D RIVENWORLD
March 2015
After all... It’s a driven world!
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Contents
D RIVENWORLD ISSUE 63, March 2015
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Dustin Troyan
ART DIRECTOR Connected Media Group LLC COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group WEB DESIGN
Page 8
Jeff Balbien
STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Mark Llewellyn Halston Pitman Brooks Smith Tommy Mansuwan Jim Hunter Scott Martin Eric Roehm
PHOTOGRAPHY Gabriel Gutierrez Jim Hunter Casey Schendel Aaron Curtis Tommy Mansuwan Dustin Troyan Halston Pitman Jim Gianatsis Brian Mayfield Scott Martin Eric Roehm
Advertising / Marketing Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com (818) 516-5053 www.drivenworld.com www.connectedmediagroup.com www.supercarsunday.com
Page 28
Driven World Magazine is published twelve times per year by Connected Media Group LLC. It is distributed at upscale locations and events all over California. It is also available online and distributed electronically to high-net-worth individuals as well as members of the car community at large. All rights reserved. Driven World and Supercar Sunday are registered trademarks of Connected Media Group LLC. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or any other materials or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. Driven World Magazine and Connected Media Group LLC, do not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Connected Media Group LLC, Driven World Magazine, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for the errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. Connected Media Group LLC does not assume liability for any products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers or editorial information.
On the Cover: “SuperchargersOnline Camaro� Photo: Gabriel Gutierrez
From the Editor You know, I have a problem. Really. I love getting my hair cut. I always have. The first buzz cut I got I think I was in the third grade. Maybe second. My mom would give both my brother and I a “bowl” haircut. What did I know about hair or styling at that young age...I was fine with it. Until the day another kid in my class asked me if I was a boy or a girl. True story, it happened. I went home and told my mom and my dad and my good old dad said, “time for a boys hair cut...men don’t have bowl cuts!” Off we went to the barber shop and a buzz I got. I was manly! My first buzz cut. You know, I was a pudgy little kid. Some would say husky, some would say big boned. I loved my buzz hair cut. I was tough. So then, in 1986 Film Director Rob Reiner creates a movie called “Stand by Me”. In this movie, which was a huge hit, there was a pudgy little kid named Vern who just happened to have a buzz cut. In the movie, he was not the toughest kid and well, you may see where I am going with this, I got called Vern for a little while. Great a chubby, nerdy, wimpy kid...oh the humanity. My dad and I would travel to Gil’s Barber shop on Sherman Way and Reseda. It seemed like so far away to go for a hair cut, but that is where the men went. Blue collar, working class men. To walk into that barber shop, you had to put on your game face. There were some tough fellas in that shop. You would hear just about every language in there and see some pretty interesting people. Not many women did I ever see there. We would hop into my dad’s trusty 1978 Ford Currier pick-up and make the trek. It was horrible during summer as there was no air conditioning. And the air conditioning at Gil’s Barber shop was not the best. But, you could get a quality hair cut at a cheap price. The place was the Henry Ford of hair cuts. There must have been 25 barbers in that place and sometimes on the weekends you would wait for 45 minutes. The ritual going to Gil’s was kind of mine and my dad’s. My brother, a few years older than me was a pretty fashionable kid and there was no way he was going to go to a barber shop or
Babies haven’t any hair: Old men’s heads are just as bare; From the cradle to the grave Lies a haircut and a shave. - Samuel Goodman Hoffenstein
It seems no more than right that men should seize time by the forelock, for the rude old fellow, sooner or later, pulls all their hair out. - George Dennison get a $6.00 buzz cut. So, he would go to the fancy hair salon and I went to the tough guys...I was fine with that. Back then, they would give you your haircut and then break out the straight razor to clean up your neckline. Between the hum of the clippers and the straight razor shave, it was like a visit to a spa. Although at that age, I thought a spa was a place where you worked out and had never been... Haircuts. I kept a flat top or a buzz cut for almost 15 years. Short, easy, manly, done. My dad approved and he is one hell of a man. Sold. No fancy salons for me. I always loved getting my hair cut. I can smell that cheap aftershave they used, those straight razors they kept in the blue sanitizing liquid... which probably did nothing...the cheap baby powder and man the amount of germs that we all must have shared. But hey, I am still here and well...a man. Call it odd, but I took pride in my hair cuts. I would sit there and stay as still as possible. The barber I went to, Gino, he seemed like a guy out of the Godfather. But could he cut a flattop. Best in California if not the United States for sure. I always thought I was his best client because I never moved in that chair and my flat top, it was FLAT. Then one year I decided that I was going to grow my hair long. From nothing to long hair. I had hair down to my shoulders. Being a surfer, there is something magical about when you dive under a wave and the ocean water pulls your hair back as you come out of the water. It is like a hug from mother nature herself. Now, there is a feeling I will never have again. I am so going to miss my haircuts... Recently I walked into a “barbershop” or so they claimed. I walked in and they asked if I had an appointment. Since when do you need an appointment at a barbershop? But these cats were not the real men of Gil’s barbershop. These guys...they were the hipsters with the funny beards, and the pants that are a little too tapered and the funny movie star clothes and tattoos to make them look like ‘50s greasers... sans the hot rods. I am not one to make fun of people, but a barbershop? Gil’s was a barbershop. You would walk in there, and walk out with a great, cheap, amazing hair cut and
need a tetanus shot after. Awesome. So...here I am at the hipster barbershop and they are grilling me about an appointment. I have my orange hat on and I said “look, at a barbershop you don’t need an appointment, you just walk in and wait.” They didn’t seem to like that. So one of the twenty-something
Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair. - Sam Ewing superstars says, “well what kind of haircut do you want?” I said a “trim”. I do not think he knew what that was. I must be getting old. He then makes a face that implies he is going out of his comfort zone to do something kind for me and says, “ok, let’s see your hair”. I take off my hat and he says...”sure, let’s do it.” Now my gut tells me, since these guys are new school “barbers” and dressed out of the latest Hollywood feature film, I had better ask how much a “trim” would cost. Again, he kind of makes a funny face and says “$32.00”. I said “what?!”. I looked him square in the eye and said, “I DO NOT HAVE $32.00 WORTH OF HAIR TO CUT!” He proceeded to tell me how I had a great head of hair and there was so much to cut. I laughed and walked out. So, back to my hair cuts. I really do look forward to them. It is like getting a massage but different. The problem now is that I am running out of hair! Really! First it was the ocean...the water going through my long lost locks, and now it is my barbershop experience. How many good years of haircuts do I have left? I do not know which is worse, not having the hair, or not having the haircuts? I am not so worried about not having the hair, less maintenance and all... but damn am I going to miss those barber shop visits. Moral of the story? It’s only hair, but a damn good haircut... I am really going to miss that.
