MedianMag

//TEAM O’NEIL

// N.E. QUATTRO

// AMEC

//INDOOR KARTING

// GODZILLA GT-R

// 2012 C63 AMG

WINTER SAFETY SCHOOL

WINTER DRIVING

NEW YORK ICE RACING

As you read through this magazine you will notice the use of QR codes. In an effort to present you, the reader, with as clean an experience as possible, we’ve moved the advertising into the cyber world. If you want to find out more information about a company, product, or service featured in the magazine all you have to do is scan the code and you’ll be taken to a mobile device-optimized web site. For certain features we have provided QR codes to link to additional online content too, such as video.

Go ahead and try one. We promise that you’ll find that the process is painless and pretty cool!

Over the last few years QR codes have been used improperly by companies and magazines alike. More often than not the code is sized improperly, making it difficult to scan. Even worse than that is the fact that they are often linked to web sites that are not configured properly for mobile devices. Although this has lead to frustration on the part of the consumer, we are hoping to change that.

All of the QR codes used in this magazine have been tested on the 3 major Smartphone platforms beforehand and are guaranteed to work properly. There are a few simple rules to follow, however, if you want to get them to work the first time.

1. Make sure that you’re in a well-lit area.

2. Open the app, which activates your phones camera function.

3. Point the camera at the code from a distance of roughly 6”.

4. Hold the camera as level as possible over the code.

5. Zoom in (if the app allows it) or slowly move the phone closer until the barcode fills the target area and the camera is able to focus.

6. Orientation is unimportant as the 3 corner squares will tell the software how to interpret the data.

7. An option to go to the web link should pop up once the reader has captured it. Some apps will automatically open the browser and take you directly to the site.

We’ve found that the following free apps work well for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry:

IPHONE Scan Quick Scan – QR Code Reader QR Reader for iPhone

ANDROID APPS QR Droid QR Barcode Scanner QR Reader for Android

BLACKBERRY APP WORLD Barcode Scanner Barcode Assistant Scanlife Barcode Reader-Auto For all other manufacturers, navigate to any of the following URL’s on your Smartphone to find a suitable solution: get.neoreader.com get.beetagg.com www.i-nigma.mobi If you find that a QR code does not function properly, please notify us at webmaster@medianmag.com so that it can be immediately fixed.

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WINTER 2013

CONTENTS // TWISTIES

04 05 07 10 14 66 74

ON-RAMP Letter From the Editor THE BREAKDOWN LANE Bucket List A GEARHEAD Forums JG AUTO AND SPORT Indoor Karting Comparo TOP DEAD CENTER Tim O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center READERS RIDE 2011 Honda Civic Si Sedan SHOWTIME 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon

// CONSTRUCTION ZONE

20 24 32 36 50 54 59 62 70

PLAYING FAIR 2012 Camaro ZL1 POSTER CHILD 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG TRADING PLACES 1993 Nissan 240sx FILLING THE GAP 2010 Lingenfelter Corvette ZR1 GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN 2013 Nissan GT-R FEAR THIS EVO 2005 Mitsubishi Evo Rallysport MOPAR MEMORIAL 1965 Dodge Coronet 440 FALSE ADVERTISING 1970 Camaro Z28 STRETCHING LIMITS 2005 Subaru WRX STi

// MPG

09 16 58

THE DRIVING MINDSET Advanced Driving Techniques THE FAMILY CAR Engine swap madness THE GREAT DEBATE 4G63 versus 4B11

42 WINTER 2013 Volume 2, Issue 1

Model Audra Miller

54

//TEAM O’NEIL

//N.E. QUATTRO

// AMEC

//INDOOR KARTING

//GODZILLA GT-R

// 2012 C63 AMG

WINTER SAFETY SCHOOL

WINTER DRIVING

NEW YORK ICE RACING

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-AT-LARGE Joshua Guzzetti

ART DIRECTOR Sean Harvey

WEB DEVELOPER

62

Alex Straffin

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

46

Casey Boyle Christian Rowell Dan McBoost Daniel Olivares Gabrielle Isenbrand Greg Caparell Jake Williams Jayce Aldana

Jeff Grossbard Joshua Elzey Justin McDade Karan Bahl Melissa Nunn Rick Gifford Samantha Harrington Shawn Pierce

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

28

Christian Rowell Dave Klock Doran Dal Pra Jeff Grossbard Joshua Elzey

Mike Smith Paul Stevens Rick Gifford Scott McIver Shawn Pierce

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EDITORIAL INQUIRIES

36

Contact Joshua Guzzetti at 508-921-0850 or editor@medianmag.com

MedianMag is published four times a year by Median Media, LLC 422 High Plain Street Walpole, MA 02081

78

©2013, All rights reserved. No portion of the publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

Winter 2013 • 3

editor’s notes

On-ramp joshua guzzetti • Editor-in-chief

Welcome to the second issue of MedianMag. We’re glad you made the choice to read this issue and hope that you like what you find within its pages. It’s been nearly ten months since we started this venture and the response has been amazing, to say the least. As we seek to carve out a niche here in the automotive universe my hope is that you help us to spread the word of what’s happening in the Northeast. When you’re done reading your copy, please give it to someone else to enjoy!

I’d like to talk about the 800 pound gorilla in the room for a moment though—winter. There, I said it.

And if Nemo and Sandy taught us anything, it’s that Mother Nature still likes to screw with us every once and awhile. But even a winter storm, that dumped eight inches of snow, wasn’t enough to stop more than 150 automotive enthusiasts from meeting in Boston. The Exotics Rally shook off forty degree

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temperatures to drag race at Englishtown, NJ in order to raise money for the American Red Cross’ Sandy relief effort. In New Hampshire and upstate New York ice racers rejoiced as their lakes froze solid and provided a smooth surface to go blasting around on.

Isn’t it funny though how we loath but yet love the fluffy white powder? I’ve said for years that I’d rather drive in snow then in rain—it’s one of the reasons why I pity the British. When it rains, it can be downright miserable. I don’t know anyone that enjoys having the puddles on the side of the road try to pull them to their doom, and don’t get me started on hydroplaning. I had a dirty pants moment of my own a few years ago on 95 that I’ll never forget.

Snow, on the other hand, is awesome; blinding white-out conditions aside. During the holidays

it can make that drive to the in-laws seem almost magical as you pass brightly lit homes set against a backdrop of gently falling snowflakes. Yeah right.

What I meant to say was it kicks ass when you can pull out of your parking space, gun the gas and drift sideways down the street as if you’re auditioning for Fast 6! It turns out that we can actually learn how to do it professionally as we found out at the Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center this past month. Did you know that there are also several car clubs that will allow you to get it all out of your system in a controlled environment? We do now!

But that’s what makes it so interesting having four seasons of driving weather, isn’t it? Once we make it through the spring rains, we begin the cycle all over again. Like you, I can’t wait.

thebreakdownlane.com

The Bucket List paul’s ultimate checklist Paul Stevens

Staff

Gearheads… we are all pretty much alike when it comes to performance cars, aren’t we? Empty parking lots, deserted roads, and exit ramps are not merely slabs of asphalt. They are opportunities for heroism. Every once in a while we might catch ourselves daydreaming about stealing Jeremy Clarkson’s job as a presenter on Top Gear, or driving like Ken Block–if we had the right car. Reality sets in when you have to slam your brakes every ten feet during the morning commute. We can end up prisoners in our own cars sometimes, but there are times we need to get out and stretch that throttle cable, warm up the tires and push the limits, right?

Seeing that we can’t do what we really want behind the wheel on public roads, I put together a bucket list of driving experiences in the Northeast that everyone should have on theirs.

The Maine Event • LTA www.lta-lsr.com Pull up to the line, palms sweaty, heart racing, and the adrenaline flows like race fuel through your veins. You are about to run your car full throttle down a wide open air strip and you won’t let up for at least a mile. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? You’ve probably heard of the Bonneville Salt Flats or the Texas Mile. Did you know we have our own land speed course located right here in New England?

“The Maine Event” also known as the “LTA – The Future of Land Speed”, is organized and operated by the Loring Timing Association and is located in Limestone, Maine, at the former Loring Air Force Base. The course is usually open during the month of July and accessible to just about anyone with a car or bike that wants to run. The track is roughly 300 feet wide by 14,200 feet long and is the thirteenth largest runway in the world. The run utilizes 1.5 miles of run-up followed by 1.2 miles of shutdown, making it one of the largest facilities in the world for land speed.

The rules are fairly simple–the faster you want to go, the more safety gear and money you need.

The good news for us regular drivers is that you only need an approved helmet and a valid driver’s license to reach speeds up to 135 miles per hour in your street car. Wait, what? You mean I can take

my car up there with a standard factory three point seat belt and a helmet and legally run my car up to 135 MPH? Yes please! I have always dreamed of a wide open stretch where I can run my car as fast as possible, so the LTA’s Maine event is the perfect venue to have on your bucket list.

There is a tech inspection to ensure your tires are safe and rated for such speeds and convertibles need to have a three point roll bar. If you want to exceed the Street Car Class limits of 135 MPH, you must have a full roll cage among other things.

Be sure to read the rule book posted on the LTA’s website. What is the cost for such fun? The 135 Class starts at $100 and gets you three runs down the course. Prices increase from there depending on how many people are in your crew, how many runs you would like to make and of course, how fast you want to go. You know what they say, speed costs money.

The Drift Spot www.drift-spot.org The name says it all. Drifting seems to be one of those elusive, West Coast only types of events.

Although labeled by some as being obnoxious, pointless and wasteful (so was Facebook at one

time), it looks like an absolute blast. Drifting has created a culture that encourages everything you can’t do at a track or on the street–shredding your tires and driving on the very edge of losing control.

When I was kid, we called it “getting sideways,” and it was something I tried to do in any wet and empty parking lot I could find. Who am I kidding?

It’s still something I try to do and that’s why it’s on the bucket list.

Founded in 2009, Drift Spot was formed by an enthusiastic group of drivers whose goal was to provide quality drift events, including instructional and competition style events, with a focus on community and a grassroots atmosphere to the growing New England drifting community. They routinely hold their events at New Hampshire Motors Sports Park. After watching some of the YouTube clips filmed there, I know I won’t feel bashful about showing up in my 944 as a rookie.

I don’t care if I look like a complete idiot, that’s how bad I want to go drifting. In 2013 they will be running seven events from April through October at a cost of $75 for those who pre-register. I thought I’d have to wait to take a trip out west before knocking this out. Instead, I’ll be crossing “drifting” off my list this year.

Winter 2013 • 5

Skip Barber Racing School at Lime Rock Park Click on “Info” at Limerock.com If there’s one thing I have in common with just about every car fan I’ve met it’s the deep seeded desire to attend a Skip Barber school. I’ve been begging my wife to get me a class for years. She gives me a hard enough time about spending the $60 on Gran Tourismo 5, let alone a two day racing course, so I just might have to get sneaky on this one.

There are quite a few racing schools out there. Just about every major manufacturer has performance driving instruction and the higher end brands have complete schools that run year round. Skip Barber has been running racing schools long before the car manufacturers started in on it. I attended Porsche’s schools down at Barber Motorsports Park and it was one of my all-time greatest moments. I want to feel that again and the Skip Barber programs can take you to that next level.

There are many different courses and vehicles to learn on. Skip Barber has stock Mazda vehicles, Spec MX-5 Miatas, and open wheel race cars that are like miniature Formula 1 cars. Lime Rock is a historic course and the grounds and facility are surrounded by gorgeous rolling green hills, you can just sense the racing history as soon as you cross onto the infield. Lime Rock hosts many formal races for GrandAM, TransAM, ALMS and Historic, as well as many other events including car groups, car shows, and bike races. Skip Barber offers one day to three day High Performance, Formula Racing, and Car Control courses that start around the $800 and go all the way up to about $4,000 for the advanced multi-day courses. My choice would be a two day school in a race car which would put pricing in the $2,000+ range.

Shifter Karts at F1 Outdoors f1outdoors.com Karting has produced some of the most formidable racers motorsports has discovered over the past few decades. Once you suit up and get on track, tunnel vision sets in and time seems to fade away. The feeling you get from throwing a kart full throttle into a hairpin turn is like crack on wheels; you just have to do it over and over, and it always leaves you wanting more.

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If you’ve ever been to F1 Boston in Braintree MA for the indoor kart races you know just how fun and competitive it is. F1 Outdoors takes that up a few notches by offering a little more horsepower and a little longer track outdoors. Located on Route 18 in Bridgewater, MA, it’s a large outdoor kart track that can be divided into a long track for high speed shifter kart racing leagues or a short track for the public karts. I’ve made a few attempts to run the public karts but F1’s “Arrive and Drive” program really should be renamed “Make Reservations Ahead of Time and Drive”. The real deal is the 125cc shifter karts that produce blistering speeds and mind bending grip in the corners. I NEED to find a way to get in one of those karts. In the meantime I will be reserving my spot to pilot F1’s nine horsepower public karts that get up to about 50 MPH. The few races I watched on these karts looked like an absolute adrenaline rush. I’m not sure where else in New England that you can openly run a kart on a long, outdoor track this nice.

World Class Driving worldclassdriving.com There really is no explanation needed as to why this is on my bucket list. It’s pretty simple really. Shell out anywhere from $400 to $1,500 and you get to drive at least three exotic super cars in one day on public roads, usually in a rural area with little or no

traffic. Las Vegas is home to World Class Driving on the track and the Hoover Dam Tour, but up here in the Northeast, WCD operates in upstate New York.

Vermont used to be on the list for the US Tour stops, but over the past few years they narrowed their venues strictly to Las Vegas (year round) and New York periodically through the spring and summer.

So how does it work? I spoke with one customer who had taken the opportunity to enjoy these incredible cars a few years ago, and he explained to me what goes on. You arrive to the event and choose your first car. You’re allowed to operate the car however you like, but you follow a chase vehicle that’s sent ahead to “map” out the route and send alerts of any [ahem] road hazards ahead.

Some people have reported being able to find places to push the Speedo up into triple digits, redline at least four gears and bang through the winding country corners like they were all alone.

Throughout the day you’ll end up rotating through three to five different cars. WCD tends to refresh the fleet on a regular basis, but in the past they’ve run the Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari F430, Audi R8, Jaguar XKR-S, Bentley GT, and Mercedes SLR McLaren, just to name a few. Prices start around $400 and go up from there. The best thing about it is not having an on-board chaperone.

A friend/camera man can also ride along if you pony up a bit more cash. It sounds pretty good if

you ask me, especially if I can drive a 458 Italia and a Gallardo in the same day. This is like three bucket list items all wrapped up in one event!

Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center team-oneil.com If pavement really isn’t your thing, or if you’re like me and drool over the rally videos on YouTube, than there is a little section of the forest in Dalton, New Hampshire that’s for you. Team O’Neil offers a variety of driving programs including car control clinics, security driver training, and a robust rally instruction program. You start out learning the basics in the classroom followed by on course instruction in the school’s cars. They have plenty of dirt roads to practice on, but be prepared to pay a little more to drive someone else’s cars. The Rally school runs anywhere from two to five days, and prices range from $1,897 up to $5,750 respectively but they provide one-on-one instruction in small classes no larger than 12. Also included are the helmets, safety equipment, curriculum, lunch, and (of course) the cars.

A tempting alternative is Team O’Neil’s one day Ford Fiesta Rally Experience where you get to pilot a new rally-prepped Fiesta through the course at a cost of $569. As a bonus, they will apply a 50% credit of the fee if you return to attend a two day Rally school, or the full $569 fee towards a 3-5 day course. The winter/car control clinics are priced at $395 [see page 14], you are required to use your own vehicle, and the instruction is more about driving safely in adverse winter conditions as opposed to trying to drive triple digits in the woods on a golf cart path.

ADSI Autocross hpds.1adsi.com I know I had a full write up in our last issue on ADSI’s autocross course in North Kingstown, RI, but it deserves another mention here. I don’t think you can get a better autocross experience in New England. ADSI’s location provides wide open space and a huge course to allow for high speed runs. What that does is give you the sense of being on a track and really learning how your car behaves under severe braking, turn-in, and trackout conditions. And where else will the instructors close the course to allow you to practice drifting?

