Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Chaos. Pattern. Style. Everyone perceives things differently. That’s what makes
you unique. You never go along with the crowd. Just like you, Scion vehicles are
born with self-expression in mind. Visit your local Scion dealership or Scion.com
and create your interpretation of the perfect ride.
Vehicle shown is a special project car, modified with non-Genuine Scion parts and accessories. Modifications with these non-Genuine
Scion parts or accessories will void the Scion warranty, may negatively impact vehicle performance & safety, and may not be street
legal. For more information, call 866-70-SCION (866-707-2466) or visit Scion.com. ©2009 Scion, a marque of Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A. Inc. All right reserved. Scion, the Scion logo, and xD are trademarks of Toyota Motor Corporation.
34
CONTENTS
76
MODEL
MERCEDES LUNA
RAW MATERIAL
’93 HONDA CIVIC
48
BLITZKRIEG BUILDUP
’95 NISSAN 240SX
62
BLACK OPS
’92 MAZDA RX-7
68
30 42 54 88
TECH DEPARTMENTS
88 POWER PAGES
’08 SCION TC
30 SHAUN CARLSON
FAREWELL TO A FRIEND
131 FEBRUARY 2010
PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION/INFILTRATION
IMPORT TUNER (ISSN#1528-0845) VOL. 13 NO. 02 IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY SOURCE INTERLINK MEDIA, LLC., 261 MADISON AVENUE, 5TH FLOOR,
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4 importtuner.com
NATURE, THIS fan of stickers, so prior to this evening, I’ve never attempted to
lay out or apply a vinyl scheme, which was why Philip and Elliott
SWAPPING AN SR20DET IN MY S13 AFTER MY KA CRAPPED
OUT. STEPHEN, STEVE AND I WRENCHED ALL NIGHT TO
JOB KEEPS YOU were brought, er, begged to be on hand.
Meticulous and with an unparalleled work ethic, Philip was
GET IT RUNNING THE NEXT DAY . . . WELL, I ALMOST DID.
I NAPPED WHILE REPLACING THE OIL PAN. I WOULD’VE
BUSY, BUT THIS the first person I thought of asking for help—he practically built
our project IS F single-handedly last year. When I pulled the Z
SLEPT LONGER, ONLY I WAS AWAKENED BY THE NOXIOUS
SMELL OF TRANNY FLUID LEAKING ON MY HAIR.
PAST MONTH in to Tein’s garage at 8 p.m., Phil had a spray bottle filled with
soapy water, painter’s tape, two squeegees and tape measures
HAS BEEN ready. Great with designs and always down for the cause, Elliott
not only volunteered to do a composite of the sponsor logos
COMPLETELY on Adobe Illustrator, but his Friday night. And bless them both,
otherwise I’d be still working on the vinyl and not my editorial
NUTS that’s already past deadline.
By sheer nature, this job keeps you busy, but this past month
has been completely nuts. On top of the normal monthly work-
flow, last week I was in Japan for the Tokyo Motor Show and now I have to make sure our SEMA proj- SENIOR EDITOR
SCOTT TSUNEISHI
ects—the 370Z and Suzuki Kizashi—are buttoned up, because come Monday, November 2nd, both cars
need to be in Vegas for the show. Meaning the Z, which up until a week ago only had Tein Mono Flex THIS PAST SUNDAY, WHEN A CO-WORKER (COUGH, ELLIOTT,
COUGH) DECIDED TO VOLUNTEER MY SERVICES TO HELP
coilovers, a Greddy exhaust and twin turbo kit (the first one ever, for those who relish in such facts),
INSTALL A GARRETT GT3071R TURBO IN HIS EVO X.
and a twitchy body control module, not only has to survive the four hour jaunt up to Nevada, it has to
be built to show and time-attack status, since we’re taking it to Buttonwillow for the Super Lap Battle
Finals the week after SEMA.
Luckily, I had help from friends like Phil, Elliott, Freddie Fernandez from Autofashion, and Stephen
Rhim from G-Dimension who lent a helping hand and wrench, sorted out the body control module issue
and swapped in a SPEC clutch and flywheel, while I was out gallivanting in Japan. That left the Volk G2s,
FK452 Falken tires, Project Mu brakes, Bride Cuga seats, Sun Line carbon body kit and Carbonetic clutch
that still needed to be put on. Let’s just say the last few nights were sparse on sleep for Stephen and I.
With just a few hours left to finish up the car, and a whole week of SEMA ahead of me, wish me luck!
Scratch that. It’ll already be too late. A “happy new year” will suffice. TECH EDITOR
LUKE MUNNELL
EDITOR
CARTER JUNG
carter@importtuner.com
facebook.com/carterjung
MANAGING EDITOR
DREW FARRINGTON
I HAVE A THREE-MONTH-OLD. EVERY NIGHT IS AN ALL-
NIGHTER. A POOP-FILLED ALL-NIGHTER.
ART DIRECTOR
CLINT DAVIS
AS I’M TYPING THESE WORDS INTO THE LAYOUT IN ADOBE
FEATURES@IMPORTTUNER.COM FOR FEATURE CARS INDESIGN, IT IS CURRENTLY A BEAUTIFUL 72-DEGREE
MODELS@IMPORTTUNER.COM FOR ASPIRING MODELS SUNDAY AFTERNOON . . . WHICH IS INFINITELY WORSE
TWITTER TWITTER.COM/IMPORTTUNER THAN WORKING AN ALL-NIGHTER.
6 importtuner.com
SENIOR EDITOR
SCOTT TSUNEISHI
scott@importtuner.com
LIVING
RIDING SHOTGUN WITH THE EDITORS
8 importtuner.com
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ags.
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EDITORIAL ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN ADVERTISING
Editor Carter Jung Art Director Clint D. Davis Group Publisher
Technical Editor Luke Munnell Maria Jamison
Senior Editor Scott Tsuneishi THE PERFORMANCE AUTOMOTIVE 714/939-2455
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Colin Ryan Glenda Elam
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Andy Hope Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
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specify what magazine, and issue date. If this is not specified, your check/money order will be returned to you. Editorial contributions welcomed but editors recommend that contributors query
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FOURONEONE
From an enthusiast’s point of view, perusing the
2009 Tokyo Motor Show was about as exciting
as shopping for a new washer and dryer. Sure,
there were lots of new technology floating about, but
instead of hp and zero-to-sixty times, it was all about
mpg and zero emissions, equating to a future crop
of cars less about fun times. But amongst all the
dark, green-colored muck, a few OEs understood
that not all consumers want their cars to have
the soul of an appliance.
The Shogun of AWD, Subaru introduced the
STI Carbon and Exiga 2.0GT, tuned by STI. No
overly ambitious eco-technology masked as
marketing statements here, just plain ol’ tur-
bocharged goodness, wrapped with a healthy
dose of sportiness. And if that wasn’t counter-
establishment enough, Subaru proudly displayed
the Legacy B4 GT300 racecar and Hybrid Tourer
concept—bless their flat hearts. In a not-so-shock-
ing revelation, Lexus debuted the long-overdue LFA,
along with the very shocking news of its near-$400k
sticker price. Lexus’ more practical brother showed
the eagerly anticipated Hachi-Roku heir with the
FT-86, and Honda the CR-X’s offspring: the CR-Z.
EVENT CALENDAR: 12.12: HIN, Chandler, AZ 12.13: Import Faceoff, San Antonio, TX 1.15-17: Tokyo Auto Salon
14 importtuner.com
TOKYOMOTORSHOW
Nissan Leaf: Based of the Versa platform, this Toyota FT-86: Developed and built by Subaru, the 2+2 Hachi-Roku successor retains FR status and comes
zero-emission FF comes powered via lithium-ion packed with a naturally aspirated 2.0L flat-four engine and six-speed transmission. Rumors have it coming
batteries and will have a 100-mile range. to the States at around $20k and possibly as the next tC.
JAPANESE For the fifth time in as many years, the Japanese Classic Car
Show recently took to the grassy knolls of Irvine, CA’s Hidden
Valley park for one of the largest gatherings of pre-’86-model
Japanese autos, and proved itself as a show where anything goes.
SHOW 1958 Crown 3RC, and Mark Still for his ladder-frame, V-8-swapped,
flared and generally ratted-out ’75 Corolla. That last one won no
awards—we just think it’s badass that it was driven to the show,
wooden firewall and all! www.japaneseclassiccarshow.com
16 importtuner.com
IS DIY COOLANT
SYSTEM
FLUSH
DO
effective way to flush your
radiator by using white vin-
egar sold at any grocery store.
Begin by draining the car’s
entire cooling system, then
refill the radiator with a gal-
lon of white distilled vinegar,
WHAT?!
As if attempting—and landing—the world’s first freestyle motocross double backflip in competition as
the entire world watched, winning nine X Games gold medals and jumping out of a plane without a para-
chute weren’t thrill enough for Adrenaline-Junky-of-the-Century Travis Pastrana, he’s got a new challenge:
breaking the 171-foot record for the world’s longest car jump. And he’s planning to do it by driving his
making sure to top off the
remaining cooling system with
water, then idle the engine
until it reaches normal operat-
ing temperatures. Turn the
engine off and let the car cool
for no more than three hours
before thoroughly flushing the
cooling system with water.
Vinegar is a mild acid that’s
Subaru STI rally car (Sept. ’09 2NR) off Long Beach, CA’s Pine Street Pier, landing onto a barge floating in safe for human consumption,
the Pacific Ocean, on New Year’s Eve, live on ESPN/ESPN HD. Come hang out with us at Shoreline Village if but strong enough to dissolve
you’re in town, or tune in to Red Bull: New Year, No Limits on December 31st for live coverage, beginning those white deposits you can
at 11 p.m. PST. Use those wings, homie! www.redbullnewyearnolimits.com see floating around in
your coolant. Vinegar is
environmentally safe,
so you don’t have to
be too cautious when
draining, but please,
make sure to dispose
of used coolant
responsibly.
