MECCANICO MAGAZINE #02
C O M P E L L I N G
P E O P L E
&
I N T E R E S T I N G
V E H I C L E S
WELCOME #01
Meccanico Magazine is a free publication telling stories of compelling people and interesting vehicles. We strive to bridge the gap between communities in the automotive world and bring people together through our fascination with all things automotive. This issue showcases people and places in the UK with a focus on two wheeled machines and community. Innovation forged by history, guided by passion and brought alive by people provides the stories for our publication. Join us in exploring the automotive world and see for yourself something new, Thank you.
Sam Shrimpton Editor-in-Chief PUBLISHER: Meccanico Media EDITOR / DESIGNER: Sam Shrimpton CONTRIBUTORS: Sam Shrimpton James Archibald Jamie Cook READ ONLINE: http://issuu/meccanicomagazine FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/meccanicomagazine YOUTUBE: http://tinyurl.com/meccanicofilms ADVERTISE: Interested in advertising with Meccanico Magazine? Please contact: sam shrimpton@meccanicomedia.com
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COVER: Photo: Sam Shrimpton - James Archibald’s Kawasaki - Pg 58 CONTACT:
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sam shrimpton@meccanicomedia.com
Our publication gives its thanks to the Meccanico Members. Without them our stories couldn’t be shared. Every issue celebrates car culture and the people responsible for providing us with beautiful vehicles to share with you. Please meet our members for this issue.
Nathan Devlin
Laura Reddish
Tim Crisp
Honda Civic, Yamaha R1 Feature
Toyota MR2 Review
1936 Riley 15/6 Feature
Jim Millard
James Archibald
Sam Shrimpton
Kawasaki ZXR400 Feature
Kawasaki ZX-6R, Honda VFR Feature - Photographer
Skoda Fabia Editor-in-Chief
CONTENTS
32 03
WELCOME Introduction to the publication
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MECCANICO MEMBERS Meccanico introduces you to the people that make this publication possible
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CREATING COMMUNITY Feature & film with Nathan Devlin creator of the tuning shop and community at I-tuned Watton
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BUDGET BIKE COLLECTING Feature on James Archibald, student and bike collector all photographed in Infrared
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1936 - “A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever” Feature & film with Tim Crisp, a true gentleman racer sharing a story of a father & son
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BYGONE PLEASURES Event photo feature on the Snetterton Classic Bike Club
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MID-ENGINED AND MANAGEABLE Review of Laura Reddish’s Toyota MR2
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IT’S A TWO WHEEL THING Reportage photo feature from James Archibald on Motorbike racing with Jim Millard
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SHARE YOUR STORY Meccanico invites you to be a member of its growing family 05
C
CREATING
COMMUNITY
Meet Nathan Devlin, the guy behind Ituned Garage, the self service tuning shop that welcomes all and creates some crazy cars and bikes. The conception of the shop began when Nathan realised there must be something better than welding a manifold to your engine under a builders tent on the front drive, with typically wet British weather all year round we are glad he did. When you meet Nathan you get the immediate realisation that he is a genuine guy. He gives you his honest opinion about everything and does whatever he can to help you achieve your dream. I-tuned is a place for any lover of engines to come and work together on projects of any kind. It’s not uncommon to see a variety of vehicles in the garage like Ultima GT-Rs, 1930’s race cars, Honda dragsters, Drift builds of many kind and a Yamaha R1. Individual customisation is very hard these days. People don’t have access to the equipment needed to create the build that they want with cars becoming more high tech every second. This means they have to often refer to Ebay for cheaper parts to afford their dream and this is often a low quality option.
