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MID NIGHT CLUB PART 2
BEHIND THE LINES WITH GARAGE G FORCE
SUPER SWAP
JOON MAENG'S 2JZ-EQUIPPED BMW
TEST REPORTS
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7.49, 189 mph
The World’s Fastest GT-R Relies On ARP Fasteners! Lucas English likes going fast. His ETS/English Racing Nissan GT-R recently rewrote the record books with a stellar 7.49, 179 mph quartermile effort. He’s also gone 219 mph in the half-mile. The Extreme Turbo Systems-built engine has massive boost and tremendous combustion pressure. Which is why high strength ARP head and main studs are employed to keep everything together. ARP studs and bolts are precision manufactured from the highest grades of material you can buy. All made in-house at ARP’s ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100 registered Southern California facilities. Look for “ARP” stamped on a fastener as your assurance of quality.
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CONTENTS FEATURES
Page PHATT AUDIO’S R34 GT-T(RIBUTE):
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Paying homage to Paul Walker’s GT-R
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THE LEGEND OF THE MID NIGHT CLUB (PT. 2):
Behind the lines with Naohisa Tazawa of Garage G Force
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CHANGE UP:
FORMULA D:
Joon Maeng’s 2JZ BMW Z4 drifter
5 things to watch in 2015
Page STREET SHARK:
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Daniel Covarrubias’ #FinancialMistake
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info@mdaudio.net For dealers inquires: www.orioncaraudio.com | T: (305) 593.8361 | F: (305) 593.8413 | Toll free: 1-855.475.6048 Miami, FL - USA @orioncaraudioofficial facebook.com/orion.car.audio | twitter.com/OrionCarAudio
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29 Featured Event: 2015 Spring Break Nationals
33 Spotters Guide: Import
Page
Alliance, Titan Motorsports Open House, Tuner Galleria & Tuner Showcase @ Vancouver Auto Show
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Power Page: Thinkware Dash Cam
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Sound Advice with Garry Springgay: Internet experts & subs in series
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Test Report Kicker IQ 1000.5 amplifier
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Test Report Audiopipe Q-12 subwoofer
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Garry’s Garage: Project C6 (Pt. 2): Deconstructing & sound deadening
36 Hot Lifestyle Products: Grip Royal
38 Hot New Products Page
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70 TBG: LIVE EVENT WINNERS The best from the 2014 show circuit
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2015 TBG PREVIEW: Battle your way to SEMA 2015!
94 KONIG WHEEL
CALENDAR Brandy Lynn & the Konig Oversteer
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PASMAG Tuning Essentials (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published 6 times a year by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (10 issues) Canada and USA: $24.99 (20 issues) Canada and USA: $34.99 (30 issues) Canada and USA: $42.99 Toll Free: 1 (888) 564-SUBS [7827] Email: subs@pasmag.com www.pasmag.com/subscribe GROUP PUBLISHER & CEO Tim Rutledge PUBLISHERS Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin FOUNDER & SR. VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Frank Spezzano
EDITORIAL GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Shaun Keenan SENIOR EDITOR Jordan Lenssen ASSOCIATE EDITOR Micky Slinger TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay
CONTRIBUTORS Beansfotos Daniel Camer Travis Chin Kevin Choi Lauder Corea Daniel Covarrubias Ray Flores Photo Terence Gamble HARDPARKN JAG Imaging Josh Krump
Jacob Leveton Jeff Liu John Neaime Chris Nicholls Giancarlo Pawelec Shoot for Details Monique Song / Drive Marketing Group Mike Watson Adam Zillin Lafayette Britto Photography
ART & PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Queue Gonzalez PRODUCTION & SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Dinglasan SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Edward Shintani SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Beltijar GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Chan
SALES & MARKETING SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Matthew Adolfo DIRECTOR, SALES & MARKETING Justin Hasan AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Randi Bentia SENIOR SALES ASSOCIATE Ken Rule
A D M I N I ST R AT I O N DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Craig Sweetman DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES Richard Robles CLIENT SERVICES Anna Brown DIGITAL COORDINATOR Patrick Lagowski Performance Auto & Sound Magazine welcomes unsolicited contributions including stories (typewritten), photos, club news, events, etc. (Forward to PAS, 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada) Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement #40069655 PAP Registration #10760 PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NIAGARA FALLS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. U.S.P.S. # 022-608 U.S. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 2421 Hyde Park Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY, 14305 U.S. POSTMASTER SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO: Performance Auto & Sound, Box 1082, Niagara Falls, NY, 14304 Exclusive distribution by: Coast-to-Coast Newsstand Service Ltd. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list, please write to us at the address below and include your mailing label. For any subscription inquiries, including change of address, call 1 (888) 564-SUBS.
PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND Phone: (416) 922-7526 Fax: (416) 964-1836 Toll Free: (866) 737-8805 www.pasmag.com pas@pasmag.com
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ISSUE PREVIEW
DOING IT DIFFERENTLY What you do to your car isn’t always going to be popular. There’s always a certain trend, no matter what make or model your car is, that some enthusiasts feel they have to follow in order to fit in or be popular. But at that point, who are you really building your car for – yourself or them? This issue of PASMAG features some cars and people that are risk takers, but they’re basking in the fruits of their labor as they’re all dominating in their respective departments. They set aside what some people have said or done and simply built what they wanted. There aren’t any followers in these pages. These are sources of inspiration. Our man in Japan, Adam Zillin, returns with part two of his in-depth series behind the infamous Mid Night Club. Catch up with a real pioneer of building outstanding cars, Naohisa Tazawa. Member of the prestigious RH9 and founder of Garage G-Force in Japan, learn about Tazawa’s roots and what he’s working on today.
Somehow, our technical editor Garry Springgay had time to write his usual Sound Advice column, do another instalment of his Corvette C6 audio build and test some awesome products. Learn about some myths being passed around by “Internet experts” about wiring subs in series, see the C6 get some Dynamat lovin’ and check out whether the Kicker IQ amplifier or Audiopipe Q-12 subwoofer are a good fit for your system. Of course, you’ve noticed the sinister winged beast that takes up our cover. This “Street Shark” belongs to Daniel Covarrubias, or as some of you may know him, “Killagram.” The young startup tells us how he went from the #FINANCIALMISTAKE to turning the big wing and Rocket Bunny games on their heads. This guy is a trailblazer for sure. We also have the ultimate ode to Paul Walker. Phatt Audio’s R34 is packing some serious sonic heat, as well as
some touching nods to Paul and the FnF franchise. This R34 is actually the talked-down GT-T. We bet you didn’t know that all but one of the “GT-Rs” used in Fast & Furious were actually kitted-out GT-Ts. That makes this car even more legit. Our Tuner Battlegrounds competition came to a close at SEMA in Las Vegas last year, but here, we feature the remaining Tuner Battlegrounds LIVE event winners in anticipation of the biggest TBG season ever. Stay tuned for more info on the Tuner Battlegrounds: Championship Battle, and Live Battles in future issues and online at TunerBattlegrounds. com. Perhaps this is your year to take the leap and compete for the title! For now, the winners in these pages will help you gauge your possible future competitors. So tear through the pages and gain some inspiration. Get out there and do something different! Keep us up to date on your builds at letters@pasmag. com. Maybe you’ll be the next to inspire.
MICKY SLINGER A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R
C O N N E C T MAKING IT EASIER TO STALK US THAN EVER BEFORE!
www.pasmag.com
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Download the iTunes app PASMAG+
Get the digital edition for your tablet at pasmag.com/zinio
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TUNING INSIDER
THE LEGEND OF MID NIGHT CLUB: PART 2 T H E R H 9 ST O RY C O N T I N U E S WITH GARAGE G FORCE
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM ZILLIN
OUR LAST REGULAR ISSUE OF PASMAG INTRODUCED A BAND OF BROTHERS WHO HAVE HELPED SHAPE THE JAPANESE (AND GLOBAL) TUNING SCENES LIKE FEW HAVE BEEN ABLE TO. THE GROUP, KNOWN AS RECORD HOLDERS 9 (A.K.A. RH9), MAY HAVE STARTED OUT AS STREET CIRCUIT RACING TUNERS LOOKING FOR LEGITIMACY IN REAL WORLD CIRCUIT AND DRAG APPLICATIONS, BUT WHAT THEY GREW INTO INFLUENCED ENTIRE GENERATIONS OF TUNING ENTHUSIASTS, DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH NAOHISA TAZAWA, ANOTHER ONE OF RH9’S FOUNDING MEMBERS, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORY OF RH9, AND TO SEE JUST HOW IT (AND HE) CAME TO BE.
PASMAG: Thanks for your time, Tazawa-san. Let’s start with how the RH9 group turned from a band of tuners sharing costs at track days into an association with social and legal standing, and then becoming a legendary tuning presence in Japan. Naohisa Tazawa: Even though we started as tuners sharing costs and generally just competing for serious fun, the group went through some big changes in 2005 when we were forced by new regulations in Japan to adopt a more community-oriented approach as an association. So, with that it was decided, for example, that we would apply our know-how to developing devices and mobility vehicles for the handicapped. That all changed again when RH9 became an actual corporate entity and the president, Phoenix Power’s Mr. Yokoyama, decided to scrap the project and return to our proper tuning roots. In hindsight that was good for the group because it meant we didn’t have to keep 18
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trying to read between the lines, legally speaking, in order to remain legitimate. Besides, only one of our members was ever really that interested in mobility vehicles.
to draw up their own contracts. Without the RH9 group’s level of cooperation and power as a collective, many smaller shops wouldn’t have made it.
Besides the obvious political issues in becoming an association, were there any benefits? As an association, the smaller garages now had a great opportunity to take advantage of cheaper parts they otherwise never would have had access to from major manufacturers like Tomei Powered and HKS because, as a shop on their own, it simply was far too expensive and time consuming
How did the system work? The biggest problem with RH9 being an association was that legally we weren’t allowed to turn a profit. If we did, it was all taken as tax. Once we became a Kabushiki Kaisha (K.K. or limited liability corporation) in 2009, things changed again and, as a corporate entity, RH9 had a unique position between the manufacturers and the smaller workshops whereby we could access cheaper pricing on their behalf - which while passing on savings directly to the shops, in turn gave rise to HKS Power-Sellers; awards that are still given to this day, depending on region and volume of sales.
I remember back at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2014, I was invited to a party the RH9 group had organized and I can’t recall ever seeing or hearing about all the members being in the same place at the same time? That’s because it had never happened before! Mr. Yokoyama wanted to bring all the tuners together under one roof, thought the Auto Salon was the best place to do it and we decided to invite all member workshops to the gathering. It was an impressive turnout. Yokoyama even personally screened all the campaign girls to ensure they were of the highest quality! I remember most of the night fondly… but not much after we started getting serious! On a more sober front, how did you personally get into tuning? Back then in Aomori, just below the tip of Hokkaido, I began as a mechanic working on imported foreign cars, which became a bit of
JUNE // JULY 2015
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TUNING INSIDER 400-meter dash, but on my first pass in the Evo II I nailed an 11-second flat pass, and on the second run managed to break into the 10s with a 10.7 pass. We were by far the fastest Evo in Japan and the media really wanted to knowhow, and why, we were doing it. Incidentally, I ended up getting well into the nine-second bracket and was the fastest non GT-R in the world for a time.
including the Pulsar GTi-R, 240RS Silvia and, of course, the Lancer Evo and Galant VR-4. It was mostly during the Asian rounds where I operated, but I did attend the Australian and New Zealand WRC rounds as well. a boom in the early '80s, and I cut my teeth at a garage called Sky Road where I also worked on Datsun Sunny B110s, Toyota Celicas, Minis and the like. One customer I befriended soon after was an importer of rally cars from abroad, and he started to get into Mazda Familias and Mitsubishi Galant VR-4s and would often ask me to travel 1,500 kilometers round trip to pick up a brand new Galant from Kawasaki and transport it to Aomori where I would completely strip and re-build it for rallying. Then, when it was done, truck it back down to Tokyo! I ended up making a regular business of this type of service for many years.
Whoa! I was not expecting that. So, how did you go from WRC to drag racing and now time attack? Well the Silvia, RX-7 and R32 GT-R started to really take off and I was also doing a lot of tuning on these cars for customers well into the '90s, which naturally led me to high power outputs and zero-yon drag racing events where I figured I was skilled enough to compete successfully. The street racing and drag scenes were booming, so naturally the bigger the numbers the better. We had a lot more drag racing events back then sponsored by HKS – at least five big meets a year.
That is serious dedication! Is that when you were bitten by the rally bug and where the Lancer legacy started? Yoshiaki Endo was actually the client I was referring to before and he competed in the WRC and then soon after he asked me to work as his mechanic. So I would travel with the team and service the Galant and later the Lancer in the WRC rallies.
Okay, Godzilla and Silvias were popular, so why go with the Lancer Evolution? It was by coincidence that I got into drag racing Evos. I was actually building an FC wide body drag demo car and it just so happened someone was passing up on an Evo II and, at that time, the general public conception was that Evos were useless as drag cars. That was interesting to me, so I set out to prove people wrong because I already knew how to build fast Evos! At that time, the fastest Evos couldn’t crack 10s down the
So you were actually a WRC mechanic?! Yes! I was a specialist with Group N and Group A machines, 20
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Living life one quarter-mile at a time. I have to ask the obvious question, though. Why the name G Force? You may find it’s a boring story, but I was actually a bass guitarist in a band as a young guy and one of my friends had an album by Gary Moore called “G Force.” I really liked that title because it mixed what I thought was speed: fast and hard, car-wise. But, more importantly, my friend had an Apple II and it had the exact same font the band used on the album cover! So, we designed the logo and stickers for the company on that Macintosh; and the “G” you see in our current company logo is the same one from that album in 1980. That’s not boring at all! Any other adventures you have had personally as a tuner? One year I took one of my Evos to Malaysia where a TV company was sponsoring a drag event and put up $15,000 for the first prize winner. Jackie Chan was also there and, you know, he’s a big fan of Evolution Lancers. Jackie was even putting up a trophy and some prize money out of his own pocket. But then Jackie told the organizers he wanted to do some drag racing himself, and the organizers didn’t want to take the risk if anything happened to him, so they turned him down. Jackie got really pissed off and left, taking the money with him!
Facebook: /AdamZillinPhotography Twitter: @7Tune Website: 7Tune.com
Ironically, I ended up winning the Jackie Chan trophy in the Evo IV and, while I didn’t get any money, I did win the trophy! I also did get a slice of the main prize money because my other Evo finished third in the main event, so it worked out alright in the end. Final question, Tazawa-san. It’s very well known that you are a time attact specialist these days and have a close relationship with Nobuteru Taniguchi. Tell us about it. Taniguchi-san and I have been friends for years. I knew Nobuteru before he became really famous in the racing and drift scenes. We have a circle of friends that have celebrated each others birthdays for years. I have always known Nob was a very fast driver, and I was a builder of very fast street, drag and circuit Evo Lancers, so the partnership was natural and set to continue. Speaking of continuing, stay tuned for the next installment in this series as it’s just starting to heat up. We have something top secret in the work for next issue... Oh wait, I may have said too much!
PASMAG would like to thank G Force and Naohisa Tazawa for his time and enlightening story.
JUNE // JULY 2015
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CROUCHING STALLION, HIDDEN MONSTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN NEAIME
Coming off of his R35 GT-R refresh that features a shiny new wrap and a set of deep-dish Sky Forged S208 wheels, JJ Dubec’s newest endeavor has him going big. Real big. With a strong team of builders, suppliers, and a host of fans clamoring over his social media teasers, JJ dropped the bomb recently on his brand-new, scrapingly-low Ferrari 458. Sitting steady on
his factory 5-spokes, Dubec’s Pininfarinadesigned exotic has the honor of being the first Ferrari in the world to utilize AirREX’s new seamless tank design and new remote system, developed specifically for the 458, and with Liberty Walk founder Wataru Kato’s approval. SerialNINE then took the install one step further, dropping the stallion right to the ground. We can only imagine #WHATSNEXT.
SLAMMED SUPERCARS
Arguably starting with the R32 Skylines overseas, slamming supercars has been taken to a whole new level lately. It seems as the kids get bigger, so do the projects, and with widePHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDAN LENSSEN body builders and custom tailored air suspension and coilover kits, these luxury speedsters are getting lower than ever. We’re talking low-low. Liberty Walk wasn’t afraid of chopping up a ‘Rari 458 – and even went so far as to cut up a matching blue Lamborghini LP700-4 Aventador that appeared at SEMA, albeit for a gorgeous result and drooling fans everywhere. Word on the street is that Kato will even be offering a Lambo wide-body kit that requires ZERO-CUTTING – just bolt and go! Since our 2015 Style Issue that featured the lovely RWB “Tiffany,” Akira Nakai has already moved on from that beautiful jewel, finished a second Porsche 911 (Type 993) at LTMW in California, and is onto his Hong Kong #2 at ReinART.Design, all with completely custom sets of super-stiff, low riding RWB-spec Aragosta coils. So, what’s the priciest car you’ve seen that can’t get up a driveway? Drop us a line (and a pic if you have) at letters@pasmag.com.
