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NISSAN MARQUE DAY NOW THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH
sponsored by
A proud member of the SAGE Automotive Group
SUPERCAR SUNDAY IS LOCATED AT: Westfield Promenade Mall 6100 Topanga Canyon Boulevard Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (On the corners of Topanga Canyon Blvd and Erwin Street)
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FROM THE EDITOR A
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L E T T E R
B Y D U S T I N T R OYA N
ow does it all begin? At the beginning. Sometimes you don’t know that something has begun. It is often interesting to see where things will take you. Sometimes you plan a start and other times it just starts and you are along for the ride. I don’t know if people are lucky who know what they want to do in life. A doctor, a lawyer, a cop. I wonder what that is like, knowing what you are supposed to be doing. I wonder if you are doing what you thought you would be doing. I wonder if you long for more or something different. I think about pivotal moments in my life. Doors that opened that changed my life. Of course, everything has an impact on you, but some things have more of an impact. Do you recognize those moments? Moments that shape who you are. I remember buying a bicycle. It was used. It was too big, but I had no idea. The guy, a friend many years my senior threw the “clip-in” shoes for free. It must have been a ten year old bike but it looked cool. It was a Schwinn Prologue road bike set up for triathalons. I knew absolutely nothing about riding bicycles or even how to change a tire on a road bike. I cruised it around learning how to shift gears. I was amazed at how fast it went. Little did I really know what fast was. Or how much air to put into the tires. I rode it around for about a month. I thought ten miles was far and a big ride. If you have ever ridden a road bike, you know that they have those tiny seats and that the “roadies” wear those funny Lycra outfits. I wanted to look cool too, I wanted to be a “roadie” but that outfit... Needless to say, the bike shorts offer padding in specific areas which save you from a lot of discomfort. After a lot of pain and a little bit of courage, I took my first step in “looking cool,” I bought the bike shorts. Oh the inhumanity. I did it, I wore them, but I wore a t-shirt to hide the fact I was riding around in almost underwear. If my dad saw me... So it was the day of my first big ride. I was going to ride from Woodland Hills to Mulholland via Calabasas then head toward Las Virgenes and then home Mureau road. It was going to be about a twenty mile ride with what I thought was some big hills. I headed out that day, ready to conquer the ride. I rode through Calabasas to Mulholland. I never realized that Mulholland was basically a steady incline as you head towards a hill known as “cardiac” for obvious reasons. It is steep. As a new rider I had no idea how to use gears properly. I figured the harder it is to push, the stronger I would get. The most inefficient way. So, I was about five minutes on Mulholland, wearing my bike shorts, struggling and my chain popped off. I pulled over and had no idea what to do. Heck, I didn’t even have a pump or spare tire with me.
father and a husband. I don’t know when it was that I grew up, but I did. And the best part is my family. All because Aunt Joanne used to get her cappuccino at Village Coffee Roaster and Heather was studying in town from Oregon.
“My life forever changed. Truly the best thing.” So, sitting at that coffee shop, Rich and I talked about doing a car show. I was living with Rich, we were in our twenties, riding bikes and having a lot of fun. He had a real Cooper Mini. I hated that car, he loved it. He was officially the first car at Supercar Sunday. He shot the first video. We talked about it and got it going. Sitting in my favorite table at the coffee shop drinking an espresso with disheveled hair. I had hair back then and a lot of it. We have had so much fun at Supercar Sunday. So much value to so many people. Friends, drives, stories. What a ride! And we are still going! I was at Gary Wales’ house the other day. You all know Gary for his creations, the La Bestionis. Gary and I are close friends. Introducing my brother to Gary was long overdue. We got talking and philosophizing a bit and Gary said, “if you don’t have memories, what is it all worth?” I enjoy spending time with Gary, I always learn something and get inspired. We have had a lot of fun. “If you don’t have memories, what is it all worth?” My first project car. It is still a project! I had never worked on cars. But, I bought a basket case anyway. That was about 15 years ago. Yes the car ran, but it is back in pieces. I went from never working on cars, to putting a car together, blowing a motor, doing an engine/transmission swap with a modern motor, to catching cars on fire, parts falling off of old cars on freeways, buying more old cars, painting a car with boat paint, draining gas out of a Ferrari to put into a 68 Camaro, to dropping an engine, more almost car fires, burnt what is left of the hair on my head, doing all sorts of repairs and eventually knowing quite a bit about cars. Hands on stuff. Am I a mechanic? No. Can I work on stuff ? Yes. But through all this, my friends were there and so many doors have opened because I can turn a wrench or two. So many great memories. Sometimes I looked like a fool, other times I was a hero that got a car started that was stranded. All because I said yes to buying my first 68 Camaro project car. I have learned so much and so many people have helped me along the way. The best of friends, the fondest of memories. Back to the beginning. The start. What is right in front of you waiting for you to start? What opportunity? What adventure? What story? What memories? I wonder what road you are about to go down and where it will take you. Will it be a fast canyon, a slow drive, enjoying the scenery or a car breaking down on you? Will you be alone? With friends? Will you make friends along the way? Will it be a country road with your favorite songs or a romantic drive with the one you love? Or even a first date? Perhaps you just got your license and you are heading out, excited and nervous. Or perhaps you are driving off into the sunset. Either way, I hope you make those memories with people that deserve to be there and you enjoy every moment. Let’s drive to that finish line and get in everything we can. And if you don’t know what you are supposed to do, the try it all, do it all, jump at every opportunity and create great memories. Love your friends, be a good person and have some fun. Life is short, love it. Dustin
