustin then surgically went
through the chassis with a hole-saw, and removed
small circular sections of metal throughout, where
it wasnt necessary for strength. Structural rigidity
is not compromised, because of the custom welded
cage heroically tying up all corners. To tie together
the front of the car, Dustin used leftover roll cage tubing to weld his strut towers to his firewall. With all of
the body/weight modifications, this EP weighs in at
2,350lbs with driver & a half tank down from an
original 2,750+.
Nothing makes a motor (and braking system) happier & more reliable than getting to carry a lot less
weight on its shoulders. But to make this engine even
more energetic, Dustin built the motor, improved the
cooling efficiency, and gave it better fuel delivery (see
modlist). To further assist weight distribution & engine
bay aesthetics, the battery was relocated to the trunk.
Moving the battery freed up some additional room in
the bay which Dustin put to fine use with a 100%
one-off custom race airbox made by Level 7. A forcefeed air tube was run from one of the air inlets in the
front bumper, up to the Level 7 airbox. In finished form,
this airbox setup is a piece of beauty, and a piece of
functionality - bringing the intake temperatures all
the way down to an ambient temperature level. That
means, for example if its 85-degrees outside the
temperature of the air going into that motor is about
85-degrees as well. Whereas before, the car was seeing about +50% temperature readings (an 85 degree
day would previously put 125 degree temps in the in
engine). Dustin says that this is one of the best things
he ever did to free up the cars performance. You could
compare it to taking a mask off a marathon runner. On
the suspension side of things, Dustin picked up a set
up gently used coilovers, swapped everything over to
poly bushings and bought a set of SPC rear

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lower control arms. The wheels are Rota grids, which

none of us, including Dustin, are particularly stoked
on. In the never-ending debate on real vs fake wheels,
we have to ALWAYS push for an end-goal of quality &
ingenuity but we also have to at least recognize all
the varying circumstances & points of view along the
way. And these green Rotas serve their purpose for
now. At this stage, if Dustin were to have gone with
a new high-end set of wheels he would have been
forced budget-wise to make cuts, compromise, and/
or sacrifice other unique parts of the build. This is the
path he chose, for the time being. And while knock-off
wheels are more of a deal-breaker than a deal-maker
when it comes to the magazine (or the overall good of
the culture) well at least hes not another dude
running around on BBSs with a bone stock engine bay.
So - with the weight reduction, motor build, and new/
used suspension arsenal, this EP3 was definitely
starting to find the heart of the Hondas we know &
love. The only thing left to bring it home was to
somehow make it NOT look like a thought-bubble
anymore. But the wild-card factor about the EP3, is
that it can go almost full-spectrum appearance wise.
It run-a lot of people off at first because it look-a silly
(temporary Japanese accent), but the EPs initial flaws
become its biggest assets when you start to mod the
suspension & exterior of this thing. Its like the Honda
nobody wanted, until the right kinda confident person
gets his/her hands on it. Then it becomes the Honda
we cant believe we missed all these years.

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HONDA CIVIC SI - EP3

52

BODY

ENGINE

WHEELS & SUSPENSION

Body kit, Custom front splitter, Custom canards,

Custom winglets, Custom 6-point roll cage, Custom rear diffuser with a modded rear bumper, Corbeau racing seats, Custom fabbed seat brackets,
RCI 5-point harnesses, Momo steering wheel with
NRG quick release, Wink mirror

K20, Level 7 Motorsports air box with force feed

cold-air tube, Battery relocated, Ktuned fuel rail,
Ktuned shifter bushings, Port & polished intake
manifold & head, Block guard, Wiseco pistons, Eagle H-beam rods, Knife edged crank, Hondata pro,
BWR racing header, Buddy Club spec 2 exhaust,
Walbro 255 fuel pump, Koyo aluminum radiator

Buddy Club n+ coilovers, SPC rear lower control

arms, King Strut lower tie brace, Custom CRV rear
sway bar, 27mm front sway bar, Urethane bushings, Rota classic grid wheels 16X8 +0 offset with
225/45/16 tires, 10mm spacers, Extended studs

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BLA N K S L A T E
Text by Wooley & Photos by Jay Baumgardner

From rock bottom, to the top of the world. This buildjourney, like many of your own out there, has had its
highs and its lows. Fall of 2010, Jairo was caught slipping and/or trusting too much the car was stolen
right from under his nose, and stripped before sunrise.
Police located the shell in a backstreet somewhere
nothing but bones. Jairo couldnt let her go though. Ya
know there are those moments in life, where you get
a quick glimpse of what it would be like to lose something you love and you shudder at the thought. It
makes you get an instant surge of appreciation for
life. It brings instant value to the short time that we
have here. And it makes you want to see it through,
and take advantage of every healthy moment. While
most would let the ol girl go to the scrap yard & start
again with something new, or even worse get out
of the game all together - Jairo was slapped with a
different reality. Instead of being ruined, beaten, and
negative all of which are emotions that would be
totally normal. Jairo was amped, which is not normal but very cool. And I look up to his ability to see
the situation with such positivity. He lost her. But now
he had a second chance. A chance for redemption!
And while its true, it was gonna be a real long road
to recovery Jairo took on the challenge with a reborn natural energy. He hadnt done the best he could
the first time around and he saw that now. He had
had put things on the back burner. Dreams and visions for the car that he had no realistic strategy of
seeing through. Just pipe dreams. He saw the script,
and how it almost could have ended with no climax
and no conclusion without applause, without victory,
without triumph. Not this time!
Jairo stepped up his grind. Put in more hours, saved
up his cash, and made a plan. The single cam that
the thieves stole (score of a lifetime guys!!!) was forgotten, and replaced with an H22. Then, the H22 was
yanked to make way for the Tits-McGee K24 along
with a slew of parts from k-series companies whose
name I cant remember right now because they never
advertise. Most everything that wasnt welded to the
car was replaced with SiR, ITR, CTR, JDM, or EDM versions. JCkustums did all the paint & body work to the
exterior and to the bay. To make it even more impressive, they turned this job around in just a couple of
weeks nice one! Jairo then went to work at night
by firelight and studied a variety of Native American
chants to source a set of Gab Sport wheels in a 16x8
with the ITR 4x114 bolt pattern. For suspension,
he just made a phone call to the loveable dudes at
Skunk2. Cut to commercial break.