COPYRIGHTING CARS? “Stop working on your cars now!” That’s what a number of automakers may be telling you if they get their way in court. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Auto Alliance), which sells 77% of vehicles in the United States (including BMW, FCA US LLC (Fiat/Chrysler), Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, MercedesBenz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, VW and Volvo), is arguing that because your car is run by insane amounts of software, it’s inherently a mobile device, which puts it under protection of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) – the same law that protects music and other digital material from pirates worldwide. Essentially, that would make you an owner of your vehicle, but a licensee of your ECU (cue the new age of custom/aftermarket ECU manufacturers!). The AA argues that any sort of ECU recalibration will likely take cars out of compliance with environmental or safety regulations. That would be a good argument, if vehicles weren’t required to pass emissions and safety tests regularly. Still, if this bit of ridiculousness were to pass, it would have huge implications on engine and performance upgrades – even on things as simple as a larger set of wheels, which often require reflashes to make the most of performance and efficiency. We’re hoping and expecting that the powers that be see through this far-fetched rights claim and see the benefits to the economy and tailoring your ride. After all, you don’t want to cheese the folks who continuously buy and promote your products…
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Audio Excellence Wherever the Road Leads
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY TERENCE GAMBLE & KEVIN CHOI
Trunk builds helped launch the tuning scene in the early '90s, and while there have been ups and downs in popularity, the recent trend at car shows, big and small, have seen car builders return to the back end to create some of the most spectacular trunks we’ve ever seen. It began with audio, and now, the creative metalsmiths, suspension techs and performance-minded have taken their artistic wares to the same place for your viewing pleasure. Air tanks, copper tubing, hardwood floors, motorized amp racks, fuel cells and the return to molded fiberglass sub boxes can be found capturing titles and trophies throughout the continent and worldwide. Want a complete build that’ll blow peoples’ minds? It’ll require a new line of thinking beyond interior and exterior modifications; trunks are a blank template where the magic really happens. Create your own treasure chest and send us your pics at letters@pasmag.com.
#21-735WR †
FACIAL SURGERY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAG IMAGING & JEFF LIU
You see a WRX coming towards you, then…WHAT! Nope, it’s an S13. Gnarly. These “Frankencars” aren’t old news, but we’ve been seeing more than our fair share around North American streets, shows and drift circuits, so perhaps it’s something to keep an eye on. Even something as simple as an S13 to S14 swap, or a Acura to Honda – heck even a Dodge Magnum with a Charger conversion will make you double-take. Or you can go all out like Shinich Kameda Rivera and kit your 350 to confuse the masses as if it’s a short wheelbase Panamera Spyder (below). Even Rocket Bunny’s getting in on the fun with their S13 Challenger kit. You can be subtle, or you can be wild, but make sure you do your research and do it right! This is your face after all. Do you want to drop jaws or have people say you should never have gone under the knife?
FIND YOURS: FOR 50-STATE LEGAL PARTS OR INTAKES
AEMintakes.com 8 0 0 .9 9 2 . 3 0 0 0 Parts for vehicles listed are 50 state legal. See AEMIntakes.com fortorque CARBgains statusbased *Estimated horsepower and on each part for a specific vehicle. on specific or similar vehicle dynamometer test. Results will vary. †
INTAKES T
Not legal for motor vehic California emi for CARB sta
Intake systems for vehicles listed are 50 state legal. See AEMIntakes.com for CARB status on each part for a specific vehicle. © 2015 AEM Induction Systems
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NEW LIGHT Improve Brightness By Up To 200%
AUTO SHOW
TUNING TAKEOVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUBARU & DRIVE MARKETING GROUP
Well, well, well. As some OEMs are fighting against modifications (see “copyrighting cars” in this same trending section), others are seeing the benefits that tuning and modified cars have in attracting younger and performanceoriented enthusiasts to their brands. We’ve been spotting performance-tuned cars at major – and typically OEM-only – auto shows throughout North America; from the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Vancouver and even New York City, with tuning-inspired concepts like the Subaru STI Performance Concept. Whether they’re paired in with manufacturer’s booths or in their own special showcases, these tuning platforms are being seen as a valuable asset to OEM marketing and promotions – just have a look at the latest examples from NextMod, Drive Marketing Group, Tjin Edition’s Fords and VIP Auto Salon. Automakers need to connect with their enthusiasts, and nobody has their ears tighter to the ground than guys like these.
“THESE TUNING PLATFORMS ARE BEING SEEN AS A VALUABLE ASSET TO OEM MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS”
EASIER, FASTER Heavy Duty Restoration EXCLUSIVE 3M Trizact Technology TM
TM
Visit www.3Mauto.com for more headlight restoration solutions
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"BEING NATIVES TO THE AREA, ORION AUDIO SHOWED UP AND SHOOK UP WITH THEIR INSANE JEEP WRANGLER, WHICH PACKED A RIDICULOUS 2,500 POUNDS OF SOUND!"
SPRING BREAK NATIONALS 2015 THE BEST PARTY TO KICK OFF BEACH AND SHOW SEASON! By Micky Slinger | Photography by Mike Watson & Travis Chin Spring Break is already pretty nuts in Florida. Loud people, crowded beaches and questionable shenanigans take over for the week. Well, the bassheads of the State have an answer to the rowdiness, and their sound makes the packed beaches sound like kid’s playgrounds. We’re talking, of course, about Spring Break Nationals. For the 29th year, SBN overran the 200,000 square-foot Ocean Center in Daytona Beach with stoked spectators, 44 of the industry’s leading manufacturers and the biggest distributors of mobile electronics around. As always, there’s always something for every car audio enthusiast, no matter where you fall on the spectrum. If you’re someone who likes to have bass thumping through your chest, the SPL Zone would make you feel right at home. McLaren Sound Systems and DS18 brought the noise with multiple demo cars, and PRV Brazil even made the trip to
THE LATEST TRENDS, FULL THROTTLE
FACEBOOK.COM/PASMAG
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Built-in Amplifier with DCD™ Technology Delivers incredible power output with minimal heat and current draw!
The + stands for POWER! New, amplified MicroSub+™ & PowerWedge+™
ACP112LG-TW1 12-inch Subwoofer Ported Enclosure 400 watts RMS
ACP110LG-TW1 10-inch Subwoofer Ported Enclosure 400 watts RMS
ACP108LG-W3v3 8-inch Subwoofer Ported Enclosure 250 watts RMS
ACP208LG-W3v3 Dual 8-inch Subwoofers Ported Enclosure 500 watts RMS
ACS112LG-TW1 12-inch Subwoofer Sealed Enclosure 400 watts RMS
ACS110LG-TW1 10-inch Subwoofer Sealed Enclosure 400 watts RMS
© 2015 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on all available enclosure models, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com www.jlaudio.com. In Canada contact GemSen Distribution at www.gemsen.com
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rock the Kasbah. Being natives to the area, Orion Audio showed up and shook up with their insane Jeep Wrangler, which packed a ridiculous 2,500 pounds of sound! The much quieter SQ Zone was brimming with audiophiles and competition. IASCA and MECA SQ competition builds were on display, with fantastic installations being shown by those entered in the IASCA Installer 5K (I-5K) contest. The self-explanatory contest pitted standout car audio competitors’ installations against each other, with the winner taking home bragging rights and $5,000. We’re proud to say that PASMAG feature alumni Brian Mitchell of Liquid Trends and his zombified Chevy Cruz took home the cash! Mitchell just edged out one of our more recent features in the I-5K: Lauren Hansell and Eric Bungo’s outstanding Civic. They left SBN with Best in Show, and second in Asian Ultimate on top of being runner up in the install contest, so don’t feel too bad! While it was a party everywhere else, there was also some business to attend to on the second day of SBN - the in.car.EXPO - but that didn't mean it still couldn't be a good time. The brands that attended showed a great deal of commitment to the growth of their dealers by serving them with training and seminars in product sales and technical knowledge. Memphis Audio, Soundstream, JL Audio, Elettromedia, Cerwin Vega, Diamond Audio, PRV and DS18 all held sessions off the show floor, while on it, Encore Security Systems performed an on-site, hands-on installation demonstration of their top-of-the-line E9 system. “As a mobile electronics retailer for 41 years, I’m pleased to see that there are still companies that take stock in their dealers assisting in their development as we move forward into this extreme technically oriented era,” says SBN founder Paul Papadeas. There were also seminar sessions that tackled business tactics and measurement tools, as well as digital marketing for those interested. Plans for SBN x in.car.EXPO 2016 are already underway. If you can see yourself being involved next year, reach out to info@sbnexpo.com or call (386) 767-3030. As for us? We’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever kind of crazy concoctions these nuts come up with next, so we can continue bringing you the latest car audio trends.
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Ra te d #1
DRIVE SMARTER®
Take Ticket Protection to the Max #1 Rated
Radar Detector
All-Powerful *
Best New
Product Award
Editor’s Choice Award
ESCORT Max and Max2. The best ticket protection.
The Max Series features a multi-color OLED display. Brilliant graphics illuminate intuitive icons that identify the type of threat at a glance. Shown here with ESCORT Live.
When driving, the last thing you want is a ticket. Be protected with the award-winning ESCORT Max and Max2 with integrated Bluetooth. Experts agree that the ESCORT Max and Max2 are truly the best radar detectors in the industry. The ESCORT Max and Max2 are the first and only detectors with High Definition (HD) Radar Performance. Extremely quick response time provides more advanced warning. Precise accuracy for signal recognition identifies all the real threats while GPS intelligence automatically locks out false alerts. Now drive with confidence by taking ticket protection to the Max. Try the ESCORT Max or Max2 with our 30-day worry-free test drive today. Max ........................................................ $549.95 Max2 with integrated Bluetooth .......... $599.95
Compatible with
Don’t just drive. . . Drive Smarter with ESCORT 866.910.3295
EscortRadar.com Department PAS
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Facebook.com/DriveSmarter *Shown with ESCORT Live.
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IMPORT ALLIANCE: SPRING MEET Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, GA March 28, 2015
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PHOTOS BY HARDPARKN
01 A striking white 370Z from Team Untamed. 02 K-swap everything - just like this Civic EF. 03 Check out this mean, matte, track weapon Evo. 04 Waiting to exhale: Patrick’s Infamous Society M45. 05 Bear Dellinger's army green SR20DET S14. 06 Rare find: a pristine Toyota Chaser X30.
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TITAN MOTORSPORTS OPEN HOUSE Titan Motorsports HQ Orlando, FL March 7, 2015
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PHOTOS BY LAFAYETTE BRITTO PHOTOGRAPHY
01 Real Street Performance’s Supra strapped hard to the dyno (w/ an AEM Infinity 6 ECU & 6870 turbo). 02 A Nismo GT-R R35 engine, hand built by Takumi (master craftsman) Izumi Shioya. 03 One of the more popular builds in Tampa: David's Precision Turbo-powered RSX. 04 L ions and tigers and... Godzilla? Oh my! 05 Will's bugg-eyed and bagged WRX STI. 06 Big boostin' from this Toyota Supra’s Precision turbo.
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Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago, IL March 14, 2015 PHOTOS BY RAY FLORES PHOTO
01 Models Ashley Wilke, Jamile De Campos and Amanda Paris take in the sights. 02 Touge Factory's SR22VE-powered 350Z. 03 Jon Sacket's Get Lucky 370Z gripped with Toyo Proxes R888 tires. 04 Source Total Car Performance debuted the first Rocket Bunny 350Z. 05 Emily's 2001 Mazda Miata received the Best Female Ride of Show. 06 Team Nostalgic’s “LS TOY” – LSX-swapped Toyota AE86.
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TUNER SHOWCASE / VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
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Vancouver Convention Centre Vancouver, B.C. March 24 to 29, 2015
PHOTOS BY MONIQUE SONG / DRIVE MARKETING GROUP
01 Speed Syndicate's S13 - 420 whp LS6 with ITBs. 02 Brody Goble's LS-powered Formula Drift 240SX. 03 Liberty Walk and SR Auto Group came out to play with their LB Kids Lamborghinis. 04 E uropa Auto Design's Vorsteiner M3 - 625 hp of supercharged German engineering. 05 Monique Song's Duke Dynamics wide-body BMW Z4. 06 Reggie Mah's "NIGHTRUNNER" FR-S before its Varis Arising II x Rocket Bunny V1 transformation. 5
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Lifestyle
Leather Crest Keychain $12 | GripRoyal.com Bring some class to your key ring with Grip Royal’s Leather Crest Keychain. Genuine leather, black stitched and double-sided, they give that throwback flair with the the Grip Royal crest. And don’t worry, you get the little metal ring.
CF64 x Grip Royal & Mattes Sunglasses $10 | GripRoyal.com Grip Royal’s shades are made in the Wayfarer style, but they’re way cooler than just that. They feature a matte black rubberized body so they won’t slip off your face, and bold white branding shows everyone what’s up. The CF64 sunglasses are a collab between FD champ Chris Forsberg and Grip Royal. The red/dark gold reflective lenses are perfect for driving, and the arms feature the “NEVER LIFT” slogan inside. Stay shaded, not shady.
Royal Base & Royal Blackwood Steering Wheels $160 | GripRoyal.com Grip Royal’s “Base” wheels have a 50-mm depth, a thicker hand-grip and a little less frame depth. Realistically, they're about 6 to 7 mm shallower than the usual frames, but due to the increased grip size they feel about the same! The Blackwood, on the other hand, features a woodgrain with gray-tones. The dark stain appears as solid black, but in direct sunlight allows you to see the grain. Hardware and an allen key are included for installation on both wheels (horns +$15).
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Grip Royal x Incipio Phone Cases
Grip Royal Shirts
$40 | GripRoyal.com
Grip Royal’s shirts are not only ridiculously good looking, they’re also printed by Funk Fashion on quality American Apparel material for an extremely comfortable feel. They’re also super lightweight, which is perfect for the Summer! Shirts are unisex and fit a little loose. If you typically wear a large loosely, a medium will fit you great, especially for you smaller-figured folks.
Grip Royal’s Monogram GR pattern is etched into the backside of Incipio’s topselling DualPro Case, which doubles the protection with two layers of interlocking material. The shock-absorbing inner core and hard-shell exterior work together to keep your device safe when you drop it like a dingus. Available for the iPhone 5, 6, 6+ and Samsung S5.
$25 | GripRoyal.com
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MTX Audio MUDBTRC Universal Bluetooth Receiver
Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch for BRZ/FR-S
$129.95 | MTX.com
Centerforce.com
The MUDBTRC is a universal Bluetooth wireless receiver that eliminates the need for a head unit in any amplified audio system where streaming content is required. This small chassis, weatherproof unit can be flush or surface mounted and connects to any amplifier via a 3.5-mm auxiliary output. All wiring is included for easy connection to any vehicle’s electrical system.
Centerforce’s new Dual Friction kit for the FR-S/BRZ was developed with Toyota Motorsports for use at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. This clutch is designed for owners who want up to 300 lb-ft of holding-power without sacrificing drivability. The kit includes an SFIapproved billet flywheel, pressure plate and bolts, clutch disc, dowel pins, throw-out bearing, alignment tool and pilot bearing.
ST Suspensions XTA Coilovers for MK7 VW Golf GTI $1,679.99 | STSuspensions.com ST XTA coilovers are engineered by KW and offer adjustable lowering on the MK7 Golf GTI from 10 to 45 mm on the front axle and 20 to 45 mm at the rear. With scaled camber adjustment and adjustable rebound damping, GTI fans are able to increase front camber and adjust ride quality for a more sporty or comfortable feel.
SPEC Clutch High Performance Clutch Kits for 2012-15 Honda Civic Si
Vortech Superchargers Charge Cooler Upgrade Package for 2015 Ford Mustang 2.3L EcoBoost
$ 3 8 9 | S P E C C l u t c h . c o m
$1,199.99 | VortechSuperchargers.com
SPEC’s Civic Si clutch kits are available in seven different single disc stages, supporting multiple power levels and drivability requirements. The kits feature higher RPM capability and low pedal effort. Available with a 228.6-mm disc, as well as the stock 219 mm. The 9-lb. billet aluminum flywheels offer improved throttle response and infinite rebuilds.
Vortech’s 2015 2.3L EcoBoost Mustang Charge Cooler Upgrade Package increases charge cooling effectiveness without sacrificing boost pressure. The charge cooler upgrade gives you everything that you want, virtually eliminating heat soak, while supporting any level of future modification with no further steps. Includes all necessary silicone couplers, clamps and hardware.
JL Audio MicroSub+ Amplified Subwoofer System JLAudio.com Combining a proprietary direct conversion Class D amplifier with a unique lowimpedance driver, the MicroSub+ Subwoofer System generates 250W of power output and real-world 94% efficiency. The slot-ported low-profile enclosure design delivers incredible output and extension normally possible with much larger systems. The onboard amplifier accepts a variety of input options and includes full-featured signal processing, plus remote level control.
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Upgrade your style,
inside & out.
Axxera ASEQ505BT Smart EQ Sound Processor w/ Bluetooth $179.99 | AxxeraAudio.com Stream music from a Bluetoothconnected Android or Apple smartphone directly to the Smart EQ. Control balance, fader, subwoofer gain, and a 7-band EQ with 20 presets from a smartphone. Also features automatic amplifier remote turn-on, 3 RCA preamp outputs, 24-bit DAC, and a 5V line-out in streaming mode. Connect it to up to 3 amplifiers, and to a factory or aftermarket receiver.
