Apex Automotive Magazine Issue 8 Fall 2016 by Apex Automotive Magazine

2016 NISSAN 370 CONVERTIBLE REVIEW // SUPERCHARGED DODGE VIPER GTS

CNY’S PREMIER AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE // W W W. APEX AUTOMAG.COM // FALL 2016 ISSUE

FREE TAKE ONE

Meet Mark Dowsland’s 742 hp/592 ft. lb. of torque monster build

TWIN

TURBO INFINITI G35

1965 CORVETTE STINGRAY We check out a beautifully kept original Stingray at Nimey’s - The New Generation’s dealership

Managing Editor Kevin Crandall

A LETTER FROM OUR TEAM

Fall is here. The season all CNY car owners dread - as it means the close of another show season and a long break from enjoying the nice weather and the events that accompany it. With the weather about to turn, it bares the question - What will you be doing with your down time? Will you be turning to winter activities and putting the car scene on the shelf for a while? Or do you go into build mode and work in the garage on your ride for the next coming season? Perhaps a little of both? We at Apex plan on using the off-season as a way to catch our breathe and gear up for next season. We want to hear from the car clubs, the enthusiasts, the collectors, the performance shops, and everyone in between this winter to see what we can do to make our publication help serve the area’s automotive scene better. We welcome story suggestions from anywhere in Central New York, and for those that can be photographed inside, we’ll make every effort to follow up on them for inclusion in upcoming content. As you have likely noticed if you’ve been reading along, we are very open to all genres of vehicles to cover and are also really looking for fascinating stories to share. As we trudge into the winter months, we’ll be planning 2017’s content as well as our car show schedule (which events we’ll attend). If anyone has an event to add to our calendar please feel free to reach out to us at info@apexautomag.com. Suggestions for which to attend are also welcome. We’d like to take a moment to welcome and recognize Bob Sblendorio to our team. His help has been instrumental in keeping us moving forward as we push into our third year of publication. Remember that you can subscribe to Apex, to receive it at your home. This option has been popular for those that don’t want to venture out and find a copy. For those that do prefer to seek us out on the shelf, we are still distributing to 80+ CNY NAPA locations as well as a number of convenience stores, garages, and with most of our advertisers. If you are wondering where the closest dropoff location near you is, please feel free to contact us and we can point you in the right direction. Thanks again for your continued readership of our CNY based automotive magazine. We hope that you enjoy our coverage of the area’s best car related news and stories. — The Apex Automotive Magazine Team

Account Manager Matt Wilson Marketing Manager Bob Sblendorio

Advertising Sales Richard Aversa Creative Directors Justin Palmer, Marc Stress Director of Photography Chris Penree Photography Jordan Polizzi, Thomas Sblendorio, John Zachary Contributing Writers Justin Palmer, John Zachary, Bob Sblendorio, Marc Stress, David Sblendorio, John Cannizzaro Proofreaders Denise Crandall Website Damon Maldonado at MPW Marketing Proudly printed locally by Kenyon Press Inc. Advertise with us! Apex Automotive Magazine is the only publication of its kind in CNY. Each issue contains articles featuring custom builds, local car shows, area custom shops, auto enthusiasts, unique car stories, and everything else automotive.

We appreciate all of our amazing advertisers, without them this publication would not be possible. Please give them a chance to earn your patronage and tell them you saw them in Apex Automotive Magazine. To find out more about advertising in Apex, visit apexautomag.com or call 315.280.8305 Subscribe Today. Apex Automotive Magazine is published four times per year by Seven Horsepower Publishing, LLC. To subscribe, please send $10 to the below address. Magazines will be delivered via USPS. Apex Automotive Magazine PO Box 148 Clinton, NY 13323 We welcome feedback, story suggestions, reader contributions and anything else you might like to share with us. Send us a note to info@apexautomag.com. All contents copyright 2016, Apex Automotive Magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or republished without consent. Apex Automotive Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited submissions, photos, or artwork.

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REVIEW

2016 NISSAN 370Z We test drive this iconic Nissan to see how it’s aging. We were pleasantly surprised. by DAVID SBLENDORIO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

// FEATURES

012

A M ER ICA N MUSCL E

1997 DODGE VIPER GTS SUPERCHARGED When the owner of this awesome Viper felt like the stock 450hp just wasn’t cutting it, he added boost to up the venom in this bad snake. by JUSTIN PALMER

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C A R H I S T O RY

KEYSOR AUTOMOBILE WORKS At 29 years old, Jeff Keysor, owner of Keysor Automobile Works, is a wealth of information about Brass Era cars by BOB SBLENDORIO

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F E AT U R E D R I D E

VITAMIN G The Infinity G35 — known to automotive cognoscenti as the V35 is a well-known executive luxury car from Nissan Motor Car Company. by MARC STRESS

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AT T H E D R AG S T R I P

BUFFALO VS. SYRACUSE STREET OUTLAWS SHOOTOUT We visit ESTA, the site of the second ever Buffalo VS. Syracuse shootout. by JOHN ZACHARY

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D E TA I L J O H N N Y

GET YOUR RIDE READY FOR WINTER THE RIGHT WAY Detail Johnny gives the step-by-step process to perfect winter car care. by JOHN CANNIZZARO

R E STOMOD

LS POWERED 240Z This fairlady dropped its torquey in-line six cylinder for a powerful LS power-plant giving this little rocket more grunt and better reliability. by DAVID SBLENDORIO

READERS RIDES // LET’S SEE THOSE RIDES! EACH ISSUE WE SHOWCASE AREA RIDES SUBMITTED BY OUR READERS. THESE ARE THEIR PRIDE AND JOY AND WE’RE HELPING TO SHOW THEM OFF!