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Come back from commercial break. Now its all back

together like Legos and hes blindsided the scene
with this comeback. Misfortune sucks. But its part
of this life. And its damn sure part of this automotive lifestyle! Youve just got to come to grips with the
fact that: Sometimes misfortune ends up being the
best motivator. So to the guys that stole this car
you did him a favor. But get caught doing us any more
favors and youll have some misfortune of your own
to grow from.

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EXTERIOR
Custom painted light sky blue metallic (originally
a black 97 EX), SiR front bumper, rear bumper,
headlights, front lip, Ctr thin side moldings, EDM
front grille, VTI optional rear lip, Carbon fiber window visors

C
REPLA

P r e m i um O E M
2 -O H M

ENGINE
K24a2, RyWire harness, Hybrid Racing intake,
fuel rail, fuel line tuck kit, RBC manifold, K-tuned
radiator hoses, fuel pressure regulator, K-tuned
fuel lines, tps sensor, Mugen oil cap, Hasport motor mounts, Bolt Boys bolt kit, S2k clutch cylinder, GReddy full exhaust, Complete tucked and
shaved bay

The Perfect Mix Of Power, Fit & Size

Available now at car audio retailers
(check www.powerbassusa.com/dealers for a dealer near you)

THANKS
First off - Iwant to thank my beautiful girlfriend for
putting up with all the BS while putting this car together. My family also - for teaching me the value
of hard work and how to appreciate all the great
efforts that we put into the things we love. To my
three best friends - Oscar, Choco, and Pelon no
matter the day or time, they always had a hand
to help and a cold 12 pack lol. The guys over at
JCkustums they offer incredible paint & body
work and they always had everything ready
and on time even with me, who loves doing
everything last minute. Thanks to Lil Joe for an
awesome job on my brake line tuck, and always
giving me thumbs up on my build. Cannot forget
the great staff over at Hybrid Racing for letting me
be part of their booth at Import alliance 2013. And
S3 Magazine - for letting the car get some recognition. Last but not least - all the locals who are
always there at the meets sharing good times
with the crowd.

www.powerbassusa.com
2014 PowerBass USA Inc.

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L2

ERS
AK

4x114 usdm ITR conversion, KYB adjustable

shocks, Skunk 2 coilovers, camber kit, Function 7
lower control arms, Gab Sport 4x114 16x8 +32,
Falken Ziex tires, Volk Racing lug nuts

NT S
ME
P

WHEELS & SUSPENSION

tel: 909.923.3868

fax: 909.923.8048

Text by Wooley
Photos by Sean Bradford

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As much as things can potentially go WRONG when

buying & building an import things sometimes have
the tendency to go right as well. A lot of times, when
things DO go our way, we take it for granted, let it go
unnoticed and dont take enough time to bask in the
win. Its unfortunate that we just kinda plow through
life that way because we need to take a step back and
celebrate our little victories. You dont have to gather
the tribe & dance around bonfires all night if you dont
want to, but you should do yourself a favor, and at least
let it sink in. It will improve your attitude, and your outlook. Its those little victories that give us the strength
to keep pushing. That surge you feel when something
goes right? its a big part of why we do this.
This - is Nick Krafts emerald-green Evo. In order to
tell the tale of his little victory I kind of have to include the previous owners. Nick had been wanting an
Evo forever and about a year and a half ago, he was
in the right place to buy, he had found the one that
he thought he wanted. It was this car and at the
time, it was red. But this car stood out to Nick from all
the others, because it already had a nice set of newer
BC Racing coilovers, a boost controller, headers, and
exhaust. He figured the coilovers alone were at least

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a $1600 investment that he wouldnt have to immediately make on top of the cost of the car not to
mention the other bolt-ons. So he went to check it out.
If the deal went through, Nick would be the 4th owner.
When he showed up to see the car, the 3rd owner
didnt know much about his Evo. He hadnt had it too
long, and all he knew was that it was too hard to sell
weed out of a red Evo. It tended to attract a little too
much attention.
Nick had a hunch that something special was up with
this car - it pulled HARD. So he decided to help our
little drug dealer friend with his high-profile dilemma.
As soon as Nick got the car home, he lowered the
BC coilovers down a little bit to get it sitting pretty,
as the previous owner lived on a dirt road, so he had
em raised up a bit for clearance & quick get-a-ways.
Then Nick decided to go through his new mystery box
to see exactly what he had purchased. Upon pulling
up the rear seat cushion, Nick found eight 1-pound
bundles of marijuana. He made a couple calls from a
payphone, found a buyer, and was able to pay for all of
the rest of the mods on this car with the profits. BOOM
- sometimes things just fall into place!