Upgrade your vehicle lighting with Philips Vision LED Bulbs. Their revolutionary new LED lighting technology gives you brilliant, 6000K light and a unique, new high-tech style for interior and exterior lighting applications. Plus, thanks to Vision LED’s 12+ years lifetime, once you put them in, you’ll likely never have to replace them again.
Volt Reactor JP06 Portable Power Bank $199 (CAD) | CoreIND.ca This 12,000 mAh portable power bank is able to jump start any vehicle (up to a 5.3L engine) up to 15 times with its 1,000+ charge/discharge cycle battery life. It also allows you to charge all your electronic devices through the three available USB ports (1 or 2.1 amp). Perfect for camping, boating, or leaving in your vehicle for emergencies.
Tein Flex Z Coilovers
To learn more, visit www.philips.com/visionled
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F ro m $ 8 0 0 | Te i n . c o m This is Tein’s full featured street coilover at a very affordable price. The new FLEX Z coilovers include fulllength adjustable ZT-coated damper bodies and 3-stage powder-coated brackets, exclusive upper mounts (camber adjustable for most strut type suspension), 16-way damping Advance Needle technology, and EDFC series compatibility.
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S U B S C R I B E O N L I N E N O W AT WWW.PASMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE FACEBOOK.COM/PASMAG
TWITTER.COM/PASMAG
INSTAGRAM.COM/PASMAG
YOUTUBE.COM/PASNATION
2015-04-29 10:12 AM
POWER PAGE the X500 are GPS-enabled Safety Camera Alerts (warning you of red light and speed cameras) as well as a Road Safety Warning System that includes lane departure, front collision, and front vehicle departure warnings. The built-in GPS also imbeds speed and location data on the video, so there is no guesswork involved. Should an event occur, the X500 has the ability to save the incident to an internal memory device as well as the removable MicroSD card. This “Dual Save” technology utilizes a triple-axis G force sensor that will save video from before and after the incident. The dual save feature ensures that the crucial evidence will not get lost when you need it the most.
THINKWARE DASH CAM
THE WHOLE PACKAGE BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
Maybe it’s just me, but there seems to be a greater percentage of crappy drivers on the road these days. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t see an illegal U-turn, a near miss due to an inattentive or distracted driver, road rage, or something fly out of the bed of a truck. Let’s face it, any of the above can cause an event that will ruin your day at the very least.
A
s a form of protection from these blithering idiots (driving is a privilege, not a right), more and more drivers are equipping their vehicles with dash-mounted cameras. What was once a tool used only by commercial drivers and school buses is now becoming increasingly popular for the everyday commuter. Having a dash cam in your vehicle can provide crucial live evidence of driving accidents, insurance fraud, or just capturing video from a great road trip. If you have ever checked out some of the “dash cam” or “car crash” compilation videos on YouTube, you know how much having a video of an event is worth once the dust settles. You may have even seen the amateur video, of the Chelyabinsk meteor captured by the dash cam of a parked car as it flew over a remote part of Russia. How cool would it be to have taken that video! One of the leading manufacturers of high quality dash cams is a company called
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HOW IT WORKS Mounting the camera is dead simple: slide it onto the supplied windshield mount, peel off the covering on the pressuresensitive 3M adhesive pad, and stick it to the inside of your windshield. A wide 140-degree field of view ensures excellent coverage, and the unit is powered by simply plugging it into a cigarette lighter style power port. Included in the kit are cable ties, memory card readers and the software to install the viewer to your computer. Installation took less than five minutes. The camera is easy to set up and use as well, with on-screen menus controlled by four buttons on the back of the camera. If you set it to record automatically, all you have do is start the vehicle and the camera automatically begins to record. Within a short time, it informs you it has a GPS fix as well. Manual recording is also possible and can be handy for other types of emergencies, or to simply record some video you would like to save. The device saves your trip in one-minute segments, which can then be viewed on your computer using the included software. The images are very crisp and clear (even in low light conditions). The audio in your vehicle can also be recorded, or you can choose to mute the mic input for privacy. This was my first experience with any sort of dash cam, and I came away suitably impressed. It’s more than just a camera; the Thinkware X500 brings a bunch of valueadded safety and convenience features that you won’t find in other dash cams. Thanks to these advanced features, Thinkware dash cams can provide a better, safer and more informed driving experience.
“THE DUAL SAVE FEATURE ENSURES THAT THE CRUCIAL EVIDENCE WILL NOT GET LOST WHEN YOU NEED IT THE MOST.” Thinkware, who manufacture no less than six different models of dash cams in varying form factors and feature sets. To get us familiar, they sent their model X500 dash camera for review. FEATURES The Thinkware X500 camera features a forward-looking 1080p full HD camera with a Sony Exmor CMOS image sensor, as well as the ability to add an optional rearward-facing camera. It shoots at 15 to 30 frames per second, and utilizes a high quality 2.7-inch LCD display. Also built into
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15_PASmag-Q-class-LOADED-L7.pdf
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The L7™ Loaded Enclosure Award-winning L7 Subwoofers in a vented box Factory-tuned for tremendous sound The pinnacle of ready-made bass
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©2015 STILLWATER DESIGNS
K
Luxury shouldn’t be boring.
The L7 Loaded Enclosure is available exclusively at Authorized Q-Class Retailers. See the list at www.kicker.com. KICKER is distributed in Canada by Gem-Sen. www.gemsen.com
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SOUND ADVICE
WITH GARRY WITH GARRY SPRINGGAY SPRINGGAY
“INTERNET EXPERTS” AND WOOFERS IN SERIES
O
ccasionally my friends will come to me for advice about their home or car stereos, which is fine because I go to them for advice on all sorts of other stuff, like landscaping and beer making! A few weeks ago, a friend of mine (who may be singlehandedly keeping several internet retailers in business) called and told me about this great deal he got on some new woofers for his car. He’d done a ton of research and consulted all the internet forums for opinions and advice before buying them. Then, a few days ago, he called again and told me he had a problem with them. It seems he was planning to replace a pair of four-ohm woofers with a pair of dual voice coil four-ohm woofers, but he said he “certainly didn’t want to connect his woofers in series!” When I asked why not, I could barely believe his response. Perhaps you have heard the same thing somewhere before... He proceeded to explain how (according to the “internet experts”) connecting speakers in series causes serious problems with phasing, and the delay caused by the wiring smears the sound because the woofers aren’t operating exactly in unison. Wow. I’ve heard some doozies in my life, but this one was at the top of the list. To explain why a series connection is perfectly acceptable for a subwoofer, and why you would never encounter sonic problems with series connected subwoofers, we need to put on the propeller cap for just a bit, and look at some very basic physics.
“I BELIEVE THE “INTERNET EXPERTS” CONFUSED THE SIGNAL VELOCITY OF ELECTRICITY IN A WIRE WITH THE SPEED OF SOUND IN AIR, WHICH IS MUCH, MUCH SLOWER. ABOUT 874,635 TIMES SLOWER, TO PUT A FINER POINT ON IT.” Let’s begin by stating known facts: The electrical signal that drives our woofers travels through the speaker wire and the woofer’s voice coils at something called “signal velocity.” This is also known as electromagnetic wave propagation. The actual speed varies with the type and configuration of the conductor, but in a copper wire, the speed of the signal is about 97 percent of the speed of light. We know that the speed of light is approximately 299,800,000 meters per second. This can be expressed in other ways too, such as 671,000,000 miles per
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hour, or we could say it takes light about 0.00000537 seconds to travel one mile. Okay, so armed with that information, let’s examine the “delay” caused by wiring two woofers in series. Imagine two woofers placed three meters apart. We can pretend also that each voice coil has a winding that is 10 meters long. This means that from the input of the first woofer to the output of the second woofer, the signal travels a distance of 23 meters. Knowing this distance and the signal velocity, we can calculate that the signal will travel through the 23-meter path
Facebook: garry.springgay Website: cogentaudiolabs.com
in roughly 0.00000079 seconds. Does that sound like much of a delay to you? Here is how to calculate phase shift in degrees: Phase angle (deg)
The amount of phase shift varies with the frequency, so for our woofer system, there would be about 0.03 degrees of phase shift at 100 Hz. To put this in greater perspective, you could cause the same amount of perceived phase shift by moving your head less than one-tenth of an inch in any direction. I believe the “internet experts” confused the signal velocity of electricity in a wire with the speed of sound in air, which is much, much slower. About 874,635 times slower, to put a finer point on it. For those of you who are still reading, the speed of sound in air varies slightly with altitude, humidity and temperature. But as a general rule of thumb, we can use a figure of 1,127 feet per second, or about 768 mph. I thought about this for quite a while, and I was able to come up with one reason, in one very special set of circumstances, where wiring in series could cause sonic problems – but still not in woofers. If, for example, you were trying to drive a set of full range speakers in series, the frequency response of the second speaker may differ from the first because of the difference in the source impedances driving each speaker. The first one would be driven from the amp with very low output impedance, while the second (and subsequent) speakers would see/receive the output impedance of the speaker(s) they were connected to. This is a very unusual set of conditions however, and one we’re very unlikely to encounter in car audio. Bottom line: it’s perfectly acceptable to connect woofers in series - dozens of them in fact. There will be no perceptible phase shift in the drivers from series wiring. Tell your friends. Let’s kill some of these mistruths and rumors before they get so ingrained that people accept them without thinking critically for themselves. Until next time, good listening!
JUNE // JULY 2015
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MILLE.3 turned into Legend. 15 YEARS OF HISTORY AND CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION TO LET YOU EXPERIENCE A LIVE PERFORMANCE IN YOUR CAR.
Elettromedia USA
Contact phone: 877-567-3030 www.elettromedia-usa.com
Trends Electronics Canada
Contact phone: 877-946-9255 ca.hertzaudiovideo.com
www.hertzaudiovideo.eu
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TEST REPORT
Kicker IQ 1000.5
Amplifier Review Back in the day, we wished for amplifiers with crossovers in them. When we got those, we wanted EQ, higher efficiency and better sound. Never satisfied, we continually demanded more and better features. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, the latest car audio amplifier offerings are becoming more sophisticated and include many features we only dreamed of just a few years ago. Right at the top of the list are the new IQ series amplifiers from Kicker. The IQ series amplifiers combine cutting edge technology and installation flexibility with the excellent audio performance that is typical of a Kicker amplifier. What sets this series apart is the addition of a full DSP suite, which can be controlled via a PC, tablet or smartphone apps. The graphical user interface is very intuitive and offers a huge amount of control. Think of it this way: with a Kicker IQ amplifier, you have complete control over the EQ, crossover, signal delay, and more - for every speaker, individually. If one channel needs an EQ adjustment that
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
the other doesn’t, you can do it. The amplifiers are also compatible with an optional module that allows Bluetooth audio streaming, but we’ll get back to that in a bit. The IQ series consists of five models, with two mono amps, a two-channel, a four-channel and a five-channel. We opted to review the IQ 1000.5, since it has the most channels, the most control of the entire system, and is the most complex of the designs. The amp is conservatively rated at 65 x 4 + 250 x 1 into four ohms, and 125 x 4 + 500 x 1 into two ohms. The amp is also bridgeable to a three-channel configuration if you should desire.
Features and Functions The Kicker IQ 1000.5 is a relatively small footprint amplifier, particularly when you recall its capability of delivering in excess of 1,100 watts of power! Measuring just shy of 12x8.25 inches, and only two-inches high, this is one of the highest power density packages I’ve seen. When you consider that it also contains five channels of extensive DSP
control, it’s just that much more impressive. With the IQ series of amplifiers, Kicker took a different approach than most other manufacturers who simply build a standalone DSP product. Kicker believes that putting the DSP right inside the amp is a better approach for a number of reasons. First, you only buy DSP control for the amount of channels you have. Why spend money on a six-, eight- or tenchannel DSP processor when you only have five channels? Also, by building the DSP inside the amplifier, the signal-to-noise performance, as well as general noise avoidance, is significantly improved. I see it as a very hightech box full of common sense. The connections for input and output are made on the rear panel of the amp, and this is also where the IQRC remote control connects, as well as the optional IQI Bluetooth interface. On the front panel of the amp you find traditional potentiometers for gain, crossovers and boost settings. Yes, the amp can be setup as if the DSP never existed, but for the life of
me I can’t understand why anyone would do that. Other controls on the amp consist of a switch for selecting the type of signal required to turn the amp on - either a traditional 12-volt trigger, a DC offset sense, or a signal sense method. There is an input range switch to provide compatibility with virtually any type of source, and an input steering switch so you can drive all five channels with two, four or six separate inputs. The front panel is also where you find the mini-USB connection to connect to your computer.
MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 2 V output (CEA-2006A) (1 W @ 4 Ω)
-76.9 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to full output
-96.3 dBA
THD+N at rated 4 Ω power Maximum Efficiency at full 4 Ω power per channel
83.6%
Maximum efficiency at full 2 Ω power per channel
83.3%
Idle current Input sensitivity Maximum current @ full power, lowest rated impedance Frequency response (-3 dB)
Manufacturer Rated Power MEASURED
TECH SPECS
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 12.6 V Battery
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 14.4 V Battery
65x4 + 250x1 @ 4 Ω
69x4 + 257x1 @ 4 Ω
87x4 + 343x1 @ 4 Ω
125x4 + 500x1 @ 2 Ω
113x4 + 414x1 @ 2 Ω
150x4 + 546x1 @ 2 Ω
The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2V)
44
PASMAG
Main 0.063% Sub 0.048%
3.6 A 151 mV - 10.0 V 95.5 A 10 Hz – 22 kHz
High-pass crossover
DSP controlled or 40 Hz to 180 Hz
Low-pass crossover
DSP controlled or 40 Hz to 180 Hz
Subsonic filter
DSP controlled
Bass EQ boost
DSP controlled or 0 to +18.0 dB
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This is the advanced control screen, with adjustments for the signal delay, channel addressing, compression, and crossovers.
The DSP software’s moniker is TWEEQ, which is quite appropriate for what it’s capable of. The software can be loaded onto your PC or other device directly from Kicker’s website, or the app is also available on iTunes and Google Play. It installs quickly and easily on my PC, and when you connect the amp, it automatically checks the amp’s status and
firmware. Updates are quick and easy as well. The GUI (graphical user interface) was designed by someone who obviously has a background in audio tuning equipment. It’s very easy to understand and use, and when you begin tweaking things, it’s very quickly apparent that the DSP provides an immense amount of very precise adjustments.
This is the EQ with a few adjustments made to illustrate how easy it is to control and understand.
Compression adjustment shown.
High-pass filter @ 80 Hz, -24 dB/Oct. This is the basic adjustment screen, with EQ, gain and crossover settings all accessible.
To list all the possible features and controls would take more space than I have here, but here are the most important points: • A 31-band graphic equalizer with independent adjustments for all five channels. Also a “quick defeat” switch for easy EQ comparisons. • Separate high-pass and low-pass crossovers for all five channels, with four selectable slopes and two different alignments. Can also be configured as bandpass, or series notch filters. • Independent gain adjustments for all five channels. • Adjustable compression for each channel. • Fully adjustable signal delay for each channel. • Addressable outputs. In addition to the controls provided via the software, a pretty trick multifunction remote controller allows you to scroll through and adjust settings for gain, boost, EQ center frequency, and filter Q. And to make things even better, the IQRC multifunction remote will control two amplifiers at a time. Still not enough for you? If you prefer to use a Bluetooth source for your music, the IQ amplifiers are designed to connect to Kicker’s
optional IQI Bluetooth intelligent interface. This unit allows you to stream music to your IQ amp, as well as use the Bluetooth connectivity to control the DSP settings via the TWEEQ app. Thanks to a built in discreet dipole antenna, the IQI has best-in-class Bluetooth range at over 100 feet in unobstructed areas. The IQI comes with four one-meter DIN cables that allow connectivity and control of up to four amplifiers!
Low-pass filter @ 8 kHz, -12 dB/Oct.
Example of a bandpass filter.
