Driven World Feb 2015 Issue

Page 1

D RIVENWORLD

Feb 2015

After all...It’s a driven world!

DRIVENWORLD.COM

THE ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE

The Official Magazine of Supercar Sunday


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D RIVENWORLD

Contents

ISSUE 62, Feb 2015

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dustin Troyan

ART DIRECTOR

Connected Media Group LLC

COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group WEB DESIGN

Page 28

Jeff Balbien

STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Mark Llewellyn Halston Pitman Brooks Smith Tommy Mansuwan Jim Hunter Mark Process

Page 6

PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Grudt Jim Hunter Mark Process Tommy Mansuwan Dustin Troyan Halston Pitman Doug Yick

Advertising/Marketing: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com

818-516-5053 www.drivenworld.com www.connectedmediagroup.com www.supercarsunday.com Driven World Magazine is published twelve times per year by Connected Media Group LLC. It is distributed at upscale locations and events all over California. It is also available online and distributed electronically to high-net-worth individuals as well as members of the car community at large. All rights reserved. Driven World and Supercar Sunday are registered trademarks of Connected Media Group LLC. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or any other materials or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. Driven World Magazine and Connected Media Group LLC, do not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Connected Media Group LLC, Driven World Magazine, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for the errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. Connected Media Group LLC does not assume liability for any products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers or editorial information.

On the Cover: “Enzo on the Green� Photo: Greg Grudt www.exoticcarfotos.com


From the Editor The hunt. I am a hunter. Not in the conventional sense of hunting. I have actually never been hunting in that regard. Fishing, yes...but many people do not consider fishing hunting. I am a hunter of cars. I am a hunter of cars. It is all about the search. Currently I am searching for a specific vehicle for my wife. Her daily driver is just a tad small with the baby. And, I like to plan for the future, so I figure that if I can find the right vehicle, Ill have to take the shot. The right vehicle. Well, there is a conversation. You might think I am crazy when I tell you that we both want to get a 2000-2003 Ford Excursion 4x4 with the legendary 7.3L motor. Yeah, I know...What wife wants a used 4x4, mine does. We figure that whatever life throws at us this vehicle will be able to do it all. Whether it is taking the kid(s) to the beach, the snow or pulling a trailer, we have got it covered. And if we want to do a big trip, we can do it in a vehicle that has more than ample space as it seats nine people. The Excursion. Many of you might know that there is a cult following for Excursions, particularly if they are paired up with the 7.3L International Motor and the 4x4 driveline. A low mileage Excursion with this pairing can fetch $30,000.00. Now how is that for retaining value! The V10 and V8 gasoline motors are a dime a dozen and fall to the wayside. It is all about that 7.3L motor. I will often search Craigslist as I relax in the evening and watch television. Hunting and hunting. I like to hunt when it is close to home. I once found a 1967 Chevelle only a couple miles from my home, man that was an easy hunt. I am not a big fan of traveling for a car as I do not have a lot of free time. A few months back, the perfect vehicle became available but it was in San Diego. It was perfect! Set up exactly how I would have set it up. Full Banks Kit done at Banks, spotless and even the color I wanted. But, I could not get to San Diego in time to pick it up. Another buyer flew in from Texas to get it. Bought a one way ticket and drove it home. Damn, a better hunter than me. Well, to the victor goes the spoils. You know the golden rule...He with the gold makes the rules. Well, these 4x4 7.3L diesel Excursions are damn near “Unobtanium”, a very rare metal indeed. You can get them, but they are priced high. There are a couple of used car dealerships that specialize in used 7.3L trucks and Excursions. They are quick to strike and often you will see a vehicle that was on Craigslist for a day, re-listed on their site within twenty four hours for thousands more. They are a machine. I personally do not want to pay them the premium for out hunting me, so I have get a little better at hunting.