The cost is $125 for a half day, you can make all the runs you want and there is no “mandatory volunteering” unlike many of the car club auto cross events. Most of the club sponsored events have much smaller courses, slower speeds, and you will make far fewer runs.

Local Track Days There are a few ways to get on track with your own car and they all include private instruction and solo laps. You can join your local “marquis” club like the Camaro Club, Audi Club, BMW Club, etc. In addition to the club’s annual membership fees, which are usually minimal, you have to pay for your track time and your vehicle is required to pass a safety inspection. You should have your own helmet but some clubs have loaners. Other driving clubs like the Sports Car Driving Association (SCDA), The COM Sports Car Club (COMSCC) and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) can get you on track as well. Driving your own car on a race track can come at a price though. You run the risk of breaking your

car, killing the tires, and emptying your pockets. At the end of the day it will all be worth it. On the other hand, you could always give your ride a rest and take some hot laps with the instructors, and that’s always good for some smiles. All in, a track day will cost you about $250 to $300 in fees plus any incidentals. New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Lime Rock, and one of the all-time greats, Watkins Glen in New York are just a few of the options available.

Road Rally www.ner.org This concept takes the “Fun Run” to a new level.

It’s a competition and requires a driver, a navigator, and depending on which format or event, there are usually a series of challenges, destinations and/or scavenger hunts. The time factor is left out to keep people safe and within the limits of the traffic laws.

Some events held in New England are restricted to certain types of cars such as vintage, exotic or classic, but there are plenty that are available to regular folks like you. The New England Region SCCA hosts a rally each year as do several other local car clubs.

MedianMag will be bringing you features on each of these experiences, and maybe a few more that I left out, like Hill Climbing (Mt. Washington, New England Hill Climb Association, and the Sports Car Club of NH’s Mt. Ascutney Hill Climb) or the Cumberland Motor Club’s Rally Cross or even Gymkhana events up in Maine. So quit daydreaming and making excuses! There’s something out there for every budget and experience level.

Winter 2013 • 7

agearhead.com

forums Mike Smith

STAFF

It’s always good to find car guys that are into the same flavor you are and automotive enthusiast forums make finding those people pretty easy. Forums have become a consistent feature of the current car scene.

The ease of access has given rise to a larger number of enthusiasts who can find a forum dedicated to exactly what they are interested in. Chances are, you’ve perused a forum related to your project, or to a project you considered undertaking.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of pictures on these forums either. Who doesn’t want to show off their pride and joy? This can be useful in visualizing a potential modification on your own project as well. For example, you can measure all you like, but nothing replaces actually seeing what that new wheel width and offset combination will look like on your car before you buy them. You may even end up with those exact wheels in the future as many forums include a used parts online marketplace. The strength of your new friends’ numbers can also get you discounted group buys on new parts from an aftermarket manufacturer.

A large contingent from a forum may also get preferential treatment at some events. I attended the Carlisle P&S last spring where the members of StreetKIAZ.com were herded together like a traditional car club – parking in the show field as a group. I joined that forum in 2008, shortly after I bought my new KIA. It was a cheap functional car that had sparse amenities and only 138 horsepower, but had a manual transmission and a real throttle cable. I had very little expertise in the sport compact world though as, up to that point, I drank the “no replacement for displacement” Kool-Aid. By the time the show arrived I had already installed some upgrades I’d figured out myself from optional equipment for that model. The strut tower brace for the SX trim level and sport tuned springs from the accessory catalogue were a start. After browsing hundreds of posts, I was assured that my car was in fact part of a platform shared by several Hyundai models. This expanded the near non-existent aftermarket support to semi-existent, and allowed me to start researching products that could be used to make this econobox more enjoyable for spirited driving. Several forum members had previously found aftermarket performance outlets based in Korea, where the cars are domestic and have more of a following. I found several direct-fit parts from a more sport-oriented and slightly heavier Hyundai Tiburon, such as a substantially larger rear sway bar and struts from the GT trim level, with optional ultrasport handling. Larger front brakes were sourced from a combination of models and trim levels. I found used parts, such as a set of 17” wheels from 8 • MedianMag • MedianMag.com

one forum member, and a large aftermarket throttle body from another.

After working my beater over with the growing list of upgrades, I started appreciating the car and also the forum much more. The opportunity to share your own knowledge and experiences exists, and is a way to give back for what you may have learned. If you choose to contribute you may have to endure some occasional resistance to your efforts. I’ve answered many questions in my time on the StreetKIAZ.com forum. So much so, the forum owner asked me to become a moderator, allowing me a bit more access to help organize information. Since then, I’ve also used my access to the KIA and Hyundai service websites to draw further conclusions and led me to try some modifications that hadn’t been talked about on the forum before.

For instance, I fitted Elantra lower front control arms to my car. This allowed me to attach the sway bar end link to them instead of directly to the strut.

No one had tried this before, so some details had to be worked out. Finding a set of links that fit became a challenge as the matching Elantra pieces weren’t doing the trick with my Spectra’s sway bar position. After settling on a pair of Acura links I found by searching the MOOG parts catalogue, I was rewarded with less throttle-understeer.

Another example is when I found out that the headers made to fit my model were a bit expensive.

I went looking for a cheaper way out and located a stainless header on eBay for a quarter of the price of the alternatives. It was made for a Tiburon, but since the platform was similar and it had an identical engine to my Kia, I decided to give it a try. As it turns out, you can shorten it by about six to eight inches, weld it back together, and bolt it right on.

After installing the header, the downstream oxygen sensor had to be moved behind the second catalytic converter so that I wouldn’t get a check engine light. I took pictures of the process and posted those online, and now others regularly reference them when a new member asks about a header install.

These websites are great sources of information and at times even greater sources of misinformation.

Determining the difference between the two is not often terribly difficult. Consensus helps, as does analyzing the reputation of the person providing the so-called “facts.” This fact checking does happen by itself to some degree over time.

People try modifications suggested online and, if they work, pictures of their success will soon follow.

The meme “pictures or it didn’t happen” is widely seen on forums for just this reason. Pictures provide some credibility and frequently offer step-by-step

instruction, as in my example above. The pictures on forums can also act as a kind of virtual car show, and the quality and extent of modifications of a vehicle can often help measure the owner’s knowledge and abilities.

On the other hand, some people will make claims about what they have seen or done themselves that are not necessarily true, in an attempt to win an argument or gain some status amongst their peers.

Being able to pick those claims out can prevent you from wasting time and money on something that isn’t going to work. Anyone can register to a forum and start learning and contributing. This of course leads to a large number of novices trying to contribute, many of which haven’t yet picked up a wrench and bled with it. Most of the misinformation comes from these sources. A novice reads something and sometimes equates it to fact, then presents it as fact, not knowing any better.

Lastly, I realize that sometimes the modifications in the pictures you find online can appear less than tasteful, giving us many examples of mistakes to learn from. The owners of those cars can’t hear you laugh, but try to keep your fingers idle and refrain from insulting them. Forums aren’t the only place we meet fellow enthusiasts and I prefer it that way.

“Why take a class?

I already make 700 horsepower at the tires.”

Anthony Ricci, President • Advanced Driving & Security Inc.

So, you already drive fast and can talk the talk with the best of them. You know superchargers, suspension, gearing, tires, drive train, engine stuff, this, that, blah, blah, blah. But, how much do you know about you, the part of the car that ultimately controls all the components? This is part one of a series in which I will discuss the driver’s mindset, motor skills and how to develop them, skill sets and techniques, as well as the importance of learning to be a better, smoother, safer, faster driver.

We hear it time and time again during our ADSI events, “How can that instructor, who has never driven my car, can get in it and match or beat my time the first time out?” Then the excuses start. “It must be the tires. I need slicks.” Or perhaps, “I need more horsepower.” Why do I seldom ever hear, “What can I do differently?” We understand that competitors will be competitive, but more drivers need to try to fix the most important element of the car—themselves. The vehicle is simply a tool and it has limits. We need to operate the vehicle within those limits without exceeding them. The driver that closely follows the correct track line and stays closest to their tool’s limits without crossing the line

will go the fastest every time. This is why a car with 30% less horsepower can sometimes be just as quick around the track as its faster counterparts.

Once in a while you will run into a lifelong learner— someone on a quest to be the best they can be through heart and determination. They are usually humble and hungry for information. They will analyze their performance, admit their mistakes and adjust accordingly. We see them getting consistently faster after each lap so I challenge everyone to be like this person!

The theory is simple, but the principles behind the theory get complex. Something as simple as turning your head toward the next path of travel is often overlooked at a novice level. There are the human elements of fear, adrenaline, motor skills, and road feel to comprehend. So many people can rip apart an engine and recite all the little cool sounding parts, but can’t start to discuss how their eyes and brain function while on the track. We see this all the time at our high performance driving school.

We will sell 70% more test and tune (practice) days than a full driving school. Why is this? It’s simple

really. It’s just human nature to never consider the driver as part of the equation. Humans love to compete, but when it comes to performance driving, too much blame is given to the car and none to the driver. If your car could talk would it say, “Hey junior, you’re making me look bad. Learn how to drive?” It’s troubling to think that someone wouldn’t want to improve that skill set.

Practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice makes us at least know how to work toward perfection. Confused yet? Don’t be. Part of being human is coming to grips with the fact that perfection is merely something to strive for.

Although true perfection is unattainable, the pursuit of it is one of the reasons that records are beat on a continual basis.

Once we open our minds and accept that there can be a more advanced level of understanding that we can strive for, we then can begin to comprehend the notion of doing something without thought. Gross motor skills become fine motor skills and then fine motor skills become instinctual. Now is the time to learn this new technique and start applying it.

Winter 2013 • 9

JGAUTOANDSPORT.COM

WHEN THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL INDOOR KARTING IS THE ANSWER FOR THE WINTER BLUES JEFF GROSSBARD

STAFF

God, I hate the winter. It’s cold, it’s windy, and it gets dark way too early. It is a time when cars get pushed into garages as owners plan a round of rebuilding, cleaning, and modifying. That, or they just want to keep their most prized possessions away from the corrosive salt that will line every road in the Northeast until March. I admit, though, the snow is fun. It doesn’t get much better than the impromptu drift competitions that spring up around unplowed parking lots. But how often did that happen last year?

Fortunately, there is an oasis for us displaced drivers desperate for a fix in the winter months–indoor karting. I checked out four of the biggest indoor karting sites in the northeast: F1 Boston, Grand Prix New York (GPNY), Pole Position Raceway, and On Track Karting to get the dope on what indoor karting is all about.

What you get everywhere Besides the group events and adult and youth leagues that each place plays host to, each venue also has a format called arrive and drive. This is what I did and the rules are simple and similar among the different venues. In principle, a driver can show up, sign up, and jump in the next race.

All of the necessary equipment is provided. Your competition is comprised of other racers that show up at the same time and races are usually in the eight to ten-minute range. At the end of the racing session, each venue also gives you a print-out of your lap times.

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Inherent in the business of arrive and drive, however, is variability in kart performance. As Nat Mundy of GPNY says, “The [arrive and drive customers] are not getting equal karts. They never will.” Tire wear alone can mean vast differences in lap times and is a problem faced by every venue I visited. Owners of these facilities are aware of these facts, but their options are limited.

Each facility has a staff of marshals whose job it is to moderate the on-track behavior of drivers. They do this by showing either a blue flag, indicating that

a faster driver is behind, or a black flag/warning board to address driving behavior that is causing a safety concern. Marshal training is vital. “It is up to the track marshals and how they handle passing,” says Mundy. “The blue flag is crucial,” Having only four or five karts on track at a time is simply unacceptable during the busiest days–due to the increased wait times. That number, though, is far more ideal than the customary ten or even twelve karts that end up on track. With more karts on track, the whole experience is diminished

as there is less space for each driver to enjoy the experience in their own way. “I wouldn’t come here, if I were a competition guy, on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights,” adds Mundy. “I just wouldn’t. If you want a free open track for lapping, come during the week. It’s common sense.” This advice is some that I personally follow. It is always a good idea to call ahead and check availability too.

Though each venue offers arrive and drive, to call them identical or even similar would be misguided.

There are several differences, such as track surface, kart type, governed vs ungoverned, track elevation, etc. How does each one stack up? Read on.

//F1 Boston F1 Boston, located in Braintree, MA, is the first on our list and for good reason; they are the granddaddy of the industry, having been in operation for over a decade. Getting to their facility is simple and only 30 minutes away from Boston’s Back Bay Station.

Just be aware that GPS units may send you to their corporate offices as opposed to the track. Not to worry though, the actual facility is on the same road, just a bit further up the hill on the opposite side of the street.

Just because F1 Boston is the granddaddy doesn’t mean the place is showing its age. The facility is located in what used to be an indoor tennis club that now plays host to two tracks (I only raced on the “city” track), a great trackside restaurant, billiards room, a store and tons of meeting space.

But let’s be honest, it’s the track you’re looking for and what really makes F1 successful is the combination of kart, surface and layout.

F1 Boston’s track/ kart package is one of the better matched pairs of the places I visited. Power comes from a six plus horsepower, four-stroke motor that is ungoverned and very up to the task. The karts do not have seatbelts, though the seats themselves are comfortable (in kart terms) and steering effort is moderate.

The surface of both tracks is smooth asphalt and something that owner RJ Valentine is very proud of. “We have a special formula that we developed here to give people the feeling of understeer and oversteer,” Valentine points out. “It has a unique mix that took us three months to develop [with Aggregate Industries].”

The track features significant elevation change and one turn with a healthy amount of positive camber.

Where most of the karting places I visited had a relatively high concentration of turns, the “City” track has two significant straights and one shorter chute, which is a great spot for late braking. The result is a high average speed and opportunities to pull alongside without having to take the long way around a long sweeper. The rest of the corners are also intelligently thought out, with radii that encourage throttle modulation.

Be aware of the fact that you are required to sign a liability waiver in order to participate in the arrive

and drive. They will ask to see your driver’s license in order to prove your identity and that you are at least the legal age of consent. After signing up, I headed out to a lightly heated balcony before my race time was called. I watched the safety briefing (common sense to any racer) and changed into one of their bright red onesies, or what some people call a racing suit, donned my own full face motorcycle helmet, and threw on a neck brace. I was ready.

While my first race was a ton of fun, the second race was a bit more difficult. There were eleven drivers and I was starting from the back. As much as I love competition, eleven is just too much. There were laps where I was snaking through three or four slower drivers per lap. To put this in numerical terms, I was lapping in the 21 second range. If a driver is only three seconds slower, I would still lap that individual right around the half-way point of the race. Now imagine that with ten other drivers!

Bumping and running was the name of the game.

Fortunately everyone understood, including the flaggers. Of all the tracks I raced at, F1 Boston had the most flaggers on track and their use of black flags and warning boards was fair and appropriate, especially considering the number of karts on track at a time. “We SCCA train the flaggers,” Valentine stressed to me. “We have a great group of kids.”

Yet despite their best efforts, it was still a stressful experience. I imagine more so for the slower drivers who have no rear visibility and, all of a sudden, find themselves swamped by three faster drivers trying to get around.

Winter 2013 • 11

My Verdict There is a reason that a lot of the other indoor tracks I visited do things similarly to F1 Boston– it works. The whole experience was very well choreographed and efficient. The focus is entirely on the high quality driving experience. Besides arrive and drive, F1 also offers adult leagues and junior racing schools, leagues and camps.

//Pole Position Raceway The second stop on my indoor karting binge was Pole Position Raceway, in Jersey City, right off exit 14B on the Jersey Turnpike Extension. As much as it may seem wrong, have faith in the flags that you can see from the exit and don’t worry about the loading docks you pass to get there.

Arriving at Pole Position Raceway is very different to arriving at F1 Boston. The track is not segregated from the facility by walls of glass or sheetrock and the lawn mower noise of a four stroke is gone.

I’ll give you a second to figure out why. Yes, Pole Position Raceway (P2R) is the only place I visited that runs electric karts.