“There I was stuck on the side of the road, clueless”. I was pretty green. Another “roadie” saw me, knew instantly that I was “new” to the sport and helped me. I was embarrassed, but with his help, I was back on the bike. That Schwinn bike took me all over, got me into mountain biking, and me and my friends over the years, we road all over California, day and night, hot and cold. We had so much fun. So many memories. All from an old $300.00 bicycle that was the wrong size and outdated. Years of fun, friendship and stories. Then there was the fateful day I ran into Kelly. Kelly and I played sports together as kids. I would see him around as we grew up but we weren’t close. One day, I ran into him and he asked if I surfed. I said sure, although I really hadn’t in years. I randomly said, stop by my place or call me, we can surf. A few days later, there was a knock on the door and he said, let’s go. I was shocked. More or less, he made me go. We ended up surfing together for years. Not necessarily a decision I made that fateful day, but it lead me down a path of surfing all over the world. Meeting amazing people at our local beaches and abroad, conquering fear and so much fun. Surfing during the day, at night, in the rain, in polluted water, in huge surf and when it was flat. We drove all over California with no money, sunburnt to hell. It was so much fun. All because Kelly knocked on my door. Then there was the time Brian said, “You should get Bike Night to the coffee shop.” I had no idea what it was but, 400 motorcycles in a parking lot meant a lot of revenue for a little coffee shop. We did “SFV Bike Night”, a weekly motorcycle event for about five years. We were organized, we had rules and we made inroads with law enforcement and city council. It was a great time, again more memories and friends. It was a close knit community and it was a blast while it lasted. Fate. Probably the best of all was when I was set up with my now wife. Her aunt set us up and the rest is history. Two girls, and so much love. I cannot believe that I am a 5
CONTENTS
drivenworld ISSUE 84, MAR 2017
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin Troyan ART DIRECTOR James R. Stanley Jr. COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Greg Grudt James Stanley Hot Rod Jay Santos Mark Llewellyn Gwen Banta Tory Herald Ted Lighthizer
8 Porsche
Experience Center LA
Lighthizer Greg Grudt PHOTOGRAPHY Dustin Troyan James Stanley David Rosenthal Tommy Huth Ted Lighthizer
10 Press Release
Potamkin Automotive Group
12 Chili Cookoff & Car Show Thousand Oaks
14 Generation EFI HotRod Jay
16 Path Well Lit Alan Roach
20 CENTERFOLD BMW i8
22 BMW i8 Test Drive
24 Keeping it Classic
LA Classic Auto Show
31 Car Culture License Plates
32 Fitness
Turn Your Back n the Scale
33 Fast Time
NHRA Pomona
35 Real-Estate Curb Appeal
36 Grand National Roadster Show
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 highnet-worth individuals as well as members of the car community at large. All rights reserved. Driven World and Supercar Sunday are registered trademarks of Connected Media Group LLC. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or any other materials or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. Driven World Magazine and Connected Media Group LLC, do not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Connected Media Group LLC, Driven World Magazine, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for the errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. Connected Media Group LLC does not assume liability for any products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers or editorial information.
On the Cover: Photo By BMW 2017 BMW i8
Sunday, May 7th, 2017
Save the Date for one of the Largest Car Shows in the Valley! Benefitting and Located at Rancho San Antonio Boys Town in Chatsworth. All Makes and Models Welcome www.classicchevysofsocal.com 50/50• Adult & Kid Raffle • 350 Engine Raffle Bake Auction • Silent Auction Show info: Jerome Real409@aol.com 818.259.1964
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Article & Photos by Ted Lighthizer
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T
he Porsche Experience Center or (PEC) is a 53 acre facility containing seven different driving experiences designed to showcase the excellent handling characteristics of Porsche cars. PEC is also the new home of Porsche Motorsport North America where they share the 50,000 sg. ft. 2 story building displaying numerous winning Porsche race cars from the 1950’s to today. The seven driving circuits include a 1.3 mile track called the ‘Handling Circuit’ designed to simulate curvy country roads complete with elevation changes to challenge the driver. There is a section of track with computer controlled kick plates and water to cause the car to skid or spin to simulate what it’s like to lose control in icy or wet conditions. There is also an “off road” track to demonstrate the handling capabilities of the Porsche Macan and Cheyenne SUV’s. There are 2 skid pads designed to teach drivers about over and understeer along with a three-quarter mile straight away to demonstrate Porsche’s “Launch Control” takeoffs and at its end, there is an exact replica of the famed banked Carousel turn on the Nordschleife. When you step away from the track, you can continue your immersion into the world of Porsche at the Human Performance training facility. There, you can receive a customized performance and fitness assessment, similar to the programs specifically created for Porsche’s championship race drivers. The center also offers event spaces and dining options, state-of-the-art driving simulators, and a retail store with exclusive Porsche Design branded merchandise that all live up to the Porsche standard of quality. There are numerous models of Porsche cars available that you can drive with an instructor for 1.5 hours on all the different tracks to experience firsthand the exceptional handling characteristics of today’s Porsche cars. Cost for this experience varies by model of Porsche driven, ranging from $450 to $950. Porsche Experience Center LA is located at 19800 S. Main St Carson, CA 90745
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PRESS RELEASE We are pleased to announce the promotion of Mr. John Kerley as Vice President of Fixed Operations for the recently formed Potamkin Automotive Group West “PAG” (Porsche, Maserati, McLaren, Hyundai, Fiat, CJD, Pagani, Alfa Romeo). The scope of Mr. Kerley’s responsibilities include the oversight of all areas Fixed Operations related. Mr. Kerley joined The Auto Gallery team in 2009 as the Fixed Operations Director. During his tenure with The Auto Gallery, John was instrumental in ensuring year over year revenue, gross and net profit improvement, process development and implementation, parts asset management, risk management of both safety and warranty claims exposure. In addition, John assisted with many franchise acquisitions, including: 2 Maserati, 1 Lamborghini, 2 Fiat and 3 McLaren dealerships, just to name a few. Mr. Kerley brings over 30 years of automotive experience to our com-
pany. Prior to joining The AutoGallery, he spent 12 years at AutoNation, a Fortune 100 company and the industry’s largest automotive retailer. At AutoNation, Mr. Kerley oversaw
82 new car franchises in 4 western states as Regional Fixed Operations Director. Additionally, he also spent 18 years with private cap dealerships. This is a key executive role for
PAG West and we are excited to have John’s enthusiasm, dedication and experience guiding Fixed Operations across the California Market.
