PASMAG - Issue 135 - Feb/Mar

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BENJI TRAN’S ACURA TSX TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS 2015 WINNER FEATURES + “PROJECT KAIJU” SCION FR-S + SUPERCHARGED METAL WIDEBODY BMW M3 + ALEC HOHNADELL’S S14 DRIFT CAR

SEMA 2015 COVERAGE GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS TOP 10 & SPOTTERS GUIDE 12/2/2015 1:34:38 PM

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2015-12-02 10:16 AM

One-of-a-Kind…

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity.

Your Bid Will Change Lives!

12-months of painstaking work, with a no-expenses barred attitude, resurrected and reinvented an icon the like of which does not exist.

This unique, one-of-a-kind piece of automotive history, brought back to life and modernized bolt-by-bolt by the internationally acclaimed Clarion Builds program, received the “Petersen Perfection Award” in October 2015 and was featured on the cover of European Car magazine and extensively written about in publications such as PASMAG, DUB and BMW Car. With the story of the build reaching over 1.5 billion readers across the globe, this BMW 2002 restomod has been extensively documented, enhancing its desirability even further.

You now have a chance to bid on this masterpiece and, in the process, save countless lives. Offered at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach event in April 2016, the top bidder will not only win this beautiful icon, but help the quest to treat incurable diseases through the Human Genome Project. The proceeds of the auction will be donated to TGen, which may also allow the winning bidder to enjoy a sizable charitable tax deduction.

Find out about the car and the auction at www.clarionbuilds.com/BJ

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1

9/30/15

10:24 AM

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

© 2015 STILLWATER DESIGNS

C

/kickeraudio

KICKER has a Vehicle-Specific Solution for anywhere your ride takes you.

CMY

K

Keep your dash head unit, keep the cargo space, keep your warranty, and don’t modify the interior.

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CONTENTS F E B R U A R Y

//

M A R C H

BACK KCAB TO

Page

54 BENJI TRAN’S ACURA TSX TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS 2015 WINNER

Page

60

Page

Page

66

72

[M]ODEL MATERIAL

YOSHI’S DREAM

COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

Rick Fontan’s show-stopping BMW M3

Yoshi Nebril’s “Project Kaiju” Scion FR-S

Alec Hohnadell’s drift Nissan S14

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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PASMAG

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TRAN BENJAMIN 10 BER SEED NUM DA G, MB, CANA WINNIPE

RA TSX

2004 ACU

BRIAN SEED McCANN SCOT NUMBER TSDA 17 LE, AZ 5 N , USA

200

F E B R U A R Y

//

ISSA N

350

Z

M A R C H

CONTENTS COLUMNS 19

TUNED IN with Adam Zillin – For the Love of Function

47

TUNER BATTLEG

2015

NOVEMBROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE ER 3-6, 20 15

SEMA SHOW

BOOTH #20125

CENTRAL HALL

T U N E R B AT

LAS VEGAS CONV

ENTION CENT

TLEGROUN

#tunerbattleg

rounds

ER

LAS VEGAS, NEVA

DA

DS.COM

SOUND ADVICE with Garry Springgay – CD versus Vinyl

78

DRIFT INSIDER with Jacob Leveton – Formula Drift Season End Awards

tr.

TRENDING 23

HOT TOPIC 2015 Tuner Battlegrounds Championship

27

FEATURED EVENT SEMA 2015

36 38

HOT NEW PRODUCTS LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS TBA Winter Capsule

TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS #LIVE WINNERS 41

2015

STEVE LUANGPAKDY’S Acura TL

43

ERIC GUERETTE’S Subaru WRX

44

JAS BAJWA’S Datsun 240Z

45

SHAUN NANDLALL’S Toyota Celica

TEST REPORTS 49 JVC KWV51BT Head Unit

53

ALPINE PKG-RSE3DVD Overhead Monitor

KONIG CALENDAR 80 FEBRUARY Jenn Q and the Konig Rennform

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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PASMAG

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PASMAG (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published 6 times a year by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (10 issues) Canada and USA: $24.99 (20 issues) Canada and USA: $34.99 (30 issues) Canada and USA: $42.99 Toll Free: 1 (888) 564-SUBS [7827] Email: subs@pasmag.com www.pasmag.com/subscribe GROUP PUBLISHER & CEO Tim Rutledge PUBLISHERS Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin FOUNDER & SR. VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Frank Spezzano

EDITORIAL EDITOR Micky Slinger GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Shaun Keenan EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michael Bettencourt TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay DIGITAL COORDINATORS Nick Jambrosic, Adam Steinberg

CONTRIBUTORS Takuya TK Akiyama Rob Anzit Lisa Brezinski Jeremy Brian Jay Canter Kevin Choi Eric Eikenberry Jeremy Alan Glover Shane Hunter

Christopher James Jacob Leveton Ranger Ramirez Markis Sarkis Gabriel Sevigny Joshua Sweeney Natalie Wentworth Adam Zillin

ART & PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Queue Gonzalez PRODUCTION & SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Dinglasan SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Edward Shintani SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Beltijar GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Chan

S A L E S & A D M I N I ST R AT I O N DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Randi Bentia DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES Richard Robles SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Matthew Adolfo DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Craig Sweetman SENIOR SALES ASSOCIATE Ken Rule CLIENT SERVICES Nicole Winters Performance Auto & Sound Magazine welcomes unsolicited contributions including stories (typewritten), photos, club news, events, etc. (Forward to PAS, 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada) Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement #40069655 PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NIAGARA FALLS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. U.S.P.S. # 022-608 U.S. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 1855 Maryland Ave., Niagara Falls, NY, 14305 U.S. POSTMASTER SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO: Performance Auto & Sound, Box 1082, Niagara Falls, NY, 14304 Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our readers.

If you prefer to have your name removed from this list, please write to us at the address below and include your mailing label. For any subscription inquiries, including change of address, call 1 (888) 564-SUBS.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND Phone: (416) 922-7526 Fax: (416) 964-1836 Toll Free: (866) 737-8805 www.pasmag.com pas@pasmag.com

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SEMA Member

12/4/2015 1:52:59 PM

ISSUE PREVIEW

TRAN BENJAMIN ER 10 SEED NUMB A MB, CANAD

WINNIPEG,

RA TSX

2004 ACU

BRIA N SEED McCANN SCOT NUMBER TSDA 17 LE, AZ , USA 5

200

AND WE’RE BACK

TUNER

NIS SAN

350

Z

2015

NOVEBATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP BAT MBER 3-6, 2TLE 015

SEMA SHO W

BOOTH #20 125

CENTRAL

TUNER

HALL

B AT T L E

LAS VEGAS

CONVENTION

GROUN

#tunerbat tlegrou

nds

W

e’re back from Las Vegas and after nursing our aching feet (some of us hangovers) and sorting through the business cards we got at the trading card game that is the SEMA Show, we’ve got some great stuff for you and some exciting news.

Let’s do the news first. We have our 2015 Tuner Battlegrounds Champion: Benji Tran and his Acura TSX! A huge congratulations goes out to both competitors for making it to SEMA this year for the championship. Another winner from Winnpeg, Manitoba? What’s going on over there?

Bolstering Tran’s feature are the likes of Rick Fontan’s supercharged and widebodied BMW M3, Yoshi Nebril’s “Project Kaiju” Scion FR-S and up and comer Alec Hohnadell’s S14 drift missle. Not bad, eh?

We also got Garry Springgay away from his test bench, Jacob Leveton away from the track and Adam Zillin to hold still long enough to crank out some columns for us. Zillin asks where all the racers are, Jacob covers the FD end of

CENTER

LAS VEGAS,

NEVADA

DS.COM

season awards and Garry tackles the fabled question: do CDs sound better than vinyl?

Oh yeah… that SEMA thing. We have some killer images from our small army of photographers that we unleashed on the show floor and beyond. From the pre-opening media day to Ignited, it’s all here. Also, someone thought it was a good idea for me to hand out product awards, as I was one of the Canadian Global Media Awards judges. Check out my 10 products that I thought stuck out from the rest and what my thoughts were while picking them.

If you weren’t tuned into us during SEMA on our social channels, you missed some quality stuff, so make sure you like, follow, favorite and subscribe your way to being filled in by the best in the business – us. And as always, if you’ve got something we’ve got to see, or you just want to say hi, toss us an email at letters@pasmag.com.

You’re all very handsome.

MICKY SLINGER

PASMAG EDITOR

C O N N E C T MAKING IT EASIER TO STALK US THAN EVER BEFORE!

pasmag.com

tunerbattlegrounds.com

facebook.com/ pasmag

twitter.com/ pasmag

instagram.com/ pasmag

pasmag.tumblr.com

blogs.pasmag.com

youtube.com/ pasnation

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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Download the iTunes app PASMAG+

PASMAG

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12/4/2015 1:56:34 PM

Light is colorful Transform your headlight reflector with LED color Customize your vehicle’s look with the ZEVO® PULSE, a universal LED product designed to add colors to your headlight reflectors.

ZEVO® PULSE allows you to match a color theme or pulse to the beat of your music. Using Bluetooth® technology, once paired the free SYLVANIA ZEVO® app allows you to control color, mode and multiple compatible products with one device.

/sylvaniaautomotive

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/sylvania

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© 2015 OSRAM SYLVANIA. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Projector lens look acheived by using 2 PULSE systems per assembly.

www.sylvania.com/zevopulse

2015-08-14 4:08 PM

TUNED IN

FOR THE LOVE

OF FUNCTION STORY & PHOTOGRPAHY BY ADAM ZILLIN

I’m sitting here pondering my first trip Stateside and sorting through 150 gigabytes of content shot at the World Final of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series held at Sebring, south of Orlando in late November and let me tell you, I was glad to be there. Much to my relief, many North Americans really do love their motorsport.

What a week it turned out to be. My fondest memory, among countless, was standing at turn 17 with dozens of raging Huracans and Gallardos thundering past me at over 170 mph, all within arm’s reach. It was exhilarating and batshit insane at the same time. My hair stood on end, every one of my senses lit up – the sound, smell and sight of these hardcore machines blasting around lap after lap reminded me that motorsport activity is the purest thing any car enthusiast can undertake.

Admit it, we all love speed. Why bother with any of our machines if that isn’t the case? It’s also true that, in recent times, our attention and focus as enthusiasts has been somewhat “distracted” and, perhaps, deliberately “misled” from the goals at hand. To hell with “low and slow,” I say. Flying all the way to Florida for this amazing race reminded me of our roots. My biggest question, as I sit here back in Tokyo writing this, is how we’ve allowed ourselves to become so complacent as to usurp function for form – for aesthetic appeal instead of actual ability. How is it we’ve managed to overlook the very purposes so many of our cars have been created to fulfill?

In this current climate, enthusiasts are more likely to eschew actually going out there for themselves to tune, develop and run a car that actually works. Not just

in a straight line, but also through corners and under braking. Heaven forbid those who actually push their cars on the track. It’s just not the done thing as far as Instagram is concerned.

And that’s the core of the issue, really. Where have all the drivers gone? What are they doing? Are we supposed to accept that being an actual driver, a person who understands that special language a car speaks to the person behind the wheel, is a dying breed? Are we what the hipsters say we are? Are we all just a bunch of old Hatersaurus Rex™’s?

Far from it.

Anyone who has spent any time at all at the track, or around serious-minded motorsport people who run, build, develop and race their machines, knows how amazing the experience can be on any and every level.

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TUNED IN Facebook: /adamzillinphotography Twitter: @7Tune Website: www.7tune.com

So, what exactly is going on here? And how can we foster a performance-oriented mindset in a climate crawling with stance and “Hellaflush?” To me, as a long-time motorsport and racing competitor, I think it comes down to priorities. If you buy a sports car, don’t remove the “sport.” Improve it.

It’s my belief that we should all be tuning for performance in order to see just how much we can extract from our builds – especially on any circuit that will take us. Go to a gymkhana event or a motocross event. Spend a bit of coin working improvements into the chassis, brakes and tires of the car in order to find out just how

it all tastes. Feel it through the seat of your pants as you negotiate mountain roads. Know just where to improve upon the car’s deficiencies and weaknesses.

Is it any wonder the manufacturers are chronically risk averse when it comes to making sports platforms for entry level enthusiasts? We only have ourselves to blame. The next time you complain about the ’90s being the golden years of Japanese tuning, for example, consider this: those were our years and we could have had them around for as long as we wanted them to be there.

If there is demand, there will be supply. But look around you and

"IF YOU BUY A SPORTS CAR, DON’T REMOVE THE 'SPORT.' IMPROVE IT."

tell me there is demand.