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DANG

I really should have just ended the article right there,

and waited to see how it played out. But thats not
what happened. The car was, in fact, plant free. BUT
there were good fortunes to come. It turns out, that
upon further investigation, this Evo had some magic
under the hood! The 3rd owner must have been too
stoned to ever drive it fast or know the difference. But
apparently, the SECOND owner did some trick shit.
Nick poked around, and found out the car had an FP
Red turbocharger hidden in a ported Evo 9 housing
plus 280 cams! Not a bad day to find out that you just
tripped into 100 extra horsepower.
These are the kinds of positive things that happen in
our lives, from time to time, when we work on cars.
Like I said, when they happen, we reeeally need to
see it, appreciate it and we need to take a minute

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to thank the car gods. Hell - make a Facebook post

about it to balance out all the whiney ones, because
sometimes we get MORE than we bargained for, like
finding a 20-dollar bill from last year in your winter
coat sometimes we get that extra little bonus. We
set the timing right the first time. Or - the axle just
pops right out no issues. Sometimes the bolt you
dropped in the engine bay actually hits the ground.
And anytime youre working on a car & NOT finding rust its because its NOT rusty there! Congrats!
We need to take a second, and appreciate the easy
streets ride that high before we just dive right in
searching for our next dilemma.
Nick scored when he found those hidden mods thats
for sure. It saved him money, and it pushed the build
way forward in its progression. It became clear that
the car must have had a good home with that second

owner. So Nick kept the momentum going by adding

a Buschur intercooler, Mishimoto radiator, and a set of
injectors to balance things out. Then he took the car
to Mellon Racing in Virginia Beach to get tuned. Nick
came back home with a fast, sorted, 414awhp car
and a grin on his face. The car was good-to-go from a
drivers standpoint. However, take a picture of it, and
it looked just like any other stock red Evo youve ever
seen. That wasnt gonna cut the mustard. So Nick fiddled with some wheels, some wider front fenders, and
a variety of aero-accent pieces then painted the car
a metallic orange. Note: before the car was sprayed,
he shaved the antenna & trunk key-hole just to give
it a smoother flow. The orange scheme was cool for a
minute, until he did what all car guys do changed
his mind on a whim and decided to wrap the car
Emerald Green. So there you have it.

Just
dont
bite
it.

sales@zenmotorsllc.com // 1.888.ZENMOTO // 770.904.2868

www.zenmotorsllc.com // 3620 Burnette Park Dr., Suite D, Suwanee, GA 30024

Exterior Emerald Green Vinyl Wrap, AP GT300 Spoiler, Evo

9 JDM Tail Lights, JDM Rear Bumper, Rexpeed Carbon
Fiber Rear Bumper Extensions, Carbon Fiber Side Skirts,
Do-Luck Style Front Lip, B-Magic Wide Front Fenders, Evo
8 Front Bumper Nose Chop, Shaved Antenna Hole, Trunk
Key Hole

it dont matter

2003 Mitsubishi Evolution GSR

Interior Sparco Bucket Seats, 4-Pt Takata Harnesses, Auto

Power 4-Pt Bolt-In Cage, Grip Royal Steering Wheel, Pillars
& Headliner Wrapped In Suede, NRG Weighted Shift Knob
Suspension BC Racing Adjustable Coilovers, Wheels 18x10 -5 & -10, 225/35/18 Tires, Agency Power Rear
Lower Control Arms

Thanks to Brandon Fugitt for helping wrap the car, Mellon

Racing for the tune!

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photo by: CHANGAROO photography

Engine FP Red Turbo (414whp/347tq Tuned By Mellon), 880 Injectors, 280 Cams, Turbosmart Blow Off, HBC
Boost Controller, K&N Intake, Mishimoto Radiator, Buschur
4 Intercooler, 3 Custom Exhaust W/ Magnaflow Muffler

text Ross Huber photos Sean Bradford

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In life, we have a few different pathways when it

comes to decision making. You can be sensible & responsible (boring) or you can follow your impulse
and go for broke (radical). A lot of times, in the autoaftermarket world, these pathways end up intertwining in many complicated ways, and thats why we get
all the cool different types of variety that we see out
there (thats realistic). The car ends up being a result
of the owners personality & lifestyle (giving it character). Also a lot of times, in the automotive world, when
we flat-out go for broke we end up using that word
broke quite literally in more way than one (truth).
Its this reasoning that gives the Honda Accord a
strange perception with todays youth. For a lot of
people whether they want to admit it or not
the Honda Accord sort of does what a lot of people
look for in a car even one they want to modify. Its
dependable, its fuel-efficient, it has fairly decent aftermarket support, and it has a relatively stylish exterior. However, the Accords drawback, is that it does no
ONE thing extremely well. It doesnt really stand out in
any one area, other than its sensibility. Its the car that
people buy when they dont really care about cars.
As far as the aftermarket goes - its not the lightest
choice, its not the sportiest choice, its not the most
powerful choice, its got 4 doors but its not RWD or
AWD, etc, etc. and these are the places that the tuners
are looking.