10.02.2nr.17
SCION NIGHT
@ KNOTT’S
For the sixth consecutive year, Scion enthusiasts gathered at Buena Park, CA’s Knott’s Berry farm, forming the single largest gathering of Scion
owners in the country. Which, by default, also makes it the largest in the world. This year, Knott’s and Scion paired up to close the park to everyone but
Scion owners, and admission was free with the donation of one $10 toy to Toys for Tots. Of the nearly 12,000 enthusiasts in attendance, we managed
to catch up with Mike Ma and his 3S-swapped xD, Mattyrattypoo and his boosted orange xB with matching fixie, a party sporting Jeri Lee and friends, and
a few thus-far unseen rides we’re keeping tabs on. Special shouts go to Team Fuscion for the carney antics, Scion Evolution for the girls, and of course,
Scion, for putting the whole thing together. www.scion.com
18 importtuner.com
MOBILE
ELECTRONICS
TEAM HYBRID
TRAINING
Does it seem like, despite the rough economic cli-
mate, the rich just continue to get richer while the
rest of us struggle to make ends meet? Looking for
a way to use your talents to turn the tables and
get your just dues? Look no further than mobile California’s most predominant import car club celebrates 15
TURNS 15
electronics, a purportedly recession-proof indus- years atop the show tier this year, on the heels of its recent Best
try in need of manpower. Metro Auto Electronics Team Overall win at the past Nisei Showoff. January 7th, 2010
Training Institute can give you the training you’re will mark the date when, a decade and a half earlier, president
looking for, and even offers federal financial aid, James Lin founded the club among friends in his local Oxnard, CA,
government assistance, Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, import car scene. Think about what you were doing to your ride
and more, for the talented yet particularly cash- back in ’95 (if you were old enough to drive then)—we’re going to
strapped among us. 800.649.6387 venture a guess that whatever it was, it wasn’t as cutting edge as
what James and co. were doing to theirs. Not that we doubt the
legit status of any 2NR reader . . . we just know you wouldn’t dare
call James any less than a true O.G. to his face! It was an honor to
have them rep our 10-year party last year; hey James, our invites
to yours are in the mail, right? www.teamhybrid.com
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QUESTION
FIXING WHAT YOU BROKE
ERIC HSU
20 importtuner.com
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Get More for Your Ride!
Summit Racing Equipment offers millions of in-stock parts at guaranteed low prices. But we don’t
stop there. Summit Racing also provides no-hassle special ordering, fast delivery, expert advice
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04
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22 importtuner.com
They’re everywhere. On the shelves of consumer auto parts stores, on the e-pages of online perfor-
mance catalogs and occasionally plastered across the flanks of winning competition cars. On their
bottles are claims of increased power, better fuel mileage and cleaner engines with use, and inside are
proprietary formulas and chemicals with names we can’t even begin to decipher. They are the world’s
“performance fuel additives”, and we have yet to test one that makes good on all its claims.
THE VERDICT:
Don’t let our testing discredit the product entirely— system cleaning and increased mileage claims weren’t
octane levels weren’t measured, and changes to ignition tested, either. All considered, let this show what to expect
ttiming in our subject car weren’t from adding an over-the-counter fuel treatment to a simi-
mmade to determine if it did stave lar car in good tune. If you need higher-octane fuel, buying
off knock, as advertised. Fuel it directly from a gas station or race shop is a better bet.
24 importtuner.com
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TEXT BY EVAN GRIFFEY
PHOTOS BY JAY CANTER
10.02.2nr.31
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REMEMBERING SHAUN CARLSON
WHEN IT
TODAY AS IT DID E
2 Was the president and founder of NuFormz Racing, a fabrication company that
builds aftermarket components and custom race cars.
PRIL
APPEARED ON THRBA 3 Debuted Stephen Papadakis’ Pro FWD tube-frame Honda Civic at SEMA in ’98:
‘98 COVER OF TU O
the first sport compact drag car with a tube chassis.
4 That same Civic became the world’s first FWD to run a 9-second quarter mile,
with a 9.89 @ 149 pass on March 27th, 1999 at Battle of the Imports. And if that
wasn’t enough, it became the first FWD vehicle to break the 8-second barrier, with
an 8.93 @ 164 pass at Maplegrove Raceway on May 14th, 2000.
5 Built the “World’s Fastest 1.5-Liter” project car (10.2-second Honda CRX); cover
feature for Turbo Magazine’s April, ’98 issue.
6 Shot the first two covers of Import Tuner in ’98, featuring the Remix Twins, fol-
lowed by Francine Dee.
10 Took to the NHRA as a backup driver for Darrell Alderman in ’04 Pro Stock
competition.
11 Returned to the NHRA, piloting the Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus R/T for Don
Schumacher Racing in the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Pro Stock Class for the
’06 season.
12 Joined forces with Samuel Hubinette, constructing the Mopar Viper Competition
Coupe that won Formula D championships in ’04 and ’06.
13 Continued ties between Nuformz and Mopar/Hubinette in ’08, with the release of
the Dodge Charger drift machine that debuted at SEMA the same year.
32 importtuner.com
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He was on staff when Import Tuner was born,
shooting some of the very first covers, and though he
really had no time for it, even stayed on as Editor-At-
Large while he got his new fabrication shop, Nuformz,
up to speed. No one will forget the first project that
put him on the map: Stephan Papadakis’ tube-frame
Civic, the world’s first front-wheel-drive vehicle to
break into the single digits down a quarter-mile. Or
Shaun Carlson tributes:
Frank Choi
how he crew chiefed Sam Hubinette’s drift team to Founder, Battle of the Imports
champions in 2004 and 2006, while building the “I met Shaun a long time ago, when he called me asking for a press pass to shoot a Mini Truckin’ cover at a BOTI event
Meguiar’s Focus and Mopar Neon dragsters. The latter at Los Angeles County Raceway. I think my words to him were, ‘You want to put a mini on the starting line? WTF for?’
two Shaun drove himself while subbing for injured It was then that I noticed what a talented photographer he was and our friendship began. Soon enough, Shaun ended
Pro Stock driver Darrel Alderman, even winning a few up working for Turbo and Import Tuner, and our paths crossed regularly. Those were good days. I remember cruising
Wallys in 2004 in the process. around with him, dropping off his famous Nuformz Block Guards, and I knew this guy had something special to offer our
Shaun went all-out in everything he did. Guided by industry. He was definitely ahead of his time when it came to ingenuity, creativity and work ethic. Simply stating that he’ll
his own natural innovation, his efforts rarely took the be missed doesn’t even come close.”
easy route; his destinations were always a few stops
farther down the line than the rest of us. I saw him as Ken Miyoshi
the ultimate CNC machine—he didn’t need CAD/CAM Founder, Import Showoff
blueprints, soda straw models or scribbles on a napkin. “When anyone recalls Shaun Carlson’s name, words along the lines of ‘true pioneer’ are inevitably spoken by someone
Shaun would take an idea right out of his head and in the group. Everyone can say he was a great photographer, racer, entrepreneur, builder, team manager, but the one thing
execute it with a precision that could scarcely be distin- that stands out the most is that his actions spoke louder than words. From the Showoff trophy I awarded the CRX that he
guished from computer-navigated machine work. Lexus’ and Jason Whitfield built years ago, to his magazine cover shots and his work on drift and drag cars over the years, no one
slogan, “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection”, must have could top the attention to detail Shaun would pride himself with, but never boast. A true pioneer, he will be deeply missed
been thought up by someone watching him fabricate. by us all.”
At his memorial service, it was interesting to see
his friends gather, based on where in Shaun’s life they Ron Bergenholtz
intersected; the magazine people and import drag rac- Co-founder of Bergenholtz Racing
ers, the drift crowd, those associated with his Mopar “The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Shaun Carlson is ‘crazy’. Everything he worked on was a work of
efforts, and his friends and family. I thought it a great art. He went all the way on every project he undertook. When you looked at a Shaun Carlson car, you could stare at it
honor that the reception was held at the NHRA Mu- for days, never even realizing the small details Shaun likely lost sleep over—the finished product was always that clean.
seum, and the NHRA has my appreciation for stepping His ingenuity and craftsmanship were just plain sick, and the automotive industry benefited from his ideas before it even
up and opening their doors for the occasion. At the ser- knew what hit it. I miss Shaun Carlson already. I miss competing against his and Steph’s Civic back in ’99. I miss asking
vice, I noticed a conspicuous black aluminum box that him how to build a Pro-FWD car. I miss racing against his Dodge Neon in NHRA Sport Compact competition. I miss
I had to ask about. Shaun’s friend and fellow fabricator rooting for him in the NHRA Powerade series. I miss asking him how to begin a drift team. I miss competing against him
at Nuformz, Rob Miller, explained that it was a true bil- in Formula D. But more than all that, I think I’ll miss just talking with my friend the most.”
let aluminum urn that the team CNC’d for Shaun, with
his initials and Nuformz logo lasered into it. More than Samuel Hubinette
40 hours were invested into it by the Nuformz team. Driver, Nuformz/Mopar Formula D competition cars
I asked Rob if there was any welding involved and “I got to know Shaun for the first time in 2004, when I started to drift for Team Mopar. With him and his crew from
learned there wasn’t. We shared a laugh and agreed Nuformz, we achieved two championships and so far, the most victories awarded to any single team in Formula D history.
that it was probably a good thing—Shaun would have Having a master fabricator as a team owner was always a big bonus for us. Every time I came out to an event there were
been picky about the welds. I got the impression that some new updates to the car. I have to admit, they weren’t always things I thought were necessary, but that was Shaun:
Rob had already considered that. the eternal perfectionist. He loved to keep things top-notch for style. Our success and popularity as drift competitors are
Managing more projects—and stress—in any given largely thanks to his efforts. It’s amazing how closely Shaun has stuck by his team throughout the ’09 season, despite
week than most of us could in a year, Sean Carlson suffering three heart attacks and losing sponsorship with Mopar due to the Chrysler bankruptcy. For all of us at Team Nu-
accomplished more in his short time than most will ever formz 2009, thank you so much. You will always y be in our hearts. Rest in peace, bro. We know you’re
y in a better place.”
dream of. Yet behind it all, his dedication to work and
the people in his life kept him approachable, humble
and down for a good time with friends at a moments’
notice. That there was still so much more potential to
be fulfilled in his craft and his personal life only deepens
the tragedy. Selfishly, I want more. I want to hear about
his new projects. I want to run into him at the next For-
mula D event and bust his chops while he’s busy doing a
million things; I’d even secretly been planning for him to
meet my son at next season’s Seattle event. I wanted to
be around for all the big, grown-up changes that Shaun
would make before becoming a father himself.
What makes Shaun’s passing so painful, yet
bearable at once, I think, was that he was one of our
dearest friends. The type that saddens us deeply
when they leave, but only makes us smile when we
remember them.