It has been about a year since I have started to look for this vehicle. It comes down to safety for my wife and kid as well as putting a baby seat in comfortably. Yes, I know that it is a huge vehicle, but, I like that. I like a lot of body armor around my family. If you have met my wife Heather, she is all of five-foot one inch tall and maybe one hundred pounds...It is going to be funny seeing such a small woman getting out of such a large vehicle. And, that is another thing, as a hunter, I want a specific prey. I want a single owner vehicle if possible as well as it being as close to stock as possible. The less somebody has “monkeyed” with it, the better. There have been a few lifted Excursions that have become available, but my wife would need a ladder to get into it. So, has to be stock height. Now, I have to tell you I am getting a little bit frustrated. Any good hunter will tell you that it is sometimes a waiting game, a game of patience (remember, I have never been hunting before). You have to track and wait, track and wait, not make noise, entice the prey and then take the shot. Well, I have been waiting and waiting and waiting. Where is this elusive diesel Excursion? So I think that I may have found the vehicle. It is a single owner, 2002 4x4 with the 7.3L motor. It does not have the leather interior I would like, nor the back-up sensors but, a good hunter knows, sometimes you have to strike when the opportunity presents itself. The vehicle is located in Yosemite. Great, with my current schedule, there is just about no way for me to go and get it. And, I would want to inspect it of course, prior to buying. The owner, a sixty-five year old man, is a gear head and has insured me that the car is in perfect condition and all fluids have been changed every 5,000 miles and he kept up on all filters, etc. etc. He is willing to meet me in Mojave which will be about 1.5 hour drive for me and 4.5 hour for him. So, it will be half day adventure if all goes right. So I am currently trying to find a hunting partner to go out there with me early tomorrow morning. The owner has since raised his price by $4,000.00 on Craigslist as he has been told that he was offering way under value. He has promised to keep it where it was for me as he is a man of his word, how refreshing. So, if all goes right, I will be heading out to Mojave at daybreak on a mission to bring home the kill. What you also have to understand is that this vehicle has 185,000 miles which would scare most people, but, for the diesel enthusiasts, if the motor is well kept, it is just getting broken in. In fact, if you walk up to a Diesel Ford Truck owner and ask what motor it has, that 7.3L motor

is like owning a sixties factory big block car or a V12 Ferrari. It is very desirable, in fact...They call it “Legendary”. So, the truck is located in Yosemite and I need to figure out how to get to it. Time is a big constraint for me. The gentleman who owns it, Steve, said that we would drive down to Lancaster and take the bus home. Wow! Since I can appreciate a man’s time and effort, I asked every question I could, ran the VIN and asked more questions. Hey, a 4-5 hour drive and a bus ride home, that is a lot of effort. As is Murphy’s law, it had to be Wednesday. So, I get on the phone and start calling friends, who could join me? After a couple calls, Jeff Littman of Century Specialized Towing came to the rescue. As he has owned many diesels over the years, it was just about perfect. A road trip! So we met up early and headed out to Lancaster. We were a bit ahead of schedule so we decided to surprise a mutual friend at 8am in the morning in Agua Ducle. That was pretty funny. Knock Knock...”what the hell are you doing here?” Off we went to meet Steve. When he turned up, he was as nice as he was on the phone. We walked around the Excursion and there are a few areas that need some attention, but, it is totally stock. I believe him that he maintained it as well as he said, he is just that sort of guy. The truck drove well, nothing leaked and the interior is like new, especially considering the Excursion is thirteen years old. Every car guys dream, to buy the right vehicle from the right owner. The carpet even looks new, score! Driving home, she drove like a champ. Steve said the Excursion was the Cadillac of the highway and he was right. Cruising along at seventy miles per hour getting twenty-miles per gallon, lookout! Legendary all right. The air blew cold, no rattles, the transmission shifted well, engine temps were cool and I was pleased. As I arrived home, my wife was ecstatic. I was ecstatic that she was fine with a thirteen year old 4x4 that is as big as a house and that can tow one too! She hopped in and I held the baby as she took it for a test drive. It fit like a glove. No more putting our poor daughter in a cramped pick-up truck. She has her own Sherman Tank. So, all in all I am quite pleased. I am hoping that I was in fact one hell of a hunter and I got the king of the jungle and she will run forever. I do have to have some paint work done and then off to Lavaggio for a proper detail, but...One less thing to do and...This beast is cool! Good hunting. Say, anyone want to by a used pick-up truck... Dustin


Leggenda e Passione Story and photos hy Jim Hunter

Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy, is one of Europe’s most developed regions. The capital, Bologna, is a vibrant hub of art and commerce, a popular venue for trade shows attracting businesses from around the world. Renowned for balsamic vinegar, Parmesan and Grana cheeses, ham and mortadella, Emilia-Romagna is widely considered the heart of Italy’s culinary heritage. It is also the heart of another Italian legacy . . . The ancient Etruscan city of Modena lies roughly center of the region and is known as the “Capital of Engines.” Maserati, Lamborghini, De Tomaso, Ducati, and Pagani, all noted Italian marques, are based in close proximity. The city, however, carries this distinction not for these manufacturers, but instead for one Modenese, and

