PASMAG - Issue 137 - June/July

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NEW

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CONTENTS 70 J U N E

//

J U L Y

-

B O O S T E D

A N D

S W A P P E D

//

2 0 1 6

ROTARY FRANKENSTEIN Dr. Sohn's finest creation yet

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fUlL POTeNTiAL

From the showroom floor to the track

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iMPOSSiBlE SWAP One for the naysayers

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KeEPiNG iT fReSH An original in so many ways

JUNE // JULY 2016

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PASMAG

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2016-04-15 5:26 PM

INTRODUCING

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www.mobile.jvc.com

2016-02-10 10:32 AM

CONTENTS

PASMAG (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] subs@pasmag.com pasmag.com/subscribe GROUP PUBLISHER & CEO Tim Rutledge PUBLISHERS Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin FOUNDER & SR. VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Frank Spezzano

EDITORIAL EDITOR Micky Slinger EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michael Bettencourt ASSOCIATE EDITOR Adam Gordon TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay DIGITAL COORDINATORS Nick Jambrosic, Adam Steinberg

CONTRIBUTORS Jordan Alatorre RJ Alvarade Danny Batista Billy Bautista Travis Chin Kevin Choi Daniel Colmenares

Drive Marketing Group JJ Dubec Justin Kaehler Rob Kochis Christopher Kulbac

Jacob Leveton Chris Radisic Markis Sarkis Phil Sohn Logan Warfield Joel David White Adam Zillin

ART + PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Queue Gonzalez

COlUMNS

19

TUNED IN WITH

21

WITH

23

Garry Springgay

56

WITH

A R M A N D O V I L L A R R E A L' S

Jacob Leveton

TReNDiNG

31 32

S O C I A L M E D I A U P D AT E S

DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES Richard Robles

Mitsubishi Evo X

58 60

B O O S T & S WA P G U I D E I N T R O B O O S T & S WA P

SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Matthew Adolfo SENIOR SALES ASSOCIATE Ken Rule CLIENT SERVICES Nicole Winters 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

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PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NIAGARA FALLS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.

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EVENT SPOTTERS GUIDE LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS

NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Frank Maguire DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Craig Sweetman

BUYeRS GUiDeS

Spring Break Nationals

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S A L E S + A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

G I O VA N N Y AYA L A ' S

HOT TOPICS

F7LTHY, J-swapped Civics & more!

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Beltijar

DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Randi Bentia

BUYERS GUIDE

26

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Edward Shintani

Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Rob Kochis

DRIFT INSIDER

PRODUCTION & SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Dinglasan

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Chan

54

S TAY C R U S H I N G WITH

25

Adam Zillin

SOUND ADVICE

TUNeR BAttlEGROUNDS #liVE WiNNeRS

CAleNDAR

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

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EVENT CALENDAR

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.

AUDIOCONTROL LC 4.800

Amplifier Review

52

98

K I C K E R L7Q B 8

Subwoofer Review

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PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND Phone: (416) 922-7526 Fax: (416) 964-1836 Toll Free: (866) 737-8805 pasmag.com pas@pasmag.com

SEMA Member

2016-04-15 5:27 PM

ISSUE PREVIEW

THE

Quest FOr POwer

here comes a time in every car owners’ life when you want more power.

For me, since I own an FR-S, it's every time I have to go uphill.

And with the aftermarket as it is today, there are almost endless possibilities as to where the source of that new power could come from.

If you’re only looking for a bit, maybe it’s the tried and true intake/header/exhaust formula that will make your butt dyno happy. However, if you’re really hungry for power, there are really only two options that make sense: boost it or swap it.

When you’re thinking boost, that can even go one of two ways: turbo or supercharger.

Then from there, you have to start looking into different configurations and mounting systems. Is there a lot? Yes. Can it be confusing? Totally. Do we have you covered in this issue?

As always.

When you’re swapping an engine in, you’re basically doing a heart transplant, except in some cases you’d be taking a regular heart out and replacing it with a superhuman’s. You’ve got

T

to make sure it can be mounted and be mindful of exactly what else needs to be done to support a change like that. Don’t worry, we go into that here as well, bud.

Our June/July issue is titled “Boost & Swap,” (look at the cover if you don’t believe me) so it’s only suitable that besides packing it with knowledge, we also charged the pages with some amazing features and standout products that all have to do with MORE POWER. We’ve got a CLS-Class Merc with an E55 donor heart, the first supercharged 3.8-liter Gen Coupe ever, an Evo X that’s being used as it should be, and probably the sexiest RX-7 we’ve ever featured.

In our extensive buyers guides, we touch on some of the hot new styles from some of our favorite lifestyle brands, before we launch into all the products you could need to boost or swap your car.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go figure out how to get this FR-S (is it an 86 now?) a little quicker. Enjoy the issue!

MiCKY SliNGeR PASMAG eDiTOR

WHeN YOU’RE SWAPPiNG AN eNGiNE iN, YOU’RE BASiCAllY DOiNG A HeART TRANSPlANT, eXCEPT iN SOME CASeS YOU’D BE TAKiNG A REGUlAR HeART OUT AND REPlACiNG iT WiTH A SUPeRHUMAN’S.

C O N N E C T MAKING IT EASIER TO STALK US THAN EVER BEFORE!

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JUNE // JULY 2016

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Department: PAS

2016-02-24 10:48 AM

WITH

Adam Zillin

TUNED IN 7tune.com

@7Tune

adamzillinphotography

THE DORITO

IN THE WINDOW STORY BY

Adam Zillin

After having built and owned a slew of tasty Japanese and German performance cars over the last 20 years, I admit that a rotary wasn’t among them. Key word being “wasn’t” because a couple of months back, I took delivery from auction of a 1991 Mazda FD3S Type RS. I had passed where Gandalf told me I shall not.

I

suppose it was inevitable that it happened as I have been teased incessantly over the years by well to do friends who currently own a rotary and recount their epic tales from the Book of Brap. Even more so recently, since my staff member, Yuuki, has one of the best fourrotor FDs on the planet. You may remember it from a previous issue!

It is also true that I had avoided rotaries because of the general online chatter about them being weak, overrated and fragile in the engine department. Some of these comments are from people who

have never had one. Nothing like an internet professional to set things straight, right?

It is true that rotaries are more delicate than their piston counterparts and demand a gentle, steady hand from their respective owners. But I very rarely, if ever, hear owners of rotaries heaping anything but praise on them, even when they break. Its not a brand or lifestyle choice with these cars, it's 100-percent commitment.

This particular example is, for lack of better wording, a pure savage. It is a side-ported 13B with a Trust TD06-25G powering

the Doritos. On one bar of boost, it makes 430 horsepower and with the three-inch straightpipe system underneath a braced, taut and stripped chassis, it transforms into an axe welding murderer, with the blood curdling wail to match. Throw all the best RE Amemiya, Pan Speed, Voltex and R-Magic aero at it and you have an absolute circuit destroyer. So far, I’m very happy, and admittedly, a little scared of it.

The decision in and of itself to buy a rotary wasn’t one I necessarily made consciously. I am a strong believer in the notion that, often, a car will choose its owner. The very moment I saw this FD3S at auction, I knew I absolutely had to have it. It seemed a little tired and weary, looking somewhat unloved, yet purposeful and powerful. I marveled at the notion that the RX-7 was even sitting there.

To give credence to this story, I actually bid on it and lost the auction by a single bid.

Utterly mortified, I stewed on the matter for the better part of the afternoon. Until something miraculous happened.

Late in the evening, the phone rang. It was the auction house notifying me that the car was passed on by the winning bidder and it was mine to take. I literally let out a huge cheer right there and then in the packed halls of the auction house with the realization setting in that the blood red FD3S was indeed mine.

Like adopting any pet, I had to know exactly what I was getting myself into, but with the support network available in Japan with Scoot and R-Magic literally 10 minutes from home, I’m not too concerned. What an amazing beast she is turning out to be.

How much did you say that little Dorito in the window was again?

JUNE // JULY 2016

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WWW.ARCAUDIO.COM AMPLIFIERS

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SPEAKERS

SUBWOOFERS

PROCESSORS

MOTORCYCLE AUDIO

2015-06-09 3:56 PM

WITH

Garry Springgay Another subwoofer question. If two subwoofers have the same impedance and are the same size, why would one be rated with a sensitivity of 95 dB, and the other only 88 dB? Which one is better, and why?

Henry M – via email

SOUND ADVICE cogentaudiolabs.com garry.springgay

Every month we get a bunch of letters from our readers on a wide variety of audio related topics.

We can’t answer them all, so we pick the most commonly asked questions that relate to a specific topic. We are going to theme this month’s column as, “Well, that depends.”

"Hello, I am looking for a formula to estimate the SPL of a subwoofer using its sensitivity rating, amplifier power, box type, etc. My question is; if you have two 12-inch subs each with a sensitivity rating of 84 dB @ 1 w/1 m and they have 1,200 watts RMS total going to them; would they be the same volume or louder than one 15-inch sub with a sensitivity of 87 dB @ 1 w/1 m also with 1,200 watts RMS going to it? Thanks for any help and great magazine."