RON ROBINSON’S 2014 CAMARO ZL1 In short I bought this car in 2014 with a dual purpose. Street and strip abuse. I knew the the ZL1 had a great platform which was being used on the CTSV. Everything on this car was a upgrade from my 2012 Supercharged SS. First rounds of mods did not make the power I wanted, but after working with New Age Hotrods the car is really coming together. It’s by far the most reliable and well balanced car I have ever owned. I drive it to and from the track two hours each direction, that’s how reliable this car has been, and the trust I have in that shop. It was a work in progress last year but the first pass of this year went 10.94 @ 132.6 mph. My goal was 10 second car banging gears. What did it take to get there in a 4000+lb car? BTR stage 3 cam, 9.1 lower & 2.5 upper pulleys, ID 850 injectors, NW 102 throttle body, AFCO Heat exchanger, LT headers, Roto Fab CAI, and few more miscellaneous parts.

Do you have an awesome ride you want us to share? Email high-resolution, clear photos and a brief description about your vehicle to rides@apexautomag.com. Please include your name and hometown.

All of this issue’s Reader’s Rides features are getting 2 FREE Admission tickets to the North-

east Classic Car Museum! We want to thank the Museum for sponsoring this section with this great prize package. If you haven’t been there lately, go check it out!

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DAVE OLENY’S 2016 ULTRA CVO (CUSTOM VEHICLE OPERATIONS) In 2014 my most awesome wife bought me a ’14 Harley Ultra Limited Peace Officer Special Edition (POSE) for my birthday. (Did I mention how awesome she is?) In two years we put about 14,000 miles on it. This past April on my 50th birthday we had an appointment to drop it off at Utica Harley Davidson for a new rear tire and an oil change. Earlier in the day, Marcie Bartnicks, the marketing director at Utica

Harley Davidson, sent me a Facebook happy birthday message. She included a stock picture of the blue and silver 2016 Ultra CVO. The picture was stunning. Fast forward a few hours when we drove the ’14 there for service. We dropped the bike off and as usual we made the rounds in the dealership. Eventually we got to the section where the Ultra CVO’s were displayed. They happened to be directly in front of Bill Slater, the Sales Manager’s door. We were absolutely not in the market for a new bike. I had just gotten the ’14 out and polished up for the summer

and as usual had fallen in love with it all over again. Dana, my awesome wife, (did I mention how awesome she is?) was standing next to the Ultra CVO. I asked her to sit on it. Her reply was “we aren’t buying it”. She sat on it, looked around and turned to Bill, the Sales Manager, and said “make the numbers work”. At first I thought she was joking. After a minute I realized she wasn’t. In 2016 they made three different color CVO’s. They had a gray one and a red one on the floor. They did not have a blue one. Dana has a fairly strong dislike for the color blue on a vehicle. I absolutely loved the blue. We spent a while talking prices with Bill and then went home. At home we were talking about it. I really wanted the blue and was trying to figure out how to approach the subject of color. After a minute she told me that she couldn’t believe it, but the blue was her favorite too. Utica Harley Davidson was able to locate our new bike in Albany and quickly went and got it for us. Over the course of a very busy summer we were able to put almost 6,000 miles on it. I am not even considering putting it away for winter until the last possible minute before the coming snow and salt.

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DEALER SPONSORED TEST DRIVE // CARBONE NISSAN

2016 NISSAN 370Z New Vehicle Review

photography Chris Penree words David Sblendorio

Throughout its lifespan, the Nissan 370Z has been in a class with few competitors. Quite unfortunately, not many automakers produce reasonably priced rear-wheel drive sports cars anymore. The 370Z has been built and largely unchanged for seven years now, which may seem long for this segment, but considering the Nissan Z is the best-selling sports car of all time, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The test car we were graciously loaned by Carbone Nissan was a black convertible 6-speed manual. Upon first sitting down in the car it felt tight, but oddly roomy, which is something I’ve noticed — and loved — about different Z cars from the past. Even though the 370Z is just a small 2-seater, there are small areas behind the seats to put everyday items you may bring to and from work. As a taller person even, I really felt comfortable in this car. Overall, the interior was a pleasant place to be. The materials were all of good quality and finish, with some little touches I really enjoyed. My favorite is the small Z logo on the portion of glass between the seats; it’s backwards because it’s what you see when looking in the rear-view mirror. I also enjoyed driving with the windows down and the air conditioned seats on too. Now onto driving...initially the pedal travel to disengage the clutch felt a little high, but after a little driving it was a non-issue. Right away though I found something I really loved, which was the shifter. This is something the Japanese cars always seem to