Now before denouncing electric karting as blasphemous, take a moment–some of what I found may surprise you. Electric karts offer several distinct advantages to gasoline, mainly the vastly superior torque and the lack of any gasoline and oil odor at the end of your track time. Where gas motor power can vary between rebuilds, the electric motor, from the people I talked to, seems much more consistent.

I had steady performance throughout each of my races (in different karts) and did not see any power differences when I came up against other racers.

On the flip side, however, is the increase in kart weight that comes with any electric drivetrain and dramatically affects the driving dynamics. Basically speaking, it felt like the karts had a lot more weight on the rear axle than their gas counterparts.

In order to keep the inside rear wheel unloaded (as you have to on any vehicle with a live rear axle), I had to hold the brake for much longer and apply power in straight lines. If I did not, the rear would hook up immediately and cause dramatic understeer. And, while the electric kart is

far torquier and faster, the torque disappears just as quickly as it comes. I had a hard time getting by people on straights, even though I had better exits because the torque neutralized the advantage and then we both topped out soon after.

As much as I gripe, however, I recognize that these traits can make for a far better experience for the novice driver. The electric motor never bogs down.

If anything, it flatters slower drivers and rescues them from mid corner slowness that a four-stroke provides.

As an arrive and drive customer, Pole Position Raceway (P2R) offers a far more inclusive product than F1 Boston. This is mainly because P2R allows for a far wider range of drivers to participate seeing that children as short as 48 inches are allowed to race. However, the employees can limit the speed of the kart based on the age group. As Karen DavisFarage, the owner of two Pole Position Raceway facilities, says, “If the racers are being respectful of the rules, we’ll race them at the faster speed.” The remote is also used to slow karts, either individually or as a group, due to an incident. This allows employees to rescue stranded or stuck karts that unable to reverse themselves. The karts also have a seatbelt system and a high backed seat that makes a suit unnecessary.

When I went, it was a Super G Monday when their two tracks are combined into one. Unfortunately, the layout is nothing special. While it has no elevation changes, the bigger problem is the layout design. There are a couple of good corners taken at very quick speeds, but the long back straight is very narrow making any thoughts of passing difficult and there is a bit of a Mickey Mouse section with three very tight corners back to back. While I was not there with enough people to experience an issue, I think passing even much slower drivers could be very difficult. The track is also ringed by a series of connected, flexible barriers. Hitting it would send shockwaves through the entire wall, changing its shape.

My Verdict I appreciate the value of electric karts. They do flatter slower drivers with their torque and higher

Scan these codes for on-track footage!

top speed. I like how inclusive P2R is as well, allowing competency to dictate speed on track, rather than age and I like how intimate it is with the track not separated from the rest of the facility.

Make no mistake, though, the handling of the kart has been compromised by the electric motor and the track layout, with its flexible walls and Mickey Mouse bits, isn’t my favorite.

//GPNY Grand Prix New York (GPNY) is where I was introduced to indoor karting all those years ago.

I have been making the 45 minute drive from my house ever since the place opened. I must admit half of the fun was racing up and down Saw Mill Parkway on the way there and back. While the road has stayed much the same, GPNY has not. What started as a place for racers with two great tracks and nothing else has become a “racertainment facility” with all kinds of different activities. What started as just a jumping castle has expanded into an arcade room, a bowling alley, an iRacing simulator area and portable mini golf holes.

The tracks have gotten a bit shorter. Even though the measured length of the tracks remains similar, some of the raciness has departed with those extra feet. GPNY offers an unrivaled three track layouts which can be run independently. It is also the most inclusive karting facility. Children as short as 40 inches can drive in their two seat karts and once they reach the age of 13, they can jump into faster race karts. The top level, however, requires a driver to be over 18 years with a license–like other facilities.

The key to understanding GPNY, however, is to understand that while karting is the venue’s first love, the facility has expanded to become a good place for people of all ages to spend their time. The addition of a bowling alley means that it is easy to envision people coming in for a lot more than racing.

As an arrive and drive customer, this can exacerbate the problems that all indoor karting facilities face.

Whereas people come to Pole Position Raceway or F1 Boston only to race, GPNY draws a more diverse crowd. Simply put, the racing can be chaotic in a way that I did not experience at the other facilities.

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When it is less crowded, however, GPNY challenges you with some great layouts. “We have elevation changes that no one else has,” says Nat Mundy.

“That’s what sets us apart.” GPNY is bumpier than the other venues, but has one of the more challenging corners in indoor karting—a 270 degree downhill corkscrew followed by an immediate sweeping right. It is a very difficult corner to pass at, but satisfying to get right. Unfortunately, GPNY also makes some use of flexible barriers, with the ends unanchored. Tagging a barrier can cause the end of it to snake out significantly into the racing line.

The karts use a nine horsepower governed motor, which is a bit of a pity. The motor does have good torque, but loses power dramatically at the governed speed, further exacerbating the passing problem. These karts use the classic low position seat but team it with a roll hoop and seatbelts similar to the ones found at Pole Position Raceway. The same kart, without the governor, is also available for arrive and drive, but drivers must take a class to get certification.

My Verdict Be careful to avoid the busiest times, no matter your driving preference. People who have taken to GPNY for what it once was are probably going to be let down a bit, but the facility goes beyond any of its competitors as a place to spend time beyond just being on track.

//On Track Karting It is appropriate that On Track Karting is the last to be featured in this piece as it is the track that I had not previously heard of when I began my research. Nevertheless, On Track has been around for the past six years, first in Wallingford, CT and just recently opening a second facility in Brookfield.

The Wallingford facility is the one I visited and was found easily, being located just off the Merritt parkway.

My Verdict The On Track facility is unique in that they never break the track into two pieces. Instead, it is one long concrete ribbon winding in and out of itself through the facility. Having that much track at your disposal in an ungoverned six horsepower gasoline kart is fantastic. With that much length, the track has wonderful variety and can be run successfully in both directions. The track surface is reasonably smooth but has no elevation changes. While I do miss the elevation, it is more my wistful thinking than a practical need. There are also some very clear spots for overtaking, though there are equally some stretches where I can envision being stuck, no matter how slow the person in front is.

With all that length comes some realities though.

For one thing, while On Track does offer racing for children at least 48 inches tall, they do not have a separate track for them to run on and so they run in their own separate heats, as dictated by demand.

Price

F1 Boston

GPNY

Race 1: $38 Race 2: $28 Race 3: $19 Race 4: $10

Annual membership: $25 (Takes $10 off first race)

$18 Mon. – 6:00pm Fri. $25 6:00pm Fri. – Sunday (plus membership) Unlicensed and Younger: $5 / Adults: $10

On Track Karting

$20 member/ $25 non-member Youth (w/o Driver’s license) • 56” and taller $20 member/ $25 non-member Junior • 48–56” $18 member/ $22 non-member

$25 per race plus $10 30-day membership

Go for the track, have a blast, and head on home.

So What Indoor karting is a blast no matter where you go. It satiates a craving that, for me, can become unbearable during the winter months. Do not think for a moment that arrive and drive accounts for all the revenue these places acquire. Each venue also plays host to a wide array of group events, including league racing and corporate team-building activities–just to name a few. In my discussions with each owner, I learned that there is so much more to indoor karting than just the arrive and drive program. Although it may seem like a uniform format, each of the places I visited had very different offerings. Make no mistake, each venue succeeds in its own way, but the highs offered by each are unique.

Hours

Age

Elevation

Multiple Tracks

Concrete or Asphalt

M-Th: 12:00–10:00pm Fri :12:00–11:00pm Sat: 9:00am–11:00pm Sun: 9:00am–10:00pm

18 with valid driver’s license

Yes

Yes

A

40” to ride in twin seat 13 years and over 50” on brownstone junior track valid license adult

Yes

Yes

A

No

No

C

No

No

C

Varies weekly Check gpny.com

Adults (w Driver’s license) • 56” and taller Pole Position Raceway

While their facility does have significant ventilation (a good thing in the summer I imagine) it was very cold the day I went. And, while they are building other viewing platforms and the like in the track area, the sign up and wait area is rather isolated from the on track action. While the on track action is comparable to any other indoor venue and the track itself more than up to comparison, the rest of the facility is lacking the level of polish that can be found elsewhere.

M-Th: 12:00–10:00pm Fri :12:00–11:00pm Sat: 11:00am–Midnight Sun: 11:00am–9:00pm M-Th: 4:00–10:00pm Fri :12:00–11:00pm Sat: 10:00am–11:00pm Sun: 12:00–8:00pm

Adults 56” and taller Youth 56” and taller Junior 48–56” Valid driver’s licensed adult

Junior Heats: 7–15 years old (min 48”) Senior Heats: 16 years and older

Winter 2013 • 13

TOPDEADCENTER.CO

THE MASTERY OF CONTROL TEAM O’NEIL’S WINTER SAFETY SCHOOL DORAN DAL PRA

TIM O’NEIL DRIVING SCHOOL

In the rally world, the deep wooded hills and winding gravel roads of the Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center are something close to hallowed ground. Located in Dalton, New Hampshire, near the Vermont border, Team O’Neil is not only home to local rally champions like Chris Duplessis, but it has also honed the driving skills of superstars like Ken Block, Dave Mirra, and Travis Pastrana. And when the snow starts to fall and the frigid New Hampshire winter descends upon tiny Dalton, the Team O’Neil Winter Safety School begins.

This one-day course gives drivers of all abilities a chance to learn how to control their car in a wide range of winter driving situations under the guidance and watchful eye of Team O’Neil’s instructors. The school’s instructors bring to the table years of experience and an incredible depth of knowledge from a diverse range of driving disciplines. The Winter Safety School also makes for a strong accompaniment to the acclaimed rally driving program that is the mainstay and cornerstone of Team O’Neil.

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Scan for more information or visit team-oneil.com

The owner and founder of the school, Tim O’Neil, was gracious enough to answer questions about the Winter Safety School in an email interview.

What is entailed in the Winter Safety School? What skills will students be focused on?

“To be skidding in their car and riding with other people learning skid control. [The school is] designed to teach drivers the skills needed to drive with more confidence in poor driving conditions during the winter to avoid accidents,” said O’Neil.

One of the best features of the safety school is that students use their own car, allowing them to become familiar with how their vehicle handles various types of winter driving situations. “Students will drive their own car they normally drive during the winter. The class will cover vehicle weight transfer, five types of skids, emergency accident avoidance techniques, and vehicle preparation for winter driving.”

Author Kris Hansen summed up the safety school nicely in a March 2010 article on AudiWorld.com: “The Team O’Neil Winter Safety School is not a driving school that teaches you how to park your car. They teach you how to keep you from parking it in a snow bank, and get from point A to point B safely, every time, on any surface. Bring your wife and your teenage drivers. This course really benefits everyone!”

How did the Winter Safety School start? What was the inspiration, and how does it fit into the overall mission of the school?

The inspiration for the Winter Safety School came from a winter driving school started by former racing champion Jean Paul Luc in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. That program was born from a uniquely Western necessity: how to get to the mountains and ski when the roads were bad!

“People were afraid to go skiing because they didn’t have the confidence or the skills to drive in

poor conditions... teach people how to read the road conditions and be able to adjust speed for control,” said O’Neil.

O’Neil, a five-time national rally champion, has been involved in the rally scene for more than two decades. Since he started the school in 1997, thousands of students have found themselves in one of the school’s rally cars, whether it was a new Ford Fiesta, or an older Audi, BMW, or Volkswagen.

“The Winter Safety School is only seven percent of our business but it can be the most enjoyable to teach because of the feedback from our students.

Then they come alive, and to see the confidence on their face, it’s life changing for some. Team O’Neil’s main mission is to teach safe driving through car control. The Winter Safety classes were developed for our Northern New Hampshire conditions and other areas where winters are harsh and many people are afraid to drive and there are a lot of avoidable accidents.”

Are there other programs like this offered elsewhere?

“There are a few other safe driving schools in New England, but no one else uses real scenario training areas like we have here, and the highly experienced car control instructors that Team O’Neil has to offer.

We have multi-day, year round driving classes that are based on knowing your vehicle and road conditions as well as your own limitations,” O’Neil said.

The Winter Safety School is less about big speeds and driving like a hero, and focuses more on

accident avoidance, skid control, and how to handle your car in adverse conditions. And the school’s miles of beautifully maintained roads and safe, controlled area’s like the enormous skidpad are the ideal places for refining winter car control skills and building confidence.

When does the school start and end in the season, and how many classes are generally offered in a season? How many students participate throughout the season?

“Our winter safety schools are held usually from late December through early March, depending on the temperature. Classes run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and are held even if it’s snowing out, which makes it even better! The only time we have ever had to cancel a class is if there is a blizzard... Generally we have 12 to 15 students per class. We have no age limit for participants as long as they have a signed parent or guardian permission. We have taught thousands of students to be safe drivers in our Winter Safety classes over the last 15 years.”

What do you like best about the Winter Safety School?

“The skidding! It reaches out to the normal everyday driver on the street. It is the basic foundation to rally driving. Through these classes we are able to help drivers become safer and more confident on the roads, which translate into saving lives. The Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center’s mission is to provide a safe and realistic environment for students of all abilities to develop a high level of

driver performance and automotive awareness.

We are able to do this through our world-class instruction, teamwork, and development of stateof-the-art technology.”

Are there certain kinds of people you see come through the school? What are some of the reactions from people about the school?

“We have a lot of parents and [new drivers] that come for this class and people that either never drove in the winter or avoid it at all costs because they are afraid to drive in the winter. Or maybe they had an accident and want to overcome their fear of skidding out of control again,” said O’Neil.

Speak to anyone about Team O’Neil, and you’re bound to hear about the rampant passion the school’s staff has for what they do, and how thorough the teaching is. Whether you’re a rally junkie, an autocross racer, or someone who simply wants to feel more in control behind the wheel, there is something for you at Team O’Neil.

“Many of the students that participated in the Winter Safety School say they enjoyed the fact that they were taught progressively, with no pressure, learning new skills step-by-step, with plenty of practice before moving on to the next aspect of the training. They leave with new skills and a better understanding of traction control with their own vehicle so they feel more confident. We hear over and over from our students that they avoided an accident after taking this class which makes the world a better place.”

Winter 2013 • 15

THE FAMILY CAR nOt YOUr aVerage sUBie riCk giFFOrd

16 • MedianMag • MedianMag.com

This is my family car. It’s my very own bass-ackwards 911 wannabe Japanese four-door, and yet I never set out for it to be this way. I was raised a Chevy man. I’ve driven nothing but General Motors products for 20 years. I own a Corvette (jackstand queen) and have more money under its hood then I have into the entire family car. And to be honest it’s because of the family car! If you’re confused by now I understand, so let’s begin at the beginning.

This car was purchased brand new by one of my friends. Not just the acquaintance kind, but the one that grows up across the street and you spend your entire youth getting into trouble with. I bought my corvette when we were both 21, shortly after said friend (let’s call him “Jimbo”) graduated from college and decided he wanted to get a car to build: a Subaru WRX. I about laughed off my chair. “What the hell is an Impreza,” I said, having grown up around rear-wheel drive and V8s. I suppose that’s what they call foreshadowing, damn it.

By the time the car was released to the US domestic market, Jimbo had long since placed a sizable down payment at a high volume dealership, and to our surprise the car showed up on a carrier in the fall of 2001 as a 2002 model year. In the dead of winter in his dad’s frigid garage, and with the help of a sizable amount of cold brews, we built a three-inch turbo back with divorced WG flow. A set of APEXi boost and air/fuel controllers were installed. These were the dark ages before open source allowed ECU access, mind you. A Borla header, Perrin up pipe, and IHI VF22 turbo rounded out the mods.

At the time, my ‘Vette had AFR heads, a LT4 hotcam package, long tubes, flowhamsters and made 360/360 on a Dynojet. We played a bit in the fall when his car simply had a boost controller on an otherwise stock car (on a closed course of course) and I easily crushed him. Then the following

year, post turbo swap, I couldn’t shake that GD Subaru (I’m not swearing, it’s actually a GD model) to save my arse (there, I swore)! Even from a dig, I could only reel him in above 80 miles per hour on a highway pull (allegedly). We went to the track a few times and at 19psi that little AWD Scooby dooby doo went 12.2 seconds at 116mph. In other words, about two tenths of a second faster and the same MPH as the ‘Vette on street tires (equal ground, uh sort of). Eventually I got it through my thick skull that a turbo and AWD make up for the no V8 fun factor, and came to the conclusion that V8 plus a giant turbo would be a great idea.