for his contribution to automotive culture all over the world. Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena on February 18, 1898. He wanted to be a racing driver, and did drive briefly for Alfa Romeo before forming his Scuderia to race their automobiles in the 1930’s. By the time Ferrari later set up shop in nearby Maranello to manufacture hydraulic grinding machinery, it would soon become apparent just how important a role the region would play on the world’s automotive stage. The ensuing history of his storied marque is significant and fabled – folklore and legend. That story, however, would be nothing but for Ferrari’s approach to the marriage of man and machine. Criticized by those who believe he pushed his drivers to tempt danger, he pushed harder to produce invincible engines that won races. Motivated by the belief that “perfection does not exist, only the evolution towards it,” Ferrari understood that success in racing required one to sacrifice, without hesitation, everything. His marque is synonymous with Italy – rich in history, art, and passion. Ferrari is a star attraction, a

proudly celebrated jewel in the region’s economy and culture. Industry is vibrant, especially around Maranello and largely in service to the automaker’s expansive needs. Originally opened as the Galleria Ferrari in 1990, the Museo Maranello provides visitors to Emilia-Romagna an intimate glimpse into the iconic automobiles produced by the factory. The 2012 addition of the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in nearby Modena has expanded the museum’s scope now offering two distinct attractions under the single heading, Museo Ferrari. A first visit to the Museo Ferrari can be overwhelming. Chassis from every era grace the floor, where inspirited visitors will likely discover at least one car that they watched or dreamt of from afar at some point in their lives. Gerhard Berger’s F1-87, in which he led Ferrari’s 1-2 finish in the 1988 Italian Grand Prix at Monza scarcely a month after Enzo’s passing, is but one historically significant race chassis on display. Gilles Villeneuve’s personal 308 GTB and Luca di Montezemolo’s one-off 360 Barchetta are but two examples of historically unique and rare chassis highlighting the Maranello collection of legendary road cars. The newer Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari is situated on the northeast perimeter of Modena’s centro storico, and the “Future Systems” exhibition hall wraps Enzo’s birth home and his father’s workshop in stunning fashion. Beyond Museo Maranello’s broader presentation, this museum takes a deeper look into the man, his life, and his work ethic. The old workshop, the “Museo dei Mo-



tori Ferrari,” houses examples of Ferrari’s most significant milestones. A meticulously faithful replica of the very first car christened a Ferrari, the 125 S, is on display along with authentic chassis including the ’52 & ’53 World Championship winning F2 500 and the unusual twin engine 1935 Alfa Romeo Bimotore. The exhibition hall recently presented “Maserati 100: A Century of Pure Italian Luxury Sportscars,” an example of how not just Ferrari, but the whole of Modenese motor culture is embraced. Long associated with Ferrari under the umbrella of Fiat, Maserati’s fantastically unique automobiles complement Ferrari’s competition pedigree on the more luxurious side of sports and touring car construction. The central hall also offers a fantastic presentation chronicling Ferrari and his Scuderia. The biopic, projected in immersive multi-media technique, transcends language barriers and swells with the operatic grandeur that rarely leaves a dry eye in the house. Together, both museums celebrate the entirety of the Ferrari myth and nurture a deeper understanding of the man – keeping the spirit of this proud automaker alive through the results of his vision, determination, and the engineers and craftsmen who shared his ambition.


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Track Day at Thermal Club Sponsored by Sage Auto Lotus of the Desert

Story and Photos hy Mark Process

On Nov 24 the Sage Automotive Group opened the doors to it’s newest franchise - Lotus of the Desert at the Thermal Club racetrack located just east of Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. At this inaugural event, 32 motorsports fans were invited to spend a full day on the track with the opportunity to drive a race prepared Lotus Evora or Elise VR6 cup car. Situated in the shadows of the San Gorgornio Mountains, Thermal Club is a beautiful facility surrounded by a backdrop of stunning

scenery with the atmosphere of a high end vacation resort, this is not your typical racetrack. The weather that Saturday morning was clear and breezy with temperatures in the high 70’s, the perfect climate to strap on a helmet and climb into a race car. The day started with a light breakfast of croissants, muffins and coffee and the mandatory driver’s meeting to layout the format of the day’s activities and to inform all the participants of the driving regulations at Thermal Club. Following the driver’s meeting we were divided into 4 groups and

headed out to the track. The first drive of the day was a slalom style autocross course laid out with cones on the main parking lot timed with a pro-style lap timer. We had a choice of two Lotus Evoras, one being normally aspirated and the other supercharged. This was the perfect exercise to get familiar with the Lotus platform, a lot of tight corners and quick stop / start maneuvers demonstrated the balance and agility of these light mid-engine cars and their fast shifting IPS transmissions. Later we would all drive this course again to register our best lap time in competition for an unknown prize to be announced at the end of the day. The next course was the long track, 1.8 miles and 9 turns with two nice long straightaways of 1600 and 2500 feet. In this drive all participants were accompanied by an instructor, each participant would take two laps to learn the course, then take the driver’s seat for the remaining laps. The course also has 2 sharp hairpins so braking and cornering were quite demanding but the Evora showed no signs of brake fatigue or lack of grip. On the two long straights I was able to easily push past 130 without shifting to 6th gear, very impressive acceleration for the Evora’s compact 3.5 liter V6 engine. One of the really fun parts of this track is a series of three shallow turns configured in an “S”, similar to an F1 chicane. With apex markers and brake zones painted on the track, I was soon sliding through the “S” like a pro, what a rush! After 12