in a sports car like this, but I found the 3.7 liter naturally aspirated V6 to be refreshing. Forced induction engines may do much have a leg up on versus their domestic rivals. better in the power and fuel efficiency The shifts were incredibly crisp and smooth, departments, but they also tend to lack a bit and I definitely found myself downshifting of character. This engine made me feel nosjust so I could up-shift and repeat. It also talgic as it actually had the same character has a feature which Nissan calls SynchroRof the stock engine that used to be in my ev match. What this does is automatically ‘96 300ZX. It’s rare that an engine rev-match the engine speed to THE Z HAS has the same overall feel as it did the transmission speed when years ago, just with a lot downshifting — meaning every GREAT GRIP twenty more power. The low rpm power downshift is silky smooth and AND SHARP and torque are good, and when it the car’s balance is never upset. I’m sure this feature would be CORNERING, gets up into the mid-range it really comes to life. It can rev out high really helpful in any sort of AND WOULD too, but is rather unnecessary in spirited driving since a bad normal driving. At high rpm, the downshift can really throw MAKE AN sound of the engine lets you know the car off. But on the street, ENJOYABLE it, and down low it’s as healthy as it made for really comfortable it comes. downshifts, almost like you DAILY The Z has great grip and were driving an automatic DRIVER. sharp cornering, and would make without any extra effort from an enjoyable daily driver sports the driver. Some may say the engine in the 370Z car. It has an old school feel, but with all the luxuries of a modern car. No one knows is a bit dated. Most manufacturers have what the future of the Z car will hold, but gone the way of turbocharging, especially let’s hope it stays true to its roots…long hood, short The shifts rear deck, six cylinders, were incrediand rear-wheel drive. The bly crisp and Z formula has been the smooth, and same for over 40 years and I definitely the 370Z made me happy found myself because none of that downshifting just so I could has changed. Thanks to up-shift and Carbone Nissan for letting repeat. us spend some time with this car! A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E // 0 7

WILD R RESTOMOD // LS POWERED 240z

T H I S FA I R L A DY D R OP P E D I T S T O R Q U E Y I N - L I N E SI X C Y L I N D E R F O R A P OW E R F U L L S P OW E R- P L A N T G I V I N G T H I S L I T T L E R O C K E T M OR E G RU N T A N D B E T T E R R E L IA B I L I T Y. 0 8 // A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E

DRICE photography Thomas Sblendorio words David Sblendorio

The Datsun 240Z was a real surprise when it was released back in 1969. Japan was not known for producing any sports cars at the time, so no one had guessed it would have such remarkable performance. Like any good reasonably priced sports car, people began to modify their 240Zs. The Z you’re looking at now is what David Palermo of Rochester decided his perfect car would be. David has owned this car since October of 1984 and it has gone through quite a few changes since then. The 240Z came stock with a 2.4 liter inline six and David made a few adjustments at the time, adding Weber downdraft carburetors, lowering springs, and painting it red. At that time, it was about being cool. After running his first track event at Texas World Speedway, David knew it was time for more power. The first step towards the horsepower goal was to swap the 2.4 for a 2.8 liter engine out of the later 280Z, called the L28. “When it ran well it was awesome” David says of the L28, which he also supercharged to add even more fun. But it proved problematic and just a bit of a headache. At a later time he was driving the car at an autocross event and right after the start of his first run of the day, the car would not rev over 3,000 rpm. It turns out a chunk of metal broke off somewhere behind the crankshaft pulley and ended up in the oil pan. It was a catastrophic failure, and like any car guy his first thought was, which engine next? There was the possibility of rebuilding a much stronger L28. Another idea was doing a Nissan RB series engine, the inline six turbo engines out of the Skyline/GT-R. While the RB is great at making power, they are a very expensive swap due in part to the fact they were never offered here in the US. There were a few people who had done V8 swaps on the 240Z as well, but like the RB, they were all iron block engines. David does a lot of track events and the idea of adding more weight just didn’t make sense when choosing an engine. In 2003 though, David discovered Hybridz.org, a forum dedicated to engine swaps in Nissan Z cars. This forum led to the discovery of a few guys who had successfully swapped the new generation General Motors V8 into their cars. This engine is the now famous LS1, an engine known for being relatively cheap, super lightweight with its cam in block design and aluminum block, and makes tremendous power. At the time LS swaps were not as popular since it was a brand new engine. So after a long time searching, David came

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After about a year’s worth of work, the LS1 was in the 240Z’s engine bay for the first time.

across a 2001 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 with only 20,000 miles on the clock that had been crashed in Iowa. It appeared to be an ideal donor car for the swap. Now it’s not easy for someone in Rochester to go look at a car for sale in Iowa, but amazingly David had a friend, Aaron, who was out in Iowa. “I called Aaron and said, ‘how close is this car to you?’ Twenty minutes later he called back and said, ‘I’m at the guy’s house; what do you want to know?’” Needless to say a deal was struck and Aaron, who was headed to NY the following weekend, towed the car home, and the engine and transmission were promptly removed from the Trans Am. The rest of its life has been spent in a Datsun. After about a year’s worth of work, the LS1 was in the 240Z’s engine bay for the first time. A lot of the help is credited to David’s son, Alan, who was 10 years old at the time. There is a lot of work involved to make a modern V8 work in an old Datsun. The engine went in and out four times before he was happy with the way everything fit. One of the more challenging tasks was getting the fuel and brake lines set up. David says he spent a lot of time and money to get them set up the way he preferred, but that was one of the final tasks. After installing the engine for the last time, Alan saw something leaking from under the car. It ended up being the clutch slave cylinder, so the transmission came out one more time for that repair, but that was the end of messing around to get everything to work. A man named Mike from New Era Performance tuned the engine’s computer to get the car running, and the rest was history. The Z now has over 25,000 miles on it since completing the swap and has proved to be reliable and incredibly fun. As far as performance goes, the car makes 350 horsepower and 360 ft. lbs. of torque to the wheels and weighs a miniscule 2,850 lbs. with