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10.02.2nr.33
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FEBRUARY2010.ISSUE#131
M AT
34 importtuner.com
RAW
ERIAL THIS CIVIC COULD BE THE
CAT’S PAJAMAS
10.02.2nr.35
36 importtuner.com
10.02.2nr.37
A CUSTOM FABRIC CALLED lip sets the OEM mixture apart from factory stock, possibly the only
exterior component that does, save for matching APR carbon fiber mir-
“SASHIMI” COVERS THE rors and something even more unique: SRR quick-release fasteners for
the front bumper, a preemptive modification to shorten down-time any
HEADLINER, DOOR PANELS AND track-prepped car will definitely see in battle. While attending to the
body, Bourne asked AAB Customs of Pompano Beach, FL, to shave the
ARMRESTS. THERE’S NOTHING badges, antenna and windshield washers, for good, clean measure.
There’s more SiR stuff inside, including a full dash (with instrument
WRONG WITH A BIT OF cluster, clock and climate control), a center console with a storage
box covered in rare amber-colored material, and lowly-but-useful floor
HEALTHY SELF-EXPRESSION. mats. The remaining cockpit candy represents, for the most part, some
fine and understandable selections. For example, the Personal steering
wheel set onto an NRG quick-release adapter and Splash short hub, the
SRR pedals, Status carbon fiber bucket driver’s seat and the Integra
Type R Recaro front passenger seat. And who could find fault in the
custom-made harness bar or dispute the choices of an Alpine head unit
and Infinity Kappa door speakers? Certainly not the Hot Import Nights
Miami judges, who awarded this car a First in the “Hottest JDM OEM”
category. Bt maybe that was before Bourne fitted what might be his
most controversial choice.
We now come to the elephant in the room. Or in the cabin, to be more
precise. Study the picture featuring the headliner. It’s covered in a custom
fabric Bourne calls “sashimi” and it also covers the door panels and arm-
rest. Chances are it looks great on a child seat or as a pair of pajamas.
Then again, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy self-expression.
The $20,000 or so spent on this project could have bought a brand-
new, cookie-cutter Civic. But that’s not the point. Following that route,
Bourne would have missed out on the learning experience of building a
car nearly from scratch, the joy of snagging an HIN gong with it . . . or the
embarrassing moments that inevitably come with it all: “In 2007, when
I first got the car on the road, I went to the alignment shop and it broke
down on the lift,” he says. “Everyone at the shop was trying to help me
get it started, but the car just would not turn over. I even sent my friend
over to a Honda dealership to buy a new main relay, thinking that was
the problem. Little did I know the original gas gauge was broken and I
was just running on E. I put a few gallons in and she started right up.”
So, apart from avoiding a certain alignment shop for evermore,
where does Bourne go from here? “A limited-slip differential and
Hondata K-pro ECU,” he says, “then, it’s off to the track to get ’er dirty!”
He might even be angling for a feature in our sister magazine, Lowrider:
“I’ll always have Hondas, but I want to get into a ’73 Chevy Impala drop-
top or a ’62 Lincoln Continental.” Just one piece of advice: think twice
about the pajama material.
38 importtuner.com
ELECTRONICS Alpine head unit; Infinity Kappa door speakers LABEL ONE GARAGE
MYSPACE.COM/LABELONEGARAGE
GRATITUDE My beautiful girlfriend; my family; Carlos at Label One Garage; JDM Rick; the whole
COMPLETE CUSTOM WHEEL
Beast Coast; Sunworks WWW.CCWHEEL.COM
10.02.2nr.39
ROUND 6: IRWINDALE, CA
42 importtuner.com
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Rhys Millen
With the tire smoke dissipating
and mechanics finally scrubbing all
that oil from under their fingernails,
it’s time to reflect on what was
and what might have been. There’s
no doubt that Rhys Millen has the
skills, but his new platform was
unproven in motorsport coming
into the season. So perhaps the
learning curve was the toughest bend to negotiate in 2009.
Well, another year has come to an end, and with it, a lot of learning and a
lot to ponder. The Hyundai Genesis ran fantastically at the final round. No com-
plaints at all, other than the driver missing a gear. This year has been a tough
one, but not without its promises for podiums. The team and I have a great
foundation to work from.
With the off-season now upon us, we are expecting great results to kick
off 2010. I’m still as hungry as ever for another championship. And if the world
record we set this year at Pikes Peak is any indication of the season to come, I
bet it will be a good one. Big props to Red Bull, Toyo Tires, Infinity, and the great
folks and new friends at Hyundai. Thanks for all the support this season.
Ken Gushi By then, I was over it. After all, we had been using this same 3SGE for two seasons
and it still gave us problems in the final rounds. The only spare engine we had left was
made up of salvaged parts from previously damaged motors. To use that one was a
The words “Ken Gushi” and “headgasket” risk, but was a better option than running a motor that was already done. The other
always seem to coincide on this page. And, change was fuel. No more E85. We went back to C16. Woo-hoo, top-end power!
sadly, out on the track as well. Which is a shame, The tC ran strong in Saturday’s practice session. It felt like a brand-new car. And
because The Gush can’t put on a rush when his with more top-end power, it was much easier drifting the Irwindale bank. Thank you,
engine misbehaves. But ever the optimist, our RS-R and Nate, for working such late hours. As the Top 32 tandem battles began, we
Ken sees the positive side, thus re-fuelling his made some last-minute changes before I was up. Since track temperature was still
ambition for next year. high, we altered the tire pressure to compensate. I was getting nervous, but then I
I wanted to finish the season with a bang, thought, ‘This is the last event of the year. Just have fun.’
especially after proving the RS-R Scion tC can kick My match against Taka was exactly that. I took the lead first, so I knew I had to
ass with a podium finish at Sonoma. I really wanted to win at Irwindale, since it’s leave him in the dust. While we utilized the pace cone to keep it fair, as soon as I
my home course and because I failed to qualify last year due to engine problems. entered the bank I was only focused on keeping my speeds high and hitting every clip
This year, I hoped there would be no similar issues. Unfortunately, things didn’t go out there. On my following lap, I had to be extra cautious not to stay too close on the
according to plan. straight, because I knew the tC would catch up on the bank. Luckily, we made it past
First, we blew a fresh motor on media day, two weeks prior to the main event. I had the 32 into the Top 16. Thank you, Taka, for a good run.
a bad feeling about Irwindale already. Maybe it’s a curse. I didn’t get to break in the Next up was Ryan Tuerck. Track temperature was dropping fast, so it was critical
new motor for Thursday’s practice, so we decided to do it at the track. This time, we to adjust the rear tire pressure. This is where I made my mistake. I set the rear tire
were running on E85. I was skeptical about this. First, we did not have sufficient data pressure too low, which made it hard to keep the high line on the bank. I knew Tuerck
to tell us that the motor was reliable—we had an E85-powered 3SGE blow up on us had been staying in the middle of the bank all day, so my strategy was to force him to
run a line he would be uncomfortable with. But he ended up beating me and the rest
of the field.
Overall, this event was rough for us. We were overwhelmed with engine problems.
But I am extremely happy with the team. They worked super hard to keep the car
running to the end. We finished the 2009 Formula D Season in 10th Place. To me, that
counts as a success, considering we started the season at 33, not even qualifying at
Long Beach. Also, 10th is not so bad for a team that has had transmission and engine
problems all year long. On a positive note, we did have one podium finish, a First-place
at the Vegas round. Secondly, the E85-powered 3SGE was powerful in the mid-range, qualifying, a Fourth-place finish, and a car that’s still in one piece. It was one of the best
but not at the top end. For a track like Irwindale, top-end power is more important than seasons I’ve had in a long time.
anything, especially when the judges ask for extreme lines. Special thanks to Team RS-R, Scion, Toyo, Rogue Status, Pioneer, BASF, Eneos, RAYS,
It turned out the powerband was not so bad compared to our C16-fueled motor. TRD, Alpinestars, my fans and my family for supporting me. For 2010, to the top we go!
But after practice, chief mechanic Koji found air bubbles in the coolant lines. Not a
good sign. After a brief meeting, Team RS-R decided to split the motor open to check
for damage to the block. Fortunately, it was just a blown headgasket, so they decided
to use a thicker one. A thicker headgasket means lower compression, which in turn
means lower horsepower. It was so much slower that I was having a hard time during
practice before Friday’s qualifying. Something was not right. We kept turning up the
boost, but the gauge only read 1.4 bar max. With the settings we had, it should have
been close to 1.7 or 1.8. We didn’t have time to diagnose the problem, so I ran qualify-
ing with what I had. I ended up in 15th with a score of 73.9 and a match-up in the Top
32 against 18th-place qualifier, Taka Aono.
To be honest, I don’t like going against Corollas. They are much faster in the techni-
cal areas of the tracks, but slower in the open areas. I went up against Taka in New
Jersey and I remember his car being pretty quick. After qualifying, we got ready for the
last practice session of the day. After running a few laps, Koji checked for bubbles. I sat
in the car, waiting for him to close the hood, but it was taking a long time. I was getting RS-R SCION RACING TOYO TIRE
worried. When I saw his face, it confirmed my suspicions. ‘Again?’ I thought to myself. WWW.RS-R.COM WWW.SCIONRACING.COM WWW.TOYO.COM
10.02.2nr.43
Dai Yoshihara
The 2009 Formula D season has been one
long, out-of-control, chaotic slide for Daijiro-
san. So, he was hoping it would be seventh-
time’s-the-charm at Irwindale. He didn’t want
everyone’s final memory of his racing year to be
a negative one. And then there was that little
issue of a mislaid mojo . . .
I’ve had a tough season; no great results and a
bad crash. This round was the last chance for me to
get my confidence back.
I wasn’t really comfortable in practice. To be honest, I was kinda scared. I since last year. On the following run, he was fast, but he touched the wall and that
wasn’t sure if it was the car or me. I think it was both. The bank reminded me of made him slow down a bit. I was able to suck into the side of his car to take the win.
the crash I had in Seattle. We kept changing the front suspension setup and I It was my first time moving on to the Great 8 round in 2009 and the first time ever
became more comfortable by the end of the session. I tried 100 percent and was for Discount Tire. I was so happy.
able to qualify Sixth. I went against Tanner Foust in the Great 8. I felt really good and thought I was
going to win! He took the lead first. He is one of the quickest guys, so I focused on
going as fast as I could and stuck with him. I was doing well until we were coming
out of the bank. He made so much tire smoke that I couldn’t see much just before
the transition. I lost him for a second and that made a little gap, but I was still able to
follow him. At the last corner, he made tons of smoke again and I absolutely couldn’t
see a thing. But I didn’t want to back off, so I stayed on the gas anyway. Then, unfor-
tunately, I hit the K-rail. WTF?! I broke the front bumper! I tried my best when I was
leading, but I couldn’t beat him.
