Driven World July 2016 Issue

1

2

3

NISSAN MARQUE DAY NOW THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH

sponsored by

A proud member of the SAGE Automotive Group

SUPERCAR SUNDAY IS LOCATED AT: Westfield Promenade Mall 6100 Topanga Canyon Boulevard Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (On the corners of Topanga Canyon Blvd and Erwin Street)

4

FROM THE EDITOR A

T

L E T T E R

B Y D U S T I N T R OYA N

here is something about being a man. Not a wimpy man, but a man’s man. I must have always needed to compensate for something because I always wanted to be a man’s man. We all know that guy that is tougher than nails, or doesn’t make excuses or seemingly is afraid of nothing. I have always wanted to be that guy.

I don’t know where it came from, the desire, probably the need for acceptance by my father who is a tough guy.

‘Joe ain’t no sissy’. Or perhaps it was that I was surrounded by a lot of tough men growing up. On the block as a kid, you knew who the tough dads were and weren’t. Somehow you always liked the tough dad a little more. Maybe because you felt safe or you just knew he meant business.

Part of being a car guy for me is knowing how to work on cars. The guys that grew up defining our culture had one hell of a great outlook. Get the job done.

Stuff broke, they fixed it. Whether it was difficult or not. They found a way to get it done. I always liked that about the old timers. They didn’t have an auto parts store on every corner or google or videos to walk them through a repair. They either went for it and figured it out or called some buddies who knew how to do the job and they did it together while having a couple of beers.

There is always that one guy who can fix anything. A car, a boat, a house, electrical, plumbing...he can weld, he can shoot, he can drive. Odds are he has some scars, been through some interesting times and has some great stories. A man’s man.

In my quest to be a man’s man, I decided I was going to change the turbo on my 1997 7.3 Ford Truck. I scored a great deal on a rebuilt turbo that was a bit bigger and would flow more air; I had to do it! Buying the turbo was the easy part, I knew the install would be a challenge. But, if others can do it, why can’t I? I did a ton of research. Watched video after video on YouTube on removing and installing the turbo. The first time you do it, it is an all day job and then some and after that a couple of hours. The difficult part is first and foremost the location of about 4 bolts which are next to impossible to get to and that the trucks have heat cycled so much that the removal of the bolts is tough. Well, how hard can it be? Every video I watched seemed to be of some guy from the South with a nice home shop, all the tools, an expert on 7.3s and a Southern drawl that would make Larry the Cable Guy proud.

As I have been very busy, I figured I would take my time and do the job in steps. Not do my usual thing and rush the job but try to find the Zen in it. And of course, do the job right the first time. A few days before I was going to take it apart, I started hosing down all the bolts with WD40. Try to make it a little easier. Those of you familiar with the Ford 7.3l diesel motor know that it is renowned for its strength and durability. Most people refer to the 7.3 as legendary.

I like legendary.

So, I had never really worked on a big truck before. Mostly cars that you are leaning over and turning wrenches on. Well a truck is a little different. You end up laying across the motor, the radiator and just about everything else under the hood. The turbo on this truck is located in the center toward the back of the block, basically against the firewall. Some guys take old sleeping bags and lay across the truck, I figured it would be reasonable quick and opted to just go for it. Wrong move.

Oh those bolts. So there are some tricks to getting the turbo out. Swivel sockets, cutting down wrenches so they can get in tighter places and patience. A lot of patience. The job itself is not that hard, it is just those damn bolts. A few of which you cannot see. You just have to feel your way through it and hope for the best.

Now the guys on the chatrooms and Youtube make it look like cake. Get this tool or that tool and put it in there and just do this or that and there you go. Well, hell, if they can do it...

So I started with the easy bolts. An impact gun, some WD40 and bam; off.

You have got to love pneumatics. Now for the tough ones. When I say impossible, I damn near mean it. One thing I have learned working on cars is to be patient. Now when I say patient. I mean, deep breaths, walking away, praying, hoping, dreaming; okay, time to get a beer, patient. I think Ford must have made millions on servicing these turbos, good God, to get to 4 bolts it was, well, one of the biggest automotive challenges ever.

5

But, I got it off. I got that turbo off and I figured I was half way there. Take it off, put it on. How hard can that be? So that was an afternoon. I laid across that motor like a veteran. I reeked of diesel, my hands were cut, my arms were bruised, my back hurt, but I felt like a man. Yes! Riding on a high, I figured I would put the turbo back on the following afternoon and have it sitting in place and then the following evening tighten everything up. A couple hours each night, I was going to enjoy this.

So that night I went over a checklist of what I needed to accomplish the next day. Easy peasy. If I can take it off, I can put it back on. Just bolts right. I forgot to mention that while I was in the engine bay it was suggested I change the Fuel Supply Pump in the “valley” of the motor. But that is for another time. I don’t have enough space to tell that story.

So, I knew that those same four bolts that are nearly impossible to get to would be the main challenge, but I was up for it. I mean I had to get it back running. There are two little O-ring gaskets that sit on the back of the block under the turbo that have to be replaced. They are known to fall off during the turbo install so you lather them in grease, set them in place and they should stay where they need to. So I did like all the blogs said. I put the new O-rings with the grease, set the turbo down and got to bolting it back up. Some guys said they spent as much as an hour turning a single bolt millimeter by millimeter until they were done. Well, I was one of those guys too. Calling it difficult is an understatement. But, it was doable.

Over the course of the three or so days working on it in the evenings, my neighbors would pull up and laugh that I was still working on the truck as my legs dangled over the edge of the truck. I would be covered in diesel soot or oil and absolutely filthy. They would laugh and I would smile.

So, it was time to prove that I was really, I mean really a man. I had bolted everything back, triple checked my work, made sure that I had no tools left in the engine bay. My wife and daughter were there for me to start the truck up. It was a momentous occasion. The pinnacle of masculinity. The truck roared to life, the turbo sounding perfect, it was time to take her for a spin. I closed the hood after checking for any leaks and I was off. The turbo spooled faster and the truck felt smoother and seemed to have more power. I was pleased. I came back home and left the truck running, popped the hood checking for leaks again and I was done! I did it. Yes! Wrong! So I went to pick up my tools on the ground and when I looked under the truck it was like Niagara Falls. Oil was pouring out of the truck. My heart sank. DAMN. I am not a man. What went wrong? Talk about frustration! I did everything right. I took my time, bought the right tools, made a tool.

EXPLETIVE. I went over and over it in my mind. What could it be? It was a lot of oil pouring out. Had to be that one of the O-rings moved. So I waited a couple of days and then went back at it. This time, the turbo came off in record speed. Cool.

Indeed one of the O-rings had moved. Damn, so close. I ordered a couple more and extras just in case and knew what I had to do. The gaskets came in and I was going to be back at it.

I put on a healthy amount of grease to keep the gaskets where they needed to be, laid the turbo in gently which is not easy, with having to align all the bolts and then proceeded to tighten everything up. Which takes HOURS! Some of the bolts, man...And all the time my neighbors are driving by laughing as I am still laying all over the truck and filthy. “Still at it huh?!”

So, I get her back together. I am elated. The time of truth, crossing my fingers, I fire the truck up. I am looking good, I am looking great...no oil leaking...I think I am done.....WRONG. Oil is again POURING down to the ground. Yes, I have a ton of cardboard under to catch it. EXPLETIVE. What the! I was done for the day. Slammed the hood down, straight to the shower. Done.

What could have gone wrong? Back to the drawing board. The only thing it could have been is one of the O-rings moved. I had to wait a few days until I had time to get back at it, not that I really wanted to, but I was going to finish this and finish it right because I had to. Never admit defeat! Endeavor to persevere!

Plus my kid was watching, what kind of dad I would be?

So, I took the turbo off a third time and the O-ring had indeed slipped out of place a second time. Expletive. So, I repeated the steps I had already done and put another day’s worth of work into the truck and....IT DIDNT LEAK! Thank God! I am a man again! The moral of the story....do it once so you know you can do it and then make a lot of money so someone else can do it. But at the end of the day, be a man’s man.