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he 41st Chili Cook-off and Classic Car show is set to be another memorable fun filled day with more show cars, more food, and more fun for the whole family. This year’s event is on Sunday, April 30th from 11am – 5pm at the beautiful Conejo Creek North Park located behind the Thousand Oaks Library off Janss Rd and Rt. 23. This will be the second year this event is being held at this location. Last year’s attendees really enjoyed the new park-setting venue which boasts plenty of grass areas, shade, seating, playgrounds, a running brook, and pond. The car show draws entries from Santa Barbara to LA and covers a variety of beautiful stock and modified cars and trucks spanning almost a century. The chili cook-off will treat your taste buds to some of the best chili anywhere at this International Chili Society sanctioned event. The chili tasting competition runs from 12-3pm. The car show entrants can start entering the park at 8am with judging starting by 11am. 1st and 2nd Place for each class, People’s and Judges Choice awards will be presented at 3pm. The
Kid Fun Zone which includes bounce house, bungee run, arts and crafts, face painters and much more will run all day. This unique event which combines the car show, chili cook-off, Kid Fun Zone, live music, beer and wine booths, and food and non-food vendors has had attendance of 8,000+ past years! Car show entry is $35 before April 23 or $45 after or at Day of Show. The car show entry gives you and one additional person entry into event. Event tickets are just $12, 10 year old and under are free. This fun filled event is hosted by the Conejo Valley Rotary Club and Thousand Oaks Rotary Club. All proceeds benefit the Rotary Clubs’ many projects throughout the year including Thanksgiving dinners for less fortunate local families, local student scholarships, charities like the Westminster Free Clinic, Conejo Valley Reading is Fundamental, Dreamcatcher Park, K9s for Warriors, and Make a Wish Foundation – just to name a few. Please visit www.chili-cook-off.com for more details of the event and application forms. You’ll be glad you attended and will be putting it on your must-attend calendar of events.
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-track tapes, record albums, cassette tapes and even CD’s… most of us still have these packed away in a box somewhere. Unfortunately, our own kids have never seen any one of these or may not even know what they are. Being from Generation X, I was fortunate to grow up in some of the greatest times of the last century. There have been so many advances in technology and the way we do things - it’s just unbelievable. One of the biggest advancements has been in the automotive/motorcycle industries. In January of 2016, the NHRA (national hot rod association) announced that competitors in the 2016 Pro Stock Class were required to use EFI (electronic fuel injection) in place of a carburetor. One of the reasons this was done was to make
this class more relevant from a technology standpoint. This was one of the biggest changes made to the Pro Stock class in over a decade. It definitely showed a changing of the guard. Not only do I compete in The Summit Drag Racing Series, I also ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I purchased my bike, a Softail Standard in 2001. I had the option of getting it with a carburetor or fuel injection. Think about it, 16 years ago carbs were still king on American bikes and fuel injection was in its infant stages. Being the crazy risk taker I am, I chose fuel injection! This was a big departure for me. I’ve been a die-hard carb fan for nearly 40 years. At the dragstrip, pretty much everyone is running carburetors. I myself have a Quick Fuel Technology Race Carb sitting on top of my engine
manifold. So how much effect can the NHRA EFI rule have on the local car and drag racing community? In short, a lot! EFI has been around for quite sometime. The first commercial EFI system was Electrojector, developed by the Bendix Corporation and was offered by American Motors Corporation in 1957. There are countless systems that have been available, but they come at a stiff price of $2500.00 to $3000.00. The biggest advancement to the EFI market was revealed in mid 2016 by GOEFI who offered the first EFI system under $1000.00. Holley followed with The Holley Sniper EFI self tuning system. When I heard about this unit, I jumped at the chance to put EFI on my drag car. What’s so appealing about the Holley unit is it’s a selfcontained self-learning/tuning unit, meaning you don’t need a separate computer to program it. Plus, it’s a Holley! Installation is straightforward and the average gear head can easily install the unit in one day. Fourwire hookup and a color touch screen for setup and gauge views make for an easy setup. If you’re running an MSD Digital 6AL Box, you’ll need an adapter to plug into the main harness. Since my EFI unit was an early model mine didn’t come with one. An easy call to the Holley customer support line to notify them that I didn’t receive one prompted them to immediately send one out to me free of charge. They informed me that they would be including them with the newer releases. The biggest obstacle of the install is the fuel system requirement. This EFI system requires a highpressure fuel pump capable of operating up to 60psi. You have a few different options here. You can simply replace your fuel tank with a tank that is setup with an internal high pressure fuel pump, or use an array of various external high pressure fuel pumps. Final decision will come down to your skills and wallet. My choice was to go with a Robbmc PowerSurge electric fuel system. The reason for this was because I was able to keep and utilize my high flow mechanical fuel pump to