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BEINDIV
VIDUAL
I-Tuned gives you the opportunity to create your dream in the perfect working environment. Here at Meccanico we like builds done with work by the owner because it allows a reflection of personality and theatre to a persons vehicle. The car to the left is Nathan’s personal Honda Civic. Which he believes was number 07 from the initial Honda motor show tour in the UK at release. This car is being rebuilt fully road legal as a 700bhp drag car. This will be fun. He is also building a car with a customer to make his on 700bhp Honda Civic for the road. The beauty of Ituned is that with Nathan’s experience they are building the car together at a fraction of the cost. To the left you can see the mock up in the engine bay as they figure out how to fit in all that horsepower. If built by another garage without the customer doing the majority of the work its an estimated build of £25,000. With parts and the space rented at Ituned it is only £8,000. The beauty of this place is it allows you to really imagine what the craziest, coolest thing you ever wanted to do to your car is, and then go and do it. You have no limitation on space or tools and you can spend more money on parts not labour. Copying builds from forums shows a lack of imagination and we want to see some custom work to bring your car out in the crowd. 13
T
he most interesting cars are remembered because of their flare and often achieving high standards of work on a reasonable budget.
In our feature film with Nathan you can see his passion for the automotive industry. He loves to custom build interesting projects and isn’t afraid to try new things. Their latest project the three cylinder turbo Daewoosh was one to remember… Nathan has created a place for all to come and work on their pride and joys. You pay a fee for a space and in return you get to use all the facilities in the garage
with Nathan’s help in fabrication, engine building and bodywork. Nathan is another great example of the humility and passion in the petrol head community. So check
out his shop, give him a call and go complete that project you have always wanted to do. Check out our feature film on the next page with Nathan and like the Ituned facebook page to get updates on interesting projects like the infamous Daewoosh. Ituned Facebook Click Below: http://tinyurl.com/itunedwatton
Words & Photographs Sam Shrimpton
Left | far left Remains of a k-series engine & 700hp Honda civic Drag builds
Above Mock up engine bay for 700hp turbo K-series drag engine.
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Below| Right An assortment of gear, parts and vehicles in the I-tuned garage.
Above Part of the workshop at ituned with Nathan’s custom Yamaha r1.
“700 turbo horsepowers from 1.6 litres and road legal”
M E C C A N I C O
M A G A Z I N E
FEATURE FILM
WATCH HERE S U B S C R I B E
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S H A R E
PERFORMANCE
PENNIES
FOR
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS - SAM SHRIMPTON
James Archibald is a photography student in Falmouth, Cornwall, UK. His two main passions are motorbikes and photography. We spent a day with him chatting about his bikes and how he came to own them.
its about the care you feel to the object. If you have £50,000 or more tied up in a car you probably aren’t going to drive it as close to the limit or take it down certain roads to preserve the paint and all those original bits and bobs.
James is a meticulous person. All of his bikes are kept incredibly clean and tidy and regularly serviced. His garage all be it small is well organised and fits his needs perfectly. This whole article is based around affording you passion.
This is absolutely fine but when you want to enjoy raw driving and the sensation of speed thinking about your paintwork isn’t what your looking for.
Many of us dream of having to spend vast amounts of money to own or drive the vehicles that we always wanted. Unfortunately being an automotive enthusiast is often more pricey to take part in than other hobbies. If you want a supercar and its ensuing performance, you must have plenty of money to spare. Not just to buy, but to service and enjoy it. We feel this is often a factor overlooked by magazines when reviewing cars. To enjoy them on a road trip its not just about the money,
James has the solution with motorbikes. He has three bikes. A Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 600cc, Honda VFR 800cc and a Yamaha Virago 800cc. Each offer him a different aspect of riding and keep him entertained. In Britain its deemed incredibly rude to talk about the price of thing but James has managed to achieve this whole garage for about £5,000. When we start to break down what he is getting for that you have to question why we are so dedicated to cars. Please enjoy the typology style infrared photos and check out some incredible pieces of machinery.
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519BHP
PER TONNE
£1,200
This is James’ Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 600cc Sports bike. This bike was made in 1995 but still looks super slick. We think that bikes in general, but especially sports bike age remarkably well. This is another prime example. It looks great and normally is bright green. This bike has a 0-62 time of 3.6 seconds, that’s supercar territory even now. Weighing 206kg and have 130bhp it is a formidable force. Its a well balanced bike with an clear identity whilst riding. James looks after this bike very well keeping it on garage mattes, wiped down and regularly serviced so that when the sun comes out and those carving south west roads become inviting he can proceed to enjoy blistering speed at a moments notice. It can be argued that a bike creates a more engaging experience for the rider than a driver in a car. Every bump and turn is led by the fluidity of the rider and you have to move together to be the fastest, but also safest. This bike for £2,000 well serviced on the used market is a great way to get something fast for the weekend.