Name withheld – via email Howdy, stranger! Your question is a common one, but there are a lot of variables that should be factored in to obtain some sort of reliable answer. One thing to keep in mind is that sensitivity numbers are generated from low signal level data, hence the 1 w/1 m disclosure, and consequently have no real correlation to what happens at full rated power, as the variable for xMax is not factored in.

From a purely theoretical standpoint, D.B. Keele has stated that doubling the amount of drivers (when they are spaced closer than one-quarter wavelength) will result in a doubling of rated efficiency. So, in the case of your 12-inch woofers, if we are also to assume that both woofers will still receive the same input voltage, the answer would be a theoretical increase of +3 dB. In the real world, however, we generally don’t just keep adding identical amplifier channels when we add speakers. Most often, the speakers will be connected to each other, in either parallel or series. And here is where the math in your original question comes apart,

and why there are so many disagreements on this topic. When you connect the same two woofers in series, you now halve the amplifier power to each (V2/R).

That means that you have now lost 3 dB in power, and gained 3 dB in cone area, for a net result of 0 dB. However, you have now doubled the power handling of the speaker system.

If you wired the woofers in parallel, you would theoretically double the amplifier power delivered, as you have cut the load impedance in half. Wired that way, the result will be +6 dB as compared to one woofer (84 dB is now 90 dB).

You are correct in surmising that more cone area will generally create higher SPL numbers, but if we take the typical Sd (diaphragm area) for a 12-inch woofer at 0.052 square meters, and a typical 15-inch woofer Sd is 0.086 m2, it’s pretty obvious that a pair of 12-inch woofers could potentially move more air than a single 15-inch driver - except that we don’t know the excursion of either woofer and we don’t know how the enclosure size is going to affect excursion. When either woofer system is operated at higher power levels, the system that has the ability to move more air will generally have the higher SPL. I realize that this does not answer your question specifically, but my intent is to point out the variables that are often overlooked and consequently make a question like yours much more difficult to answer. Only when you take all of the variables into consideration and model the completed system at the intended power level can you make any sort of prediction with reasonable accuracy.

Hi Henry, you have obviously been doing your homework and looking closely at specifications. The sensitivity of a speaker is generally referenced to some specific amount of input power.

Many car audio speakers are rated at two volts, while others are measured at 2.83 volts, and still others have no stated input voltage reference.

Let’s first talk about the specification where there is no input voltage stated.

That specification is virtually meaningless. Think of it this way: unless you know how much power is applied to the woofer to achieve a certain specification, you have no way of using that spec in any sort of comparison. Then there are manufacturers who rate every woofer they make at the same input voltage, and miraculously, the lower the impedance of the woofer, the higher the sensitivity becomes. The point is, it’s unfortunately all too common for the published sensitivity numbers to be pretty worthless when it comes to determining anything useful.

To get back to your original question, there are a lot of things that directly and indirectly affect speaker sensitivity.

A speaker with greater mass will generally be less sensitive compared to one with lower moving mass. The differences in moving mass can come from the voice coil, the former and the materials and construction of the cone and dustcap.

The stiffness or “compliance” of the speaker’s suspension (spider and surround) will also greatly affect the driver’s rated sensitivity, as will the strength and focus of the magnetic energy in the motor assembly. Because of these variables, it’s pretty difficult to choose a speaker solely using its rated sensitivity. Generally speaking (but not always), the lower sensitivity drivers are likely to have greater mechanical and thermal power handling, while the higher sensitivity drivers are designed to work with lower power amplifiers, yet still provide a lot of output. Which one is “better” depends on what you want to do with it and how much power you plan on using!

JUNE // JULY 2016

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PASMAG

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2016-04-15 3:45 PM

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WITH

Rob Kochis It was not a very functional set up, but damn did it look good.

STAY CRUSHING stay_crushing

@staycrushing

staycrushing

staycrushing

STAY CRUSHING GETTING FUNCTIONAL As time progressed, I began to experience multiple issues with my FR-S from it being so low. Other than the ride quality being terrible and having no suspension travel, blowing up axles and diffs, cracking my aero, and other good stuff, I simply just wanted to move to a new style for the car.

I

have always loved the stance look of cars, but since I drive my car every day, it began to become more of a hassle than an enjoyment. Laying frame on the freeway and shooting sparks, getting stuck in driveways and having to avoid certain places because I couldn’t park just wasn’t fun anymore.

Enter the start of the new phase. I had some crazy selfbutchered-together slammed coilovers, which were Function Form Type 2s with a D2-style coilover and four-inch Swift springs to get my car to the height it was at. I was tucking 17-inch wheels with stretched tires on a Rocket Bunny V2 kit, which was lower than most bagged cars. It was not a very

23

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functional set up, but damn did it look good.

After much research, I consulted with FD Pro Driver Odi Bachkis and Leonard Wang of Swift Springs. They came up with the perfect solution for me, the 441 coilovers with a 9k six-inch front spring and an 8k six-inch rear spring. This set up is exactly what I wanted. It’s the perfect height with my cup kit in the front, and has more than sufficient travel.

The next mod that was addressed was the front lower control arms. I sourced a set from Megan Racing and they’re definitely a product that blew me away quality-wise for the price. The powder-coat is glorious and they allow

much more alignment adjustment in the front. The car feels much more stable with the extended ball joints as well.

Wheels are what makes or breaks a car. I went back to the roots of the car and snagged a set of Forgestar F14s, but this time in Sapphire Blue and in 18 inches. These ultra-lightweight wheels weigh about 19 pounds in the front and 20 pounds in the rear and are wrapped in massive 255/35 and 295/30 Toyo R888 tires. These tires are like glue on the street. It’s actually terrifying how much you just want to keep pushing the car because of how they don’t want to give up, yet the car still doesn’t understeer. It’s a perfect balance of grip and slip, with a slight amount of controlled oversteer when really pushing the car.

NOW FOR THE MR2 SPYDER his car now is genuinely scary. It is so underpowered and so snap happy in the rear that you can’t half-ass the car into a turn. It will spin out on you and there is no fixing it if you are too late with your inputs or lift throttle. When you turn in, you have to commit 100 percent.

The car came second hand on blown shocks, and it was a roll happy nightmare. I handled that with a set of K Sport Kontrol Pro coilovers.

Dustin over there was more than helpful sourcing me a set. These coils are great for a daily driver, but I am going to swap the front springs to a 7k spring to have a stiffer feel in the front.

Next, I took care of the dreaded pre-cat with a Manzo Racing replacement and cat-back exhaust. It definitely made it louder, but it didn’t add much to the stock 110 horsepower. This just makes me want to swap the car even more.

The best mod of all was switching out the garbage wheels it was on and swapping to some Advanti Racing Storm 2 15x7 wheels. These wheels weigh less than 11 pounds! To put things in perspective: stock FR-S wheels are 17x7 and weigh about 26 pounds. I actually picked up two sets, another in 15x8, so I can run some wider R888 tires when I do open track sessions.

Overall the car isn’t any faster, but it handles like a monster now. I can’t imagine much more fun in a car to be honest – well, at least until the swap happens. Stay tuned!

T

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WITH

JACOB'S DRIFT Competition

Jacob Leveton

jacobphoto.com JacobLevetonDrift

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Pawlak and Vaughn Gittin Jr. have debuted competition versions of the car this season, and both have taken a unique spin on the chassis. For Gittin Jr., his latest iteration features his own specialized styling touches along with a suspension package that he has been prototyping and fine-tuning for over a year on his RTR demo car.

Pawlak’s partnership with Roush Performance and previous history with the Mazda FC3S chassis, which also features an independent rear suspension, has him feeling comfortable in the chassis after six previous seasons in a Mustang. Between both drivers,

2016 FORMULA DRIFT SERIES PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Justin Kaehler

Formula Drift kicked off their thirteenth season of competition in Long Beach, California, to a packed house and a diverse grid. Here are some of the headlines to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Nexen Tire returns to Formula Drift Nexen Tire left the series for a few seasons to focus their marketing dollars on other initiatives, but has returned for 2016 in a big way. Partnering with the top two drivers from last season, Fredric Aasbo and Ken Gushi, in addition to former two-time champion Tanner Foust and up-andcoming driver Alec Hohnadell, Nexen is looking to make an impact. At the first event in Long Beach, Gushi and Nexen occupied the second and third steps on the podium, giving the brand their first two podium finishes just one event into the season.

The marketing folks behind Nexen have previously been successful behind other tire brands, and their new N’fera SUR4 tire already looks to be competitive.

The Ford Mustang is as competitive as ever!

The 2015 Ford Mustang was the first Mustang to leave the Ford factory with an independent rear suspension configuration in the 50-year history of the pony car. Both Justin

Ford has seen 12 event wins and 31 total podium finishes since entering the Formula Drift series in 2005, and is looking to improve that number this season.

Scion looks to close out the brand strong The Scion brand will end later this year, and the former “Scion Racing” team is being branded as “SR By Toyota” for the 2016 Season. The FR-S will become the “86” under the Toyota brand, but the tC will be retired after this season. Fredric Aasbo and Ken Gushi finished first and second in the final standings, but Ryan Tuerck will be looking to make an impact as well in his first season as an official Scion driver. Jhonnattan Castro will also drive an FR-S/86, although it is a private build. Scion has won the last two OEM Manufacturer’s championships in the Formula Drift series, and will be looking to three-peat this season.