laps my blood was pumping full of adrenalin as we were waved in for the next group to take over. The third drive of the day was the short course, 1.2 miles 8 turns, featuring a nice 1400 ft straight and an amazing “carousel” style 220 degree sweeper with only one sharp hairpin, this course was much faster than the large track. Again accompanied by a seasoned race instructor I soon learned how to power through the sweeper and setup for the 4 turn complex that led to the long straight. The Evora handled all portions of this fast track easily giving the driver confidence to push the limits with predictable handling and braking, it only took a few laps to learn how to get around this tight circuit at a fast pace. On the last drive the two tracks were combined creating a course over 3.2 miles long. What was interesting about this configuration was some of the tactics learned driving the two tracks individually did not apply to this configuration as the corners at the crossover alleys were very different driving in and out through each of the separate circuits. This was yet another test of your driving skills as the extra distance and a total of 17 turns required twice as much time to learn the correct line, by far the biggest challenge

of the day. As an added attraction a Lotus F1 car driven by pro driver Didier Theys took a few laps around the short track during the lunch break. Watching this machine scream down the straightaway at full throttle was almost worth the price of admission itself. Not for the faint of heart, GP Experience brought a 3 seat Lotus F1 car and offered rides with Didier for an additional fee and an F1 driving simulator for those more inclined to experience an F1 car in a virtual environment. After the day at the track, the Sage Automotive Group hosted a cocktail party and a nice dinner for all the drivers and instructors at the La Quinta Resort hotel. We all had a chance

to mingle and talk with guest drivers Derick Hill and Tommy Kendall about our experiences on the track and driving Lotus sports cars. The Lotus F1 car used for the exhibition laps was brought in as the centerpiece for the dining room allowing everyone to inspect it up close and take a few photos. Oh, and the prize for the fastest autocross lap – a free ticket for the GP Experience F1 ridealong! This was truly a memorable day at Thermal Club, one which most of us will not soon forget, the track facilities and the hospitality at the venue were all first class. My thanks to Mike Sage, the Thermal Club, all the instructors and the people at the Sage Automotive Group who worked so hard to make this event a great success.


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Gut Check Story and Photos by Jim Hunter

Still shaking off the cobwebs from my pre-dawn drive, I walked over to the pit wall. One of the guys was on track early in his Porsche. The low, uninhibited sunlight raked across the desert landscape striking the hillside in such fashion as to accentuate every visible hue. The red car popped in the distance as it climbed to Willow’s Balcony before turning into the downward descent. The driver did not appear to be pushing very hard . . . the Porsche looked casual, almost timid. Granted, I’ve enjoyed intimate access to the pinnacle of motorsport the past couple of years. F1. The World Endurance Championship. The American Le Mans Series. Everything else, not the least being a road car – albeit a very fast road car – should seem slow, but I was smug. After a few laps the Porsche was back in the paddock. Others soon arrived, some with their cars on trailers. It was not long before the Porsche driver asked if I wanted to go for a ride. No hesitation. I strapped on a borrowed helmet and climbed in. No sweat. I’d ridden shotgun at Road Atlanta – at race pace – in a fully race prepped BMW. Given Road Atlanta’s elevation change, sweeping corners, and heavy braking, what could I possibly have to worry about? Sweet geezus, plenty. Was I ever in for a schooling in advanced breakfast management. Next thing I know we are drifting through Willow’s turn 2, the Porsche’s tail sliding as we kiss the very late apex. He pushes hard out of the corner on throttle, crossing to the outside as to not scrub momentum. A short blast before he tosses us into the uphill turn toward for the Balcony impossibly late and way too fast. I am grasping for an OMG bar while trying to keep my underwear and his nice

leather seats clean . . . how is this thing staying on the road? We crest, clip another late apex, and now he’s really on it downhill as the blood crashes into the pit of my stomach. He brakes hard, hard, on the right hand corner just before the off-camber left hander at the bottom and as the Porsche somehow tracks tight on exit – PHAWUUMP someone has found the throttle pedal again! We fly over a right hand crest accelerating all the way down the long back straight toward the seemingly endless sweeper which throws back onto the pit straight. As we complete the lap he tells me that was only at 75%. Seventy . . . five? Gulp. He asks if I’m ok because he’s about to start lapping flat out. Uh oh. “Oh yeah, sure, fine, go for it, no problems here.” For some reason I don’t think he believed me! Anyway, foot to the floor he proceeded to belt out two laps at pace. I had a couple of moments but eventually settled down enough that by the time we were making the final circuit I even learned a couple of things. For as