CONTENTS

drivenworld ISSUE 76, JULY 2016

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin Troyan ART DIRECTOR James R. Stanley Jr. EVENT COVERAGE

10 McLaren Marque Day Supercar Sunday

14 California Festival of Speed 2016

15 Carshowaholic

One Man, One Day, Six Shows

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

21 Forgeline Wheels

COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Martin Lipp Scott Martin Emily Jederlinich James Stanley Jenny Conn Mark Llewellyn Tim Kaiser Jay Santos Gwen Banta Troy Herald PHOTOGRAPHY James Stanley Ted Seven Scott Martin Tim Kaiser Jay Santos

Race Inspiried

30 Shelby

Lives On

ADVERTISING / MARKETING dustin@connectedmediagroup.com (818) 516-5053

www.drivenworld.com

www.connectedmediagroup.com INFORMATION & LIFESTYLE

16 Summertime Wellness

18 Roadtrip

USB Charging

PERSONAL FEATURES

24 Car Culture

Great Balls Almighty

www.supercarsunday.com

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 highnet-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.

28 Electric Car Dreams

30 Photographer Spotlight Scott Martin

35 I’m Addicted to Drag Racing Hot Rod Jay

On the Cover: Photo By Scott Martin 2016 Shelby Terlingua Mustang.

Supercharged (with a Whipple Blower) V8 5.0 Coyote engine rated at 750hp. The Jackrabbit logo is from the original Terlingua Racing Team started in Texas by Carroll Shelby

Southern California’s Largest Aircooled Porsche Dealer The Nation’s Largest Porsche Inventory 21301 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 autogallery.porschedealer.com 844.866.6762

MASERATI / McLAREN 24050 West Ventura Blvd. Calabasas, CA 91302 | LAMBORGHINI 21326 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 PORSCHE / AUDI 21301 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 | MASERATI / McLAREN BEVERLY HILLS 9022 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211 McLAREN SCOTTSDALE 8355 E. Raintree Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85260 | SANTA MONICA FIAT 1820 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 VAN NUYS FIAT / MASERATI 5711 Van Nuys Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91401

THEAUTOGALLERY.COM

|

818.884.4411 8

|

9

MCLAREN MARQUE DAY S U P E R C A R

S U N D AY

S T O R Y B Y D U S T I N T R O YA N | P H O T O S B Y J A M E S S TA N L E Y

It was incredible. The Supercar Sunday McLaren Marque day was the stuff legends are made of. To say the bar was raised was an understatement. For the past few years, the Supercar Sunday McLaren Day has set a world record for the most ever McLaren’s together and then to proceed on a scenic drive. This year was no different.

It is always a challenge to keep trying to up the ante with events. You never

10

know who is going to turn up and bring what type of car with them. There is always a bit of pressure to keep the “Super” in “Supercar Sunday.” We never want to let you down!

When I say “we,” that includes the sponsors. The Auto Gallery has played a huge role in bringing in some pretty amazing cars to Supercar Sunday and since they are one of the largest McLaren Dealers in North America, I knew

they would pull out all the stops, just like they had done in the past.

Talking with John Kerley, the Director of Fixed Operations from the Auto Gallery who is not only one of the hardest working guys you will meet, but a huge car enthusiast, he told me that this was going to be the biggest and best year yet! He said they were going “big” and the Auto Gallery was going to “pull their weight” to make this year’s McLaren Run the biggest again. We were all shooting for another world record with McLaren’s and we were all primed to go!

The morning of the McLaren Marque, I think many of us were up at four am. We got to the SCS location and we were all so excited. We knew that we were expecting at least forty McLaren’s but were hoping for closer to fifty!

Now with certain marques, that fifty number is pretty easy. Cars have been in production for decades, so it is easy to get to critical mass. With McLaren, a brand that is still relatively new to the general consumer, it is not so easy. We had to break last year’s world record. We just had to.

As the sun rose on the Westfield Promenade parking lot, the cars started to trickle in. Some hot rods, some classic cars and then some exotics. We were all nervous, where are our McLaren’s? Where?!

Then, all of the sudden, one pulled in. Ok, we have got one. Then two.

Ok, we are on a roll. Then about ten pulled in together! We have got some momentum going... Then they pulled in by the fives and tens until we got to 11 just under sixty! FIFTY-SIX! Holy cow we did it! That was no small order by

the way. Fifty-Six McLaren’s together is truly something special and to have multiple 675 LTs and P1s, we are talking about tens of millions of dollars all together! The crowd went wild!

The passion and enthusiasm was off the charts! To many, McLaren is the epitome of the quintessential sports car. It’s history steeped in racing, the pedigree to many is second to none. And to have all of the current models on hand since the launch of the consumer brand which has been less than a decade. So to have all of the cars on display and driven in, it was truly something special.

When the two McLaren P1s drove in, they took the show over! The 675LTs on display were also a nice compliment to accentuate McLarens track inspired road cars.

The Auto Gallery had planned a private drive to an exclusive lunch. The drive would encompass some of the best roads that Southern California has to offer. Promptly at ten o’clock, John Kerley had a quick drivers meeting, and the drivers were off ! The sound of fifty-six McLarens leaving Supercar Sunday was sensational. Social media went crazy! It was the largest turnout of McLaren at Supercar Sunday and the world over!

What a great success! With the help of so many people, the McLaren owners, The Auto Gallery and the sponsors, and of course, all of you! Oh, I forgot to mention, The Auto Gallery also pulled out a Pagani Huayra to share.

That little gem is arguably about a two million dollars, and yes it drove in. And one of the rarest cars in the world. But hey, we call it Supercar Sunday for a reason right!

Thank you all, it was awesome!

Photo submitted by Lorin Maureen

Photo submitted by Densho DelOro

www.facebook.com/supercarsunday

T

he images seen on this page were submitted by SuperCar Sunday attendees via our facebook page! To have a chance at having your photos featured in DrivenWorld Magazine, like us on facebook and post up your favorite photos from your visit! It’s that simple!

Please, do not have any watermarks on the images, as we will make sure that the photo credit is listed under each of the images chosen.

Be sure to check back often as we will also share many of the images sent to us on our facebook wall! Feel free to include links to your photography fan pages, and/or links to your portfolios for a chance to get into the spotlight!

Photo submitted by Anthony Aguilar

Photo by James Stanley

12 Photo submitted by Sal Anthony Cabrerra

Over 30 years of award winning experience 22836 Ventura Blvd.

Woodland Hills, CA 91364

(818) 222-8881

www.coastlinemotorsport.com 13

CALIFORNIA FESTIVAL OF SPEED S U P E R C A R

O

S U N D AY

STORY BY MARTIN LIPP | PHOTOS BY TED SEVEN

nce a year, Southern Californians get the pleasure to step into the world of racing. The location is Auto Club Speedway and the event is California Festival of Speed. For those of us who love Porsche’s original air-cooled machines as well as the hyper modern 918, this is the place to experience them all.

As we enter through the orange gates of Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, we are greeted by the distinctive sound of high revving flat-six engines. It is go-fast day and various generations of Porsches are circulating the “roval” configuration of the speedway. Amateur as well as professional racers are putting their machines through the paces to ensure that they start as far up the grid as possible for the weekend races. California Festival of Speed is hosted by the Porsche Club and the races are a large part of the event. As we take a stroll through the paddock, we see every iteration of Porsches fine automobile and their owners happily sharing what makes their particular machines special. If you love Porsches in action, this is a must-attend for you.

Vendor row may not be as exciting as the paddock in terms of action but the vendors represented is quite spectacular. The first thing that greets us is a race simulator consisting of a dozen race seats and steering wheels, where those

not circulating the speedway at high speed have the opportunity to hone their race craft. The next thing we see is a 918 brought by CNC. As we admire the lines of the Spyder, something green catches our eye. Is that what we think it is - Yes a 2013 Caterham is staring right at us compliments of Fast Toys Club, a exotic, luxury and race car club. It is not often the public gets the opportunity to view a modern F1 car in all its glory and the crowd is loving it. As we continue down vendor row, we see artist displaying their paintings, accessories vendors, race gear manufacturer Stand 21 is well represented and so is HRE with their magnificent lightweight wheels on display.