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For those reasons, people in the tuner scene dismiss

the Accord as unimpressive. The sensible, responsible
option. We look at it like driving a cubicle. Its the ultimate sell it and get something better response on
every message board, when you ask what the best
first-steps to modifying it are. Its the car that your
thrifty, nerdy dad recommends over the 240sx at the
local used car lot and you hate him for it. Its the
carbureted 90whp econobox you inherit from your sister in college (speaking from experience here). On the
flipside - its one of those cars that came in a coupe
or sedan option, and a I-4 or V6 option. It also had the
option for a 5-speed manual transmission, and most
importantly for the tuning youth: some VTEC. Each Accord generation has held true to the test of time. And
while it might not be the car that you expect to see in
the winners circle it could still be the car that still
surprises you when done right.

For Leo Garcia, his 2003 Accord was way more than
just a safe bet but rather, a total no-brainer. Leo
was never a street racer not one to be in too much
of a hurry. Hes not the kind of guy to strip his interior, slap harnesses in a car, and swap a motor. But
he does love the import scene, and he does his part
to represent the plush end of the spectrum. When his
1996 Acura RL started giving him grief back in 2008,
Leo consulted some of his friends who worked at the
local Honda dealerships. Like almost every story surrounding a newly purchased car, Leo had very modest
intentions for the car: HIDs, tint, wheels, and suspension. However, as Leo puts it, Thats a promise never
kept.
Just like any male with a history of playing Gran Turismo Leo knew that buying new parts often
made for a more enjoyable ownership of his 7th gen
Accord. As a huge fan of the JDM VIP car scene, Leo

knew exactly the direction that he wanted to push towards.

One thing I keep in mind is to be original. Even
though my Accord is not a typical VIP platform, I still
went ahead just to be different, said Leo.
Leo sought to build a car that not only infused the outrageous fitment and stance of the VIP scene, but also
infused the reliability and drivability demanded of any
car that resides in the heart of New York City. He relies
on a perfect match of Ksport bags and an Accuair Elevel management system to maneuver the disastrous
Tristate area roads. BUT with that same system, Leo
can also dial-in the perfect fitment for his VIP Modular
VX210 wheels and lay those flawless Balloon White
Lamborghini clad bumpers on the asphalt.
This car sees potholes & road-rot everyday, which
was one of the main reasons I went for air suspension.
The car also experiences frequent long distance trips.
I am always attending out of states shows and meets
to see different faces.
So it seems we have reached an impasse. Most of us
can agree that the Accord has a long history of getting
by of adapting. In the import culture, it has never
gotten the spotlight. Its never been exceptional but
it survives when others die off. Its like a New York
City pigeon. The question is: Does that make it soft, or
tough. Is that its drawback, or its genius?

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This Accord is so far off the grid, thats its difficult for your brain to even register it as an Accord anymore.
Most OEM Accords slide by completely off our radar. Whereas here - our senses are re-sharpened to the curves,
lines, & styling cues that have, for so long, been ignored. Remember that this is a 10-year-old midsize sedan
that were looking at here. To me thats a testament to Leos job well done. He took plain vanilla, and gave it
taste again gave it some serious curb appeal. If youre still hard-pressed to decide for yourself, maybe Leos
company Serious Innovations can sway your opinion. Not only do Leo and his automotive co-conspirators use
Serious Innovations as an outlet to express themselves and their scene through cars, music, and fashion
but they truly live by their mission statement. An ideology that preaches of quality, originality, and attention to
detail: commonly spoken values in this culture but commonly problematic for many.

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A M P L I F I E R S
C O A X I A L S
C O M P O N E N T S
S U B W O O F E R S

C A R

A U D I O

Our Unique Poly

Coated Paper
Cones in our
Subwoofers
and Speakers
Offer An Unrivaled
Smooth Response

2003 HONDA ACCORD V6

74

EXTERIOR

INTERIOR

SUSPENSION

Balloon White Lamborghini, Custom Fabricated

Metal Quarter-Panel Flares, Custom Lower Front
Grill from a Fiat, VIP Led Puddle Lights, Accord Sedan Front Bumper, Accord Front Lip, Accord OEM
Trunk Spoiler, Accord Coupe HFP Rear Lip, Honda
Inspire Door Handles, Honda Inspire Side Mirrors,
Honda Inspire Black Chrome Fog Lights, Honda
Inspire Black Chrome Headlights, 6k Hid Low
Beams, High Beams, Fogs, & Reverse

Full Custom Interior - Burgundy Diamond Stitch

- Vip Styled, Full Custom Audio, Custom Door Panels, 410s EVS, 4 6s Beymas, 2 12s Orion HCCA
Subs, Suede Burgundy Roof Lining

Vip Modular - Vx210 18x10.5 +9 Front 18x11.5

-1 Rear, Federal Tires SS595 225/35/18, Front
255/35/18 Rear, Accuair E-Level Management
System, 3-Gal Tank + OB2 Compressor, Ksport
Bags Struts, Megan Front Camber Kit, Ingalls Rear
Camber Kit, Tl-S Front Sway Bars Front & Rear,
Greddy Strut Bar