JUNE // JULY 2015
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45
2015-04-29 2:43 PM
TEST REPORT
Kicker IQ 1000.5
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 14.4 V BATTERY
MAX FLAT FREQUENCY RESPONSE
10
5 +6 6 +5.5 5
2
Amplifier Review
+5 5 +4.5 5
1
+4 4 +3.5 5
0.5
+3 3 +2.5 5 +2 2
0.2
d B r
0.1
Listening For my listening test, I wanted to make adjustments to the amplifier as I listened, but at the time of my test, the software for my Android smartphone and tablet aren’t quite ready, so I use my laptop instead. I connect the amp to a couple of pairs of component speakers, and the sub channel to a Kicker L7 subwoofer. I set the main channels to 50 Hz high-pass, with a Butterworth alignment and second order (-12 dB/oct) slopes. The subwoofer was set to 80 Hz low-pass, at -24 dB/oct. One of the first things I listen for when there is a DSP involved is the noise floor of the amp. DSP’s can be difficult to get great signal
Kicker IQ 1000.5_June_July_2015.indd 3
%
0.0 05
+1.5 5 +1 1 +0.5 5 -0 0 -0.5 5 -1 1
0.0 02
-1.5 5 -2 2
0.0 01
-2.5 5
0.00 05
-3.5 5
-3 3
-4 4 -4.5 5
0.00 02
-5 5 -5.5 5
0.00 01
600m
1
2
KICKER IQ 1000.5
5
10
20
87.7 0
50
BLUE TRAC A E - MA AC M IN CH // / RED TRAC A E - SUB CH AC
4 OHM - POWER vs v THD
200 100Hz
343
500
1k
2k
-6 20 0
5
50
100
200
500
1k
2k
5k
10k
20k
Hz
14.4V Batt t tt
W
2 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 14.4 V BATTERY
SEPARATION OR CROSSTALK VS. FREQUENCY
10
-20
5
-25
2
-30 -35
1
-40
0.5 -45 -50
0.2
%
d B r
0.1
0.05
-55 -60 -65 -70
0.02
-75
0.01
-80 -85
0.005
-90
0.002
0.001
-95
-100
600m
1
KICKER IQ 1000.5
2
5
10
20
BLUE TRAC AC AC A E - MA M IN CH // / RED TRAC A E - SUB CH
50
100
2 OHM - POWER vs v THD
150.7 200 100Hz
14.4V Batt tt t
546.2
1k
2k
5k
300
400
500
600
700
800 900
1k
2k
3k
4k
5k
6k
7k
8k
9k 10k
Hz
W
2015-04-29 2:44 PM
to noise performance from, but this IQ amplifier is dead silent between tracks and during very quiet passages. And as nice as that silence is, this amplifier sounds very good when playing music at virtually any level, from very soft to the most dynamic passages. The sonics are natural and without digital artifacts. The amp has a warm round sound to it, and is very musical and pleasant. The amplifier has plenty of power, and the subwoofer channel shows good control and tight, accurate sounding bass. I move my speakers around and experiment with the signal delay functionality. The delays can be adjusted in increments of 1-, 0.1-, or a minute 0.02-millisecond increments. This incredibly fine
Kicker IQ 1000.5_June_July_2015.indd 4
adjustment allows you to tune the delay virtually perfectly for your listening position. The adjustments occur in real time, and I do not experience any unwarranted pops, clicks or dreaded “zipper noises” during my tuning experiments. As past products have proven, the folks at Kicker understand good sound, and this amplifier proves it.
On the Bench Moving back into the lab, I connect the amp to my trusty test bench to see how good the numbers actually are. Not surprisingly, the IQ 1000.5 easily outperforms all of the published specifications. It measures very respectably in all areas, although I did note that the amp does tend to run a little
on the warm side. This is due to having a great deal of power in a small footprint, but should not pose a problem for the end user. According to Charlie Fox, one of Kicker’s “ninjaneers” responsible for the IQ series, the IQ 1000.5 is equipped with a thermal rollback circuit that reduces the output power unobtrusively, allowing the amp to reach thermal equilibrium without shutting down.
Conclusion Thanks to the built-in technologies and capabilities, and the ability to interface into virtually any OEM, aftermarket or wireless-based system, the Kicker IQ 1000.5 is going to be a very popular amplifier. With the combination of the ability to be tuned and configured to perfection and Kicker’s signature great sound, there just isn’t much more we can ask for any longer.
For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.
kicker.com
KickerAudio
@KickerAudio
KickerFanatic
2015-04-29 2:47 PM
TEST REPORT
Audiopipe Q-12
Subwoofer Review From the folks at AudioPipe comes the new Q Line of subwoofers. The Q Line products incorporate a lot of high-end features and are built for those who need a woofer that can handle high power levels and a lot of excursion, while providing good quality sound and lots of output. We wanted to take a closer look at this cool new piece of gear, so they kindly sent us a Q-12 sample for evaluation.
Features The AudioPipe Q-12 is a robust woofer with some very interesting design features. The first thing you notice is the lack of obvious mounting holes or trim gasket. The woofer uses something AudioPipe calls “Edge Extension Technology”. In addition to accommodating very high excursion, it also serves as a cosmetic solution to hiding the mounting screws. The usual mounting holes in the basket are basically hidden by the wide high roll surround that has eight small scallops in it, one directly over each mounting screw
Below the cone, the Q-12 woofer uses a custom-tooled spider ring that is secured with both adhesive, as well as threaded fasteners to retain the linear-type Nomex spider. The custom spider ring also facilitates the mounting of AudioPipe’s patented “Pipe-Style” speaker terminals. These terminals will accept up to 10-gauge cable and use hex head screw-type fasteners to secure the speaker wires.
Listening As usual, the first thing I do with a woofer is break in the suspension, otherwise known as “exercising”. In this case, I use a 10 Hz signal to maximize excursion and allow the suspension to soften up a bit. With enough power applied to get about half an inch of cone movement, I let the woofer break in for about eight hours. Before the woofer can be listened to, I like to let it cool completely and allow everything to normalize overnight. Normally you don’t need to do this when buying a new woofer because it will break in as you listen to it for the first couple of weeks. The
Power Handling
1,000 Watts RMS
QUICK
Frequency Range
20 Hz – 300 Hz
SPECS
Sensitivity
84.6 dB/SPL @ 1.0 W (1.414 V @ 2 ohms)
Nominal Impedance
(2) 4 ohm coils
TECH
48
hole. When viewed from the top, the scalloped sections are virtually invisible; it just looks very clean, like one big surround. To access the screws, you gently squeeze the surround a bit and tighten the screw. When you are done, you release the surround and the mounting location disappears! This is a big, heavy woofer that weighs in at over 40 pounds with a large 250-ounce motor comprised of four stacked magnets. The patented cast-aluminum basket is strong and rigid - a good platform to build a high performance woofer around. The basket is designed to incorporate custom shaped airflow vents, which aid in the cooling of the three-inch copper-clad aluminum four-layer voice coil. The cone of the woofer is made of two parts. The underside of the cone has a steep taper and is very rigid, while the upper part of the cone is basically a full diameter dustcap. These two parts are bonded together in a way that creates a sealed air chamber between them, which is claimed to improve strength and reduce distortion.
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
PASMAG
manual indicates the woofer likes rather large enclosures, with the sealed version at three cubic feet and the vented adding an additional half a foot. In my opinion, these may be the ideal volumes for the woofer, but they are far larger than the average vehicle has room for. So, I choose to do my testing in a more typical 1.75 cubic foot vented enclosure, tuned to 38 Hz. With the Q-12 securely fastened in the enclosure and the coils wired in parallel for a two-ohm load, I connect it to my reference system and select a 1,000-watt amplifier. With a low-pass crossover point at 80 Hz and the amp’s subsonic filter at about 30 Hz, I sit down and evaluate the sonics of the woofer with a bunch of different music. The Q-12 definitely plays low and loud! Power handling is not an issue, and I don’t see any indication of reaching the woofer’s limits, even when playing at very high levels. The sonic performance of the woofer is generally quite good too. The Q-12’s output is warm and round sounding, with decent definition and not too much “overhang” on the tran-
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TEST REPORT WOOFERS FREE AIR IMPEDANCE – COILS IN PARALLEL
sients. Fast plucked bass notes, such as in Thom Rotellas’ Friends, sounds strong and powerful, and you can easily hear the resonances and echo in the recording. Bass and drums in The Blues Brothers’ version of Sweet Home Chicago sound realistic and convincing without being overbearing. When pushed hard on bass-heavy tracks by Yello, The Pussycat Dolls and 50Cent, the AudioPipe Q-12 simply pounds out the bass with nary a whimper or protest. In terms of output, this woofer is right there with most of the other very high power handling woofers I’ve tested. They all seem to have a bit lower overall efficiency, but the tradeoff is the extreme power handling and the amount of abuse they’ll take, where a more efficient woofer would simply self destruct. No worries about that here - this woofer can handle all the power it’s rated for.
On The Bench Back in the lab, I measure the
Audiopipe Q-12_June_July_2015.indd 2
woofer’s parameters with my trusty Klippel Analyzer and its very accurate laser interferometer. My results are significantly different than the published specifications and a bit of quick math showed the woofer is actually very well suited to the exact enclosure I had used for testing. It is very common for published specifications to change, so I don’t blame AudioPipe for the differences I noted. However, it does make a good case for having your woofers measured properly before you spend the time and money on the enclosure.
NEARFIELD SPL/FREQUENCY RESPONSE 1W/1M
Conclusion The AudioPipe Q-12 woofer offers some very interesting and innovative features and has the ability to handle high power and the most enthusiastic listeners. And maybe best of all, it sounds pretty darn good while doing it! For more information on the Q Line of subwoofers and all the other AudioPipe products, visit them online at audiopipe.com.
2015-04-29 3:05 PM
MEASURED
WOOFER DATA
ELECTRICAL PARAMETERS
COILS IN PARALLEL
LOSS FACTORS
Re
1.65
Le
1.675
mH frequency independent part of voice coil inductance
L2
2.598
mH para-inductance of voice coil
R2
3.66
Cmes
1988.52
Lces
22.45
Res
10.16
fs
23.8
MECHANICAL PARAMETERS
Mms
Ohm electrical voice coil resistance at DC
Ohm electrical resistance due to eddy current losses µF electrical capacitance representing moving mass
Qtp
0.431
total Q-factor considering all losses
Qms
3.025
mechanical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Rms only
Qes
0.491
electrical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Re only
Qts
0.422
total Q-factor considering Re and Rms only
mH electrical inductance representing driver compliance Ohm resistance due to mechanical losses Hz driver resonance frequency COILS IN PARALLEL
349.778
mass of driver diaphragm assembly including air g mechanical load and voice coil
Mmd
335.306
Rms
17.309
kg/s mechanical resistance of total-driver losses
Cms
0.128
mm/N mechanical compliance of driver suspension
Kms
7.84
N/mm mechanical stiffness of driver suspension
Bl
13.263
N/A force factor (Bl product)
Lambda
0.010
suspension creep factor
Audiopipe Q-12_June_July_2015.indd 3
g mechanical mass of voice coil and diaphragm without air load
OTHER PARAMETERS
COILS IN PARALLEL
Vas
54.1118
n0
0.143
% reference efficiency (2 pi-radiation using Re)
Lm
83.76
dB characteristic sound pressure level (SPL at 1 m for 1 W @ Re)
Lnom
84.60
Sd
547.39
EBP
48.5
audiopipe.com
l equivalent air volume of suspension
dB nominal sensitivity (SPL at 1 m for 1 W @ Zn) cm2 diaphragm area efficiency bandwidth product
AudioPipeUSA
@AudioPipe
2015-04-29 3:05 PM
e g a r a G s Garry’ PROJECT C6 BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
STAGE 2: Sound deadening
Welcome back to the ongoing Project C6 Grand Sport audio build. The last article outlined the benefits of putting together a thorough plan before buying or disassembling anything. This chapter will focus on the first step to building a good-sounding car, and actually getting my hands dirty. When it comes to the design of an audio system, it’s always good to remember that the quieter the listening environment, the more enjoyable the system and the whole driving experience will be. Corvettes are not known for a quiet cabin, as the focus is more on weight savings and performance. But for the Grand Sport, I knew I wanted a much more accurate and higher fidelity system than what it came with. To
THE DISASSEMBLY With a baseline noise level recorded, I park the car in the shop and begin the removal of the entire interior (except for the dash). Thankfully, the car is very straightforward to disassemble; with the exception of a couple of stubborn connectors, everything goes smoothly. Using the proper pry tools, the first thing to come off is the left door panel, then the seats, followed by the console, radio, and Bose amplifier. Whenever I disassemble anything, I like to bag and 52
PASMAG
get that, I would have to reduce the cabin noise significantly. Every dB you gain here is another dB of dynamic range for the system. Most importantly, I want this system to have excellent tonal balance, and reproduce all of my music (from the deepest bass to the highest highs) at enjoyable levels, regardless of road noise. This means one of the first things to be done is strip out the interior and apply some Dynamat products.
tag all the fasteners. In this case, I create several different bags: for the trim, console, seats, etc. In the cargo compartment, I remove the side panels, the hold downs for the removable roof and the halo trim. Once all the plastics are out of the way, the carpet in the Corvette comes out in four pieces. Now I’m left looking at the flat bottom and ribbed floor of the cargo compartment. Rather than the typical sheetmetal, the Grand Sport is made of a variety of composite materials that are
Before I begin disassembly, I take the car out on the freeway to measure the stock noise level. I make the run in sixth gear at 70 mph and average the readings over a two minute period. The result is a fairly noisy 73.4 dB, and a lot of the noise seems to be related to the OEM run-flat tires. When I get it back together, I will repeat the test to see the difference the Dynamat Superlite and Dynaliner makes.
designed for strength and minimum weight. And while these high-tech materials are good for building a highperformance sports car, they aren’t great at keeping noise levels or temperatures down. Since the dual 2.5inch exhaust is run down the center of the car, the console area tends to get
JUNE // JULY 2015
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“THIS TRULY IS A BLACK BOX FULL OF DIGITAL MAGIC...” GARRY SPRINGGAY, TECHNICAL EDITOR PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND MAGAZINE
PS8 PROCESSOR THE WORLDS MOST ADVANCED MOBILE AUDIO SOUND PROCESSOR D E S I G N E D A N D M A N U FA C T U R E D I N T H E U S A !
WWW.ARCAUDIO.COM
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STAGE 2:
age Garry’s Gar
Sound deadening
“DYNAMAT SUPERLITE IS MADE FROM THE SAME STICKY BUTYL RUBBER AS DYNAMAT EXTREME, BUT IT’S 30 PERCENT THINNER, AND OBVIOUSLY LIGHTER, SO IT WAS AN EASY COMPROMISE.” really warm. I don’t need any more heat than I already get during Arizona summers, so I am also going to apply Dynamat’s “Dynaliner” heat shield products while the car is apart. This sort of stuff is where thorough planning really helps. APPLYING THE SOUND DEADENING Because I plan to occasionally track this car, I’m a bit conscious about adding too much weight, so I choose the lightweight Dynamat SuperLite liner. SuperLite is made from the same sticky butyl rubber as Dynamat Extreme, but it’s 30 percent thinner, and obviously lighter, so it was an easy compromise. Before I apply any of the Dynamat, I vacuum the interior and wipe the surfaces with a quick drying solvent. The Dynamat SuperLite comes
Garry Garage Phase 2_June_July_2015.indd 2
in 18- by 32-inch sheets, and cuts easily with a sharp knife or shears. It can be applied over the entire surface (as I did), or it can be applied only to specific problem areas. Normally I would start with the doors, but I have to build some baffles for them and I don’t have my mid-bass drivers yet, so I start on the interior. The process is simple and the Dynamat is very easy to work with. I simply cut the pieces to fit, peel off the backing and fit them in place. Once it’s laid, I use a Dynamat Pro Roller to ensure every square inch is bonded to the car – it does a great job. The roller requires less effort and hand strain to get into the nooks and crannies, so at the end of the day, your fingers feel better. I start up front and work my way around to the passenger side, applying the SuperLite to the entire cargo area as well. Once I’m satisfied with the coverage, I apply a layer of Dynaliner over top of it, particularly in the areas of heat build-up. Dynaliner is a soft, self-adhesive, closed cell foam. It’s very dense, and is an excellent insulator. Because it’s highly resistant to oil and water it lasts a long time and will not mildew like typical carpet padding. Dynaliner is available in several thicknesses –
2015-04-29 1:16 PM
WHAT’S NEXT… In the next installment, I’ll be building the baffles for the doors, and repeating the Dynamat and Dynaliner treatment on them before installing the new speakers. It will also cover the wiring harness construction, and routing and protection. So stay tuned as the Corvette gets a stereo system that is as impressive as its street and track performance. for this project I’m using the quarter-inch and eighth-inch versions. I cover about 80 percent of the interior with quarter-inch Dynaliner, and I’ll use the eighth-inch stuff to go over the Dynamat for the doors. From experience, I know this product is very effective at blocking heat, and acting as a sound barrier.
Garry Garage Phase 2_June_July_2015.indd 3
To see video of the install in action, head over to our YouTube channel at YouTube.com/PASNATION
2015-04-29 1:16 PM
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JUNE // JULY 2015
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GT-TRIBUTE
MR. WALKER, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS NICHOLLS
“I just can’t stop tinkering,” says Phatt Audio Concepts’ Sam Pansino, with a laugh. That’s his simple explanation for how, over four years, he went from a silver, automatic R34 GT-T to the 430 wheel-horsepower, manual-equipped, Bayside Blue, Paul Walker tribute you see before you - a machine that, according to Pansino’s own criteria, is the “perfect car.”
“OF THE 20 CARS THEY USED IN FILMING [FAST & FURIOUS], ONLY ONE WAS A GENUINE GT-R. THE REST WERE GT-TS WITH EAST BEAR BODY KITS.”