Dustin
Calabasas Maserati Unveils Zenga Quattroporte Story Dustin Troyan // Photos Casey Schendel The Maserati Auto Gallery Calabasas once again raised the bar on Dealer events! What a special event indeed. Maserati unveiled two very special editions vehicles. The Eermenegildo Zenga Quattroportes. These Quattroportes are a collaboration between Maserati and famed Italian fashion designer Ermenegildo Zenga. Zenga a fashion designer is known for producing some of the finest clothing in the world. This was not the first partnership with Ermenegildo Zenga as they had previous partnered with Ferrari in 1981. What makes these “Zenga” Maserati Quattroportes so special? First and foremost is exclusivity. Only 100 examples are to be produced. Further, special care has been taken to ensure that this is the finest Maserati created. With a sticker of $185,000.00, the Quattroporte is treated with a “Platinum Silk” finish, the interior which is a combination of silk and the highest grade of leather available help to create a one-of-a-kind environment. Did we mention the silk? The Quattroporte is not only beautiful, but a powerhouse. With a V8 twinturbo engine which produces 523 horsepower, the car goes from standing to sixty in 4.6 seconds. A truly exclusivity and a balanced sportscar for any enthusiast. The special edition Zenga Maserati Quattroporte is treated with a brass “Limited Edition One of 100” on the console. Maserati also includes a very exclusive Owner’s Collection Kit that contains amongst other leather goods, a 3.5 meter cut of fine Zenga Silk…to be tailored if you so chose. The event itself was another reflection of what the Auto Gallery does best, appreciates their clients. From the Jazz band and the Marmalade Cafe catered brunch it was simply a marvelous experience. To take it one step further the Auto Gallery had a raffle for all of the guests, thousands of dollars in raffle items were awarded to the appreciative Maserati Enthusiasts. It was more of a celebration than a showing, good friends, fine food, rare automobiles, who could ask for more! For more information on the Maserati Quattroporte Zenga Edition, please visit the Auto Gallery Calabasas Maserati Showroom or contact them direction, www.theautogallery.com
The McLaren P1
tm
The McLaren P1, art meets function meets technology meets...an instant collectors item. When McLaren took orders for the P1 “hypercar”, it sold out almost immediately. Enthusiast and colelctors knew that with the tremendous collectibilty of the P1’s predecessor, the McLaren F1, the potential future value of the P1 was guaranteed. The McLaren F1 whcih was produced from 1992-1998 with only 106 examples made has entered the rarified world of a must have if you
Photo courtesy of McLaren
are a serious collector. As such, the values of the F1 have increased exponentially and it is not uncommon for a fine example to run in the multiple of millions of dollars and collectors are banking that they will only grow in value and collectiblity. The P1 has since become one of the newest collector cars, even before the first order was ever taken. The first production run of 375 P1s was sold out almost immediately and if you were smart enough to get your order in, it was almost
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guaranteed that someone was going to offer you hundreds of thousands of dollars over your purchase price to have what they did not. P1 owners always seem to grin when you talk about the collectiblity and the future value of the P1...they know that they hit a home run! It will be very exciting to watch the value of the P1 as it will certainly illustrate the collectiblity and value of Hyper-cars, perhaps the best investment there is.
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The 24 Hours of Daytona IMSA USCC - Part Deux
The 2015 Tudor United Sports Car Championship kicked off in Daytona, the second running of the famous 24 Hour endurance classic since the merger of the former American Le Mans Series with IMSA’s Grand-Am. Without doubt, the weekend proved much more successful than last year, and offered hope for the season ahead. In the end this was not hard to accomplish as many issues plagued last year’s launch, but IMSA came to Daytona after a successful Roar Before the 24 pre-season test and put on a great show. IMSA exercised more finesse and ran a competitive race weekend free of last year’s on-track officiating issues. This year’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona proved exactly what IMSA needed to insure their combined sports and prototype championship would move positively into the future. The Daytona week starts extremely early as the teams, crews and media arrive to work nonstop in the build up to the race and the season. First up, a large photo shoot of the entire field gets the promotional wheels spinning as the crews get to work for their first official practices of the week. These sessions are limited and provide for more a ‘fine tuning’ of a sorted car than the shake down sessions we saw at The Roar. The DeltaWing and LMP2 prototypes shined early in the week, highlighted by the Michael Shank Racing Ligier LMP2 taking pole position — a surprise for many as the ‘home track’ usually means an easy front row lock out for the Daytona Prototypes! Unfortunately, the race did not bring the same results and DeltaWing, who changed transmission suppliers for the year, had a
Story Halston Pitman and Jim Hunter // Photos Halston Pitman gearbox failure and dropped out early. As the field turned laps into darkness and through the following dawn, the 24 hour sprint race highlighted the pace and reliability of the Daytona Prototypes. Ganassi, Wayne Taylor Racing, and Action Express Racing battled as Daytona’s true contenders for the top spot of the podium. When the checkers flew, Scott Dixon piloted Ganassi’s “All-Star” car across the line to victory with Ford Ecoboost power. This was huge win for Ford and for Ganassi, who took their 6th Daytona victory in 12 tries— an amazing feat given the difficult demands of any 24 Hour contest. Further down the order, the GTLM class offered an interesting mix of extremely close racing, but with some questionable on-track events between team cars. The highlight, or low light depending upon who you ask (!), had to have been the sister Porsche 991 RSRs hitting each other while racing for position. This intrateam contact effectively took both cars out of contention with repairs. This was major letdown for Porsche, for sure. The battle for the class win came down to Corvette and surprisingly, BMW. BMW’s Z4 GTE with its high downforce setup is not normally considered a good car for Daytona’s fast, high-banked oval, but Dirk Werner was on the back bumper of the Antonio Garcia’s Corvette when the checkered flag came out. The Corvette win marked teammate Jan Magnussen’s first at Daytona in almost a dozen tries. Watch out for BMW this season. Their 2nd place points haul from Daytona, after
expecting to not even podium, is great looking forward to Sebring and the rest of 2015. Of note the GTLM podium filled in spots of 4, 5 and 7 of the overall finishing order, and hinted at lower reliability for the Prototype class for 2015. The LMPC category was highlighted by CORE Autosport’s late infield crash while leading, the result of suspension damage incurred after contact with a slower car. BAR1 Motorsports incurred a post race penalty for drive time requirements not met. The top step of podium was thus inherited PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports and their Oreca FLM09 with Tom Kimber-Smith at the wheel. GTD arrived at Daytona with a smaller field from 2014, but that did not mean the racing was subpar. Fortunately, this year’s race was free of the officiating debacles that marred last year’s otherwise close finish. The Porsche, Audi, and Ferrari battles are back, a definite plus for 2015. The BMW Z4 of series champion Turner Motorsports suffered an early issue and their foray at Daytona fell well short of pre-season hopes. As the clock ran down, the Riley Motorsports Dodge Viper took the line seven seconds ahead of the Alex Job/ Weathertech Porsche. The Viper will contest a full season and, barring the odd failures of 2014, could prove the car to chase the title. Wright Motorsports and their Porsche 911 GT America took the final step of the GTD podium. Next up, Sebring! 12 Hours of grueling racing on the historic airfield.