David in it. The engine is almost entirely stock with the exception of a few choice reliability modifications, but the rest of the car is well set up to be as enjoyable as possible on track. It has all the suspension, brake, and chassis upgrades you’d expect on a track car, but also runs on street tires, not super grippy performance tires all the time. That way, David can drive to his track of choice, set tire pressures, and make adjustments to the shocks, and then when he’s done posting lap times faster than cars that cost twice as much, he can drive it back home. The car never skips a beat either. AS FAR AS PERNow David is a rather humble man, but I can assure you that after a short ride FORMANCE GOES, in the car that it is absolutely savage. The THE CAR MAKES LS1 has fantastic torque at any rpm and in such a light car it really is amazing. You’d 350 HORSEPOWER think the engine was made for this car if it AND 360 FT. LBS. wasn’t for the fact that manufacturers try to make cars that are “controllable” and OF TORQUE TO “easy to drive”. David has spent a lot of THE WHEELS AND time perfecting his driving in his 240Z and I’m sure no one else can just hop in and WEIGHS A MINISdrive it the way he can. It’s his ideal car. CULE 2,850 LBS. Nowadays doing the LS series engine WITH DAVID IN IT. swaps are widely popular in everything from old hot rods to Miatas. It’s a lot easier now since you can get these engines for next to nothing from junkyards, being that they came in almost every Chevy truck since the late 90s. But David was one of the pioneers. At a time when an engine swap of this magnitude was just a crazy dream for most people, he made it a reality. Even though it was completed over 10 years ago, this is a car anyone looking to do an LS swap can be inspired by today. In David’s words, “light, fast, agile, affordable, and unique”. It sounds like the perfect car to me. A P E X A U T O M O T I V E M A G A Z I N E // 0 11

W H E N G R E G G F I NA L LY G O T H I S HA N D S O N T H I S A M A Z I N G V I P E R G T S , T H E ST O C K P OW E R WA SN â&#x20AC;&#x2122; T G O I N G TO C U T I T.

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AMERICAN MUSCLE // 1997 DODGE VIPER GTS

SNAKE photography Thomas Sblendorio words Justin Palmer

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For many the stock 450 hp V10 would be enough, but this boosted snake is making 700 RWHP.

Gregg Sternfeld gained his love for cars at a “Driving the Viper is definitely an expeyoung age from his father who loved muscle rience every car guy should experience once. cars and at one time owned a 1962 Corvette. You literally feel like you’re in a race car His pops has owned all sorts of cars cockpit. Tall people just don’t fit in it at all. including a 1987 Mustang GT, two Nissan It is loud and mean. Cornering is amazing 280zx’s, and a 1991 300zx. He currently with the super wide tires and low center of owns a fully built twin turbo Infiniti G35 gravity. Boost is instant as soon as you start that puts down around 600 RWHP. due to blower being a top mount unit rather Although his than off to the side. I love G35 is fast, Gregg the power the car produces always lusted for a and the looks I get while Dodge Viper and he driving it. I see people “I LOVE GOING eventually obtained pointing at it and get tons of TO SHOWS AND one. Specifically, a thumbs up. My passengers MEETS AND POP1997 GTS wearing literally are pinned against the iconic blue with the seat when I get on it PING THE HOOD white stripe war paint. I think most of us think of a blue Viper with from all the torque the V10 AND WATCHING white stripes when the word ‘Viper’ comes up. It’s a stunning comsupercharged motor. The bination that even all these years later has stood the test of time. “I only thing I do not love is I EVERYONE TAKE love going to shows and meets and popping the hood and watching stink like fuel every time I PICTURES. YOU everyone take pictures. You really don’t see this type of car that often.” get out of it.” said Gregg. said Gregg. Gregg plans on upgradREALLY DON’T SEE Now that he finally had obtained his dream ride, he wasn’t ing the fuel management THIS TYPE OF CAR satisfied with its stock 450hp V10. Although for most of us that is system so he can data log still a respectable power figure, by today’s standards, this is no longer and easily adjust the tune THAT OFTEN.” supercar territory. To help the beastly V10 make modern supercar for more options. Right power Gregg added a ROE supercharger with meth injection, roller now he is running a Vec2 rockers, upgraded pushrods, larger throttle bodies, cold air intake and plans on upgrading to a and a full exhaust to boost power to a staggering 700 RWHP and 800 WTQ. SCT system. He also plans on a ROE intake To take all the punishment of this upgraded V10 the beast got a McLeod twin disc that allows much more airflow. Other than clutch, Unitrak half axles, drive shaft loop, roll cage, fully built and fortified transmission, BC these small adjustments Greg loves his Viper coilovers, and of course bigger brakes to slow this rocket ship down. and plans on always keeping it. A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E // 015

So what are Brass Era cars? They are pre-1916 cars, and working on them is the focus of Jeff ’s business. Growing up, he always had an interest in older cars and it became his passion—and now his business. Jeff purchased the business in September of 2015, with the plan to continue in much the same manner as the previous owner, servicing many of the same customers that have been coming in for years. The transition was unique, because, as Jeff said, “there are not many young guys interested in this type of business.” To hone his skills and knowledge, Jeff went to McPherson College, in McPherson, Kansas. He graduated with a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Business, with an emphasis in Automotive Restoration Technology. Jeff explained that McPherson College is unique because it is the only college to offer a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Automotive Restoration Technology. Jeff said, “the program included a lot 016 // A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E

of hands-on in areas like: upholstery, body & paint, woodworking, powertrain and engine rebuilding.” Jeff is a member of the Horseless Carriage Club of America (HCCA), an association anyone can join, however, to have a car registered with the HCCA it must be pre-1916. From the HCCA website: “[The HCCA] represents the dawning of the age of the automobile industry. This unique period of automotive history covers the turn of the century to the end of carriage coachwork, gas lights, hand cranking and profuse use of brass. For the most part, only the wealthy owned automobiles during this pre-1916 era, and ownership required a pioneering spirit, inventiveness and superior mechanical ability to keep these early automobiles functioning. These early automobiles were called horseless carriages as they were capable of