There should be because the very definition of “tune” means to “…make more precise, intense, or effective.”

So do yourselves a favor. Get out there to the track and “run what you brung.” It doesn’t matter if it’s a kart, a proper time attack weapon or a DIY home job where you and your mates created your own masterpiece of lap-time decimation. What matters is that you’re out there competing – actually running and rubbing shoulders with like-minded enthusiasts who love times, speed and cornering just as much as you do. Sure there will be the odd bump and grind, the occasional crash and mechanical failure, but that’s part of motorsport, isn’t it? Respect being what it is, “rubbin’ is racin’!”

See you at the track… or in the shed. Whichever comes first!

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TRENDING

H OT H OT

F E AT U R E D

H OT

L I F E ST Y L E

TO P I C S ------------

EVENT ------------

PRODUCTS ------------

PRODUCTS ------------

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27

36

38

IN TRAN BENJAM ER 10 MB SEED NU ADA CAN EG, MB,

WINNIP

HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP AT SEMA 2015 F

X URA TS 2004 AC

BRIA N SEED McCANN NU SCOT MBER TSDA 17 LE, AZ 5 N , USA

200

50Z

TUNER BATTLE GRO

2015

NOVEMBUNEDS CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE R 3-6, 2015

SEMA SHOW

BOOTH #20125

CENTRAL HALL

T U N E R B AT

LAS VEGAS CON

VENTION CENTER

TLEGROUN

#tunerbattleg

ist fights,

ment) and painted it a contrasting

name-calling,

bright teal color for that grassroots

cars set on

racer feel. A Kraftwerks super-

fire – these are

charger fabricated to fit his Honda

all things that

K-series motor, air suspension, a

could have happened in the inten-

Voltex carbon fiber wing and an

sity that took place over the four

awesome spare tire custom enclo-

days of the SEMA Show between

sure, courtesy of Wayfab Creative,

our two competitors. Thankfully,

are definite highlights to the build

both guys were laid back, humble

that garnered some double-takes.

and polite, which made for a super

rounds

LAS VEGAS, NEV ADA

DS.COM

In the other corner, we have

successful week for everyone

Brian McCann from Scottsdale, Ar-

involved. Here’s a re-cap for every-

izona, who owns the widebodied

one who wasn’t following along:

2005 Nissan 350Z. As you walk

In our third Tuner Battlegrounds

ISSA N3

around McCann’s car, a trained eye

Championship round at SEMA

can pick out some exclusive JDM

and second international battle

parts – like his Stardast widebody

(a Canadian resident versus and

or Garage Mak carbon fiber wing.

American), to say things were

With healthy doses of carbon in-

close would only be scratching the

side and out, as well as a complete

surface. By a mere 10 points, we

JL audio system from stern to bow,

declared our 2015 winner in front

McCann’s Z was a showstopper on

of cameras, show cars and the

the SEMA floor.

crowds of SEMA. In one corner, we have Benjamin Tran, a Winnipeg, Manitoba native and owner of a 2004 Acura TSX. Himself and his friends ripped out all of the interior (save for the seats and audio equip-

Your TBG 2015 competitors: Tran (Right) versus McCann.

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

tr.

We at PASMAG did things a little differently as far as voting was concerned for this year’s Championship final round. Voters could root for their favorite car in one of two ways: hashtag voting or business card ballots.

ONE.

TWO.

To vote by hashtag, you simply

To vote by business card ballot, an

needed to create a new post on

interested individual attending the

Instagram or Twitter using #PAS-

SEMA Show merely needed to just

MAGBenji or #PASMAGBrian. Only

drop their business card into the

one hashtag counted per new post

ballot box of the competitor they

and hashtags edited onto existing

wanted to win. Every business

posts were not counted. For every

card submitted counted as one

ten (10) new hashtag mentions, a

vote, and only one card per person

competitor would get one vote.

could be submitted.

2015

BY THE NUMBERS BENJAMIN TRAN

BRIAN MCCANN

#PASMAGBenji

690,314 USERS REACHED

399

TOTAL VOTES

233

VOTES

BUSINESS CARD VOTES

USERS REACHED IMPRESSIONS

246

VOTES

246

BUSINESS CARD VOTES

176

143

VOTES

VOTES

NEW MENTIONS

TOTALS

714,401

2,262,120

Vs

IMPRESSIONS

1,762

389

TOTAL VOTES

3,272,918 233

#PASMAGBrian

1,433

NEW MENTIONS

1,404,715 USERS REACHED

When all was tallied up and

5,535,038 IMPRESSIONS

479

BUSINESS CARD VOTES

389, Tran and his Acura TSX won

sponsors Niche Road Wheels,

ready to go, McCann lead in ballot

a PASMAG cover feature and

Motul, Compustar, Sylvania,

votes, but Tran lead in hashtag

the 2015 Tuner Battlegrounds

Bully Performance Clutch, and

votes. In a total count of both

Championship trophy! A huge

Nostalgic Grains helped bring it

involved both online and on the

voting systems combined, the

congratulations goes out to Tran

all together.

show floor, we at PASMAG can

competitors were split by only

and his crew who flew out to

10 points. With 399 total points,

cheer him on and help him hustle

very sportsmanlike the whole

grounds Championship was a

as opposed to his competitor’s

for votes, while TBG competition

week and such a huge audience

resounding success.

With both competitors being

say that the 2015 Tuner Battle-

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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FEATURED EVENT: SEMA 2015

tr.

Viva SEMA

THE RADDEST THINGS WE SAW AT SEMA THIS YEAR

BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSH SWEENEY (SHOOT FOR DETAILS), SHANE HUNTER (STRICTLY HIGH GRADES), RANGER RAMIREZ (ELITE TUNER), TAKUYA TK AKIYAMA (DRIVE MARKETING GROUP)

A

s always, PASMAG scoured the show floor of the SEMA Show

to find some of the coolest things on wheels in existence. From the pre-opening media day to SEMA Ignited on the last night, here are just a few of the things we thought were pretty awesome this year!

The combatants for the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational lying in wait.

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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FEATURED EVENT: SEMA 2015

tr.

We all thought it was gone for

saying that a rebuild was taking place,

good, that old chopped up, rusted and

but nothing was said of when we’d get

body-scraping BMW E28. The famed

to see it or how long it would take. At

Rusty Slammington was the victim of

SEMA, the revived Rusty sat proud with a

an unfortunate garage fire and the world

race-prepped S38 motor, a tube chassis,

of stance had a moment of silence. A

center-lock BBS E52 wheels and a

few years ago, a couple teaser images

custom, rusty widebody. Welcome back,

popped up on the Stanceworks page

old friend.

THE REVIVAL OF RUSTY SLAMMINGTON An Integra DC2 styled like a Porsche GT3 RS and built by

Sung Kang might not be an instantly

the boys at Rywire? Are we in heaven? With an unmistakable

recognizable name, but his Fast and Furi-

paintjob, a K-series motor made from a K20 head and a K24

ous character, Han, is. The high octane

block, and a Honda HPD dry sump for all the VTEC, this was a

actor picked up an old Nissan/Datsun

standout at the CSF Radiators booth. The transmission is even

240Z as a project a while back, but

a sequential racing one from Quaife and the jungle gym of bars

that transformed into something much

throughout the car also hint that this Integra is all go. Oh, and

more. He ended up teaming up with

the shave and tuck in the engine bay is magnificent. It’s Rywire,

GReddy and tearing out just about every

what did you expect?

component besides the steering wheel to be upgraded and transformed into something more. A complete restoration

SUNG KANG’S FUGUZ

and a new TRA Kyoto Pandem widebody later, and this show-stopper is the result.

It even won Gran Turismo’s “Best in Show” award despite not being 100 per cent complete.

RYWIRE’S INTEGRA GT3

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016 2015

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FEATURED EVENT: SEMA 2015

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HAUGEN RACING ROCKET BUNNY 350Z To be completely honest, we didn’t

Racing Z, however, changed our minds

think too much of the Rocket Bunny kit

completely. With its bumper-mounted

for the Nissan 350Z when the renders

Mishimoto oil cooler and Rotiform RBQ

were first released. Then, we saw our

wheels in candy red, the styling harkens

first few at a couple shows and they got

back to old-school JDM rides of the sha-

a little better, but nowhere near some

kotan and bosozoku cultures. Beauty.

of the other kits out there. The Haugen

SEMA IGNITED

SEMA Ignited was a little different this year.

Instead of the usual lot, it took over the “Gold Lot,” overlooked by the empty Riviera hotel. Sung Kang, Kei Miura and many other show favorites showed up to sign autographs and hangout around the show vehicles that chose to attend. Formula Drift also had its drivers do drift demos to stir up some smoke. Combine all that with friends and food trucks and you’ve got yourself a pretty stellar afterparty.

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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2015-12-04 4:00 PM

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5440 West Chester Road

West Chester OH 45069

Department: PAS

2015-10-05 3:02 PM

FEATURED EVENT: SEMA 2015

/ GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS TOP 10

tr.

GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS

TOP 10

Air Lift Performance 3H Air Suspension System Air Lift’s 3H system is a culmination of three years of testing and development to create a simplified air suspension system that can stand up to daily use in all seasons. Guess what? They succeeded.

The 3H can be programmed with up to five preset ride heights and be set up to sense both height and pressure to make adjustments while the vehicle is under load. You can even make it so that when you start your car, it goes to your preferred preset! All of this in an easyto-install package that can be controlled from a wireless controller, tablet or your smartphone - genius!

Cerwin-Vega Mobile VPAS10 Under-seat Powered Subwoofer Powered subwoofer packages have been on the rise for a while now. Any way that you can take advantage of extra trunk or backseat space to keep your car or truck functional is appreciated to those of us who have daily drivers. Now, under-seat specific applications are coming out, and Cerwin-Vega has the right idea – put a bunch of bass in it! Cerwin’s VPAS is one of the only systems on the market that features a 10-inch woofer and fits under a seat, which I’m a huge fan of.

For some reason, someone thought it was a good idea to give me, Micky, a fancy badge, a scanner and tell me to vote for products to be awarded.

The 10 products you see here are ones that stuck out to me as the best, for one reason or another. Read on to see why they were chosen!

BY MICKY SLINGER

Racepak Bluetooth Virtual Dash App No matter what the project is you’re working on, I can see this being a great option if you’re going the fully custom route. Racepak’s new app allows you to stream data from a Racepak dash or data recorder to any IOS device. Once you have the data on your iPhone or iPad, you can then set up to six programmable data channels. If you’re looking to do an iPad dash, this may be where you’ll want to start looking.

HKS V3 FR-S/BRZ GT Supercharger Kit Okay, I have to admit that I knew about this one before coming into the show. A press release hit my inbox about a week prior and I got absolutely stoked. Yes, I own an FR-S, but I picked this kit because of what it delivers. Everything has been revised, nothing is restricted whatsoever and a larger pulley was added, which makes more power, but also makes it more efficient. It also includes tuning software for both 91-octane and E85 – 93 if you ask the dealer nicely. It’s the complete package to make the FR-S/BRZ what so many of us wanted right out of the factory.

Phoenix Gold ZEN 9 Amplifier I actually saw this amp at CES in early 2015 and my mouth hung open. Details were still a bit foggy, but I was assured of a few things: the ZEN 9 will be limited and it will be awesome. Nine channels with varying output ratings from 60 watts by two channels at four ohms, all the way to 1,200 watts by one channel at one ohm, plus a Class-AB and D hybrid design make it the be all and end all amplifier – kind of like “The One” that Phoenix Gold released a few years ago. And would you just look at it? Those are some pretty guts.

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匀唀倀䔀刀䌀䠀䄀刀䜀䔀刀

匀䌀䤀伀一 䘀刀ⴀ匀 ⼀ 匀唀䈀䄀刀唀 䈀刀娀 匀夀匀吀䔀䴀匀 The Vortech Superchargers V-3 H67B supercharger system for the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ features:

Boost your performance at vortechsuperchargers.com Chase us #poweredbyvortech

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FEATURED EVENT: SEMA 2015

/ GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS TOP 10

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Rancho quickLIFT Loaded strut assemblies Changing out your suspension and fiddling with it can be a pain in the ass. I mean, look at the success of air systems. So, when I came across Rancho’s quickLIFT Loaded struts, the truck guy in me came out and I thought they were genius. These assemblies are ready to lift and level your truck with everything you need. They are gas charged, clear up to 35-inch tires and feature RS9000 XL nine-position adjustability to suit driving style or terrain. These are easier to install and adjust, and they deliver performance – that’s a win in all columns for me.

GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS

TOP 10

Turbosmart eBoostHP Electronic Boost Controller If you can view your built or tuned engine as a busy, bustling office, then Turbosmart’s eBoostHP boost controller would be the project manager. It can handle a lot of pressure, 120 PSI in fact, and it even has an auxiliary output to manage methanol or nitrous injection. It comes with all the standard warning lights, but you can also set it up to read your RPMs and act as a shift light. And it’s all packed into this little billet housing that looks great.

Isn’t that rad?

Rolloface SE Series Big Brake Kit I’ll be completely honest, I picked these because they actually stopped me in my tracks. I don’t know if I’ve seen a brake kit that looks this good. Once I looked into the kit further, I was assured that these ooze performance, as well as style. The SE Series kits are targeted at the “Street Sport” enthusiast that drives aggressively, pushes some power and tracks occasionally.

The rotors are oversized two-piece assemblies with forged aluminum calipers that offer eight pistons in the front and six in the rear. These bad boys can be customized in over 300 styles and colors as well.

XS Power XS15K Lithium Power Cell Kind of like your favorite sci-fi movie, the XS Power XS15K power cell is made better with nano technology. With future techno-magic, the XS15K delivers more power and safety in a lithium power cell that can be used on the daily. There’s also something called an EMBS (electronic monitoring and balancing system) that actively checks each individual cell to make sure there’s always proper balance. It can even be pre-configured to prevent full discharge, so you always have enough energy. Twenty-six AH, 7,500 watts RMS continuous and 15,000 watts burst power – damn.

VIP Modular VRC110 Wheel Those who know me, know that I’m a huge advocate for real, quality car parts and accessories. The thing that I see being cheaped out on the most would have to be wheels. Hearing about people who buy knock offs and then run the real center caps make me cringe.

This is why I love VIP Modular’s VRC line. They’re made with a mix of forged alloy elements and VIP’s “Technik-cast” forging process. They’re great-looking, high-quality wheels from a highquality manufacturer at a fraction of the cost, and I think that’s just awesome.

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS DEI ONYX Series Black Turbo Shield

Air Lift Performance

Grip Royal Horn Button Kit $30 | GripRoyal.com

DesignEngineering.com

Performance Series Air Suspension Kit for Honda Accord (9th Gen)

Air Lift’s new Performance air suspension kit for the ninth gen Honda Accord offers ride quality, premium handling and that lowered look you’re after. With the push of a button, you can go from fully slammed to speedbump-clearing heights. This kit was also designed with twisty roads in mind, with air pressure adjustment and a choice of 30 different levels of damping.

DEI's ONYX Series Turbo Shield maintains consistent temperature in the turbo to maximize efficiency and reduce lag. The shields are available for smaller sized turbos, including Garrett, Mitsubishi and others for the GT22 or the GT25, or as a kit. For correct sizing, refer to the sizing chart located at DesignEngineering.com.

Guardo

Luxury Abstract

Action Cam Plus

Gradus

$299 | GuardoCam.ca

From $1,300 | LuxuryAbstract.com

A small, sleek, Wi-Fi enabled HD action camera packaged with an assortment of mounts and accessories, at a fraction of the competition’s price. The entire package includes the Guardo Action Cam Plus, waterproof housing, IR remote control, two rechargeable batteries, various surface mounts, helmet mount, post mount and more. European design plus unparalleled value equals the Guardo Action Cam Plus.

The name “Gradus” has a few translations in Latin, but in one way or another, it means levels, to strive for better and to excel. In the design, you will find pyramids, three pentagons, and in the spokes, the bridges connect, which creates a "leveled" look inside the spoke inserts. The Gradus is currently available in 18- to 24inch sizes in custom offsets and finishes, including hand-painted.

$1,175 | AirLiftPerformance.com

Not digging your regular horn button or delete plate anymore?

Step up your game with Grip Royal’s new horn button kits, which feature an improved horn button and a raised metal surrounding ring for a cleaner look.

Available in black, brushed silver, chrome, gold chrome and neo chrome. Want to mix it up? Spend an extra $5 and mix and match your own!

Lucas Oil Pure Synthetic Oil Stabilizer LucasOil.ca Light enough for an import - tough enough for a semi. Use Lucas Pure Synthetic Oil Stabilizer in new equipment that requires synthetic oils or any equipment that needs enhanced performance. It can also be used to protect new and used transmissions, gear boxes and engines. The stabilizer reduces friction for increased power and MPG, whatever your vehicle may be.

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

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Sony MEX-XB100BT Head Unit $229.99 | Sony.com With a body-shaking 4x100-watt power output—that’s the same as an external amp—driving your music, you’ll feel every beat and bassline as you cruise along. Vibrant beat-synchronized colors add a splash of color to every track, while new voice control functions let you stay safe and focused behind the wheel.

ORACLE Smart WiFi LED Controller $199.95 | ORACLELights.com The ORACLE Smart WiFi LED Controller offers more versatility with increased functionality. Through the built-in WiFi function, you can control various types of LED lighting products wirelessly with your mobile device.

With smaller overall dimensions, the controller module can be installed in areas where space is limited. The software application is free to download from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

Royal Purple

Rydeen

XPR Synthetic Racing Motor Oil

MD4BT Digital Mirror Monitor

RoyalPurple.com Royal Purple XPR (Extreme Performance Racing) oils are recommended for use in various racing applications, and are popular in a variety of motorsports, from NASCAR to rallycross road racing. XPR offers great wear protection, is compatible with conventional mineral and synthetic oils and resists displacement, dilution and emulsion caused by alcohol, methanol and nitrous fuels and additives.

$299 | RydeenMobile.com The MD4BT is a 3-in-1 solution that incorporates a 4.3inch LCD display Mirror Monitor for rear camera viewing, a Bluetooth hands-free system and Mi-Link – Rydeen’s digital link to any smartphone device. The MD4BT brings the Internet to one's in-vehicle environment, and it is designed to fit thousands of vehicle applications utilizing Rydeen’s windshield mounting system.

Sylvania

Wilwood

ZEVO Pulse

DynaPro Rear Parking Brake Kit for the 20062015 Mazda MX-5

$54.99 | Sylvania.com/Auto Enhance your vehicle’s style with ZEVO Pulse, a universal LED product that adds colors to your headlights. Simple to install, ZEVO Pulse attaches to the outside of the headlight lens and connects directly to any 12-volt source. Using Bluetooth technology, one mobile device can control color and mode of one or multiple systems using the free SYLVANIA ZEVO app.

From $1,791.93 | Wilwood.com Wilwood’s rear DynaPro 4R/MC4 parking brake kit is for the 2006+ Mazda MX-5 equipped with 17-inch or larger wheels. Calipers are available in either black or red powder-coat, with a choice of either SRP drilled and slotted or GT competition series face slotted rotors. BP compound SmartPads, hardware, stainless steel braided flexlines and a parking brake cable adapter kit are included.

Black Mass Blu-ray / DVD / Digital HD WarnerBrosCanada.com In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. Own it on Blu-ray & DVD February 16th. © 2015 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC., CCP BLACK MASS FILM HOLDINGS, LLC, BLACK MASS HOLDINGS, LLC AND RATPAC DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC.

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

PAGE TAKEOVER

TBA 2015 FALL/WINTER CAPSULE TBABrand.com

TBABrandApparel

TBABrand

TBABrand

Keeping it clean this winter, TBA is dropping a sweats combo with a jacket and slouched beanie to match. Designed with automotive enthusiasts in mind, the sweatshirt and pants, the center pieces of the capsule, contain a subtle classic wheel print inside the printed graphics and TBA's expanded acronym - Throttle Brake Apex. To match the sweats, there’s a slouched beanie to tuck under the hood of the hoodie and an extra layer of warmth with TBA’s varsity jacket.

1 Slouch Beanie

2 Varsity Jacket

3 Pullover Hoodie

4 Jogger Slim fIt

> $20 CDN

> $95 CDN

> $60 CDN

> $60 CDN

TBA slouch beanie in grey

Classic varsity jacket in

TBA's 280gsm cotton

The first slim fit jogger

with a black TBA woven

light and dark grey or

grey pullover hoodie

from TBA with side and

tag stitched in. Made from

all black colorways with

with detailed classic rim

rear pockets. Features

100% cotton.

striped hip and sleeve

graphics imbedded into

the TBA logo on the front

cuffs. All topped off with

the design.

hip and the signature

TBA's signature patch.

stripes on the rear calf.

Made from 100% cotton.

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COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Hamilton, ON BUILT BY: Ottawa Autobody, Ultimate Autosports CLUB AFFILIATION: Liberty VIP ENGINE: Honda J32A3 3.2L V6 SOCIAL MEDIA @oostevey @basicbuild

ENGINE ∂ AEM cold air intake EXHAUST ∂ ATLP cat-back exhaust WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Luxury Abstract Admirer Limited wheels – 19x10.5 (f), 19x12 (r) ∂ Tires – 225/35 R19 (f), 275/30 R19 (r) ∂ Brembo 4-piston big brakes (f) ∂ StopTech slotted brake rotors

STEVE LUANGPAKDY 2006 ACURA TL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB ANZIT (BASIC BUILDS)

MAY 23, 2015 // BRAMPTON FAIRGROUNDS, CALEDON, ON

66 %

#TBGLIVE

WINNER FITTED

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

@fittedlifestyle

I

f you’re at all familiar with the VIP car scene, you’ll have heard of Liberty VIP. If you want to be a member of this worldwide club, you need to be voted in by the existing members and approved – you’re joining a family after all.

Standout members of the club are awarded a Liberty VIP plate to display in their windshield, and only two members a year are awarded the distinction. Steve Luangpakdy was the lucky recipient of his own Liberty VIP plate at Fitted Toronto, with his 66 percent Tuner Battlegrounds LIVE win being the icing on the cake.

Looking at Luangpakdy’s Acura TL, it’s easy to see why he was awarded each distinction.

Seriously, who brought the cigar lounge on wheels to the meet? The full leather interior is

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trimmed out with Junction Produce accessories, token Tsuna and Fusa knots, draw curtains and a custom-built TRU VIP Line tray.

The custom purple color change and metal widebody come courtesy of Ottawa Autobody.

The 4.5- and 6-inch wider fenders, front and rear respectively, are lowered by an Air Lift system over some exclusive Luxury Abstract wheels. The wheels, aptly named “Admirer” include a leather patch on the back of each denoting that they are set number four of 12 made worldwide.

Popping the trunk grants you access to the party out back. Two 10-inch RE Audio SXX subwoofers are mounted on either side, firing into their custom Ultimate Autosports enclosures.

An RE Audio 45KV amplifier sits naked under some Plexiglas on the trunk floor, showing off what makes it tick, while the air management sits in its own display in the back, accented by some LED lighting.

Did we mention that Luangpakdy also took home Best VIP at Fitted? It’s plain to see that he’s got the keys to the VIP.

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Air Lift Performance bags w/ dampening adjustment ∂ Ingalls camber kit EXTERIOR ∂ Ottawa Autobody (complete color change, custom widebody – 4.5-inch (f), 6-inch (r)) ∂ Acura TL (A-Spec lip kit, Type-S taillights, Type-S side markers) ∂ BMW M3 rear lip spoiler INTERIOR ∂ Junction Produce (Kitsuna knot, Fusa knot, neck pads, curtains) ∂ TRU VIP Line front tray ∂ DAD Garsons CZ shift knob MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Ultimate Autosports (custom trunk setup, custom carbon fiber head unit bracket) ∂ RE Audio (SXX 10-inch subwoofers (2), 45KV amplifier, XXX speakers, XXX components) ∂ Kenwood DNX double-DIN head unit ∂ VMAXX CT2400 battery SPONSORS ∂ Ottawa Autobody, Ultimate Autosports, Luxury Abstract

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COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada ENGINE: Subaru EJ257 2.5L H-4 HORSEPOWER: 500 awhp SOCIAL MEDIA @marzocchiwrx @martignyphoto

ENGINE ∂ AZE2 Performance (port, air intake, throttle, intake manifold) ∂ Supertech Inconel valvetrain ∂ Garett GTX35 82R turbocharger ∂ Perrin intercooler ∂ Mishimoto hoses ∂ Tial (blow-off valve, wastegate) ∂ CryO2 intake system ∂ K&N air filter ∂ Agency Power fuel rail ∂ Tomei fuel pressure regulator ∂ Deatschwerks (fuel pump, 1000cc injectors) ∂ Brian Crower camshafts ∂ NGK BKR7E spark plugs EXHAUST ∂ Perrin full exhaust system

ERIC GUERETTE 2002 SUBARU WRX PHOTOGRAPHY BY GABRIEL SEVIGNY (MARTIGNY PHOTO)

AUGUST 8, 2015 // ICAR EXPERIENCE, MIRABEL, QC

#TBGLIVE

WINNER BATTLEGROUNDS @highsocietymtl

C

52 %

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

hildren often dream of accomplishments they hope to achieve when becoming an adult. Some aspire to be a firefighter, others dream of being a millionaire – but more often than not, adulthood meets reality and those dreams stay as just that. Eric Guerette’s childhood dream was simple: one day he wanted to own a rally car.