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Daniel Gad & His STI IMPORT INTERVIEW Interview Dustin Troyan // Photos Aaron Curtis Daniel, Tell us about yourself, what do you do for a living? Hobbies? My name is Daniel Gad and I love long walks on the beach, romantic candle light dinners, oh wait, this is an automotive magazine, not a dating column. I started in the automotive world as an automotive technician for many manufactures such as Infiniti, Jaguar, Lotus, and for the last six years I have made my home with Mercedes-Benz. I am now a service advisor for Mercedes-Benz. When I am not working, I enjoy deep sea fishing, playing basketball, riding my motorcycle, showing and attending various car shows, SuperCar Sunday being my favorite of course.
for either show or go, but I am attempting to combine the best of both worlds because at the end of the day what’s the point of owning a car if you can’t drive it. In the near future I plan to install a Cavalli Turbo and push this vehicle to its limits. The ability to unlock horsepower from this turbocharged four cylinder is endless and with just a few modifications this vehicle is a blast.
You drive a Subaru STI, why? I drive a Subaru STI because first off, its one car that I have always dreamed of owning. I have owned and driven some of the best cars in the world but my Subaru STI is one of my favorite cars hands down. So why a STI you may ask, it’s quite a funny story. My lease was up on my previous vehicle and my wife made one condition in our next purchase, it had to have four doors. Little did she know what I was about to bring home, a go-kart with for doors, a Subaru STI.
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Your STI, seems very modified, what have you done to it? My STI is ever evolving as I prepare to display it at the Las Vegas SEMA show of 2015. One common theme in the modifications I choose is carbon fiber which is a material consisting of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon, used as a strengthening material, especially in resins and ceramics, thus the Instagram name Carbon_Sti. Most people build their cars
I understand you have many sponsors for the STI, can you list them? I am very fortunate to have the support of many wonderful companies: Coastline Motorsports
Now you play a role in a big weekly Subaru meet in the valley, tell me about that event… I understand that you and the volunteer team have put together a very classy and respectful event, was it difficult to do? We currently host a bi-weekly Subaru meet at the Encino Golf Course starting at 9 PM. We also just successfully hosted our first San Fernando
Valley Subies Halloween Bash which was a huge success that had over five hundred attendees. All we ask is that our attendees be respectful and have a wonderful time. If you had one thing to say to another enthusiast what would it be? The one thing I would say to another enthusiast is never lose that passion for what you love because it is that passion that fuels our fire. I had temporally lost that passion until I purchased my STI and it was a great decision. Where do you see yourself in the next five years…automotively speaking?
In the next five years I plan to become a Service Director of a Luxury Brand Dealership, and there isn't a thing I set my mind to that I haven’t achieved. I understand that you also have a project car, a muscle car, what is that? What is your goal with that car? I am currently building a ‘67 Mustang Convertible which we have completely stripped and are prepping for paint. The project is currently on hiatus as I build the STI.v If you could have any vehicle, what would it be and why? I currently have my dream car but eventually would love to upgrade to a Nissan GTR. Any final thoughts to the readers? Thank you, Dustin.... I leave the readers with a quote from Dale Earnhardt, “It's a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself.”
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Car Culture
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Mark Llewellyn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think back! What was the best thing about starting the new school year? For many, it was getting a new lunch box! Each year kids put a lot of thought into what box they would get. Just as what car we drive defines us, a lunch box made the statement of what one was about. It had to tell the dudes to “back off,” and the girls to “take notice.” Being the ‘Hot Wheel’ and ‘Matchbox’ car gear-head generation that we were, many naturally picked a lunch box with a car on it. Let’s take a step back. The first lunch boxes came about in the late 1800’s and were used by blue-collar workers to protect their food from the rigors of the workplace.
George Jetson in his commuter! Note: the dome design of the box
The golden age of lunch boxes came about in the 1950’s. The first character-licensed lunch box was Mickey Mouse in 1935. Sales of that box skyrocketed! Aladdin Industries was looking for a way to increase sales of their plain steel lunch kits, as they were called then. They came out with ‘Hopalong Cassidy’ and ‘Roy Rogers’ boxes in the 50’s, and the craze was born. Aladdin later added the thermos, complete with additional graphics, making the lunch boxes even more desirable for kids and moms.
Mallory Llewellyn off to work with her Dukes of Hazard lunch box & thermos
With new T.V. shows and new fads coming along each year, the addition of new themes and images on lunch boxes would assure kids would have to get a new one each year. As a result, 120 million lunch boxes were sold between 1950 and 1970. In 1962, Aladdin embossed the front and back of the lunch boxes giving them a 3D effect.
Robinson’s Family station wagon (aka The Chariot)
All good things come to an end, and so it was with the metal lunch box. In the late 1970’s cost cutting saw the lunch boxes made out of plastic. Florida actually banned metal lunch boxes, fearing kids would use them as school yard weapons. 1987 saw the last mass-produced metal lunch box, graced with the image of Rambo. So why are we talking about lunch boxes in a car magazine? Well, just look at all these cool lunch boxes! Many believe the cars are just as much the “stars” as the actors; you be the judge. Bon appétit www.LeonsTransmission.com
George Barris’ Munster Koach from the CBS Series “The Munsters”
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F1 2015
Can anyone catch Mercedes?
Story + Photo Jim Hunter, McLaren Mercedes By the third round of the 2014 F1 World Championship, everyone knew that it was to be Mercedes’ year, and that the Driver’s title would be an intra-team battle. Mercedes required only two grands prix to assert their dominance over the new turbo-hybrid formula that they so vigorously lobbied the F.i.A. to introduce. Extreme clarity at such an early point in any competition would not bode for an exciting championship, but the season that followed surprised many and offered some of the closest wheel-to-wheel racing we’ve seen in recent years. The 2014 season delivered a lessor quotient of over-taking tainted by the artificiality of KERS and DRS. We witnessed real racing . . .