long as I have followed, photographed, pontificated, or written about motor sport . . . in one fleeting moment all of that “experience” was reduced to trivia. I’ve always understood motorsport as “book” knowledge, but to experience it even in such casual fashion, first hand, viscerally, is quite beyond description. You simply can not believe that the tires will hold, that the brakes can withstand the incredible heat, that the physics of nature will not insure your certain and untimely demise in a pile of twisted metal. Later on I had my own opportunity behind the wheel of a very nice car . . . an Audi R8. I had fun but did not push. Not exactly the right car for a beginner, if you know what I mean.


Golf Tips with Tommy Mansuwan

Game of Opposites

While taking a break during a ing at the target, swing the club Feel the shaft point to the right after Tuck the right elbow into the side of along your body line and out to practice session last week, I glance impact... your torso... over to the adjacent hole as a the right. For this drill, you never group begins to tee off on this want the shaft of the club pointparticular par 5. It is at this time ing down the target line or left of I notice one guy aiming his whole it. Keep everything pointing to body left into the trees looking the right of your target. like he is about to drill some birds If for some reason this isn’t out of their homes. Immediately I working for you, try adding two knew what his issue was and what more steps. Start with the closed the resulting shot was going to be. setup as mentioned above. Sure enough, he would hit one of Once you are ready, make your the biggest banana slices I had ever backswing by rotating your chest seen that started down the left and arms away from the ball. tree line and cut across the 40 yard After completing the backswing, fairway only to end up in the right initiate the downswing by tuckrough just shy of the out of bounds ing your right elbow into the fence. right side of your torso while to exaggerate the opposite movement. For this All too often I see this holding your chest back as long situation, you want to feel as if you are hitting a mistake being made. The golfer who hits the big as you can. Try this movement in slow motion a peel off slice becomes deathly afraid of the trouble draw shot and swing out to the right side. Yes, the few times to get the feeling before you make a real right side where the ball has been slicing to. By on the right side of the golf course. How does one swing. By holding the chest back, it will prevent doing so, you will create the opposite spin (right compensate? Aim left with a shut club face so the you from turning too soon and across the line to left) on the ball thereby hitting it straighter or ball will go straighter. Unfortunately, this is the creating the dreaded swipe. The tucked right elexact thing you do not want to do, as you will only with a slight draw. If that seems difficult to do, try bow should shallow out the swing plane and help this drill. promote more of the slice action. What amateurs direct the club head more to the right through Take your normal stance over the ball fail to understand is by attempting to aim left and impact. but move your right foot back one step. Now swing more left, they are actually imparting more With all this information, try each step align your shoulders to the direction of your feet. left to right spin across the ball resulting in a bigslowly and get comfortable before moving on. If At this point, your body should be pointing well ger slice. Remember, golf is a game of opposites. you attempt to do all this at once, you may feel right of your target. With your club face point In order to fix a specific action, attempt completely lost. Happy practicing!

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Car Culture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Mark Llewellyn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to Leon’s Transmissions’ Car Culture column! This month we will look at Drive-in theatres. The first drive-in theatre was opened Tuesday, June 6th, 1933 in Camden, New Jersey. The price of admission was $.25 cents per car plus $.25 cents per person. The Drive-in was the creation of Richard Hollingshead. He worked at his dad’s “Whiz Auto Products” store. Richard had a hankering to invent something that combined two of his favorite interests: cars and movies. Originally, sound was provided by large speakers mounted around the parking area. Later, in the 1940’s RCA developed smaller speakers that would hang on your car window. Further inventions were a clip that you would attach to your car antenna allowing sound to play through your car radio. This design accounted for many dead batteries at the end of the movie, and no doubt, a good excuse for teenagers to tell their parents as to why they were late. Soon the drive-in movie theater nickname “Passion Pit” was born! The 1950’s were the height of the drive-in’s popularity. Families could pack the car with kids in pajamas and mom didn’t need to get all dressed up, to enjoy a night out. The 1970’s saw the decline of the drive-in. Many became swap meets while others were torn down. The Automobile Club reported only 19 driveins in California showing movies in 2011. Many of us have fond memories of the neon-lit “Van Nuys Drive-in”, “The Reseda Drive-in”, and the “Winnetka 4 Drive-in”, located in Chatsworth.