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ENGINE
Fujita Cold Air Intake, P2R Throttle Body Spacer
And Manifold Thermal Gasket, 3.5 Intake Manifold
From 08-11 Honda Accord, Ingall Stiffy Torque
Dampening, Full Custom 2.5-Inch Exhaust (all
Resonator Delete), 5zigen Fireball Exhaust

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// SPEED

Some of us are obsessed with it. Addicted to it. And well scratch that itch any way we can. Its the feeling of diving into a
turn, executing the apex, and coming out of the corner while laying into the throttle already set up for the next bend. Its
the way it razor-sharpens our senses and yet calms us at the same time. Our heartbeat speeds up and slows down almost
simultaneously. We are in a flow in the hunt. We dont see whats going by us only what lies ahead. We have slid into the
rhythm of instinct. So close to the edge, yet still in control. In one way its completely chaotic and dangerous. But in another
way its totally soothing and peaceful. And its a feeling that never gets dull were never over it, or bored with it. Its almost
like we need this, in order to stay sane in the world. Our therapy. Like a surfer just needs to be out there in the ocean even
if the waves are nowhere to be found. This is how we recharge, its how we prioritize, its how we meditate.

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For Nick Brocha & Ernie Vigil, the two guys on these bikes, these truths are a part of them that they know all too well.
(Orange bike = Ernie; Yellow bike = Nick) Habitual car guys & tuners since they could legally drive, Ernie & Nick finally
started to add sport riding to the routine about 10 years ago. And unlike a lot of riders out there, Nick and Ernie picked
up the hobby to ride FOR SPORT. They treated it as A SPORT. It was not just a means of transportation, or a means to
show off & show out. They would ride together, choose their course, and get away from the world. They did not ride to
go run mundane errands half-assed and/or half paying attention in t-shirts & shorts. Throughout the last decade,
they have become careful/skillful masters of their trade - capable of drifting 200hp bikes at will. True world class riders on any level. It DOES NOT happen overnight, any experienced rider will tell you that. It is an ever-evolving mastery
of your senses. But as you begin to gain true control, there is no other feeling like it in the world. Its like everything
else youre ever experienced so far in life has been experienced with a condom on.
For their latest builds, Nick & Ernie went in on these beautiful, boner-inspiring 2012 Triumph 675 Daytona Rs. They
are light bikes - very precise. Highly maneuverable. And to give them an absolute excess of speed, Ernie, Nick, and
Fuel Forged (out of Vegas) equipped each bike with a Garrett GT2052 turbocharger, and air-to-water intercoolers. So
the end game here, are lighter bikes, with more power and they want to eat you. Over the last decade-ish, sport
bikes have been evolving & changing incrementally - getting a little better and a little faster here and there. But then
you have this. In order to try and imagine what boost on a bike might be like, think about an 80s 911 Turbo. A RWD,
rear engine, high performance car, long before traction control, stability control, ABS, airbags and all the other
modern conveniences that save drivers from themselves. If youre at the limit in a corner with an old Porsche, and
you lift youre going around. Likewise, on these bikes, if youre hard in a corner and you lift, youre gonna eat shit
(highside). On the other end of the spectrum, if youre in mid-corner in an old 911 Turbo, and you put your foot in it &
that car hits boost you better be ready, because its gonna try reeeeal hard to come out on you. No different with
these Daytona Rs. With the Garrett 2052s, these bikes have an incredible top-end surge.

////// NICK BROCHA

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Hence the swingarm. Changing the length of the swingarm increase/decreases the wheelbase, and effectively
changes the pivot point. For Nick & Ernie, this was an experiment of trial & error - since drifting on two wheels is
still such a dark art. With a stock-length swingarm, the bikes were difficult to initiate into a drift. They were twitchy,
wanted to grip, and did not want to step out. A super-long swingarm made the bikes more stable & tranquilized, but
at the same time, the bikes were still hard to get into a solid drift for a new set of reasons - this time because the
rear wheel was too far behind the bike to be able to kick it out. And when it finally did slide, the rear wheel skipped &
chattered. Using the Myrtle West 0-6 over stock swingarm seems to be the perfect balance for Ernie & Nick on the
Daytonas. Its long enough that it will slide out, yet short enough that it will keep hanging out there. And - still long
enough to transfer your weight forward and smoke em on demand.
If you havent yet seen any of the Driftpocalypse videos on Youtube - seriously go check them out. The Driftpocalypse
3 video was the one that was filmed on these bikes. Nick & Ernie arent out there following the current trends in the
bike scene - theyre making new ones and thank God for that. Drifting bikes?!? I mean - I know it sounds cliche in
a feature to say theyre not following trends; theyre making new ones. But cmon. Does it really get any radder
than drifting bikes?!? Drifting and controlling 400lb, 200hp, turbocharged, two-wheeled machines calls for
immediate admittance into the International Big Balls Committee if Ive ever seen it. These guys are clowns - yeah.
Theyre funny, and they have infectious spirits - true. But dont get misled by the goof because the reality behind
the helmet, is that they are unbelievably calculated, and they take their sport very seriously. Ernie & Nick are out
there testing their own limits just because theyre driven to feel like limits need testing. Theyre riding for their own
fulfillment & their own enjoyment and theyre subsequently pushing the possibilities of their sport forward into
entirely new directions. Respect for that.