O
bviously, that’s a big boast, so what makes this the ‘perfect car’ for someone like Pansino? Well, to answer that, it’s best to know a bit more about the man himself. Co-owner of one of Australia’s biggest and most awarded in-car entertainment installers, Pansino has a long personal history of tuning (mostly) Japanese sports cars and fitting them out with insane audio systems – ones so good that companies like Pioneer and Alpine come to him and business partner Brett Morris to build their demo cars. It’s obvious that any car Pansino builds will have to meet very high standards for the install. And it’ll have to be quick as well. Pansino’s other machines include a monster-ported FD3S and an R33 GT-R – his latest acquisition – so it has to match those for pace. This explains why his R34 packs 430 wheel horsepower from a tuned RB25DET and “the loudest system we’ve ever made.” Onto the specs. The RB keeps its stock bottom end, as 430 horses doesn’t put a huge strain through the system. But it gains a custom Garrett GTX3076 turbo, Blitz intercooler, 260-degree Tomei Poncams, Sard 850cc/min injectors, a Signal Auto three-inch titanium exhaust and other goodies to help with the go. It feeds that power through a custom Jim Berry single-plate clutch and down into a Nismo 1.5way LSD. The stopping part is left to a Ksport big brake kit comprising of custom painted six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers complete with Paul Walker’s signature applied under the clear-coat - which clamp down on two-piece 356-mm drilled rotors. As for suspension and handling, Pansino went with mostly Cusco, with remote-adjustable Cusco Zero-2R coilovers, Whiteline sway bars, Cusco front and rear strut bars and Cusco control arms.
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“MOST PEOPLE LAST ABOUT ONE SONG WHEN IT’S TURNED UP.” SAM PANSINO
GT-TRIBUTE
MR. WALKER, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU Turning all that latent ability into performance is a set of R34 GT-T-specific limited edition Nismo LM GT4 wheels in 19x8.5 +25 (f) and 19x9.5 +30 (r) sizes, wrapped in Toyo Proxes T1 Sport tires (235/30 (f) and 265/35 (r)). The rare hoops are just one of the many subtle, unique touches you’ll find all over this car - a testament to Pansino and Phatt Audio Concepts’ attention to detail. As for the audio, this is where Pansino, Morris and fellow crew member David Bridges went a bit nuts. Things start off sanely enough with an Alpine INE-W947 head unit, but it soon goes mental from there. Three Phoenix Gold Elite.1 sub amps and two Phoenix Gold Elite.4 mid-high frequency amps push their signals into 22 different speakers, consisting of eight Hertz Mille ML1650.3 mid-bass drivers, four ML700.3 midrange speakers, four ML280.3 tweeters and six Phoenix Gold Elite 12-inch dual four-ohm subs, located where the rear seats used to be. The end result? An estimated 155 decibels of maximum sound intensity. It’s estimated, because Pansino has been too scared to ever test its limits. Incredibly, most of it stays within the car, too, thanks to approximately 200 pounds of sound deadening and extra sealing. Turned up to just 60 percent and with everything shut, the wiper blades bounce off the glass and you can feel air escaping through the gaps around the door handles. Just crazy.
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“Most people last about one song when it’s turned up,” says Pansino. “Then the vibrations throughout their body start to make them feel sick. Once, I had a woman in the car who lost all colour to her face before the first song had even finished!” Of course, all the equipment and sound deadening/sealing means this R34 GT-T probably weighs about as much as an R35 GT-R, but Pansino isn’t bothered. It goes fast enough and still allows him to enjoy some seriously loud tunes. However, while it may be perfect to Pansino now, perfection never comes easy, and he had to overcome several hurdles on the way. The biggest of which was getting the engine tune right.
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GT-TRIBUTE
MR. WALKER, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU
“...I WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH COLD STARTING, RUNNING RICH, ROUGH IDLING AND SURGING WHEN CRUISING.”
ESSENTIALS
1998 Nissan Skyline GT-T OWNER: Sam Pansino BUILT BY: Phatt Audio Concepts, Tunnel Vision Turbocharging, Sew Fine Interiors, Polo Bodyworks, Viva Garage ENGINE: Nissan RB25DET 2.5L turbocharged V6 HORSEPOWER: 430 WHP (road tuned)
SAM PANSINO
“At first I was running a Power FC on 98 octane fuel, but I was having issues with cold starting, running rich, rough idling and surging when cruising,” he says. “I replaced it with a Haltech and, after my previous troubles, took it to Jason at Tunnel Vision Turbocharging to tune it. He also recommended a wide-band O2 sensor, as well as switching to E85. This allowed for a more refined, safer tune with the added bonus of more power. The engine now runs much cooler, burns a lot cleaner, and idles and starts like a stock motor, all whilst running 30 psi all day – every day.”
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Another issue came up when Phatt Audio Concepts tried to complete the GT-R look by adding a GT-R multi-function display to the top of the GT-T centre console. Normally, this would never work because the sensors on a GT-T simply don’t match up with the functions a GT-R display can show, but Pansino’s business partner Brett Morris is an electronics whiz, and managed - after extensive testing to get everything working properly. You may be wondering by now why Pansino went through all the trouble of building a Paul Walker R34 tribute from a GT-T base. Initially, as he said, the car evolved simply because he couldn’t stop tinkering, but the final decision to progress to a tribute piece came after some research on the Fast & Furious (part 4) R34s and realizing the most authentic way to build something similar was actually to stick with the RWD base. “Of the 20 cars they used in filming, only one was a genuine GT-R,” says Pansino. “The rest were GT-Ts with East Bear body kits, so that’s what we went with. After it was fitted, Vito from Polo Bodyworks applied the amazing paint and here we are.” It’s hard to argue with such logic. Pansino’s built a car that both pays homage to one of car culture’s true icons, and allows him to indulge in his twin passions of speed and sound. It’s safe to say he really has built himself the perfect car.
ENGINE ∂ Garrett GTX3076 turbocharger ∂ Blitz intercooler HKS SSQV BOV ∂ Turbosmart dual port IWG75 wastegate A’PEXi power intake ∂ Sard (850cc/min fuel injectors, fuel rail, Type RJ fuel pressure regulator) ∂ Walbro E85 450 LPH fuel pump ∂ Tomei (Poncam 260-degree intake/ exhaust camshafts, cam gears) ∂ NGK BKR7EIX spark plugs (gapped at 0.6) ∂ Splitfire ignition coils ∂ Haltech Platinum Pro ECU EXHAUST Signal Auto 3-in. titanium exhaust ∂ HPI intake manifold ∂ Tunnel Vision Turbocharging custom down-pipe DRIVETRAIN ∂ Jim Berry custom singe-plate clutch ∂ Nismo 1.5-way LSD CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Cusco (Zero-2R coilovers with e-con remote adjustable control, strut tower bars (f/r), control arms (f/r) ∂ Whiteline sway bars (f/r) WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Nismo LM GT4 GT-T special edition wheels – 19x8.5 +25 (f), 19x9.5 +30 (r) ∂ Toyo Proxes T1 Sport tires - 235/30 R19 (f), 265/35 R19 (r) ∂ Ksport BBK - 6-piston calipers, 2-pc. 356 mm drilled rotors (f), 4-piston calipers, 2-pc. 356 mm drilled rotors (r) (custom painted with Paul Walker signature applied under clear-coat) ∂ Braided brake lines (f/r) EXTERIOR ∂ East Bear body kit ∂ Bayside Blue paint ∂ Nissan R34 GT-R rear wing ∂ Nismo (LED taillights, clear indicators) INTERIOR ∂ Alcantara re-upholster ∂ Nismo shift knob ∂ Momo Gotham steering wheel ∂ Custom Alcantara shift and handbrake boots ∂ Recaro Sportster CS seats with carbon wrap backs MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Alpine (INE-W947 head unit, PXA4800 processor, TME M780 trunk monitors (4)) ∂ AudioControl Matrix Plus line drivers ∂ Phoenix Gold (Elite.1 sub amps (3), Elite.4 mid-high frequency amps (2), Elite 12-in. dual 4-ohm subwoofers (6) in custom vented enclosure) ∂ Hertz Mille (ML1650.3 mid-bass drivers (8), ML700.3 mid-range speakers (4), ML280.3 tweeters (4)) ∂ Stinger (SPV69C batteries (1 under bonnet, 4 auxiliary), Pro fuse holder, HPM Series power wire) ∂ Phatt Audio Concepts custom 12x0 gauge distribution block ∂ R34 GT-R multi-function display integration
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STR Being accepted by everyone just isn’t a thing. It never has been and never will be. What most people don’t realize is that the sooner you stop caring about what the “haters” say, the sooner you’ll be genuinely happy about what you’re doing. Daniel Covarrubias, the owner of the sinister-looking FR-S you see here, has mastered the art of the “ain’t care” attitude, and just look what that resulted in.
C
ovarrubias may not be an immediately recognizable name, but you’ll more than likely recognize his Instagram handle @Killagram, which has pumped out about 900 photos to draw in 40,500+ followers (as of press time). And if the Insta account isn’t ringing any bells, his tremendously trending hashtag #FINANCIALMISTAKE will. This 86 has come a long way since that all-too-true tag, though. Covarrubias actually bought the car fully kitted. “The FR-S that I purchased had just gotten built, so it was maybe a month old,” he explains. “I saw so much potential in it. It just had the body kit, paint and wheels.”
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WHAT SOME PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IS THAT DANIEL IS A TOTAL TRIPLE-THREAT. HE’S IN AUTOMOTIVE MARKETING, HE’S A SHOW JUNKIE, AND HE’S A DRIVER.
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EET E VO LU T I O N O F T H E # F I N A N C I A L M I STA K E BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL COVARRUBIAS
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STREET I DIDN’T WANT TO PAINT THE CAR, KEEP THE WHEELS ON IT OR DO DIFFERENT THINGS SO PEOPLE WOULD BE LIKE, ‘OH, THAT’S THE CAR THAT HE BOUGHT FROM THAT KID.’”
Interested in the car, Daniel hit up the super young, 16-year-old owner about shooting some photos. The two met and the kid let it slip that the car was unfortunately – or fortunately – for sale. “No one has seen this car yet, it’s only gone to two shows and I saw the opportunity there to pretty much make a monster, so I just went for it,” Covarrubias says excitedly. “I got the car shortly after that and started going to town on it.” What some people don’t know is that Daniel is a total triple-threat. He’s in the business of automotive marketing, he’s a show junkie that attends anywhere and everywhere he can, and he’s a driver – a drifter to be exact. You may have seen his red 240SX in Top Drift competition. Oh, and he shot these absolutely gorgeous pictures you see here. Is there anything this guy can’t do? Well, it turns out he’s pretty great at modifying cars, too. Starting out by just picking away at some things, he installed Valenti taillights for a bit of a rear refresh, Air Lift Performance air suspension system to allow for a reliable daily driver and a Borla cat-back exhaust system paired up to their unequal-length header to accentuate that signature boxer burble. To provide a differ64
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ent take on the Rocket Bunny kit, Covarrubias sprung for the DAI canard set. This was all only the beginning. “I didn’t want to paint the car, keep the wheels on it or do different things so people would be like, ‘Oh, that’s the car that he bought from that kid,’” Covarrubias explains. “I really just put everything away until I had everything I needed to put on and then it was a full makeover in about a month and a half.” Some Spec-D LED headlights were sourced for a facelift, along with some shiny new rollers, courtesy of Avant Garde, to replace the old owner’s SSR Professor MS1s. The AG F121s measure 18x10 up front and 18x12 in he back, paired with some seriously wide 255/35 and 315/30 Toyo Proxes R888 rubber. Then it was on to LTMW for the real transformation. The well-known Cali body shop took on Covarrubias’s financial mistake, and when the shop doors rolled up, the FR-S donned Hypnotic Teal Mica paint and housed a new Bones Fab roll cage for some track duties. Just before the 86 rolled into the shop though, Covarrubias encountered a blessing in disguise.
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STREET “I was driving on the freeway back from Arizona and my diffuser hit something and just exploded!” he recalls. The RB rear diffuser must have grabbed a groove somewhere along the road and yanked the whole middle-rear section of the bumper with it. With a literal pain in the ass and a new diffuser looking to take a couple months to get there from Japan, Daniel saw a chance to build up something he’d been toying with for awhile: a huge chassis-mount GT wing. Covarrubias, as it turns out, is a big hand talker. So when someone would ask him about what kind of shape this wing would take, he’d find himself using the same hand motions over and over again. Taking the shape he’d been describing, he sketched it on some paper. Being satisfied with the look, he put it on his car via Photoshop. After that got the thumbs up, a template was cut from Styrofoam and checked for size on the car. Once the numbers were crunched, Covarrubias turned to his friend
with a CNC machine who took those numbers, and through the magic of plasma cutters and water jets, produced the first version of the defining feature of what Daniel was now calling his “Street Shark.” This isn’t just some publicity stunt. He may have a large following now, but this car has always been a build for himself, just how he likes it. “Honestly, I didn’t expect anyone to like my car – it just blew up out of nowhere,” Covarrubias says. “When you look up drifting on YouTube, you always see Japanese D1 street-driven cars and that’s the style I wish we had out here, so that’s what I’m trying to push right now.”
STREET SHARK
S13
It turns out that Covarrubias is looking to build himself a stable of sharks. Taking on the same Hypnotic Teal Mica finish and gigantic chassis-mount GT wing, he plans on taking his S13 drift car and really making a statement.
WHEN SOMEONE WOULD ASK HIM ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SHAPE THIS WING WOULD TAKE, COVARRUBIAS WOULD FIND HIMSELF USING THE SAME HAND MOTIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN…
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Other similarities it shares with it’s Scion brother will be a V2 Rocket Bunny kit, Avante Garde F132 wheels and even Air Lift Performance air suspension. However, in true drift S-chassis fashion, a built LS3 will be hauling the 240 for maximum skids. Keep an eye out for it in Top Drift competition next year!
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STREET
ESSENTIALS 2013 Scion FR-S
OWNER: Daniel Covarrubias BUILT BY: 88 Rotors, Baggedlife, Bones Fab, LTMW, RD Engineering LOCATION: Camarillo, CA ENGINE: Toyota/Subaru 4U-GSE/FA20 2.0L boxer HORSEPOWER: 365 HP TORQUE: 255 LB-FT
Having the D1 bark is great and all, but there’s going to need to be some bite to back it up. Daniel turned to Vortech and their V-3 supercharger and Maxflow Race blow-off valve combo. This system ups the factory horsepower about 50 percent, bringing the 86 to around 300 horses with a satisfying whistle. For a little more kick, it was time for things to get a little corny. Ronnie of RD Engineering did up a custom E85 tune just for Covarrubias and his shark. This gluten-free kick in the pants brings the FR-S to approximately 365 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque in conjunction with the Vortech blower – 165 ponies and 104 lb-ft
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“IT FEELS LIKE I THREW A SIX-CYLINDER IN THE CAR.” more than factory. Daniel is more than happy with his latest additions. “It feels like I threw a six-cylinder in the car,” he exclaims. “Now, it’s all about turning it into a functional racecar that’s reliable and able to be street driven. My overall goal is for no one to say, ‘Why do you have that wing on it?’” Setting out to build a car for yourself is a noble effort. In this time of social media builds and measuring self worth with thumbs-up and heart buttons, there’s really something to be said about breaking the mold and doing it differently. “One of my favorite quotes is: ‘You will never influence the world by trying to be like it,’” Covarrubias says. “Just develop your own style and don’t be afraid of what other people may think. It all comes back to you and what you want to drive every day.” Daniel wants to drive a D1-inspired street shark everyday. How about you?