About 25,000 miles and a few years later, Jimbo goes to put the car away for the winter (salt is hell on cars) and parks it in front of his dad’s garage. The next day he planned to clean out a spot and put it on jack stands for another round of mods. That

night, a freak windstorm hits, sends the upper half of a century old pine flying 25 feet from the back yard, crushing and rolling down his dad’s garage roof and on top of the Scooby—the long way. Not the kinda mods he had in mind. The windshield you see in these pictures is the only original glass left in the car. The insurance company didn’t total it as it was so new and booked high. They gave us around $12,000 to fix it.

After the tree was cut and removed, we got to work ordering all the panels you see here. The carbon parts were actually cheaper than the OEM stuff and allowed Jimbo to purchase ridiculously expensive JDM STi headlights (no USDM bug eye STi was ever produced) and other upgrades like springs, struts, etc. The bolt-on stuff went on quickly, and as time went on and more and more spot-welds were being cut and sheet metal tossed aside, the so-called

Winter 2013 • 17

“hangout and build cars” weekends became fewer and fewer. Girls, jobs, more schooling (for the both of us) took precedence over working on his WRX or my ‘Vette.

Fast-forward to around 3 years ago. I get a call from Jimbo, who had now gotten married and moved across country, telling me that after four years of sitting his old man wants the “WRX mess” out of the garage. He would sell it to only me, or another mutual friend we grew up with, for $3,000—with all the parts to put it back together. We just had to let Jimbo drive it again a few times.

I mailed him a check and went over to Jimbo’s old man’s house with a trailer to load up the basket case.

It took about six months of part time work to put the ol’ girl back together. It needed a new roof skin and C-pillar, and every fender and door had to get cut in (painted in the jambs and inside) and hung.

My Uncle then straightened out the body lines and all the little dings and then sprayed it factory black/ blue mica. By the time I finished I really needed it as a daily driver since my wife and I were about to have our first child. Our only other car at the time was a Pontiac Solstice GXP and we lived in a house that’s 880 feet up “Hell’s Pass” across the street from one of the Finger Lakes. That winter we took a sleigh ride down half of it and into the side of my Aunt’s BMW (they live one house below us on the driveway)—bonkin’ the front mount intercooler, carbon hood and ridiculously expensive headlights.

As it turned out, Jimbo had most of the receipts in the car. The insurance settlement covered all the aftermarket parts which allowed me to fix the car as good as new (again).

Then, at around the 29,000 mile mark, I shattered second gear into a gazillion pieces in a relatively benign manner. Too many years of Jimbo and me [allegedly] drag racing light to light caught up with the five-speed. Another friend was parting out one of his builds and the driveline that is in the car today came from him: a JDM V7 short ratio six18 • MedianMag • MedianMag.com

speed, Tilton twin plate road racing clutch, Stoptech aluminum hat brake rotors, EBC pads, D2 coil overs, R180 rear end, STi “blossom red” (pink damn it) rear control arms, STi forged aluminum front control arms, DCCD controller, and 17”x9” Advan racing wheels in white/blue pearl.

At this point, it’s late spring/early summer 2009. I’m beating the crap out of the EJ20 trying to get a very pregnant wife home from visiting her grandfather in Amsterdam, New York because she was feeling “funny.” I get off the thruway and suddenly it lets me know (through my nose and through the gas pedal) that the number 3 piston’s second ring land is no longer with the program. So, the car got parked for a few years after that, as we had purchased an Impreza 2.5i for my wife to drive, and a surprise second baby forced it down the priority list.

Even while it sat, I still managed to buy a part or two here and there. An STi crankshaft (79mm stroke), STi rods with upgraded ARP bolts, and a set of custom Wiseco 10.5:1 E85 turbo pistons with heavy wall pins found their way to my front door, allowing me to put the EJ20 together with 2.1L

of high compression fun. It never went in the car though. I got a cash offer for the engine from a friend who had smashed the front end of his own WRX, smoking the timing belt and bending up the valves. So, for $3,000 I sold my newly built engine.

This was more than enough to cover the costs of my backup plan, which was to use the horizontally opposed flat-six [H6] from the Subaru SVX. Given the engine code EG33, it’s considered the “big block Chevy” of the Subaru world. Even though the most recent EZ36D is 300cc bigger, it still doesn’t match the EG33 in pure size and heft. This is good and bad; bad for handling, although on the street I can’t tell the difference, and good for taking a serious, no-quarter given arse kicking every day.

It even passes NY inspection. I kept all the emissions devices and use the original engine management to run them. Every readiness monitor passes the test.

Megasquirt 3/3x is running the engine though, not the factory ECM [see tech sidebar].

The Shelby Cobra look-alike radiator is actually a 4.0-liter Jeep Cherokee model with the filler

EJ20 HARNESS When it came time to wire the car, I had to build a harness to merge the factory SVX (H6) engine connectors with the 4 cylinder (H4) EJ20 harness.

The H4 harness was needed to get 12v power to the H6 sensors, injectors, and coils. Since I was required to keep all the emissions controls devices, the charcoal canister purge valve, knock sensor, throttle position, and the idle air control were wired into the H6 engine’s harness as well. The H4 oxygen sensors were fitted into the exhaust.

The H4 coolant temp sensor and fan switch (it is a single 3 wire sensor) was installed in the H6’s coolant crossover in place of the 2 wire, and the 1 wire sender from the H6 was left in place to inform the Megasquirt3 controller of engine temperature.

Thermistors such as coolant temp or inlet air temp cannot be “shared” by ECM’s like map sensors and throttle position sensors can. The thermistor circuits are known as 5v pull down. In other words, they are fed a fixed, known current by the ECM. As the temperature rises, the resistance of the sensor increases. The voltage in the line, as a result of this, is translated into a temperature by the ECM. If you tried to “share” a temp sensor with 2 ECMs, the voltage versus temperature curve would be all

neck cut off and tapped for the surge tank hose.

It replaces the front mount intercooler, as I need the extra room for reinstalling the A/C system this coming spring.

Although it’s never been on my dyno, I have datalogged 0-60 times of four seconds flat using the internal SD card feature of MS3. I also get launch control and flat shift capability. Not bad for what is probably a 260 hp /260 tq engine. The best part is the flat-six, 911-like howl, currently running through two Flowmasters in series. It’s my attempt to try and quiet it down so I can hear the kids in the back seat. The peculiar resonant intake roar caused by the divided, variable geometry intake is also pretty sweet. Totally worth the effort!

wrong–you would be feeding the sensor a fixed current from 2 ECMs. In simple terms, it’s roughly double the current. All other devices, such as the coils and injector connectors, were omitted from the H4 engine harness.

down the CAN bus from MS3 and converts it into the proper cam and crank signals for the H4 (or a number of other engines making OBD2 swaps MUCH easier. Do you want an LS3 in a RX-8 and keep the dash and BCM? No problem!).

Crank and cam triggers

So now it’s simply a matter of wiring the output from the Tiny I/O extender to the WRX ECM. It’s also necessary to use one a “cracked” ECM in this swap (romraider.com), so that you can turn off all the engine codes related to the unused H4 components–like coils and injectors.

In order for the A/C controls, canister, and idle valve to function correctly, they need to see an RPM signal. However the H6 and H4 trigger wheels are completely different. The H6 has a 12 tooth crank wheel, a 1-2-3 tooth crank wheel and a single tooth cam trigger. The H4 uses what is known as a 36-2-22 trigger arrangement.

To solve this issue I went with a mechanical fix first.

The unused 1-2-3 wheel was machined off the H6 crank gear, since MS3 only requires the 12 tooth crank sensor and cam sensor to function. Then I machined the 36-2-2-2 wheel from the H4 crank gear to fit on the back of the H6 crank gear. Viola! I now had RPM signal for the H4 ECM since it doesn’t need the cam sensor to acquire that. Now the entire set of factory WRX gauges worked properly.

I have since worked out a new electronic solution with the guys from Megasquirt using a Tiny I/O extender board (jbperf.com ) that takes RPM signal

That’s about it! Once I got all of those things sorted out, the computer passed all of the readiness monitors required for state inspection and I got my legal sticker. The mechanical side of the swap is relatively easy for the mechanically inclined using some simple garage tools. The electronic solution is more difficult, but not impossible, for the average garage mechanic that has some wiring knowhow.

My shop is considering building pre-made engine harnesses to help those without the necessary skills to build their own. The earliest they would be available would be late spring 2013. The entire swap can be done at Lifeline Performance, as well, for those that simply want to write a check and pick up their own “big block” Subaru.

A turbo system has been the plan for the “big block” Subaru since its inception, but after spending 6,500 miles with a snappy H6, a clutch that has a non-existent moment of inertia, and a close-ratio six-speed, I’m pretty happy with the way it is. For now...

Winter is here now, so it’s time to put away pretty Advans, hang the studded snows, and the plow on. Oh I didn’t mention that? Yeah, I be plowing the driveway with it as well–All feet of curvy steep harrowing death with a UTV plow.

the put will 880 72”

And there you have it; my very own bass-ackwards four-door, 911 wannabe family car. It was constructed by happenstance and was responsible for me pouring two times its cost into a Corvette at one time, but is now driven daily with my two kids, wife, sometimes my 3 Pitties, and occasionally a trailer load of car parts or lumber.

Behold the power of a light AWD car on studs! It’s great for Winter shenanigans galore, tank donuts, and drifto supreme, but it’s probably the safest thing I can use to get down the driveway and to the store with everything that’s precious to me–my ever growing family. Don’t forget the AWD burnouts.

My kids love ‘em.

Winter 2013 • 19

PLAYING FAIR 2012 CAMARO ZL1 STAFF

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JUSTIN McDADE

The story behind this 2012 Camaro ZL1 began nearly thirty-eight years ago, for that was the day that Alan Faircloth went to buy his very first car. He wandered on down to the local used car lot and found the car he really wanted, a ’67 Mustang.

The trouble was, the car was riddled with rust and probably wouldn’t make it through one winter, let alone a few years of driving. The fallback plan wasn’t that bad though, as he eventually settled on a ’67 Barracuda. To say that Alan had a little bit of an obsession with horsepower would probably be an understatement.

He eventually went on to own three ’67 Barracudas in his lifetime. “One of my biggest regrets is not hanging on to one of them,” he admits. “After seeing what they sell for now, it’s unbelievable.”

One of the more interesting vehicle acquisitions he ever made though was an ’87 Pontiac Trans Am GTA. He was working for a client on a basement remodel at the time and noticed the car sitting in the owner’s garage. Something unique about it drew him in—it was a convertible! Some quick research revealed that the convertible was not a factory option until 1988, which made it one rare bird

indeed. A company called American Sunroof Corp (ASC), located in California, had done the conversion and there were only a limited amount produced. Alan quickly struck a deal with the owner for the title in exchange for his labor on the basement. I’d like to say that he made a killing on the deal but it just wasn’t meant to be. The rag top was in poor shape and the cost to repair and restore the car just wasn’t worth it in the long run.

Marriage and children eventually slowed this speed demon down enough that he settled firmly into middle age. The love of cars hadn’t faded though, and the passion he had for fast cars rubbed off on his son, Chris. Purchasing a Corvette allowed Chris to pursue his own need for speed, and lead him to the Connecticut Autocross and Rally Team (cartct.com) as a way of getting that fix. Chris hadn’t forgotten about his old man though, and in 2009, he gave him a calendar to hang in the garage with a picture of a Chevy Camaro proudly on display. The message was there for Alan to see every day. Horsepower was making a comeback and it was calling him back. It would have to wait a little while longer.

Winter 2013 • 21

2010 was a rough year. Alan not only had to deal with the passing of both his father and a close friend’s daughter, but he was diagnosed with lung cancer around Thanksgiving. To make matters worse he had a blood clot in his lung that nearly killed him and suffered a heart attack three weeks after the clot had been dealt with. 2011 was spent undergoing chemo and radiation treatments on a regular basis.

Every day he left for work that year, he saw the shot of that Camaro up on the garage wall and reflected back on the fun he had all those years back with the various muscle cars he’d owned. So the next year, with the cancer in remission and with his wife’s blessing, he made the decision to buy one.

“It wasn’t the best looking car when it first came out,” Alan admits. “But the design grew on me over time.” What really made the difference was the introduction of the ZL1 package. The redesigned front end, hood and body kit really got his attention.

“I also wanted a white one mainly for the fact that it was the only one in New England at the time,” he adds. A trip down to Dengras Chevrolet in East Hartford, Connecticut was all it took and the order was placed. Options included a sunroof, trunk stripe, and a carbon fiber hood with the stripe deleted and carbon fiber exposed.

2013 brings a new year full of hope and optimism.

Although he is still dealing with the aftereffects of the treatments, Alan plans on bringing the car to the track and joining his son for some autocross events.

Rather than sticking the car under a tarp and hoping for a future financial reward, he’s chosen to invest in the here and now. With 580 horsepower on tap, he should be in for the time of his life.

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POSTER CHILD 2012 mercedeS c63 amg Staff

Jake WilliamS

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As a typical young boy growing up in the eighties, I liked to plaster my bedroom walls with all sorts of posters. I must have spent hours of my life flipping through the racks at Newbury Comics! There was a poster of the Guns and Roses’ Appetite for Destruction album cover, another that detailed the various types of poopies that you might encounter in your lifetime, but it was the “Justification for Higher Education” poster that I’m reminded of as my interview with Michael Tramontozzi begins.

For those of you not fortunate enough to have seen or owned it, let me sum it up for you—there’s a picture of a Spanish-style villa perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean with a path leading down to a multi-car garage. From left to right are parked a Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes, Corvette, and convertible BMW. What’s the reason I’m reminded of this? I’ve asked Tramontozzi the question I ask most car guys, “What were your early influences when it came to high performance cars?”

“Our family owns a body shop in Needham [MA],” he begins. “I’ve been around cars my entire life and my dad has owned a lot of them. There was a ’97 [Dodge] Viper, ’01 Viper, ’05 [Lamborghini] Gallardo, ’08 Gallardo Spyder, and my mom drives a ’06 [Mercedes] CLS 55.”

So what would lead Tramontozzi to choose this pristine ’12 Mercedes C63 AMG coupe? “I was looking for something powerful and stylish but it had to be a coupe,” he explained. “I had always wanted a BMW M3 and when the E92 came out I thought that I would get it. The 2012 C63 was the first year that they offered a coupe version and after test driving both cars I realized that I actually preferred the Mercedes.”

What’s not to love? Opting for the P31 AMG Development Package meant that he would have 481 horsepower and 443 foot pounds of torque at his command—67 horsepower and 148 foot pounds more than the M3. To accomplish this, the P31 26 • MedianMag • MedianMag.com

SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘12 mercedes c63 amg Performance/Handling • 481 Horsepower @ 6,500 RPM • 443 lb-ft of Torque @ 5,000 RPM • AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7-speed MCT w/ RACE START function • Front suspension: 3-link independent struttype with stabilizer bar • Rear suspension: Multi-link independent with stabilizer bar • 18” AMG Twin 5-Spoke Alloy Wheels • 235/40 R 18 front / 255/35 R 18 rear highperformance • Quad Exhaust with Chrome Outlets

AMG Development Package • • • • • • • • • • •

Speed Limit Raised to 174mph Power Increase of 30hp Lightweight AMG forged pistons Lightweight connecting rods Revised crankshaft Revised ECU Exclusive engine intake runners in Titanium Gray finish Two-piece front brake rotors Red Brake Calipers AMG performance steering wheel with Alcantara side grips Carbon Fiber Trunk Lid Spoiler

package upgrades the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 with forged internals (borrowed from the SLS) and a remapped ECU. It’s also recently come to light that Mercedes has underreported their performance numbers. Real world dyno testing has shown that the actual performance numbers are slightly higher.