Mazda’s entries are looking mean Mazda released the ND-chassis Miata just weeks before the 2015

season, which didn’t give any drivers enough time to build the chassis. For 2016, Kyle Mohan debuted the first competition ND Miata drift car globally, while “Mad” Mike Whiddett facelifted his NC-chassis Miata with ND headlights, tail lights, and body styling. Both cars look absolutely menacing, and are both pushing well over 1,000 horsepower through the rotary engines under the hood. Whiddett’s four-rotor has seen over 1,200 horsepower on the dyno, while Mohan’s three-rotor is pushing 1,000 ponies.

It’s a BMW World, we just live in it Outside of Michael Essa’s Cinderella run to the championship in 2013, BMW chassis have not performed exceptionally well in Formula Drift competition. Chelsea Denofa smashed that perspective by winning the season opening event in Long Beach, while Michael Essa’s return to the same E46 chassis he won the championship in should provide a serious threat to the championship. In addition, Kenneth Moen has ditched his 2JZ-powered S14 in favor of a 2JZ-powered E46 chassis, 2015 Formula D Pro 2 champion Alex Heilbrunn has a newly-built Whipplesupercharged, LS-engined E46 BMW, and Kristaps Bluss continues to refine his MAST Motorsports Chevy small-block-powered E46 chassis.

Don’t be surprised to see more BMWs in the winners’ circle over the course of the season.

BONUS PASMAG Produces the FD Program For the sixth consecutive season, we are proud to produce the official Formula Drift Program. We’ve expanded the amount of content in the guide, including interviews with both 2015 champion Fredric Aasbo and 2015 Pro 2 champion Alex Heilbrunn. Judging criteria, driver profiles and stats from Formula Drift past and present are revealed in the guide, giving fans insight into the series as they witness it. The guide is available exclusively at Formula Drift events around the country and internationally.

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SOCIAL

EVENT

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HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

F7LTHY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN NEAIME

as though the projects I do tend

458 may be a very identifiable

to echo that feeling of balance

symbol of perfection. It is clean

which I think is important in most

and perfect. Many owners would

everything we do. Work and Play.

not modify it one bit. They would

Learn and Teach. Dream and Build.

wash it, wax it, and admire it just

Clean and F7LTHY.”

as it was intended from the factory. There’s nothing wrong with that.” But of course, breaking purist rules is all in a day’s work when

“Man, your cars are straight

founder of an exciting lifestyle

building wild rides. “We want to

FILTHY!”. When JJ Dubec, a doc-

brand and movement.

personalize our rides, modify it,

tor from British Columbia, took

26

us. For example, a stock Ferrari

“F7LTHY definitely represents

stance it, widebody it, customize

a weekend cruise down to Arling-

the cars, but in a greater sense

ton, Washington with a group of

it represents an attitude I have

fellow car enthusiasts, the excited

about life in general. Most of my

inception, the F7LTHY brand has

words of a gawking bystander

life I was raised and trained in

evolved into a recognizable force

at a gas station would go on to

environments that necessitated

in the tuner world. With plans for

form a running joke, a brand, and

a clean, sterile approach”, JJ recalls

a LibertyWalk Maserati GT MC

a lifestyle. Many readers may

as he points out the contrast

Stradale for SEMA 2016, as well as

recall JJ’s Liberty Walk GT-R or his

and duality of his doctor-by-day,

a widebody 2017 NSX in the near

Liberty Walk 458 from magazines

enthusiast-by-night lifestyle.

future, you can expect to see more

it, make it F7LTHY.” In the short few years since its

and SEMA shows of recent years

“It celebrates the imperfect,

past, but only those paying close

thinking well beyond the rules and

by and the movement grows. He

attention know that he is also the

constraints often placed upon

concludes with more insight: “I feel

PASMAG

F7LTHY rides from JJ as time goes

JUNE // JULY 2016

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REMEMBER THE BUSTER

X2

#LEVELUPAUTO PAUL WALKER DOUBLE SEMA BUILDS Billy Bautista is a tuner, builder,

of the first movie taking up the

head of the non-profit racing

rear and meeting up with the spot-

team Team Analog, journalist,

less white finish of the seventh

photographer, Vice President of

movie. The GT-R shares the same

CarsWithoutLimits, and somehow

aesthetic, combining the graphics

he found the time to launch his

on the 2 Fast 2 Furious R34 with

own automotive initiative, #Lev-

the clean, dark blue one from Fast

elUpAuto, which will be taking on

& Furious.

an important and intensive task for SEMA 2016.

Since Paul Walker’s untimely

“I've been meaning to do a tribute build for Paul not just because he's a friend and hero to all of us in

death in 2013, the tuner world has

the scene, but the direct influence

been abuzz with tribute vehicles

he's had on myself and my peers

from his Eclipse to his many Sky-

and colleagues,” says Bautista.

lines and Supras from the series

As Walker was a fan of time

of Fast & Furious films. Bautista,

spent at the track and was heavily

in his 17th SEMA attendance, aims

involved with Redline Time Attack,

to bring not one, but two serious

both vehicles will be tested at their

contenders for crowning Paul

facilities. No rollers here, guys.

Walker tribute cars.

As you can see from the renders here, #LevelUpAuto will be bringing both a Supra and a GT-R, arguably Walkers’ most famous rides, to SEMA 2016. Each vehicle will be heavily influenced by its appearance in the films.

The Supra (which is RHD) will have a clashing paintjob, with the original orange and cheesy decals

JUNE // JULY 2016

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HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

tr.

RETURN OF THE MINI TRUCKS PHOTOGRAPHY JORDAN ALATORRE

Ever wondered what happened to mini trucks?

Back in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, they were every-

girl who says, ‘Why can’t we just

Alatorre, the President of Mini

have both?’” Combining the ag-

Machines and owner of the sweet

gressive fitment movement with

Hilux you see here, about why

current body modifications and

this return is happening now. He

influences from JDM and Euro,

chalks it up to the new wave of

these trucks have a seemingly un-

enthusiasts and their tastes.

limited modification index. This is

“Each generation comes out

further bolstered by the fact that

where. Rangers, B2200s, Hiluxes and everything in

with their own style,” he explains.

most owners retrofit other parts

between were modified with air cylinders and bags,

“For us, we love mini trucks, but

to fit their trucks, like Alatorre’s

hydraulics, dancing beds, chopped roofs, suicide

also current car modification

side skirts from a MK3 Jetta.

doors and some truly unique body kits. Then, they

trends. It’s like the Old El Paso

just went off the radar. Well, now, with the sweeping

commercial with the flat bot-

force and I really, really want

trend of aggressive fitment, mini trucks have seen their

tomed taco shells, and we’re the

one now.

motor makes for some balance

not without its merits. Now that

challenges, but a proper suspen-

J-swaps have been around long

sion setup can compensate for

enough to catch the attention of

the added weight in the front with

the aftermarket, a platform which

J-SWAPPED CIVICS

28

resurgence. I spoke with Jordan

Mini trucks are back in full

The J-series Honda engine is an

outside of the usual B-series and

relative ease. Perhaps the biggest

once lacked aftermarket support

underrated and widely available

K-series swaps. Like any engine

challenge of all when swapping

has grown, albeit only slightly.

powerplant. Found in most recent

swap, the J-swap is not without

a J-series into a Civic is finding

Companies like Hasport rose to

Honda/Acura models, including

its own individual challenges. For

the appropriate transmission, as

the occasion early on, creating

the TL, TSX, CL, TLX, RDX and

starters, fitting the engine into

most cars which originally held

J-swap mount kits for a variety of

even the Odyssey, the sub-300

the bay requires some drilling

the J-series were seldom outfitted

Civic, CRX and Integra platforms.

horsepower V6 has become a

and cutting for the aftermarket

with manual gearboxes.

As aftermarket support continues

promising swap candidate for Civ-

engine mounts to line up properly.

ic owners looking to do something

Additionally, the weight of the

PASMAG

Even with the above mentioned challenges, the J-series is

to expand, expect to see more of this outside-the-box swap.