At noon we get the chance we have been waiting for, Martin Lipp, one of the people responsible for California Festival of Speed waves us over. “Do you want to go out on track?” he asks. It is lunch time and the racers are taking a break and this is the public’s opportunity to get a feel for the Auto Club Speedway. We wasted no time jumping in our car and lining up for the Porsche Club organized track tours. After a brief but thorough safety meeting, we were on the track. With wind in our hair, smiles on our faces, we set about conquering the mighty “roval” - Little did it matter that the safety car kept us at respectable and safe speeds, we were racers for a few laps.

14

CARSHOWAHOLIC

O N E

I

M A N

-

O N E

D AY

-

S I X

S H O W S

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT MARTIN

officially became “carshowaholic” in the June, 2014 issue of Driven World and have been using the descriptive moniker since then. Titled “SoCalCarshowaholic”, I was very excited to report that I had just covered four car shows in one day in the SoCal area. I didn’t write about the challenge I made for myself the following year when I completed a total of 5 car shows in a day since it was 2015. But talk about setting yourself up for a fall, it seemed like everything was coming into alignment for a potential six car shows in one day this year for 2016 but you never know how things will work out.

As it happens, there are three car shows that occur on the first Sunday every May in the Greater L.A. area… Mustangs in Warner Center Park, the Annual Classic Chevys of SoCal Car Show at Rancho San Antonio and the prestigious Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance. The first Sunday of the month also features Supercar Sunday Marque Day plus the Vintage Car Show in Malibu. I had to get some kind of Cars & Coffee in the mix, so I planned to visit Cars, Coffee and Bagels in Northridge, CA. My friends at The Auto Gallery even got involved, giving me a Maserati Quattroporte to drive in comfort to all the events.

Routing and timing were the main issues I faced to get to all 6 car shows.

Starting in Calabasas and driving to arrive in Malibu at 7:00 am set the clock going. Although I had allotted myself one hour, there were so many great cars, and of course, you have to talk to everyone, so I found myself not leaving until 8:15. Normally, I would have travelled directly to Supercar Sunday, but knowing that the Cars, Coffee and Bagels car show might be over by 9:00am, I had to go visit Northridge first and then backtrack to the Supercar Sunday Ferrari Marque Day at the Westfield parking lot in Woodland Hills off Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Arriving at Supercar Sunday a little late at 9:30 am, I had missed the huge mass of Ferrari’s, but still was able to get dozens of photos and a lot of video footage of amazing Ferrari’s, Porsches, Corvettes, Mustangs and a great variety of custom and collectible vehicles. My timing got a little better by the time I drove the Maserati up the street to Mustangs in the Park, where I was able to relax and schmooz for a while with some good Ford and Mustang friends, even one from Orange County.

The funny thing was, many people had known what I was planning, so more and more people started coming up to me and saying, “Which number are you at now?” or “Are you absolutely insane or what?!” Even weeks after the day, I’ve been continuing to have people comment on phone calls or Facebook Instagram and Twitter. And none of them are negative!

Back to the excursion… By the time I arrived at Classic Chevy’s event around noon, the show was going full force with food, drink and an afternoon of awards presentations all to benefit San Antonio Boys Town. Cutting my time way down from how long I would have liked to stay, I needed to leave enough time to get to the parking area in Beverly Hills since you can only get up to Greystone Mansion by shuttle.

Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance is put on by the City of Beverly Hills and they really do it right. If you haven’t been to the 20’s era house and grounds, it is a real treat. And it’s the perfect backdrop for the period vehicles that are displayed every year.

I’m not so sure if I can get up to 7 car shows in one day for 2017 so I’m thinking about making it a two-day challenge next year since there are also a lot of events happening that first Saturday of the month. Do I want to push it and risk damaging my body again, or should I be happy with the knowledge that not many people will ever be able to shoot and report on 6 car shows in one day? I’ll let you know…

Scott Martin is a frequent contributor to and long-time supporter of Driven World Magazine and Supercar Sunday. You can find Scott’s photos and articles at facebook.com/sroscott and on Instagram and Twitter: @carshowaholic

15

SUMMERTIME

A TIME FOR CHANGE WITH A DASH OF LOVE

H

A R T I C L E B Y E M I LY J E D E R L I N I C H | H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S C O A C H

i Friends! I recently decided to re-connect with yoga; a workout that got me hooked and helped me come to one big observation! My body and mind were weak! As I went through the countless sun salutations and ridiculously challenging poses that included many awkward falls and occasional cursing at the instructor under my breath, just to get to an 8 minute shavasana (relaxation) at the end of class, I was done! But then I got to thinking one day while laying in shavasana, that maybe this was how it was SUPPOSED to be. Maybe the countless sun salutations, and the awkward poses, shouldn’t be built up to be ridiculously hard. Maybe I viewed it as hard because it was a new routine that I had not become accustomed too, yet. The first time I ever experienced yoga, I felt confident. I thought it would be easy. I work out all the time, so I figured it would just be another workout routine to add to my schedule. I entered the yoga studio with confidence. My confidence dwindled over the course of 5 minutes as we moved into sun salutations. I promptly over-stretched my hamstrings by showing off, fell out of multiple poses, and may have shed a tear or two from the pain I was in. I convinced myself that I should never try yoga again. But a voice in my head continued to repeat “You can’t just go into yoga right off the bat and expect to perfect it.” Years later, I kicked my pride to the curb and tried it again. This time I entered the practice fully embracing the countless sun salutations and learning the basics.

I learned an important lesson: when I slowed down, and mastered the basics, it was easier. Why was it so much easier for me this time? Well, for one, I put my ego aside and spent the time and effort to understand yoga. When I was able to familiarize myself with yoga, and relate it to my background in fitness, it was another piece of the puzzle falling into place! I had all the experience, equipment, and knowledge I needed to get through it easily, Not only that, but I let myself have fun, let go, and enjoy the practice instead of rushing off and trying to master the next pose. This time around yoga wasn’t so dramatic and

awkward. Your fitness journey can, and maybe even should, be the same way!

For example, let’s say you haven’t exercised once in the last five years, and I approached you at the car show and said “drop and give me 20,” would you be able to? Most likely no, but you may surprise me with your superhero strength!

If you just started your fitness journey, dropping down and doing 20 push-ups would be insanely difficult, but if you trained and slowly made progress by the time the challenge came along, it would be no big deal. Am I right?

The same would be true with running a 5k. If you were untrained, it might seem impossible. But, by training until you were able to enjoy going for a three mile fun run with your friends, the 5k would be icing on the cake. We have a tendency to glorify the fitness industry, the fitness models, and athletes that show the world how fit and different they are from us. We use the goals of fitness models, athletes, etc. for our own personal motivation to help us with our own goals and keep us moving forward. It’s great to have motivation, but if we’re not careful how we use it and we try to rush the process we forget to enjoy the journey. Collect what you’ve learned through your fitness challenges, and have fun with it this summer. Think of this as your time to explore what workouts you truly enjoy. Every repetition or every meter you run is like another yoga pose you can comfortably stay in for longer than a minute without shedding a tear. Every repetition and every mile you run, you’ve improved your strength, stamina and endurance. Enjoy the progress you have made! Summer is a great time to start on your fitness goals. Get out there and start killing those workouts.

Learn as you go. Tweak your strategy as you progress. If you can’t do it alone, grab a friend for motivation. Stop thinking about your health and fitness goals, and start practicing them! If you need to, upgrade and tweak your nutrition and workouts. A weak diet won’t help you lose the weight or help you get stronger. Make sure you are equipping your body and mind with what it needs to succeed. It is a challenge to progress if you are not equipping your body and mind properly. This summer, enjoy the process. Let go and have fun!

16

17

ROADTRIP

PREP - GADGETS - TIPS

O

A R T I C L E B Y J A M E S S TA N L E Y

ver the past 15-or-so years, thanks to the military, I’ve completed four coast to coast, and several dozen multi-state roadtrips. In addition to these military moves, I have competed in several road rallies which commonly cross state lines and last multiple days. From an SVT Ford Focus, to a Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Focus ST, and even a Pontiac Fiero, each trip presented a set of unique challenges, as well as common issues that I’ve tried to address each trip.

A new challenge in these later years that has reared its head has been the introduction of mobile electronics. IPads, smart phones, GPS’s, DVD players, and even satellite radio all have something in common that becomes apparent with prolonged use.