a trait often bemoaned as a lost art by many. Hamilton/Rosberg in Bahrain, Vettel/Alonso at Silverstone, and Alonso/Ricciardo in Germany were but three outstanding battles. Ambitious complexities in the new fuel regulations interfered, but not so absolute as to disqualify dramatic moments of well-earned reward. The massive torque generated by the new hybrid units made corner exit tricky, resulting in more oversteer per grand prix weekend than the combined whole of the diffuser era and for very good show. Lewis Hamilton captured his second World Driving Title to popular acclaim following a storming run of victories mounted at Monza. Hamilton rebounded defiant from having been
booted from the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix by his title challenging tire-cutting teammate Nico Rosberg. Nico’s carbon blade took wings, however, once revelations emerged regarding words spoken in the Mercedes post-Spa debrief. Once again, we were reminded that F1 remains very much a mental game as it does physical, and technical. Titles and prize galas aside, Fernando Alonso was the driver of the year. His heroics in the severely handicapped F14-T were super human. Daniel Ricciardo was sensational, and surprisingly bettered his four-time world champion teammate. William-Martini driver Valtteri Bottas consistently fought at the front, and in doing so traded driver nomenclature up
from emerging talent to become F1’s new Flying Finn. Sergio Perez gave teammate Nico Hulkenberg a far tougher run at Sahara Force India than expected. Felipe Massa seemed reborn at Williams, although his return to form required the full season. Conversely two of the sport’s giants, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, floundered under the new formula, and shockingly so. Nico Rosberg again demonstrated that he is one of the sport’s most enigmatic drivers. Spectacularly quick, Nico appeared lacking the race craft required to better Hamilton over the course of the campaign to join father Keke on the tally of World Champions. Looking toward F1 circa 2015, the changes are far subtler than last year. However, one technical change will be immediately apparent: new noses. Last year’s low nose safety regulations that allowed for the pursuit of aero performance despite appearance have been tightened to such an extent that the teams will now have to look elsewhere for advantage. This will result in cars much more aesthetically pleasing, even if not as aero efficient. The only other noticeable visual change will be in the height of the panels surrounding the driver’s head, which have been elevated for safety reasons. Although Ferrari campaigned but failed to eliminate the engine freeze, an unspecified homologation date in the regulations has been exploited to allow everyone except newcomer Honda to make improvements throughout the 2015 campaign. Last year’s ban on front to rear interconnected suspensions (FRIC), which left Lotus caught out all season long, has been formally adopted so that all 2015 suspensions will be designed to respond only to direct loads on each respective corner. The cast of competitors for 2015 will also look different from last year. Some of the more notable differences . . . McLaren Rejoins Forces With Honda Memories of the McLaren-Honda name and a grander time–Senna’s fight with Alain Prost– coaxed Fernando Alonso away from what was
a quickly unraveling relationship at Ferrari. Jenson Button was eventually retained alongside Alonso, despite Ron Dennis’ preference for the younger but inconsistent Kevin Magnussen. As might have been expected, the nostalgic partners endured some fairly severe teething problems in Jerez. Alonso was first out in the new car. “Given the complexity of modern Formula 1 machinery, the sorts of issues we encountered today weren’t too surprising. But it’s been a fantastic day for me: to have the privilege to drive the car for the first time – makes me feel extremely proud,” Alonso offered through the team’s press office. He was also quick to note; “We have a lot still to learn, but let’s not forget how tough it was for a lot of teams last year.” New Era at Ferrari 2014 was not kind to the Scuderia. Catastrophically miscalculating sacrifices in engine performance for aero gain, Nicholas Tombazis’ F14-T chassis failed to deliver the back half of that equation. Alonso and Räikkönen were dealt a car that was underpowered, would not turn in, and struggled for traction on corner exit. Tombazis is now gone, as are other key technicians, but the blood letting did not stop there. Fiat Chrysler Chair Sergio Marchionne’s swath reached above ousted team principals Stefano Domenicalli and Marco Mattiaci all the way to the man who shaped and carried the company following Enzo’s passing, Luca di Montezemolo. Former Philip Morris man Maurizio Arrivabene takes the Scuderia’s helm calling for a “heavy metal” F1 revolution. Fernando Alonso has departed; Sebastian Vettel has arrived. Ferrari now have two of the sport's most highly regarded drivers, who also most famously struggled throughout the 2014 season. Former Ferrari F1 driver Stefan Johansson offered insight into their dilemma in a recent interview with writer Jan Tegler: “They weren’t comfortable with their cars all year. In frustration they then tried too hard and they end up going even slower. You have to have a level of comfort and confidence in the car being half a percent under the limit. But if you go over the limit you just go slower.“ It will be interesting to see how
Seb and Kimi fare against each other in a car that suits their personal driving styles. Noted F1 commentator James Allen reported on his blog that the man with his finger on Maranello’s pulse, journalist Pino Allievi, claims the Ferrari power unit has gained 80 horsepower due to a new layout, better combustion, and a more efficient MGU-H, recycling heat energy to maximize turbo boost. Allen also revealed that Ferrari Technical Director James Allison believes that Kimi’s two main problems from the F14-T are now sorted; the way the car turns into medium speed corners and rear end stability under braking. Although it is much too early to speculate, Ferrari looked strong at Jerez, topping the time sheets three of the four-day test. Räikkönen summarized his first experience with the SF15-T in characteristic fashion, “Over the winter we have made a good step forward and this car is definitely an improvement over the 2014 one. It’s the whole package that has progressed, but there is still a lot of work to do.” Williams Back At The Front One of 2014’s great surprises was the re-emergence of Williams as a formidable contender. The once mighty squad that had fallen on years of hardship has benefitted from the arrival of Pat Symonds as their Chief Technical Officer, and it is this writer’s opinion that they could pose the greatest threat to Mercedes this season. Bottas and Massa split time with the new FW37 in Jerez, with Felipe picking up testing duties on the third day. “I am happy after a good first day in the car. The FW37 is another step forward from where we left the FW36, which is promising. I am also confident in the car set-up. The feeling in the car was good even for a first impression and it's well balanced.” Red Bull After dominating the sport for several years, Red Bull got a taste of what it was like to play the role of “first loser” in 2014. They enter 2015 with an improved partnership with Renault, and this should result in a stronger, greatly improved power unit. The team endured a disappointing
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Dent Mechanix Paintless Dent Removal intro to pre-season testing in Jerez, but no one has paid that too much mind, yet. Ricciardo will continue to excel. Although he is still maturing, some already rate him the best driver on the grid. He is “the” contender for the 2015 Title. Expect to see Daniil Kvyat, promoted from Toro Rosso, stake his place at the front of the pack. Mercedes AMG Seeks Perfect Season The big question for the Silver Arrows in 2015 will almost certainly surround the looming rematch of Hamilton versus Rosberg. Nico should continue to more often out pace his World Champion teammate, and his work ethic should also pay benefits to that end. However perspiration and pace aren’t everything, and it is perhaps Hamilton’s greatest strength—race craft, which Rosberg will least likely overcome in the long run. Even if Nico shows growth from his 2014 performance, he’s pitted against a driver that however incomplete, is no doubt one of the shrewdest competitors on track. Most telling, Mercedes were not concerned with their pace and used Jerez to focus on reliability. Despite their domination during 2014, the team endured technical setbacks that stood against their pursuit for absolute perfection. Specific to the new W06 and reliability, Nico offered; “Reliability was our main issue over the last year, so our goal for 2015 is to sort this out. That is why I can be happy with my first pre-season test as I did a lot of mileage on both days. “ Hamilton wrapped up the fourth and final day at Jerez; “It's been pretty amazing this week to see how reliable the car has been and how much mileage we've covered. This is where you prove out the car - looking for as many laps as you can, not searching for fast times. It's been really positive from that perspective and every day here the car has got better as we learn more about it.” A quick summary across the paddock suggests a significantly more competitive Lotus effort with Romain Grosjean already expressing delight with the new car, sans their 2014 FRIC suspension problems. Scuderia Toro Rosso brings the first seventeen-year-old pilot, Max Verstappen, to the grid. Verstappen’s potentially pre-mature arrival to the pinnacle of motorsport has fueled impassioned debate as to the direction F1 must take into the future. Sahara Force India appear to be suffering crippling financial difficulties and quite sadly, its doubtful we’ll see Sauber return to the mid-pack fight this year. Despite questions looming over F1’s future, 2015 is shaping up to be a fairly interesting season. There’s no reason to believe that the year should not prove to be a step forward from the turbo hybrid’s teeth cutting in 2014. Smart money is on Mercedes to successfully defend both titles, but hopefully Williams, Red Bull, and Ferrari have closed the gap. Of course, Fernando Alonso can never be discounted. Wheel-towheel, 2015 should be quite a ride.