JUNE // JULY 2016

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Trim: 7.875" W x 10.75" H • Bleed: .125" • Live: .4375"

LOI SONG

PRESIDENT OF SPORTCAR MOTION

LOOK FOR THE SIX-PACK™ DESIGN ON OPTIMA® YELLOWTOP®, REDTOP® AND BLUETOP® BATTERIES AT A RETAILER NEAR YOU. The OPTIMA logo, OPTIMA Batteries, The Ultimate Power Source, Spiralcell Technology, YELLOWTOP, REDTOP, BLUETOP and The Six-Pack Battery Design are trademarks of Johnson Controls, Inc. ©2015

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SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES

huNtiNg uNiCOrNs OWNeR: N I C K P O U L O P O U L O S VeHiClE: 1 9 9 4 A C U R A I N T E G R A G S R @blazinfast_dc2

tO iNfiNiti aND BeyOND OWNeR: D A R E N S I N G H VeHiClE: 2 0 1 2 I N F I N I T I G 3 7 C O U P E daren.singh.7

@daren_ipl

hatE ME NOw OWNeR: M I K E H O W E VeHiClE: 2 0 1 2 N I S S A N 3 7 0 Z mike.mancini.7399

@banezee

After rolling his B16B-swapped 1994 EJ1 Civic

Former #TBGLive winner, Darren Singh is

Mike Howe has been angering the die-hard

in 2011, Nick Poulopoulos embarked on a hunt

back at it again with the widebody style on his

purists for years, specifically with the wildly

for his next platform. After looking at more than

G37. Making a switch from last year’s Liberty

aggressive camber setup on his 370Z. Brace

30 rusty options, he stumbled upon his unicorn:

Walk setup to a CarbonSignal kit straight from

yourselves, haters, because Mike’s 370Z is

a clean body Integra GSR with a JDM front end.

Dubai, Darren aims to shake up the local scene

coming back wilder - and wider - than ever

Within weeks of possession, Nick began swap-

once again. “I wanted to raise the bar in the G37

for this season. Over the off-season, the 370Z

ping parts from the EJ1 into his new platform.

community and I think this kit did the job”, he

went under the knife to bring about some

After spending some time doing autocross and

writes, hinting at something really special. New

drastic style changes. The second-ever Mafia

lapping events, it was time to focus on shows.

wheels come courtesy of Peter from Nextmod,

widebody kit for the 370Z was paired with

Since January 2015, the car has been in tear-

who helped Darren get a hold of his custom-

Aero Jacket’s front lip and rear spats for extra

down, cleaning up the engine bay and getting

made Work VSXX just in time for the build, and

aggressive body styling to match the aggressive

up to show quality. The refinishing of the engine

new tires are on the way from Active Green

camber. Strut towers were cut and adjusted to

bay has been a chance for Nick to get his first

and Ross Whitby, thanks to Miguel Samoon-

allow even more aired-out stance, and the body

hands-on experience with bodywork. Keep

dar. Keep an eye out for this one-of-a-kind

was given a fresh wrap. Expect to see this 370Z

your eyes out for this one on the West Coast of

widebody G37 with an all-new custom paint job

turning heads at several Toronto area shows

Canada this year.

this season.

this summer.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER KULBAC

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARKIS SARKIS (@MAADPHOTOGRAPHYTO)

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FEATURED EVENT

tr.

Spring Break Nationals 2016 30 YEARS OF ROCKING DAYTONA BEACH

BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRAVIS CHIN

Thirty years. That’s a crazy amount of time when you think about it. That’s 133 dog years. Thirty years ago, Mike Tyson won his first ever boxing title, the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, Top Gun was the highest grossing film of the year at over $8 million dollars, and the average price of a house in the U.S. was $89,430. Of all those things that happened in 1986, one stood out as possibly the most important in any automotive audiophile’s life: the first year that Spring Break Nationals took place at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Since then, thousands upon thousands of enthusiasts have come and gone through the doors of the Ocean Center to see the sights and hear the sounds - not that they had a choice, we’re pretty sure anyone could hear the SBN ruckus from a few blocks away. Part car show, part sound-off, part bikini contest and part food eating competition, it really is the best of all worlds.

To add to that, SBN also features in.car.EXPO: an industry education trade show that brings some of the best minds in the business in to talk about what they specialize in and give seminars.

Anything from training to new product reveals are covered here.

GET THE FULL PICTURE

INSTAGRAM.COM/PASMAG

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PASMAG

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Let’s play dirty.

Premium Powersports Audio

Stealthbox® Weatherproof subwoofer sytems for your UTV

MBT-CRX Weatherproof Bluetooth® Controller / Receiver

MX Amplifiers Weatherproof Amplifiers

MediaMaster MM100s Weatherproof Source Unit

VeX™ Pods Versatile Enclosed coaXial with built-in blue LEDs

MBT-RX Weatherproof Bluetooth® Receiver

© 2016 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on our complete line of products, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com.

In Canada contact GemSen Distribution at www.gemsen.com

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Spring Break Nationals 2016

THE LATEST TRENDS, FULL THROTTLE

FACEBOOK.COM/PASMAG

SBN is also where the sanctioning

show. In the Arena area, earplugs

bodies of competition car audio come

were a must as that was where the

out to play. IASCA, MECA, dB Drag

SPL Demopalooza was taking place,

Racing and ISPLL are all regulars for

while the SPL competition took

setting new records, doing demos

place in the West Lot. Of course,

and plenty of hair tricks.

every afternoon on the main stage

This year, things were laid out

were eating contests and a bikini

a little differently. The Main Hall

contest, all emceed by by SBN vet-

featured in.car.EXPO, Sound Quality

eran Bill E. Okon.

competition and the Tuner Jam car

Speaking of veterans, the man who started it all, Paul Papadeas received a commemorative plaque to celebrate his event, SBN, for its 30th anniversary. For being a place that successfully intertwines enthusiasts and the industry together, we think that it’s more than well deserved.

Here’s to 30 more years of rocking Daytona Beach!

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MARCH 26-27 2016

Vancouver International Auto Show Tuner Battlegrounds #TBGLIVE Display VANCOUVER CONVENTON CENTRE. VANCOUVER, BC

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DRIVE MARKETING GROUP

vanautoshow

drivemarketinggroup

01 Ryan Peabody's 2013 Scion FR-S is equipped with a Rocket Bunny body kit. 02 Bill Brinkworth (#TBGLIVE award category runner-up) displayed his S30 240Z with custom D-Brinkworth fender flares and spoiler.

03 Kalson Chan's Exige S is bodystyled with a Lotus GT3 wide body. 04 Josh Chow (Drive Marketing Group) hands the #TBGLIVE award to Jules Gabriel, winner of the #TBGLIVE award category competition with 57% of the Popular vote! 05 Charles Wong's classy Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R. 06 Gerald Lee's 2004 Honda S2000 with Yokohama ADVAN livery. 07 A CTS-V 5.7L LS6 V8 engine is swapped into Quinton Chan's 1992 Nissan 240SX. 08 Purivit Kasemtaarasomboon styled his 2005 Nissan 350Z with Voltex and Amuse exterior accessories.

09 The PPG Hypnotic Pearl Mica paint on Nathan Kowalski's 2004 Honda S2000 is quite mesmerizing.

10 Brittany Hinz provides the right amount of TLC on her 1993 Toyota Supra.

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PASMAG

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GET THE FULL PICTURE

INSTAGRAM.COM/PASMAG

JUNE // JULY 2016

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MARCH 05 2016

Tuner Galleria

10

DONALD STEPHENS CONVENTION CENTER ROSEMONT, IL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY FLORES

tuner_galleria

01 Ryan Jones's Nissan Skyline from Fast & Furious was displayed at our booth. 02 Project X's Nissan Nismo 370Z sits on Varrstoen wheels.

03 A widebody kit with custom GT wing was spotted on Topspeed Motorsports's Audi R8 V10. 04 A 2006 Volvo S60R was spotted on display with a EuroProjektz banner. 05 This matte finish Hyundai Veloster looks pretty mint.06 RTP’s big HP, stroked Mitsubishi Evolution VIII. 07 Static-dropped Infiniti G37 Coupe rocking a JP front lip.08 Hard-topped Honda S2000. 09 All-matte-everything Subaru Impreza STi with a Perrin high-rise wing. 10 The attendees of Tuner Galleria were given magazines, stickers and shirts at our booth with the help of Deseree Fine.

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C

M

Y

©2016 STILLWATER DESIGNS

Vertically integrated.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Massive power in a compact unit, with hardware that enables convenient vertical mounting.

CX-Series Power Amplifiers

See it at www.kicker.com, or visit your nearest Authorized KICKER Dealer.

KICKER is distributed in Canada by Gem-Sen. www.gemsen.com

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MARCH 19 2016

Hot Import Nights

10

MARKET HALL DALLAS, TX

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RJ ALVARADE

hotimportnights

01 Shingo's 1989 Datsun Sunny with Hakotora conversion kit was a crowd favorite. 02 Armando was victorious in the Tuner Battlegrounds #TBGLIVE award category with 72% of the Popular Vote. The Prize: a feature in this issue!

03 SCW Performance had this BC Racing equipped NSX on display.

04 GS Motorsports came out with a pair of Skylines. 05 Voltaire's 2010 Nissan Maxima sits on brushed Titanium Rohana RF1 wheels. 06 Kevin of Team Hi-Def was spotted with his 1993 Honda Del Sol. 07 This LSX-swapped Nissan 350Z caught the attention of the curious attendees. 08 Matthew's restored and hoodless 1973 Datsun 240Z. 09 Sir, your chariot awaits. 10 Risvu Imports had a display full of Skylines, including this R33 GT-R VSpec.

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THE ULTIMATE IN ADJUSTABILITY

3

2

EVO X Front Kit #78530 Shown

1

THE NEXT LEVEL

IN AIR MANAGEMENT

5

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AVAILABLE FOR MOST JDM PLATFORMS

Visit air-lift.co/3h3p to configure your 1/4” or 3/8” control system.