Well, as evident through his popular vote on Tuner Battlegrounds, he’s not only achieved this goal, but is now driving one of the hottest modified Subarus on the streets of Quebec.

The 2002 Subaru WRX wasn’t built overnight, of course, but with over 1,000 hours logged and $150,000 spent, Guerette says he’s gained much more than just a racecar during his time with this project.

“Always do it for yourself and not for others,” says Guerette. “So many things have changed in my life from when I started. I'm very proud to have built this car myself. Always believe in yourself; it’s the best thing I learned from this project.”

Other than his passion, what else has gone into this build?

A custom AZE2 Performance air intake and throttle are matched with Deatchwerks 1000cc injectors and a CryO2 system for extra power. The exhaust is completely powered by Perrin, with an Ohlins supported suspension, which also includes front and rear Cusco sway bars. The exterior features a widebody kit with a custom black and cherry paint job, while the interior is equipped with Sparco USA seats and steering wheel.

One of the biggest challenges during his build, Guerette says, was trying to dress the engine bay with wire hose while trying to keep most of it out of sight!

With zero sponsorship and building the car with his own two-hands, Guerette has proven sometimes, with the right amount of self-belief, dreams do become a reality.

DRIVETRAIN ∂ ACT HD clutch ∂ Fidanza flywheel ∂ Subaru STI (VER 8 Spec C transmission, axles) ∂ Aluminum driveshaft WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES ∂ XXR 527 wheels - 18x9.75 +22 (f/r) ∂ Tires – 265/35 R18 (f/r) ∂ Rotora Super Challenge 4-piston brake system ∂ Brembo 2-piston e-brake ∂ Stainless steel (brake lines, handbrake) ∂ Wilwood proportioning valve CHASSIS/SUSPENSION ∂ Ohlins suspension ∂ Cusco (H-brace (f), under brace (r), sway bars (f/r) ∂ Whiteline HD link kit ∂ Trailing arm suspension kit ∂ Adjustable pillow mounts EXTERIOR ∂ Custom black cherry paint ∂ Widebody kit ∂ Rear wing ∂ Reverse hood scoop INTERIOR ∂ Sparco USA (Pro 2000 seats, steering wheel) ∂ Planted seat base ∂ Innovate AutoMeter gauge ∂ Zero/ Sports gauge pods

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COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Brampton, Ontario, Canada ENGINE: Nissan L24 2.4L I-6 HORSEPOWER: 150 whp SOCIAL MEDIA @shirosamurai @maddphotographyto

ENGINE ∂ Rebuilt Nissan L24 engine ∂ MSA Stage 2 cams ∂ Mallory Unilite distributor ∂ NGK (spark plugs, ignition wires) ∂ Custom rewire ∂ Upgraded harnesses ∂ Digital printed fuse boxes

JAS BAJWA

EXHAUST ∂ Long tube headers ∂ Straight-through 2-1 custom exhaust

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARKIS SARKIS

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ WORK CR01 wheels - 16x9 -28 (f), 16x10 -53 (r) ∂ Toyo Proxes TQ tires 225/35 R16 (f), 275/50 R16 (r) ∂ Custom hardware ∂ ARP extended wheel studs ∂ NRG extended open lug nuts ∂ Wilwood (6R big brake kit (f), 4R big brake kit (r), slotted rotors, master cylinder)

19 7 3 D ATS U N 24 0 Z AUGUST 15, 2015 // ONTARIO PLACE, TORONTO, ON

52 %

#TBGLIVE

WINNER FITTED

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

@fittedlifestyle

G

rowing up as a kid in an immigrant family in Toronto, Jas Bajwa was always influenced by the many cultures of the city. Not only did this stretch as far as its people, but also the vast array of cars that were found on the road from all over the world.

This turned into a passion of Bajwa’s, which he inevitably carried into tech class throughout high school. He would end up spending hours after school with his auto teachers and soaking in all the material they would throw at him. As Bajwa grew older, he then began wrenching on his family's cars.

"I’ve always been one to work on my own cars," says Bajwa, "I mean, I’m not even a licensed mechanic; I’m just a regular Joe with a bunch of tools and strong automotive passion."

His original plan was to build a daily driver, but instead, Bajwa started looking into the Z cars. He gathered magazines, attended shows and met some really cool enthusiasts. He learned about the heritage behind the Z and the brotherhood that a lot of the clubs have created.

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In late 2012, Bajwa took the plunge and started looking up vintage Zs for sale in North America. The hardest part wasn’t looking for a Z; Bajwa saw many Zs with large amounts of rust and neglect. After searching for a very long time, he finally found his Fairlady, a 1973 Datsun 240Z. She was a bit banged up, but Bajwa knew he could make her whole again.

As soon as Bajwa bought the 240Z, he started wrenching on it - pulled off panels, cleaned rust and learned how to weld. After 8 months of semisleepless nights, he got the Z to the point where it was able to get on the road. The next step was to customize it.

Bajwa spared no expense as he began installing a L24 engine, an R180 differential, and a Techno Toy Tuning coilover kit. Then there’s the interior and exterior. A custom 8-point roll cage protects a Nismo steering wheel, Bride Stradia Low Max seats, as well as the driver.

The exterior includes an MSA GT front air dam with brake cooling ducts and over-fenders, as well as a three-piece whale tail spoiler with a front and rear bumper delete.

Bajwa says his greatest accomplishment is putting a smile on people's faces. He enjoys the thumbs-up and all the pictures people take of the Z, but the best thing he takes away from all of it is when someone looks at the car, and no matter what kind of a mood they’re in, the car will make them smile.

DRIVETRAIN ∂ Exedy (Stage 2 clutch, lightweight flywheel) ∂ R180 differential ∂ Nissan 280Z upgraded stub axle

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Techno Toy Tuning (coilover kit, lower control arms (f/r)) ∂ Delran urethane bushing ∂ MSA sway bars (f/r) EXTERIOR ∂ MSA (GT front air dam w/ brake cooling ducts, over-fenders) ∂ Bumper delete (f/r) ∂ 3-piece whale tail spoiler INTERIOR ∂ MSA dash cover ∂ Nismo steering wheel ∂ Dragon Auto shift boot ∂ Custom weighted knob ∂ Bride Stradia Low Max seats ∂ Schroth Racing 4-point harnesses

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COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Toronto, Ontario, Canada ENGINE: Toyota 2ZZ-GE 1.8L I-4 SOCIAL MEDIA @shaun_boosted2zz @stoopidstance

ENGINE ∂ Blouch Performance 16G-XT turbocharger ∂ XIII Motorsports (solid engine mount kit, 3-inch custom intercooler piping, intake) ∂ Monkeywrench Racing (pulley kit, fuel rail) ∂ Siemens Deka 630cc injectors ∂ Walbro 255 LPH fuel pump ∂ MAXbore (ported throttle body, port-matched intake manifold) ∂ GReddy oil sandwich plate ∂ Tial 50 mm blow-off valve ∂ Custom front-mount intercooler ∂ Odyssey PC680 battery∂ AEM (EMS-4 [MWR PNP], boost solenoid) ∂ APEXi turbo timer EXHAUST ∂ XS Engineering custom turbo manifold ∂ Xiiimotorsports custom semi-divorced downpipe ∂ Full custom 3-inch stainless steel mandrel-bent exhaust ∂ Vibrant ultra quiet resonator

SHAUN NANDLALL 2 0 0 0 TOYOTA C E L I CA GT - S PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER JAMES

AUGUST 22, 2015 // METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTER, TORONTO, ONTARIO

52 %

#TBGLIVE

WINNER IMPORTFEST

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

@importfest

S

haun Nandlall of Brampton, Ontario, was introduced to the Toyota brand at a young age, thanks to his brother.

Shaun’s first car was an ‘89 Celica GT-Four, and now after going through the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of Celica, he is now on the seventh and final. He chose this particular Celica because of its high revs, light weight and good handling. It just had so much to offer.

For Nandlall, you could say this is his first real build, as his past cars only had your average mods. This car has taught him most of what he knows now, and after going through a variety

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of engine, cosmetic and wheel setups, the end result is well worth all of the headaches.

Nandlall’s intentions have always stayed the same throughout the build: simply enjoy his car.

Money was tight when he originally bought the car, and he could have never expected it to be in the condition he has it in today, especially since all of the parts used in his build are reputable and proven products. Nandlall wanted to build his car right the first time, so using quality parts helped him do the best possible job.

As with all tough builds, there are times where you just want to call it quits, and Nandlall is no stranger to this feeling. Having support from his close friends and family to keep him going, has left him with no words to express his gratitude.

Most of the time, his car is either on the road or in a show. It’s never really seen too much track time, but going forward, Nandlall would love to make more use of it in a track setting.

DRIVETRAIN ∂ Quaife LSD ∂ TWM (short shifter, shifter bushings, shifter extender, weighted shift knob) WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES ∂ Avant Garde M240 wheels - 17-inch (f/r) ∂ Dunlop Direzza SS Z1 tires - 215/45 R17 (f/r) ∂ Rotora big brake kit ∂ Stoptech stainless steel brake lines ∂ Hawk HPS brake pads CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ BC Racing coilovers ∂ Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings (control arm, steering rack, sway bar) ∂ TRD front sway bar ∂ Whiteline rear sway bar ∂ RMM front strut bar ∂ TRD 3 point rear frame brace EXTERIOR ∂ Custom paint ∂ Toyota Celica 2003+ (front & rear conversion, sunroof, Tsunami rear bumper) ∂ GReddy Gracer front lip ∂ Carcept side skirts ∂ BB lip spoiler ∂ C-One hoodscoop ∂ JDM (sidemarkers, power folding mirrors) INTERIOR ∂ Toyota Celica 2003+ complete interior & dash conversion ∂ TRD Sport M cluster ∂ MOMO racing seats ∂ AEM wideband ∂ Autometer pro-comp boost gauge AUDIO / MULTIMEDIA ∂ JVC double-DIN head unit ∂ Custom subwoofer enclosure ∂ Kicker L7 10inch subwoofer ∂ Kenwood monoblock 1000-watt Class-D amplifier ∂ Stinger wiring kit

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SOUND ADVICE WITH GARRY SPRINGGAY

CD versus Vinyl: which sounds best?

Q:

Hello, I am writing to you to see if you can settle an argument I am having with my dad. He says that the best sounding music comes from old vinyl records and I say CDs are way better.

We are a family of musicians. I play piano and my dad is a guitarist, and my dad spent many years as a live sound engineer.

We have several very high-quality stereo systems in our house and our cars, and we consider ourselves to be serious about music, maybe even audiophiles. Well, dad is anyway. I am his 17-year-old daughter and we constantly argue over vinyl versus CDs. We both agree the sound quality of MP3 is not as good as either. So, can you settle our argument with some facts?

Taylor R. – via email

A:

Well Taylor, I’ll give you some facts, but as far as a definitive answer goes, I’m afraid I may fall short. The one absolute definitive answer I can give you, you already know: in every case, under any conditions, vinyl will always sound better than a compressed lossy format like MP3. Streaming services like Spotify and Pandora have quality levels lower still. There is no argument there, even among the digital purists. Even Steve Jobs, who created iTunes, listened to vinyl at home.

Ever since the CD was introduced in October 1982, there has been an ongoing argument over whether or not the new digital format actually sounded better than the vinyl records it was to replace. Here are some facts, and you can take from them what you will.

The vinyl LP format is based on a technology that has seen little evolution in the last 60 years. Sonically, both formats have their strengths and weaknesses, much in the same way that 35 mm film compares to 4K digital.

Vinyl records are stamped from a plated lacquer master disc, which may have been cut

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from analog tape, or more recently, a digital file. S,o if you think about it, even vinyl isn’t necessarily always 100 per cent analog from the studio to your stereo. Some recordings are, but many recently recorded works are not.