In the Top 32 round, I went against Ross Petty. When I was leading, I think I had I finished in Sixth Place. It wasn’t the greatest result, but the most important thing
my best run so far. I was scraping my rear bumper on the bank wall. When I was was that I definitely got my mojo back. At last, my worst season is over . . . too bad
following, he made a lot of smoke and I couldn’t see very well at the first transition it ended right when it started getting good! But I think everything happens for a
and I hit the clipping cone, so I thought it was going to be a One More Time, but the reason. I have been through a lot and learned so much this year.
judges gave it to me. I guess my leading run was really good. Thanks to everyone who supported me through 2009. Also, I want to thank Team
In Top 16, I faced Darren McNamara. He is my teammate, but his main sponsor Falken Tire, Discount Tire and all the sponsors. I will be stronger and back in the fight
is Sears. So it was Discount Tire versus Sears. Since I haven’t been able to provide for the championship in 2010!
Discount Tire with any good results yet, I had to win this battle at least. I was
pumped. When was leading, I did another best run. After this, I proved to myself that
DISCOUNT TIRE FALKEN TIRE KW SUSPENSION
I can drive well. I felt my confidence return. I was in game-face mode for the first time WWW.DISCOUNTTIRE.COM WWW.FALKENTIRE.COM WWW.KW-SUSPENSION.COM
Tanner Foust
The good Mister Foust is one of
the giants of the scene who can
always be relied upon to give good
drift. This diary gives a fine insight
into the mind of a man who drives
sideways for a living. Turns out he’s
not afraid of commitment.
There are only two real options
when choosing a line for the Irwindale
circuit. Option one: slow down while
making the main transition, allowing
the car to cut back further up toward
the judges, then simply drive by the judging wall. This line allows the
bumper to stay close to the inner oval wall as long as possible, but
The next round with Dai was great. We agreed to surf the next
compromises speed, racing line, and in my opinion, impact.
week, regardless of who won, and went to work. The lead run was one of my most
The other option is to stay on full throttle through the transition, cut back
aggressive. Following, I gave him a car-length on the bank to account for the hand-
toward the judges as long as you dare at this higher speed, then transition hard
brake correction his lower-powered car sometimes needs on the grippy section
back to the left and brake as late as possible before crashing. Here the impact
halfway through. He made the fix and I was locked on through the rest of the run.
spot on the wall is a good 15 feet further down, but you can get bigger angle
What an awesome feeling of commitment, being close to another car, sideways,
(always bigger potential under braking) and achieve awesome speed going
under hard braking. We were at the mercy of momentum and I expected some sort
straight at the wall. It takes some commitment. Whenever I watched Ryan
of contact, but it all worked out great. How much fun was that?
Tuerck attack the track with this method, I was sure he was going to crash into
Running against Ryan, I was following first. On the acceleration out, I wasn’t
the wall just before he’d smoke through the inner oval to the finish. I tried both
attacking him enough and let him get a small lead before entry. We had a pretty
methods and thought the latter was much more aggressive, so I stuck with it.
evenly matched run, but I think my slightly shallow line on the bank gave him the
When leading, this aggressive line was great. When following, it was impor-
round. He ended up winning overall, and with the crazy speeds he was hitting
tant to allow space for the guys who slowed early. Or in Tony Brakohiapa’s case,
(thanks to the latter of the two methods), I think he deserved it. For the podium
guys with engine problems who never got up to speed. In that first round, we
fight, I faced a future champion, Mr. Powers, and was able to take him out. But
entered the bank at 45 mph instead of 85 mph. He did a great job of working
we’ll be seeing much more of that green Nissan.
through his car’s issues, but I was able to move on. Against Michael Essa in the
second round, there were problems again. He hit the wall hard while I was on his
bumper. That was a close call, but Essa mitigated the situation and luckily we
HANKOOK TIRE SCION RACING ROCKSTAR
didn’t crash. WWW.HANKOOKTIREUSA.COM WWW.SCIONRACING.COM WWW.ROCKSTAR69.COM
44 importtuner.com
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Tyler McQuarrie Shaun’s long-time crew guy, came up to me after the run. He told me if Sam couldn’t
win, Shaun would have wanted me to win and that he always thought very highly of
me. That meant so much and truly gave me the strength to push harder.
Chances are that the former Knicks basketball Matt Powers was the only guy between me and the Finals. Even though he had the
star and current Democratic Senator for New best Top 16 driver introduction of all time, with a life-size ’80s rocker stuck in his trunk,
Jersey, Bill Bradley, wasn’t thinking of Formula I had to take him down. Powers had been driving the crap out of his car, but it was on
D or Tyler McQuarrie when he said: “Ambition is the slow side. We stayed together going into the bank, but I soon pulled out a sizable
the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle gap. I knew following him would be a little tricky because of the difference in speed. I
you arrive in.” But it’s uncanny how McQuarrie used a lot of handbrake and left-foot braking to stay on his bumper. In the end, Powers
has ambition, persistence, and a
vehicle.
Going into Irwindale, I stood Fifth
in the points chase and had a realistic shot at getting Third or even
Second for the 2009 Formula D Championship. I had nothing to lose but
a lot to gain and I was ready to wring the neck of the Falken Tire 350Z.
I was either going to win or bring the car back in pieces, but all I could
do was try.
For Qualifying, my plan was to get in a solid first run, so I could lay
it all on the line for the second run, since points are so important. My
first run put me 16th, but on my second run, I pushed a little too hard
and hit the third clipping point. Unfortunately, this meant I had to
settle for 16th and my first match-up for Top 32 was with Rhys Millen.
Before the Top 32, Rhys tried to pull a Tonya Harding and take
me out at the legs as I was coming out of the bathroom, but I wasn’t
having any of that. On my lead run, I pulled out a gap and Rhys also missed a shift on
the infield, so I had the advantage. When I followed him, I had to left-foot brake on the had an awesome event, but I moved on.
bank to avoid hitting him. I took it easy on the rest of the run, but was still able to sit on At this point I had the podium locked up, so I held nothing back. Ryan Tuerck and
his rear quarter panel and the judges called me the winner. I would be fighting for a win at the “House of Drift” and the biggest drift event ever.
For the Top 16, I was matched up with the number-one qualifier, Justin Pawlak. I Our cars are similar in performance, so I tried to stay close and drive as hard as I could.
knew this was going to be tough for a couple of reasons. First, he had been killing it all My follow run was good, but to win this event, I knew I needed to lay down my best
weekend. Second, I kicked his butt at the Formula D K1 karting event the night before run of the weekend. I went through the bank as hard as possible and brought in more
and he was looking for revenge. On my follow run, I was able to stay close throughout speed to the inner oval than I had all weekend. I knew I was going to hit the wall with
the bank and infield. Going into the last corner, I tried to get under him, but ran out the rear of the Z. I got on the gas to prevent the front from being sucked in, but I didn’t
of room and clipped one of the barriers. I thought I might be done with that move, so hit as hard as I thought. Getting on the gas caused me to spin. I could see the smile on
on my lead run I knew I needed to go all-out. I got a pretty good gap on him then, so I Ryan’s face as he passed. So close to my first win and so close to victory in Formula
knew it was going to be a tough call for the judges. They came down in my favor and D’s biggest event! But I have no regrets for pushing as hard as I did. Congrats to Ryan
that moved me up to Fourth in the championship. for the win.
The Great Eight was bitter-sweet. I was matched up with Samuel Hubinette driving 2009 was an awesome year and I owe it all to Team Falken and the ASD crew. Four
the Shaun Carlson Tribute Viper. Shaun was an awesome guy and very good to me. I times I made it to the Final Four, standing on the podium three of those times. All this
will miss him very much. I think everyone wanted to see his Viper do well this weekend, was done with my first year in the Falken 350Z and I finished Third in the Formula D
but Sam was four points ahead of me and I wanted that Third spot. I beat Sam in championship. I’m now the highest-ranked driver Falken’s ever had. Thanks to all my
Seattle, so I knew what to expect. He was fast in a straight line, but I was able to close sponsors: Falken Tire, GoPro Cameras, BC, Enkei, and Sparco. I can’t wait for 2010!
up over the rest of the track. On my lead run, he was all over me going into the bank,
but the Falken 350Z checked out on the bank and helped me create a big gap. I moved GOPRO CAMERA FALKEN TIRE BRIAN CROWER
on to the Final Four and also took Third in the championship. Wheelz, who had been WWW.GOPROCAMERA.COM WWW.FALKENTIRE.COM WWW.RUNBC.COM
GUEST
Ryan Sage DIARY
We would like to thank all our diarists for
their excellent contributions, which made the
2009 series even more enjoyable. And it’s with
great pleasure that we grant the final word
to one of Formula Drift’s principal architects,
Ryan Sage.
As I sit in the judging tower and prepare to go
out on track and meet up with Jim Liaw (partner)
and Andy Luk (director of operations) for one So many companies tied to this industry went under, along with many
last Top 16 driver introduction, it’s hard not to reminisce about the 2009 series more around the world. One would think that a small concern like ours might
and look back at the event that the FD team, drivers, sponsors, and—most have been damaged irreparably and that Formula D, though strong, may even
have sunk. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. In the past six years FD has been
around, many things have changed. Hundreds of people are now employed
predominantly for drifting. So many have made a big jump to support this
amazing sport wholeheartedly, from drivers and team managers, to mechanics
and sponsors whose primary involvement is in this sport. Indeed these great
folks have created a mini-economy. This has been achieved through their
importantly—friends (fans) have created. combined efforts, as well as by those who have provided further support, such
It’s the close of another season. And a great one at that. Since none of us as websites and magazines.
are old enough to have experienced the Great Depression, this recent and on- If there were any year when FD could have had an excuse to have been
going poor economy might be as close as we all get to it. I admit, it’s definitely subpar, this would have been the one. But we didn’t have to prepare those
been a scary experience. There we were, coming off our greatest year yet in excuses, because in almost every way, this sport has grown from the previous
2008 with record attendance numbers, the Red Bull Drifting World Champion- year. Right now, peering down the straight at Irwindale Speedway and looking
ship, and an amazingly competitive regular season—then as soon as that year at the biggest-attended drifting event in its history, I get the feeling that this
ends, the economy takes a dump. sport will stick around for a long, long time.