Charging. A few hours into a trip, these devices will start losing their charge and the hunt for the proper USB cable starts. After shuffling through the knotted mess of cables, you think it should be as easy as plugging it in and the rest will take care of itself. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Depending on what USB charger and what brand of cable you have on hand, your outcomes may differ.

Let’s start out with the USB cable. A bad cable is easy to identify, and can be very frustrating with Android based devices. The charging port is often blamed for being bad when in reality, it’s the cable. Gas station and bargain basket cables are fine for temporary use in an emergency, but all it takes is a little bump or twist to render them useless. In addition to being incredibly fragile, these cheap wires are not designed for higher-voltage ‘fast-charge’ type chargers. If you find yourself in this situation and you have a dead battery, be sure to leave your device off to get the best charge possible. If you’re in the market for a new cable, your best option is to get another cable from the original manufacturer.

Have a Samsung? Get a Samsung cable. Have an iPhone? Get an apple cable.

The added cost is minimal for the added benefits of having a cable that works properly. In some cases, the original equipment cables can be purchased from Amazon at prices well under the cost of a gas station ‘cheap-o’.

The second half of the equation is the USB charger itself. Again, not all chargers are created equal, and the adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ doesn’t always apply in this category. You could get the bargain barrel charger from a big box store, or one from your local gas station, again only to be disappointed at its performance. After hours and hours of scouring the internet and reading review after review, I decided to take the $13.00 plunge and order the Scosche USBC242M reVOLT dual USB charger. First off, Scoche has become a brand name that I’ve learned to trust over the last few years as a brand that WORKS. This particular charger has a few features that I believe places it above the competition. The main feature that I found most attractive is that this unit can auto detect the type of device that’s plugged in and adjust its power output according to its needs. Tablets and phones have different power needs, and this charger can handle both.

No more having to check to make sure that you’re plugged into the proper outlet, just plug it and forget it. In addition to being able to handle either power output from either port, this is the only one I came across that can handle simultaneous use of both ports without losing its quick charge ability.

Lastly, it’s illuminated... properly. I have found many chargers in the past to have incredibly bright LED bulbs that can be blinding at night. Scosche did it right with this one by illuminating the USB sockets only, and with a brightness that is just right.

With the proper cable, and the proper charger, I no longer need to worry about my phone losing its charge while using Waze and streaming Pandora.

Next month: Roadside Essentials

We Specialize in Classic Cars Repair. Maintenance. Restoration. High Performance.

(818) 787-7634 14843 Bessemer St Van Nuys, CA 91411 www.mustangsetc.com

- All Classic Cars - Tune-ups - Full & Partial Restorations - Carburetor Rebuilding - Carburetor Tuning

We work on all classic vehicles: - Ford - Chevy - GMC - Cadillac - Hot Rods - Projects - Trucks - Restomod - Safety Inspections - Alignments - Brakes - Suspension and Lowering - Customization 18

- Wheels & Tires - Wiring - Air Conditioning - High Performance - Appraisals

19

20

FORGELINE WHEELS R A C E

T

I N S P I R I E D

STORY BY JENNY CONN | PHOTOS BY FORGELINE WHEELS

he type of automobile you gravitate toward likely tells a lot about your personality and your passions. Whether it’s a lightning-fast Porsche Cayman, a top- down, cruise- to- thebeach Mustang or a sleek and sexy Aston Martin, your ride stirs something in your soul you want to express.

But it’s not only your vehicle that turns heads on the street or on the show grounds: your vehicle’s wheels are as important to the overall look, feel and performance as any other part of the vehicle. So what do you need to know about high-quality wheels?

First off, what happens on the race track usually drives what’s popular on the street and for good reason – To be fast, yet safe, racing wheels must be light, but incredibly stiff and strong, and their appearance has to be equally impressive.

So check out the wheels on vehicles in the top racing series around the world, in which many of the wheels came from the same manufacturer: Dayton

21

Ohio-based Forgeline Motorsports. Forgeline manufactures custom made-toorder one-piece and multi-piece lightweight forged aluminum street and racing performance wheels that are designed to look stunning yet deliver unflappable strength and durability.

One example is the recent Nürburgring race. Over Memorial Day weekend, the Glickenhaus team, which runs exclusively on Forgeline Wheels, ran two SCG003 cars and one P45 car on Forgeline wheels on the infamous and incredibly grueling Nürburgring. Located in the town of Nürburg, Germany, the race features a Grand Prix race track and a much longer north loop track that winds around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel Mountains and includes more than 1,000 feet of elevation change from its lowest to highest points. Anything but the strongest, lightest wheels are likely to fail during such a competition.

Back in the states, at the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, sweeping the Grand Sport podium were three

Porsche teams, all competing on Forgeline one- piece forged-aluminum mono block wheels.

“Porsche teams choose our wheel because they’re extremely durable and much lighter than factory wheels,” said Forgeline president David Schardt. “We also manufacture our race wheels with an open lug design, to allow more room for the sockets for a faster pit stop.”

Forgeline has deep roots in racing, spinning off of Dayton Wire Wheels, which made wheels for vehicles beginning as far back as the 1916 Indy 500, and provided wheels for the likes of the Wright Brothers and Charles Lindberg.

Fast forward to today. Forgeline is owned by Dave and Steve Schardt, the sons of Jim Schardt, a racer in the Sports Car Club of America in the late 60s who bought Dayton Wire Wheels when it floundered in the 70s. Recognizing a growing demand in the 90s for custom offset racing wheels, especially for foreign cars, the Schardt’s launched Forgeline and soon were providing the majority of wheels for the SCCA World Challenge.

While supplying racing wheels to teams around the world, for everyday use, Forgeline custom manufactures forged wheels for any driving style in just about any look desired. With an emphasis on fashion and function, Forgeline knows auto enthusiasts want their cars to be attention-grabbing, but they’re also beginning to become mindful of wheel weight, by not installing heavier wheels

than the OEMs. “We’re starting to see more and more Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi and Porsche owners coming over to the Forgeline brand. These owners are learning about us and discovering the many benefits of our product line’” said Steve Schardt. “In LA, it’s car culture heaven, with everyone showcasing their custom wheel and tire packages.”

Machined from heat-treated 6061-T6 aluminum, Forgeline wheels are forged on a 6000-ton hydraulic press. This forging process aligns the grain structure, reduces porosity and increases uniformity in the material, creating the highest strength-to-weight ratios and the most consistent quality. On average, Forgeline forgings are 40 present stronger than cast aluminum.

Betim Berisha, who owns BBI Autosport, a Porsche tuning shop located in Huntington Beach, Calif., said many customers ask for his wheel recommendation. BBI refers them to Forgeline because they’re reasonably priced for such high quality and because the company tests its products on such a wide variety of race cars.

“That real-world testing shows tremendous integrity,” Berisha said.

“Forgeline is building wheels to a specific standard that allows any performance driving enthusiast to not worry about their wheels breaking or bending because they’re not strong enough.”

Berisha also appreciates that Forgeline is a family-owned company, manufactures in the US and supports the industry. “Their wheels are completely customizable and it’s a fantastic looking product,” he added.

Forgeline wheels are engineered using computer-simulated finite element analysis and tested beyond SAE standards using real-world load variables to ensure strength, safety and performance. Innovative features like I-beamed spokes, hidden titanium ARP fasteners, meticulously -engineered centers and complex manufacturing techniques ensure that Forgeline wheels are strong, fast and stunning.

Most of Forgeline’s wheels are monoblock, but several multi-piece wheels are also available.

For one-piece wheels, forged aluminum is considered the ultimate.

Forgeline’s fully-forged one piece monoblock wheels are machined entirely from a single 6061-T6 aluminum forging to create a wheel that is extremely stiff, exceptionally strong and very lightweight. They’re available in 18”, 19”, 20”, 21” and 22” diameters in a range of offsets to fit most applications.