So you may ask, “Is a CD quality album going to sound more accurate on vinyl than CD?” The answer is obviously no, but it will have the typical characteristics of vinyl, and some folks simply prefer that sound. I would say your dad is in this group. One of the often overlooked facts about vinyl LP reproduction is that some people prefer it because the format introduces distortion. The “warmth” that many people associate with vinyl is actually caused by a lack of accuracy in reproducing the bass.

To accurately reproduce bass on vinyl is darn near impossible, but with enough filtering and signal processing, it can be made to work okay.

The result is a recording that sounds “warmer” than a CD, but quite different than what the artists experienced in the studio. But, vinyl is the only consumer available playback format that is fully analog, as well as fully lossless.

By sticking to an analog lossless format, the music gets transported from magnetic tape to your LP to your speakers without ever enduring the complications of digital conversion. This then could be considered the closest one can get to the music as the artist intended.

In a vinyl record, there is far less compression of the music than in most popular digital recordings, which retains the music’s dynamics and natural sound.

The drawbacks of vinyl are fundamentally controlled by the length of the recording or, in other words, how close together the grooves are on the record. For the best

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possible performance, you’d like the grooves to be as far apart as possible, but even then the vinyl format simply cannot deliver the loudness that the digital format is capable of.

Another drawback of vinyl is that the beginning of an album sounds better than the end.

This is because as the album’s grooves shrink towards the middle of the record, the speed of the stylus in the groove changes. As you near the middle, it simply may not be able to track perfectly because the vinyl is going by so quickly. Lastly, there is the possibility that a speck of dust or a slight bit of damage to the record will cause pops or static, which is annoying during quiet passages.

So, in the end, you are both right because you are both good listeners and you know what type of sound quality each of you prefers. I’m just happy to hear from a member of the current crop of teenagers that you actually enjoy your music from something other than the Internet or a smartphone. Spread the word, will you?

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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1: higher performance in a smaller package.

2: the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area: engineering

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TEST REPORT

JVC KW-V51BT

Multimedia Receiver Review For those whose lives revolve around a smartphone and their favorite apps contained therein, JVC offers a double-DIN-sized multimedia receiver with you in mind. With a top quality seven-inch touchscreen, CD/DVD playback, USB and SDHC compatibility and built-in Bluetooth, the KW-V51BT is designed to satisfy all of your in-car entertainment needs. Thanks to its ability to interface with either Apple- or Android-based smartphones via the addition of HDMI/MHL connectivity, it’s a great choice no matter which type of smartphone you currently use, plus it allows you to keep your options open in the future. Truly an international unit, the multilingual display will support up to 26 languages! For our review, though, we’ll stick to English.

AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT, CD SOURCE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS This is a head unit primarily designed for people who prefer to stay connected and take advantage of the apps installed on their smartphones while driving. With the addition of an HDMI/MHL2 certified input, it’s possible to transfer the control of your smartphone right to the seven-inch TFT touchscreen display of the head unit. Via the use of various interconnect cables, the KW-V51BT will work with iPhone 4 through 6+. It is also compatible with select MHL-enabled Android smartphones. Once connected, a variety of apps from your phone become available right there on the touchscreen in the dash, and can be controlled with the JVC’s display, or by voice command with Siri Eyes Free or Google Now. The KW-V51BT is also capable of the playback of streaming audio services, such as Pandora and iHeart Radio.

All major compressed file formats, as well as lossless ACC and FLAC files are supported. The home screen provides three possible source options with one touch, while the others are available on a secondary menu. To make everyday operations simpler, you can choose your three favorite sources for display on the home screen.

The motorized 1.15 megapixel touchscreen can be set to various angles for easy viewing, and the color of the panel and button illumination provides over 30,000 different colors to choose from, so it will definitely match your dash lighting. Background themes can be

AMPLIFIER

MEASURED

SPECS

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

selected from eight built-in themes, or you can import your own image as a background.

Rear seat video outputs are included, as well as dual-zone audio, so keeping the kids in the backseat entertained will be simple.

Other available accessories include a rear view camera input, activated by selecting reverse gear, SiriusXM satellite radio and compatibility with most factory steering wheel controls via an external adapter.

AUDIO On the audio side of things, the KW-V51BT is equipped with a four-channel power amplifier and front, rear and sub pre-outs. The amplifier is rated at 22 watts per channel and the output voltage of the pre-outs is advertised at four volts.

For signal control and system tuning, a three-band parametric EQ provides adjustment for 12 different frequencies. The front and rear pre-outs can be set separately to one of eight high-pass crossover frequencies or simply left full-range.

The subwoofer output can be set to one of five low-pass frequency settings, or an all-pass setting. In addition to the crossover frequency, the sub outs also have adjustments for phase and level.

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONALITY In terms of ease of use, I find the JVC unit to be pretty intuitive to operate, with the

PREAMP SECTION

CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms)

18.0 watts/ch X 4

Max Usable Output Voltage

3.7 Vrms

A-Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2 V/1 W @ 4 ohms) Amplified output

-80.9 dBA (CD)

A-Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-79.0 dBA (CD)

THD+N @ 2 V/1 W @ 4 ohms 1 kHz

0.07%

Output Impedance

560 ohms

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 15 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 16 kHz (Aux)

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2015

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TEST REPORT 4 OHM POWER vs THD+N BATT 14.4V

PRE-AMP MAX FLAT, CD SOURCE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N BATT 14.4V

AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

PRE-AMP MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

MAIN and SUB CROSSOVERS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

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majority of frequently used functions requiring only a minimum of input from me. If you recall my review of the previous generation KW-V50BT, for better or worse, this unit’s operation is virtually identical.

Volume is adjusted via hard buttons on the lower left edge of the faceplate, but track changes are done on the touchscreen. The on-screen icons are large enough to select easily and the amount of pressure required for the touchscreen is about perfect; however, there were a few things about the KW-V51BT’s ergonomics that I feel could be improved.

I again find myself wanting more than only three source choices on the home screen. The size of the three source selection icons is huge, so adding another source or two would not have hurt the ease of use. I also miss having an HD Radio tuner, but with iHeart Radio and Pandora available and a good data plan this isn’t a big deal. Another foible was the inability to adjust the sub output level without stepping through at least four touchscreen presses

and three menus. For most enthusiasts, the sub level is one of the most often adjusted controls, so it makes no sense to have it buried this far down. Other than that, the unit seemed pretty straightforward to use and adjust.

LISTENING In the listening room, as you’d expect, the KW-V51BT proves to be a very good sounding and able performer. The sonics from the DVD mechanism and the iPod interface are top notch in all respects. All of the controls and adjustments work well, and pairing my phone to the unit is dead simple. I also tried out the included infrared remote control and it works great as well. Bluetooth audio sounds as good as can be expected from this type of source, which was pleasant, if not truly “hi-fi” worthy.

ON THE BENCH On the bench, with the unit connected to my Audio Precision analyzer, I ran a battery of tests and the results are very good. The internal amplifier makes the same power as all

For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.

the other high quality head units (that use the same MOSFET IC) and signal to noise confirms a very low noise floor. Frequency response, crosstalk and THD also measure very well. Preout voltages did not quite meet the published spec at 3.7 volts. Output impedance was on the high side at 560 ohms.

CONCLUSION The new KW-V51BT is very similar in every respect to its predecessor. Given the ability to interface with virtually any Apple- or Androidbased smartphone, the JVC KW-V51BT will have a lot of appeal to the advanced or habitual smartphone user. Even better, people who care about their music will appreciate the excellent sound quality and tuning control, and everyone will enjoy the ability to customize the look and layout. So if you’d like a source unit that keeps you connected and allows you to take full advantage of the power of a modern smartphone, pay a visit to your local JVC dealer and check out what the KWV51BT can do for you.

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Ultimate Battery Terminal with Ring Terminal Mount

0 / 4 / 8 Gauge Ports

2015-11-23 2:56 2015-12-04 4:48 PM

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F E AT U R E L I ST : • 10.1-inch overhead fold down WSVGA video monitor (16:9 aspect ratio) • 1.84 million pixels of picture quality.

• Built-in DVD player and control buttons.

• Large dome light.

• Playback formats – DVD video, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, XviD, JPEG and MP3.

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ALPINE PKG-RSE3DVD

R E A R S E AT E N T E R TA I N M E N T SYS T E M R E V I E W

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Are we there yet? If you have ever done a road trip with the family, those words indicate the onset of boredom for your passengers. Well, if you install an Alpine PKG-RSE3DVD rear seat entertainment system, that phrase will most likely never be heard.

T

he overhead mounted PKG-RSE3DVD system consists of a 10.1-inch flip-down monitor with a built-in DVD player, and two sets of wireless headphones. So, if you can’t bear to hear another Barney song or sit through Little Mermaid one more time, the wireless headphones are a welcome addition. On the other hand, should you prefer to play the audio through the vehicle’s sound system once in a while, you can use the system’s auxiliary output, or run the audio through a built-in FM modulator. In addition, an auxiliary output

Built with a durable, automotive-grade DVD/CD mechanism, the PKG-RSE3DVD is designed for in-vehicle challenges, such as vibration and heat, and will easily withstand the rigors of the road while delivering quality playback. The WSVGA monitor features 1.84 million pixels worth of picture quality, which is a whopping 60 percent more than its predecessor, the PKG-RSE2.

A large, bright dome light is built into the console, and is easily wired to the existing light. The PKG-RSE3DVD is designed for installation flexibility and convenience. It comes with your choice of three console shroud cover colors (tan, black and gray), so it’s simply a matter of installing the color that suits your vehicle best.

After that, all you have to do is enjoy the ride. With no more questions of “are we there yet?”

allows connection to another monitor, such as a headrest unit, if desired. The back seat passengers will have full control of the playback, either via the unit’s controls, which are built right into the top panel, or via the included wireless remote control.

In addition to playing DVDs, this system accepts video input from an iPod, iPhone, iPad or a typical video game console, making this one of the most flexible and functional systems available.

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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CHAM KCAB TO

BENJI TRAN HOLDS IT DOWN FOR THE 204

BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY BRIAN

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MPION! GETTING BACK TO BACK WINS IN ANYTHING IS PRETTY AMAZING, NO MATTER WHAT THE COMPETITION. IF YOU’LL RECALL FROM LAST YEAR’S TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP, ANTHONY DE GUZMAN AND HIS SUPRA OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, TOOK THE TROPHY AND THE COVER OF OUR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER BOOK. NOW, SHOCKINGLY ENOUGH, BENJAMIN TRAN OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, HAS TAKEN THIS YEAR’S TROPHY AND THE COVER OF THIS ISSUE WITH HIS 2004 ACURA TSX. TWO STELLAR BUILDS FROM THE SAME CITY, TWO YEARS IN A ROW. WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY PUTTING IN THE WATER IN WINNIPEG?

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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F

or Benji Tran, the car fascination runs deep in his core group of friends. After daydreaming in school and cutting out ads from car magazines to build the perfect Civic (Erebuni kit included), Tran soon realized he was going to need some cash to get his project rolling. His older brother was involved in the car scene, but also involved at McDonalds, which is where Tran got his first job at the ripe age of 15.

After making quick friends with a co-worker and co-car-nut, Nathan Kowalski, he was introduced to one of Kowalski’s friends and the three taught themselves how to work on cars.

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“The three of us, not having any experience, figured out how to swap engines into everything from Hondas to Nissans,” Tran recalls.

“Within five months of summer, we managed to complete five different engine swaps in Nathan’s parents’ garage.”

Kowalski’s parents’ garage was addressed with the number “106,” which turned into their club, “Garage106.” You’ll notice that there’s still a Garage106 banner in the middle of Tran’s windshield.

The same members of this crew would help shape Tran’s TSX into the winner it is today.

Tran initially bought the TSX in 2008 with the mind that it would

“I WANTED TO BUILD SOMETHING FUNCTIONAL, YET APPEALING TO ME." be a point A to B car during college that fit his budget and was cheap to drive. Besides, there wasn’t really an aftermarket for it at the time. With some extra daydreaming time, however, that would all change for Tran.

“After five years in school in a laptop mandatory course, empty cart Internet shopping and a lot of daydreaming — I’m lucky I even graduated,” he laughs. “The TSX is the luxury version of the Honda

Accord EuroR. It doesn’t have a lot of aftermarket support, so I was forced to think outside of the box. I wanted to build something functional, yet appealing to me; something to drive daily, so not too flashy, but potent.”