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Scarlett’s Field Trip to Gary Wales’ Home
Story + Photos Dustin Troyan If you have yet to meet Gary Wales, you are really missing out. He is that bigger than life guy that shows up in the even bigger vehicles he builds in his garage...at home. La Bestioni is amongst many of his well known vehicles that he has made and continues to make. Over the years, Gary and I have become pals. Gary is the kind of guy who you just can’t help but like and man can he get the job done. Not only his creativity but his perseverance. He is one cool guy indeed. Gary had mentioned to me that he had some fun pedal cars that he wanted to show my daughter, Scarlett. Hey, any excuse to go over to Gary’s house. So, we picked a day and we headed over. We arrived at Gary’s place and he had many of the pedal cars on display...Scarlett went crazy for them! The Bentley pedal car which must weight 200 pounds was the first one she sat in. Immediately she grabbed the wheel and started to make “vroom vroom” sounds. She loved it. Naturally we all cracked up and Gary said that she must have “cars running in her DNA”. Next up was the vintage airplane which was my personal favorite. Once again she was right at home and ready for take off. It was so cool! The vintage motorcycle we were all a little nervous about as her feet would not touch the ground, but once she was on it, she held on tight and I think it was her favorite. We had to pry her off of it. Looks like I better get her a little dirt bike! In my opinion the very best thing about the car community, is the car community. Gary
provided such a wonderful couple hours that we all got to share. Scarlett had a great time and my wife and I left filled with so much inspiration from simply being around Gary... what a morning. Naturally when you are at Gary’s place you have to get up dated on all of his projects. Rusty II is in full production and mostly done. It is a bigger, more aggressive Rusty and Gary really pulled out all the stops to make this one a show stopper. Well, even more of a show stopper than Rusty I. Rusty II will be done by the end of March and will make its debut at the Benedict Castle Concours on March 28th, 2015. He is also working on a 1937 4.25 Litre racing Bentley that he is creating to his personal
standards. Three fins and a lot of go, this little race car is one lean and mean creation. Gary has had it for over thirty years and finally found the time to get to it and build the body for the chassis. Innovative as always, the motor is hopped up, the motor is moved back two inches and this little Bentley will be ready for the track! Sitting on the side of the house is another 1916 American La France Fire Truck that he is getting ready to revive and turn into another Gary Wales Creation... for this vehicle, he has a
Seagrave Engine that has been worked over and most likely will be La Bestioni #7. Gary simply does not stop! Over the years I have come to realize that the single most imporant part of the car community is not the cars, but the people. The morning we spent with Gary meant so much to us. Gary taking the time to share with our daughter, letting her play with the vintage pedal cars and then sharing his creations. One of the many reasons why we all love our community!
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That’s our Brooks Story Brooks Smith As I rounded the curve, and found myself facing a sea of flashing blue and red lights, I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me for the car I was driving, and the fact that it would be left trailing in the wake of a well driven Miata. I’m lucky enough to own one of my dream cars. My dream garage is laid out with a maximum of six slots, because otherwise it would cease to grow only at infinity slots, and because I’m a huge dork who thinks about this stuff when I should be doing other things. Most of those spaces are taken up by small, rare pieces of fiberglass, with racing car heritage in their badges, and racing car design in their chassis. I get excited by ultra low numbers in both weight
and production. Innovative design, and the sharing of suspension components with Formula Junior cars are conspicuous plus points. Of the other cars on my list, none were built in numbers over two hundred and none weigh over a ton. But there’s always been a spot for an Alfa Spider. In many ways, I’ve never quite been sure why. I guess in my mind there’s just a desire for a sporty, open tourer, and while many other cars would fit the bill, from a Fiat-O.S.C.A 1600S, to a Simca Ocean, to a Sunbeam Alpine. But for some reason, the hole in my mind remained Spider shaped for decades. It shares little with any racing car, even the GTAs which were descendants of the same lineage. It has a lot of racing heritage, but quite a lot of that was far in the past, even when the car was new. It’s shares virtually nothing with any other car I really like or want, and it’s the only one off that list I’ve ever had. And that brings me back around to my point. Of all the cars on that list, if only one finds its way into my garage, I’m glad it was this one. When I was very young, an Alfa Spider was maybe the first car I really wanted. As I got older, I read and learned, and began to think that I wanted something else. When I finally found this one, I was worried that it wouldn’t measure up; that my taste had matured and evolved to the point where the Alfa would feel primitive and disappointing. A friend said to me that he thought the car would feel to common, too normal to keep my attention. At the time, he seemed to have a valid point.