Three-piece construction was originally developed for racing in the early 70s and has been used on cars ever since. Forgeline’s Performance Series forged three-piece modular performance wheels are engineered with a stepped-lip and other features to deliver light weight and high strength characteristics for sports

For more information: Forgeline Motorsports 3522 S. Kettering Blvd., Suite A Dayton, OH 45439 800-886-0093 www.forgeline.com BBI Autosport 17112 Palmdale Street Huntington Beach, CA 92647 714-843-0200 www.bbiautosport.com

cars and muscle cars. Forgeline’s Heritage Series represents the company’s most sought-after designs. Harkening to the 90s, the classic designs range from snowflake to mesh to classic five spoke, complimenting muscle cars to supercars to luxury vehicles.

Forgeline’s own in-house manufacturing and engineering capabilities provide extreme flexibility in vehicle fitments and wheel sizing and can be speciallybuilt to accommodate unique suspension and brake packages. Forgeline also has built completely original one-off wheel designs for prototypes, show cars and creative enthusiasts who wish to have a truly original wheel.

“We custom-build these wheels in 18”, 19” and 20” diameters to fit virtually any application,” said Steve Schardt. “We are offering select new sizes such as the 21” x 12.5 for the rears of Audis, Ferraris, Porsche and Lamborghinis, so that has opened up this market for us. Not many other wheel manufacturers have this large of a forging size.”

Forgeline also offers custom color combinations to express individual personalities, with custom color and texture finishes that run the gamut for outer rims, centers and monoblocks. And, since each wheel is custom built-toorder, Forgeline can offer special features like custom offsets and center locking hubs.

25

SHELBY L I V E S

O N

STORY & PHOTOS BY SCOTT MARTIN

I

was recently invited by Shelby American to drive the new Terlingua this corner, allowing the car to take its course, she’ll take it a lot faster than you Mustang outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The trip was a real learning think…” And this is how it went for what seemed like 300 laps at well over 100 experience that I, frankly, was not expecting. Yes, I was excited to drive mph in the different Shelby street/race cars, two groups of 3 or 4 on the track. the 750 hp track-ready racing and street machine, but didn’t realize we The Terlingua was my last car and it turned out I was literally saving the best were also going to be putting several other Shelby Mustang models for last! Compared to all the other cars, just the power of the engine combined to the test. And no, I had never been to the Shelby American facility with the balance of the car and its seemingly endless agility but genuinely so was really looking forward to seeing what was going on in there. The best awesome braking power… this was definitely my favorite. It turned out to be thing about my three days with the Shelby American folks was learning just my lucky day on all fronts because since I drove it last on the track, I also got how much new and exciting technology and new vehicle development and to drive the Terlingua all the way back to Shelby American HQ! And yes, the introductions are coming out of the organization.

Borla tuned exhaust helped ‘cause it sounded So Darn Good!

When a company so enmeshed with the Legend of its founder loses its After that great trip, it was fun to see all my new friends a couple of weeks figurehead as it did with Carroll Shelby in 2012, you have to wonder how it will later at the Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show in Gardena, California. At the survive and what direction it will take. I personally have been gratified to see Tribute, both limited run Shelby GT-H and Sebring 289 Cobra were officially that the new GT350 and GT350R are highly anticipated with the GT350R introduced. The crowd of Shelby owners was also treated to a preview of Adam earning Road and Track 2016 Performance Car of the Year. To be honest, I Carolla and Nate Adam’s new film on the rise of the GT-40 against Ferrari didn’t know much about the Terlingua, the new Sebring Cobra or the 50th at 24 hours of LeMans in the 60’s entitled “The 24 Hour War”. The two also Anniversary Shelby GT-H version for Hertz, but I definitely got brought up to announced there would be a film coming on Carroll Shelby because they already speed quickly. I was also privileged to spend a lot of time with Shelby veterans had so much footage on him from the GT-40 era. A great panel discussion on Gary Patterson and Vince LaViolette who introduced me to new proprietary Shelby’s effect on car culture followed, entitled “The Spirit of Competition” technological advancements developed for in-house and industry-wide usage featuring Adam Carolla, John Morton, Gary Patterson, Bob Bondurant and (more on that in a future article.)

Allen Grant. In a moving tribute to Carroll, most of the cars on-site did a big The few other automotive journalists and I had no pre-conceived ideas engine rev at 1:30 pm. because we were the first media to drive the Terlingua. You would expect the It’s funny how everything during my month of May kept relating back to Shelby staff to dive directly into the specs on the cars, but they actually asked us Shelby… while at the manufacturing facility in Las Vegas, I got to see all 140 to forego technical details and try to just “feel” how the cars drove. Well, I have of the Shelby GT-H Mustangs being prepared for a Memorial Day release an open mind and decided to go along… I didn’t even look at the media kit or exclusively at Hertz Airport locations. I actually ended up renting one of USB drive the night before track-day. those cars over, Memorial Day. Gary and Vince had showed me the amazing The morning arrived and we were picked up by the Shelby American shuttle custom technology and individual body pieces that make this car a big treat van. Expecting to drive all the way out to the track in that, imagine my delight for traveling renters… one requirement out of the many due to Adrenaline when we pulled in to the Shelby American facility and found a half-dozen Shelby Mustangs in all configurations lined up for us to drive the 40 minutes out to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. They handed me the keys to a 6-speed stick shift Shelby SuperSnake and off we went! I already had my “feeling” hat on and came to a pretty quick realization that this car was just fun to drive. I was truly expecting the car to be lurchy, stiff and unmanageable but powerful and maybe fun, but instead, I got balance, agility, controllable power, smoothness and yes, fun, fun, fun!

Once we got to our designated race course and settled down, we went through the normal track orientation and were reminded again to try and feel how each of the cars drove and what was similar or different about all of them.

The other journalists and I switched between five cars throughout the day: Shelby GT, Shelby GT Eco Boost, the Terlingua, Super Snake, and GT500 Super Snake. I luckily got to stay in the same Super Snake for my first laps and was really excited to see how she ran on a course after having so much fun on the city streets and highways leading to the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, NV. Man, I wasn’t disappointed! We were all connected by radio and the lead car talked us through the first few laps but also kept mentioning all the reasons to start trusting the cars, including the fact that no matter what you did, the car would still track straight and come out of almost any speed turn. “Here’s another turn, now you take a good outside line and look for that cone and now you smoothly target the cone, letting your tire go over the paint until you settle in and let the car go straight like she wants to and now accelerate hard into 26

Collection standards is that you must show Hertz your return flight ticket. That and the $399 per day plus taxes and fees make the ride a sizeable but exciting investment in your driving pleasure. During our Memorial Day weekend we visited the tourist sights of Southern California.

And yes, I did get to bring it by a couple of local SoCal car shows including Supercar Sunday to let those in the know drool all over the beautiful and infamous black and gold livery.

I’m wishing now that the Shelby GT-H was one of the cars we drove on the track because it sure was fun to drive on the streets and freeways of L.A., but I would have loved to drive it up to 130 mph on the straightaways and 80 to 90 mph on the turns! Although the GT-H only comes with automatic transmission, it doesn’t disappoint and seems to upshift and downshift wherever you would if shifting yourself, especially when in Sport mode.

27

ELECTRIC CAR D R E A M S

I

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TIM KAISER

t’s six thirty in the morning. My girlfriend Alexis and I are fifteen minutes from the track and I’m amped. Today, I test my electric car invention. As I exit the highway I see the Kern County Race Way and its huge, towering over the empty plains, a lonely giant on a Wednesday morning. This is intimidating. “Finally,” I think to myself.

Today is my big day at the track. I’m going to run my EV (electric vehicle) through its paces and I’m excited to be here; it’s surreal. I remember as a kid, I had imagined myself in a super charged race car fighting for first place, speeding through the turns and crashes, and in the final lap charging to the checkered flag and winning by a nose. Ahhhh, the win, the adoration, the trophy, I can still hear the cheers in my head. Oh how things have changed.

This day at the track will have none of those boyhood fantasies. Today is about distance, percentages, batteries and engineering, and maybe a brisk 50mph. Boring...