////// ERNIE VIGIL

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2x 2012 TRIUMPH 675 DAYTONA R

SUSPENSION

ENGINE

Ohlins adjustable NIX30 forks front, Ohlins adjustable TTX36 rear, Myrtle West Cycles adjustable 0-6 over stock swingarm

Horsepower: 204 @ 10psi, Stock 675cc inline

triple, Garrett GT2052 turbocharger with air to
water intercooler, Turbo kit built by Fuel Forged in
Las Vegas, NV, Dynojet Power Commander 5 with
Autotune and LCD Screen, Stock 6-speed with
Triumph quickshifter

ACCESSORIES
Paint by Outlawz Customs of Albuquerque, NM designed by Icon Motosport, Galfer brake lines,
Driven adjustable clip-ons, Driven adjustable rear
sets, HT Moto seats

TIRES
Front: Avon VP2 Xtreme, Rear: Avon Storm 3D Ultra

STOM FINISHES
MOTEGI RACING CU
personalized look.
uely
a uniq

Custom colors create

hes
rs a wide range of finis
The Custom Shop offe
paint colors, powder
of
k
stoc
e
nsiv
exte
including an
tching.
at and vehicle paint ma
coating, tinted clearco

NEW

MR127 | SATIN BLACK

MR118 | RED FLAG

MR119 | YELLOW FLAG

MR120 | PRETTY PINK

MR118 | PASSION PURPLE

MR122 | GO GREEN

MR125 | COMPETITION ORANGE

MR274 | SUNBURST GOLD

For more information and fitments visit www.motegiracing.com

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MOTEGIRACING

MOTEGIRACING

1999 BMW M3

Owner: Matt Waln

The
Ultimate
Jiving
Machine

Text by Adam Jabaay Photos by Sean Bradford

For some people afflicted with the virus of car-enthusiasm,

it can be tough to not work on whatever is parked near their tools.
Matt Walns E36 M3 BMW is an obvious example of this wrenching
affliction. Sometimes, having a fast street car is the motivation.
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Exciting stoplight battles or that great lumpy idle as you pull into the crowded local parking lot can be the motivating vision. Some
car dorks love sitting the staging lanes at the drag strip, waiting for the next pass to try and run that number they have tirelessly
worked towards. Maybe a car show or two is the force that gets someone you know, or yourself greasy. For others, charging around
racetracks or drift venues all over the country drives their passion for this ridiculous hobby. Sometimes, a bit of all those things can
push someone to build a car. The creations that result from someone interested in ALL the venues in which you can have fun with an
automobile are usually the ones you remember. More often than not, these cars are constantly evolving in different ways.

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Lightweight
V8 American
Simplicity

Ill never be done with it unless it gets wrecked or stolen is a phrase youve probably heard if you know someone truly deep
into the obsession.
When it fires up, the M3 you see on these pages sounds a little different from what you might expect. The silky smooth sound of a
BMW straight-6 is downright tame compared to the bark that emits from this car. Nothing is more distinct than the sound of a healthy
V8. Pushrods replace things like dual overhead cams. VANOS systems were ditched in favor of lightweight V8 American simplicity. Fifty years of refinement and changes to GM V8s really packaged a lot of technology into a relatively small & potent package.
Older 350-based GM V8s were heavy and larger, typically because of an all-iron construction. In comparison to other nearly-6-liter
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TORQUE SPINS TIRES

Gets cars moving.

engines, the LS1 and the rest of its direct descendants are downright tiny. Powerful, reliable, compact, and simple are all great
things to say about a drivetrain and are part of the reason you see variants of the LS engine family stuffed into about every type of
rear-wheel-drive vehicle that has ever been produced. These engines benefit from a huge array of aftermarket support, and General
Motors put these V8s into everything from Corvettes to work trucks. This particular V8 setup uses a Vorshlag mount kit to install
the LS1 swap into the 3-Series, and American Racing long tube headers feed the custom 3 dual exhaust. Backing the engine is an
LS7 clutch and flywheel, and a T56 transmission. The decidedly non-BMW engine is fed by Aeromotive fuel rails and an Aeromotive
regulator. Torque spins tires and gets cars moving. In other words, torque brings fun and fun is what this car is all about.

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Keeping this car more-or-less on the

ground as it slides around a track, or
pounds the street, is a set of Broadway
Static digressive coilovers by Fortune
Auto. Shaft speed refers to the actual
movement of the strut or shock shaft in
relation to the body of the shock or strut.
When you drive around a curve, the movement of the shaft is relatively slow, as the
car tips and dives and the strut dampens
that movement. Conversely, when you hit
a bump or hole, the shaft speed is almost
immediate, and very fast. With these, and
many other higher-end digressive race
suspensions, Low speed rebound is stiff
and controlled, but high speed bumps or
pot-holes are soft making for a usable
suspension in basically any environment
you can imagine even the obstacleriddled streets in between the track and
Matts garage. An SLR half-angle kit, E46
BMW control arms, and flares provide
greater range of steering for the Cosmis
Racing XT-005 wheels (18x9 front &
18x10 rear).
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Walls, rails, & other painful obstacles are

much less of an intimidation with proper
safety gear. Inside this car, a custom roll
cage by Lee Alexander of Alexander Fabrication keeps things secure when paired
with Bride Low Max seats and Crow Enterprises harnesses. Mr. Matt Waln manhandles the car through the controls of
the Grip Royal steering wheel, NRG quick
release, and ISIS handbrake. A quick yank
of that handbrake and a stab of the throttle is enough to send this E36 sideways
on command and put a devious grin on
Matts face.
And then theres the matter of that monstrous, towering Big Country Labs wing.
If you have an issue with that kind of giant wing on a BMW then youre reading
the wroooong magazine. Heh. Yeah - you
dont usually see BMWs with wings like
this at the euro get-togethers. You arent
soon going to forget this one though.
Hell - the only way youd miss it is if the
smoke clouds are too thick, billowing past
you while this car barks & snorts its way

around the intersection I mean track.