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Car Guys...A Father and Son’s Passion I have known Doug Yick for over t w e n ty-five years, he and his father George are definitely car guys... Doug can fix just about anything on a car and when they went to restore their 1967 Fastback which they are the original owners of, I knew we had to include it in Driven World Magazine...

Who is the original owner of this car? My dad bought it for my mom brand new special ordered it from Galpin Ford. 302 V-8 4 speed with A/C What is your favorite memory in this car? When I was very young, my mom and I we driving home one rainy night. We hydroplaned on the freeway spun a 180! When we stopped she started it back up turned it around and kept driving like nothing happened. You and your dad are both car guys?

Yes, both at a early age. I don’t think there has been a car that I have had that I did not do something to it. Do you have any other notable cars? 1931 Ford Model A, 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 2001 Honda Civic Why did you decide to restore this car? My dad and I wanted get the car looking as good

as his ‘57. How much of the work did you do yourself? I do most. Even though I do not paint I helped take apart and put back together. Will your mother drive this car again? As long as she can work the clutch she will take it for a spin. Maybe a family cruise? If I put the Wilwood


Story and Photos by Greg Grudt

brakes on. My mom never liked how the brakes worked. They are 4 wheel drum. What is your goal with this Mustang? I want to be as if my dad customized it up for my mom as if she still drove it. What would you say to anyone wishing to restore a car? Patience don’t rush it. Don’t take short cuts and plan ahead. If you don’t know it, Google it. If your old school ask around. How did you get into cars? It started with auto shop at High School and my dad was into cars at an early age. He even did engine swaps from a straight 6 to Cadillac V-8. Any final thoughts? I would like to thank my dad. Without him none of this would be possible. Between his knowledge and support while I was working on my cars, he had the forethought to hold on to the Mustang and not sell it when they stopped driving the car. I would like to thank my mom for putting up with my loud stereo, loud exhaust and all the friends I made along the way that would either rev the engine, honk the horn or do a burn out.


Supercar Sunday For 2015 Supercar Sunday will again be presented by The Auto Gallery. This year’s Marque Schedule we are excited to be bringing you some fun Marque Days as well as a few surprises as the year goes on. You will have to check back with Driven World Magazine or SupercarSunday.com to keep up to speed. Please see the current Supercar Sunday Marque Schedule below and please note that we will be updating the calendar as the year rolls along. Also, if you have a suggestion please feel free to contact Dustin Troyan at: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com. As always, I would ask that if you are attending Supercar Sunday that you respect all of the rules of the road and Supercar Sunday. It is so very important that we illustrate to those around us how sophisticated the car community is and how we lead by example. It is our community, it is our job to do so. Many of you have been coming to Supercar Sunday for fourteen years...Something that I am very proud of. I do truly appreciate every single one of you who have helped to make this event what it has become and how you protect it as well. This event means so much to so many people. Thank you. If you are going to invite a friend, a club or a group, please take a moment and politely explain the rules of Supercar Sunday and how we all reflect on each other. Thank you! Looking forward to a wonderful 2015 Supercar Sunday season and of course please mark Sunday Dec. 6th on your Calendar for the 12th Annual Motor4Toys Charity Car Show and Toy Drive!

Supercar Sunday Marque Schedule

March 1 Ferrari Day April 5: Pre-1973 Muscle Cars May 3rd: Maserati June 7: McLaren July 5: Hot Rods July 19: Lamborghini Day Aug. 2nd: Corvette Sept. 6th: Porsche October 4th: Audi Nov. 1st: Pre-1970 European Cars Dec. 6: Motor4Toys

Introducing Lucas Bailey Kline The Car community would like to welcome Lucas Bailey Kline born to Randi and Jesse Kline of Coastline Motorsport in Woodland Hills. Lucas was born on January 14th, 2015 at 5:11pm. He was 6lbs 7oz. Many of you know Jesse from his years at Coastline Motorsport as well as Supercar Sunday as he is there every Sunday in the Coastline Booth. Now he has his youngest employee who undoubtedly will be at Supercar Sunday helping his daddy out in the Coastline Booth. From all of us...Best Wishes to the Kline Family!