Before 2011, I never gave electric cars much thought or respect. I’ve always considered them less than real cars. For me, they were relegated to kid’s toys and golf carts; however, with the influx of cool new electric cars and with Uncle Sam offering over four billion dollars for EV infrastructure, my interest piqued. It seemed the Green Revolution had begun and I was determined to be a part of it. I mean, who isn’t? The world is upside down, gas is too expensive, health problems are sky rocketing, polar ice caps are melting and we’re at war, -name it, bio fuels and our carbon footprints are killing us. I became slightly obsessed with the thought of a carbonless way to get around town, but honestly, most of all I wanted to find a way to get out of paying four bucks for a gallon of gas! Then, after seeing the Tesla and the now defunct Coda, I was in. Yes, sign me up. Let’s save the world, and let’s do it in style.

My tenacious nature took over and I relentlessly started researching with anything I could use, books, internet and phone calls. I searched high and low for every tidbit of info I could find and I eventually came to the disappointing conclusion that EV’s are not as awesome as George Clooney said! I was right from the start; the new electric cars were smoke and mirrors and have the same problem they did a hundred years ago, the distance range of travel. An electric vehicle cannot travel far enough to make it a viable source or transportation. So, I jumped into solution mode. How do I get an electric car to Vegas from LA without stopping or without additional fuel, and or, batteries? What can I do differently that hasn’t already been done? Since I was now fully educated regarding EV’s, I began developing a plan. I looked through patents and web content. I spoke to engineers, mechanics, physicists and electric car builders and I discovered the one place on any vehicle that has a constant physical pressure point. Ah, something I can work with that falls within the guidelines/constraints of thermodynamics, (pesky little physics details). The grill areas of all vehicles have a coefficient of drag. Some are big and some are small; a Corvette or Ferrari is not that big, a truck or van is pretty big and requires a lot of energy to move through the resistance. Imagine holding a four by eight foot piece of plywood in fifty mile an hour wind; it’s a lot of pressure. So that’s it right there, the constant pressure point of resistance. That’s where I put my wind turbines.

My turbine system is simple, I’m not trying to invent perpetual motion, (although maybe next time), I’m attempting to capture wasted energy and put it back in to the batteries.

It’s a range extender that uses wind instead of gas to charge the moving EV. It’s kind of like talking on your cell phone when it’s plugged into a solar panel. It’s charging for free while you’re using the phone. Note: almost all electric car manufactures currently offer a

28

small gas powered generator (a range extender), that sends a charge to the batteries as you drive, thereby increasing your range.

Thermodynamics, the rules that all movement must abide –dude. I heard this more than once, as if I didn’t understand, over and over I was told it couldn’t be done. I don’t know what the problem was, was I not explaining myself correctly or was it they just couldn’t believe I had the stones to try something so different? Either way, I was dismissed like a fifth grader at a bar by every engineer, and/or, investor I spoke to, except one. Yeah, he has credentials and he wasn’t a kook, he listened. He wasn’t too sure where it would get me, but he believed my plan would work. It’s simple why couldn’t I capture the wind while moving and recycle the wasted energy back into the batteries, I mean it totally works with regenerative braking, so why not? I had one believer and that was enough, so I stuck to it and so did my business partner and financier, Brad. Brad is like me except he’s rich, good looking and a playboy, other than that we share in the belief that this idea could not only make money but could help further development of long range electric vehicles, and as an added bonus reduce the carbon footprint of the current model EV. So with Danh, an electrical engineer and computer programmer that builds satellites, and Steve, an electrical engineer and gear head that builds lasers, and me, a shade tree mechanic that builds homes, we developed: an off the shelf, custom drag recycler, onboard range extender, that recycles the drag back into the traction pack batteries, thingy, whew!

Finally after all that and three years of my life we are at the gate of my EV’s future.

We are met at the gate by a guy in a pickup and he motions to follow him and leads us towards a tunnel. Above the entrance I see a sign: “Divers Only – Pit Entrance”. I am now officially stoked, we pop out of the tunnel into the pit area and I follow him to a garage where I can stage my car. This place is awesome, the stands and banked curves typically reserved for cars that scream thru the .5 mile track in seconds is quiet and still, today is all about my little ugly, slow poke, electric Focus. This is a perfect testing spot, a controlled environment, tracked with GPS and video, it’s everything I need to test this car hard. This will test everything physics throws at an EV: up slope banks, acceleration up, and deceleration into the bottom banks then acceleration out, and the mercury is rising.

It will be the perfect challenge to my invention and the stability of the car. I didn’t know what to expect, I built the car myself, will it hold up, of course it will I tell myself, I built it and I tested it I know it’s solid. My only fear now was proving my theory works.

We are ready to go. The car is charged, the cameras are on, the GPS is on, and guys in the tower confirm we are ready to roll. Alexis puts on her big hat and scarf and jumps up on a scaffold that overlooks the track with her Nokia pad to record video. I put on my helmet and release the clutch. Everything is a go. I step on the accelerator and start my first lap. The car easily hits 55 mph before curve one, but as I accelerate through I feel these over inflated skinny tires wanna slide out, and with 450 pounds of batteries over those rear tires and if I slide I won’t be able to stop, so I slow down. I quickly get used to the track and the way the car is handling, I found the sweet spot between 44 to 46 mph where she handles perfectly. Lap after lap for 45 minutes the car runs smooth then “clink” the motor shuts down at exactly 45 minutes and 9 seconds; I coast into the pit excited. This is far from a trip to Vegas and it’s not even great for the average electric car, but considering this is not a typical road test, this is a constant barrage of energy sucking scenarios that EV’s hate. The quick stats about the car are as follows: 18.4 kWh prismatic lithium polymer battery traction pack, a 4.8 kWh lead acid battery

capacitor system. It has a 288 volt system controller and a 50hp brushless DC motor.

In addition, the invention system includes: three wind turbines capable of producing 3kW at 70mph, a large power inverter and a 12kW charger. The car is heavy at 3900 lbs without a driver so I considered our range very good for round one. The next round is the money shot, the proof I need to secure further funding and go beyond an off the shelf concept car.

I roll into pit and coast to a large diesel generator (supplied by the awesome staff ), capable of charging my EV with as much energy I can give it. I connect the 240 plug from the charger into the generator and program my charger to take 30amps at 240 volts or 7200 watts AC. I could have given the car more but I didn’t want any surprises and I felt confident this setting would be safe. I felt good, we were getting it done. Four more hours and I’ll have the proof I need to show that smug engineer from Santa Barbara that our system worked, then he can then bless it with his magic engineer wand and BAM! The investors will be lining up.

I couldn’t wait to see the video and GPS data from round one, so as soon as I got the car charging, Alexis and I checked the video and it looked great. I was feeling good, but as usual with this project, every step forward a sledge hammer may be waiting around the corner to smack you again, and here it comes. Steven the track manager is coming across the lot in a golf cart headed straight at us; I think cool, the GPS data. Well, not exactly. I am expecting transponder details regarding speed and associated data but he hands me two sheets of empty paper and tells me the transponder shut off around the fourth lap and they couldn’t get it working. I’m pissed, “why didn’t you tell me right away?” “This is what I paid for!”

“Now I have to do the entire first round again.” He listens to me rant, takes a breath and states, “you also have to finish before 4pm because the staff leaves.” He essentially just

screwed me out of irrefutable data. I calm down while waiting for the car to reach a full charge and I figure since I have video I can lock the two separate runs together with time code and prove the same thing. Ok, I settle; what else can I do?

After about three hours and a couple of truck stop burritos the car is finally ready to go again. We check off all the details and I clarify with Steven the transponder is working perfectly. Yep, we’re all good, everything is a go. The car is charged to the exact parameters as round one so I make sure Alexis is on the scaffold and I let out the clutch. Without a sound, the car rolls onto the track up to the starting line. I flip on the switches for the turbines and inverter as I accelerate off the line. I head into curve one and I’m busy checking the meters then, whoa, I’m a little high on the curve so I to cut it sharp to bring it down and feel the rear give a little. My back tenses up and I sat up straight talking to myself, “watch the road dummy, don’t blow it.” A tense moment as I flashed a vision of the smashed up car, batteries everywhere, dreams dashed, girlfriend crying, investor crying, guys in the booth laughing, yikes!

I shake it off and bring it down then accelerate out to the straightaway, I check the gauges again and everything is working great, the car is charging while driving, Success!

45 minutes and nine seconds later we blow past the termination point of the first run.