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38MPG
DAILY DRIVER & FAST
R
This is the most interesting thing sitting in James’ garage. Its a Yamaha Virago. This is a bobber style motorbike that James is building into a cafe racer or bobtail style bike. I Its interesting to us because the simplicity with older bikes is great. You can build really interesting machines with a relatively basic knowledge of mechanics and it allows a lot of people to build something of their own. Right now this bike clearly isn’t road worthy and the project is in the early stages but we thought we would share it with you as its such a great platform for some really interesting bike builds like this really cool build on The Bike Shed: http://thebikeshed.cc/bikes/ colins-82-yamaha-virago-920/ The possibilities are endless and its a very cool way to put your stamp on a machine.
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RAW
DYNAMIC DRIVING
The last bike we want to tell you about is James’ Honda VFR 600. This is an everyday bike for James that’s comfortable, takes three luggage boxes with ease and allows him to travel the country taking pictures. This bike does 38mpg but has 519bhp per tonne. That’s the same as a BAC Mono. If you haven’t seen one of those here is a link: http://fastestlaps.com/cars/bac_ mono.html The BAC Mono costs £74,000. For that amount of money you could buy 61 Honda VFRs. That is incredibly. James got his Honda VFR for £1,200 with a good service history. We just want to highlight that for pennies compared to the BAC you could have an everyday vehicle with incredible power, adequate storage for most and a great driving experience every time you hop on. Thanks for reading and next time you think about a new mode of transport for the weekly drive to work or the weekend. Don’t overlook the used bike market, you would be silly not to.
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NINETEEN THIRTY SIX GENTLEMAN RACER A
T H I N G
O F
B E AU T Y
I S
A
J OY
F O R E V E R
Tim Crisp’s 1936 Riley 15/6 Race car Replica pictured here near Watton, Norfolk, UK
NINETEEN THIRTY SIX GENTLEMAN RACER A
T H I N G
O F
B E AU T Y
I S
A
J OY
F O R E V E R
Fathe r
& S on
Tim Crisp is a lovely man. He lives with his wife Pam near Watton, Norfolk, UK. Together and both retired they enjoy the relaxation the countryside provides. Tim owns a 1936 Riley 15/6 race car. Its a beautiful thing to behold and is something that he has spent 20 years restoring and enjoying with his family.
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// The Riley has an interesting driving feel with gear selection happening on the steering wheel. It almost feels like the wheels may wobble off like a toy car but it stays together and proceeds to bless your ears with beautiful raspy exhaust notes.
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Tim Crisp’s 1936 Riley 15/6 Race car Replica pictured here near Watton, Norfolk, UK
NINETEEN THIRTY SIX GENTLEMAN RACER A
T H I N G
O F
B E AU T Y
I S
A
J OY
F O R E V E R
“It was something we could enjoy together”
Tim enjoys the history and theatre of this car. John Keats once said “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”. This is true for the Riley. The craftsmanship involved with the
sculpting of the bodywork, hand crafted engine and beautiful cockpit are enjoyable for viewing and driving alike. We want you to meet Tim and hear his story through our short feature film on page 44 because he describes what this car means to him better than we could ever describe. We hope you enjoy the short film and become inspired to share your passion with a loved one.