Helping to put all this power to the pavement is Mercedes’ new seven-speed AMG Speedshift MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) automatic that utilizes four selectable shift modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Manual. Scan the QR code for a video demonstration of how this cool technology works.

The only thing left for Tramontozzi to do was to locate the exact model he wanted. Originally he wanted one with black paint and red leather interior with both the AMG Development Package and Multimedia Package. There was only one vehicle in the entire country that had that combination, but the dealership that owned it didn’t want to work with Tramontozzi’s dealer to transfer the vehicle.

So instead, he sat down and filled out an order sheet to have one made in Germany to his exact specifications.

While checking in on the progress a couple months later, he was told that a mistake was made and the vehicle was painted Diamond White instead of black.

Seeing that the error was already made and it was still going to take two more months for the vehicle to make it to the States, he decided to stick with it.

Nearly five months after the order was placed, he got the call that the vehicle had arrived and was ready for pickup.

For now, Tramontozzi has decided not to modify the car. Instead, this Accounting major is going to complete his studies and is on schedule to graduate from Suffolk University this year. And if you’re wondering what poster he had on his wall growing up? I didn’t think to ask, but my guess is that it must have been the Space Shuttle.

Winter 2013 • 27

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FROZEN PLAYGROUND NORTH EAST QUATTRO WINTER DRIVING SCHOOL DAVE KLOCK

DAN McBOOST

The sun was starting to go down and the air was beginning to take on the bite that it had early in the morning before the clouds cleared and the sun made the winter air seem more like late September than February. The last few cars were coming off the 1.5 mile road course, that hadn’t existed 6 hours earlier, and drivers were clearing the snow from their wheels to insure smooth rides home. Phrases like “better than Disney World”, “best winter school ever” and “I will be back next year” were being bantered around. North East Quattro’s (NEQ) first lake-based winter driving school, all too soon, had come to an end.

The event was born at our annual meeting back in December 2008 when our chapter president, Art Mayhew, started off by saying, “I’ve been thinking.” Art frequently does that but it usually turns into something good. This time was no exception.

What Art was thinking about was getting together with this ice racing friends at the Adirondack Motorsports Enthusiasts Club (AMEC) and establishing a winter driving school on a local lake. Growing up in AMEC territory, I was fortunate enough to watch them race on Caroga Lake back in the 60’s and I had always thought that I would like to do it sometime. It just took 40 years and Art’s idea for me to get one step closer.

The logistics of putting an event like this together are unique. First you have to have a lake with enough ice but not too much snow. You need a way to get on the lake with vehicles (public launches cannot be used) and a way to create the site. It turns out the AMEC guys are expert at finding the ice, a way on the lake and boy can they plow snow. [See feature on page 42] One thing they can’t control, however, is the weather. Our first date was set for the following February 14–yes Valentine’s Day. I didn’t say all Art’s ideas were good ones! Unfortunately, a week of unseasonably high temperatures, including a 60 degree day, turned the lake surface into mush. We were forced to reschedule to our alternate date on the 21st, and by the way, change the location from our initial site to Canadarago Lake. It took a few emails to get everything set up then hotel rooms were rebooked and everyone was set to meet for the event. A few of us even regained some lost points with our Valentines!

I met our AMEC partners on Friday afternoon at the lake and we roughed out an exercise area that consisted of a large pit area, a 300 foot diameter skid pad and a half mile long straight that we used for high speed and low speed slalom areas. We even put a right hand turn at the end of the high speed slalom to teach pendulum turns on the way back to the slalom staging area.

Winter 2013 • 29

On Saturday we held registration at the Genesee Restaurant in Richfield Springs and started the exercises. The big skid pad was a real hit. Not only was it fun but everyone had a chance to experience the different types of skids, understeer, oversteer and how to control and take advantage of each. Next, everyone continued to hone their skills on the high speed and low speed slalom courses which were set up on what would become the front straight of the road course after lunch.

Creating facilities on frozen surfaces using water in various states is somewhat like performance art.

It’s fleeting. Wind, sun and snowmobilers can ruin a course almost as fast as you can create it. So it was not until late morning that the plows came out and after we got back from lunch we had a brand new 1.5 mile road course complete with decreasing radius turns, esses, a hairpin and a 2500 foot straight. How many drivers can say that they were one of the first ever to drive on a brand new track?

Armed with the skills learned in the morning, it was time to break in the newly created track. We created run groups based on who had snow tires vs all-season tires. Sorry Quattro purists but the biggest advantage on a smooth low friction surface comes from the tires not the number of wheels being driven. However, if you went off the plowed surface and got into the deep stuff the Quattro’s did not need the tow strap where the two wheel drives did.

In the end everyone had plenty of track time and a great learning experience. Judging from the number of positive comments, Art’s idea turned out to be a good one.

Want to have the most fun you can have in a car and learn new driving skills at the same time? The North East Quattro Club is proud to offer their Winter Driving Schools in upstate NY. These events will be on small lakes in the southern Adirondack area such as Caroga Lake or Algonquin Lake, determined by conditions. These events are scheduled as the weather permits and usually take place from midJanuary to as late as early March. Keep an eye on MotorsportReg.com and the NEQ web site (neqclub. org) for announcements. These one day events begin with an 8:00 AM Registration and brief classroom session followed by on-ice instruction including car control exercises and driving a prepared road course

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on the ice. Attendance is limited to 25 students and 20 Instructors in order to maximize the experience for the attendees. There will be a wait list in case of cancellations.

This is not just for hot-shot high speed track drivers!

It is also for their teenage children and spouses. This is a superb opportunity to hone your winter driving skills in a safe and supportive environment with skilled instructors. The fun and camaraderie will be great! Participants must have a car which is in good condition and fitted with snow or all season tires.

The car need not be an Audi. Trucks and SUVs are acceptable as well. Participants must have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit. All participants (and those accompanying them) should be warmly dressed, with good boots, a warm hat and gloves or mittens. Events run until approximately 4:30 PM with an hour set aside for lunch. The cost for each participant is $100 including lunch. They will allow a limited number of guests for observation and ridea-longs for $15.

The school consists of braking and slalom exercises, skid pad and a 1 to 1.25 mile simulated road course.

On the 200’ skid pad, drivers will learn about understeer and oversteer and find out how to steer and counter steer to control their car. The slalom and brake area will be combined with a short ice driving course so drivers can discover the effects of vehicle dynamics as they negotiate the cones in the slalom and learn to brake under full control on the ice. The short ice driving course will give them the opportunity to put their newly learned lessons to good use as they wind their way around the twists and turns and back to the cone area.

Because they are subject to the whims of Mother Nature, the school could be canceled and or rescheduled the day before. The event organizers want everyone to realize this. In case of changing conditions, they will keep everybody updated by e-mail.

These events are made possible with the help of the AMEC ice racing club who prepares the venue for them and determines the final schedule. Anyone who may be interested in staying for Sunday and watching ice racing with the AMEC should look over their web site (iceracing.com). Invite your spouse, teenager or a friend anyone who drives on snow and ice and wants to improve their driving skills!

Winter 2013 • 31

TRADING PLACES 1993 niSSan 240Sx StaFF

JaYCE aldana

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Winter 2013 • 33

From the beginning of the hot rod movement, the engine swap has been seen as the easiest way to make more power in any given vehicle. The AC Cobra serves as one of the prime examples of this.

When Carroll Shelby convinced the British company to drop a high output 260 ci Ford V8 into their lightweight AC Ace chassis, the end result became legendary.

Suffield, Connecticut native Travis Wilson had a different objective when it came to modifying the powertrain of his ‘93 Nissan 240sx – reliable power.

In 2008 he purchased the car as a rolling chassis and proceeded to build up a stock inline four-cylinder KA24DE with forged internals, eventually adding a custom turbo setup. He drove it like this for three years, making many trips to the drag strip and driving it at local drifting events.

The racing bug had bitten hard, but the vehicle had to serve as a daily driver in the good weather and survive a beating on the track. This is where most owners of the 240SX turn to Nissan’s other inline four-cylinder, the SR20DET. The two-liter turbocharged engine is the number one choice for swaps as it was installed in the JDM variant of the 240sx, the S13 Silvia. The aftermarket support for the motor is robust and it can be built to achieve high horsepower.

Rather than follow the crowd, Wilson decided to do something unique and settled on the 2JZ-GTE for his engine swap. Toyota’s version of the inline six-cylinder is also legendary, as many Supra owners will attest. 1,000-plus horsepower is not uncommon from this motor with either a single or twin turbo configuration, and it enjoys huge aftermarket support as well. “Being a very unique swap there wasn’t a lot of information on it,” Wilson admits. “[However], it allowed me to get creative and design everything around my own style.

So the 23 year old mechanic jumped head first into the swap. Starting off with a factory ‘93 Toyota 2JZ-GTE short block, Wilson chose to focus most of his attention on the top end. Upgraded cams, cam gears, and valve springs take advantage of a mildly ported and polished cylinder head. Fueling needs are covered with a dual Walbro pump setup that feeds a set of 1000cc injectors.

A Garrett T67 p-trim was the power adder of choice, for which Wilson took the time to fabricate a 3” turbo back exhaust system. Tial components manage the boost through a combination of a 38mm wastegate and Q blow off valve as the compressed air is cooled through a custom front mounted intercooler.

Wilson handled all the wiring and the tuning as well. “I use an AEM EMS v2 standalone,” he said.

“And I use a custom gauge cluster to watch the vitals of the engine.” So how much power does this combination make? Until he gets it on a dyno, it’s anyone’s guess. “Most people get distracted by the horsepower ‘number’,” said Wilson. “I don’t believe in that. There is so much more to it than just that ‘number’ when talking about performance. I like going to the track and seeing real world results.”

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Getting the 240sx track-ready was another project.

“My favorite part about this car is how versatile it is,” he beams. “The only difference between driving on the street, drifting at a local event or going to the drag strip is a simple tire change.” Take a look at the work he’s done in the handling department and it’s easy to see why. The suspension is built around a set of fully adjustable Tein Flex coilovers and completely upgraded control arms and steering knuckles. Rotora brakes up front and larger Nissan 300zx brakes in the rear give fade-free performance lap after lap.

Helping put the power to the ground is a Kaaz two way differential. “Simply bolting on a set of sticky tires with no other changes, I’ve driven it to a best of 10.85 [seconds] at 134 miles per hour at the local drag strip with several 10 second passes to back it up.” With the rear seats yanked and a six-point roll bar installed, his setup is actually track legal until he breaks into the 9’s.

After spraying the body and engine bay in Satin White, Wilson finally achieved his dream – A street/ strip car, capable of running 10’s, with an engine that was reliable enough to drive daily. Shelby would be proud.

SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘93 Nissan 240sx Engine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1993 Toyota 2jzgte Toyota pistons, rods and crank ACL Race bearings .001 oversize ARP Head stud, main studs and rod bolts Cometic MLS head gasket Mildly ported and polished head Supertech dual valvesprings with titanium retainers GSC S1 cams degreed with titan cam gears Titan billet timing belt tensioner ATI harmonic balancer custom made solid motor mounts Garrett t67 turbo Tial 38mm wastegate Tial Q blow off valve 3” down pipe to dual 3” straight piped exhaust

Fuel • Dual Walbro 255lph pumps on the stock hanger in a stock tank • -8an steel braided feed and return fuel system • Top feed 1000cc precision injectors • Aeromotive bypass fuel pressure regulator

drivetrain • Current trans toyota r154 upgraded with marlin crawler billet shift fork, bearing retainer and 1st gear thrust washer • Fidanza flywheel • RPS 6puck sprung clutch • One piece steel drive shaft built for toyota trans and nissan r200 diff • R200 diff with KAAZ 2way limited slip with factory 4.08 gear

Suspension and brakes • • • • • • • • • • •

Rotora 13” 4piston front brakes Full 300zx aluminum rear knuckles and brakes 300zx 1 1/16” master cylinder 5 lug conversion Tein Flex coilovers PBM rear upper control arms Battle version rear toe rods Isis traction rods Tein tension rods Boxed front lower control arms Custom drift steering knuckles built by me for added angle and corrected steering geometry for drifting

interior • • • •

Kirkey road race seat G-force 5 point harness Nardi 330mm wheel with quick release Speed hut gauge cluster includes speedo, tachometer, and fuel gauges.

• STRi water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, and boost gauges • AEM Wideband • AEM standalone v2

exterior • Satin white paint • XXR 521 wheels 18x10 +20 all around, stripped and polished lips • 235/40/18 Federal SS595 front tires • 265/35/18 Nitto 555 rear tires • Xenon front lip • Silvia side skirts • OEM Nissan mud flaps painted white

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FILLING THE GAP

2010 LINGENFELTER CORVETTE ZR1 STAFF

GREG CAPARELL

Jon Gringas, 22, is no stranger to high horsepower vehicles. Having owned a 652 whp 2000 Ford Lightning and a 1024 whp 2003 Saleen Mustang Cobra at one point, you might even say he’s a bit jaded when it comes to high performance. So when it was time to buy the new daily driver, Gringas had a choice to make. He needed to raise the bar a bit, but this time around it had to be about more than just raw power numbers. A Nissan GT-R, Dodge Viper, Audi R8, and even a high strung exotic or two was available, but this Arctic White 2010 Corvette ZR1 inevitably proved to be too much for him to ignore.

There’s no denying that the Corvette ZR1 is one of the best bang-for-the-buck modern hot rods out there. The modern supercharged push rod LS9 motor is good for over 600 horsepower and 600 foot-pounds of torque right out of the box. Its double wishbone suspension with Magnetic Selective Ride Control is considered worldclass. A bulletproof Tremec TR-6060 suspension also gives you the confidence to push the vehicle to its limits when required.

After taking ownership, Gringas called on the professionals at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE) in order to crank the dial up a bit. LPE offers three different packages for the ZR1, starting with a 680 hp package and ending with a 750 hp package. Gringas opted for the mid-level 710 hp that retained the factory engine internals, but made slight modifications to the supercharger and air intake components.

The cast 356T6 aluminum supercharger snout that LPE provides reduces pressure drop as it was designed to provide a more direct path for the airflow from the throttle body to the supercharger. Reducing the inlet restriction results in more power at the same boost level as the supercharger doesn’t have to work as hard.

Some of the inherent parasitic power loss of a belt driven system is also reduced and the supercharger outlet temperatures drop as well. Since the snout angle changes, so does the path of the intake. LPE includes their own air intake system that features revised ducting to connect the throttle body to a sealed shroud that protects the air filter from the hot engine compartment. LPE claims that by just changing these two components, they’ve seen gains of 30 horsepower to the rear wheel.

In order to hit the target number of 710 horsepower at the motor, a 2.6 inch diameter steel pulley (10 bolt) is swapped out—raising the boost level to between 12 and 13 psi. The 11 rib design helps keep the belt from moving around. LPE also adds a 100mm aluminum double bearing idler assembly, solid supercharger isolator coupling, and a 160 degree thermostat. Once the upgrades were finished and the vehicle was pushed onto the rollers, it cranked out 609 wheel horsepower and 602 wheel torque at 13 psi of boost. A one year/12,000 mile warranty on all the added components is included as long as LPE installs everything.

Working with his father in the family’s scaffolding business taught Gringas at least one lesson. A good and stable foundation is necessary if you want to be safe. So knowing that the work was done right and tuned properly, he felt confident in making just a few more minor tweaks. A set of American Racing headers and Billy Boat cat back exhaust were bolted on as well as a set of ADV.1 wheels. With no affect on either drivability or highway mileage, I’d say that he made some great choices. Having almost 660 wheel horsepower available now, and the rubber to hold it, gives Gringas the ultimate in daily driving performance. Who’s jaded now?

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RACECARS ON ICE A WINTER SPECTACULAR JEFF GROSSBARD

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GABRIELLE ISENBRAND

I thought I was weird. That, at least, is what my friends kept calling me when I told them that I have a mental database of all the local parking lots that are large, empty and infrequently plowed after a snowstorm. Then I found out about guys who do that sort of thing on a much, much larger scale. They call themselves ice racers and, unlike my summer tire spins in local snow covered parking lots, take to a surface with much larger potential—frozen lakes!