Winters in Winnipeg are long and frigid (yay Canada!), so time is of the essence for its resident enthusiasts. One of the biggest jobs on the TSX was the stripping, prepping, sanding and repainting of

2016

2015-12-04 2:49 PM

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“THE SUPERCHARGER WAS ANOTHER BIG JOB, AS THE KRAFTWERKS KIT WAS INITIALLY MEANT FOR A 2006 TO 2011 CIVIC SI."

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the car — the outside in a gray shade from a Porsche GT3 RS, the inside a custom saturated teal straight from Tiffany & Co. Tran says he had to work fast to get everything done before the weather turned.

“The paint preparation process took me just under a month to disassemble and strip down the entire chassis of the car, let alone sand the interior too,” he says.

The supercharger was another big job, as the Kraftwerks kit was initially meant for a 2006 to 2011 Civic Si. It took some extra bottles from Chase Bays and a conversion from a Toyota MR2 to keep the power steering after all the fabrication and custom mounting was done.

Right before SEMA, Tran got a few more modifications in.

A custom subwoofer enclosure from his friend Wayne Fabian at Wayfab Creative sits in the space where the spare tire would in the trunk, and houses a 12-inch JL Audio W6v3 subwoofer. He also picked up some custom high-luster chrome grey Niche Chicane H81 wheels, which feature teal chrome on the inner barrels to match the interior paintwork.

Again, his friends from Garage106 were there to lend a hand with these big jobs. Speaking of which, Tran was actually introduced to Tuner Battlegrounds by his Garage106 crewmate, Anthony De Guzman.

“Seeing what Anthony experienced, all the support from our small city and his progression through to the finish only inspired and motivated me to ‘carry the throne’ for Garage106 and help designate a place for Winnipeg in the car community worldwide,” says Tran.

Following De Guzman’s experiences went a little more dramatic than last year, however. In Stage 4 of the voting rounds, Tran came up against what he calls his biggest competition.

His opponent took the lead right out of the gate and kept it until the last 24 hours of voting.

“I caught up, someway and somehow, and I managed to catch my opponent by just over 150 votes to shrink his lead to less than 100,” recalls Tran, excitedly. “It was do or die and my fate was boosted by the social media backlash my opponent faced when he voiced his opinion on the shrinking lead.”

When Trans says “social media backlash,” he’s referring to the immature comments made in the heat of competition. His opponent resorted to calling his style “fake racecar,” which Tran took in stride. He’s actually accepted the term and uses it when someone asks what kind of style he tried to follow while building his car. It was this attitude that gained him that last minute support from voters.

The next and last obstacle for Tran was more like a mountain. Brian McCann’s Nissan 350Z, clad in Stardast and other rare JDM bits, had been dominating the competition thus far, garnering record-setting numbers of votes. The championship round of Tuner Battlegrounds was called David versus Goliath by fans, which turned out to ring more than true.

With the help of his friends and family that flew into Vegas from Winnipeg, who helped him hustle for votes all week, Tran came out on top by a mere 10 points! McCann had earned more ballot box votes, but Tran’s online presence was unmatched.

When all was said and done, Tran says he was actually a little more sad than happy.

“It might sound weird, but I felt sad that it was over more than anything,” he admits. “You could see that Brian and I had the same reaction when we gave each other a pat on the back and a brotherly hug.”

That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day — Tuner Battlegrounds is a competition that embodies the competitive spirit and love of all that is modified. We couldn’t be happier that Tran’s TSX is on our cover, as it shows that something that you built for yourself with your friends can be special to so many other people.

Congratulations, Benji!

But seriously, what the hell are they putting in the water in Winnipeg?

ESSENTIALS 2004 Acura TSX

DRIVER: Benjamin Tran LOCATION: Winnipeg, Manitoba CLUB AFFILIATION: Garage 106 BUILT BY: Urban Autobody & Chrome, Bettess Metal Fabrication, E-Tunez ENGINE: Honda 2.4L I-4 (K24A2) HORSEPOWER: 320 whp ENGINE ∂ Kraftwerks Civic Si Race supercharger kit (C30-94 trim supercharger, front-mount intercooler, intake manifold) Grams Performance 1,000 cc fuel injectors ∂ Toyota MR2 electric power steering conversion ∂ Chase Bays (power steering reservoir, coolant overflow) ∂ Project Mu reservoir cover ∂ Custom (billet aluminum clutch reservoir, front reinforcement bar, aluminum charge pipes, dual front-mount oil coolers) ∂ Acura ZDX 80 mm throttle body ∂ P2R throttle body adapter ∂ Vibrant Racing (silicone couplers, washer reservoir) ∂ Synapse Engineering SQ blow-off valve ∂ Machined 45-degree variable timing cam gear ∂ Unorthodox Racing alternator pulley ∂ Innovative Race 95A engine mounts ∂ K-Tuned (fuel rail, oil dip stick) ∂ Fragola (fuel quick disconnect, AN fittings) ∂ Spoon Sports (valve cover, spark plug cover, oil cap, radiator stay) ∂ Skunk2 flush valve cover hardware ∂ Mugen fender bolts ∂ 2004 Honda Accord aluminum radiator ∂ Samco radiator hose ∂ FAL dual slim radiator fans ∂ Hondata (K-Pro ECU, TSX dual ECU harness ∂ Motul 5W40 synthetic motor oil EXHAUST ∂ PLM 4-2-1 header ∂ T1R Sparrow titanium-tipped cat-back exhaust system DRIVETRAIN ∂ Exedy Stage 1 clutch ∂ Fidanza aluminum flywheel ∂ Aluminum rigid shifter bushings ∂ Motul (10W40 gear oil, DOT 5.1 clutch fluid) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Spoon Sports (rigid subframe collars, rigid steering rack collars ∂ J’s Racing roll center adjusters ∂ Ingalls rear adjustable multi-links ∂ SPC rear camber arms ∂ Airtekk air suspension ∂ Accuair (E-level management, VU4 manifold, eXo mount kit) ∂ Speciality Suspension 5-gallon air tank ∂ Viair dual 480c compressors ∂ 3D-printed eXo mounting plate WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Niche Chicane H81 wheels (custom high luster chrome grey & teal chrome) – 18x10 (f), 18x10.5 (r) Neuton NT5000 tires – 225/40 R18 (f/r) ∂ Project Mu (Heptagon Super 7 lug nuts, 4-piston big brake kit, HC800 brake pads) ∂ ARP extended wheel studs ∂ Rays valve stems ∂ Russell stainless steel brake lines ∂ Honda Element brake proportioning valve ∂ NiCopp custom brake lines ∂ Motul 5.1 racing brake fluid EXTERIOR ∂ Porsche GT3RS gray-black paint ∂ Spoon Sports S-Tai front bumper ∂ Voltex Type V carbon fiber GT wing ∂ Acura TSX A-Spec (side skirts, rear lip) ∂ Honda Accord Euro-R (rear fog lights, radiator VIN plate, black window moldings, rear emblem, trunk badge, headlights) ∂ Mugen ventilated visors ∂ Zerg Engineering rear windshield visor ∂ Password JDM hood spacers ∂ Show N’ Go front license plate bracket ∂ LED custom third brake light INTERIOR ∂ Tiffany & Co. blue custom saturated paint ∂ Recaro Sportster CS heated leather seats ∂ Bride seat rails ∂ Honda S2000 VGS steering wheel ∂ Project Mu (shift knob, pedal set) ∂ Takata (4-point harnesses, gel harness pads) ∂ K-Tuned fuel pressure gauge ∂ Defi (Advanced Link, BF EGT gauge, BF boost gauge, BF oil pressure gauge, multi-display link, heads up display) ARC Magic trunk downforce meter MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Alpine double-DIN head unit ∂ Infinity Kappa 6.5-in. coaxial speakers ∂ JL Audio (C2-690tx coaxial speakers, 12-in. W6v3 subwoofer, HD series 750 monoblock amplifier) ∂ Stinger 4-gauge wiring kit ∂ Wayfab Creative custom sealed enclosure ∂ Optima YellowTop battery ∂ KnuKonceptz custom (battery/charging harness, ground wires) SPONSORS ∂ Niche Road Wheels

FEBRUARY // MARCH 2016

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CAR SHOWS ARE PRETTY COMPARABLE TO FASHION SHOWS. YOU TRAIN (TUNE AND MODIFY) TO LOOK AND PERFORM YOUR BEST, PRACTICE YOUR WALK (PERFECT YOUR STANCE) AND REP THE NEWEST, IN-STYLE WEARS (BEST, HIGH QUALITY PARTS).

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car show is pretty much the same as a fashion show,” Rick Fontan agrees. “When a car pulls into a show, it’s like a model walking the runway - cameras flashing, everybody looking - it’s a great feeling.”

For those of you who don’t know, Fontan’s E46 M3 has been absolutely killing the scene in the East Coast. The Bimmer went to five shows this season and – get this – took at least a Best of Show award home every time. This guy went back to back five times! Fontan is like the New England Patriots of show cars, except he doesn’t (almost) blow it in the Super Bowl.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better finish to such an unforgettable season,” smiles Fontan. “A perfect five and zero undefeated record to close out the year!”

Before the award-winning Bimmer, Fontan was rocking a Mitsubishi Eclipse, which coincidentally also won itself a few awards and a magazine feature. It had a custom widebody, full lighting conversion, full interior, MTX audio, a turbo, some nitrous and “Lambo” doors (don’t laugh, they were popular once). Feeling that the build was complete (and maybe a little dated) Fontan sold it and picked up his 2002 E46 M3, which he says was supposed to be his daily driver.

Yeah, right. Fontan credits his fascination with Craig Lieberman’s “Uber M3” as the final cause for him to scratch the mod itch.

“I’ve never wanted to have the same exact car as the next person,” explains Fontan. “I felt like I had to change it in some way to make it different, even if it was

RICK FONTAN’S 2015 AWARD RECORDS TUNER EVOLUTION: PHILLY BEST OF SHOW

WEKFEST EAST

FIRST CLASS FITMENT

ELITE TUNER X AC

IMPORT EXPO X AC

BEST OF SHOW

BEST OF SHOW

BEST OF SHOW

BEST OF SHOW BEST BMW BEST ENGINE

something simple. Eventually, that wasn’t enough; I wanted to stand out in a crowd.”

“I started attending shows and meeting different people,” he continues. “I would look at their builds and get advice on how I can make mine better. It became a passion

for me that eventually turned into a lifestyle.”

It can’t all be a fairy tale, unfortunately. When you’re building a car, especially one of this caliber, there’s bound to be difficulties and challenges afoot. For Fontan, the biggest obstacle was finding the

[M]ODEL MATERIAL “THE BIMMER WENT TO FIVE SHOWS THIS SEASON AND – GET THIS – TOOK AT LEAST A BEST OF SHOW AWARD HOME EVERY TIME."

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[M]ODEL MATERIAL ESSENTIALS 2002 BMW M3

DRIVER: Rick Fontan LOCATION: Bronx, NY BUILT BY: AMS Autowerks, Audio Clinic HORSEPOWER: 450 whp ENGINE ∂ AMS Autowerks (shaved engine bay, full wire tuck) ∂ Vortech supercharger w/ upgraded supercharger & pulley Oil cooler ∂ Vibrant (front-mount intercooler, hosing) ∂ Injector Dynamics ID725 fuel injectors ∂ Upgraded fuel rail ∂ Driven Innovations intake manifold ∂ Turbo Smart blow-off valve ∂ ATL (fuel cell, dual dry break filler) ∂ Bosch 044 fuel pump ∂ Aeromotive fuel regulator EXHAUST ∂ AMS Autowerks (custom “GT-R-style” side-exit exhaust, heatshield) ∂ Agency Power stainless steel headers

“YOU WANT A COMPLETE BUILD? GET A SYSTEM IN THERE."

DRIVETRAIN ∂ UUC (Stage 2 clutch, flywheel) ∂ 6-speed manual transmission swap ∂ Short shifter ∂ Braided stainless steel lines CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Reinforced sheet metal trunk ∂ Air Lift Performance (air suspension, V2 controller) ∂ Sway bars (f/r) ∂ Carbon fiber lower control arms ∂ Camber kit (r) WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ SSR Professor SP1 wheels – 20x10 (f), 20x12(r) ∂ Toyo T1R Proxes tires StopTech (big brake kit (f/r), slotted rotors) ∂ Braided stainless steel lines ∂ Brake line tuck

right shop to handle the extensive wish list of modifications he had.