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feed the new system and the install was simple. All that was required was to run a vent and return fuel line to my fuel tank. Since I must pass NHRA Tech each race, I ran all new Teflon lined stainless steel braided fuel lines. Some advantages of this EFI system is that it’s a direct bolt on unit, eliminates cold start issues, and has been independently dyno’d to show an increase of 15 horsepower, which is a direct cause of the precise air fuel ratio at all RPM’s. Since I have a race cam in my 414 Stroker motor, cold starts took a few pumps on the gas pedal than a strategic feather of the pedal to keep it idling until it got warmed up. But now, with the EFI unit installed, it fired right up without even a thought of touching the gas pedal. Even though this is a self-tuning unit, you’re still able to adjust and fine-tune the parameters to fit your motor and driving needs. First test on the street showed great drivability. This will also keep improving with more seat time as it self learns the motors needs. I’m extremely happy with the Holley Sniper EFI System and highly recommend this conversion to anyone looking for a great improvement to your vehicle. Unfortunately, because of all the rain we’ve been having locally I haven’t been able to hit the drag strip to see what it can really do, but I will definitely keep everyone posted in future articles. There is so much debate over EFI vs. Carb. Some carb tuners believe that they can produce the same if not more power from a carburetor. While Tech tuners believe that EFI is more superior and easier to setup. Regardless of what you may believe, EFI is here to stay and now very affordable. For myself, the simplicity of setup is key, and the ability to run a dual sync distributor, which automatically controls timing along side it, is very exciting. So next year when you’ve decided to have a garage sale and you’re sifting through all those forgotten items that you packed away, don’t be surprised if you find hiding underneath all your old high school yearbooks and record albums a 4 barrel carburetor.
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lan Roach…Have you ever heard the name Alan Roach? Probably not. But you have seen his influence – big time – if you have been around the off-road scene, either in bikes or trucks. Alan has been quietly, steadily influencing the lighting marketplace since the 1990s, and creating a welldeserved reputation for his company, Baja Designs (often referred to simply as BD). While an off-road bike rider since the age of 10, Roach’s “serious” entry into the world of competitive off-roading came as an undergraduate mechanical engineering student at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo in the early 1980s. “It was an ideal situation for me,” recalls Roach. The school was very highly regarded in the engi-
neering world, and best of all, had a very active off-road racing program.” Roach said this was at the time when the truck manufacturers were aggressively marketing their “mini” trucks, and nearly all of them were backing factory teams in off-road racing. “We (Cal Poly) were the only college students racing at the time. Toyota provided stock trucks for us to build from, and had support from many vendors in the off-road industry. We built and raced the trucks ourselves had pretty much the entire mechanical engineering lab to ourselves to serve as our race shop,” he recalls. “Toyota would send us several trucks every year, and we’d tear them down and start over with them. We had a group of very knowledge-
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able students, plus parents with off road racing backgrounds who were involved in the aftermarket industry. We raced very competitively with the big-time teams. “I’d have to say that my overall education at Cal Poly (its learn by doing approach), and the school’s off-road racing program, had a major impact upon my career.” After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1983, Roach went to work for an automotive research and development company in San Diego, BKM Inc., which was owned by a former president of
the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Roach feels this was another major milestone in his career, since the company was doing work for a significant number of automakers – Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen and more. “For a young guy, with a passion for cars and bikes and fresh out of college, it was a perfect situation. It really afforded me the opportunity to see how the engi-
neering side of the automotive business really worked.” However, there was an entrepreneurial side to Alan Roach that wanted to stretch its legs. So, after nine years at BKM, Inc., he and a co-worker, who was also a part of the off-road racing team at Cal Poly, decided to strike out on their own. Alan did not know what he was going to do, “But I knew that I would
recognize it when the opportunity presented itself.” That epiphany came in the spring of 1992 while on a long distance cross country ride on a dirt bike through Nevada. We were doing a lot of “dual sport” riding at the time, but the heavy street legal bikes made the this kind of trip possible performed poorly in the dirt. With a perfectly good dirt bike at home, there had to be a better way to link trails and still be street legal. He recalls, “In the early 90s; there were no street legal dirt bikes worth a darn. The factories were making dual sport bikes, but they were big and heavy and only performed marginally off road. At home, I had two perfectly good dirt bikes but I couldn’t use them because they weren’t street