One of the bigger ice racing clubs in New York is the Adirondack Motor Enthusiasts Club (AMEC). Based in and around the Lake George area, AMEC holds races on Lake George as well as points north, and has been on the ice since 1954. Started by a bunch of General Electric employees based in Schenectady, the club operates year round hosting all sorts of rallies and autocrosses in the Schenectady, Scotia, and Saratoga area. AMEC’s biggest event, however, is its ice racing series.

AMEC’s ice racing history truly began in 1964 when the club was asked to host a race on a frozen Lake George during the Lake George Winter Carnival. That event continues to this day. Since then, AMEC has developed relationships with many of the lakes in upstate NY. Weather permitting, they can now run an event every weekend from early January into March.

Each race weekend begins on the Thursday prior when participants check out the AMEC website (icerace.com) to see if the ice is up to scratch. The club will not run on ice that is less than 12’’ thick for the entirety of the racing surface and paddock area. Besides the objective measure, AMEC also has years of experience hosting ice racing events and knows the lakes it operates on. Safety is the primary concern and so while the ice may seem fine on Thursday or Friday, the final call about an event can be made as late as Saturday when the Preparation Team heads to the lake and starts prepping the surface for the race.

As you can imagine, the lake and ice coverage determine the length and direction of courses. After that, though, as Dave Burnham, AMEC historian and former club President told me, “We pretty much do whatever we want as long as the course flows.” The courses can stretch well over a mile meaning speeds can, and frequently do, exceed 100mph, especially for the super mod category

(more on classing in a bit). The team also makes smaller courses, a half mile or less depending on ice, which always feature left and right turns.

Once an event is given the go-ahead, anyone over the age of 18 with a valid driver’s license is welcome to show up for registration. Just be sure to get there before 10am when registration closes. Drivers under the age of 18 are allowed to race, but they are class restricted. In fact, provided that they have a letter of recommendation, and meet other criteria, drivers as young as 14 may participate. Scan the QR code to the right to view the 2013 ice racing rules.

Each event costs $50 plus an AMEC membership, which is $20 for the year. That buys you a short practice session to learn the course and three heats, each lasting for 15 to 20 minutes. And, unlike autocrossing where you have to work every event, AMEC has volunteers who flag and marshal the course.

An average AMEC event will draw around 40 race cars in different states of preparation. The Lake George Winter Carnival event can draw as many as 100.

Racers of every background come from all over to participate, enjoying the thrill of good competition on a low grip surface. As Matt Delorenzo, the 2007 Fonda Championship winner and frequent ice racer says, “AMEC ice races are run professionally and efficiently. [They are] similar to most of the professional dirt-tracks around. The club has a dedicated group of people and officers that volunteer their time and effort to make AMEC Ice Racing what it is today. I have been ice racing for almost 25 years, and part of the reason for coming back is because of the great bunch of people that are involved which put together a professional run program. Also there is no doubt it’s because of the fun and speed of driving on the ice, often in whiteout conditions.”

That thrill of competition is the unifying idea behind AMEC, and that same thrill brings together all kinds of cars. Fortunately, the AMEC classing system is straightforward and not too bloated. It divides participants into five basic classes with some further differentiation within each.

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At the most basic level is the Street Legal class.

This is the “run what you got” class. All cars must pass a state mandated safety inspection (lights, bearings, brakes, etc.) and are offered very limited modifications. No matter what, these cars must remain street legal and do not need roll cages or four point harnesses (though they are allowed). The Street Legal class is subdivided into five classes. SL and SL4 must run a winter tire that is not studded.

The “4” in SL4 stands for, you guessed it, 4WD vehicles. Thanks to a partnership with Bridgestone, if a car in this class runs Blizzak tires on all four wheels and displays Bridgestone decals for the entirety of the season, that car is eligible for prizes including cash at the end of the year banquet.

prepared with significant openings in suspension modifications but must retain basic body shape. This class also retains a no contact policy from the Street Legal category. While this class does run studded snow tires, to help keep costs down, they must either be used Menard tires or any tire with up to 18 studs per foot.

Other than the Bridgestone tire, the SLS (Street Legal Studded) and SLS4, still under the Street Legal classification, requires competitors to run the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, which is a studded snow tire and cannot be modified. The great bit about the SL class overall, however, is the no contact rule.

Anyone who contacts another car will immediately be pulled from the event, ensuring that there is respectful racing space between cars.

Finally, we have the Super Modified class. This is the top of competition and subdivides into a closed (SMC) or open (SMO) spec. While the closed class must retain basic body shape, the open class does not. These are purpose built race cars and are the fastest cars on ice.

Finally, the Street Legal class also includes the SLM class; a stepping stone to the modified categories.

This class requires four point roll cages and harnesses.

They run a Menard studded tire but still must be street legal. These cars also run with the faster SS and Open class cars, so watch your mirrors!

Next up is the Stock Sportsman class. These cars are modified four cylinder cars with displacement under 2.6 liters. No turbos, superchargers, rotaries or four wheel drive cars allowed. These cars are more

The Modified class represents the next step up.

These cars must be based on street legal machinery but take advantage of far more regulatory openings than the Stock Sportsman class. Motor modifications, replacements, stripped interiors, the works. Tires are new studded Menards or any studded snow with up to 28 studs per foot.

There is an Open Class, but that is not an invitation for ground effect monstrosities, more for people who are looking to try a different car. The open category, to discourage serious competition, is not scored.

Interested? Want to know more about the club?

Head on over to AMEC’s website and check them out. There is plenty of contact information on the site and everyone is extraordinarily helpful and very knowledgeable. Choosing between some parking lot donuts and a fully fledged ice race course – well that’s the easiest choice of all.

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TURKEY RUN

EXOTICS RALLY AT THE TRACK FOR CHARITY JEFF GROSSBARD

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AUTHOR/KARAN BAHL

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It is a rare day when stock Nissan GT-R owners are made to feel insecure about the amount of power their cars put down. It is even rarer to have a bone stock Corvette ZR1 owner suffer from power envy, but that’s exactly what happened December 1, as members of the Exotics Rally got together for their sixth annual Turkey Run for Charity.

Originally scheduled for November 11, with a track day scheduled the next day at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ (E-Town), the event had to be postponed due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Sandy. Unfortunately, the road rally ended up being canceled but there was still a great turnout for the E-Town portion. More than forty examples of some of the most tuned-out metal I’ve ever seen descended on the quarter mile drag strip to prove their worth, everything from a 1,000+ whp Jeep Grand Cherokee, to a 1,300 whp twin turbo Porsche.

The crowd of nearly a hundred people watched as drivers tried to deal with track conditions that were less than ideal, given the late time of the year. With temperatures hovering around forty degrees most of the day, several cars were unable to get their massive power down. Some drivers even reported that their tires were still stone cold after their run.

The day started with rolling passes–two cars rolling into the lights at 20 to 40 miles per hour before nailing it at the line. While the rear wheel drive beasts had trouble, there were around a dozen performance-tuned GT-Rs that had little to no problem hooking up. Their four wheel drive system proved invaluable in keeping the power planted throughout the runs. Seeing that much horsepower in one place was an experience, but getting to see all of those horses running down the track made it a very rare day indeed.

At the end of the day, everyone appreciated the effort that was made and plans were quickly made for the Spring Sprint at Pocono Raceway on April 21. Dubbed the “Battle of the Beasts,” this event will give entrants the option to run the 1.37 mile road course as well as a half mile rolling start drag race! Those of you interested in either participating or sponsoring the event can contact Seth Rose at exoticsrally.com.

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Scan this QR code for videos of the racing action!

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GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN

2013 niSSan gt-r JoShua ElZEY

Whenever you hear of a modified Nissan GT-R in northern New England you would tend to immediately think of Kaizen Tuning. Located northwest of Boston in Boxborough, Massachusetts, Kaizen Tuning took delivery of one of the very first 2009 GT-Rs to reach our shores in 2008. From that first GT-R, the crew at Kaizen developed the knowhow they boast today. The car was tuned, upgraded and parts tested for over four years before Kaizen retired it, logging more than 9,000 hard track miles in the process. In doing so, they developed several performance packages for customers that are guaranteed to meet their demands.

The GT-R heritage was spawned from the 1969 Skyline GT-R, whose winning pedigree impressed Kaizen’s owner, Scott McIver. In 1998, while on a business trip to Japan, he saw his first GT-R. It was the soon-to-be-released ‘99 model R34 GT-R. The desire to own one was overwhelming but he would have to wait until the delivery of the 2009 model, in order to quench it.

Nearly five years later the “Godzilla” platform has matured under Nissan, emerging with continued refinements. The new 2013 model continues to keep a nice poise and authority on the road all while showing no signs of fear on the track. The new model has upped the ante with its Twin Turbo VR38 3.8L V6 delivering 15 more horsepower, pushing the total to 545. Torque has also been bumped up to 463 lb-ft. This was accomplished by using a redesigned intake system and larger intercooler ducting. Reduced airflow resistance allows the car to boast a top speed of 196 miles per hour as well as a manufacturer estimated 0 to 60 time of 2.7 seconds. Combining a lighter curb weight, while holding to the same wheelbase, the new GT-R continues to follow in the performance footsteps of the earlier offerings.

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This 2013 Pearl White, limited run Black Edition GT-R was recently brought in to help Kaizen Tuning develop new parts and technology for their ever growing customer base. The Black Edition is a special series of GT-R, one of only 200 imported to the USA. It comes standard with a Recaro special interior, dry carbon accents inside and out, and limited edition Ray’s forged wheels. The exclusivity of the Black Edition really sets this car apart from other GT-Rs, which are already pretty exclusive!

This car uses very rare and expensive boutique parts from all over the world. Having years of hands-on experience, Kaizen uses that knowledge to provide tested packages of these boutique parts so the customer knows exactly what they are getting.

They are already excited about the power they are getting out of this new model. With a new cam profile, larger turbo inlets, transmission tweaks, and a new suspension set, this latest GT-R (like the others before it) raises the bar on performance in just stock trim.

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seamlessly together that they’ve been able to clone it several times for various customers. Like Nissan, Kaizen improves what they do every year so that many of the same customers will return for updates and performance upgrades as the scene evolves and Kaizen provides a more matured package. This level of quality allows the customer to smile when leaving Kaizen’s doors; ready to engage ‘R’ mode.

The package Kaizen Tuning has put together for the 2013 is impressive. They dropped in an AMS front mount intercooler, induction kit, fuel rail kit, fuel pressure regulator kit, and downpipes with GoFast Bits BOVs, TopSpeed 1050cc injectors, DW65 fuel pumps, HKS mid pipe and a titanium Spec R cat-back exhaust. Topping it off is a Stage One Gr6 Trans upgrade and custom Cobb tune. The stopping power has been boosted with AP Racing j-hook rotors, Carbotech XP12 pads, and Forged Performance stainless brake lines.

In the past, Nissan chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura has likened the new GT-R to the giant robots of the Gundam series. He’s been quoted as saying that “the GT-R is unique because it is not simply a copy of a European-designed supercar; it had to really reflect Japanese culture.” Kaizen

Tuning brought the influence of the JDM market by adding a PWJDM carbon motor cover, radiator cover, and battery cover with Mine Japan carbon mirrors. Vertex dry carbon grill and side spats, Zele carbon hood scoops and side vents complete the appearance package.

Kaizen Tuning designed the upgrades on this car to reliably push over 500 horses to all four tires while retaining a stock-like ride quality. The aggressive stance, provided by BBS LM gold wheels, Litchfield Bilstein struts, Eibach springs and rear swaybar, and Whiteline endlinks, gives the feedback you would expect from a supercar. Even with Kaizen’s own custom track alignment this car is able to take your wife out comfortably for a night on the town and, the next day, put down amazing lap times at the track—which is exactly what McIver does with this daily driver. He even drove it (that’s right, not trailered) to Watkins Glen International to compete in a NAARA time trial, putting down a blistering 2:08.2 lap time on street tires.

This car delivers, and, like all Kaizen GT-Rs, it is tested at the extreme both on the road and on the race track. Meeting the demands of their customers is the easy part.

SHOP PROFILE

SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

Launched in 2008, Kaizen Tuning specializes in performance options for Honda/Acura, Audi, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Toyota.

In August 2012, they moved to a brand new 10,000 square foot facility.

Engine

KAIZEN TUNING

Crew Scott McIver Owner Lauren McIver Operations Manager John Raftery Media Jon Beaucher Service Coordinator Jason Lee Sales Associate Nick Schiappa Sales Associate Rob Baker Calibrator Malcolm Austin Technician Matt Boisivert Technician Abe Marsach Fabricator

Services • Performance bolt-on installations • Fuel injection system upgrades (pumps, injectors, lines) • Brake bleeding and brake pad replacement • Wheel and tire mounting and balancing • Alignment machine services • Aftermarket suspension upgrades • Electronics (boost controllers, turbo timers, etc.)

• Engine building available upon request • Custom Fabrication • In-house Dyno Dynamics AWD Dyno • Dyno Tuning • PCA Tech Inspection service • HPDE / Circuit track day preparation (oil change, brake prep, safety inspection)

‘13 Nissan gt-r black edition • • • • • • • • • • • •

AMS Front Mount Intercooler AMS Induction Kit AMS Fue Rail Kit AMS Fuel Pressure Regulator Kit GoFast Bits BOV’s TopSpeed 1050cc Injectors AMS downpipes HKS Midpipe HKS Titanium Spec R Catback Exhaust DW65 Fuel Pumps Kaizen Tuning Stage 1 GR6 Trans Upgrade Kaizen Tuning custom Cobb tune

Exterior • • • • • • • •

PWJDM Motor Cover Carbon PWJDM Radiator Cover PWJDM Carbon battery covers Mine Japan Carbon mirrors Vertex Dry carbon grill Vertex Dry Caron Side Spats Zele Hood Scoops Carbon Zele Side Vents Carbon

Interior • Nissan Black Edition interior

Wheels / Brakes Suspension • • • • •

Litchfield Bilsine Struts Litchfield Eibach Springs Litchfireld Rear Swaybar Whiteline Endlinks Kaizen Tuning custom track alignment

• • • •

AP Racing J Hook Rotors Carbotech XP12 pads Forged Performance Stainless Brake Lines BBS LM Wheels in Gold

kaizentuning.com

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FEAR THIS EVO JoE asColi’s aMs PrEPPED Evo shaWn PiErCE

When Joe Ascoli decided to jump into a road race-prepped car project there was only one way to go about it: all or nothing. The first step towards that goal was to build what he was already familiar with—Mitsubishi’s venerable 3000GT VR4 (twin turbo V6). “I’ve always been into Mitsubishis,” Joe admits. “My first car was a 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL [I bought] when I was 15. After building a few well-known 3000GT VR4s, I decided it was time to try my luck at building a road race ready VR4.”

The decision made, Ascoli began immediately upgrading factory components. A StopTech big brake kit for all four corners, four- inch titanium exhaust, and a pair of DR750 Turbos were first on the list. To get the 3000GT that much closer to being track ready he went looking for some KW Competition 2-way adjustable coilovers.

Knowing that Evo suspension pieces would bolt onto the 3S platform, Ascoli started searching evolutionm. net to try and find a deal on a used set. In short time he had located a set for sale in Illinois, but it was at that point that he had started to realize that the 3S platform was just not the way to go. “I quickly realized that the 3S platform wasn’t advanced enough in [the suspension] area,” Ascoli explained. “While the 3S is a great platform, there was going to be [unavoidable] trial and error. Not many people will build their 3S to road race, and I can count on one hand how many are actually dedicated to it. It’s a small community, and I would have been breaking some new ground. While that may be good for some, I was ready to just get into a car and drive and, after a few weeks of diving deep in the Motorsports section of evolutionm.net, I realized that an Evo was a much better platform to start racing with.”

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So, the decision to scrap the VR4 plan was made, and the search was on for a Mitsubishi Evo that would suit his needs. His plan was to find a stock Evo and build the car into a road racing monster.