Keysor Automobile Works

photography Thomas Sblendorio words Bob Sblendorio

AT 2 9 Y E A R S OL D, J E F F K E YS OR , OW N E R OF K E YS OR AU TOM OB I L E WO R K S , I S A W E A LT H OF I N F OR M AT ION A B OU T BRASS ERA CARS.

transporting people and freight faster and longer distance without the need of a horse to pull them.” The HCCA affiliation affords its members many benefits, including the ability to network with other members. This has proven to be a large asset to Keysor Automobile Works. Recently, Jeff explained, he needed a very hard to find part for a Cadillac. He wound up talking to a fellow member who happened to have three in his inventory. After some discussion, Jeff was grateful he was willing to sell one. In general, parts are a cherished commodity among car enthusiasts, especially owners of cars in this era. Jeff also explained how fellow members help each other out; for example, when a part is needed and must be copied from another member’s car, it is customary to fabricate an extra part and offer it to the member who made the accommodation.

In addition to pre-1916, Keysor’s shop also works on cars from the Nickel Era, which is from 1916 up to roughly 1929. The “Gilded Age” had come to a conclusion and was replaced with the Great Depression. The use of nickel plating for many of the interior accessories, hubcaps, bumpers and trim pieces was starting to be replaced with chrome. The engines in the early nineteenth century (1905-1909) were one or two cylinders with horsepower that ranged from 7 to12. The 2-cylinder engines were opposed cylinder and had much less vibration compared to the single cylinder engine. By 1909, mostly in the higher end cars like the Packard and Pierce-Arrow, there were 4 and 6 cylinder engines available with horsepower as high as 66. Jeff explained that the earliest cars had hand cranks to get the engines started, which were often difficult to operate and dangerous. A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E // 017

The hand cranks were connected directly to the crankshaft—and if the ignition timing was off—could kick back and cause injury to the operator. The most difficult engines to get started were the Ford Model-Ts and tractors. In 1912, Cadillac introduced the electric starter, and by 1920 most cars included electric starters—making things a whole lot safer. The wheels, in the Brass Era, were either wooden spoke or thin metal spoke, according to Jeff. Typically, if they were painted, they were a wooden spoke wheel. The tires were pneumatic, except in the case of trucks, which had solid tires. While in the shop and looking around at the many cars in various states of repair or restoration, one of the distinctive features is the light fixtures…many with very ornate designs. Jeff explained the lamps were powered with acetylene gas; and there were two basic fuel delivery systems. One system consisted of a pressurized tank filled with acetylene gas, which then was piped to the individual lamps. The other system had an acetylene generator, in which water would slowly drip onto calcium carbide crystals, creating acetylene gas, and again piped to the lamps. The lamp enclosures had reflectors that improved the brightness of the burning acetylene flame, which had to be lit with a match to get them going. Eventually, some cars were equipped with an auto-spark system, allowing drivers to operate the lamps remotely. It wasn’t until about 19121913 when electric lights started to become common. One of Jeff ’s personal Brass Era cars is a 1911 Hupmobile, Model 20 Touring car, of 018 // A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E

which there are only 6 left that are known to exist. There are many more 2-seat Runabouts, but the 4-seat Touring is much rarer. Originally built to compete with the popular Ford Model T, it was priced a little lower to gain more market share. It has a 4-cylinder engine with 18 hp and is capable of getting up to 30 mph. The transmission is a 2-speed planetary gear type. The steering is a rackand-pinion, which makes for tight and responsive steering. When Jeff purchased the car, it hadn’t run in 40 years, but with some work, he was able to get it running again. The Hupp Motor Car Company was in business building cars for about 30 years and like many other companies fell victim to the Great Depression. The Brass Era cars are a fascinating look into the past, especially in the context of how far technology has evolved. According to Fred H. Colvin (1867–1965), a noted automotive journalist and editor of the time, “. . . the early ‘craze’ for horseless carriages caused automobile plants to spring up like mushroom growths all over the country. . . As late as 1917, there were 127 different makes of American automobiles on the market, as compared with little more than a dozen in 1947.” For the future, Jeff ’s business will continue to focus on the Brass Era cars, with continued expansion into the Nickel and later era cars as well. His customer base comes mostly from the Northeast. It was a real thrill to visit Keysor Automobile Works with my sons, Thomas, a photographer, and David, an automotive tech…and both avid car enthusiasts. Talking with Jeff about his business and seeing the antique cars that he works on and restores puts in perspective just how far automotive technology has advanced. It never ceases to amaze me the breadth of cars and shops that exist in our backyard, here in CNY!