KIT FEATURES 1.

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Most kits also come with braided stainless steel air lines, and all necessary fittings and hardware for mounting

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

6

MazDa Mulisha laNyarD > $7

For those who represent and

Zillalife

respect the roadster. It’s not a hair dresser’s car, it’s your mountain slayer, or drift office.

ZILLALIFE • DEATHTUNE • MAZDA MULISHA

Let ‘em know about your clique with the Mazda Mulisha

zillalife.com

@zillalife

zillalife

lanyard. It’s reversible for both

Zillalife

black and white looks and features a neat little knuckle duster print on the end.

1

6

2

3

4

5

1

DeathtuNE BeaNiE > $14

2

DeathtuNE Sweater > $31

3

eMpirE TeE > $18.50

4

GeNtleMaN Drifter TeE > $22

5

KilliNg it Jersey > $22

Who knew a simple patch on a

Pros of owning a Deathtune

The popular Empire and

Like a sir. Are you a

Are you killing it? Are you

gray beanie could be so hot?

Sweater: its super, super

Deathtune designs clash on

gentleman? Do you drift? If

sure? Silence the haters with

Keep warm with Zilla Life’s

soft, it’s makes you look nice,

this tee to make you look

you answered yes to either

this sexy jersey-style shirt.

Deathtune patch beanie and

it stops you from getting

that much radder. Classic

of those questions (or no),

Its super soft, features a sick

let everyone know exactly how

chilly, its black, and it adds

black on heather gray was

this shirt is for you! With the

“Killing it” print, and the slim

hard you drive.

130 horsepower and instant

the obvious choice, with the

charcoal heather gray base,

cut design will look great on

spooling. Cons: there are

subtle Zilla Life logo on the

slim cut design, and that

your bod. No doubt.

none. Why don’t you have one

front and a neck-breaking

cheeky skull on the left-hand

already?

Deathtune design on the back.

side, this tee is all class.

All finished off with a leopard print hem tag on the bottom.

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

ANOrak eNgiNE BaE leggiNgs > $55

Think you’re bold enough to break away from the traditional car t-shirt?

Anorak Apparel’s fresh take on women’s enthusiast gear comes in the form of super comfy leggings sporting various built engines. Each batch is limited edition so get yours before they're gone! Available in sizes XS-XL.

ANORAKENGINEERING.COM

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JUNE // JULY 2016

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Untitled-2 1 PAS_2016_JuneJuly_137_TR_LS.indd 3

2016-04-12 5:07 2016-04-15 1:37 PM

Wilwood.indd 1

2016-03-30 10:21 AM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

AudioControl LC-4.800 Component Review

You asked and Audiocontrol delivered.

Simplifying OEM integration with the newest multi-channel amplifier.

TECHNICAL DATA

AMPLIFIER MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (100 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2 V)

I

Manufacturers Rated Power

48

PASMAG

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4 V Battery

125 x 4 @ 4 Ω

94 x 1 @ 4 Ω

126 x 4 @ 4 Ω

200 x 4 @ 2 Ω

159 x 1 @ 2 Ω

206 x 4 @ 2 Ω

400 x 2 @ 4 Ω

325 x 2 @ 4 Ω

424 x 2 @ 4 Ω

n response to an overwhelming amount of requests from their dealers, AudioControl has introduced a new line of multi-channel amplifiers designed to make OEM integration simple and easy, as well as bringing proven AudioControl technologies like AccuBASS® and GTO signal sensing directly to the amplifiers.

We wanted to have a look for ourselves, so they were kind enough to send one of the new LC-4.800 multi-channel amps for us to mess around with.

“THE AUDIOCONTROL LC-4.800 IS A FOUR CHANNEL CLASS D AMPLIFER WITH SOME INNOVATIVE AND UNIQUE Features and Construction FEATURES.” The AudioControl LC-4.800 is

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6 V Battery

a four channel Class D amplifier with some innovative and unique features. It is rated at 125 watts per channel into four ohms, and 200 watts per channel into two ohms. Capable of operating in 4, 3, or 2 channel mode makes the LC-4.800 a flexible platform for many system designs.

Connections are all made on the front edge of the amplifier, and the controls and adjustments are made from the top by removing the aluminum top cover. This overall design promotes ease of installation and tuning, since the wires are easier to hide and there is no need to do a lip stand on the

floor mat to find the controls. One of the features that immediately caught my attention was the connections for six high level input channels instead of the usual four.

To make OEM integration simpler, the LC-4.800 has an additional pair of high level, high frequency inputs that are already internally summed to the front outputs. These are designed to be driven with the cars tweeter outputs, while the “normal” front inputs obtain signal from the front midrange channels of the OEM system. A separate level control is provided for the high frequency front inputs so getting the balance of high to mid

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THE

THOSE IN

KNOW...

KNOW

POWER SUBWOOFERS PERFORMANCE INSPIRED

TECHNOLOGY FOR TRUE FANATICS!

rockfordfosgate.com • 800.366.2349

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TEST REPORT AudioControl LC-4.800 4 OHM POWER VS THD+N @ 1000 HZ 14.4V BATT Cogent Audio Labs

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N @ 1000 Hz 14.4V Batt

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

0.1

%

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001 100m

200m

500m

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1kk

W AUDIO CONTROL LC-4.800

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N

1000 Hz

14.4V Batt

2 OHM POWER VS THD+N @ 1000 HZ 14.4V BATT Cogent Audio Labs

2 OHM POWER vs THD+N @ 1000 Hz 14.4V Batt

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

0.1

%

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

W AUDIO CONTROL LC-4.800

2 OHM POWER vs THD+N

1000 Hz

14.4V Batt

BRIDGED 4 OHM POWER VS THD+N Cogent Audio Labs

BRIDG ED 4 OHM POWER vs THD+N @ 1000 Hz 14.4V Batt

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

0.1

%

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001 1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

W AUDIO CONTROL LC-4.800

BRIDG ED 4 OHM POWER vs THD+N

1000 Hz

14.4V Batt

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

MAX F LAT - F REQ UENCY RES PONS E

+6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 -0 -1 -2 -3 -4 d B r

-5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12 -13 -14 -15 -16 -17 -18 10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

2k

5k

10k

20k

40k

20k

40k

Hz AUDIO CONTROL LC-4.800

MAX IMALLY F LAT - F REQ UENCY RES PONS E

r ef - 2.0V @ 4 Oh ms

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

CROS S OVER RANG E - F REQ UENCY RES PONS E

+6 +4 +2 -0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 d B r

-16 -18 -20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -3 0 -3 2 -3 4 -3 6 -3 8 -40 10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

2k

5k

10k

Hz AUDIO CONTROL LC-4.800

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CROS S OVER RANG E - F REQ UENCY RES PONS E

frequencies is a piece of cake.

Also internally connected to the high level inputs is the GTO signal sensing turn on circuitry, which can be used to turn the amp on and off in the absence of a dedicated remote-on wire.

The amp has two pairs of RCA inputs and a pair of RCA outputs to feed a second amplifier.

The amplifier is equipped with an adjustable 30-300Hz Linkwitz-Riley high pass crossover for the front channels, while the rear channels have the same frequencies and alignment, but can be set for either high or low pass. Both sets of channels can be individually set for stereo or mono operation as well, which is handy when using the amp in bridged mode. When it comes time to set the gains, AudioControl has come up with a clever assistant in the form of their MILC™ or “Maximum Input Level Control” circuit. This patent-pending circuit is designed to warn the tuner of unwanted clipping or distortion. Three LED’s provide information on the maximum levels for clean input signal and amp gain settings. Also part of the tuning process is the setup of AudioControl’s patented AccuBASS® circuit, which provides compensation for the bass roll-off in many factory systems, and restores the full rich sound of your music.

An optional ACR-1 remote control can be used as a master level control or to provide level control of the low level outputs.

TECHNICAL DATA AMPLIFIER Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2V output.

(CEA-2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms)

-73.0dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full output.

-93.9dBA

THD+N at rated power

<1.0%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

75.0%

Idle Current

1.2A

Input Sensitivity

260mV - >20V

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance

76.3A

Frequency Response (-3dB)

27Hz – 34.0Hz

High Pass Crossover

30Hz – 300Hz -12dB/oct

Low Pass Crossover

30Hz – 300Hz -12dB/oct

Bass EQ boost (Max)

+22dB @ 58Hz

Listening Always my favorite part of the review process, I connected the LC-4.800 to a twelve inch woofer and a pair of ultra high end 6.5” component speakers in custom cabinets. The internal crossovers were used to set the sub to about 80Hz, and the stereo speakers at around 50Hz. From the outset the LC-4.800 sounded transparent and offered no obvious sonic signature of its own. To quote the famous Stewart Hegeman line, it’s like “a straight wire with gain”. This is precisely what a good amplifier should do; simply amplify the signal, without adding any noise or alteration of the music.

I listened to a few favorite tracks including the complex and detailed “A Day in

Tunisia” by Spies, and “Ride of the Valkyries” by The Cincinnati Pops. Both of these tracks sounded very realistic and lifelike, with all of the apparent energy and airiness in these amazing old Telarc recordings.