As luck would have it, Ascoli came across an ‘05 Evo RS that had already been road race modified and tuned by AMS Performance of Chicago. “It just so happened that the guy [in Illinois] who was selling the KW coilovers was also selling his road race ready Evo. This was my chance to snag the perfect track car.” He continued, “I know it’s best to start off with a stock un-modified car to learn its limits, etc, but I knew I could dive into racing with a modified car.

AMS did an amazing job tuning for low-end power, and the car is an absolute rocket.”

In fact, with the addition of a number of upgrades, including a Forced Performance FP White Turbocharger, four-inch intake, a 25psi high-boost wastegate, and an AMS tune for VP110 fuel, the EVO produced 340 awhp and 380 awtq. It had been tuned for NASA ST-2 racing and had scored a podium finish and been the fastest qualifying Evo at the NASA nationals in 2011.

So, Ascoli made the trip to Illinois to purchase the Evo during the summer of 2012. After getting it back home to New Hampshire, he immediately got to work getting the car ready for its Sports Car Club of New Hampshire autocross debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “I attended the first autocross with the Evo on these old Michelin tires which were at the end of their life. I managed a third place finish in the race category along with the fastest time of the day (FTD). The car was all over the place on these old road racing slicks, and I actually spun out on my first two laps, but I knew that with new tires I would have some success.”

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It was after this first race that some changes were made. The first thing Ascoli did was get a set of Hoosier A6 275/35/18 racing slicks to replace the worn out Michelins that came with the car. Then he went about changing the color scheme to match up with his main sponsor, FiLTHY Apparel. This included all new decals from Northwood, NH based Wicked Graphics and a fresh coat of teal paint for three of the Forgestar F14 wheels. The fourth wheel was painted day-glow yellow. Ascoli refers to that wheel as his “party wheel.” The interior and roll cage were repainted from black to gloss white and the dashboard got flocked to keep the sun glare down to a minimum. Ascoli also got hooked up with AMS oil so the car got a full fluid change including AMS Dominator oil, transmission/TC fluid, and rear differential fluid.

These minor changes made a major difference the next time out. “After revamping the car, and with fresh tires, fluids, and brakes, it was time for the next race.” Ascoli said, “It was raining pretty hard when I was loading up the car, and I almost called it off, but ended up going anyway. Well, I’m glad I did because I ended up doing very well! The new Hoosiers performed amazingly, even in the rain, and I was able to snag first place in the Race Prep class as well as clinch the FTD with all eight of my runs!”

What’s next for Joe Ascoli and his Evo? In the spring it’s going to Kaizen Tuning to freshen up the tune with a goal of 400 awhp and 440 awtq.

This additional power should come in handy since Ascoli’s main focus in 2013 will be Time Attack events with both Global Time Attack and Redline Time Attack.

SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘05 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo RS ChassiS • • • • • • •

Muellerized Ohlins Road and Track coilovers Whiteline RCA kit Whiteline 26mm front swaybar Whiteline 24mm rear swaybar Whiteline front end links Perrin rear end links Spherical bearing mount front and rear control arms, including spherical trailer arm bushing AMS front motor mount

Engine • Forced Performance FP White turbo charger 84mm compressor housing • Forced Performance 4’ intake • Forced Performance 25psi high boost wastegate • AMS race exhaust • AMS FMIC • Buschur racing Intercooler piping with crushed 1g valve • AMS L19 headstuds • Kelford 264 intake and 260 exhaust cam • Sparktech non-cdi ignition system • Mishimoto radiator • Mishimoto cooling hoses • Mishimoto thermostat • Grimmspeed 3 port boost control solenoid • Grimmspeed Intake manifold gasket • Grimmspeed throttle body gasket • AMS custom dyno tune on VP110 • AMSoil dominator 10w 40 racing oil • AMS 7qt Race Oil pan

DrivEtrain • Exedy Twin disc clutch • 5 speed GSR transmission built

by Boostin’ Performance • Gruppe-S ACD flash • TRE 12 plate max-lock rear end

Aero/Exterior • C-west aero kit • Version select wide body front and rear fenders • DHP composites rear wing • Custom built front splitter • Digital Camo Wrap

Interior / Safety • • • • • • •

8 point 4130 chromoly cage Personal steering wheel Splash hub Sparco Corsa seat Buddy club seat brackets Willians 6 point harness Flocked Dash

Wheels / Brakes • • • • • • • •

Forgestar f14 18” x 10” + 18mm Hoosier A6 tires 275/35/18 Stoptech ST40 355mm x 32mm front BBK Girodisc 2 piece rear rotors Front Brake Custom Routed Cooling Ducts Raybestos st-43 front brake pads Raybestos st-41 rear brake pads Castrol SRF brake fluid

SPONSORS • • • • • • • •

FiLTHY Apparel Kaizen Tuning Hoosier AMS Oil Grimmspeed SparkTech Ignition Systems Girodisc Wicked Graphics

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4G63 vs. 4B11 // The Great Debate When it comes to turbocharged, four-cylinder motors, there is no greater debate in the Mitsubishi camp than that of the 4G63 vs. the 4B11. In no other inter-manufacturer platform, has a greater motor debate raged. Which one is superior by design, in engineering, or in result? This is an interesting

subject to explore as we near the end of the life cycle of the Evolution platform. So which motor, in theory, is the superior platform? To explore this we need to dig a little deeper into both of these amazing motors and look at what makes them tick.

Scott McIver

Scan to access Mitsubishi’s complete specs

Mitsubishi 4G63 Displacement: 2.0-liter Bore: 85mm Stroke: 88mm Compression Ratio: 9:1 Four valves per cylinder Dual overhead cam Single MIVEC Cast Iron Block Belt Drive

The Good

• Cast iron • Outstanding crank support • Solid lifters • Race proven • Outstanding aftermarket support

The Bad

• Heavy design • Belt driven • Balance shaft • Outdated technology (only later models had MIVEC control)

The Tuners Take This is the Sherman Tank of the four-cylinder world.

Reliable and cheap to mod and build, the 4G63 is a legendary tuner motor. It has its drawbacks in that some of these are only single MIVEC, limiting the tuning potential of the motor. Although the belt drive means more maintenance, this motor is all about strength, holding together under boost, and handling tough conditions.

Introduced in 1987 on the JDM Galant, the 4G63 quickly translated over to the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 and Eclipse platforms. The USA first saw this motor on what we call the DSM, or Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser platforms.

The bottom end remained the same, with some notable exceptions. The US-spec motor introduced balance shaft technology in order to reduce and dampen harmonics in the motor. It wasn’t developed for performance, rather for longevity of the motor over time which was revolutionary for 1987. The head in the 4G also has solid lifters. The crank has a very durable crank girdle which prevents flex and promotes relative motion. This motor has set WRC, drag racing, and road racing records. “The 4G36 is flat out a better race motor,” says Ryan Doi, sales manager at TopSpeed Tuning in Atlanta, GA. “The cast iron strength, and huge parts selection equate to a known quantity, and that is essential in racing.”

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Mitsubishi 4B11T Displacement: 2.0-liter Bore: 86mm Stroke: 86mm Compression Ratio: 9:1 Four valves per cylinder Dual over head cam Dual MIVEC Cast Aluminum Block Chain Drive

The Good

• Light weight aluminum construction • Chain drive • Dual MIVEC cam control • Modern construction and technology resulting in better manufacturing tolerances

The Bad

• Plastic cam cover on later models • Rear mounted turbo • Modern design with less aftermarket support, not race proven yet

The Tuners Take A great modern four-cylinder forced induction platform. These motors are in their infancy for power production, with many manufacturers producing parts to cover the few drawbacks that this motor has. Its aluminum construction makes it light, and it dissipates heat better than the older 4G63. Dual MIVEC makes power through the whole power band. Shorter intake piping increases acceleration response.

Introduced in the Evolution X in 2008, the 4B11T is a total redesign of the turbocharged four-cylinder motor from Mitsubishi. Very little was kept except the total displacement and compression ratio. The 4B11 is an aluminum block, made to be lighter, and to dissipate heat better than its predecessor.

Mitsubishi moved away from the balance shaft, instead using advanced motor and transmission mounts to reduce vibration. It utilizes dual MIVEC cam control to help spool its turbo and, in stock form, helps the car become more fuel efficient. This is a big feature for cars that are looking to squeeze performance out of a 2.0-liter motor. The addition of a chain drive for timing added to the longevity and service length of the motor over the older belt drive units.

“In the beginning when this motor was released it got a bad rap,” says Eric Koester, owner of Kozmic Motorsports in Houston, TX. “People thought this 4B11 had ring land issues due to failures at low power levels, however, it turned out to be a relay in the fuel system that caused this issue. The motor is quite stout.” Another improvement on the 4B11 is the fact that the water pump is now on the accessory belt, where the older 4G36 has it on the timing belt.

“On the dyno in stock form, the 4B11 dissipated heat at a much greater rate than the older 4G63,” says Rob Baker, Calibrator at Kaizen Tuning. “This reduced heat leads to more power for these cars.

The twin MIVEC cannot be over stated as a huge plus in power delivery as well.”

Conclusion There is little doubt that these are two of the greatest tuner motors to be released in the past 20 years. The WRC track record for the 4G63 alone is something very few motors could replicate.

“When it comes to stock vs. stock on the 4G63 vs. the 4B11, we feel much more comfortable making 500 wheel [horsepower] on the 4G63 platform”, says Dan Marc, of AMS Performance, “but overall, we feel the 4B11 is just at the tip of the iceberg for aftermarket innovation. It’s our belief that the 4B11, overall, is the superior platform.”

mopar memorial 1965 Dodge Coronet 440 staff

Sam Harrington

A recent visit to the Helger family compound in Little Compton, RI showed me that motor oil runs through this family’s veins. In fact, after meeting three generations of Helgers, I’m convinced of it.

Turning into the driveway that day, I was greeted by an enormous collection of vintage hubcaps on the lawn straining to break free of their chicken wire prison. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was the handiwork of Ray Helger, Sr., also known as “Pops.” The Helger family had a long history of fishing and turkey farming but, when Ray was growing up, it was cars that were his true passion.

It was the purchase of a ‘46 Ford Coupe that got him going down the gearhead path. Swapping out

the Ford’s flathead V8 for a more powerful 346ci Cadillac motor felt so natural and, just like that, he was hooked. It didn’t take long for his reputation to get around town. Pretty soon he had become the town’s go-to mechanic; eventually opening a Sunoco station, with a small repair shop attached, in nearby Tiverton. Today you can find Ray maintaining a large and unique collection of vintage cars he’s collected over the years as well as selling a variety of used auto parts for model years 1912-1966.

His sons, Ray, Jr, and Jamie, didn’t fall far from the tree. Junior started off as an auto body guy, but Jamie was born a grease monkey. He was always tinkering around with a few vehicles at one time.

In fact, he had so many vehicles that sometimes it was difficult to tell if he’d driven off. “You had to figure out if a car was missing from the bunch that was parked on the lawn,” his nephew Cody recalled his father telling him. However, it was this white 1965 Dodge Coronet 440 that became the first presentable car that Jamie ever owned. It was a great street/strip car and Jamie would bring it out on Friday nights for some grudge match races in town.

Over the next few years he ran at least seven or eight different engines in it. None of them seemed to last, though. “One would run for a day,” Cody told me.

“Another would run for a week; whatever worked for [him] that night.” Jamie never got a chance to put a proper motor in unfortunately. On a snowy, Winter 2013 • 59

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stormy night in January of 1990, while driving a different car, Jamie lost his life in a tragic accident just a few miles from his house. As the family tried to come to grips with the loss, the decision was made to store the Dodge in a friend’s garage. Jamie was only twenty years old at the time of his death.

A year later, Ray, Jr. and a group of family friends decided the best way to honor Jamie’s memory was to get the car put together for the upcoming drag racing season and race it in tribute to him. They got together and worked the body into shape, painted and lettered it and had it ready for the first race.

As the season progressed each person took a turn racing it until, in the final race, the motor finally quit. . It seemed oddly fitting that it would happen that way, as if the car had held on just long enough to make sure that everybody got one last chance to ride with Jamie.

For the next twenty years, the Dodge sat in storage.

In the meantime, young Cody Helger was getting the itch to turn wrenches and race. “When [he and twin brother Jesse] were eight or nine we wanted a junior dragster,” Cody admitted. But his father, Ray, Jr., told them, “When you’re old enough you’ll race your uncle’s car.” The two brothers always looked forward to that day, but life had a different plan for them. “We always had something to drive. We had go-karts. Then we had an alcohol go-kart and then it was nitrous injected. We got good at driving that and then there were always [high performance] cars that Dad would have and we’d bang gears in those.”

By the time the two brothers were ready to actually start their racing careers, they realized that the Dodge was really too slow. “We were already running in a car that ran in the 10’s so we didn’t need a thirteen second car,” he added. That put the Dodge on the back burner.

Eventually, it was the brothers’ desire for a good street/strip car that finally encouraged them to reconsider their uncle’s old Coronet 440. Jesse was driving a Procharged Mustang 5.0 that was way too fast for the street and was going to land him either in jail or in a hospital bed. Cody had garaged his Ford Fairlane and picked up an older, slower Pontiac GTO to cruise around in. “So Dad says to us ‘the Dodge is a big full-bodied car. Why don’t you throw a motor in that? Go beat on that thing and have fun.’” Cody recalled.

So the plan is to drop a 440ci Hemi in the old Dodge and get it running again soon. The paint and body work will stay the same and they’ll keep the set of 10.5’s that are on it already. Now twenty years old himself, Cody is looking forward to the challenge.

“We agreed that it could be a good twelve second car on nitrous and we hope to run it on Street Nights at New England Dragway.” I think I was wrong about the Helgers. It’s really C16 that courses through their veins.

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FALSE ADVERTISING

1970 Z28 Camaro Pro strEEt marVEl CHristian rowEll

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Have you ever walked past something and been so in awe that you catch yourself just staring, possibly salivating, and getting that “wow” feeling? The object in question almost acts like one of those mythical Greek goddesses luring you in. No matter what you do, you just can’t escape it. This happened to me at the Auburn Elks Lodge in Auburn, MA this past summer. Their regular show had evaded my “car event” radar up until then, but I was finally able to make it to the very last one in August. What I witnessed was a huge and amazing array of both old and new American steel with some foreign vehicles on display as well.

That evening, while walking around the very last row, I came across a mind blowing 1970 Camaro Z28. If it was a case of “saving the best for last” I’ll never know. What I do know is that I couldn’t drag myself away from it! Trying to locate the owner of the vehicle, Gary Rice, was the easy part. I guess he just saw the amazed look on my face and came over to introduce himself. Gary is passionate about pretty much anything on wheels and has owned a few toys in his day; from Harleys to kick-ass Malibus.

They’re all gone now but they helped fund what you see in front of you now. A fan of doing as much work himself, Gary is more than capable of turning tools. It’s not only mental therapy after a long day at work, but a great way of keeping costs down when building a project. Sometimes certain cars and owners seem destined to be brought together, like some mysterious force is working behind the scenes, and this build was no exception.

I guess it’s fair to say the Camaro has gone through a bit of a transformation. Back in the 80’s it was cut up and looked destined to be a pure drag car. When Gary found it in 2010, it sat like a 4x4 and needed a lot of TLC (time, love, and cash) but thankfully the chassis and cage work had already been completed.

Rumor had it that Sunoco Fuel was asking about the car and was ready to snap it up if he hadn’t!

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This is really one of those vehicles you have to pay attention to. It’s also one of those vehicles where the more you look, the more you find. The amazing details, the build quality, and workmanship are a true testament to the high standards Gary wanted.

Sure this car could really tear it up at the quarter mile and be a pure drag car, but he wanted more than that—one he could scare the locals with on the streets of Worcester! If you pull up next to him at the lights for a game of “traffic light drags”, be sure of one thing: you will appreciate the rear end view.

Speaking of the rear end, the wheel and tire combo reminds me of those “road roller” construction machines. To fit such an outrageous wheel and tire combination meant four quarter panels had to be sacrificed and used to make the wheel arches just right. A total of 4.75-inches were added in order to shoehorn the wheels in. Some purists would cry at cutting up a classic like this. Others would applaud and admire this Pro Street marvel.