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NINETEEN THIRTY SIX GENTLEMAN RACER A
T H I N G
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O F
B E AU T Y
I S
A
J O Y
F O R E V E R
M E C C A N I C O
M A G A Z I N E
FEATURE FILM
WATCH HERE S U B S C R I B E
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S H A R E
Snetterton Race Circuit hosts the Classic Bike Club meet in September 2013
Community and competition defines us. Snetterton race circuit in England plays host to a very competitive and tight knit community of motorbike enthusiasts. The spirit of competition combined with a passion for classic motorbikes is displayed on the track with viciously close racing. Motorbikes dating back to the 50’s thump around the track displaying the purpose for their conception, speed. The field comprises of the riders from the ages of 16 to 80. In the vintage side car race a couple aged 76 and 82 raced round in the midfield displaying courage and passion for their hobby spurring many others to try harder. This sight raised a question; can you be too old to ride? I aptly named the article ‘Bygone Pleasures’ because watching in the stands was a couple of old guys. They were sitting there for the entirety of the event chatting with reminiscent excitement for almost every bike coming past them, “Ooh look at that, a 1964 Triumph, that’s still a beauty, can you remember when Freddy had one, the sound was brilliant?” When they spoke of younger times on the bikes and the thrill in their voices was inspiring.
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BEAUTIFUL
BIKES
Snetterton Race Circuit hosts the Classic Bike Club meet in September 2013
Snetterton Race Circuit hosts the Classic Bike Club meet in September 2013
CLOSE
RACING
I then asked myself why weren’t they out on the track with the 80 year old couple? What was stopping them? We all know that funds often stop us from pursuing our dreams but these guys spoke of their youthful ownership of lots of bikes. It dawned on me that their reasons for not being on the track didn’t matter; seeing the bikes from the stands was exhilarating and our passions can change. I realised that we must keep our passions alive but don’t be scared of their forms changing. You don’t have to be on the track or own your own car; this community is welcoming to all. Many clubs love people visiting events to share stories together and admire the craft to make it those long hours of restoration and preparation worth while. Head out to your local club gathering. Meet some like minded people from all walks of life and have a good race, because I guarantee it will bring a smile to your face and you will make friends along the way.
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CLASSIC B
B I K E C LU B
Laura Reddish’s Toyota MR2 Mk3
MID-ENGINED and
MANAGEABLE
R
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V
Laura Reddish is a student studying Zoology. She drives a fast, loud MR2 Mk3. We are reviewing this car because after our last issue with the ‘Fast and Affordable’ feature proving popular we thought it fitting to bring you another option. At £2,000 the Toyota MR2 brings a mid engined MX5 rival into the mix. This little 1.8 litre sports car is a great handling option for the daily driver. Admittedly its not very practical but in Laura’s words, “when you want to go for a cruise along the B3306 from St Ives to St Just its just brilliant.” This road is a
I
E
W
brilliant narrow and twisty road that runs along the coast will brilliant undulations and rolling hills out to the cliffs. Its great fun in the afternoon with the top down. Laura has a few modifications to this particular car like a rear boot rack, stainless exhaust and slightly wider wheels but this only adds to the handling and experience in the car. It also makes it just that little bit more practical. Check out the our breakdown of the review on the next page and let us know what you think about this car as an affordable fast car. 59
MR2 S T A T I S T I C S
TOP SPEED 0-60 MPH -
130 MPH 7.5 SECONDS
BHP -
138BHP
PRICE -
£2,500
HANDLING -
8/10
RELIABILITY -
7/10
PRACTICALITY -
5/10
OWNER ENJOYMENT - 8/10
With a top speed of 130mph the MR2 never runs out of power to reach its top end. The power is utilised in the engines low and mid range. Laura’s tuned MR2 has better air flow so the engine revs up better than the standard model. With a noise like a 1960’s Lotus Elan it also provides that bit of theatre when your driving through the hills. Laura’s MR2 has a good amount of power for a small and balanced mid engined vehicle. For this amount of power, fun and handling the price is pretty good value amongst this class rivalling the MX5. The MR2 handles great and the balance is pretty. Laura has fitted lighter wheels and better suspension to the car which make you feel a bit more comfortable through the corners with less body roll. The car pootles along when needed whilst returning reasonable a 35MPG. Toyota parts are not expensive and without super high tech underpinnings labour costs are not extortionate unless you need to work on the underside of the engine, then it gets expensive as the motor is tucked in behind the seats. The MR2 had us smiling, Laura loves it for daily driving and speeding around on the weekend. Overall we were impressed with Laura’s happiness during ownership so we give it a score of 8/10
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Laura Reddish’s Toyota MR2 Mk3
Words & Photographs - James Archibald
T W O
WHEEL T H I N G
Seven days; the time left before the first race of the season for Jim Millard at Oulton Park. Tasked with the challenge of turning a frame, an engine and a few other bits into a fully functioning race machine is a serious prospect, and with only two days on the weekend preceding the race in which to build the bike, the odds are against him, the pressure is on and so is the kettle for a couple of late nights in the garage.