Wow, we just did it, now how much further can we go. At 53 minutes and 34 seconds the car shuts off. We just ran 8 minutes and 34 seconds further than the first run with the exact same parameters except for 2 things. 1. We had the invention turned on. 2. It was hotter out. So this thing worked, I now have the proof I need to show the world we did it but I should have known! Remember the sledge hammer?

Valley Indoor RV Storage www.valleyindoorrvstorage.com

818-STORE-RV Classic & Exotic Car Storage

Located in Chatsworth, Valley RV Indoor Storage offers over 200,000 Square feet of indoor storage, concierge service and so much more...

Motorhomes - RV’S - Collector Cars - Race Cars - Trailers - 5th WheelsJet Skis- Off Road Vehicles - Exotic Cars - Private Car Collector Areas - Etc. Located at 20701 Plummer Street,29Chatsworth, CA 91311 818-701-6500

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT S C O T T

Y

M A R T I N

STORY & PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY SCOTT MARTIN

ou have worn many hats in your life; tell us about your careers....

I guess you could say my first career was music because my friends and I started a band and made money playing parties and then moved on to clubs when we were old enough. My first job out of College in Childhood Development was as a photographer of children which I’ll mention more about later. At the same time, though, I was still a musician and an avid surfer so my VW Camper Van was always being put to good use. Concentrating on Professional Product and Fashion Photography, I also made my way into designing and shooting

album covers which led me into the Music Business. A whole successful career later, I sold my Entertainment Companies due to what I saw as a meltdown coming in the Industry with digital downloading and retired. After getting thoroughly bored, I made the move into the automotive industry which was a logical progression because I had always loved cars as much as I loved music, TV and film.

How did you get into photography?

Photography has always been part of my life, first as a young enthusiast with stills and movies, then as a professional portrait and product photographer.

Even during my career in the Entertainment business, I was able to provide photos to the Trade magazines and different artists that I worked with. When I started in the car business, I just naturally started going to all the local car shows and becoming friends with the car owners. I started bringing my camera and one thing led to another…

What type of equipment do you use?

In film photography, I was always a Nikon guy, but once digital hit, it’s been Canon all the way. I currently have 5 Canon cameras, a bunch of lenses and a steamer trunk-sized collection of accessories. When shooting video, though, I’ve been happy with Panasonic, digital of course! It must be funny watching me at the car shows juggling between a couple of DSLR’s a “camcorder” and my latest obsession, the 360 degree camera.

Do you just do automotive photography?

I’ve been very happy concentrating on documenting as many of the thousands of incredible vehicles out there as possible. Sometimes I fill in with

“normal” commercial photography if I’m providing images for my own nonautomotive articles. I can’t help getting creative with the lens when traveling, such as a trip to Italy which happened to go through St Agata and Maranello, but everything over there is so photogenic, you can’t just shoot the cars. I still also love to shoot kids which is a throwback to my first job as a “kidnapper” where I took photos of children all day and sold the sets to their families.

A lot of photographers seem to have the HDR style going on with their photos but I notice you don’t…

I’ve always gone for a more realistic and natural approach for my photography, staying away from Photoshop unless it’s absolutely necessary.

After doing this for so long, I’m also able to visualize the framing in my head and so I can do most of what I need in-camera at the time of the shot.

How long have you been a car guy?

Even as a kid, I knew every car and which model was driving down the street. I was lucky because my Dad was in the automotive business, so I learned

the inner workings of cars pretty early. One day as an early teen, a 1950 Chevy appeared in our garage and my Dad said, “See if you can get it running.” My friends and I had fun taking it all apart and trying to rebuild the engine but mom got sick of it taking up space in the garage, so away it went. All that time paid off because I was able to work on my succession of Surfer Bugs and VW vans well into my 20’s and I still know my way around a drive train.

Is there one story you have that best embodies your passion for the automobile?

I was recently the guest of Shelby American in Las Vegas, brought out to drive several of their Mustang models. Yes, that was exciting just to be involved, but there were a lot of really great elements to the trip. First, driving Shelby Mustangs on a racetrack! Second, having full access to the Shelby manufacturing facility! Third, learning about all-things Shelby! Fourth, all of the above! So, not only did I get to learn about the history, current activities and future plans of Shelby American, but I got to drive 6 of the most recent Shelby models including the all new 750hp Terlingua on a race track! Sorry for all the exclamation marks but it was that kind of experience, encompassing all that I love about cars, photography and writing. (Incidentally, you get to read about the experience and see some pics in this issue!)

I understand you restored a classic mustang, tell us about that?

We actually got the ’65 Mustang Coupe for my son and it became a family project with both he and I working on it and collaborating to determine the overall design and mechanical direction. We decided to keep the drivetrain intact while beefing it up and then just kind of smoothing up the body and making it as sleek as possible to give it the look of a Resto-Mod. The suedeblack finish was inspired by Johnny Martinez’ Wicked In Suede ’29 Ford and

we went a step further, powder coating any chromed parts to match the body paint. The interior is an unexpected but cool throw-back with a Black and White Pony interior.

As per your photography, where has it taken you and where do you see it going?

It’s been great to have another new and successful career after all the fun I’ve had in life! Yes, it’s a lot of hard work along with my on-going Auto Broker business, but I’m lucky to be involved in all-things automotive again. Due to the in-roads I’ve made with the Petersen Museum, SEMA and all aspects of Monterey Car Week, I expect my business to continue growing as I work with more and more great car-people. I look at every project I’m involved with from a marketing point of view to see how I can make people more aware of a specific new model or new build, or a collection of cars and even help the companies that provide the parts and accessories for those machines by “spreading the word.”

What is your favorite car to shoot and why?

The reason I love to shoot cars is that I love everything about every one of them. It’s kind of like music for me… I love all types and couldn’t imagine being happy just listening to one. For me, I think more about getting a different angle or seeing how getting people in the shot will help it, or doing something creative that I think may have not been done before. Strangely though, there’s also nothing better to me than a classic car in a classic shot that everyone looks at and just says, “Yeah!”

Is your son a car guy too?

My son Jamison definitely inherited the car gene from me and my dad.

He had his own real tool set by the time he was three years old, not plastic!

Instinctively inventive and creative, he has contributed so much to our ’65 Mustang Resto-Mod build which has become an extension of his personality.

His son Emerson already goes crazy over anything that looks like a car including all his HotWheels. My older son Chase is a car guy but he would prefer that other people build it and he just drives!

What would you tell a young person who wanted to get into photography?

I would be a Nike commercial and say Just Do It! Luckily, the main cost in photography is a relatively good camera and lens as opposed to the fortune it used to cost in film and developing. I’m encouraged to see so many people out there of every age taking serious photos at the car shows. There are so many outlets for photographers and writers these days that, although you may not make much money to start, your photos can be seen and appreciated by a large audience of car enthusiasts. The main thing is to think differently and creatively when framing your shots and including people when possible to add personality and context to the photos.

What would you tell that same person about being successful?

As with all industries, you need to stand out from the crowd. It may be a cliché, but a lot of your ultimate success will also be in who you know… it’s just a logical progression. Luckily, many of the biggest names in the automotive industry are really big car enthusiasts and down-to-earth people.

If you could only do one more photo shoot, what would the subject be?

As long as we’re fantasizing, I would shoot Zooey Deschanel “draped” over the hood of any Delahaye or Bugatti in Peter Mullin’s collection. Between the cars and her beauty and natural energy, I know the shot would become wildly popular and still be appreciated (drooled over) thousands of years from now!

If you could own one car, any price... what would it be and why.

To me, the Jean Bugatti-designed Atlantic body Type 57S is the epitome of automotive style and design. As you walk around it and sit inside, every single detail of the vehicle is perfect in every way and is a reminder of what man can aspire to and actually accomplish.

What direction do you see the car community going in the next ten years?

Although it will always be cyclic in nature, the popularity and value of collector cars has continued to build and should continue on an upward spiral, so I would think the car community will encompass even more opportunities for more people with more cars doing more things to make them unique. Two relatively new genres have been making a lot of headway… original vehicles, in other words cars that are worth as much in original condition as fully restored ones, and custom resto-mods that are getting more creative all the time. Others will come and go, generating more activity and more ways to build cars and talk them about them at even more car shows.