That’s our Brooks by Brooks Smith

One of the most contentious questions facing sports car enthusiasts these days, is that of driving purity and interaction. The ever evolving array of driver aides fitted to new cars is both boon and bane, allowing a greater degree of safety and confidence, at the expense of a sense of involvement, and a reliance on one’s own skill. Newer systems are so transparent that a driver has little sense of where the line is between his or her own input, and that the of traction or stability controls. A fact that both enables greater expression by the driver, and casts greater doubt on the validity of the experience. If there’s one system that stands as emblematic of this controversy, it’s the transmission, and its journey from a purely mechanical system, requiring skilled input from the driver, to a massively complex electronic system, overseen by computers, and integrated with the rest of a modern car’s dynamic oversight. Operating the transmission in a sports car used to be akin to learning swordplay, or dance. The basic moves were easy enough to learn, but mastering the techniques took time, repetition; and instruction, and there were more complex moves, like the double-declutch, and heal-and-toe, that allowed for more complete expression of a car and driver’s dynamic repertoire. The evolution of a driver’s talent and skill set, could often be traced, by his or her ability to fully exploit this one piece of a cars powertrain. That has largely become ir-

relevant with the advent of computer control. For more than a century, the evolution of the sporting road car largely mirrored (with ever increasing lag time) developments in its racing brethren. This was broadly assumed to be a good thing. Despite the differing requirements of road and circuit use, many of the solutions of the track could be tweaked to yield innovations that bred more focused and rewarding sports cars. On the surface, the paddle-shift transmission would seem to throw this paradigm out of balance. But I’m not so sure. As I sit here writing this, it’s been exactly one day since Ford Motor Company pulled their huge reveal at the Detroit Auto Show, where the biggest news came in the form of a new Ford GT supercar. Honda (in the guise of Acura) revealed a new NSX. Interestingly, both of these are successors to what are widely considered to be pure, focused driver’s cars; the GT doubly so, as it’s a followon to 2003’s Ford GT, itself a tribute to the seminal GT40. Both feature powertrains that differ greatly from their predecessor’s, In place of the old car’s naturally aspirated V6, the NSX has a twin-turbo V6 and three electric motors. The GT arguably strays further from history, replacing the V8s of its namesakes, with a V6 carrying the Ecoboost tag. While the power sources of both cars are interesting, the fact that both cars feature only the option of paddle-shift transmissions is already causing consternation among gearhead friends and associates of mine. There was a time I would have been one of them, but at this point, it’s not like I expected anything else, and I’ve come to the point

where I think that, in the case of the Ford at least, a traditional three-pedal layout would have been a mistake. Ford has big plans for this car, and those plans require a modern gearbox. Those plans involve a return to Le Mans, for the 24 hour race. As mentioned, racing cars have used a paddle-shift boxes for decades. This is partly for the speed of the shift itself, a human has no way of matching a sequential or twin-clutch transmission in shit times. Perhaps more importantly though, it frees the driver from having to think about the mechanics of changing gear, and allows him or her to focus that mental energy on other driving tasks. This brings better car control, more situational awareness, and greater precision. All of these factors contribute to better, more repeatable lap times. Those factors translate to the road, not only in terms of safety, but also a more focused and exploitable driver’s car. It should allow drivers of limited skill (most of us, if we’re honest with ourselves) to get more out of a car, and better enjoy other aspects of the driving experience. Of course, I say this as a person who clings to a car from the early 70s, precisely because it has none of these factors. I’m certainly not trying to say that a traditional manual has no place, or that something isn’t lost with its passing. But I also don’t think it automatically (Poor choice of word perhaps.) makes the car or the drive worse, just different. Instead of simply dumbing down the driving experience, they contribute to the variety and diversity of the automotive hobby, and that is a good thing indeed.

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California Festival OF Speed Returns

Saturday and Sunday April 11-12, 2015 at Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California, The California Festival of Speed Returns! What is the California Festival of Speed: Only the largest Porsche and Supercar weekend gathering in the Southwest. There’ll be thousands of wonderful automobiles to see, hundreds of top vendors, dozens of gourmet food trucks, photo ops everywhere one turns, possible celebrity sightings, racing simulators, sports car races on the full ACS roval, a cool swap meet, fan-friendly parade laps right on the racetrack (in your own car during lunch hour), special parking “corrals”

by make and model, the opportunity to take a test drive in the hottest new Porsches, and (best of all) all sorts of great people who really know and love these incredible machines! And, there’s much more... Enthusiasts travel from all over the Southwest to participate in this amazing event! What does it cost? Admission both days is FREE (parking is only $10 per car for either or both days). That’s right, FREE! Now can you beat that? Should you attend? Of course you should! Whether you are a Porsche enthusiasts, German car enthusiasts or Supercar enthusiast,

there is something for everyone! The sound of these finely tuned machines on the oval is music to everyone’s ears! It is a chance of a lifetime! So...If you have no plans or if you have plans...Change them! The California Festival of Speed is only one weekend out of the year and you will be sorry if you missed it! For more information or to participate as a group or club feel free to visit our website at: www.zone8.org. We also invite you to visit our site for more information on the Porsche Club of America, Zone 8 Region. We love new members!