And it was with these tracks I noted the level of detail and sense of space the AudioControl amp managed to produce.

Don Dorsey’s synthesizer work and a Neil Peart drum solo proved that the LC-4.800 amp had good control of the loudspeakers. Even at high volumes there was no sign of ringing or overhang in Peart's always amazing drum work and the sound was tight and accurate, with the dry decay of Don’s synth being reproduced realistically. The stereo image was also excellent and the

r ef - 2.0V @ 4 Oh ms

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AudioControl.com

previously mentioned sense of space made things almost three dimensional.

Performance/Bench Measurements Moving to the test bench, I went through the normal battery of tests, pushing the amp to its absolute performance limits, and recording the data. Throughout my testing it measured favorably in all respects. The amp turned on and off without pops or thumps, and when I did nasty things to it, like dead shorting the outputs at high power it simply protected and then worked properly again when reset.

No fuss, no drama, and best of all, no failures.

@AudioControlInc

@AudioControlInc

AudioControl

AudioControl

Conclusion The AudioControl LC4.800 is a solidly built and well engineered product.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ideal choice if you are looking to upgrade your OEM system, or as the beginnings of a full blown aftermarket system. Thanks to the added flexibility provided by the additional summable high-level inputs, the GTO signal sensing, and the AccuBASS processing, this is an amp that solves virtually all the installation issues. And just to top it off, with the MILC indicators, the always critical gain adjustment becomes simple and straightforward. It looks good and sounds good, because, well, it is good!

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PL1438 PAS_MAG_CVU Upgrades_HaLfHoriz_5-16_V2.2.indd 3 1 PAS_2016_JuneJuly_137_TR_AudioControl_LC-4.800_v3.indd Untitled-2 1

4/8/16 2:53 PMPM 2016-04-15 2016-04-08 3:43 1:25

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Kicker L7QB8 Subwoofer System Review One of Kicker's most popular products, the L7 Subwoofer, adds a new series class to its lineup.

T

he Kicker car audio brand is known for innovative and high quality products, designed and engineered in Stillwater, Oklahoma. When it comes to getting quality bass in your car, Kicker subwoofers have earned a great reputation as one of the go-to brands in the car audio industry.

Now they are introducing an entirely new concept for the Kicker brand, an ultra compact subwoofer system utilizing “Reflex Subwoofer™” technology. The new Q-Class woofer system is called the L7QB8, and is rated at 500 watts. The L7QB8 is designed to appeal to the sophisticated listener, or just anyone who wants quality bass output while giving up as little cargo space as possible. However, in almost every other regard, the $799.95 system is quite unlike anything else out there. In fact, the unique approach to design and engineering of this product earned Kicker a prestigious CES® Innovation Award.

“THE L7QB8 IS DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO THE Features As you may have guessed, the SOPHISTICATED is based around one of LISTENER, OR system Kickers L7 square subwoofers.

JUST ANYONE But from there on, everything is WHO WANTS different. The eight inch square woofer is mounted in a solid QUALITY BASS aluminum cabinet, which has been OUTPUT WHILE seamlessly extruded to a thickness of 0.25” in one piece. There GIVING UP AS are several benefits to using an LITTLE CARGO extruded solid aluminum cabinet. it’s obviously very robust SPACE AS First and durable, but it is also almost POSSIBLE.” resonance free which improves

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sound quality. To further enhance sound quality, on the opposite side from the woofer, a specially tuned L7 passive radiator is mounted to augment the systems output.

A passive radiator functions much the same way as a port would, but without port noise and allowing greater control over the tuning of the system.

The woofer itself uses a cast aluminum basket with perimeter venting to ensure good heat dissipation, critical for high power handling. Further adding to the heat

dissipation and power handling capability, a large ferrite motor assembly includes an integrated heatsink in the top plate. A solid (non-vented) extended pole piece is forged into the steel bottom plate of the woofer for high excursion. Electrical energy is delivered via a single spring loaded terminal on the woofer cabinet, to a pair of two inch, four ohm, copper voice coils wired in parallel for a two ohm amplifier load.

Following the same construction as the other L7 woofers, the cone

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2016-04-15 10:38 AM

Distributed in Canada by Trends 1 . 800 . 618 . 7363

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SLIM SUB FAT BASS

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2016-03-15 9:58 AM

TEST REPORT Kicker L7QB8 is injection molded polypropylene, and is secured to the Santoprene surround with adhesive and stitching. The passive radiator looks identical to the driven woofer in terms of cosmetics viewed through the strong mesh steel grilles.

Measuring only 9.6 inches tall, 9.4 inches wide, and less than 11 inches deep, the system will fit almost anywhere. And it’s surprisingly heavy, weighing in at almost thirty pounds, with the woofer itself accounting for more than half of the total weight. A cleverly designed mounting bracket provides a solid and secure mount for the cabinet, and is included in the box.

Listening I connected the L7QB8 to my reference system and set my amplifier’s second order low pass crossover at 100Hz. The Kicker woofer system immediately impressed me with solid, well

defined bass. One of the tracks I listened to at the beginning of my session was “My Maria” by Brooks and Dunn. The kick drum in this track is very well recorded, and has excellent definition. On a good system you can hear the attack as the batter strikes the drumhead, and the full, warm resonance of a properly tuned bass drum. The L7QB8 reproduced this very well, with good authority.

Although the system is geared to the more “sophisticated” listener, I wanted to see how it would handle real bass-heavy music at higher volumes. After hearing tracks from Yello, Muse, and Linkin Park, while it may not fully get to the lowest octave or bounce quarters off your roof, the Kicker system will hold its own regardless of the genre. As my listening continued, I grew more impressed with the musicality of this unique woofer system, and noticed what a great compliment it made to my full range speak-

ers. From hip hop to classical, rock to country, the Kicker L7QB8 simply reproduced the recordings I played, without strain or complaint. Even when pushed hard on bass heavy music at high power levels, it simply played on, and asked for more.

On The Bench Back on the test bench I measured the frequency response of the system and had a look at the impedance curve. As expected, the woofer system has very good output from about 40 Hz to over 200 Hz. In a vehicle, the normal transfer function will significantly enhance the lower registers as well. The

QUICK TECH SPECS

impedance curve showed nothing lower than 2 ohms at any frequency. (see the provided graphs)

Conclusion Anyone who is searching for a compact, yet high performance subwoofer system would do well to audition the Kicker L7QB8 subwoofer system. The compact design will fit in almost any vehicle, and the 500 watt power handling capability provides great reliability as well as plenty of output for all but the most enthusiastic bassheads. For more information on this system and all the other Kicker gear, visit them online at www.kicker.com.

Power Handling

500 Watts RMS

Frequency Range

30Hz – 200Hz

Sensitivity (system)

85.4dB/SPL @ 1.0W (1.414V @ 2 ohms)

Nominal Impedance

(2) 4 ohm coils

Home & Mobile Audio Accessories

From

Amp�Kits to�RCAs

Cables�for�your�demands Amp Kits • Distribution Blocks • Power / Speaker Wire • RCA Cable • Sound Deadener Untitled-2 1 PAS_2016_JuneJuly_137_TR_Kicker_L7QB8.indd 2

2016-03-16 10:53 11:23 AM 2016-04-15

For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.

Kicker.com

@Kickeraudio

KICKERaudio

Kicker

Nearfield Frequency Response

IMPEDANCE VS FREQ

System Impedance

APACCESSORIESLINE Another new addition this year is our brand new “AP” accessories line. The line features a great new, sleek and custom-style look and bears the new “Ap” style logo on their smoked clear casings.

EFH-1084AGU AGU Fuse Holder

EDB-1044

Power/Ground Distribution Block

EBT-0488P

Positive Multi-Output Battery Terminal

EBT-0488N

Negative Multi-Output Battery Terminal

ds

11:23 AM

@KICKERaudio

SPL VS FREQ

EFB-2408ANL

2 Position ANL Fused Distribution Block

EFB-3408ANL

3 Position ANL Fused Distribution Block

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EFH-1040ANL

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EFH-1414

Positive AFC Fuse Holder

1-877-AUDIOPIPE • WWW.AUDIOPIPE.COM

2016-04-15 10:56 AM

COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Hutto, TX ENGINE: Subaru EJ257 2.5L H-4 HORSEPOWER: 300 hp (estimated) CLUB: Bone Out Racing Group SOCIAL MEDIA @daku_saido @MandoMajic

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE ∂ Perrin cold air intake ∂ Forge Motorsports blow-off valve ∂ Cobb Tuning Accessport ∂ PTP Lava T25/T28 turbo blanket EXHAUST ∂ Invidia (N1 dual cat-back exhaust system, cat-less down-pipe)

ARMANDO VILLARREAL 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI

BY ADAM STEINBERG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANNY BATISTA

@dannybatista

MARCH 19, 2016 // DALLAS, TX

#TBGLIVE

WINNER HOT IMPORT NIGHTS @hotimportnights

A

72 %

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

rmando Villarreal had already built his fair share of cars before wining the #TBGLIVE competition at HIN Dallas.