legal. So, I started researching the steps needed to make my Honda XR600 street legal. After some digging, I learned California had a process for making a dirt bike street legal by adding all the safety equipment such as headlights, turn signals, stop light, a horn, everything. So on my personal XR600, I added all of these required items and I went through the process with the DMV and State Highway Patrol in order to become street legal.” The “Eureka” moment! Armed with his trusty XR600, Roach entered the next long distance event, a nine-day affair in Nevada. Inviting the then-editor of Dirt Bike magazine, Charlie Morey to join the ride, Roach found he had struck gold. Riders who saw the lightweight dirt bike easily out-perform the heavier dual-sport street legal bikes were begging to buy the street legal conversion kit. Once Morey ran the story about the event, and the advantage Roach’s street legal dirt bike held, the flood gate of orders was opened. According to Roach, this necessitated a change in his relationship with his employer. He notes that he’d work until midnight, every night, trying to launch the business -- making and shipping kits by himself, then do
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his regular job during the day. He gave BKM a four month notice that he’d work 6:30 AM to Noon, and then work the remainder of the day building the dual sport kits. If things did not work out, he said he would return, otherwise he would be leaving. At end of trial period, Roach had two employees and more business than he said he knew what to do with. So he left BKM, and turned to Baja Designs full-time. Roach says, “I’m a mechanical engineer, so creating lightweight lighting wasn’t my specialty by any sorts. I did the research, learning as I went forward. “I basically figured out what I needed to do to the electrical system to be able to run head, tail lights, turn signals and a horn, and charge the battery. So, I built the custom wiring harnesses, had small battery backs built to my specification, designed brackets and mounting hardware, and bought the headlight and taillight assemblies from Acerbis, an Italian manufacturer that makes a lot of motorcycle plastics. A key element was to modify the stock alternator to deliver enough amperage to operate the all of the lights, plus charge the battery. “The more difficult part was getting through the formal approval process in California. So, I put together a step-by-step procedures document for customers explaining how to do the installation, along with all of the required paperwork for the Department of Motor Vehicles and State Highway Patrol inspection. This gave customers the equipment of how to do it, and walked them through the process to duplicate what I had done. I made it a turnkey, plug-and-play process for my customers.” Roach points out the steps had been available to dirt bike enthusiasts to convert their bikes to street legal status, but it required digging
through the motor vehicle code to find what was required and how to obtain the waiver. He said, “You had to know what you had to do, and which hoops to jump through. You had to go to the DMV office and ask to be titled under this special process they had. If the people in the DMV didn’t know it, they’d say: ‘Sorry you couldn’t do that.’ But I was aware that the DMV ‘bible’ has procedures for all licenses, and in that book there was a whole section on doing the process of making a dirt bike street legal. Once I discovered it, I’d just tell the DMV that and explained they’ll want ‘x’ inspection and ‘y’ paperwork, and from then on, it was a ‘no brainer.’” Meantime, Roach was still racing his dirt bikes, and it was evident the lighting systems at that time for bikes were sadly lacking. Roach said the truck lighting systems were far ahead, because lights could be added to deliver a specific pattern for a need. Bikes, on the other hand, were not so fortunate. There was a need for lightweight, compactness and lower power draw. By 1995, Roach said a racing friend approached him to build a lighting system, and he said, “I knew it could be done, but as with the street legal dirt bike conversions, the alternator stators had to be rewound to deliver the kind of amperage competition lights would require. “So I built a lighting system with the higher amperage alternator, and was pretty successful. We could run
very quickly at night compared to other racers. By 1998, we were building 80% of the lights for motorcycles racing the Baja 1000. “When you’re on a bike at night, you cannot afford to miss seeing a cow standing in the trail! You must have good lighting to ride safely and confidently at night. But, with bikes, we only had limited space and limited power, plus you can’t mess up the handling of the bike, either. At the time, there were few people that had the know-how to do it. We (BD) became known as the “go-to” lighting company – “The Scientists of Lighting” – and soon, BD was building lighting systems for many racers.” Still, Roach was not pleased with what he was working with. He said that in the latter part of 1990s, a new type of lighting appeared on the horizon – the High Intensity Discharge light, or HID. “We were the first team to use this new technology in the 1998 Baja 1000, and we finished as the first ‘privateer’ team, and finished third overall,” he said. “We did a great deal of testing with the HID light. We were looking for the lighting pattern characteristics, and how we could use the patterns most effectively. Light beam patterns are huge for off-road riding and how to distribute the light is huge. You need to blend the near field light, close to the front of the bike with the long-range spot patterns. The goal is to match the two in such a way so there are no holes in the pattern.”