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Jim races his Kawasaki ZXR 400 in the Formula 400 class, racing at club level alongside other smaller capacity machines with NG Road Racing and is currently in his second season. Growing up, his father tried to entice him to racing from a young age but he showed no interest until watching his old man race the Manx GP a few years back on a Ducati 996. From then on out, the decision to involve himself with motorbikes was out of his hands as he was finally lured to the smell of petrol and the sound of engines. Armed with the use of his dad’s well equipped home garage and the help of fellow racer and competitor Ben Harrison, the build moves ahead. Part after part come together and the bike starts to take shape over plenty of cups of tea. Before the first day is out, it has become a rolling chassis that turns over, with the frame, forks and engine in place. Day two sees mostly the time consuming finishing touches and fine tuning of the bike to get it set up properly. By the tea time, it is finished and ready to race, the fairing is painted and the details are attended to. The bike is finally loaded into the van all ready for the trip the following weekend, part one complete. For the average chap in his mid twenties, earning a living in an office job five days a week pays the bills and earns a reasonably decent wage in comparison
to a lot of others in his age group. Thanks to the draw of racing though, most of that money is gone before it’s earned; new bits to get the extra tenths each lap, entry fees, tyres, petrol for the often lengthy trips to far reaching parts of the country and lets not forget the inevitability of having expensive repair bills when the bike gets sent down the road, the list goes on... Despite this, the draw to racing is ever present and when asked about how much it has cost, all I am left with an unanswered question and a promise that he has never figured out how much it has all cost him and that if he had he would never be able to let himself do it. Instead I am told that you can do it on a budget or you can throw loads at a bike but either way it will take over your life. Friday comes, an early start sees the trip to Oulton Park as a daunting prospect however after many a cuppa (note; tea fuels bikers as petrol fuels a motor) and arrival to the circuit at around 10am, set up begins in a garage with about six others, mostly made up of friends racing in the same class. The banter and trash talk is endless but is in good spirits and is within the nature of the sport. The rest of the day is spent checking over the bike and double checking again before it is scrutinized followed a track walk in the evening to prepare and make plans for the race the following day. The day ends with more trash talk to the others and an early night.
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T W O
WHEEL T H I N G
Jim Millard working on his race bike at Oulton Park. Pictured here at Oulton Park, Cheshire, UK
“Raceday; the weather is awful for all the wrong reasons”
Race day; the weather is awful for all the wrong reasons. It isn’t just wet, nor is it simply dry as would be hoped by most in the paddock, instead its a volatile mixture sitting between the two, raining heavily
one moment and then sunny the next, soaking the track before quickly drying it again, ultimately making the decision of which tyres to use a very difficult one. Running wets would be great if it will constantly rain, however, if it is dries they will quickly get destroyed, while running drys will throw you off when the track gets wet.
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T W O
WHEEL T H I N G
Jim Millard racing at Oulton Park. Pictured here at Oulton Park, Cheshire, UK
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We thank you for reading our second issue and are grateful for your time. If you enjoyed the stories produced by Meccanico Magazine please look out for the next issue being released on the 16th of July. To tide you over between issues a small look book of photographs will be released on the 1st of July. We welcome anybody to share their story with us and become a Meccanico Member to join the publication and share their story with fellow car lovers. Please contact the Editor-in-Chief at the following address: sam.shrimpton@meccanicomedia.com For daily content follow the links to our Facebook, Twitter and Editors Blog showcasing fellow story tellers work and stories from the automotive world.