It hasn’t really worked out that way. Sure, there are times when I still find myself wishing for a more focused car, or a less common one. I still want all those other cars. I still want a racing car for the road. More and more though, I struggle to figure out how those cars would fit into my life. The Alfa fits like a tailored suit, albeit one that you wear sparingly if only due to how nice it is, or how much it cost. It does things racier cars won’t. Not just things like carrying groceries, and other practicalities. It’s the way the Alfa remains enjoyable when it’s not being driven in the manner of a Targa Florio reenactment. It’s a less focussed car, but it demands less focus from you. You can just get on with enjoying yourself and your drive. Those flashing lights? They weren’t meant for me. They were a group of two Highway Patrol cars and a Forestry Service truck, working to clear up a motorcycle accident. They had also brought another four units along for what looked like moral support. In many of the cars I want, and many I’ve owned in the past, having fun on this kind of road would have meant pushing into some speeds that would have attracted the attention of all of those bored patrolmen. I backed off instinctively, before realizing that the Alfa was sitting just below the posted limit, and way under the kind of speed that would cause anyone to look up from what they were doing. I burbled round the bend and accelerated up the road, no harm, no foul, no sense of panic. I never even looked in the mirror…
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SEMA Ignited Battle of the Builders on Velocity Story + Photos Scott Martin
SEMA Ignited was such a successful experiment that the Specialty Equipment Market Association has announced it will repeat the event again this year on Friday, November 6th. Held as an “after-party” to the massive SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the 2014 SEMA Ignited event was the result of years of building consumer demand… the previous step was installing bleachers so more people could watch the “Cruise-out”, or parade of hundreds of customized vehicles exit from the trade-only show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Cruise-Out led to “The LINQ”, where the public was invited to join SEMA’s festivities adjacent to Caesar’s Entertainment’s LINQ Promenade. at the spot the Las Vegas High Roller dominates the skyline with its 40-personcapacity gondolas. It is the world’s largest observation wheel at 560 feet The effort by SEMA to open up to the public extended to its SEMA Battle of the Builders competition. Over 160 of the SEMA Show’s top vehicles along with 125 individual vehicle
builders and car customizers entered the competition. The Top-10 builders were chosen by the editors of Super Street, Hot Rod and Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road Magazines. Those finalists then selected between themselves for the Top-3, who were directed to the main stage with their cars where hosts AJ from Overhaulin and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting were waiting. The Final Three Best Builders and their cars moved to the stage for the vote that became more suspenseful due to restarts in the filming because of Jet noise and the loud “train horns” from the Big Trucks in the viewing lot. Kyle Tucker, with his 1969 Chevy Camaro was finally announced Ultimate Builder of SEMA Battle of the Builders 2014, with the Ringbrothers’ 1966 Chevy Chevelle and Jeff Kinsey’s 1932 Ford 4-door Sedan also receiving awards. All this and the announcement of the 2014 SEMA Builder of the year were taped and are now set to premier on Velocity Sunday March 8th, 8pm (7 Central). Additional airings will
continue throughout the year. The one-hour TV Special shows footage of the builders’ efforts to design and build their vehicles in their custom shops. The judges are also shown in the decision-making process at various points during the competition. For those who have never been to SEMA, this will be the chance to see inside the Trade Show and meet these amazing designers to witness the development of their fantastic builds. Even if you have been to the SEMA Show, the Velocity TV Special should give you a unique perspective on the inside workings of the Master Builders’ techniques and mindset, as well as the large and small details the judges are looking for in this type of high-level competition. Scott Martin is a Calabasas resident, photojournalist, auto broker and frequent contributor to Driven World Magazine. He can be reached at autobrokerscott@gmail.com or 818 430-7266
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Shelby 50 Anniversary at Willow Springs Raceway th
Story Jim Gianatsis // Photos Jim Gianatsis, FastDates.com + Brian Mayfield Willow Springs Raceway, Rosemond, CA, Feb 13-15th 2015 - The 2015 Shelby Automobiles Celebration at Willow Springs Raceway was especial 50th Anniversary Event presented by the Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club and the Original Venice Crew, LLC. As part of a full week end of activities that included an Open Track Day all 3 days for Ford powered vehicles, a Car Show on Saturday afternoon, and a special dinner program on Saturday evening at the newly constructed Embassy Suites in Palmdale. There were many historically significant Shelby Mustangs and Cobras on display along with some of the Shelby factory
race car drivers who are part of the rich Shelby American heritage. Keynote speaker on Saturday night was Peter Brock, the legendary Shelby employee and designer of the beautiful 1965 Daytona Coupe which went on the win the 1965 FIA World Endurance Championship, beating the title holding Ferrari team who had used their political clout with the FI just the year before to cancel the season's final race at Monza in Italy to prevent the then new 289 Cobra open seater sports car from taking the Championship. Peter was also in attendance at the track and car show on Saturday to meet with fans and sign
autographs on his Shelby Books and T-shirts which were for sale. Other companies attending the event weekend included Superperformnce with its modified Mustangs, Continuation Cobras Roadsters and Daytona Coupe, the GT-40, and as a new distributor for Ford powered Caterhams. Also there was Galpin Ford who had a number of performance modified Mustangs on display and on the race track. This year's event also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Shelby GT-350 Mustang's first race victory. And highlighting the celebration was the first public appearance
of as Retro Built 1965 GT-350 Mustang with Independent Rear Suspension as Designed and Fabricated by the original Venice Shelby Crew. This was supposedly the Shelby Mustang they wanted to build back in the 1960s, but were prevented in doing so by the SCCA production rules and budget constraints. The project Mustang was revealed at historic Willow Springs International Raceway as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the first competition win on February 14, 1965 of a GT350 Shelby Mustang at Green Valley Raceway driven by Ken Miles. Ford’s Total Performance Program at that time was experiencing prodigious success with Carroll Shelby’s Cobras and Daytona Cobra Coupes when they turned to Shelby American in Venice, California to alter the public’s
image of the new Mustang. Ford wanted to add the Mustang to their stable of dominate performance vehicles and knew Carroll Shelby’s Southern California Hot Rodders could come up with the necessary strategy. Carroll quickly came up with a plan and with the elimination of the rear seats, converting the Mustang from a four passenger to a two seater, the Mustang became eligible to race with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Shelby American’s mechanics and fabricators set forth to modify the Mustang into a fire breathing track contender and a small crew at Shelby’s were assigned the responsibility. Some of those original crew members have joined together at Peter Brock’s shop to build a special project 1965 K Code Mustang 2+2. Peter Brock, Ted Sutton and Jim Marietta have
reunited to build a performance 1965 Mustang with the modifications they desired to complete 50 years ago. One of many modifications on their project Mustang is the installation of the original Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) which was tested on a GT350 50 years ago. Spearheaded by Shelby mechanic Jim Marietta with the skills of master mechanic Ted Sutton and the iconic styling talent of Peter Brock this project of a classic vintage Mustang will take on a very special innovative life. For additional information on the Los Angles Shelby America Automobile Club and to find out about further events go to http://lasaac.bigcartel.com
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Interview with Brian Zacuto of SuperchargersOnline.com Story Dustin Troyan // Photos Gabriel Gutierrez
Tell me about your love for cars, when did this begin? I was 10 years old, in 1983 some crazy ole biker moved in next door to me on Platt Ave. He moved from St Louis and worked at the GM plant in Van Nuys. He had a 57 chevy and two Harley Davidson's, that day I was bitten by the "motorsports" bug. Scott taught me everything I know about cars, I really miss having him next door to me. What is the first car you ever owned? How many cars have you owned? Which car is your favorite? First Car? Ha, that’s funny...... 1976 FORD Granada, this car was literally purchased from the little old lady in Pasadena. Mint condition, perfect interior, inline 6 cyl. I thought I had a race car, when all I really had was a TANK. I loved that car, kept it spotless. We had figured out how to drive the car from the passenger side, the bench seat was a blast. My friend Cleave and I would drive around the malls, him in the back seat, me in the passenger seat..driving around like two idiots. That was fun until we got pulled over in the mall for it....LAPD just shook their heads and let us go. How many cars, really... are we going to have that conversation again? Hmm lets see. 1..2.....3.....4...., about 25 cars and motorcycles combined. My favorite? My red 1969 C10 Short Wide, loved that truck!