This wonderful marriage of German design and American strength might not
be something you see every day and
it might not be something that the gentle
purists embrace. But theyre gonna brace
themselves and remember what they saw
when this car rumbles past em.

Engine.

Exterior & Suspension.

5.7L LS1 swap (Vorshlag Bolt-in Kit), American

Racing Long Tube Headers, Custom Dual 3 Exhaust, LS7 Clutch and Flywheel, Aeromotive Fuel
Rails and Pressure Regulator

Big Country Labs GT Wing, Broadway Static

Coilovers, SLR Half Angle Kit, E46 Control Arms,
Cosmis Racing XT-005r Wheels - 18x9 18x10

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Interior.
Bride Low Max Seats, Grip Royal Steering Wheel,
NRG Quick Release, Roll cage by Lee Alexander
(of Alexander Fabrication), ISIS Handbrake, Crow
Enterprise Harnesses

ADD TO CART
W O R D S : W O O L E Y / P H O T O S : G A R R E T T WA D E

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THESE CARS WILL PROBABLY BE TALKED ABOUT BY ENTHUSIASTS

FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

You wanna know what the big deal is about this car?
Aside from the Origin wide body kit? The cool thing
about this exact car is that it is a pioneer for the
aftermarket. Yes - this exact car will directly lead to
better performance parts for your own FRS/BRZ. Even
if you dont own one yet.
Ok so heres the back story: This car is owned by Ken
Harrison who also owns Enjuku Racing. For those
of you who arent familiar with Enjuku, they are a
highly experienced shop & national aftermarket parts
retail center based out of Orlando. They can get anything for anything, but the RWD import performance
market is their heart & soul. Its their roots. So for
Ken, when the new FRS/BRZ came out, the car was
as necessary of a purchase for his business as a cell
phone or an open sign. Seriously. The FRS/BRZ
is perhaps the first REALLY significant, compact RWD
tuner platform being sold in the America since the Schassis Nissans. That makes them a big deal. And
not only are they a big deal now because theyre new
& fresh but this FRS/BRZ chassis could potentially
be a big deal for 30+ years to come. Think about that
youre going to be a senior citizen and your generation, aaaannd the 2-to-3 generations below you,
are going to be trying to find these cars to buy, lower,
kit-up and slam into a guard rail. Unless something
drastic happens within the automotive industry, these

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cars will probably be talked about by enthusiasts for

the rest of our lives.
So Ken got the car to do some first-hand research &
development since its a pretty sure bet that this
chassis will bring in a lot of customers, questions, and
potential business for Enjuku. First things first, Ken
sourced this stunning Origin Lab widebody kit, just
to separate this car from all the others popping up
across the country and to offer an alternative to the
also-killer, but more well known & more recognizable
Rocket Bunny. Since the car is going to represent
Enjuku Racing, Ken wanted to distinguish this FRS
from all the others coming through on the social
media news-feeds these days. But he didnt put the
Origin kit on just yet. First, Ken went to work finetuning the suspension to see how the car would really
behave in real life and to see if it had the potential
to live up to all the hype. ISIS developed & tested their
pro series coilovers around this very car. With the ISIS
drop in place and performing impressively, Ken felt
comfortable going forward with the widebody install.
And with the widebody mounted, Ken & Enjuku went
back to work with more suspension tuning & testing
on the rear. They found satisfaction in a set of DME
adjustable rear LCAs, and DME adjustable rear toe
rods. Good stuff. Now Ken could properly & correctly
fit a set of Miro 398 wheels in 18x9.5 +34. To stiffen

the front of the chassis, they bolted up a Cusco engine

bay power brace, and the Cusco front strut bar. The
car is a rip to drive in OEM fitment. And now, seeing
as how the car has gotten substantially stronger with
the added suspension mods, the FRSs real potential
is becoming intensely addicting.
Up until this point, Ken & Enjuku have been tuning the car around the stock boxer engine, and the
stock power numbers. They wanted to get a feel for
the cars natural balance & handling characteristics,
BEFORE an abundance of power was added to skew
the data. Now the plan is to move forward into the
engine, and help ISIS develop & test a decent array
of performance parts for the FRS/BRZ. Just as was
done with the suspension, Enjuku is now poking at &
exploring the potential of the new boxer motor. And
just as it was with the ISIS coilovers their research
& testing will lead to tangible, proven ISIS parts for
your own FRS/BRS should you chose to finally
break down and buy one.
And my prediction, knowing Enjukus history, is that
after all knowledge is gained from the boxer power
plant, Enjuku will most likely rip that thing out and
swap in a single-turbo 2JZ or a boosted LSx. At
which point you most likely going to see a follow-up
feature in this mag and me doing one of these - :).