10.02.2nr.45
FsonrampuslahotDs
OVERALL STANDINGS
Rd 7. Results 1 FORSBERG
2. TUERCK
3. MCQUARRIE
WINDALE,, CA PODIUM
IRW 4. HUBINETTE
5. GIT
ITTI
TIN
1. RYAN TUERCK 6 FOUST
2. TYLER MCQUAARRIEE 7. MCNAMARA
8. NISHIDA
3. TANNER FOUST 9. PAWLAK
10. GUSHI
46 importtuner.com
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FEBRUARY2010.ISSUE#131
THE LIGHTNING
ATTACK VERSION OF
A 240SX PROJECT
48 importtuner.com
10.02.2nr.49
The vast majority of car enthusiasts adopt a layaway- know-how, and labor are the secrets to build speed and have allowed
style build plan that dictates the pace and execution of Nick to complete the re-invention of the S14 on the pages you see
a car project. Lesser car-building mortals know all too before you in a blitzkrieg-like 30 days, for about $30,000. To put that
well how the realities of insufficient money, complicated in perspective, consider that some car projects could take 30 days
engine work before far-too-costly body work, parts to determine the right wheel/tire combination. There have been N15
ordered from Japan, the word “back-order”, and homies/ Pulsar throttle bodies on back-order for much longer.
cousins/flakes with parts or service hook-ups who never In a fit of wisdom, Nick chose the tuner evergreen, the Nissan S14,
come through can derail even the most well-intentioned as his canvas because it’s such an effective multi-role car. With drift-
car-improvement plan. ing dreams soiling his mind, Nick set forth to build this captivating ride
Nick Irie is lucky enough to live in a rarified dimension that highlights the capabilities of his body shop. At 27 years young,
normally occupied by SEMA project car builders and TV Nick is already a grizzled veteran of the project-car battlefield, having
project car show hosts. And my, what car-modifying built up several Civics, an S13, an AE86, and a Datsun 510 among oth-
stones this young man has, thanks to the bionic capabili- ers. Nick’s sage credo is a reality all would-be builders/ tuners should
ties afforded him as owner of Spring Mountain Auto Body confront: “What I learned from past projects is that if you don’t go all
in Las Vegas, NV. Shop ownership, access to resources, out in the beginning, projects lag. So, I decided to follow through the
50 importtuner.com
& www.fantamag.com
first time.” Nick traces his infection with the modified-car virus back to
his first contact with Import Tuner magazine. Over a decade back, this
magazine ran a feature on a modified JDM 4Runner that got the bug in
his veins, and now here is: a grown-ass man plundering sweat, fortune,
and tears onto the tuner landscape. Like many a project car tale, the
story starts humbly with a salvage-titled car with some frame damage,
and $2,500 in cabbage to make the forsaken pile Nick’s problem.
The foundation of this blitzkrieg ’95 240SX buildup is a well massaged
SR20DET engine. Showing faith in the proven 2.0-liter Nissan shortblock
assembly, Nick stayed with the beefy, low-mileage stock internals. The
engine’s breathing is enhanced with HKS cams, adjustable Greddy cam
gears, and a free-flowing Greddy intake manifold. The turbo was upgrad-
ed to a Garrett GT2871 that provides the kind of responsive, drift-focused
ponies (and torque) Nick was looking to have under the hood of this
driftable machine, attached to a stainless steel Tomei tubular exhaust
10.02.2nr.51
& www.fantamag.com
THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE EVERY OUNCE A SPECTACLE, AND LIKE
AUDRINA PATRIDGE ON A TRAMPOLINE, SCALD THE RETINAS
LIKE A BOLD AND INDELIBLE FORCE OF NATURE
manifold. A Greddy intercooler sends the chilled air into the engine through a Nismo 70mm throttle body feeding 550cc injectors.
Handling their own tuning chores and with the help of an Apex’i AFC NEO and AVCR, the Spring Mountain Auto Body team extracted a
stout 305 horsepower and nearly 295 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm from this very reliable engine combination—more than enough to
make this lightweight car something of a drift orgy in skilled hands.
Proper stance and handling mean everything to a drift car, and Nick selected a Tein Super Street suspension to enhance this
15-year-old car’s handling. The car rides on massive 18x10 and 18x11 Work VS-XX wheels shod in BFGoodrich rubber. Peeking from
behind these wheels are massive Wilwood brakes poised to hasten abrupt ends at the flick of an ankle. Inside, the 240SX gets a seri-
ous re-boot. The foxiest red, suede-covered Sparco Monza seats ever cradle the driver and passenger, while other interior surfaces
enjoy a hint of the Kiev bordello treatment with additional red suede covering. A Cusco roll cage helps stiffen the chassis and protect
occupants when drifting goes wrong.
As the owner of Spring Mountain Auto Body, the exterior of the vehicle had to be every ounce a spectacle, and like Audrina
Patridge on a trampoline, scald the retinas like a bold and indelible force of nature. The car wears an Origin Labs aggressive body kit
and 50mm-wide flared fenders, and a bright hue of yellow as unforgettable as your mother with her top off, but far more pleasing. The
stunning Lemon Yellow House of Kolor hue was applied by Nick’s good friend at Spring Mountain Auto Body, Rodney Manandik.
Few are the 240SX projects that have gotten their body kit installed, prepped, painted and pinstriped within a 30 day span. Even
on a compressed build schedule, Nick’s car is arresting and satisfying behind the well, and with an execution that is cleaner than a
freshly douched virgin. For his next project, Nick and his team are salivating about a track-focused AE86, and we can only imagine
what that mission will produce 30 days after lift-off.
52 importtuner.com
BEHIND
THE
BUILD
HEAD TO THE MESSAGE BOARDS
AT WWW.IMPORTTUNER.COM TO CHAT
’95 NISSAN 240SX ABOUT THIS FEATURE VEHICLE
OUTPUT 305 hp at 4,500 rpm, 293 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm NAME. HOBBIES.
NICK IRIE BUILDING CARS, SNOW-
ENGINE 2.0-liter SR20DET; HKS cams; Greddy adjustable cam gears, intake manifold, intercooler, BOARDING, COMPETITIVE
piping; Nismo 70mm throttle body; Koyo Radiator; Samco hoses AGE. BELLYDANCING JUDGE
27
DRIVETRAIN Exedy Stage 2 clutch; Peak Performance Bushings BUILD TIME.
LOCATION. 1 MONTH
SUSPENSION Tein Super Street coilovers LAS VEGAS, NV
WHEELS/TIRES 18x10 Work VS-XX wheels; 235/35-18 BFGoodrich tires (front); 18x11 Work OCCUPATION.
FEEDBACK.
smautobody@gmail.com
VS-XX wheels, 245/40-18 BFGoodrich tires (rear) BODY SHOP OWNER
BRAKES Wilwood six-piston calipers, 332mm rotors (front), four-piston calipers, 310mm AND SWINGER FAVORITE QUOTE.
“FOR DRIFT, TIME-ATTACK
rotors (rear) AND SHOWS, THE S14 IS MY
FAVORITE PLATFORM”
EXTERIOR Origin Aggressive body kit, +50mm fender flares; House of Kolor Lemon Yellow paint;
body work by Spring Mountain Auto Body
INTERIOR Sparco Monza seats, harnesses; custom reupholstered rear seats, interior pieces;
Momo Jet steering wheel; Nismo floor mats; Tomei shift knob
HOTBOX
TEAM HYBRID
ELECTRONICS Alpine IVA-W205 head unit; JL Audio amplifiers; Boston Acoustics Pro60 WWW.TEAMHYBRID.COM
speakers; Audiobahn AW1200X subwoofers TEIN
GRATITUDE My wife Colleen, Spring Mountain Auto Body (Van, Tom, Rodney, Jim, Jesus, WWW.TEIN.COM
Ilene) Kool Kars (Chris, Johnny), James and all my friends at Team Hybrid MEGUIARS
WWW.MEGUIARS.COM
10.02.2nr.53
PROJECT
4G64
MIVEC PART 1
TRANSFORMING A 2.0L EVO INTO A
2.4L MONSTER
Mitsubishi’s turbocharged 2.0L 4G63 has long been one of the most powerful and reli-
able four-cylinder engines available. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX version is rated at
286 horsepower, offering an impressive 143 horsepower per liter. Even more remarkable is
the potential power that can be unleashed with very few modifications. For this reason, few
EVOs roaming the streets today are left unmodified. The quest for more power often includes
common modifications such as a high-performance exhaust, larger turbocharger and ECU
recalibration. These are all effective methods of increasing output, but limitations such as fuel
octane and engine displacement will eventually cap the tuner’s ability to generate more power.
Furthermore, the lack of mid-range torque can leave a lot to be desired from those using their
car for daily driving. The solution to this problem is obvious: build a bigger engine and feed it
with better fuel. Stroking the engine to 2.3 liters with a 100mm 4G64 crankshaft is the most
common way to increase displacement, but after a little digging, we discovered that some
4G64 blocks—found in vehicles ranging from Mitsubishi trucks to the non-turbo Eclipse—are
almost a direct replacement for the EVO’s 4G63 block, and can be stroked to a true 2.4 liters.
And with E85 pumping stations on the rise, it seemed clear that our goal for more displacement
and better fuel was within reach. With 2.4-liters of corn-powered goodness fresh in our minds,
the search for parts began.
What is our ultimate horsepower goal? Your guess is as good as ours. To date, we have yet
to see anyone run our unique combination of parts, so we don’t have a clue. But if we had to
put a number on it, we’d be guessing in the range of 550 to 600 hp. But of course, if all things
pan out smoothly, you can bet we won’t hesitate to increase boost and generate some tasty
dyno numbers to put this custom build officially on the map.
54 importtuner.com
Next, the mains were lightly honed and measured to ensure they were
within specification. The crank journal mains checked out and the block
was honed to clean up the bores. The 4G64 block has a maximum bore
size of about 87.5 mm, but for most high-performance applications,
it is advisable to select a smaller bore size to ensure proper cylinder
wall thickness. The extra thickness helps reduce bore distortion, and
improves piston-ring and head-gasket seal. Cylinder wall thickness can
also vary from block to block, due to core shift during casting or other
manufacturing factors. For this reason, LESCO checked the cylinder wall
thickness with a sonic thickness gauge before removing any mate-
rial from the bores. The bore thickness turned out normal, but it was
decided to simply hone the block slightly until the bores were straight
and round. After honing the block, the deck was resurfaced and the
block was again sent to the CNC mill for one last operation.