Now you have been in the car industry for decades, tell me about how your passion for cars lead you to a career in Motorsports…. Decades? Thanks... I am not THAT old. It all started with a Ford Thunderbird. A few of my friends were in the "import" market and I used to get my parts from them. I started buying parts and selling them on Ebay (back when Ebay was still new). That is the beginning of it all for me. I loved the feeling of speed, and enjoyed making cars look cool and different, so the natural progression was to feed my passion by selling the parts so I could afford it. It all changed when I bought a 2000 Silverado from my friend Jeff Price, the truck had a supercharger on it and from that day forward I was bitten by PERFORMANCE. Funny story, I bought the truck, drove it home to get a check for it...and blew up the transmission before I delivered the check back to Jeff. Hahahaa, I have blown some transmissions up in my time, that’s for sure. What was your first job in the automotive world? First real job in the automotive industry was working at Magnuson Products, a supercharger Manufacture in Ventura. I worked for Jerry Magnuson for 10 years, and learned everything I know about superchargers from him. Great man with a passion for performance that is
unmatched by anyone in the industry. My first business in the automotive world was with you (Dustin Troyan), detailing cars....now there are some memories. Do you have a certain memory that is your favorite in your car endeavors? I sure do. There was a rainy day in Woodland Hills, and the streets were FLOODED....I remember driving through a HUGE puddle of standing water and my 1976 Granada stalled. What stands out the most you ask? The guy that was driving (Dustin) by in his 1995 Silverado stopped and laughed at me..after that I towed him around on his surfboard in the gutter... yes, we were crazy. I have a lot of memories through the years, and so many of them come to light.....but that one stands out the most for some reason. So tell us about SuperchargersOnline.com…. Superchargers Online was the brain child of my friend Tony Thompson. Over the years Tony was a customer of mine at Magnuson, and I always used to joke about him selling me the business. One day he called and said, "are you ready?" That day two years ago changed my life forever. We are the largest resource for everything supercharger related. We offer ALL of the major brands, Magnuson Superchargers, Edelbrock, Whipple, Roush, Vortech, and ProCharger. We inventory most of what we sell, and offer same
Brian Zacuto
of SuperchargersOnline.com Continued...
day shipping on most items in stock. We are also the only EATON Supercharger service parts supplier in the USA, this also allows us the ability to re manufacturer all EATON superchargers! Eaton Superchargers can be found on 99.9% of all the factory supercharged cars from the OEM. Eaton is the world’s largest manufacture of superchargers! How long have you been in the Supercharger business? Including my time working at Magnuson, about 15 years. Do you find it rewarding to be your own boss in an industry you love? I find it very rewarding, it is the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life. Just recently I have become an employer, and brought on a Sales and Marketing professional named Camren Beattie, it is very gratifying to be a provider for another person. Camren has a TON of experience in the automotive aftermarket and has his finger on the pulse of the marketplace. Expect BIG things from SCOL in 2015 ! Tell us about your “Shop Car”… Everyone needs a "shop Car" right? We made the decision at the end of 2014 to purchase a 2015 Camaro SS with the 1LE performance package on it. For the first two years of business, we did not have a vehicle to showcase what we sell, while others think it requires an
expensive car on the front end to get business going, we proved that hard work and good customer service will bring success. The car was a reward to us for our hard work, and now we can show people our offerings at car shows and gatherings. Why the Camaro 1LE? One morning I was surfing the web and I came across an article on the 1LE. While I had heard of it, this was the first time I studied what it was all about. The article loosely compared the car to a supercar, so I figured I needed to take a closer look at it. After some more research I learned that it ranks in the Top 10 on fastestlaps.com driven by Randy Pobst (1:22.70) at the Streets of Willow. This was faster than a SRT Viper, Corvette ZR1, Corvette ZO6, Mercedes CLS 63 AMG, and of course a Mustang :) Mind you, this car out-performs my ability to drive it....for now. What modifications have you done to the vehicle and why? A supercharger of course! We added the new Magnuson Superchargers HeartBeat supercharger that uses the EATON TVS2300 supercharger rotors. We chose Magnunson because they are the leader in supercharger development in the industry for over 35 years. And it looks cool too! Why did we add a supercharger? Because it is the most cost effective way to add 140 Emissions Legal RWHP
to the car. Period. What is your goal with the Camaro? Learn how to drive it good enough to be competitive in a track environment. Where do you see your business in the next five to ten years? I have seen the supercharger business change so much over the last 15 years. I see SCOL positioned as the leader in late model forced induction. Where do you see the enthusiast world going in the next five years? Interesting question, that depends solely on the OEM and their desire to put out vehicles that can be modified beyond the stock offering. As the industry evolves, emissions standards become more stringent, and this opens up the door for Supercharging as it is a "clean" option for a power adder. In other words, I see the future bringing more forced induction. Supercharging allows the OEM to downsize the engine to meet emissions standards and Fuel efficiency, and still make the same or MORE power. Note the 2015 ZO6, this car is the most powerful small block V8 produced by GM (650HP0, and it only uses a 1.7L supercharger to do it, allowing cleaner emissions and better fuel economy. What would you say to someone who wants to enter the Automotive Industry?