2013 SCION FRS

Origin Lab Wide Body Kit
Seibon Carbon TA front lip
Seibon Carbon trunk spoiler
Miro 398 Wheels 18x9.5 +34 5x100
ISIS HR pro series coilovers
DME adjustable rear lower control arms
DME adjustable rear toe rods
CUSCO front strut bar
CUSCO engine bay power brace
Whiteline rear camber bushings
ISIS silicone radiator hoses

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premium

EVO

series

NEW waterproof
boost sender

4 colors in 1 gauge

Plug and play wiring

Daisy chainable

Dimmable (6 stages)

Peak recall

We recognize SPC rear control arms and toe arms as

true race parts that have a wide adjustment window
and allow for very quick pit adjustment, which is
extremely crucial in a real race setting where time is
precious. These arms
Fredric Asabo
proved a great addition
3-time 2013 Gatebil Powerslide Winner
2013 Formula Drift Fan Favorite &
to our Speedhunters
4th Place Season Finish
Toyota 86-X!

2014 Niwot Corp. dba Specialty Products Co.

ISSUE 29 :: 2014

11930 31st Court North

St. Petersburg, FL 33716

60mm (2-3/8)

PROSPORTGAUGES.COM

WWW.S3MAG.COM

727-572-9011

Fully programmable
warning feature

S3_2014_1-2pg_Asabo_Layout
1 1/2/14 9:17 AM Page 1
sales@prosportgauges.com

102

Place your order online

or over the phone

TURN 14S GOT IT.

SPEC CLUTCHES & FLYWHEELS
(FILL IN THE BLANK)

Turn 14 Distribution is a performance wholesale warehouse distributor, with a massive 52,000 sq. ft. warehouse
facility which house our huge inventory of performance products. So the next time you need a part, whether its a
performance clutch, exhaust system or anything in between, remember, TURN 14s GOT IT!

There at Every Turn

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Call 1-877-7TURN14

Visit TURN14.com

@turn14

/turn14distribution

PHOTOS: SEAN BRADFORD

CANIBEAT
FIRST CLASS FITMENT
PRINCETON AIRPORT, NJ // OCTOBER 19, 2013

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FIRST CLASS FITMENT

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FIRST CLASS FITMENT

NEW
Triple SEMA Award Winning Ethanol Content Analyzer

ECA-2 $179

PROJECT MK6 STAGE 1 FLASH

+32WHP +42WTQ... WITHOUT TURNING A WRENCH
HERES HOW...
Ok so back to this GTI. When I first got the car, I swiftly put a set of KW Suspension Variant 2 coilovers on it, along with forged TSW Interlagos wheels (18x8 +45), and
Toyo T1-Sport tires. Going into THIS tech article, the motor was 100% bone stock OEM. Not even a new air filter. We took the car to TOPSPEED in Atlanta, GA (technically
Alpharetta, GA) to get the baseline dyno numbers. It ran 190whp and 206wtq on their Dynojet dyno. Then, I sent the ECU down to the guys at FORGE MOTORSPORT in
Orlando, FL... where they plugged the ECU into their computer & put a GIAC Stage 1 flash on it. When it comes to the GIAC flash options - if you dont want to have to pull
the ECU, send it in, and have the car down for a few days... you can find a local retailer online, make an appointment, and drive the car to them. Its a quick procedure
- just a couple of clicks on a computer... and you drive out faster. I opted to send my ECU to FORGE in Orlando, because I know them & trust them. They did their magic,
and overnighted the ECU back to me. I plugged it back into the car, and went back to TOPSPEED for another dyno pull. The new dyno numbers were 222whp, and
248wtq. Thats a +32 horsepower increase... and a +42 torque increase - without turning a wrench! And thats just the initial stage 1 flash... aka the little flash just to
get you started. When it comes to turbo cars, torque is what moves you. Torque is that suck-you-in-the-seat feeling you get when boost kicks in. And this sub $20,000
slightly used Mk6 GTI, with a $400 GIAC flash, is now making ballpark numbers with a stock Evo or STI... and still getting OEM miles-per-gallon (about 29-30).
Next up: turbo-back exhaust & intake... followed by the GIAC Stage 2 upgrade.
Note: Pull the positive & negative battery cables, touch them together for 20 seconds, and it will clear any dash lights if you decide to pull the ECU and send it in.

THANKS TO...

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www.ZT-2.com
sales@ZT-2.com
(310) 328 1234
QUALITY FIRST !

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Used by racers all over the world, the HOFMANN name

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optimized for the aftermarket, the Type 380 weight
has a resilient powder coating for permanent corrosion
protection as well as the innovative SPEEDLINER adhesive
tape. With SPEEDLINER you will never have old tape
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Find us at the 2013 SEMA Show

Booth # 42273

Near the Toyo Tire Treadpass entrance area

in the Global Tire Expo - Lower South Hall

FUEL DELIVERY
ENGINE HARNESSES
POWER STEERING KITS
COOLING COMPONENTS
BRAKE LINE RELOCATION
MOTORSPORT ELECTRONICS
BRAKE BOOSTER ELIMINATOR
PRODUCTS ENGINEERED
TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
AND AESTHETICS WHILE
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Ackowledge the fear...then GO FOR IT
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Birmingham,AL
Sales@ChaseBays.com
205.623.2188