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Test The Waters Story and Photos By Halston Pitman

Yearly, teams and fans trek south to Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24 Hours, the race that kicks off the North American sports and prototype season. Before they can race they have to qualify and before they can qualify they have to practice. New cars are shaken down, while some are put together for their first running inside Daytona’s garages. Last year’s winners come

prepared to defend their championship titles. January’s “Roar Before the Rolex 24” provides critical pre-season track time for the teams of the Tudor United Sportscar Championship. The inaugural 2014 Tudor USCC edition of the Rolex 24 Hour was a huge event with a lot of hope for the future of sportscar racing in North America. The former IMSA Grand-Am series had

merged with the former American Le Mans Series and the grid was packed, stacked two and three deep into some pit stalls. The fans and series had much to look forward to, but things went sour rather quickly after some on-track incidents and officiating calls that depending on your stance proved questionable. 2014 is in the past, but what do we have on track for the upcoming 2015 Tudor


Championship? The grid size was reduced at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 as teams reduced their campaign from two cars to a single chassis, and with some of those teams only running in the North American Endurance Cup rounds of the championship. What will the 2015 season bring with the lower car counts? Will officiating be more on point? Will the on-track product suffer? Let’s preview the season across all classes with an update on the Roar Before the 24 weekend: Prototype – The top tier class remains for the most part unchanged, barring a few teams changing cars, manufacturers, or leaving the series all together. The most notable change has come from Extreme Speed Motorsports who have reduced their two car P2 attack to campaign only the NAEC races. This translates to a four-race campaign for the familiar Tequila Patron backed operation. Michael Shank has switched from a Daytona Prototype in favor of the more popular Ligier P2 machine, a move that should bolster the appeal of this fan favorite. Mazda continues with their two-car effort and compared to 2014, they immediately jumped well up the time charts. Look

for Mazda to develop their car and push towards the front as the season progresses. Corvette Daytona Prototypes occupied the top of the Roar time charts, and I expect this trend to continue at the Rolex 24. The cars are built for the oval and their advantage is strong. LMPC – Prototype Challenge LMPC is relatively unchanged, however some two car teams have trimmed to running one car this season. Bar1 Motorsports have bucked that trend adding a second car for the season, including the 24 Hours of Daytona. CORE Autosport returns as the LMPC favorite after their championship in the Corvette powered, cost capped prototypes. GTLM – GT Le Mans The big shake up in GTLM comes with Dodge pulling the plug on their Viper program after their exceptional 2014 season. Corvette, BMW and Porsche return with their factory supported programs, albeit with some driver changes. Falken Tire returns with their single car Porsche effort. Watch for continued improvement as they ride their late 2014 success into 2015. Expectations are also high at Corvette Racing for many podiums

leading to an eventual championship this season. GTD – GT Daytona Arguably the biggest shake up comes in the GTD class. With GT3 regulations set to take hold in 2016, this class has seen a large number of cars withdraw or move series. The championship winning Turner Motorsports squad had decided not to run their lone BMW Z4 entry, but a late deal now puts them back into the fold to defend their 2014 title. As expected, a host of Porsche 911 GTAmericas are set to take part in the championship. Flying Lizard, arguably one of the most popular North American teams, will however not contest the full season. This comes as a surprise for many, and a negative for the series. Audi’s lone R8 is set to contest a full season in the hands of Paul Miller Racing. Look for a strong season from this car with Audi’s full effort behind one team. They enjoyed a strong finish to 2014 with a win at Petit Le Mans and we expect them to ride that success into 2015. Stay tuned for coverage of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona!


The Supercar Sunday Project Camaro Update By Dustin Troyan

Many of you have been asking me what is going on with the Supercar Sunday Project Camaro. The best laid plans...And Rome was not built in a day come to mind... The project has been on hold for quite a while. I made a decision to not go “crazy� with it as it is not in the cards. So I am going to put it together and keep it primered. A much simpler approach. What might look like a bucket of bolts to some is actually a pretty impressive pile of parts thanks to my sponsors and friends over the years. The driveline is a GM LQ9 6.0 fuel injected motor out of a Cadillac Escalade. The transmission is a T-56 six speed out of a wrecked Camaro. Both of those components were found on Craigslist and when the car was previously running worked perfectly. Sitting on top of the engine is a Magnuson Supercharger compliments of SuperChargersOnline.com, the factory aluminum heads were reworked by Richard at West Coast Cylinder Heads and matched to a Ligenfelter GT9 Cam. The McLeod twin disc clutsch should hold about 800hp which I will be about 100hp short of at the crank. To stop the car the big Wilwoods 14inch up front and 13inch rears should to a fine job. So...Slowly she goes back together. On this day my daughter saw the empty canvas and made quick work with some chalk...Which I just loved. So... She will be running in primer and pin-striped by Scarlett. The car will run again...Soon!


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