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T H E I N F I N I T Y G 3 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; K N OW N T O AU T OM O T I V E C O G N O S C E N T I A S T H E V 3 5 I S A W E L L - K N OW N E X E C U T I V E LU X U RY C A R F R OM N I S S A N M O T OR C A R C OM PA N Y. photography Chris Penree words Marc Stress

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Central New York’s Only Authorized APR Tuning and Dinan Service Center

We specialize in servicing all current and classic BMW and Audis including M-Series and S-Series cars with a level of customer service you won’t find at any dealer. Services include: Factory-level Diagnostics • Performance Dinan Modifications • APR Tuning • Pre Purchase Inspections (PPI)

E. Taft Road North Syracuse • www.cantechautomotive.com • (315) 452-1168

“I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD WHEN I STARTED BUILDING 1:24 MODEL CARS AND HELPING MY DAD CHANGE THE OIL IN THE FAMILY CAR.”

Based on the Nissan FM platform, this high-end Nissan shares architecture other popular vehicles including with the Nissan 350Z and Skyline sports car and Infiniti FX crossover SUV. Nissan is well known for making strong factory power plants, making the G35 fun to drive right out of the showroom. The VQ35DE V6 engine developing more than 280 hp with ~250 ft. lb. torque coming on low on the tach. A lightweight rear-wheel drive car like this makes it hard to keep your foot out of the throttle always tapping into that power and torque. Sometimes however, enough, isn’t enough. Enter Mark Dowsland and his 2005 Infinity G35. Like many of us, Mark’s interest in all things automotive began at an early age. “I was about 10 years old when I started building 1:24 model cars and helping my dad change the oil in the family car.” Mark set out to find a vehicle on a rear wheel drive platform that had opportunity for modification. Mark told Apex Magazine in an interview that he wanted something different than Ford or Mopar cars. While the GTO from GM was still a viable option — before Pontiac was shuttered— Mark didn’t care for the styling that Detroit put on the package. While shopping for a car project, Mark nearly purchased a 35th Anniversary 350Z. In his research about this car he learned about the heritage that connected the 350Z to the G35 and the FM platform. In Nissan parlance, FM means front midship. This design approach locates the engine toward the rear of the engine bay which

in turn improves the weight distribution and ultimately, handling of the vehicle. This configuration allows engineers to achieve a 52% front, 48% rear weight distribution. This front/rear balance gives the vehicle confident turn-in characteristics and solid steering feel. At speed, aerodynamic downforce helps the car stick to the road and keeps handling consistent. Mark comes to an understanding of cars from not just his early A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E // 0 2 5

model building, but at industry posts including being a mechanic at the former Dey Chevrolet in Clinton, NY. Mark attributes his mechanical aptitude largely from hands-on experience and taking things apart. That certainly helped out with the G35. The original goal for this car was to modify the suspension and add forced induction for more power. Once he started on this path, Mark developed a new goal: to make lots of power in this polished package. Horsepower is something he’s no stranger to. For about 10 years beginning in the late 1990’s, Mark spent quite a bit of time around the ¼ mile at regional strips including ESTA, Lebanon Valley, and Empire Dragway. His drag was car a 1974 Monte Carlo with a 540 big block, generating horsepower in the 700 range. This car was was good for 11.02 quarters at 126MPH across the line. Being around this kind of power is infectious but not something common on the streets. Eventually, Mark would change this. The more Mark learned about the G35 platform, the more he realized there was a lot of potential lurking in the 3.5 liter mill. Mark set out to find it. Naturally, he took it apart. After disassembling the V6, Mark carefully built it back to levels beyond what Infinity had written in their sales material. Starting with Wiseco forged pistons allow for an 8.8:1 compression. Connecting rods are from Eagle using the stock forged crank and an ATI balancer. Every rotating component assembly has been balanced to minimize power robbing harmonics. To keep internal engine air flowing smoothly through combustion and exhaust, Mark has performed some mild port blending and gasket matching of heads. Valve operation is controlled by a Jim Wolf C8R cams and valve springs. Factory engine management has been upgraded with a Haltech Platinum Pro Plugin unit with Boost Controller. Forced induction was sourced from

Sound Performance SP350 Twin Turbo kit upgraded with Precision 58mm ceramic bearing. Even the upgrades have upgrades. The list of internal engine mods alone reads like a performance parts catalog. These parts— and all of this work— didn’t come together easily or quickly. The car that we see today was a work-in-progress for three years while driving the car in the summer, performing the updates in the cold season. Driving the car, disassembling the engine, adding new parts, driving again in summers, disassembling… Each season adding to the timeline and requiring great patience and focus to reach the goal. Each time Mark pulled the car into the garage for the winter, wrenches were flying making provisions for adding more and more power. While the power goals kept growing and increasing, Mark was fixed on making sure that power was accessible with pump gas. After those 36 months had passed, Mark was finally feeling satisfied that he’d built something unique, something powerful, but he was really just guessing about numbers. Was he in the 500 hp range? 550 hp? He knew that feeling of being pressed deeply into the driver’s seat when his foot was on the throttle from his drag racing days, but the facts were still elusive. Mark drove the G35 to Louisville, KY to connect with the team at Dynosty to get the answer. The answer shocked everyone — even Mark, who specified the build. This G35 ran well above 600 hp at the wheel. The official Dynosty measure is 742 hp at the wheels and 592 ft. lb. of torque. These figures crush the OEM performance by a factor greater than 2.5, and that’s on pump gas with a car that’s driven daily. Today, you’ll see Mark around the regional car show circuit. He even spent the day with Apex Magazine at the 2016 Street Scene sharing this unassuming executive HP monster for all to see, and learn what he did, and what he wants to do. Mark thinks his next move with the G35 will be a tune for E85 gas. You know, for the environment.