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Again, the results had race teams – well-funded factory teams and privateers – beating a path to the door of the BD operations in San Mateo, Calif., a suburb of San Diego, looking for this lighting technology that could brighten their competitive edge. The truck racers were beginning to pay attention to what Roach and his team of engineers were accomplishing. “In 2003, I moved to a Class 16 buggy, and it had horrible lights on it,” says Roach. “One of the first things we did was to replace the lighting system, which improved things dramatically. As a company, we had never done automotive lights before, so this started the ball rolling.” Roach says trucks have up to 16 lights on them. “We knew we could make lights that had the right pattern, so we thought trucks and buggies would be easy. At that time, if you wanted to have the best reach and width, plus the best performance, HID lights were the answer. Our LaPaz and Fuego models were our signature lights, so pretty much everything was based around them. “Then, the McMillin team and others started using our products since they believed they was so much better than the competition. Back then, the competition’s lighting patterns were too spotty or too hot; and they simply were not doing the job. The problem was either you had a big hot spot with no side lighting, or light on the sides and nothing reach-
ing out in front of you in the center. “The state of the lighting art at the time lacked a lot, so we set out with a clean sheet of paper and built a better light with a better pattern. A plus was it came in at half the weight, and featured adjustability that was far better for racers. As a consequence, other people jumped on board.” As good as the HID lights were in comparison to the older technologies, Roach realized the new Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights had huge potentials, if the technological hurdles could be overcome. Roach recalls the initial attempt was disappointing. “We paired with a heavyduty truck lighting company with experience in the LED market, but what the technology of the time could deliver were lights which were large and the performance didn’t match what we wanted to accomplish. But it did give us a starting point, and we did learn from it.” Roach points out the LED systems were different from all other lighting systems, and require thinking in different directions to deliver lighting performance. One of the weaknesses of LED lighting is its lighting power density – how much power you can pack in a given space. A HID assembly produces a lot of light from a small element (say 3-3/16 in. long by 3-3/16 in. wide), with all of the lighting power coming from that little capsule. If you have a small source and add a large reflector, you can focus the light well; which allows you generate a great of light
projection from the reflector. The LED requires a different approach. “You have to use multiple LEDs to accomplish what you could get from one HID,” says Roach. “Alone, the ratio of light source to the reflector size wouldn’t go very far; and it was a big handicap of LEDs for many years – you couldn’t get a lot of distance out of one of them. With the HID, you could get a lot of distance but it’s more difficult to control the light – placing it where you want it.” So, the solution with the LED lighting systems is to use multiple light sources/reflectors in a given space. Roach says, “The side benefit is a much more usable pattern if you have enough LEDs, and if you have high-quality reflectors which pay attention to the pattern – are designed to the pattern – you can have the best of both worlds: distance and a smooth pattern. Compared to other light systems, the LEDs have a smoother pattern, which is all in the design of the optics. We can design to accomplish a number of different things... You can customize the light to get a great combination of nearfield and mid-field light. You can create a spot light which can reach out to a mile in front of you. “Ideally, you want light in a 180 degree arc, with most of it shining forward and some comfort lighting on the side, which opens up your field of view. Not having to drive down a ‘tunnel of light’ is good thing if you are a racer, or even casual driving on
back rural roads, or off-the-highway. The spread of the light and corning of lighting gives a competitive advantage, reduces eye strain and delivers overall confidence.” LED technologies keeps progressing, and optics of the LED itself continue to improve at a rapid pace, according to Roach, and the use of the technology is expanding. He points to the fact Baja Designs has been approached by the construction industry to provide improved lighting on nighttime worksites – again, placing light where needed, brighter light, plus controlling the amount of unwanted spillover into residential areas. Baja Designs is beginning to see activity within the military community. He recalls, “Our company was approached several years ago by a mobility commander in the Navy Seals, an off-duty off-road bike racer, to see if BD could produce acceptable LED lighting similar to the what he uses on his bike for the Special Forces community. We could, and are now producing Mil-Spec lights for specific Special Forces vehicles. This is not an unusual occurrence any longer, where a racer or enthusiast comes to us seeking a lighting solution for their business. When it does happen, often it opens the door to a market we had not explored before.” Roach points to endurance road racing, and professional rallying, as opening markets for the LED lighting, for many of the same reasons as the off-road market. Light weight,
high output, custom tuning of the lighting package all have a place in those environments. The trucking industry, particularly in remote areas – desert, mountains, tundra, etc. – is looking to the LED lights as auxiliary lights for safety, reducing driver fatigue and increasing average speed through a run. Automakers, particularly on high-end models, are seeing the LED as a design tool. It allows them to have more flexibility with the design of the front of the car or truck, without being constrained by the round light reflector assembly. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is a constraint to the adaptation of the LEDs as headlights. The USDOT standards lag behind the European Union standards, and are often driven by the lighting needs for urban surface streets, rather than rural driving. However, Roach points to the fact that auxiliary lights are not governed by the USDOT. He says, “Many do not know that fact. As long as the auxiliary lights are controlled by the dimmer switch, auxiliary lights can be used legally, although there may be some states with certain restrictions.” Using its competition successes, and the reputation as “The Scientists of Lighting,” Roach and Baja Designs keeps growing. Both the light truck and motorcycle markets are growing, with the LED business leading the way. Baja Designs offers a wide vari-
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ety of light packages for near-field, mid-field, cornering and spot applications – as standalone, custom use applications as well as for Chevrolet/ GMC, Ford, Jeep, Mercedes, RAM, Scion, Subaru and Toyota. The motorcycle market is similar with standalone LED and HID lights, as well as brand specific applications for both dirt bikes and the adventure bikes from BMW, Honda, Husqvarna/ Husaberg, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha. Alan Roach has chosen the path well-lit for himself, and across a career of 34 years, he has established himself as a significant force in highend competition and enthusiast vehicle lighting. It is a career which is continuing to push back the darkness.