ENGINE ∂ Vortech Superchargers (V-3 supercharger, charge cooler, Maxflow Race blow-off valve) ∂ Ecutek ECU tune ∂ RD Engineering E85 tune EXHAUST ∂ Borla Performance (unequal length header, mid-pipe, cat-back exhaust system) WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Avant Garde F121 wheels – 18x10 (f), 18x12 (r) ∂ Toyo Proxes R888 tires – 255/35 R18 (f), 315/30 R18 (r) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Cusco 5-point roll cage – painted Battleship Gray ∂ Cusco harness bar ∂ Air Lift Performance air suspension system EXTERIOR ∂ Rocket Bunny V2 wide-body kit ∂ Dai Yoshihara x GReddy V3 canard set ∂ Custom-built chassis-mount GT wing ∂ Spec-D headlights ∂ Valenti taillights ∂ Hypnotic Teal Mica paint INTERIOR ∂ Nardi Torino Competition steering wheel ∂ Snake skin shift boot ∂ “$5 diamond shift knob” MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Pioneer (AVIC-7100NEX head unit, PRS-D800 2-channel subwoofer amp, GM-D8604 4-channel midrange amp, GM-D8604 4-channel high frequency amp, TS-SW2502S4 10-in. subwoofer, UD-SW120D enclosure, TS-D1330C front stage speaker set) ∂ DB Link fuse holder ∂ Sky High Car Audio (OFC 1/0 power wire, 120 mm sound deadener) ∂ Tsunami distribution blocks ∂ The Big 3 electrical upgrade PARTNERS 88 Rotors, Air Lift Performance, Avant Garde Wheels, Borla Performance, Cusco USA, Downstar Hardware, Fuell Brand, LTMW, Napalm Inc., Pioneer, RD Engineering, Tjin Edition, Toyo Tires, Vortech Superchargers
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2015 PREVIEW VOTERS
65,689 VOTES IMPORTS
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3
DOMESTICS
6
EUROPEAN
MAKES 4
ACURA
3
AUDI
1
USA
IMPORT
DOMESTIC
EUROPEAN
1
HYUNDAI
13
NISSAN
1
INFINITI
7
TOYOTA
BUICK
2
LEXUS
7
SCION
2
CHEVROLET
1
MAZDA
6
SUBARU
1
DATSUN
1
MERCEDES
2
VOLKSWAGEN
9
HONDA
3
MITSUBISHI
eleven NUMBER OF TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS LIVE EVENTS
COMPETITORS: 75
VOTES: 10,163
TWO THOUSAND AND FOURTEEN
DAYS OF VOTING
55
CANADA
Thousand &
COMPETITORS
THE
numbers
64 53 13 51 663 39
by
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TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS: 2015 CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE & #TBGLIVE BATTLES FOLLOWING AN EPIC FINAL THAT SAW ANTHONY DE GUZMAN’S TOYOTA SUPRA (WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA) CAPTURE THE 2014 TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OVER MOSES AWAD’S ALL-CARBON NISSAN 350Z (MABLETON, GEORGIA, USA) AT THE SEMA SHOW IN LAS VEGAS, TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS (TBG) RETURNS FOR 2015 WITH THE PROMISE OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST COMPETITION YET. CELEBRATING ITS FOURTH ANNIVERSARY AND THE THIRD YEAR OF FINISHING THE CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE AT THE SEMA SHOW IN LAS VEGAS, TBG WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER NEW AND EXCITING COMPETITIONS TO ENGAGE ENTHUSIASTS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. The 2014 season featured hundreds of competitors from across Canada and the United States, as well as tens-ofthousands of supporters from around the world. This year’s new season-long format will help
celebrate the best in tuning over an extended length of time. NEW FOR 2015 (AND UNLIKE PREVIOUS YEARS), seeding for the 2015 Championship Battle begins immediately, and inclusion and placement within the Top
64 depends on points earned throughout the season. This new points system will allow TBG competitors more opportunity to promote their builds and earn their way into the Top 64 than ever before, with
three unique ways to earn points. Points must be earned prior to the final deadline on August 28, 2015 at 12 midnight (EST), and weekly standings will let everyone know how close they are.
3 great ways to earn points and make it to the Top 64 THE FIRST (AND SIMPLEST) WAY TO EARN POINTS is similar to previous seasons. Points will be awarded on a 1:1 basis based on the number of overall votes a profile has – this means the sooner you enter, the sooner you can start earning votes.
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THE NEW SEASON-LONG POINTS SYSTEM FOR #TBGLIVE BATTLES IS THE SECOND WAY POINTS WILL BE AWARDED. Points will be earned by competitors who participate in #TBGLive Battles, as long as they are also registered for the season-long Championship Battle and the #TBGLive Battle takes place prior to August 28, 2015.
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01 PASMAG’s Randi Bentia (right) announces the TBG champion on the final day of SEMA. (L to R: Moses Awad, Tracy Nova, Tiffany Mikayla). 02 The final two
competitors of Tuner Battlegrounds 2: Moses Awad (Nissan 370Z) vs. Anthony De Guzman (Toyota Supra). Style vs. Performance. Team USA vs. Team Canada. Nissan vs. Toyota!
03 PASMAG model Tracy Nova with Chris De Guzman, Anthony's twin brother.
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04 The sponsor decals on Moses’ 370 match the custom Niche Road Wheels perfectly.
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PERHAPS THE BIGGEST NEW INITIATIVE FOR 2015 IS "TBG GIVES BACK!" This is a charitable initiative that allows the entire TBG community to raise money for a great cause while earning points – a win-win for everyone.
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POINTS WILL DETERMINE WHO COMPETES IN THE TOP 64 FOR THE 2015 CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE, where competitors will battle for online votes in a head-to-head, bracket-style knockout competition through six stages. Once again, the final stage will pit the final two competitors against one another in the PASMAG booth at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. On site, supporters can text their vote using PASMAG’s text2vote system. The final stage winner of the 2015 Tuner Battle-
grounds: Championship Battle will be announced on day four in front of a live audience at the 2015 SEMA Show and awarded a full PASMAG cover feature! As always, the #TBGLive Battles will take place at select auto shows and meets throughout the year. Competitors must be preregistered to an affiliated event for a chance to win a PASMAG print mini-feature. Over 20 different #TBGLive Battles will take place at shows across the United States and Canada.
THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO CAPTURE THE 2015 TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP? VISIT TUNERBATTLEGROUNDS. COM FOR NEWS, VOTING AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
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2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
AMPER KETTUTAT
2006 NISSAN 350Z PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN CHOI
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WINNER
No joke. That might as well be the license plate for Amper Kettutat’s 350Z, although his choice for “WILD-Z” serves onlookers the details just as well. PERCENT Sticker-bombed tires, yellow headlights, OF THE POPULAR VOTE an authentic NISMO V2 body kit, Work Meister wheels and a ridiculous amount of JDM components are but a hint at what’s done inside – both under the hood and in the trunk. Where do we start? For starters, his 550-horsepower engine has it all. Forged pistons and a complete internal overhaul, Cosworth connecting rods, valves and valve springs, ACL rod bearings and HKS 264 cams – then in the trunk are two JL Audio Slash V2 amps, three W6V3 subs, and six components in the cab. Fully loaded, show-n-go, performance and sound. No wonder it ran away with the win.
THE PANDA JUNCTION: CAL RIPKEN STADIUM, ABERDEEN, MD
ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Alexandria, VA ENGINE: Nissan 3.5L VQ35DE V6 HORSEPOWER: 550 HP CAR CLUB: Timeless Motor Group
6-speed manual transmission w/ custom
kit l Lamin X yellow headlight covers l JDM
final drive gear l Cusco LSD l Motul gear
(LED taillights, rear fog lights) INTERIOR
oil EXHAUST HKS exhaust with QTP cut
KEY!S Racing steering wheel l NRG quick
out WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES 19x9.5
release hub l NISMO (shift knob, diamond
Work Meister S1 3P wheel (front) l 19x10.5
plate metal floor shield) l Bride (shift boot,
Work Meister S1 3P wheel (rear) l Project
custom door panel, GIAS V3 Kevlar seat) l
Kics R40 neo lug nuts l Syun custom Blue
Takata MPH racing harnesses w/ shoulder
wheel spacers l Falken FK-452 tires l
pads l EVO-R carbon fiber interior parts l
Rotora big brake kit – 6-piston calipers,
DEFi gauges (boost, EXT, fuel pressure)
ENGINE PowerLab single turbocharger
380 mm cross drilled & slotted rotors (f),
l
kit w/ Garrett GT35R turbocharger l Aria
4-piston calipers, 330 mm cross drilled
electronic boost controller l Shift-I racing
forged pistons l Cosworth (forged steel
& slotted rotors (r) l StopTech stainless
shift light l ARK Design turbo timer l WOT
connecting rods, valve set, valve springs)
steel brake lines l Motul racing brake fluid
box w/ 2-step MOBILE ELECTRONICS
l
Brian Crower fully-balanced crankshaft
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION GReddy front
JL Audio (Slash V2 amplifiers (2), W6V3
l
ACL Race rod bearings l HKS (264
strut bar l Cusco upper/lower control
subwoofers (3), component speakers (6)) l
arms l Custom orange powder-coated roll
Soundstream SC-40CA capacitor l Monster
camshafts, BOV) l Splitfire ignition coil
AEM wideband gauge l GReddy Profec
cage with X-brace l Tein Flex coilovers
Audio (amplifier cables, speaker cables)
Project X polished ignition coil cover l
EXTERIOR NISMO V2 body kit l Carbon
l
Kinetix intake manifold l Deatschwerks
fiber (front canards, splitter) l Seibon
rack) l Custom fiberglass trunk lid w, 7-in.
pack l NGK 1-step colder spark plugs l
Custom (painted subwoofer box, amp
600 cc injectors l Walbro 255 LPH fuel
Carbon (carbon fiber doors, handles) l
TV monitors (2) l Samsung 27-in. LED TV l
pump l Custom fuel rail with NISMO
CHARGESPEED bottom line side skirt
In-car camera and back-up system l Viper
regulator l Cusco catch can l Samco
extension l JUN AUTO mechanic carbon
LCD security system
radiator hoses l KOYORAD aluminum
fiber hood l Asuka carbon fiber roof l
radiator l GReddy (air diversion yellow
Custom “bunny” front fenders l Craft
Kevlar plate, oil cap) l Custom engine
Square carbon fiber mirror l Powerhouse
wire tuck w/ braided sleeves l LED lights
Amuse rear wide fender l Top Secret rear
l
Rare JDM engine cover l Custom carbon
fiber valve covers l JE Import Performance
rear canards l Custom front tow hook l Takata rear tow strap l Custom LED light
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PAINT MATCHED: A truly complete build, Kettutat spared no expense in the back end. The custom sub box is paint matched blue, the O-rings around his JL W6V3 subs match his orange roll cage, and even his Soundstream SC40CA capacitor set looks like he’s got a V6 with trumpets ready to belt out some serious sound.
SPOILER ALERT: Because the competition will likely spend a lot of time staring at this back end, it might as well look nice. Most obvious is the APR GTC 300 carbon fiber GT spoiler, Top Secret carbon fiber diffuser, and RE Amemiya rear canard extensions – all tastefully done in carbon fiber.
fiber GT spoiler l RE Amemiya carbon fiber
Giken (twin clutch, lightweight flywheel) l
PASMAG
JDM FRIENDLY: GReddy, Cusco, HKS, KoyoRAD – there’s a lot going on under the hood from first glance. Inside, the heavy work continues, and while it might use some help from non-Japanese brands, there was no expense spared. You’ll find Cosworth, Aria, Brian Crower, NGK, Deatschwerks and more, all helping push 550 reliable horsepower.
carbon fiber diffuser l APR GTC 300 carbon
UPREV Osiris tune DRIVETRAIN OS
72
RIGHT DOWN TO THE NUTS: Kettutat’s Work Meister S1 3-piece wheels might grab your attention, but he’s got the finest details covered, too. Project Kics R40 neo racing nuts keep things tight at the highest speeds.
GIVE US THE KEY!S: Who doesn’t want to get behind this wheel? Key!s is the brainchild of professional GT and touring car driver Takayuki Kinoshita, and developed in partnership with ATC of Italy, this wheel has undergone real-life testing in the Super Endurance Series and GT championship series worldwide. And that’s just the start of Kettutat’s race-worthy interior.
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
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2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
RYAN SCHMIDT
2006 MAZDA3
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GIANCARLO PAWELEC
COLOR ME WILD: Schmidt’s color scheme is much more than meets the eye. For starters? That’s not a wrap – each panel on his car, including the Poly Garage Vary front lip and side skirts were given the plasti-dip treatment in “hyper titanium satin pearl.” His wheels? The XXR 551s were sent to Stripping Technologies for a fresh, nuclear green powdercoat, then his headlights, side markers, and reflectors were smoked or blacked out.
62
Wagons and five-doors seem to get all the attention at car shows. Perhaps it’s because they’re different, or maybe it’s because the people who build them are PERCENT braver than most. It’s easy to make these OF THE POPULAR VOTE things look lame. Clearly, nobody thought that when they spotted Ryan Schmidt’s 2006 Mazda3 at TNT. It’s a great platform to begin with, but Schmidt went above and beyond to make his wagon stand out from the rest. The story here isn’t as much about all-out performance as much as it is a well-balanced driver that oozes style. He is, after all, part of the Attention Whores and Grounded Conceptz crew - so to that end, this gray and green creature sits low and neat thanks to a set of KW V2 coilovers and Dominant Engineering camber arms, which are kept tight via Tri Point end links, a rear sway bar, and strut bar. The rest? Well, just feast your eyes, inside and out.
WINNER
NIAGARA TUNER & TRUCK (TNT) EXPO: FIREMEN’S PARK, NIAGARA FALLS, ON
ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Whitby, Ontario. Canada ENGINE: Mazda 2.4L I-4 HORSEPOWER: 140 HP CAR CLUB: Attention Whores, Grounded Conceptz
l
Nankang NS2 tires – 215/35 R18 (r) l 5
camo steering wheel l NRG (quick release, slim hub) l Piano black trim insert l Plaid
(f/r) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION KW V2
(wrapped headliner, door panels, stitched dipped A,B,C pillars l Pool ball shift knob
bar, end links) EXTERIOR Poly Garage
MOBILE ELECTRONICS JVC double-DIN
Vary Front Lip l Open mouth grille l BWR
head unit l Pioneer GM-D8500M 1,200W
bumper quick release l OEM side skirts l
monoblock amp l JBL GTO 8628 speakers
Side molding delete l Rear wiper delete
(4) l Volt gauge l Optima YellowTop battery
Mazda CX–7 stubby antenna l UK-spec
l
intake WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES XXR
rear fog lights l Custom painted headlights
551 wheels w/ Nuclear Green powder-coat
l
by Stripping Technologies - 18 x 9.5 +38
Blacked-out (side markers, reflectors) l
(f/r) l Falken FK-452 tires – 215/35 R18 (f)
Plasti-dipped exterior w/ hyper titanium
PASMAG
TBG_2015_v2.indd 5
shift boot) l 5-panel wink mirror l Plasti-
arms l Strut Bar l Tri Point (rear sway
ENGINE Raised engine l Injen cold air
74
satin pearl INTERIOR Avenue digital
mm rear spacers l VMS 60 mm extended lugs l Cross-drilled & slotted brake rotors coilovers l Dominant Engineering camber
6000k HID lamps l 5% tint all around l
INTERIOR DESIGN: Here’s something you don’t see every day… Schmidt broke the trend and dressed his door panels, shift boot and headliner in grey/black/white plaid, and matched it with his grey digital camo Avenue Performance steering wheel. It begs the question why more people don’t do it? Perhaps we’ll see more of this in the future. He also carried the plasti-dip theme inside on his A-,B- and C-pillars, and shifts are executed comfortably and with authority by way of his pool ball shift knob.
SPONSORS Grounded Conceptz, Stripping Technologies, Exclusive Wheel and Tire
BACK PUNCH: Hypothetical situation: You have large amounts of real estate in the trunk of your 5-door wagon. What do you do? Load it with back-pounding audio, of course! Schmidt decided his grey and green monster would sound like one too, so a 1,200-watt Pioneer GM-D8500M monoblock amp drives two MTX 12-inch JackHammers in the back, paired with four JBL GTO 8628 speakers, all controlled and monitored via a JVC double-DIN head unit and volt gauge.
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
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2015-04-10 2:34 PM
2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
REGINALD CUNANAN
2011 MITSUBISHI EVO X PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUDER COREA
62
It’s easy to see why Reginald Cunanan’s Evo captured the TBG: Live title at SPOCOM ANAHEIM: SPOCOM: Anaheim last year. The fit, the ANAHEIM CONVENTION finish, and the color choices play perPERCENT CENTER, ANAHEIM, CA fectly off of each other. Originally looking OF THE POPULAR VOTE at an Evo 9, he took the advice of those around him to drop the extra dough for a 10, and it was a game-winning decision. It’s also his first official build after coming off of his 2009 Scion tC, which had minor mods by way of a TRD cold air install and HKS exhaust. This time around he wanted to do it right, by sourcing top quality parts from companies which also offered excellent customer service. But the road to the top hasn’t been easy: Cunanan said his Evo suffered a few bumps along the way, including numerous shoddy installs and a near-blown engine. From there on out, he’s relied solely on quality builders, good friends, family and his girlfriend to help create this exclusive high-speed showstopper.
WINNER
ESSENTIALS
3 sprung clutch l WORKS Motorsports
(projector head lights, LED taillights) l
(Hybrid shift cable bushings, short shifter
Hexis USA Autumn Mystery vinyl wrap by
kit, shifter console bushing kit)
5150 Wraps INTERIOR Alcantara Suede
LOCATION: Las Vegas, NV ENGINE: Mitsubishi 4B11T 2.0L I-4 turbo HORSEPOWER: 400 WHP (E85 @ 27 PSI) / 350 WHP (91 OCT. @ 24 PSI) TORQUE: 358 LB-FT (E85) / 340 LB-FT (91 OCT.)