The body work and paint is the handiwork of Steve Bertel, owner of Stafford Auto Body Works in Cherry Valley, MA. The poor guy was trying to retire but was persuaded by Gary to paint one last car. He must have poured his heart and soul into his spray gun because the results are incredible. Paint jobs are only as good as the prep work underneath and both are first class.

After following the car to one of the photo shoot locations, I witnessed just how much power this car produces. Most people would be satisfied, and some possibly scared shitless, with the amount of power put down by the 548ci big block, but Gary wasn’t. How about throwing in a Procharger F1R, that blows through a Carb Shop built 950cfm carburetor, just to add to that power rush! A rush that comes on at a very rapid pace and requires only 93 pump gas. Thankfully, a set of Wilwood brakes

are on tap to haul the car up when the scenery around you turns into a motion blur. A nice set of race seats and Simpson harnesses also help to keep you secure.

Once the seemingly never-ending and relentless winter season disappears, I have a feeling that we’ll see this Camaro being unleashed for some quartermile action. A prediction of mid to low nine-second passes seems easily achievable. The power house big block is going to be an amazing sight as it tears up the asphalt. The exhaust note, courtesy of the Lemons 2.25-inch headers that run through the 3.5inch exhaust and exit from four-inch tips is music to the ears even at idle. The whirr of the Procharger is a warning sign that this Camaro means business.

I can only image the sound it will make at full throttle!

A lot of homework and prep has gone into not only the engine and body, but also the full drivetrain.

There’s no use having all that power up front if you have nothing to transfer it to the ground. A favorite tranny for the General Motors crowd is the tried and trusted TH400 and this setup is no exception.

A bullet proof combination that works well with the Neil Chance torque convertor, which in turn transfers power to the Dana60 rear-end spinning a set of 4:30 gears and spool. This combination is enough to leave a lot of trademark black lines courtesy of a set of custom 15” x 15” wheels, with a 5.5-inch back space carefully crafted by Champion Wheel Company. Classic Mickey Thompson street tires do a great job of making sense of the power and gripping the road. Up front you’ll find an equally impressive set of Weld Racing 17” x 4.5” skinnies.

Somehow, I have the feeling Gary and his Camaro are destined for big things. Keep your eyes out at your local cruise night or, better yet, at the track.

Just remember you saw it first in MedianMag!

VINTAGE GRILL Gary’s Camaro was shot outside a well known hangout for both gearheads and food lovers. If you’re into both things, stop by and check out the Vintage Grill at 346 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester.

It’s a great use of a former garage that’s now full of amazing automotive memorabilia. Tell them Christian from highoctaneimage.com sent you!

Also, keep your eyes and ears open for a possible Sunday brunch cruise at this location in 2013.

SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘70 Z28 Chervolet camaro Engine • 548CI Big block Chev Gen 6

Crank • Callies

Rods/bolts

Power adders • Pro charger F1R

Exhaust • Lemons 2-1/4 headers • Full 3- ½ inch exhaust • Dual 4 inch tailpipes

• Callies / ARP

Transmission Heads • Steve Morris Racing engines Dart Pro 1 345 heads • Jessel 1.7 shaft mount rocker system

• TH400 Built by Matt Faucher • Torque convertor built by Neil chance Racing 4500 Stall

Differential Cam shaft • Custom “secret” ground by Comp cams 715 • Solid roller

• Dana 60, 430 spooled gears

Axles • Strange engineering

Manifold • Port matched and worked intake

by Steve Morris racing Engines

Carb • Carb shop built 950 / Steve Morris racing engines carb hat

Wheels / Tires • Front: 17x 4.5 inch Weld 2.0/ Mickey Thompson front runners • Rear: 15x15 inch custom made Champion wheel company / Mickey Thompson

Winter 2013 • 65

READER’S RIDE 2011 HonDa cIVIc SI SeDan Staff

caSeY BoYLe

It’s a sleeper alright, no doubt about it. There’s nothing to see here, right? Just move along, you say. That was the scene at Dynotech Tuning in Seekonk, MA last October when owner Allen Chou got his daily driver strapped down to the rollers.

There was a good turnout that day for one of Dynotech’s regular Dyno Days, but most folks had turned their back on the 2011 Civic Si by the time the dyno operator had slipped into first gear.

The first burbly notes coming from the three-inch Full Race exhaust got a few heads to turn as the deep bass rose quickly through the gear changes. Then it was time for the wide open throttle pull and that’s when it happened. The 2.0-liter K20Z3 motor screamed towards its 8500 rpm redline and a collective “WTF?” cut through the silence that followed. 384 whp at 14 psi flashed up on the screen and the buzz started as everyone crowded closer for a better look.

This was starting to become very familiar for Chou. He owned a 2006 Civic Si Coupe prior to this but the mods had been visible and obvious and fellow enthusiasts kind of expected it to make the noises it did. After sliding down the slippery slope of vehicle modification with that car, he decided to go in a whole new direction with the current build. It was all about subtlety and stealth this time. As you can see, the only difference in appearance to a stock model is the debadging, a lower ride height (courtesy of a set of Eibach Sportline springs), and paint-matched B pillars and window trim.

The performance mods are just as stealthy. Honda chose to place the Si’s engine with the exhaust manifold facing the rear so the power adder is nearly invisible from the front. Chou opted to go an early version of the Full Race turbo kit consisting of a HPC coated tubular manifold (rams horn) and three-inch downpipe, Garrett GT3076R turbo, and four-inch intake. Boost is regulated by a Tial BOV and 44mm wastegate along with a Hondata boost control solenoid as the Hondata 4bar MAP sensor helps feed crucial data back to the Hondata FlashPro piggyback engine management system.

The motor internals remain stock as is the compression ratio of 11:1. The stock clutch has been upgraded to a Competition Stage 4, however. The transmission was swapped out for the high mileage six-speed from Chou’s ’06. “There was nothing wrong with the tranny I had in the ’06,” said Chou. “I just figured I’d pull the new one and keep it as a backup for when the original one finally quits.”

The best part about this build was that all of the mechanical work was done by Chou in his Cambridge, MA back yard with the vehicle up on jack stands. He just threw some tarps up to keep the weather at bay and went to work. The tuning was done by a friend of his, Mike Spencer, who he had met on a Civic forum years prior. The results should speak for themselves, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Just ask the people that Chou leaves napping at the lights!

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SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘11 HONDA CIVIC Si Performance • Full-Race Turbo Kit • Garrett GT3076R(.82 AR) • HPC Coated to 2000 degrees on Manifold, Turbine Housing, Downpipe • Full-Race 3” Exhaust • Full-Race 4” Intake • Tial Q Blow Off Valve • Tial 44mm Wastegate • Competition Clutch Stage 4 • OEM Flywheel • OEM Throwout Bearing • Hondata 4 Bar Map Sensor • Hondata Boost Control Solenoid • NGK Iridium Spark Plugs (NGK-BKR9EIX) • Walbro 255lph Intank Fuel Pump • Crushed Fuel Pressure Regulator • Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors • Hondata Flashpro • OEM Honda OBDI Intake Air Temperature sensor • Full-Race Traction Balls • CircuitSports 250cc Catch can • Odyssey PC680 battery • KOYO V-series Radiator • Hasport 70A Motor Mounts

Interior • • • • • •

AEM Dual Gauge Pod holder AEM Wideband UEGO gauge AEM Boost gauge Circuit Hero Polished Shift knob Acura CSX Sliding bin Putco LED Dome + Map lights

Exterior • • • • • • •

HFP Shocks Eibach Sportline Springs Debadged decals White door pillars DDMtuning 35W 4500K HID kit Putco LED License Plate 06-08 Trunk Garnish

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STRETCHING LIMITS 2005 SuBaru wrX Sti JaYce aldana

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SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘05 subaru wrx sti Owner/Builder Mike Dietrich Shop Top Speed Labs Location Groton, CT ENGINE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Cobb AccessPort APS DR65 Rotated Turbo APS Rotated Downpipe APS External Gated Up-pipe APS Coolant Catch Can Crawford Oil Catch Can Tial 44mm wastegate 1000cc WRX SARD Injectors Custom RS Intake Manifold Custom FMIC & Piping Aeromotive WRX Fuel Rails Custom Black Braided Fuel Lines Turbosmart Fuel Press Reg Exedy Twin Disc Clutch Mishimoto Slim Line Fans Mishimoto Radiator Hoses Mishimoto Aluminum Radiator Turbosmart Race BOV Turbosmart Oil Cap Titanium Magnaflow Catback Agency Power Pitch Stop Mount Agency Power Un-Equal Length Header Forge Manual Boost Controller Forge Power Steering Tank Forge Coolant Tank Unorthrodox Pulley set APR Front Upper Strut Bar Custom Radiator Stays Tein Hood Dampers Perrin Short Shifter Stainless Steel Braided Clutch Line Perrin Master Cylinder Brace

SUSPENSION • • • • •

Tein Flex Coilovers Tein EDFC Controllers Perrin Rear Swaybar Perrin Rear End Links GT Spec 4-point Titanium H- Brace

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WHEELS & BRAKES • • • • •

20x10 Konig All Alone’s Nitto Invo 285/25/20 Tires Rotora 6-Piston Big Brake Kit - Front Rotora 4-Piston Big Brake Kit - Rear Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines

EXTERIOR • • • • • • •

Glacier White Paint Job Chargespeed Super GT Widebody Kit Chargespeed Carbon Fiber Mirrors Chargespeed Wing Extension Siebon CWII Carbon Hood Perrin Stiffi’s JDM Fender Lights

INTERIOR • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bride Gias Mazora Front Seats Bride Custom Door Panels Bride Custom Headliner Bride Custom Sunvisors Bride Custom Floor Mats Custom Carbon Fiber Pillar Pod Custom Carbon fiber Dash Pod AEM Wideband Gauge AutoMeter Gauges Kenwood Dual Din Headunit Custom Scorpion Shift Knob JDM Hazard Button Diamond Audio Front Component Speakers

Special thanks • • • • • • • • •

Top Speed Labs Nitto Tires Konig Wheels More-Japan CT The Shop Perrin Performance Vivid Racing Forge Motosports Turbosmart

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TOKYO AUTO SALON 2013 SCOTT MCIVER

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DANIEL OLIVARES

Every couple of years there seems to be an auto show that defines trends for the next few years to come. The Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS), sometimes described as the SEMA show for imports, is often seen as one of those trend-setting shows, and 2013 was no exception. With manufacturers like Toyota, Nissan, and Subaru presenting, as well as well-known tuners like JUN, and RE Amemiya, show attendees were treated to everything—from the latest body kits to new tuner car modifications. TAS 2013 featured an expanded layout that was roughly twenty-five percent larger than the 2012 show, allowing for more vendor booths and manufacturer displays. The added space even included a D1 Drift Grand Prix event on site!

At the center of all the action this year was the Toyota 86 (FT86) sport coupe. Also known as the hachi-roku (or eighty-six in Japanese), the new vehicle pays homage to the AE86 platform of the late eighties. Sold in the US as a Toyota Corolla SR5 from 1983-87, the AE86 gained a cult following with its front mounted 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and rear wheel drive. It is still considered a favorite amongst the drift crowd. The new “86” is sold in the US as either a [Toyota] Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. Aside from visual differences and some interior amenities, the two vehicles are virtually identical.

The new hachi-roku was the dominating platform for modifications at this year’s show. Over 130 examples could be found in booths from almost every major vendor. The new compact sports car has been getting great reviews from automotive press outlets all over the world, and sales of the car have been strong all over the world. The aftermarket industry has picked up on this upward trend, releasing a huge amount of products. One of the highlights at TAS included a

new HKS supercharger kit that was installed on many of the show cars. This new kit comes with everything you need to bump the power up for the 2.0-liter boxer motor by over 100 horsepower at the wheels.

Although boost was the most common power upgrade at the show, other options were on display including new exhausts from just about every major player: Blitz, HKS, Greddy, TRD, Gazoo Racing, HKS Kansai, Zele, Apexi, Amuse—the list was virtually endless. The exhaust tip variation was nearly as extensive with everything available—from one to four tips in just about every stainless steel or titanium flavor your heart could desire. The aero manufacturers have also been hard at work on the new platform with wide body kits displayed by Rocket Bunny and Varis. A huge amount of hoods, side skirts, and bumpers were also seen throughout the show.

It was clearly the year of FT86, with many manufactures saying that the car has breathed new life into the industry. Factory race cars from TRD, Subaru, and Gazoo Racing were on hand, with entrees into Time Attack, D1 Drift, and the Japan GT Series. It has been a long time since a platform has gotten this amount of attention, and it was great to see such a positive response to this fantastic car.

This is not to say that the hachi-roku was the only car model that received a lot of attention as many new demo cars were unveiled on the Nissan R35 GT-R platform as well. Varis displayed a demo car with a new wide body kit that is designed for the DBA 2012+ GT-R to run a square 315mm tire setup. An even more aggressive track version will be released in April. A wild 1,000 wheel horsepower JUN R35 GT-R got a lot of attention with its bright yellow Ben Sopra widebody kit, along Winter 2013 • 75

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with a new 4.1-liter stroker kit and custom Greddy turbo kit. Time Attack GT-Rs from Top Secret were on display showing a full line of new mods designed specifically for track use. Nissan/Nismo also had the factory Japan GT series GT-R, as well as the new Nismo GT3 on display.

Other popular car models being shown strong aftermarket support were the Mitsubishi Evo X and the Subaru WRX STi GVB. Although Mitsubishi was the only OEM not to have a booth at the show, the Evo was well represented with a lot of Time Attack race cars on display including widebody Evo Xs from Varis and C-West. The Subaru WRX STi GVB was also treated to a new widebody kit from Varis, and demo cars from Blitz, HKS, Charge Speed, and STi were on hand. Factory GVB/GRB rally cars from Subaru and the Japan GT series were also on display.

Overall, a new life has been breathed into the tuning scene in Japan, with a lot of excitement for the new FR-S/BRZ platform driving attendance well past last year’s show. It is obvious from the growth of the show that the industry is healthy and growing in Japan, and that next year we will see even more extreme mods coming for the new platform.

SHOP PROFILE

Black Ops Auto Works Based here in New England, Black Ops Auto Works has established itself as THE supplier of carbon fiber and performance exterior parts for modern Mopar muscle—Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep SRT8.

Since the release of the FR-S/BRZ, however, they saw the selection of kits and parts being developed overseas and felt there was more that could be offered to augment the design. Looking to add a more upscale and euro look to the vehicle, Black Ops has begun prototyping some carbon fiber parts, beginning with a hood. What we can share at the moment is that it is OEM-looking but offers a unique design that incorporates three functional vents.

They’re also working on mirror covers and exploring options for a full eurothane body kit.

Launched in 2008, Black Ops Auto Works prides itself on attention to detail. Owner Chad Peters credits his past experience as a professional chef for giving him the vision, creativity and eye for design. What began as a hobby, making one-off fiberglass parts for friends, eventually grew into a full time work as the public pressure to go into business became too great to ignore.

Scan the QR code below for more information on Black Ops or you can find them at www. blackopsautoworks.com.

What sets Black Ops apart from the competition is the use of hard tooling for their parts. Most manufacturers use soft tooling for low run parts which means that the forms are made out of fiberglass and use a tooling gel coat resin. The tooling can suffer from warps, bends or ripples over time and also usually require more finishing work once the part is pulled from the mold. Hard tooling is machined from billet aluminum, using CAD drawings, and provides a longer lasting mold to work from. The parts created with them have an OEM fit and finish as well.

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GOIN’ UPHILL BOTH WAYS MelissA nUnn

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SPECIFICATIONS & DETAILS

‘08 mazdaspeed 3 Owner Jonathan Gibbs, 25 Ascutney, VT

Engine • • • •

Mazdaspeed Intake Cobb Turbo Inlet Pipe Street Unit Top Mount Intercooler Turbosmart Dual Port BOV

EXterior • License Plate Re-location • Rally Armor Mudflaps

INterior • Corksport LED Kit • Cobb Shift Knob • Vent Pod Mounted Boost Gauge

Wheels • Gunmetal Mazdaspeed 6 Wheels

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