Baja Designs: 1-866-335-8180
www.bajadesigns.com
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or those that want something different. I present to you the BMW i8. The BMW i8 is a unicorn unto itself. Without knowing much about the car, I had the opportunity to drive it for a week. A very modern and futuristic vehicle indeed. Is it an exotic car? Does it take gas? Is it all electric? Is it fast? Does it handle? So many questions... First and foremost the car is absolutely stunning. It is one of those cars that the more you look at it, the more of it you see and the complexities BMW went through to make it truly different and special. When I first took delivery of the i8 I was intrigued by the body lines, the aerodynamics. The more I examined it, the more impressive it became. The car is a truly stunning example of an automotive group that wanted to break out of the mold and say, “the future has been realized.�
The i8 is indeed an exotic car. It is exotic in so many ways, conventional and other. By production numbers, yes it is exotic. Due to demand, BMW had to increase production numbers for the US market. Approximately 6,000 cars were produced annually for the US. When the car was first released, there was about a four month wait for those that ordered the car. If you wanted it...like all the other rare and exotic cars, you had better be patient. Noting, yes, the car is worth the wait. Is it a performer? The BMW i8 is plug-in hybrid. It goes from standing to sixty in about four seconds. Top speed is about 155mph. It may not offer the 200mph mark as some exotics do, but beyond that benchmark, the i8 offers all of the speed one would need for spirited drives with other exotics. And yes, it handles beautifully. From the future. The BMW i8 is its own car. It steps out
from the traditional form and function and pushes you into the future. That same vision is shared with the interior of the car. When you open the doors, you are immediately taken back by the stunning and well-designed interior. And at night, good grief, they nailed it. It is a work of art. Generous amounts of carbon fiber are visible all over the car and it complements the interior so incredibly well. The function of the interior is clean and precise. Not overdone, not too many buttons and gadgets, just everything in the right place, within reach and easy to use. The displays are clean and crisp and again, not overdone. It is a wonderful balance of technology and ergonomics that any designer, artist or architect would appreciate. The i8 experience is a leap into the future. The balance of a sports car, an exotic car, a daily driver; Technology and speed rolled into a package any enthusiasts would love
add to their stable. It is for you? I would suggest taking one for a test drive. The i8 is its own car. The future at your fingertips, it covers so many bases while not really being in a traditional category. As a guy who loves to burn gasoline, I could not get enough of the i8. The more I drove it, the more I enjoyed it and the lengths that BMW went to produce a car unlike any other. I think it was their way of inviting us into the future of BMW and the automobile. Well done BMW. If I may offer suggestion, take one for a test drive, it is the balance of all things relevant in the automotive world at an incredible value. The future is here. Thank you South Bay BMW for the experience. For more info or to schedule a test drive please contact Eric Schwartz at www.southbaybmw.com
Photos by David Rosenthal & Tommy Huth
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he Classic Auto Show was a brand new three-day celebration of all things automotive, paying tribute to the cars that graced our highways in bygone years and paved the way for the modern motor cars we see on the road today. These three days showcased the best of the classic and vintage motoring scene including the stars from Velocity’s biggest car shows, the best car clubs from across the US, and a huge range of brands including all your favorite American cars along with the best from the rest of the world. The rare and unusual, pristine and project cars, those that were loved and some that were hated, the car that your folks used to take you on your first road trip and the one that you learned to drive in – there was something for every automotive enthusiast! Spectators got to journey through the ages as they strolled along the Grand Boulevard lined with a unique automotive historic timeline, enjoy a mix of entertainment and expert advice in the Celebrity Theater, and explored thes hall filled with car dealers, parts and service providers, and everything you need to keep on motoring. Next year’s show will be even bigger. For more info: www.theclassicautoshow.com
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For Sale
Ferrari Testarossa For sale, a very rare example of a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa. This is a rare, single mirror car with only 7,100 miles. This Testarossa is in immaculate condition. It is registered and kept as an investment car and exercised accordingly. This is truly a collector’s Ferrari. It also comes with an extra set of metric wheels. Up to date service as well. For more information please contact: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com
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by Mark Llewellyn
License to... You need a license for just about anything today. One needs a license to get married, to fish…even James Bond needs a ‘License to Kill’. So it’s no wonder “License Plates” are a requirement for every car in the United States. When automobiles first hit the scene in the early 1900’s, there was no such thing as a license plate. 1901 was the year, and New York was the first state to require vehicle license plates. At that time, the plates were made by the car owner and usually displayed the owner’s initials. In 1903, Massachusetts was the first state to mandate state-issued license plates. These ‘first plates’ were made of iron and covered in porcelain enamel, just like sinks and tubs. Their very first plate featured the number “1” and was issued to Mr. Frederick Tudor. One of his relatives still holds an active registration for this plate! Soon all states began to issue license plates in order to regulate cars, drivers, and traffic. For California, it was the year 1905 when the government started a statewide registration system. Owners of vehicles paid a $2.00 fee and were issued a circular tag. To obtain the tag, the automobile had to have satisfactory lamps, good brakes, and a bell or horn. In 1905, the number of registered cars in California was 17,015. Over the years, many different legislators and departments have been assigned the custodial duties of regulating vehicle records.
www.LeonsTransmission.com
License Plate Facts: Automotive plates are 12” x 6” and Motorcycle plates are 7” x 4”. Plates become valid when adorned with appropriate stickers and tabs. California license plates remain with the vehicle when it’s sold, except for personalized or special interest plates. 1970 - California plates change from the standard black background with yellow characters to a blue background with yellow characters. 1970 - Ronald Reagan signed legislation beginning the state’s personalized-plate program. The first personalized plate read: AMIGO. Currently, there are over 1 million personalized plates issued. 1982 - Plate design changed again, this time to a white background with blue letters and numbers. 1991 - Reflectorized plates were issued. 2011 - The state adorns their web address “dmv. ca.gov” at the bottom of the plate. How creative! 2015 - Black plates with yellow letters & numbers are available once again.