Remember, the people make you who you are. Never prequalify a potential client. Customer service is paramount to success. What do you feel is the biggest reason you have had success in the industry? With the help of my wife, family and friends I would not be where I am today. Couple that with hard work, and you have the recipe for success. I measure success not by fiscal gains, but by reputation and longevity. With the reputation comes longevity, and the proper combination will provide fiscal success. You cannot have any one without the other. I have never chased the dollar, I search for the relationships. If there is one thought you could leave with our readers, what would that be? Just remember it will not happen over night, you will not succeed without hard work. If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. And always remember to love those that support you, because without them you will never be successful. Brian, Thank you for the interview, your passion and your friendship. You have truly come along way...best wishes in the future! For more infomaation on you may visit: www.superchargersonline.com
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The Individual
Story + Photos Eric Roehm Seven hundred horsepower. The figure seems a bit tame if you are up to date with the latest hyper-car horsepower wars. But we are, in fact, talking about rear wheel horsepower, the power that makes it past the accessories, transmission and the differential; the power that makes it to the ground. This changes things… and it’s just the beginning. The Mark IV Toyota Supra (1994-1998 in the US) has become a bit of a unicorn to the present day Hot Rodders. The 3.0L straight six was available in sequential twin turbo configuration with 320 horsepower from the factory, but massive power potential. Couple that with a nearly bulletproof drivetrain, still-competitive braking, and the aerodynamics of an eel, and you have a guaranteed classic, a wonderful drivers car, and a head turner wherever you go. Meet Jordan Cohen, the man and the mind behind one of the better examples of a Mark IV Supra on the streets today. Jordan started seven years ago with a not-so-well preserved 1994 Supra Turbo, and since then nearly every nut, bolt, wire and component has been turned, tuned, tweaked or restored. Jordan’s vision was a street driven Supra that could be driven to a road course, drag strip, the occasional automotive beauty pageant, perform well and be driven home. Not an easy task. Jordan’s Supra has seen many mechanical iterations over the years, but cosmetically the main difference is the modernization of the Supras OEM Alpine Silver to an Audi R8 hue: Daytona Grey. A few
aftermarket parts, European market styling hints and a custom one-off set of polished CCW wheels round out the appearance. A single 67mm turbo has replaced the OEM sequential setup, as have aftermarket or custom made intake, intercooler, exhaust and complete fuel system. With the flexibility that Jordan was looking for in the car, he chose a state of the art engine management system to control everything. The AEM Infinity-10. This system, tuned by Supra experts FSR Motorsport Creations in Montclair, allows Jordan to do things with his Supra that others can only dream about. Most interestingly, Jordan’s Supra is a Flex Fuel Vehicle. While many OEMs are selling their vehicles with Flex Fuel capability to give their customers a cleaner, and more economical fuel alternative, Jordan has exploited another aspect of E85; power potential. Without going into a technical discussion, E85 burns much cooler than regular gasoline, allowing Jordan to run more boost and timing than he can on 91 octane without the risk of damaging his motor with pre-detonation. Since E85 is not yet available at every filling station, Jordan can fill up his Supra with E85, drive to the racetrack of his choice and when the day is over, fill up with regular 91 octane. The Infinity-10 automatically measures the Ethanol content of the fuel in the tank and adjusts the boost, timing and fueling maps to safe levels for the drive home. Jordan quietly hands me the keys, and
after a short silence says “I never run it past setting three on the street.” He is referring to a small dial on the dash that is wired into the engine management system. This is his ‘power selector’, and quite literally the higher it is set, the more aggressive the tune is. I glance down, “It goes to eleven?!”. Jordan smirks and sends me on my way. I know that with the E85 in the tank Jordan’s Supra makes 580 horsepower at the rear wheels on setting zero and rises incrementally up to 701 on setting three. Past that he will not divulge, and I don’t press the issue. The motor fires up easily and quickly, like it would from the factory in 1994, but a viscous snarl from the four inch exhaust wont let me forget that this car is nothing to take lightly. The clutch is fairly heavy and when depressed sounds the metallic whir of a multi-disc unit. A slight judder and I am away. After I get used to the clutch take-up, there is not much more than the exhaust note about the car itself that gives the impression of any modifications. The steering is firm but responsive, it has a great stereo, and the AC is ample even with the targa top removed. The only hint that I am not in any other nineties Toyota is the constant smiles, thumbs up, mobile phone pictures and questions from what seems like every other motorist and pedestrian. Turning onto a freeway onramp is a different story all together. The slightest twitch of my right foot in first gear and the 315 section drag radials give
up. In second gear even measured throttle input will illicit the same response. In third gear, the world ends: The right pedal turns into a warp button and breathing becomes a luxury. Coming off the throttle produces a hiss and flutter from the waste-gate, and I can finally exhale. I pull off the road and shut the motor off. The only sound is me trying to catch my breath. The forces produced under acceleration are intoxicating, invigorating, and addicting. Nothing can prepare you for the savagery fashioned when you give the loud pedal a stab. It takes a special kind of person to be able
to drive this car to its limit. I lack the courage and the skill to even attempt it. What does that say for Jordan? I don’t know, but on a closed course, weather it be a drag strip, road course or rented airfield, there is only one word for Jordan’s Supra: Relentless. Jordan has turned competitive times at the Autoclub Speedway ‘Roval’ in Fontana, Big Willow, and Willow Springs raceways. He has also dipped well into the illustrious 10 second quarter mile mark at The Strip in Las Vegas… all of which on the same street tires and exact setup that he drives to the grocery store with.
I asked Jordan if he has any future plans for the car. “Honestly, I just drive the car to any event that peaks my interest, and push the car as hard as I can. If there are any weaknesses, I do my research and address the problem… So, yeah. I have lots of future plans. I just don’t know what they are yet.” Spoken like a true gear head. If you ask me Jordan has gotten it right. He has designed and built a beautiful vehicle, he is not afraid to wring in out on a race track, and is not willing to conform to anyone else’s expectations but his own. It sounds to me like like Hot Rodding is still alive.
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The 2015 Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show Concours d’Elegance Saturday July 25th 2015 | 10am - 4pm At the Sagebrush Cantina Story + Photos Jim Gianatsis The 2015 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show continues its now 24- year tradition as the premier outdoor streetbike event in America as we rock the legendary bike hangout and party zone, the Sagebrush Cantina in beautiful downtown Calabasas, California. With top Celebrity Custom Bike Builders, the Calendar Bike Building Championship & Concours d' Elegance, selected Vendors and Exhibitors, Calendar Girl Music live performances. The annual LA Calendar Motorcycle Show always kicks off the world premier of next year's new 2016 FastDates.com Motorcycle PinUp Calendars featuring the world's top road race and custom motorcycles with the beautiful Calendar Kittens featured in the Calendars in attendance at the Show. Show Producer Jim Gianatsis will be photographing the winning bikes to appear in the Motorcycle Magazines and the next FastDates.com Calendars. The Calendar Motorcycle Show is also a benefit for the American Cancer Society with each Advance Ticket purchased online
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providing a $1 donation to help those people who are fighting cancer, and to help find a cure. The Show features many of the world's top Pro and Amateur custom street bike builders in attendance with their newest 2-wheeled creations of rolling art to compete in the Calendar Show Bike Building Championship for cash and awards including the coveted Best of Show Trophy. The Calendar Show is broadening its focus to include the growing Collector Bike Market with Exhibitors and Bike Show classes for classic European, British and Japanese motorcycles, along with American V-Twins and Customs. Show Entries will be placed in a Concours d' Elegance display throughout the venue. Legendary Builders featured in the popular FastDates.com Iron & Lace Custom Motorcycle PinUp Calendars planning to attend include Russell Mitchell / Exile Cycles, Richard Pollock / Mule Motorcycles, Ron Simms / Ron Simms Customs with his Big Rig Display, Jim Guiffra & Spokesmodels / AFT Customs, Chris Redpath / MotoGPwerks,
Shinya Kimura / Chabott Engineering, and Adrian Packet / Canyon Motorcycles pictured above with Calendar Kitten Lindsay Hancock who will be in their display posing for pictures, and many more! For additional information on the upcoming LA Calendar Motorcycle Show on Saturday July 25th 10am-3pm at the Sagebrush canton in Calabasas, CA, and to purchase tickets go to: www.FastDates.com/BIKESHOW.HTM
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