Among the extensive list, some highlights would have to be his Eclipse with air suspension and “several audio setups,” a motor-swapped Del Sol, a stanced 350Z, and a “Hawkeye” WRX STI. “I typically get bored of my cars once they look the way I want and seek another project,” explains Villarreal. “Hence the reason I’ve gone through a few cars in the last 10 years” The build we’re here for today is his most recent and one of his most successful: the 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STI equipped with the Vollkommen widebody kit.

“It was between this body STI or an Evo X,” he says. “I went with the STI because the exterior was a bit more aggressive than the Evo, the interior was more tolerable, and I missed my ‘07 Hawkeye a bit. Once I saw the Vollkommen kit, I knew it had potential and knew I could use it to create the look I wanted.”

56

PASMAG

There was also something else leading his decision to go widebody, or perhaps we should say someone else: RWB’s Akira Nakai.

“I’ve watched him build widebody Porsches on his own and this was my chance to do the same,” Villarreal says. “It may not be a Porsche, but I can say I did all of the work. It’s something I’m really proud of.”

Villarreal has had quite a bit of success with his previous builds, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune from challenges. The installation of his Vollkommen widebody kit required tons of research, hours of Japanese YouTube videos and picking the brains of several body shop employees. Another challenge was the Tiffany blue wrap, which almost didn’t happen due to low stock.

“The morning I was about to order a different color wrap I received emails from the manufacturer and a vendor,” Villareal recalls. “This color was meant to happen. Everything seemed to fall in place at just the right time.”

Funny enough, his two favorite aspects of the build (the widebody and the wrap) were often the most disputed amongst those around him. That didn’t stray him off course though.

“Many people told me not to wrap an entire car in this color,” he says. “I also had several people tell me not to go widebody, but it didn’t matter what others told me not to do. I built what I wanted.”

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES ∂ Forgestar M14.2 - 18x12 (f/r) ∂ Bridgestone Potenza - 295/35 R18 (f/r) CHASSIS & SUSPENSION ∂ BC Racing coilovers - 16k (f), 14k (r) EXTERIOR ∂ Vollkommen Design widebody kit ∂ Aeroflow Dynamics (splitter, canards, spats, side extensions) ∂ Tiffany blue vehicle wrap ∂ Custom painted headlights INTERIOR ∂ Color-matched interior AUDIO & MULTIMEDIA ∂ Pioneer AVH04800BS head unit ∂ JL Audio (10-inch W6 subwoofer, sealed enclosure, 500-watt mono amplifier)

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COMPETITION

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA CAR CLUB: Team Elevate ENGINE: Mitsubishi 4B11T 1.8L I-4 HORSEPOWER: 437 hp (E85) TORQUE: 400 lb-ft (E85) SOCIAL MEDIA giovannyevogioayala @evogio @evogio_89

ENGINE ∂ ETS 3.5-inch intercooler ∂ Mishimoto radiator hoses ∂ Blitz blow-off valve ∂ AEM cold air intake ∂ AMS fuel rail ∂ DeatschWerks 225 fuel pump ∂ NGK Iridium spark plugs ∂ Optima YellowTop battery

GIOVANNY AYALA

2013 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION X GSR

BY ADAM STEINBERG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL DAVID WHITE

@faithinmyfuture

FEBRUARY 27, 2016 // LAS VEGAS, NV

#TBGLIVE

WINNER 742RACE. WARS @officialracewars

T

86 %

OF THE POPULAR VOTE

hose who made it out to this year’s Hot Import Nights in Las Vegas are likely to say Giovanny Ayala smoked the #TBGLIVE competitors with his 2013 Mitsubishi Evolution X GSR. While there’s no denying that statement to be true, it’d also be a lie to say they couldn’t have foreseen the blow out after reading the Evo’s hit list.

Previously coming home with three 1st Place Best Mitsubishi wins and a single 2nd Place at IFO, Ayala has gained an additional two 1st Place titles at 742 Race Wars and Puente Hills Subaru Show, respectively, as well as Hottest Mitsubishi at HIN San Diego.

It about took three years to turn an ordinary Evo into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. During this time, Ayala made numerous changes to the car, including the installation of a Varis widebody and Voltex spoiler, as well as additional modifications with the help of Mishimoto, SPEC-D Tuning, Tomei, NGK, Blitz, Action Clutch and Password JDM.

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“When it comes to body work, no one lays hands on my car but Western Auto Crafters,” explains Ayala. “When it comes to installs, no one touches my car but 5150 Racing and my dad, Carlos Ayala.”

Now the owner of Elite Throttle, working closely with installs and modifications on a day-to-day basis, Ayala recalls first getting his hands dirty, alongside his father. It was a 2007 Honda Civic Si, custom-painted AMG galaxy silver by – you guessed it – Western Auto Crafters.

“The motor was built by my father and myself,” Ayala recalls. “The car was equipped with a K24A2 bottom and a K20Z3 head that was port and polished with Buddy Club valvetrain.”

It was around this time when Ayala would be hit with the diagnoses of a lifetime: stage four Burkitt's lymphoma cancer. Yet, in the true spirit of a champion, Ayala not only came out victorious in the long run, but later decided to channel his energy into a new personal project.

“I built this car to my liking and to what I envisioned it to be,” Ayala proudly states. “My biggest obstacle was beating stage 4 cancer, so after beating that, I learned to never give up.”

Of course, there are those who Ayala says he couldn’t have done it without, and wants to give a special thanks to: Team Elevate, Andrew Juarez, Brian Canales, Marko Diminski, Western Auto Crafter, Luigi Arroyo, Nick Hogan, Jimmy Gomez and Team Nvus Worldwide, as well as Mauricio and Oscar Roque.

EXHAUST ∂ SPEC-D Tuning exhaust system ∂ Tomei 4-inch down-pipe ∂ AMS test-pipe DRIVETRAIN ∂ Action Clutch (Stage 3 clutch, ultra light flywheel) WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Volk Racing ZE40 wheels - 18x11 +15 (f/r) ∂ Toyo Proxes R888 tires - 295/30 R18 (f/r) ∂ Brembo brake calipers - 4-piston (f), 2-piston (r) ∂ Drilled & slotted rotors – 13.5-inch (f), 13-inch (r) ∂ StopTech steel braided lines ∂ AMSOIL fluid ∂ Bendix ceramic brake pads CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∂ Eibach Pro-Kit sway bars ∂ Password JDM front strut bar EXTERIOR ∂ Lamborghini Rosso Mars red paint ∂ Varis Type-B widebody (bumper, grille, fenders, carbon fiber lip) ∂ Voltex Type-5 spoiler ∂ Custom headlights (OEM projector halo, “demon eye” retrofit) INTERIOR ∂ Veloz Racing shift knob ∂ NRG (steering wheel, quick release, steering wheel hub) ∂ ProSport Evo gauges MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∂ Sony AX770 head unit ∂ Hifonics amplifier ∂ Infinity Kappa component set SPONSORS ∂ Western Auto Crafters, Limitless Garage, R1 Concepts, 5150 Racing, Action Clutch, Toyo Tires, 742 Marketing, Mishimoto, JDM Mafia Motorsports, Manji Garage, AMSOIL and AWDsome Lifestyles

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DaiJirO YOshihara

2011 FOrMula D ChaMpiON

sTReeT TUNeR

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sTReeT eliTE

sTReeT SUPReME

ThE SupreMaCy liNE By MClEOD now gives sport compact and European car owners legendary quality at a very affordable price. Available in different performance levels to suite different driver needs.

McLeod world-class quality backed by the best service in the industry equates to the best clutch choice for sport compact and European car owners.

@mcleod_racing

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McLeodRacingClutches

mcleodracing.com

2016-02-18 4:06 PM

I

ncreasing air induction has long been a go-to for more power since the first supercharger was paired to the first two-stroke engine way back in 1878. Simply put, the more air you can rapidly jam into your combustion engine, the more power output you can make.

More technically, adding even higher pressure to your engine’s compression process with the use of a turbocharger or supercharger creates what is known colloquially among forced induction enthusiasts as “boost” – a seemingly magical force capable of producing up to 50% more power out of any engine, as well as producing ear-to-ear grins on the faces of those fortunate enough to be along for the ride.

BOOST

The two systems share the forced induction principle, but go about accomplishing their goals in very different ways. Turbochargers get their blades spinning with the help of exiting exhaust gasses passing through a turbine, which then propels the turbocharger’s compressor to astonishing RPM, rapidly drawing air into the engine’s combustion chamber.

Unlike superchargers, it does take a little bit of spooling before a turbocharger “SIMPLY PUT, THE kicks into action.

A supercharger, MORE AIR YOU CAN on the other hand, RAPIDLY JAM INTO YOUR draws its power COMBUSTION ENGINE, directly from the engine’s crankTHE MORE POWER YOU shaft. A belt or CAN MAKE.” chain connected directly to the engine from the supercharger’s pulley is the source of power for a supercharger system, which then spins at a higher RPM than

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the engine itself, compressing air above atmospheric pressure before sending it through an intercooler and into the engine for added boost.