56 importtuner.com
BILLET CRANKSHAFT
With the block in new condition, it was time to select the
rotating assembly components. The bore was left very
close to standard, so a longer-stroke crankshaft was
needed to increase displacement. Fortunately, there are
many aftermarket crankshafts readily available that offer
strokes from 92 mm to 106 mm—a significant increase
from the standard 88 mm stroke found in the EVO. The
desire for torque resulted in the purchase of a Brian
Crower (BC) 102 mm billet crankshaft. The new BC crank-
shaft will help increase torque and bump displacement up
20 percent to our target 2.4 liters. All Brian Crower crank-
shafts for Mitsubishi engines are 100-percent machined
from new 4340 steel billet and feature large radii on each
journal for improved strength and durability. The nicely
polished journals were measured with a digital microm-
eter and found to be the perfect size. The BC crankshaft
was installed in the block with ARP main studs and WPC-
treated ACL main bearings.
10.02.2nr.57
H-BEAM RODS
If the standard 150 mm rod was used
with the 102 mm BC crankshaft, the rod-
to-stroke ratio would become slightly
worse than the already marginal OEM
ratio. To counter the effects of the
longer-stroke crankshaft, Brian Crower
152.4 mm (6-inch) H-beam rods were
selected to help restore the rod-to-stoke
ratio to near-OEM levels. The improved
ratio will help reduce side loading on
the pistons and cylinder walls, therefore
increasing piston and component life.
The BC rods feature high-quality ARP
625+ bolts that require 0.0063-0.0067
inches of stretch for correct preload.
Checking rod-bolt stretch is the only
way to ensure accurate clamping force
between the rod and rod cap, since
friction between the threads and bolt
head can cause the torque method to
vary significantly. In this case, a point
micrometer was used to measure the
bolt stretch after they were installed
with WPC-treated ACL rod bearings.
58 importtuner.com
One component often overlooked when building a high-performance engine is the crankshaft damper. When the engine is running, the
crankshaft is being pushed and pulled in different directions due to the various forces related to the engine’s four-stroke cycle. These
stresses cause the crankshaft to “twist” and can become problematic if not controlled properly. To resolve this issue, we called ATI
Performance and purchased a Super Damper. ATI’s dampers significantly reduce torsional crankshaft vibrations (twist), which helps to
increase engine and component life. The damper included a press-fit hub that installed easily on the front of our BC crankshaft.
60 importtuner.com
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THE
JAPANESE
STREET FIGHTER
YOU NEVER SAW
COMING
62 importtuner.com
“I never really wanted an RX-7 in the first place,” confesses Dan Beighley, on the days before taking ownership of
the black-on-black crime machine in front of you. An East Coast transplant, Dan spent the mid nineties cutting his teeth
in San Diego, CA’s, growing import scene from behind the wheel of his modded 200SX, rolling with a crew that boasted
some of California’s first SR-swapped rides. Enlistment in the Marine Corps brought him out here four years prior, and after
mastering the trade of heavy equipment mechanics and attaining the rank of Sergeant, he was looking forward to applying
his skills to the private sector. His last day of service was September 10th, 2001—needless to say, civilian life was short-
lived. “I re-enlisted the next morning,” Dan explains, “and Okinawa’s tropical beaches weren’t where I was looking to go.”
Fate, it seems, would just as soon grab us by the balls and shove us down our path, than ask our feelings on the matter.
10.02.2nr.63
When Dan arrived at his new post a few months later and learned of
the responsibilities of his new role—and of Okinawa’s well-established
automotive culture, ripe with reasonably priced used rides, plentiful
aftermarket support and low-pressure law enforcement—his affinity for
island life grew. His re-location would be for an “undetermined” amount
of time, so his first order of business was to find a ride, preferably some-
thing Nissan-badged. “I really wanted a Pulsar GTiR,” explains Dan, “but
they were all in pretty shitty shape. GT-Rs were everywhere, but were
out of my price range. Then one day I found this FD at a seedy little
used car lot in the middle of nowhere, for $5,500.” It was one of the
first FDs ever produced, manufactured in October of ’91 on a converted
FC assembly line, as part of a batch sold in Japanese dealerships under
the “Efini” marquee—Mazda’s short-lived sport-oriented brand exclusive
to the JDM. The car had previously been modded with the addition of
a Veliside Type-I aero kit and wing, and some ultra-rare RS-R wheels
commissioned by Mazda as optional equipment for the FD. The car had
been taken care of, but like any first-year model, it came with its share
of problems. “The vacuum lines and cooling system were shit,” explains
Dan, “so the salesman let me have it for $4,500.” Good thing, too,
because it overheated on his way home from the dealership, teaching
Dan his first lesson in owning an RX-7: they need lots of attention. After
spending a month replacing every vacuum line and coolant hose in the
engine bay—a process Dan “wouldn’t wish upon (his) worst enemy”, he
learned his second lesson when the FD overheated, again, on its first
testdrive: leave no stone unturned; a faulty radiator cap—the only part
not replaced—was to blame.
After the addition of some bolt-ons, a manual boost controller and Dan’s
handiwork in re-configuring the FD’s sequential turbos to deliver boost
simultaneously, his next step was to replace the dated Veliside kit with
something a little more contemporary. Taking a page out of the Okinawa
street racer’s handbook, he replaced it with a full Wise Sports Type A kit
kept in its natural fiberglass finish—no body filler to crack or chip under
the daily rigors of aggressive daily driving. The corny battle wing was dis-
charged, and Dan replaced the stock flip-ups with a custom flush-mount
headlight kit of his own making—one of the nicer-looking ones we’ve seen,
at that. The car’s rear fenders were rolled to match the widened stance of
the Wise fenders up front, and the already black FD was re-coated in genu-
ine Mazda Brilliant Black paint, for an even darker demeanor.
Dan began pounding the pavement of the Okinawa street scene during
his off-time, meeting other gearheads in the random Lawson’s or Family
Mart parking lot and battling up the 58 freeway between Naha and Nago
City, or along a certain desolated stretch of roadway running adjacent
to Kadena AFB. It was on one of these excursions that he caught up with
“FC Chris” and a crew of dedicated rotorheads based in Sunabe, blew up
his motor pushing it a little too hard, and learned his third lesson in RX-7
building: for best results, start from scratch.
Chris’s crew was some of the fastest drag racers on the island. His per-
sonal 13B-powered FC RX-7 pushed over 500 whp at the time, and routinely
sniped built GT-Rs at HKS Drag Series events at Nago Circuit, until it became
too fast for its own good; “If he stayed on the throttle all the way to the
traps,” laughs Dan, “he’d overshoot the braking distance, and have to
dodge trees at the end of the track.” The crew took their fight to
the streets, and hanging with them taught Dan the proper
ways to build a street-driven race machine.
64 importtuner.com
10.02.2nr.65
66 importtuner.com
Knight Sports 300 km/h speedometer; Momo steering wheel; NRG steering hub disconnect kit w/lock; URAS
WWW.URAS.CO.JP
Crow four-point safety harnesses (x2); Moroso kill switch; custom battery location, center console,
FALKEN TIRE
climate control relocation, polished door step plates WWW.FALKENTIRE.COM
ELECTRONICS Pioneer in-dash CD/WMA/MP3 player, Carrozzeria three-way mid-range speakers (x4) GREDDY
WWW.GREDDY.COM
10.02.2nr.67
DO
IT
RIGHTWHAT DO ONE-OFF PARTS FROM THREE
CONTINENTS, A $250K BANKROLL AND SURPLUS
SCHWAG FROM THE APOLLO MISSIONS HAVE IN
COMMON? YOU’RE LOOKING AT IT.
TEXT BY LUKE MUNNELL
PHOTOS BY ERIC TONG
What would you do with $250,000? Put yourself through college? Buy a house? Take
a few years off and travel the world? Die happy in a back-alley Patpong “parlor”? No doubt
if you asked 23-year-old Alex Whitken what he would’ve done in the same situation eight
years ago, his answer would’ve been similar. But that was before he put a cold-air intake
on the practical, all-wheel-drive daily driver his parents got him for school, to “give it a little
more pep.” His words.
68 importtuner.com
10.02.2nr.69
70 importtuner.com
72 importtuner.com
10.02.2nr.73
383 steering wheel, hub adapter, quick-release hub; Takata 340mph harnesses, foot rests; COMPETITION GRAFIX
WWW.COMPETITIONGRAFIX.COM
custom fire suppression system, kill switch, fuel option switches.
DUNLOP TIRES
ELECTRONICS Pioneer AVIC-D1 in-dash head unit; Polk Audio four-inch speakers (x2); custom WWW.DUNLOPTIRES.COM
glovebox enclosure
74 importtuner.com
Mercy . . . may I call you Mercy? municate with me. The minute a person would What did you used to drive?
That’s what my friends call me, but yes, as long as you open their mouth to say something, I’d blurt out, My first car was a Honda Civic. I remember I wanted to
don’t break out trying to sing Marvin Gaye. ‘I don’t speak English’. make it look cool as soon as I got it, so I added clear
corners. [laughs]
We’ll save that for a drunken karaoke night. Were Where in Cali did you move?
you born in the States? We moved an hour and a half north of Los Angeles. Did you do anything else to your Civic?
No, I was born in Mexicali, which is in Baja Mexico. I First to Palmdale and shortly after to Rosamond. It’s funny because my brother used to read Import
came to California when I was 12 years old. Tuner all the time, which was where he used to get all
Rosamond? As in Willow Springs Raceway? his ideas for my car. We ended up swapping out the
Explains the cute accent. What was the first Eng- It was probably the coolest place in sixty square wheels, intake, exhaust, header, and suspension.
lish word you learned? miles. I used to get excited every time there was a big
It wasn’t a word but a sentence: ‘I don’t speak English’. race—that meant there would be a lot of people com- So how did a girl from Antelope Valley get into
[laughs] ing to our small town, creating some kind of action. modeling?