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FEATURED DEALER // NIMEY’S - THE NEW GENERATION

SOMETHING OLD //

SOMETHING NEW T H E R E’ S N O T H I N G M OR E T E M P T I N G T HA N A R A R E A N D B E AU T I F U L T H I N G , A N D W H E N ON E OF OU R A DV E RT I SE R S T OL D U S A B O U T T H E I R “G E M” – A B E AU T I F U L LY K E P T OR IG I NA L 1 9 6 5 C ORV E T T E ST I N G R AY – T H E Y T E M P T E D U S TO TA K E A V I SI T A N D SE E W HAT A L L T H E F U S S I S A B O U T.

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There’s nothing more tempting than a rare and beautiful thing, and when one of our advertisers told us about their “gem” – a beautifully kept original 1965 Corvette Stingray – they tempted us to take a visit and see what all the fuss is about. Nimey’s - The New Generation, is a large pre-owned auto dealer located on Dwyer Avenue on the east side of Utica. When I arrived I was a little surprised with how nice this auto dealership looked. The well-kept lot was spacious with more than a hundred late-model vehicles with a good-size building at the center, welcoming me in to take a look at what was inside. I met with the owner, Matt Nimey,

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and we talked a little about what made Nimey’s special – while the light-blue Corvette I could see out of the corner of my eye distracted me. Nimey’s has been an East Utica staple since Joe Nimey, Matt’s grandfather, hung a shingle in 1964. Starting out as a repair shop, it quickly grew a reputation for doing the job right and getting to the bottom of problems. Joe and his son, Rich, had the philosophy never to be “part replacers” but instead to identify the source of the problem and fix it. This “flip the hood and figure it out” mentality wasn’t lost on Matt who took the helm of the shop in 1999. Matt Nimey,

also a trained mechanic, was fastidious in his approach to repair and brought the same “do it right or don’t do it at all” mentality to prepping vehicles for sale. Nimey’s quickly outgrew its corner lot location on Bleeker and Culver and moved to a much larger lot a few hundred yards down the street on the corner of Culver and Dwyer. With a shiny new building it was time to show off the shiny old gem – Rich’s 1965 396 Corvette Stingray. The car sits pride-of-place in the center of the showroom. “It hasn’t been driven more than 100 miles in the last 20 years,” Matt

confessed. As much fun as it would be to put 425hp to the road all summer long, the vehicle has become a rare original. With the exception of new paint about 10 years after it was purchased and fitted a side exhaust that Rich fitted with original GM parts, this car is original. The exhaust was an option when the Stingray was available in the showroom and certainly a welcome addition to this vehicle. “The steering wheel, the leather, the carpets, the shifter, the transmission, the engine – it’s all original,” Rich was proud to share. Back in the day he apparently terrorized other fast cars in the area at the 1/8th mile drag strip at Utica-Rome Speedway. “I was told that

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he’d race anyone, anytime,” Matt volunteered, and I can imagine why. Apparently the car put down an 8.7 second 1/8th mile in Richard Nimey’s hands and the internet tells me the car would put down a 14.1 second ¼ mile back in the day on stock rubber! The 1965 396 Stingray with the special L78 engine was one of the fastest production cars at the time. It was rated at 425 hp, but Rich told me that other Stingrays have showed closer to 450 hp on the dyno. The 396 “Turbo Jet” was $556.65 over the base $4,321.00 price of a standard Coupe and was offered in 1965 only. The L78 engine required extra clearance on the hood and they were fitted with a “power blister” scoop specific to this engine. The engine itself was a feat of engineering and it was the high “state-of-tune” that made it so powerful. It had a bigger block, larger main bearing and rod journals, aircraft quality rod bolt heads reinforcing the high stress areas in the crankshaft assembly. The intake and exhaust valves are tilted away from each other to improve induction and exhausting, creating the expression “porcupine heads” and were responsible for extracting more than 1 hp per cubic-inch from the L78 396. Included with the engine package was heavier front coil springs, larger stabilizers, and better rear suspension mounts. Of the total 8,186 Corvette Coupes produced in 1965, 618 were equipped with the 396 L78 motor. Given how many of these super-cars were raced hard, finding a good condition, original 396 can be a challenge and they can sell north of $100,000 when in original mint condition. Not that Rich or Matt have any interest in selling this one. “There are hundreds of cars to choose from here, but only one that’s not for sale,” joked Matt. Apparently every week someone asks how much they want for their pride and joy. While they won’t sell you a beautifully maintained and prepped Stingray, they do offer that care and attention with every one of their vehicles, according to Matt Nimey. “We care about the cars we sell. While other dealers focus on making money on each car by keeping the prep costs low, we believe that success will come from having a satisfied customer long-term,” Matt proudly offered. It’s important to Nimey that the tires are good quality, and not cheap rubber, and that the replacement parts like brakes and rotors are original equipment and not cheap aftermarket. They love to buy vehicles that have a history of being reliable. This was evidenced by a good amount of Honda and Toyota vehicles on the lot. Their commitment to proper repair and vehicle prep is a big part of who they are and they have 14 repair bays active six days a week. Perhaps this is what happens when you buy, prep and sell cars like a mechanic... and when you put as much care and attention into the vehicles you sell as your father and grandfather did when they built the business all those years ago. Matt Nimey believes there’s a different way to grow an auto dealership and that’s why they call it “The New Generation.” It’s a new approach to breathing life into a good car and setting it free to its next generation of owner – and that’s an approach he believes will keep his customers coming back generation after generation. 0 3 2 // A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E

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BUFFALO VS.