After many jobs at many shops that ended in distrust or dissatisfaction, Fontan finally came upon AMS Autowerks. The Linden, New Jersey shop is the definition of “one-stop shop,” as they quickly assured Fontan that they could handle the custom exterior, full interior and all the performance goodies that were destined for the M3. That wasn’t smoke either, as Fontan brought his Bimmer back over the course of three years to get everything done.

AMS tackled the custom metal widebody and the Lamborghini Grigio silver paint job outside, the full suede interior (with accenting purple stitching from Branch Brook Auto Top) and candy purple rollcage inside, the “GT-R-style” side-exit exhaust on the right and left sides, and the shave and tuck job under the hood. Aside from the purely custom stuff they

contributed, AMS also installed the Vortech supercharger, upgrading both the blower and the pulley.

Audio Clinic was the next stop for the car. You want a complete build? Get a system in there. Turns out Fontan has audiophile-grade taste, as he sprung for Focal K2 Power three-ways, a FPS4160 four-channel amp for the front and a FPS3000 mono for the banging, 10-inch Utopia Bes in the back.

Pair up some fiberglass fabrication and some Dynamat sound deadening and you’re good to show.

To make sure the M3 was stanced out just right for its debut, AMS and Fontan agreed on an Air Lift Performance air suspension kit. Airing out those new wide fenders over some 20-inch SSR Professor SP1 wheels – that’s how you set it off. At its debut, if you’ll recall, Fontan and his E46 took Best of Show at August 2015’s Tuner Evolution: Philly event. Maybe the Bimmer was so fire that it was

the reason the alarms went off and cleared the building. Just a theory.

At the end of the day though, Fontan credits his friends, competitors and family for driving him to dominate the runway.

“Throughout the years I’ve met a lot of great builders,” says Fontan. “They have given me plenty of inspiration and great advice on how to make a build better. The automotive world is constantly evolving and there is so much I don’t know about, so I’m glad I can turn to them when I need to. I’ve had a great support system between my family and friends and I would love to thank them all.”

This is the caliber of car that’s out there to compete with, which can be scary to some. But if you can stay as focused and creative as Fontan has, your car may just be considered model material. Do you have what it takes to be America’s Next Top M Car?

EXTERIOR ∂ AMS Autowerks custom (widebody kit, 1/3 mini hood, windsplitter, Lamborghini Grigio Silver paint job) ∂ Carbon fiber (front lip, headlight overlays, emblems, front & side grilles) ∂ Vorsteiner carbon fiber (trunk, roof) ∂ Stoneguard powder-coated undercarriage INTERIOR ∂ AMS Autowerks custom (candy purple roll cage, dashboard, full suede interior, carbon fiber bezel) ∂ Brank Brook Autotop purple stitching ∂ Recaro Profi XL bucket seats ∂ Scroth Profi 5 harnesses ∂ Vertex steering wheel Momo hub ∂ BMW M Power pedals ∂ Carbon Fiber shift knob ∂ AIM stack cluster ∂ Boost gauge ∂ ATL fuel gauge ∂ LED lighting ∂ Rear seat delete MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Audio Clinic installation & fabrication ∂ Alpine dual-DIN head unit ∂ Focal (K2 Power 3-way speakers, FPS3000 mono amplifier, FPS4160 4-channel amplifier, crossovers, Utopia Be 10inch subwoofers (2)) ∂ Dynamat sound deadening

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Yoshi’s Dream THE MONSTROUS PRODUCT O F V I V I D I M A G I N AT I O N STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC EIKENBERRY

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T

hat is your automotive dream? To go faster than anyone else? To go lower, or make sparks fly from your undercarriage? To win trophies at shows, or garner massive amounts of Internet praise? Whatever the case, we sincerely hope you follow it with the same level of devotion that Las Vegas resident Yoshi Nebril has in pursuit of his dream.

For Yoshi, it’s taken a perfect storm of influences coming together to help him create “Project Kaiju,” an effectively modified 2013 Scion FR-S Series 10 limited edition coupe. He has combined societal and parental conditioning with his own vivid imagination, and paired it with a healthy dose of Hollywood magic to envision a new monster.

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“I wanted to build a monster of a car,” he explains. “I wish I could have called it Godzilla, but that name was taken by a Nissan Skyline. With some thought and a couple of hours surfing online, I stumbled upon Kaiju, which in Japanese refers to a strange beast or unknown amphibious creature.”

“Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra and the Loch Ness Monster are all examples of a Kaiju, but it’s the movie Pacific Rim that helped me figure out what kind of Kaiju my car is. It’s a Category 5 (hence the KAIJU5 vanity plate), and is derived from a hammerhead shark. The movie monster is dark grey with blue eyes and blue features,” Yoshi points out. “It holds a wide stance and high tail. The rest is history.”

“All monsters are bad (at least that’s how we think of them), but Kaiju to me has a bit of a different meaning. To me, the car is a Kaiju, and a reflection of the spirit of the builder. It’s the builder with the monstrous spirit the car actually reflects.”

(T hat’s deep Yoshi. Deep.)

While Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro’s fictional creatures from another dimension may have lent concept and shape to Yoshi’s project, it was another hybrid of sorts that assisted his dream: Team Hybrid.

Yoshi joined the well-known team in August 2012, and through constant exposure to his teammates Jacob Sabian, Brian Camacho, Archie Concon and James Lin, he saw firsthand some of the team’s best builds on the West Coast.

These experiences and interactions helped light a fire in him that had been smoldering for years. You see, Yoshi’s father, years earlier, had built everything from Datsuns and BMWs to an Acura Integra GSR and several Civics, all while keeping busy as a single parent. Yoshi, himself has three children and, with the help of his wife Tisha, he’s been able to follow in his father’s footsteps.

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His FR-S (#1,612 of 2,500 produced) has become fractionally more rare with the addition of a nine-piece ML24 widebody kit from designer Matthew Law, based in the Toronto, Canada area. With his 2D drawing skills and 3D modeling and prototyping, Law is on the cutting edge of body kit technology and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next after viewing this beauty in person at SEMA. Yoshi, meanwhile, drives this car to and from work everyday – and everywhere else for that matter – and we’re amazed he has not demolished the front lip or side skirts on the rough streets of Vegas. Granted, the Megan Racing EZ Street coilovers are not set ridiculously low, but the oversized Work Meister wheels – with their -10 front and -15 rear offsets – make it appear as if the front fenders are scraping the rubber off the tire when it turns. Yoshi assures us that it works just fine and, love it or hate it, the big wing has returned with a vengeance.

Punctuated by the muscular rear fenders, the Rays carbon fiber factory GT rear wing is a standout at standing out. It’s tall, wide and, most importantly, fits with the aggressive lines of the car. We love it! The camera loves it! Show judges love it, too.

Now, we could go on and on about all of the individual parts on the car (check out the specs if you want to know all the nitty-gritty details) but, we’d rather delve into the concept and execution a bit more. The original concept is where so many promising builds go dramatically wrong. But not in this case.

Yoshi’s Dream

Cars with aftermarket parts hung haphazardly on them that win no awards at shows are a dime a dozen. What they lack is cohesive integrity, which can only come after coming up with an idea that’s uniquely your own, then dominating it. People will argue about body kit designs, horsepower dyno numbers

and overlook the importance of having an allencompassing, guiding idea which makes you lose sleep at night over the stress of picking just the right equipment.

Yoshi had a glimmer of an idea, and he’s successfully nursed it to fruition by focusing on the concept, developing it like he’s raising children, and then unleashing it upon an unsuspecting world at the right moment. The blue Kaiju won Best of “YOSHI'S FR-S IS AN EXCELLENT Show at the first event he attended REPRESENTATION OF OUR BRAND'S (86Bash in Arizona) and has been invited to various car shows as PHILOSOPHY – UNIQUENESS. a featured attraction. The trophies YOSHI HAS FANTASTIC ATTENTION have been pouring in. Even Scion has had Yoshi and his car out to its TO DETAIL WHICH IS VISIBLE IN HIS Los Angeles headquarters to get an BUILD.” - MATTHEW LAW OF ML24 up-close look at this blue Kaiju.

Yoshi isn’t a parts-hanger, and the blue lighting all around the car is a perfect example of bucking trends. Some might say that under-car glow went out with Paul Walker’s explosive DSM Eclipse in the first Fast & Furious movie, but here it’s been used with subtle care around the car to enhance the viewer’s feeling that this car is somehow alive. The back-lit

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2015-12-02 4:13 PM

Series 10 badges further enhance this effect, and little touches like the blue tinted headlamps and Beat-Sonic antenna on the roof add to the foreign menace.

If the goal has been to create a monster that reflects his own internal beast, we feel Yoshi’s off to a flying start with his FR-S. Of the future mods he currently has planned, stuffing a Corvette LS crate motor into an immaculate engine bay is perhaps the most important

when it comes to backing up its bark with some proper teeth. And, with eight individual throttle bodies poking out from the hood like flared nostrils, the LS powerplant would continue the Kaiju theme by endowing the lightweight Scion with beastly power to match its optics.

“The sky is the limit, but I fear I’ll never be finished with the build because there’s always room for improvement,” says Yoshi, who’s also working toward the inevitable big brake upgrade. “Naturally, they’ll have to be blue like the ones from Endless, which are not cheap.

The interior also needs more work to get it where I want,” he says.

Our automobiles are not just possessions, they are extensions of our personalities. They speak about our ability to dream, to imagine and to create. Like in the fictional Pacific Rim universe, someone is always trying to build the perfect beast. Yoshi has envisioned his as a monster; and he is dedicated to his Kaiju and the spirit it embodies. So who will build a “Jaeger” to save us all now?

Yoshi’s Dream

ESSENTIALS

2013 Scion FR-S 10 Series OWNER: Yoshi Nebril LOCATION: Las Vegas, NV CLUB AFFILIATION: Team Hybrid ENGINE: Toyota/Subaru 2.0L H-4 (FA20) Keep up with Yoshi on social media: @Project_Kaiju86

ENGINE ∂ Mishimoto (oil cooler, radiator hoses) ∂ AEM intake system EXHAUST ∂ GReddy Evo 3 cat-back exhaust system ∂ MXP front pipe CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Megan Racing EZ Street coilovers ∂ Camber bolts ∂ AEM front strut bar WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ WORK (Meister M1 3-pc. wheels – 18x9.5 -10 (f), 18x11 -15 (r), RS-R blue lug nuts) ∂ BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 tires – 235/40 R18 (f), 265/35 R18 (r) ∂ R1 Concepts (custom painted calipers, cross-drilled & slotted rotors) EXTERIOR ∂ CIA Customs Scion Ignition Silver paint job ∂ ML24 9-pc. widebody kit ∂ Tom’s taillights ∂ BeatSonic Blaid antenna ∂ OE-style rear diffuser ∂ Rays Factory custom GT wing w/ 5150 carbon wrap & powder-coat ∂ J-Blood carbon fiber window visors ∂ Custom painted fog light bezels ∂ RGB multi-color LED lights INTERIOR ∂ YoSpeed “86” center console plate ∂ Custom (blue vent bezels, blue climate knobs) ∂ Status GTX red carbon fiber seats ∂ Merrill Performance custom harness bar ∂ Takata 4-point racing harness ∂ Kendama Tribute custom shift knob MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Pioneer double-DIN head unit ∂ Sony Xplod amplifier ∂ RE Audio 10-inch subwoofer ∂ CIA Customs custom ported subwoofer enclosure SPONSORS ∂ Mishimoto, BFGoodrich, Meguiar’s, K&N, ML24, CIA Customs LV

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COMPETITIVE SPIRIT THE 20-YEAR-OLD DRIFTER WHOSE NAME YOU’LL WANT TO REMEMBER STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY CANTER

O

ne thing rings true with all professional athletes: they want to be the best at whatever sport they play. This is for sure the same ideology that Alec Hohnadell aspires to, as people all over know the young, 20-year-old Hohnadell is very quickly becoming one of the top professional drift drivers in the Formula Drift series.

Being a resident of Destin, Florida, there are tons of outdoor activities available nearly year round. Before his career in auto racing started back in 2012, Hohnadell was an international Jet Ski champion. He has won many

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awards from jet skiing, including being named the 2011 IJSBA (International Jet Sports Boating Association) World Champion, three-time APBA (American Power Boat Association) National Champion and two-time UWP (Upstate Watercraft Promotions, Inc.) National Champion. To top it off, he

has set numerous world records, including being the youngest racer in the world to earn an IJSBA and APBA Pro race license, which he did at age 14. He doesn’t only win in the water though. Before racing jet skis, he was racing motocross, earning two tristate championships and over 100 first place finishes.