EXHAUST GReddy (down-pipe, cat,
upholstery l Personal Grinta 330 mm
Ti-C single-exit exhaust, exhaust tip) l
suede steering wheel l WORKS Bell (short
Design Engineering, Inc. exhaust heat wrap
hub, quick release) l WORKS Motorsports
WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES WORK
(grab shift knob, short-throw shifter
Wheels M.C.O Racing Type CSwheels -
Alcantara (shift boot, E-brake boot) l AEM
Free forged racing lug nuts l Continental
Performance Electronics gauges (boost,
Tire Extreme Contact DW tires - 275/35
AFR , oil pressure) l Custom A-pillar gauge
R18 (f/r) l TredWear Racing Font yellow tire
pod l Recaro (OEM) seats l Takata 4-pt.
cold air intake, upper/lower intercooler
letter kit l Brembo brake calipers – 4-piston
harnesses MOBILE ELECTRONICS
pipes) l Samco Sport radiator silicone
(f), 2-piston (r) l EBC – 1-pc. slotted and
Rockford Fosgate (OEM) (head unit,
hose kit l Turbosmart dual port blow-off
dimpled brake rotors (f/r), Blue Stuff brake
subwoofer, speakers, tweeters) l Optima
valve l K&N (carbon fiber air filter, oil
pads (f/r) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Battery SPONSORS Continental Tire,
filter) l CSF radiator l Radium Engineering
STANCE (Super Sport+ 10K coilovers (f), l
5150 Wraps, EBC Brakes, fuel Injector
(fuel rail, fuel pressure gauge, dual catch
Super Sport+ 9K coilovers (r)) l SuperPro
Connection, Spyder Auto, WORK Wheels,
cans) l AEM Performance Electronics 320
Suspension (sway bars (f/r), roll center
GT SPEC, Mothers, CSF Radiators,
LPH high-flow in-tank fuel pump l Fuel
kit) l GTSPEC strut bars (f/r) EXTERIOR
SAMCO Sport, TredWear Letters, Radium
Injector Connection 1,000 cc injectors
Varis (original Runduce side skirts, original
Engineering, Design Engineering Inc., All
Runduce front bumper with lip guard)
Aspects Apparel, SuperPro Suspension,
Grimmspeed 3-port boost controller l
Design Engineering, Inc. (gold heat wrap,
l
CHARGESPEED (wide front fenders,
heat shield, fire sleeve and tape kit) l
Blister wide rear fenders) l VIS Racing
Dress Up Bolts True Burned titanium bolts
(carbon fiber trunk, carbon fiber V-mount
DRIVETRAIN Competition Clutch stage
wing) l Carbon fiber hood l Spyder Auto
76
PASMAG
TBG_2015_v2.indd 7
PUT IT WHERE IT COUNTS: The Evo X interior is kept functional and classy, with hints of performance that are perfect for a weekend-warrior/ daily. Cunanan opted for a smaller 330 mm Personal Grinta steering wheel for quick response, and the WORKS name is found throughout: WORKS Bell for the short hub and quick release, and WORKS Motorsport for the short-throw shifter kit and shift console bushings. AEM provides the visuals, all lined along the driver’s A-pillar.
kit, shift console bushing kit) l Custom
18x11 +18 et (f/r) l TaperPro USA Scratch-
ENGINE AGP (3.5-in. intercooler, 3-in.
l
DON’T BE DECEIVED: The CHARGESPEED wide-body and Varis front bumper and side skirts are given subtle, yet stunning highlights thanks to the Autumn Mystery finish. But while you might be thinking it’s the perfect paint job – think again. The Hexis USA wrap was adhered flawlessly by the skilled team at 5150 Wraps. Kinda makes you rethink getting paint, doesn’t it?
WORKS Motorsports, Hexis USA, Dress Up Bolts, AEM Performance Electronics
LIFT YOUR LID: Cunanan’s style prowess isn’t limited to the exterior of his Evo. Heat shields, fire wraps, and silicone hoses dress a powerplant that includes a CSF radiator, AGP cold air intake and intercooler, Turbosmart dual port BOV, and a myriad of fuel system upgrades. All it means is a cooler, more efficient power system that runs up to 400 WHP on E85 (27 psi).
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
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2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
AL RICHARDS
2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R PHOTOGRAPHY BY TERENCE GAMBLE
54
Sleeping speedsters might be the best way to describe Volkswagen’s Golf and WATERFEST 20: its many variants. They’re small, light and RACEWAY PARK, extremely quick off the line. Al Richard’s PERCENT ENGLISHTOWN, NJ experience with these pocket rockets OF THE POPULAR VOTE dates back to his teenage years and his 1986 GTI, which was soon followed by an ’87 Jetta, ’85 GTI and the ’88 GTI that acted as the platform for perfecting his craft. “I’ve owned everything from Jeep to Honda, Lexus to BMW, but I always seem to have my hands on at least one VW at any given time,” Richards says. So, when he found out about the new Golf R, he had to upgrade. He swiftly stripped his 2002 337 GTI of the wheels and air suspension and sold it complete with a modified engine and interior, then tossed in his 2002 BMW X5 for the beauty you see here. His Golf R is a culmination of hard work and constant tinkering, perfected over the years.
WINNER
ESSENTIALS LOCATION: New Hampshire ENGINE: VW 2.0L turbo HORSEPOWER: 320 WHP TORQUE: 326 LB-FT
face & polished lips – 18x9 43 et (f/r) l
adjustable rear shocks EXTERIOR Candy
Gold hardware l OZ valve stems w/ Lego
White color-matched side markers l Black
covers l Pirelli P Zero tires – 225/40 R18
color-matched rear reflectors l Rear wiper
(f/r) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION Accuair
delete l Gloss black rear hatch emblem
SwitchSpeed air management (Accuair vu4
l
manifold, 3-gallon speciality suspension
lights INTERIOR NewSouth Performance
seamless tanks color-matched to wheels
Mk6 Golf R boost gauge w/ VentPod l
(2), tank drain kit for each tank, VIAIR dual
Depo Dark Cherry LED taillights w/ fog
Aluminum Glove Box Handle l European
needle gauge kit, EXTA single needle tank
cup holder l VW bottle opener l Stainless
ENGINE Injen CTS Turbo MK6 Golf R air
gauge, Stinger 80A relay, 0-gauge power
steel R seat handle inserts l Rear hatch
intake system l Autotech high-pressure
wire w/ 200A inline fuse, power and ground
storage tray l Euro switches (rear fog w/
fuel pump l United Motorsport stage-2
distribution blocks, dual VIAIR 480C
aftermarket control unit and sensor for
ECU software l 42 Draft Designs boost
compressors, SMC water traps (2), SMC
automatic driving lights) l deAutoKey 11-pc.
gauge tap l Audi R8 (coil packs, oil cap,
check valves (2), black anodized flare tank
interior LED kit l Double Apex USB charger
coolant cap) EXHAUST USP Motorsports
fittings, 3/8 aluminum lines (hard lines
SPECIAL THANKS Joshua Broady @
3-in. stainless steel downpipe WHEELS
above floor/soft lines below floor)) lAir lift
Windham Marine and Powersports LLC,
/ TIRES OZ Racing Pegasus wheels w/
(Slam Series XL front struts, Slam Series
Powder Coating Alternatives
powder-coat Lollipop Tangerine Orange
SS6 rear bags w/ cup brackets) lKsport
78
PASMAG
TBG_2015_v2.indd 9
AIR IT UP: With an air suspension setup that includes a list of Air Lift Slam Series, SMC, Accuair, and VIAIR components, Richards’ stance and ride height is all set by the man himself. His qualifications? He's a BMW/MINI tech. “I have changed my trunk setup three times since I installed the air setup,” he says. “I do all the hard lines and trunk myself, I always get new ideas to try out and I only get the chance to do it on my own car. If I could change it every show I would, but it’s time consuming and can be expensive.”
CANDY COAT: Tucked neatly under his fenders are a set of 3-piece OZ Racing Pegasus 18s, custom powder-coated in Lollipop Tangerine Orange. Take a look closer and you’ll see gold hardware, and a Lego valve cover out of the stem.
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
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2015-04-29 4:39 PM
2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
JASON GALE
2009 NISSAN 370Z SPORT TOURING PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL CAMER
58
Jason Gale has wanted a Z since he was a kid, and it shows. He’s poured about a lifetime’s worth of work and crazy ideas into it as evidence! The car is made up PERCENT of one-offs and personal touches to the OF THE POPULAR VOTE point that there can’t be another 370Z on earth that’s the same. A Precision Turbo twin-scroll snail boosts this Z to 522 horses. The exterior features such names as Mine’s, Amuse, Varis, and Z-Speed, with a decent dose of carbon fiber. It seems every inch of this car has at least a piece of carbon fiber on it. Inside is a one-off wonderland. The steering wheel is a one-of-one custom, the Takata seats are the only set like them the world, and the carbon fiber gauges are a custom configuration. Even the wheels are one of 20 in the world. This Z was the undisputed winner of Importfest, simply because there’s nothing like it.
WINNER
IMPORTFEST: METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE, TORONTO, ON
ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Whitby, ON ENGINE: Mazda 2.4L I-4 HORSEPOWER: 140 HP CAR CLUB: Attention Whores, Grounded Conceptz
l
Mishimoto rad hoses l Wire tuck l 3Gs
Customs (strut brace, carbon fiber battery
front bumper l Amuse (side skirts, rear bumper) l Varis-style spoiler l Craftsquare
cover, carbon fiber brake booster cover)
door mirrors l Carbon fiber (fang cover,
Password:JDM carbon fiber rad cover
mustache) l Z-Speed under shroud
Top Secret carbon fiber engine cover
INTERIOR Drift Pro LE racing seats. Only
DRIVETRAIN Southbend (stage 3 clutch,
set in the world, heated, and silver stitching
flywheel) l Zspeed heavy duty CSC l RJM
Takata (Drift Pro LE seats, Drift III
Performance clutch pedal assembly l TWM
harnesses) l Bride seat rails l Custom
short shifter WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
harness bar l DCT Motorsport custom
Work x Avant Garde (they are Work wheels
one-off steering wheel l Tommy Kaira
ENGINE Raised engine l Precision Turbo
built to AG specs and colour. Only 20 sets
Heavy Baby shift knob l HKS EVC-S boost
6266 twin-scroll turbocharger l Vertical
exist in the world) l Work x Avant Garde
flow intercooler (25x9x3.5-inch core) l Tial
M560 wheels - 19x9.5 +20 (f), 19x11 +18 (r)
oil pressure, oil temperature) l Innovate
(Q blow-off valve, MV-S wastegates (2))
l
Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires - 255/35
Motorsports MTX air-fuel gauge l TWM
controller l Defi CR 52mm gauges (boost,
R19 (f), 305/30 R19 (r) l Kics neo-chrome
leather boot l Carbon Fiber interior kit
LPH fuel pump l GReddy oil filter relocation
REVO lug nuts l Akebono brakes CHASSIS
MOBILE ELECTRONICS Kenwood DNN
plate w/ thermostat l JWT (oil pan spacer,
/ SUSPENSION M7 Japan coilovers l
991 HD head-unit l Focal (Utopia Be LE
19-row oil cooler kit) l Stainless braided (
SPL Parts Pro (front upper camber/caster
165 W-RC 6.5-in. component set, K2
8an oil cooler lines, 6an turbo return lines)
arms, titanium rear camber links, eccentric
Power 33 KX 13-in. subwoofer, Elite FPS
l
Bosch EV14 750 cc fuel injectors l 340
lockout kit) l Whiteline (sway bars (f/r),
2160 amplifier, Elite FPS 1500 subwoofer
adapter l Berk Technology CBE l Nissan
end links) EXTERIOR Mine's carbon
amplifier)
R35 GTR NGK spark plugs l Motul fluids
fiber front lip l Shaved Nissan emblem on
l
EXA 12V scavenge pump l CJM fuel gauge
80
PASMAG
TBG_2015_v2.indd 11
BEEN WORKING OUT: No, this isn’t the engine bay of a GT-R. This is Gale’s 370Z’s 3.7L VQ in its very best dress. Carbon fiber everywhere, symmetrical wastegates on intake tubes and a seriously fat strut bar are highlights in this beastly bay.
GRIP LIKE NO OTHER: Paired up with the one-of-one seats, a DCT Motorsports steering wheel sits across. It also happens to be a one-of-a-kind. This makes for one rare interior! We don’t think anyone gets to eat drive-thru in here.
TRULY ONE-OF-A-KIND: Sitting oh-so pretty on M7 Japan coilovers, below the minimal gap are a one-of-20 set of Work wheels, which have been reworked by Avant Garde to their specs and color. You can also catch a glimpse of the Varisstyle spoiler and Craftsquare carbon fiber door mirrors.
THE RAREST BUTT WARMERS: These Takata Drift LE racing seats are heated, silver-stitched and built to be the only set in the world. They look right at home here.
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-30 1:31 PM
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Untitled-2 1
2015-04-10 2:30 PM
2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
PETER GIUFFRE
2010 HONDA ACCORD EX-L PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHOOT FOR DETAILS
IT’S A TEAM EFFORT: All that stance didn’t come easy. Allowing this Accord to tuck and roll is an Air Force air suspension system, Accuair management, dual Viair compressors, Swagelok fittings and SPC adjustable rear control arms and front ball joints. It’s definitely worth it.
78
It looks like Peter Giuffre and his Honda Accord EX-L took the Tuner Battlegrounds: LIVE event by way of pure class. This is one of the most luxurious PERCENT Accords we’ve seen, with about enough OF THE POPULAR VOTE lights to bring a plane down safely. Its sequential LEDs in the tail and trunk lights are boasted as the only set in the US. In proper Honda fashion, Mugen parts take up residence as the front and rear bumpers. Inside, Giuffre obviously took inspiration from Rolls-Royce by implementing his own fiber-optic starlight headliner. A custom-built trunk display shows off the hand-polished Specialty Suspension seamless air tank, which feeds the Air Force suspension system. To make it even better, the ride height can be adjusted from the inside or outside, thanks to Accuair’s e-Level and iLevel systems. Sitting pretty beside the air tank is a custom enclosure with an Alpine 12-inch sub, just one part of the full Alpine system that rounds out this class act.
WINNER
TUNER EVOLUTION 2014: GREATER PHILADELPHIA EXPO CENTER, OAKS, PA
ESSENTIALS
4-piston calipers (f) l Honda S2000 brake
LEDGlow Million Color LED underbody
rotors (f) l Acura TL-S (brake hardware,
lighting INTERIOR "Accord" illuminated
pads) l EBC (USR slotted rotors, Redstuff
door sills l Putco interior LED conversion l
LOCATION: Alexandria, VA ENGINE: Nissan 3.5L VQ35DE V6 HORSEPOWER: 550 HP CAR CLUB: Timeless Motor Group
brake pads) (r) CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
LEDGlow Million Color LED accent lighting
Air Force (airbags, struts) l Accuair (e-Level
(footwells, door pockets, trunk) l Suede
management, VU4 manifold, iLevel
wrapped headliner l Fiber optic starlight
iPad integration) l Specialty Suspension
headliner MOBILE ELECTRONICS iPad
seamless air tank l Viair 444c compressors
Mini in-dash head unit l Audison BitTen
(2) l Aluminum hard lines
processor l Alpine (PDX-V9 5-channel
ENGINE MODFICATIONS Takeda short
Swagelok fittings l SPC (adjustable rear
amplifier, Type R component speakers,
ram intake l Custom carbon fiber engine
control arms, adjustable front ball joints)
Type R 12-in. subwoofer) l Custom
cover l Mugen oil cap l Carbon fiber
l
Progress sway bar end links EXTERIOR
fiberglass subwoofer enclosure l Hardwood
battery cover l Multi-color LED flood
Mugen (lips (f/r), grille) l Honda Inspire JDM
lights EXHAUST Magnaflow stainless
trunk conversion l Morimoto (mini H1 bi-
floor l Backlit Plexiglas l Fiberglass amp rack l KNUKonceptz (power cables, signal
dual exhaust system WHEELS / TIRES
xenon projectors, xBA LED halos, HID bulbs,
cables) l Viper 5704 security/remote start
HID ballasts, 3000K fog lights l Apollo
l
20x10.5 (r) l Hankook Ventus V12 tires -
shrouds l 25-step sequential LED taillights
Yellowtop battery SPONSORS
225/35 R20 (f), 255/30 R20 (r) l Brembo
l
/ BRAKES XXR 521 wheels - 20x8.5 (f),
82
PASMAG
TBG_2015_v2.indd 13
19-step sequential LED trunk lights l
DEI DBALL bypass module l Optima
ROLLS-ROYCE INSPIRED: So you think it’s only the richest of the rich who get to ride in luxury under a starlit sky? Think again. Using fiber optics, this Accord pulls it off with cosmic colors. It may be better than its pricier Rolls counterparts – depending on who you ask.
LIGHT IT UP: While the Honda-Inspired JDM trunk conversion lends itself well to the Mugen rear bumper, the real draw here are the lights. Specifically, we’re talking about the sequential LEDs. The 25-step taillights and 19-step trunk lights are touted as the only set in the US. And look at that underglow! Some people say it’s dead, but then again, those people probably haven’t seen this car!
ALL THE RIGHT TOUCHES: The front brake setup is made from a bunch of parts from other Honda family members. The rotors that get clamped by the 4-piston Brembos belonged to an S2000, and the hardware and pads came from a TL-S. Blue nuts and bolts match the Brembos and clash well with the black BBSs… Hey, wait a minute!
TREASURE TRUNK: Opening the trunk reveals quite the display. Laid out hardwood replaces the factory carpet and supports the Speciality Suspension air tank with bent aluminum hardlines drilling into the floor. To one side you’ll see the Audison BitTen processor and Alpine amp, while on the other, you’ll see the 12-inch Alpine. As the tag on the air tank suggests, it’s pretty “HI END” in here.