Coupon good for discounted entry cost of just $5.00. Beautiful vintage automobiles and Americana. 2230 Statham Blvd., Oxnard, California 93033
murphyautomuseum.org (805) 487-4333
Over 30 years of award winning experience 22836 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 222-8881
www.coastlinemotorsport.com
Article & Photos by Ted Lighthizer
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ince 1961 the National Hot Rod Association or NHRA has started its season at the Pomona Raceway in Pomona, CA with an event called the Winternationals and since 1984, Pomona Raceway is also the home to the season’s last race, the NHRA Finals. Pomona Raceway can easily accommodate up to 40,000 race fans per day in grandstand seating available on both sides of the track. Your ticket includes access to the Pro Pits where you can get up close and watch the race crew members rebuild engines and clutch systems between races and maybe even get a photo or autograph with your favorite driver if you’re lucky. Fans
will also find all the latest NHRA race team and driver merchandise from the numerous race team souvenir trucks scattered through the midway adjacent to the drag strip along with lots of food vendors offering up everything from breakfast burritos to BBQ turkey drumsticks…. yummy. Top Fuel and Funny Cars are the fastest cars in the field and both use V8 Chrysler motors that generate 10 to 12 thousand HP and burn nitro methane for fuel reaching speeds of 335 MPH. You’ll want to wear ear protection because the noise generated by these cars going down the track, exceeds 1000 decibels of noise roughly equal to the Space Shuttle at takeoff. Pro Stock is the next fastest
group running V8 engines with electronic fuel injection with no blower or supercharger, reaching speeds of 220 MPH in 1000 ft. Pro Motorcycle is your final pro group running 1000HP motorcycles at 200MPH in 1000 ft. All of these drag racers are so fast they now need parachutes to help them slow down after their 3 to 5 second runs down the drag strip. A typical race weekend starts on Friday with qualifying runs for the four pro race groups: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Motorcycle. The field of cars and motorcycles are all trying for their fastest “ET” or elapsed time down a 1000 ft. two lane track, divided by a double yellow line and orange cones. By the end of
day on Saturday, each of the four race groups will contain the fastest sixteen cars from each group poised for head to head final elimination races set for Sunday. It doesn’t matter what day you attend an NHRA event, you’re guaranteed non-stop excitement with more noise, smells and sights than even Disneyland can provide. So circle the second weekend in February and November for the drag races at Pomona and don’t forget your earplugs, you’ll need them.
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Article by: Gwen Banta & Tory Herald Sotheby’s International Realty
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irst impressions say it all, and that holds just as true for your home. When a potential buyer drives by a house for sale, the “curb appeal” can often be the deciding factor as to whether that buyer wants to see more. A beautiful front door instantly enhances a home’s appearance so consider replacing, updating or painting yours. Reinvigorate your home with new house numbers. Before you invest in painting the exterior, try a good old fashion wash-down to get rid of possible mildew, mold, cobwebs and grime. Make sure your gutters are repaired and free of debris to demonstrate the car e you put into your home. Replacing a battered and outdated mailbox is a fun way to add some pizazz to the exterior. Fix any broken exterior windows and clean them inside and out. Declutter the driveway and leave it empty ~ a parked car in the driveway steals focus and suggests there isn’t enough space in the garage. Landscaping is key! Now is the time to add mulch, flowers, and bushes to your front garden. Landscaping, together with strategically placed exterior lighting will instantly create a welcoming space. An appealing exterior can make or break a home sale , and the research clearly indicates that attractive curb appeal can significantly add value to your home. Remember, we never get that second chance to make a first impression.
Gwen Banta
Gwen Banta (323) 252 1700 Tory Herald (310) 985 2719 Connecting the Worlds of Real Estate 35 www.LosAngelesLuxuryHomesForSale.com
Tory Herald
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he 2017 Grand National Roaster Show was a huge success. The “Grand Daddy” of them all, this is one of the most recognized shows in the
world. An “indoor” show, running for over 68 years, this is the place to be if you are into hotrods, custom cars and anything awesome and notable. To say the “best of the best” show up is an understatement. To win 36
the AMBR Award (America’s Most Beautiful Roadster) is quite possibly one of the biggest honors in the hot rod/custom car building world. Or, to be recognized as “Builder of the Year,” like Steve Strope of Pure Vi-
sion Design was this year, is indeed a top honor. This year’s event at the Fairplex in Pamona had over 500 hot rods on display inside and another 700 plus on display outside over the week-
Story by Dustin Troyan |Photos by David Rosenthal end. Manufacturers and suppliers and vendors from all over the world attend offering their products and services with their “builds” on display as well. It is car guy nirvana at its finest. From the world’s best build-
ers, to automotive celebrities and race car drivers, this is one show that is a must! For the 2017 they featured the Tri-Five Chevys. With over sixty of the finest examples on display
it was a huge tribute to one of the most iconic models ever made. Classic Americana at its finest. Tri-five clubs and owners came from all over the US to see what the best builders were doing to keep the cars updated 37
as well as period correct examples. It was awesome. If you love cars, be sure not to miss this event next year. There is something for everyone and the best of the best are always on display.
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