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So, what does someone with this huge amount of talent do after winning on the water and on two wheels? He challenges himself to drive against some of the world’s best four-wheeled sideways racers.

Of course. Hohnadell went ahead

and got his Formula Drift pro license in 2013 and went under the radar, as do most rookies in a series that is jam-packed with big talent and huge personalities.

Alec exploded during the 2015 season though, coming into his

own and showing his crazy talent after joining forces with Get Nuts Labs, which is run by none other than Forrest Wang. Wang has arguably the biggest style in the series, and that has surely rubbed off on Hohandell. He even made it on the podium at round five in Monroe, Washington, in July. And, following the final round of the season at Irwindale, he managed to crack the top 10 of 40 competitors.

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COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

“GET NUTS LABORATORY IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, WORKED ON MAKING HOHNADELL’S CAR NOT ONLY RIGID, BUT SAFE.”

Hohnadell has figured out a very competitive combination for his professional ride: the ever-trusty 1995 Nissan 240SX S14 chassis and a LS3 V8 engine. To help push the 3,000-plus pound S14 around the track, the 408-cubicinch LS3 built by Galen Engine Services was privy to some power upgrades. To start, a Magnuson TVS 2300 supercharger was installed and mated to a huge Edelbrock throttle body. To help expel the hot gas, a set of Hooker long-tube headers and a custom oval exhaust were chosen. Getting the fuel from the tank through the engine, a Magna Fuel Pro Star EFI electric fuel pump and regulator and a set of 74

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Injector Dynamics ID-1000 fuel injectors were installed. Inside of the Trick Flow LS1 aluminum heads spin a set of Insane Power cams.

Rounding out the powerplant is a Holley ECU tuned by Mike Angel of Insane Power. After the tune, Angel was able to extract 887 horsepower and 845 lb-ft of torque using Ignite race fuel. Those figures are keeping in line with the most reliable power numbers that professional drift cars are making. You can make all the power you want, but if it’s not getting to the ground, it’s not good for anything. So a G-Force GSR dog box transmission was installed along with a set of axles from Driveshaft Shop.

Of course, there are lots of other important items on competitive drift cars, including the suspension and brakes. To tackle the stoppage duties in the S14 are Wilwood brakes, front and rear. In the rear, a dual caliper setup is there to help get more clamping force for the important purposes of locking and rotation. Stance Pro Comp 2 coilovers were installed to get Hohandell’s car sitting at the right height and have the right amount of travel to flick left and right. These are paired with a Wisefab angle kit that helps yield a ton of extra angle for those all-important style points.

Wheel selection is a huge part of each driver’s style, too. Hohnadell chooses to drive on a set of Cosmis XT 206R rims measuring 17 and 18 inches in the front and rear, respectively.

Wrapped around those Cosmis wheels are some Achilles Radial 123 tires — a set of 235/45 R17 do the steering while 265/35 R18s create some real nice clouds of shredded rubber.

One big advantage of the Nissan S14 chassis is that pretty much any engine you want to run

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ESSENTIALS

1995 Nissan 240SX (S14) DRIVER: Alec Hohnadell LOCATION: Miramar Beach, FL BUILT BY: Forrest Wang, Garret Nikolich ENGINE: Chevrolet 6.2L LS3 V8 HORSEPOWER: 887 hp TORQUE: 845 lb-ft Keep up with Alec on social media: @AlecHohnadell /Alec Hohnadell 11Racing.com

ENGINE ∂ Chevrolet 6.2L LS3 V8 engine swap ∂ Holley ECU tune ∂ Insane Power camshafts ∂ Trick Flow (LS1 aluminum heads, ported & polished) ∂ Edelbrock throttle body ∂ Ignite race fuel ∂ Injector Dynamics ID-1000 fuel injectors ∂ MagnaFuel Pro Star EFI fuel pump & regulator ∂ Magnuson TVS 2300 supercharger ∂ Eaton supercharger rotor EXHAUST ∂ Hooker long tube headers ∂ Custom oval-shaped exhaust system DRIVETRAIN ∂ G-Force GSR dog box transmission ∂ Driveshaft Shop axles CHASSIS/SUSPENSION ∂ Stance Pro Comp 2 coilovers ∂ Wisefab (angle kit, rear suspension kit) ∂ Custom 1.75-inch CDS roll cage WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Cosmis XT 206R wheels – 17-inch (f), 18-inch (r) ∂ Achilles 123 tires – 235/45 R17 (f), 265/35 R18 (r) ∂ Wilwood brakes – dual caliper (r)

in Formula D fits in there. The Get Nuts Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada, worked on making Hohnadell’s car not only rigid, but safe. There are no real body modifications to the car besides a Super Doof body kit and a Ray’s Factory wing.

To round out the rest of the body, Las Vegas Car Wraps put on a livery designed by Andrew Stewart from AWS Graphics.

In the cockpit, Alec holds onto a Grip Royal steering wheel while being firmly planted inside the car in Racetech seats with Takata race harnesses. The factory instrument cluster has been ditched for multiple Stack Pro-Control gauges, which feed Hohnadell all the important information about his vehicle.

Hohandell has proven he has what it takes in the water, on two wheels and now he’s crushing it on four. Can he keep his hard-charging spirit and stylish driving going to win a Formula Drift championship? Only time will tell, but this guy has all the makings of a champion, and it really is only a matter of time before we see his name in the headlines.

EXTERIOR ∂ Super Doof body kit ∂ Ray’s Factory wing ∂ Livery design by Andrew Stewart (AWS Graphics) ∂ Custom wrap by Las Vegas Car Wraps INTERIOR ∂ Racetech 4119HRW seats ∂ Takata Race SFI harnesses ∂ Grip Royal steering wheel ∂ Stack Pro-Control gauges ∂ Fire Sense SPA 4L electric Multi-Flo fire system

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COMPETITION Jacob's Drift

Facebook: /JacobLevetonDrift Website: www.jacobphoto.com

2015 FORMULA DRIFT

ENDOFSEASONAWARDS

BY JACOB LEVETON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB LEVETON & BRAD HODGIN

The seven-event battle amongst 40 of the top drivers in the world makes the Formula Drift Championship one of the most competitive drifting series' in the world. While the overall championship is the ultimate goal, many of the drivers are awarded for their accomplishments at the annual awards banquet. Here's a quick rundown of who took home what hardware:

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Masashi Yokoi

FD PRO 2 CHAMPION

Alex Heilbrunn T O P Q U A L I F I E R + B E S T TA N D E M W I N P E R C E N TA G E + M O S T TA N D E M W I N S

Fredric Aasbo

Fredric Aasbo completed an impressive triple crown at the Irwindale finale, winning the Formula Drift USA Championship, the Formula Drift World Championship as well as the event itself, which might be the final professional drifting event at Irwindale Speedway. Aasbo also won a trio of awards for being the driver who averaged the best qualifying position, the driver who won the most tandems, and the driver with the best tandem winning percentage. Most impressively, Aasbo ended Daigo Saito’s undefeated streak at Irwindale, finally handing Saito a tandem battle loss at Irwindale for the first time in Saito’s Formula Drift career.

There’s no doubting that Aaasbo was the best driver over the course of the season, and the plethora of awards proves that.

OEM MANUFACTURER’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Formula Drift’s Pro 2 class entered its second season with a roster that was a mix of Formula D Pro 2 drivers from last season, international entrants and Formula D Pro Am graduates. Alex Heilbrunn quickly emerged from the pack to dominate the first three events, winning two of three and taking second place in Seattle. Heilbrunn entered the final event with the championship already in the bag, but still earned a Top 8 finish. He looks poised to make an impact in the top Pro class next season, and we look forward to seeing how he fits into the grid.

HERE ARE THE DRIVERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WIN:

Scion

Scion won the OEM Manufacturer’s Championship for the second consecutive season, and did so in resounding fashion. Counting the top two drivers at each event who drove a car that was powered by an engine from the same manufacturer as the chassis, Scion earned an impressive 1,110 championship points over the course of the season, with the closest

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Masashi Yokoi entered the season coming off a pair of Formula Drift Japan podiums, winning the event at Fuji in July and coming in second to Aasbo at the December event in Okayama.

Building a twin 2JZ-powered S15 to use in Formula Drift USA, Yokoi took a few events to get used to the judging, but broke out with a Top 8 finish in Orlando and a Top 4 finish in New Jersey. After a dip in performance in Seattle, Yokoi took the overall event win in Texas and finished in 6th overall in the championship. We expect Yokoi to come back stronger next season now that he has dialed his car in and knows what to expect from the Formula Drift judges.

We think he could possibly compete for the championship.

manufacturer only holding 640 points using the same system.

Three different drivers in Scionbadged cars contributed to this accomplishment and, in total, Scion badged cars took home 11 trophies on the season including five of seven event wins.

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Long Beach, CA

Atlanta, GA

Orlando, FL

Wall, NJ

Seattle, WA

Dallas, TX

Irwindale, CA

Points Scored (Primary)

105

84

105

106

105

84

104

Driver Name

Aasbo

Gushi

Tuerck

Aasbo

Aasbo

Gushi

Aasbo

Points Scored (Secondary)

68

35

71

67

36

55

85

Driver Name

Tuerck

Aasbo

Gushi

Gushi

Gushi

Aasbo

Gushi

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COMPETITION Jacob's Drift HERE ARE THE DRIVERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WIN:

TIRE MANUFACTURER CHAMPIONSHIP

Hankook

For the third consecutive season, Hankook Tire claims the tire manufacturer championship. Much like Scion’s dominance in the OEM championship, Hankook earned 1,094 points, while the closest tire brand only earned 681 points using the same method. The top three drivers in the overall championship all used Hankook tires, and Hankook capped off the year by sweeping the final podium at Irwindale. Overall, Hankook took home 12 trophies on the season, including four event wins.

Long Beach, CA

Atlanta, GA

Orlando, FL

Wall, NJ

Seattle, WA

Dallas, TX

Irwindale, CA

Points Scored (Primary)

105

84

83

106

105

84

104

Driver Name

Aasbo

Gushi

Forsberg

Aasbo

Aasbo

Gushi

Aasbo

Points Scored (Secondary)

38

68

71

55

36

70

85

Driver Name

Forsberg

Forsberg

Gushi

Gushi

Gushi

Forsberg

Gushi

MOST IMPROVED DRIVER

Alec Hohnadell (Ranked 31st in 2014, Ranked 10th in 2015)

FAN FAVORITE CAR

FAN FAVORITE DRIVER

Although not the first Nissan GT-R in Formula Drift competition (Robbie Nishida competed in a Nissan GT-R in 2010), Saito’s GT-R was definitely one of the most impressive cars on grid all season. At times, Saito’s GT-R created walls of tire smoke that looked straight out of the SpyHunter video game. Unfortunately, the car didn’t have the best year mechanically, and his overall results suffered a bit. Looking beyond the gremlins, fans voted the car as their favorite, which is a title that many of the drivers hold close to their hearts.

“Mad” Mike’s return to the U.S. after a four-season hiatus was well received by the fans, and cheers for his name during Top 16 driver introductions were always among the loudest. Whiddett’s four-rotor Miata may be the smallest car on grid, yet it churned out incredible amounts of grip and tire smoke at every round. Whiddett’s outgoing personality is always a hit with the fans, and is a big reason for winning this award.

Daigo Saito’s Nissan GT-R

“Mad” Mike Whiddett

At the end of the 2014 season, Hohnadell looked like just another rookie who may have been in over his head by stepping directly into the Formula D Pro class after graduating from the Pro Am ranks. However, after joining the Get Nuts Labs team with Forrest Wang, Hohnadell drove on another level this season and was a tough competitor in all of his tandem battles. Hohnadell earned his first career podium in Seattle, and also had a pair of Top 8 appearances in Orlando and Texas. At 20-years-old, Hohnadell represents a new generation of drivers who are looking to unseat some of the veterans of the sport. Check out the full feature on page 72.

COMEBACK OF THE SEASON

Dean Kearney (Qualified 21st, finished 2nd in New Jersey) A stat-based award, this award goes to the driver who made the biggest improvement from his qualifying effort on Friday to the tandem competition on Saturday. By earning his second career Formula D podium in New Jersey, Kearney earned a Formula D award for the second consecutive season after earning the “Most Improved” award last season. At 14th, Kearney finished lower in the season standings compared to last season’s 10th overall finish, but he had some tough judging decisions go against him at times despite feeling like he could have won many of the matches. The ongoing joke is that if it weren’t for bad luck, the Irishman would have no luck at all. At least his luck held together for one event of the season!

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PASMAG

FEBRUARY

// MARCH

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