I rolled like a tumble weed into the local mall when I
Quite possibly the most important, yet oxymo- Were you into cars, growing up? was 16 and they had a scout looking for new talent,
ronic phrase to learn in any foreign language. Yes! Growing up, imports were very popular—it was all which was when I started my portfolio. At 19, I was
[laughs] I can attest to that. When I came to the about who had the fastest car in town. invited to a Lakers game and was fortunate enough
States, I didn’t speak English at all, so I would to meet owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, who asked me to be
freak out every time someone would try to com- one of their models.
76 importtuner.com
DENIM DRESS BY CHARLEY 5.0; BELT BY GUESS JEANS; JEWELRY BY GUESS; SHOES BY ALDO
10.02.2nr.77
What stuff did you do with the Lakers? Can you cook Mexican food?
I had a photoshoot on the basketball court and took Of course! I learned from my grandmother
some amazing pics for a calendar promotion they who was the best cook, ever. My favorite
were working on. I also did Spanish announcements dish to make is enchiladas rancheras. Guar-
for Laker TV. anteed to make you say, “yum!”
The Ariza-for-Artest trade; were you for it or against How about Taco Trucks? Are you for or
it? against?
I think Ariza was a huge spark last season and a big part Sorry, but I can’t handle taco trucks.
why we won it all . . . too bad the Lakers gave his money
to Artest. But Artest is hungry for a ring, so maybe he’ll Why not? Bad experience?
help us get two championships in a row. Let’s just hope I got really sick once! I feel like they’re not very clean.
no one in L.A. spills beer on him! [laughs]
Do you go back to Mexico to visit?
Other than the Lakers, what were some other gigs I love seeing my family but they live near the border
you’ve had? and it’s scary because some of the people over there
I did some stuff with Rockstar, Mazdaspeed, and was get gangster!
Miss Makita. Working for Makita was a lot of fun. I got
to travel nationwide. Example, por favor?
I was driving home after a late night of partying with
If you had to pick one power tool, what would it my girl cousin, and I accidentally drove the wrong way
be and why? down a one-way street . . .
[Laugh] Probably a power screwdriver. Because screw-
ing is practical and fun. So is this a story about how you drive like a gang-
ster?
Word . . . ? [laughs] No! It’s a story of how I was almost at my cousin
Hey! Get your mind out the gutter! [laughter] Araseli’s house when a guy pulls up in another car, yell-
ing at me to turn around. When my cousin argued that
You also made appearances on my favorite summer we were almost home and to leave us alone, the crazy
vacation program—The Price is Right! dude jumped out of his car and pulled a gun. My cousin
I did! Being a Barker girl was a lot of fun. I loved being on started yelling, ‘You better be ready to pull the trigger if
the set and seeing how happy and excited people were, you pull a gun,’ followed by me screaming at my cousin,
trying to win the prizes. ‘Shut up and get back in the car!’
That was almost profound! Almost. Let’s go back to How the hell did that happen?
your roots—what do you miss most about Mexico? My grandfather on my mother’s side of the family was
I miss the traditional atmosphere. I feel that people in half Spanish and half Japanese.
Mexico are very humble and very welcoming. They al-
ways want to feed you. Every time I go to a relative’s The fixed-up Civic? Totally explains it.
house, after they ask how I am, the next question is [laughs]
always, “are you hungry?” And I definitely miss the au-
thentic food.
BLACK SHORTS BY FREDERICKS OF HOLLYWOOD; JEWELRY BY TARA JEWELRY; SHOES BY MICHAEL ANTONIO
78 importtuner.com
Height: 5’6”
Measurements: 34C-26-35
Sign: Aries
Website:
mercedesluna.com
RED CORSET AND BLACK SHORTS BY FREDERICKS OF HOLLYWOOD; JEWELRY BY TARA JEWELRY; SHOES BY MICHAEL ANTONIO
80 importtuner.com
DITCH I’ll never forget test-driving my first newly swapped Civic years
ago. No matter how effectively the preceding week of mind-racking
stress of installing that ’94 B18C1 GSR engine and trans into my
’95 Civic DX taxes the memory, I can recall the moments as if they
happened yesterday: the foreign sound of the new starter crank-
THE ing the dual-cam engine to life, the increased NVH levels felt at
idle, and the massive power and gearing improvements the new
combination delivered over the previous D15 arrangement. I can
also remember shifting into Third Gear for the first time—the
82 importtuner.com
02
Next, remove the speed sensor, reverse light sensor assembly and stay, both metal hangers, and breather cap from the transmission housing.
04 Now
you’re
ready to remove
the 12mm bolts
joining the transmis-
sion housing to the
clutch housing.
10.02.2nr.83
07 Remove the oil gutter plate, ball-spring screw and shift rod, change holder assembly, change piece and interlock
08
. . . remove the countershaft
assembly, Fifth and Reverse shift piece, and reverse idler gear and holder . . . retaining nut . . .
11
09 10 Remove the countershaft needle
bearing’s retaining plate (red arrow),
With the shaft assemblies then use a bearing removal slide ham-
removed, the differential and final mer (available for rent at most auto
drive gear can be lifted out of the parts stores) to remove it and the
clutch housing to allow access input shaft’s ball bearing. There are
. . . and lift the main- and coun- to the first (directly underneath also bearings atop the differential,
tershaft assemblies out together, it) of three oil seals you are going and around the main- and counter-
along with the shift forks, as to replace while you have the shafts inside the gear assemblies.
shown. Lay them somewhere out trans apart. The remaining two Inspect that each is free-rolling and
of the way for now—we’ll get to are underneath bearings, which resistance-free. If any appear to be
them shortly. will need to be removed. worn or damaged, replace them.
12
Removing the oil seals
ing surface. All the
metal collected here
has been “shed” off the
is a real P.I.T.A. without transmission’s mov-
one of these removal ing parts over time.
tools. Do yourself Cleaning this magnet
a favor and rent one thoroughly will keep this gunk from recirculating through the transmis-
along with that bearing sion after re-assembly, and will clean the slate for more rouge metal to
remover. collect on it in the future, reducing premature wear.
84 importtuner.com
16
Synchrotech will go so far as to tumble or wire-wheel every part, to debur sharp edges (which decreases shedding among moving parts) and bring hous-
ings to a factory-fresh finish. If you’re doing this at home, a good scrub-down of everything should be fine.
17 18
Now comes the fun part—inspecting components for wear. Pictured Likewise, here we see a brand-new synchro sleeve compared to
above is a brand-new OEM synchro, compared to the one below that ours. When the nice, sharp, pointy teeth and straight columns of the
came out of our trans. Note the worn synchro’s misshapen teeth—a defi- brand-new sleeves and hubs become dull, rounded teeth and battered
nite sign it should be replaced. columns like ours, you should probably replace.
10.02.2nr.85
21
Now, for the improvements! Pictured here is the inside of that brand-new, OEM synchro (left) compared to a Synchrotech carbon-coated alternative
(middle). Remember the smooth cone atop the OE gear? This is the part of the synchro that contacts it, creating friction that slows and “synchronizes”
the speeds of two gears when shifted. As the friction surface of the inside of the synchro becomes worn to the point where the synchro loses contact
with the cone, “grinding” occurs. Brass isn’t nearly as effective or durable as the carbon fiber matrix used in carbon-coated alternatives—which is why
Honda now uses carbon-coated synchros as OE equipment in the K-series transmissions. Check that all synchros sit atop their gears with a little space
between their rows of teeth and the gears’. If the two rows contact one another, replace the synchro and double check the gear.
Re-assembly is basically
the reverse of disassem-
bly. Laying your parts out
in an orderly fashion and
referring to the FSM are
invaluable at this stage.
86 importtuner.com
27
29
28 Hondabond is so good, it’s been suggested to us by Toyota techs. Apply a liberal coating to
the clutch housing’s mating surface and re-install the transmission housing. Remember to
compress the snap-ring when you do, and make sure the ring brake stopper’s tab (underneath
Re-install the rest of the clutch housing innards
removed in Step 7, and make sure to coat the gears, the mainshaft’s largest bearing) is in the correct position to slide into its spot in the transmis-
selectors and forks with transmission assembly sion housing.
lube if you’re not planning to install the transmis-
sion and drive right away. If you are, a good coating Re-install the components you took off in the
of transmission oil will suffice.
30 first few steps, affix your Synchrotech sticker
and you’re done. Re-install the transmission,
fill with Honda manual transmission oil, and enjoy
all the buttery smooth shifting and high-rpm syn-
chronization you can throw at it (after a short
break-in period, of course)—the difference really is
night and day. Make sure to change transmission
oil after your first drive, to remove any residual
gunk, assembly lube or initial shedding.
nsmissions:
“I rev out to almost 11 grand in each gear,” begins Tim Thomas,
$3 ,0 53 .0 0
NYC-based Low Budget Racing’s 9.6-second B-series Civic drag Replacement tra $2 ,2 30 .9 9
W:
champ, “and it was just killing the stock synchros. They were DEALERSHIP, NE $ 850.00
KET, REBUILT:
failing every two or three passes.” He continues, “I’ve gone over OEM AFTERMAR $ 1,195.00
20 passes on Synchrotech’s carbon-fiber ones so far, and shift- JUNKYARD: SS SYNCHROS): $ 1,200.00
REBUILT (W/BRA NCHROS):
ing at high rpm is way faster. If I blow a trans, I’ll yank out the SYNCHROTECH, /CARBON-COATED SY
REBUILT (W
synchros and put them in the new trans—good as new!” Brian SYNCHROTECH,
. install)
uild items (for D.I.Y
Kono, of Cypress, CA’s After Hours Automotive, whose road-race
ion re-b $ 1,251.31
EG recently won Honda Challenge’s H2 class with the prototype Transmiss
ER KIT:
ST $ 750.00
full carbon-fiber synchros installed (and with Renan Bayar behind DEALERSHIP MA /BRASS SYNCHR
OS):
$ 795.00
MASTER KIT (W D SYNCHROS):
the wheel), concurs. “We log thousands of high-rpm, abusive SYNCHROTECH /CAR BO N-COATE
$ 684.99
MASTER KIT (W
shifts during each race weekend,” he explains, “and the carbon SYNCHROTECH $ 350.00
KET BASIC KIT:
synchros outperform OE in every way.” OEM AFTERMAR SS SYNCHROS): $ 395.00
OTECH BA SIC KIT (W/BRA NCHROS):
SYNCHR ARBON-COATED SY
BASIC KIT (W/C
SYNCHROTECH
10.02.2nr.87
2008
SCIONtC
PROS
Powered by a 2.4L VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing
with intelligence), the Scion tC produces 161 hp
Dyno 1: Baseline and 162 lb-ft of torque. Since its introduction
in ’04, the tC has remained loyal to the 2AZ-FE
engine, thereby creating a plethora of competi-
tively priced bolt-on parts from many popular
160
138.5 152.5
HP / TQ aftermarket manufactures.