SYRAC

E STA S A F E T Y PA R K DR AG ST R I P WA S T H E SI T E O F T H E SE C ON D EV E R BU F FA L O VS . SY R AC U SE S T R E E T SHO O TOU T. BU F FA L O’ S 8 FA ST E ST ST R E E T C A R S T R AV E L E D E A ST T O TA K E ON “ T H E S A LT C I T Y ’ S” 8 FA ST E ST ST R E E T OU T L AW C A R S . 0 3 4 // A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E

CUSE photography John Zachary words John Zachary

STREET OUTLAWS SHOOTOUT

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“EACH ROUND HAD GREAT MATCH UPS, GIVING THE FANS SOME GOOD SIDE BY SIDE DRAG RACING.”

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This event payed $5,000 to the winner of this 1/8th mile heads up (no time) race outlaw drag race. Each driver pulled a number out of a hat for their first round matchup. The first round would be heads up east vs. west. Two racers hauled all the way from Ohio to take on some of NY’s finest street cars. ESTA was packed with excited race fans for their last points race of the 2016 season. The Street Outlaw Shootout was a bonus for all of us in attendance. Two weeks ago was the original date for this showdown, but Mother Nature had other plans. The 16 car field had Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, Dodge Darts, and a Pontiac Trans Am. Turbos, nitrous, and pro chargers where the choice of these fast street cars. These cars are still considered street cars, but it is a big stretch. They have to have the original front sub frame on the cars, but after that these rockets are all race car. ESTA’s track crew did a great job preparing the surface for these high horsepower machines. MPH and ET’s were not displayed because it is a no time class, but I did hear that most of the cars were running the 1/8th in the mid to high 4’s at 150mph. After a couple practice runs the drivers were called to a drivers meeting to draw for 1st round. Each pair flipped for lane choice. I am not sure if there was an advantage in either lane, they both looked good to me. This event was pretty cool to watch because it was heads up racing. Bracket racing is great as well, but there is something about heads up, whoever get to the line first wins. There seemed to be a bit more excitement in the air when these competitors made their way to the lanes. Each round had great match ups, giving the fans some good side by side drag racing. But after a couple rounds they were down

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to four. The final four redrew for semi-final round match ups. Tow guys from the east would line up from two of the west fastest cars. Kevin Stevold from Ohio, brought his BAD orange 1968 Camaro to the line against Jamie Stanton from Canastota, NY in his perfect looking Gold 2002 Chevy Camaro. Both cars ran on nitrous and proved their worth in previous rounds. On the other side stood Ed McGuinn from Rochester, NY in his flat black 1980 Trans Am called the “The Grim Reaper”. In the other lane it was supposed to be John Bova from Camden, NY in his 1982 Chevy Camaro, but for an unknown reason John was not able to make it to the line for his semi-final run. This gave McGuinn a free test run before the final round. Strain and Stevold lined up in front of a full house for their semi-final round. Both racers did crowd pleasing burnouts and then backed up in their lane looking for the best place to set the huge tire tucked under a stock appearing body. Streams of nitrous raised up from under their hoods, making the crowd point and smile as they purged their nitrous oxide system. Both cars inched up to the line staging their machines for an epic battle. The tree dropped and the air filled with raw horsepower. Stevold left first with his ‘68 Camaro, but Stanton chased him down with his newer Chevy Camaro turning on the win light in the left lane.

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So the final was set Camaro vs. Pontiac, old vs. new. Both teams made final adjustments to their cars with a laptop and put fans under the cars to help cool them down from their semi-final runs. A little rain started to fall as the street outlaw cars made their way to the lanes. The sprinkle only lasted a minute, not affecting the track at all. Spectators crowded the starting line as soon as they heard the big mountain motors fire up. It was on, the no time Street Outlaw final round cars were in the water box. Both cars roasted the tire on their racing machines, filling the starting area with awesome white smoke. Again the nitrous sprayed up from the hood of the cars and the crew members guided their drivers back into the staging area. The Grim Reaper was in the right lane and the Gold Camaro was staged in the left lane. Both drivers turned on the standing lights and brought the RPM’s up for takeoff. The yellow lights dropped on the tree, and then the green and they launched out of the hole. McGuinn’s Pontiac left hard blowing the tires off it at the 60’ mark. Stanton’s very consistent Camaro drove by the Grim Reaper for the win and a $5,000 payday. I hope they do more of these events in the future. I will definitely be traveling next summer for some great no time Street Outlaw racing. I recommend visiting ESTA next year for some great drag racing from top notch local racers. Visit www. estadrags.com for results and 2017 schedule. We will see you at the track. A PE X AU TO M OT I V E M AG A Z I N E // 0 3 9

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THE 2016 WATERVILLE CRUISE-IN photography + words Justin Palmer The Waterville Cruise-In has been a favorite of mine sine I first discovered it 5 years ago. For some reason I always seem to see new cars that I haven’t seen at previous shows through-out the year locally (and I attend a TON of shows because of the magazine). With 200+ cars and trucks you’re sure to find something to drool over. Aside from the wide selection of cars there are tons of vendors on site selling merchandise and amazing local food. I always enjoy grabbing some Michael’s Restaurant greens and a Stewart’s milk shake to enjoy as I check out the show. There is even a small parade that comes through and live music playing. This is a great way to end the car show season and a must to attend if you ask me.

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