Hi-End Customs, Pro Auto Detailing
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
TruckMagAd_041415.indd 1 Untitled-7 1
4/14/15 1:10 PM 2015-04-14 4:16 PM
2014 LIVE BATTLE WINNERS
SAMANTHA PLANTE
2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSH KRUMP
78
Clean and simple with just the right amount of oomph, Samantha Plante’s Evo MR definitely deserves the recognition. In the power department, WORKS PERCENT Performance Brain Flash ECU upgrade OF THE POPULAR VOTE and some Cosworth Power cams help the turbocharged 4G63 engine throw down 330 all-wheel horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque. This build is a family affair, with Plante’s husband offering tuning advice and her father-in-law helping turn the wrenches. Pairing that with some MTX thump and an immaculate fit and finish inside and out, it’s no mystery why this Evo took the TBG: LIVE title at the Part Source Charity Bike & Car Show with 78 percent of the popular vote! Female owned. Female built. Well deserved. Time to play some catch-up, boys!
WINNER
PART SOURCE CHARITY CAR & BIKE SHOW: LEE PARK, NORTH BAY, ON
ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Verner, ON ENGINE: Mitsubishi 4G63 turbocharged 2.0L I-4 HORSEPOWER: 330 AWHP TORQUE: 345 LB-FT CAR CLUB: Street Authority
FIC 1100cc High-Z fuel injectors l NGK Laser
EVO IX (front bumper, fenders) l Pearl
Iridium spark plugs l AMS small battery kit
White paint
EXHAUST WORKS (titanium cat-back,
HID lights (10000K low beams, 8000K
Exhale down-pipe, Exhale muffler)lMegan
high beams, 3000K fog lights)
Racing (header, test pipe, 02 manifold)
Blue LED exterior lighting INTERIOR
WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES Enkei Raijin
Mitsubishi JDM custom dash l Aluminum
wheels – 18x8.5 +40 (f/r) l Bridgestone
shift knob l MOMO steering wheellInnovate
Potenza Pole Position tires – 245/40
gauges l Rexspeed carbon fiber gauge pod
R18 (f/r) l Brembo brakes – 4-piston (f),
l
Recaro seats l Blue LED interior lighting
2-piston (r) l EBC Redstuff brake pads
l
Custom painted interior pieces MOBILE
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION Bilstein shock
ELECTRONICS Kenwood DNX7180 head
ENGINE WORKS (valve springs, titanium
absorbers RCE springs Hotchkis rear
unit l MTX (600W amplifier, 12-inch
retainers, Brain Flash P2 ECU upgrade) l
sway bar l Energy Suspension front control
subwoofer l Custom sealed fiberglass
l
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Mishimoto intercooler
arm bushing l GT Spec strut bars (f/r) l
enclosure l Ultimate 60A fuse holder l
Injen (intercooler piping, short ram air
Megan Racing (rear lower control arms,
4-gauge power wire SPONSORS WORKS
intake) l Deatschwerks 300+ LPH fuel
rear toe arms) Cusco front power brace
Performance, Mishimoto
pump l Cosworth 272 Power cams
EXTERIOR Extreme Dimensions JDM-style
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KILLER COMBINATION: Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position tires wrap around the tasteful, black Enkei Raijin wheels. Looking past the spokes, you can see red Brembo calipers peeking out. Together, the three scream performance, even while standing still.
RIGHT AT HOME: The custom painted white interior pieces cut a stark contrast against the predominantly black and redaccented interior. Sitting in the red-stitched leather Recaros while pounding away on that aluminum shift knob and feeling the boost spool sounds like an awesome place to be!
NEAT & TIDY: A super clean bay matched with great components is always a winner in our book. The Injen intake color-matched to the bay, and carbon plug cover over the spotless valve cover are huge point scorers. With the power figures this Evo is pushing, that GT Spec strut bar is probably of more use than show.
ROUNDING OUT THE REAR: That’s one smooth booty! The removed emblems accentuate the cleanliness factor, while the vortex generator on the roof and Evo VIII spoiler on the trunk go hand in hand when speed is involved. Check out the exhaust cut out for that 3-inch pipe! The WORKS titanium cat-back definitely sings a wicked song.
JUNE // JULY 2015
2015-04-29 4:33 PM
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2015-04-10 1:24 PM
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Joon Maeng BMW Z4.indd 1
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“AFTER A FEW FUN AFTERNOONS, HE KNEW HIS NEW CAR WOULD CARRY A DIFFERENT BADGE: THE ROUNDEL OF BMW.”
CHANGE-UP JOON MAENG’S S-CHASSIS DEPARTURE AIMS FOR THE PODIUM STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB LEVETON
S
We swung by Designcraft Fabrication just a few weeks before the season opener in Long Beach to see the car mid-assembly. We got a really up-close look at some of the details of the car, but were asked to keep the specifics under wraps until the car was fully dialed in. From the custom rear-mount radiator setup with the hot pipe that just narrowly clears the trunk, to the details of the fuel system, there’s a lot of great fabrication and uniqueness that can be overlooked when all the bodywork is hung. If you ever get a chance to look under and around this car, you definitely should take a closer look!
tanding out on the Formula Drift grid with a V8-powered Nissan is tough. Although Joon Maeng’s S13 was one of the most developed on the grid, he knew he needed something different to peak sponsor interest. After the 2014 season, Maeng began a quest to find his next drift car. Luckily, searching for a car only meant going on a few test drives, and after a few fun afternoons, he knew his new car would carry a different badge: the roundel of BMW. Maeng teamed up with longtime drift car fabricator Gary Castillo and his Designcraft Fabrication shop to build the new chassis. Castillo has built some of the most iconic and unique drift cars in the series including the Falken Tire G35, RS-R S2000, and the NTB Falken RX8. Maeng bought not one, but two different BMW Z4 chassis, with the intent to build one into a fully competitive drift car while the other would be turned into a street-able demo and practice car. The competition car was dropped off at Castillo’s shop in Westminster and the transformation was underway. First up, the entire chassis was stripped down to a bare shell and roll cage fabrication was started. All chassis wiring was stripped, as a custom motorsport wiring harness from RyWire was planned, and all sound deadening and interior pieces were removed. After the roll cage was fabricated, custom brackets for the Sparco Pro ADV seats were built to keep Maeng well below the top halo line of the roll cage. A Tilton floor-mounted pedal set replaces the stock pedals, with custom reservoirs for the front brakes, rear brakes, and second e-brake caliper all integrated.
The OEM BMW dash was retained per the letter of the rules, but the normal display gauges, HVAC controls, and normal driver controls were left out. Replacing all sources of notification is a single Motec C125 dash display in the normal gauge cluster surround. The Racegrade motorsport keypad on the dash replaces the ignition and many other switches. If it looks too simple to actually function, that’s much the design of the ‘business-first’ goal of this drift car. Under the hood, a Duttweiler Performance built 2JZ motor replaces the normal BMW inline-6. Maeng knew he wanted the best-ofthe-best partnering on the build, and when Duttweiler offered a 1,000 crank horsepower package that could be built and engine dyno’d simultaneously as the chassis was being built, it was an easy decision. “Duttweiler is known for pushing big, reliable horsepower, and they know all the tricks to keep this motor reliable.” says Maeng. Duttweiler utilized Crower Stage two cams and connecting rods, JE pistons and ARP fasteners secure everything. Power is cranked through the Doc Race intake and exhaust manifolds through the Garrett GTX3582 ball bearing turbo, pushing well over 800 horsepower to the rear wheels.
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“I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL OF THIS CHASSIS. I KNOW IT HAS ALL THE COMPONENTS TO GET ON THE PODIUM!” Fuel is provided by a full Aeromotive setup including pump, pressure regulator, and fuel rail, with Holly Performance fuel injectors spraying the cylinders. Excess boost is relieved by the TiAL blow-off valve and wastegate, with air passing through a K&N air filter and cooled by the GReddy GTR intercooler before entering the engine. Duttweiler also put together a custom multi-stage dry sump setup to ensure the engine is lubricated with Lucas Oil products at all times. Notably missing from the engine bay is the radiator, which was relocated to the trunk area both to provide more air circulation, as well as to protect the radiator from potential battle damage. The trunk also holds an eight-gallon fuel cell, which is enough for a handful of passes. Under the fuel cell, the RTS quick-change rear end spins custom Designcraft fabricated axles, which use a custom mix of components to get a combination that can hold the 800-plus horsepower. All that power is pushed through 18-inch Rays G07FXX wheels and Achilles 123S tires. Outside the car, the Slek Designs wide body adds nearly three inches in width to each corner, with matching side skirts as well as front and rear bumpers, and gives the car a sinister appearance. Ride height is set by custom Feal Suspension coilovers, with a
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ESSENTIALS 2003 BMW Z4
DRIVER: Joon Maeng BUILT BY: Joon Maeng, Designcraft Fabrication, Duttweiler Performance ENGINE: Toyota 2JZ-GTE 3.0L V6 HORSEPOWER: 820 HP
ENGINE Duttweiler Performance (built Toyota 2JZ-GTE, custom multi-stage dry sump system, timing control) ∂ Garrett GTX3582 turbocharger ∂ Crower (Stage 2 camshafts, 86054J cam gears, billet connecting rods) ∂ JE Pistons custom pistons ∂ ARP fasteners ∂ RyWire (custom wiring harness, ignition wires, ignition coils ∂ Doc Race (intake manifold, 90 mm throttle body) ∂ Aeromotive (fuel pump, pressure regulator, fuel rail) ∂ Holly Performance fuel injectors ∂ Tial (blow-off valve, wastegate) ∂ K&N air filter ∂ Greddy GTR intercooler ∂ Lucas Oil lubricants ∂ Bakers Precision 8-gallon fuel cell ∂ HPS Racing hoses ∂ NGK Iridium spark plugs ∂ Designcraft Fabrication grounding system ∂ Holley Performance ECU tune DRIVETRAIN Advanced Clutch Technology (triple disc clutch, flywheel) Race Tech Services (racing transmission, quick-change rear end) Designcraft Fabrication (axles, driveshaft) EXHAUST Designcraft Fabrication (exhaust system, custom quick release exhaust mounts) ∂ Doc Race exhaust manifold
mix of SLR Speed and custom Designcraft suspension arms allowing for a full range of steering and suspension geometry adjustments. All the bodywork was sprayed in BMW Alpine White, while the interior and engine bay get a coat of Titanium Silver before reassembly. When Castillo and Maeng first started discussing the build, Castillo knew that the partnership had potential to be good. “Joon is unlike any other driver I’ve worked with,” Castillo says. “He wants to build a good car, but he’s open to try some of my crazy ideas!” Although the car is still very early in the development cycle, both driver and fabricator have already come up with a long list of improvements and tweaks that will be made over the course of the season to help get the car to a competitive level. Maeng is quick to praise the work of Castillo and the team. “This car was really a dream build from the beginning,” he exclaims. “I can’t wait to show the potential of this chassis. I know it has all the components to get on the podium!” With an attitude like that and a build as thorough as this one, it seems like only a matter of time before this car is on top.
WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES Rays G07FXX wheels – 18x8.5 +35 et (f), 18x9.5 +35 et (r) ∂ Achilles 123S tires – 235/40 R18 (f), 265/35 R18 ∂ Wilwood brake kit - TC6 6-piston calipers, Dynamic Mount 12-in. drilled rotors, pads (f), Dyna Pro 4-piston calipers, Dynamic Mount 12-in. drilled rotors, pads (r) ∂ Stainless steel braided brake lines ∂ Second E-brake caliper ∂ Designcraft Fabrication custom brake reservoirs ∂ Lucas Oil brake fluid CHASSIS / SUSPENSION Designcraft Fabrication (roll cage, sway bars, control arms (f/r)) ∂ Feal Suspension custom coilovers ∂ Swift springs ∂ SLR Speed angle kit ∂ Achilles Motorsport urethane bushings EXTERIOR Slek Designs (wide-body fenders, bumpers (f/r), side skirts, hood) ∂ APR Performance spoiler ∂ Spyder Auto headlights ∂ Projector fog lights ∂ BMW Alpine White paint INTERIOR Sparco (Pro ADV seats, steering wheel, 6-pt. harnesses) ∂ Designcraft Fabrication (custom seat brackets, shift knob) ∂ Tilton floor-mount pedal set ∂ RyWire gauges ∂ Motec C125 dash display ∂ Racegrade motorsport keypad ∂ BMW Titanium Silver paint SPONSORS Lucas Oil, Mav TV, Protect The Harvest, Rayno Window Film, Design Craft Fabrication, Duttweiler Racing, Achilles Radial, Holley Performance, Sams Auto Land, Sparco USA, Titanium Metal Supply, Crower, APR Performance, Turbo By Garrett, Advanced Clutch Technology, American RV Inc., Slek Designs, Aeromotive, LSAuto, SLR Speed, Race Tech Services, HPS Racing, RyWire, Baker Precision, Doc Race, Twins Turbo, Granatelli Motorsports, Brodix Cylinder Heads Inc., JE Pistons, K&N Filters, Feal Suspension, Rays, CX Racing, ARP, Wilwood, Vortech Superchagers, GReddy, OCD Works, Achilles Motorsports
JUNE // JULY 2015
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COMPETITION Jacob's Drift
Facebook: /JacobLevetonDrift Website: www.jacobphoto.com
FIVE STORYLINES FOR FD 2015 STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB LEVETON
Formula Drift has long been one of the most diverse motorsports when it comes to OEM participation, but this season takes it to a new level.
Drifting in North America is essentially a six-month sport. From mid-April to mid-October, drivers burn hundreds of tires via thousands of horsepower in the interest of proximity and carbon fiber trophies. For the other six months, die-hard fans anxiously await the next cycle of smoke making. Rumors are spread, whispers are heard, but until the rubber meets the track, it’s all hearsay. Now that the first bit of 2015 rubber has been burned, we take a look at some of the key storylines that will have an impact at every round of this year’s Formula Drift Championship.
ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK RETURNS TO FORMULA DRIFT AFTER LONG HIATUS Two-time champion Tanner Foust makes his return to the series in a V8-powered VW Passat, but equally as newsworthy is Rockstar’s signing of Fredric Aasbo as a second driver for the series. Foust has been out of FD since 2010, while Aasbo finished second in points last season behind Chris Forsberg. Both drivers are considered worthy opponents in any single event, and Aasbo wasted no time taking home hardware for his new sponsor, winning the first event under his new banner. Foust will run a limited schedule, but everyone can consider both drivers a threat in any single tandem battle they compete in.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS
It’s no secret that drivers from both Europe and Asia are looking to drive in Formula Drift, but the 2015 International Class may be one of the best classes yet. While Masashi Yokoi (Japan) and Kristaps Bluss (Poland) are technically rookies, both are champions in their native lands and bring over their own world-class builds to compete against FD’s top drivers. They’re more than likely to put up
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an impressive performance or two over the course of the season. “Mad” Mike Whiddet faced some shipping headaches in his return to Formula Drift, but he was busy in the Long Beach stands scoping out his competition. He’s expected to be driving his “RADBUL” MX-5 in Atlanta. Predicting a single podium among these drivers is probably a bit conservative, but when it happens, don’t forget we told you so!
JUNE // JULY 2015
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COMPETITION Jacob's Drift
NEW BUILDS OFF TO SLOW START It’s no secret that Long Beach is the least forgiving track on the schedule. Several drivers who had built new cars in the offseason faced gremlins at the season opener, and only one “new” build made it beyond the first round of eliminations. Daigo Saito’s GT-R faced clutch issues and he was eliminated by teammate Robbie Nishida (who ran his 2014 car as his 2015 build was still undergoing work). Forrest Wang’s LHD Nissan S15 earned the top qualifier position, but he was eliminated in
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his first battle against Matt Coffman. Likewise, Joon Maeng’s 2JZpowered Z4 ran into a bevy of issues in qualifying and was unable to qualify for the Top 32. Pat Mordaunt’s 350Z was the sole survivor of the first round of eliminations, making it all the way to the Top 8 (although technically, his chassis was piloted in Formula Drift competition a few years earlier in a different iteration). We’re hopeful the new builds for this season will have their kinks worked out soon.
OEM DIVERSITY Formula Drift has long been one of the most diverse motorsports when it comes to OEM participation, but this season takes it to a new level. Each of the three BMWs on the grid have an engine package from a different manufacturer (Denofa runs a BMW engine,
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FAN GUIDE AND COVERAGE FROM PASMAG IS BACK! For the fifth-consecutive year, PASMAG has teamed up with the Formula Drift crew to produce the official fan guide for the series. This year’s guide is packed full of more editorial content than ever before, and includes the liveries of each of the 40 drivers in the series. Formula Drift 2014 PRO Champion Chris Forsberg and PRO2 champion Dan Savage were both excited to see the new guide in Long Beach, and you can get yours at each of the 10 Formula Drift World Championship rounds.
Bluss a Chevy V8, and Maeng a Toyota 2JZ). Nissan chassis are being driven by V8s from multiple manufacturers (Forsberg runs a Nissan V8, Coffman a Ford V8, and multiple drivers use a Chevy LS-based V8), or 2JZs and VQ35s. The three FR-S and BRZ chassis are powered by two different
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manufacturers, including a turbocharged Chevy LS V8 in Yoshihara’s car and a 2JZ in both Gushi and Tuerck’s cars; neither of which are available from the factory. If you were expecting a ‘cookie cutter’ drift car build, you’ll be happy to know the current grid is probably more diverse than ever.
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