150
CONS
Although a popular model in the re-styling scene,
140 the tC has yet to be taken seriously amongst
hardcore tuners. This is apparent when seeking
essential, yet inconspicuous performance modi-
130 fications such as engine management solutions.
However, the recent success of Tanner Foust’s
tC Formula D sled and Chris Rado’s time-attack
110
machine has many enthusiasts rethinking their
perception of the tC as not only a show-worthy
100 vehicle, but a contender on the track.
SAE (HORSEPOWER & TORQUE)
NOTES
90
Differences in both appearance and nomencla-
ture between the tC and its boxy brethren (the
80
Temp 75.5˚ xA xB, xD), are not accidental. The Scion shares
BASELINE HP
the same chassis as the Euro-spec Toyota
BASELINE TQ Avensis, giving the tC a lower center of grav-
70 ity, lighter weight and a more ridged chassis
verses the ’09 xB, arguably making the tC the
60
RPM (x1000) most performance-minded platform within the
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 Scion family.
88 importtuner.com
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ADVERTISEMENT
150
140
ARE YOU A
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130
GURU
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Whether you’re a true enthusiast or simply
110 looking to challenge your automotive
intuition, the Shell Passionate Experts want
to test your Fuel IQ! Take the quiz below to
S OVER
PEAK GAIN
100 test your high-quality fuel knowledge and
SAE (HORSEPOWER & TORQUE)
80
+2.2TQ from previous run: +1.3
degrees Fahrenheit
Q1: How does Shell V-Power help today’s
modern engines maintain optimum per-
BASELINE HP formance?
BASELINE TQ
A. Shell V-Power is part rocket fuel and magically
MAGNAFLOW CAT-BACK EXHAUST HP
MAGNAFLOW CAT-BACK EXHAUST TQ
turbocharges engines.
70 B. Shell V-Power upgrades your exhaust note to
a throatier sound.
RPM (x1000) C. Shell V-Power is specially designed with the
60 highest concentration of the Shell Nitrogen
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
Enriched Cleaning System, which is more
stable at higher temperatures that are preva-
PROS PARTS
Magnaflow’s cat-back
exhaust system utilizes
Inlet pipe, intermediate
pipe, muffler, tailpipe,
MAGNAFLOW lent in today’s modern engines.
D. All the above.
mandrel-bend, 100-per- clamps, CAT-BACK Q2: Shell V-Power provides maximum protec-
cent stainless construc-
tion, and comes with a TOOLS PERFORMANCE tion against performance-robbing gunk.
How soon does it begin to work?
lifetime warranty. Upon
installation and starting
10mm, 12mm, 14mm and
17mm sockets, 14mm
EXHAUST
HORSEPOWER GAIN
A. Shell V-Power begins to clean up gunk as soon
as you pull into a Shell-branded station.
B. Shell V-Power can begin removing gunk from
the car for the first time, open-end wrenches, • 2,000 to 3,500 rpm range: 2.0 to 3.0 intake valves and fuel injectors with the
we were impressed with ratchet, extension, • 3,500 to 5,500 rpm range: 3.0 to 5.0 first tank.
the deep and crisp tone exhaust hanger removal • 5,500 to redline rpm range: 6.0 to 7.0
C: Shell V-Power can begin cleaning up engine
that emanated from the tool, PB Blaster, metal TORQUE GAIN gunk as soon as you drive under a rainbow.
• 2,000 to 3,500 rpm range: 4.0 to 5.0 D. No one would ever want to remove gunk from
tailpipe at a healthy, yet cutting device • 3,500 to 5,500 rpm range: 2.0 to 6.0
socially acceptable, deci- • 5,500 to redline rpm range: 3.0 to 7.0 their engine because it turns into diamonds.
bel level. We savored the INSTALLATION
Q3: Which one of the following is true about
fact that the Magnaflow TIME Octane?
exhaust is one the few 30 minutes
A. Octane was named after a French octopus
true, cat-back systems that swims really, really fast.
on the market, as most NOTES B. Octane levels were originally discovered to
manufactures offer only Installation was fairly measure the bubbles in soda.
an axle-back system for quick and easy, with the C. Different vehicles require different octane
the tC. only difficulties resulting levels and you should use the level recom-
from cutting the factory mended by the manufacturer.
D. Octane contains eight different minerals
CONS exhaust directly after the
and spices.
The configuration of the second catalytic convert-
Scion exhaust utilizes er. If cutting your stock
two catalytic converters, exhaust is too much to
one of which is welded bear, consider fabricat-
into the factory B-piping, ing an extension pipe
located between the tC’s between the Magnaflow
stock header and the inlet and the stock
axle-back section. Thus, header, which would
installing the Magnaflow conveniently remove
unit required cutting the the catalytic converter
stock exhaust after the and eliminate the need
catalyst in the B-pipe, to permanently alter the
and slip joining the OEM exhaust.
ANSWERS 1: C; 2: B; 3: C
& www.fantamag.com
Dyno 3
160
150
140
130
152.0 160.3 HP / TQ
110 S OVER
PEAK GAIN HAUST
OW EX
MAGNAFL
100 +8.6HP
+5.6TQ
SAE (HORSEPOWER & TORQUE)
90
Temp 73.2˚
Temperature difference
from previous run: +0.5
degrees Fahrenheit
80
MAGNAFLOW CAT-BACK EXHAUST HP
MAGNAFLOW CAT-BACK EXHAUST TQ
K&N TYPHOON AIR INTAKE SYSTEM HP
K&N TYPHOON AIR INTAKE SYSTEM TQ
70
RPM (x1000)
60
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
K&N PROS
Installing the K&N intake
system proved to be an
PARTS
Intake pipe, filter,
couplers, tubing, clamps,
90 importtuner.com
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Dyno 4
160
150
140
130
110
161.3 161.9 HP / TQ
100
SAE (HORSEPOWER & TORQUE)
S OVER
90 PEAK GAIN E
K&N INTAK Temp 80.5˚
+9.3
Temperature difference
HP from previous run: +2.1
degrees Fahrenheit
80
+1.6TQ K&N TYPHOON AIR INTAKE SYSTEM HP
K&N TYPHOON AIR INTAKE SYSTEM TQ
RPM (x1000)
60
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
NOTES
The dip in torque around
WEAPON-R
4-2-1 RACE HEADER
free check-engine light (CEL) eliminator. 3,800 rpm and the gains HORSEPOWER GAIN -
TORQUE GAIN
above 4,000 rpm are due in • 2,000 to 3,500 rpm range: 0.0 to 5.0 • 2,500 to 3,500 rpm range: 0.0 to 8.0
• 3,500 to 5,500 rpm range: 1.0 to 9.0 • 3,500 to 5,500 rpm range: -2.0 to 7.0
CONS part to how pressure waves
• 5,500 to redline rpm range: 8.0 to 9.0 • 5,500 to redline rpm range: 7.0 to 9.0
Because of the tC’s front-facing exhaust ports, position- travel down the length of
ing the header in its proper place became an exercise in the header. These waves
anger management. After several attempts trying from are directly influenced
above and below the engine bay, we found it necessary by tubing diameter and
to remove the cooling fan and disconnect wires. Once the overall design of the
we cleared out some of the necessary clutter, the header header, allowing for engi-
was able to easily slide into position. We did observe neers to alter the power
some minor power loss around 3,800 rpm, but this is to band. Like most things
be expected and is worth gains at the higher revs. Also automotive, compromises
note that the header eliminates one of the catalytic con- must be made in header
verters, and may not be legal for road use in your area. design. With this particular
header we saw a small dip
PARTS in torque on the low end,
Stainless steel header and CEL eliminator but made up for its loss in
horsepower at higher rpm.
TOOLS
10mm and 12mm sockets, ratchet, extension, 10mm open-
end wrench
08.05.2nr.91
10.02.2nr.91
150
140
130
161.3 161.9HP / TQ
110
ER
GAINS OV E
BASELIN
100
+22.8HP
SAE (HORSEPOWER & TORQUE)
AND
90 +9.4 TQ
80
BASELINE HP K&N TYPHOON INTAKE HP
BASELINE TQ K&N TYPHOON INTAKE TQ
RPM (x1000)
60
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION HP Level +HP TQ Level +TQ
The tC responded well to our three modifications and its
noticeable improvements in acceleration can be felt on
BASELINE 138.5 152.5 the street. With peak power output symmetrical and a
MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST 143.4 4.9 154.7 2.2 flatter torque curve, this Scion pulls smooth throughout
its power band. However, lacking a proper fuel manage-
K&N TYPHOON INTAKE 152.0 8.6 160.3 5.6
ment tune, one can conclude that more power could be
WEAPON-R HEADER 161.3 9.3 161.9 1.6 extracted from these bolt-ons. With a new tC arriving in
FINAL 161.3 22.8 161.9 9.4 2011 and rumors circulating of a possible RWD configu-
ration and boxer engine, the tC looks to remain a staple
of the tuning scene well into the next decade.
BANKROLL
MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST $646.77
HOTBOX
K&N ENGINEERING TUNE TIME PERFORMANCE
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AUDIOGEAR
DEDICATED TO EXPOSING THE NEW LOUDNESS
O2
O1
O3 O4
94 importtuner.com
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POWERGEAR
DEDICATED TO EXPOSING THE NEW HOTNESS
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04
96 importtuner.com
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AD INDEX
ANDYS AUTOSPORT 40-4
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BELTRONICS 7
DEVILS OWN 10
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DISCOUNT TIRE CORP 25-29
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ENERGY SUSPENSION 59
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EXTREME DIMENSIONS 23
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UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE C3
VERMONT TEDDY BEAR COMPANY 59
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Unfortunately for my ego, the Longshots
text box is shorter this month. Fortunately
for you, this leaves room for bigger pictures.
We’re sure you don’t mind the tradeoff. Enjoy
the rear end of Import Tuner.
longshots@importtuner.com
SHOT
OF THE
MONTH
Photographer Oliver Hirtenfelder
h Africa
Shot Location Johannesburg, Sout
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Shot Location Chicago, Illinois
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an Chow
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Clarita, CA
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lsinki, Finland
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