Parting thought for our readers, open up.... spill it.. What do you want to leave us with?

I’ll admit it, I’ve always been a loner. Even in sports when I was young, I liked skiing, surfing, bowling and car racing, which are all pretty much oneperson activities. Over the years, I’ve had a couple of friends here and there that I’ve become close with, but this is the first time in my life that I’ve made friends with so many great people at one time in different age groups that I have so much in common with. The automotive community has been a great addition to my life and is making me enjoy it even more every day!

34

I’M ADDICTED TO DRAG RACING F R O M

H O T R O D

J AY

S A N T O S

S TO R Y & P H OTO S S U B M I T T E D B Y J AY S A N TO S

I

’m Addicted to Drag Racing. Little did I know, those words would come back to haunt me. Over the next year, that’s all I could think of. I was hooked! The fever started, the sweat poured and the shakes began. If you don’t know, there is so much more to drag racing then meets the eye. The safety rules alone supplied by the NHRA can make anyone thinking of racing competitively think otherwise. For each class; Super Pro, Pro and Sportsman, comes a new set of rules and build specifications. An entirely new book of just the rules is published annually. As well as that, there’s bracket, heads up, and index racing just to name the most popular.

Add in a ¼ mile or 1/8th mile drag strip and your head will be spinning.

For me, I prefer the 1/8th mile drag strip. I like the quickness of the 1/8th mile rather than the top speed of a ¼ mile. Also, bracket racing seemed the most challenging and it would allow me to race against full on drag cars and not have to worry about being the fastest. It’s all about reaction time and consistency. The only way for a racer to get better is years of seat time. Heads up racing is just what it implies, head to head racing. The car that gets to the finish line first, wins.

Bracket racing is different and has a lot more facets to it. Some people like it and some people don’t. You get qualifying runs to get your dial in number which is an average of what ET (elapsed time) you’re running. You then mark your car with that number and compete against a car next to you that does the same. The car that has a quicker dial in time gives that difference to the slower car on when the tree starts after pre staging/staging. The first car to reach the finish line that doesn’t go faster than their dial in time (break out) wins.

There are so many variables such as weather, temperature, track prep, staging, the way your car is running etc. that make it very interesting. Anyone can win on any given day. But of course, with the seasoned experienced racer, they absolutely have a big edge. Like I mentioned earlier, speed costs money. Add

in your safety equipment, and you have your down payment for a new commuter car for your wife or girlfriend. My experience is about each $3000.00 will make you one second quicker, and that’s with all my labor! There are thousands of books and articles on how to build and set up a drag cars and engines that it’s mind-boggling!

Also, with all the power adders and electronics that are used today it can get overwhelming. So back to my problem…

With some re-search, I found out that Irwindale Drag strip holds the NHRA Summit ET Drag Racing Series. It’s an 1/8th mile bracket strip so it was just what I was looking for. From that point on I was in preparation for race #1 coming up that March and would compete in the Sportsman class. My first race season turned out rather well. There was so much to learn and each race brought on a new experience. I tied for 10th place and finished the season in 11th. My second season I did even better with another top ten finish in 9th place. For the 2016 season I’ve moved up to the Pro class. I could feel the sickness increase and went all in with a complete tear down and rebuild of a new race motor and car setup. Stepping up in class meant a higher level of competitors. It also meant that with my much quicker car, I would now be the one chasing the slower cars.

My quest for quickness has now reached an all-time epic point. I sleep, dream and think of nothing more than air fuel ratios, drag slick tire pressure, reaction time and how to get to the stripe faster than the car next to me.

So my new friends I leave you with this: From one of the all-time great albums, Queen – “A Night At The Opera” Some of the lyrics from the song “I’m in love with my Car”: “I told my girl that I had to forget her, I’d rather buy me a new carburetor, so she made tracks saying this is the end now, cars don’t talk back they’re just four wheel friends now”………“Hi, my name is Jay, and I’m addicted to drag racing.”

35

36

REAL ESTATE WORLD H O M E S

F O R

C A R S

G W E N B A N TA & T R O Y H E R A L D | S O T H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

E

veryone likes to adapt a home to their own tastes, adding personal touches and defining the home for their specific lifestyle. As realtors, we encourage sellers to prep the home for sale, and sometimes that does include significant changes.

However, updates do not always increase the value of the property. We have seen renovations that should have remained where they started – in the brain of some self-described design maven who had an epiphany while lying on the floor under a barstool.

When a house is classic and iconic, it’s important to honor its character and to maintain the home’s integrity. The owners did exactly that when renovating this 1936 stately traditional home situated on tony Sunset Plaza Drive in Los Angeles. Although the residence has been adapted to modern living – which would include creature comforts and modern appliances of course (no one expects an ice chest these days), the home exudes a sense of tradition and history. Notice how the fireplace style and staircase balustrade are in keeping with the traditional styling of the trim and windows. The room conveys serenity

and continuity, with nothing that steals focus or interrupts the flow.

While preserving a home’s integrity, one should not overlook the exterior.

Landscaping should also complement the home’s style and draw people inside. (Usually a yard full of gnomes and rusty lawn chairs will not encourage sophisticated buyers to get out of the car.) This house is a perfect example of good taste that is in keeping with the era of the residence. Meandering gardens add to the feeling of richness and bounty and reflect the appropriate degree of formality while still being inviting.

If you’re not sure what updates would most reflect the era of your home, do some research. Do not let your home become a canvas for an attention hungry architect. Updates can express continuity while still being fresh in approach. If your contractor wants to add polished cement floors to your 1940s ranch, hit him over the head with your neighbor’s yard gnome and run the other way. We will be here waiting to help – Gwen Banta and Tory Herald, “Connecting the Worlds of Real Estate”

37

CLASSIC CLASSIFIEDS V E H I C L E S

C O N TA C T

F O R

S A L E

D U S T I N @ C O N N E C T E D M E D I A G R O U P. C O M

1986 FORD MUSTANG SVO

Engine:: 2.3L 4 Cylinder Turbo Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Miles: 5,700 Asking Price: Ask for details

M O R E

I N F O R M AT I O N

1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD

This rare SVO Mustang, last year of the 4cyl-turbo SVO has got to be the lowest mileage SVO on the planet with 5,700 original miles. Always kept inside, this is a brand new car! The interior is perfect, the exterior, the drivetrain. This is a rare chance to own a very special, limited edition Mustang SVO with very low miles. This collector car will go up in value!

Engine:: Supercharged v8 Transmission: Automatic Miles: N/A Asking Price: $65,00000

1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

Engine:: 350ci LT1 V8 Transmission: N/A Miles: N/A Asking Price: $41,00000

F O R

Full Custom.No expense spared. Pro-Touring inspired, the very best parts, the best paint and bodywork. This supercharged T-Brid is a ready for weekend trip or a visit to your favorite car show.

1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS

Engine:: 468ci V8 Transmission: Automatic Miles: N/A Asking Price: Ask for details

A very nice, numbers matching LT-1. Clean title, rebuilt motor, new tires, original saddle interior, Lojack, registered and running like a top. Original color was Ontario Orange, repainted to C6 Atomic Orange.

Not original motor or trans. It has a 468 Big Block with 12.5 to 1 Compression. Forged crank, Chromoly rings, studs on the bottom end, solid cam. Ported and polished heads matched to intake. Carb Shop 960 Carb with Nitrus plate. Trans is a B&M Turbo 350 with 3500 Stall and a TCI Convertor. Rearend is a 12 bolt posi with 4.11 Richmond Gears. Car is running and registered.

FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK PROJECTS

1969 Mustang Mach 1 351C • 4-Speed. Engine was rebuilt and then car sat.

1970 Mustang Fastback 428 Cobrajet • Q-Code. Numbers Matching. Automatic.

1965 Mustang Fastback Roller • No Engine, no transmission, no interior

38

1969 Mustang Fastback Roller • No Engine, no transmission, no interior

39

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S LEADER IN NEW & CLASSIC FERRARI SERVICE

Your FCA membership is now worth 20% off when you service your Ferrari with The Auto Gallery

We pride ourselves in the best of Ferrari service, facility, and technical expertise 21344 Deering Ct. Canoga Park, CA 91304 | 818.932.1707 theautogallery.com 40