One should note that three primary types of superchargers are commonly used to squeeze that extra bit of performance out of an engine: Twin-screw, centrifugal, and roots superchargers. Roots superchargers, the ones famous for sticking out of the hood of hot rods and muscle cars, are the least efficient of the three, being the heaviest and least consistent. The

&

twin-screw system, known for its signature supercharger “whine” sound, uses meshing lobes as rotors for compressing air into pockets that steadily decrease in size thanks to their conical taper.

The centrifugal design most resembles a turbocharger, using the crankshaft and pulley system to power an impeller at high speeds to draw air into a small compressor housing and out to a diffuser, which converts high-speed, lowpressure air into low-speed, high pressure air, before meeting fuel in the combustion process.

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&

SWAP A

person swaps an engine for one of two reasons: to replace an older one that doesn’t work anymore, or to make significant gains over the stock powerplant. An engine swap is also a new beginning to your car-building journey. Think of it as a clean slate for your engine bay.

When you think of engine swaps, your mind probably drifts off to a place of beastly 2JZs, fire-spitting SR20DETs, trusty GM LS crate motors and growling 5.0-liter Coyotes. The reality is that the more common swaps

are actually of the four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated variety.

Honda enthusiasts have been doing the swap from SOHC to DOHC ever since VTEC kicked in, yo! With the growing popularity of aftermarket support for a wide variety of engine swaps, the possibilities are endless.

As with any major modification, being able to support them has to be at the front of your mind. If you’re putting a powerplant into your car that doubles your original engine’s output, are the brakes enough to stop all the extra power?

“AN ENGINE SWAP IS ALSO A NEW BEGINNING TO YOUR CAR-BUILDING JOURNEY. THINK OF IT AS A CLEAN SLATE FOR YOUR ENGINE BAY.”

Also, how heavy is that new block of metal? Your suspension better be up to the task, otherwise your ride is going to be bowing down, but not out of respect.

Swapping in a new engine is a bit of a daunting task if you don’t know what you’re doing.

There are some DIY guys out there that may be all gung-ho about fabricating their own mounts and harnesses, but what about the average enthusiast looking to have an engine under the hood that’s as unique as their vehicle? That’s where the alwaysamazing aftermarket comes in.

With the surge in engine swaps, there’s a kit out there for almost any chassis and engine combination available. You want to be like your drift heroes and toss an LSseries V8 in your 240SX? There are companies that specialize in making mounts and headers to make sure the whole thing fits right.

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GUIDE

AVO TURBOWORLD

380 Ball Bearing Turbocharger for 08-13 WRX $ 1 , 8 1 8 | AVOTu r b owo r l d . c o m

AAM COMPETITION

Infiniti G37 Twin Turbocharger System $10,499 | AAMCompetition.com The AAM Competition Infiniti G37 Twin Turbocharger System is the new standard for what you should expect for a G37 Twin Turbocharger Kit. A powerful, OEM style fitment turbocharger system that utilizes 2 BorgWarner EFR 6758 turbochargers and 3” downpipes in a show quality finish.

BORG WARNER

CHASE BAYS

From $2,022.26 | Tre a d sto n e P e rfo r m a n c e . c o m

From $999.99 | ChaseBays.com

7064 EFR Turbo

Toyota 2JZ Engine Swap Harness

Borg Warner 7064 EFR Turbo is an excellent turbocharger for drift, road racing and street applications. The 7064 delivers incredibly fast spool and response on stock and heavily modified engines. The 70mm OD compressor has a 52.2mm inducer and at 56lb/min max flow. There is potential for 560hp. Capable of 45+ psi.

United States-made Chase Bays Engine Wiring Harnesses are not mass-produced. Each harness is hand-made one at a time, specified by the customer. You can have a harness made ready for just about any popular 2JZ swap, from Nissan S13 to the Infiniti G35. Full swap list available on the Chase Bays website.

CHASE BAYS

CHEVROLET

From $849.99 | ChaseBays.com

F r o m $ 7, 7 6 0 | C h e v r o l e t . c o m

There is an endless amount of swappable engine components between the 20+ GM LS engines, which means an increasing amount of frankenstein LS builds. This of course means a mix and match of electrical components. To solve this, Chase Bays gives the option to pick each individual sensor variant for your GM LS | Vortec V8 Engine and cater the engine harness to your setup.

One of the most popular and versatile engine swaps in the world, Chevrolet’s very own LS. The LS3 crate engine comes complete, from the Corvette-specific oil pan to the ignition system. It also includes the EFI intake manifold assembly with injectors and throttle body, exhaust manifolds, water pump, balancer, 58X reluctor wheel, and 14-inch automatic-transmission flexplate.

DOC RACE

EDELBROCK

From $5,995 | DOCRace.com

From $4,649.86 | MAPerformance.com

Choose from your choice of turbo, from a 6266 up to a 6870 with horsepower ratings from 800hp up to 1100hp. Includes a T4 twin scroll manifold. Boost is regulated by a pair of Tial MVS wastegates which are mounted down low and out of the way of heat. The downpipe is made of 3" stainless tubing.

The E-Force supercharger kits are designed exclusively for the FA20/4U-GSE engine. The unique inverted design features long runners that allow for maximum flow at high rpm, while retaining great daily driving characteristics. Utilizes Eaton® 1320 TVS rotor assemblies for maximum efficiency in a compact package.

Engine Harness – GM LS

BMW 335i N54 Top Mount Single Turbo Kit

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The AVO 380S ball-bearing turbo has been optimized specifically to work with 2.0-liter EJ20 and 2.5-liter EJ25 motors. Part of the Edge Series family, this S-Type is our dual duty race and street turbo, designed for a blend of high response and devastating power. The absolute best bang for your buck thanks to an enormous research and development program.

PASMAG

LS3 6.2L V8

E-Force Stage 1 Supercharger Kit (Without Tuner Kit)

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GTX4594R Turbocharger Tu r b o B y G a r rett. c o m Garrett’s GTX4594R features a forged, fully-machined compressor wheel with next generation aerodynamics and a dual ceramic ball bearing. The turbo is oil and water cooled, has a non-wastegated turbine housing (turbine housing with T4 or diesel turbine flange optional), the turbine wheel is cast from "inconel" material for extreme conditions and the ported shroud compressor housing increases surge resistance. Turbine housing not included.

GREDDY

T518Z Tuner Turbo Kit for 2013+ FR-S and BRZ G R e d d y. c o m A GReddy dyno test showed a 93.5 whp and 68.7 lb-ft increase at 7 PSI on a stock 2013 FR-S with factory injectors, fuel pump and a GReddy-tuned EcuTek ECU, GReddy Evo3 70mm exhaust (not included).

Includes a top-mounted 10 cm2 actuator turbo, equal-length 4-1 SUSheader exhaust manifold, SUS downpipe and cat delete, free-flow Airinx AY-SB intake, short-routing intercooler piping, Type-40E front-mounted intercooler and necessary accessories and hardware.

GUIDE

GREDDY

TD06SH-20G Tuner TwinTurbo Kit for Nissan 370Z $ 9 , 5 2 0 | G R e d d y. c o m Easily add an extra +175HP to a 370Z with the GReddy Intercooled-Twin Turbo TD06SH-20G Tuner Turbo Kit. Tuner Turbo Kits come standard with high quality components: twin TD06SH-20G turbocharger, heavy duty cast turbo manifolds, Type T external wastegates, Airinx intake system, x-large Type-29 R-Spec intercooler, smooth flowing aluminum piping, and a large capacity cast aluminum oil pan.

ISR (FORMERLY ISIS) PERFORMANCE

EVO 8/9 Bolt-on Turbo Upgrade for Genesis Coupe 2.0T $1,200 | ISRPerformance.com ISR (Formerly ISIS) performance EVO 8/9 bolton turbo kit is designed to use the factory Mitsubishi Evolution 8/9 turbo, or a bolt-on upgraded turbo for the Evo 8/9 capable of 400hp-500hp+ with supporting mods, as a direct bolton for the Genesis Coupe 2.0T.

ISR (FORMERLY ISIS) PERFORMANCE

LS Swap Mounts for Nissan 240sx S13/S14 $350 | ISRPerformance.com ISR Performance S13/14 LS mounts are designed as a complete universal S13/14 mount kit, no need to buy both conversion and motor mounts to fit your LS swap in your S chassis.

Just mount the base to your block and bracket to your sub frame, line it up and drop it in.

2012-2015 Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ Supercharger Kit From $4,795 | Store.KraftwerksUSA.com At the heart of the new Kraftwerks FRS/BRZ system is the Rotrex C30-94, which is the same supercharger used in the extremely successful Kraftwerks 2006-2015 Honda Civic Si system. At 9psi of boost pressure, the supercharger system produced an impressive +90whp on 91-octane through the OEM headers and exhaust.

MISHIMOTO

PRECISION TURBO

$415 | Mishimoto.com

Fro m $ 3 , 6 9 9 . 9 9 | P re c i s i o n Tu r b o . n et

This is some quick, easy HP for your 2014+ Focus ST, with an hour installation. Plus, it looks a heck of a lot better than the factory piping!

Up to 7whp/8wtq gains in no time.

Backed by Mishimoto’s lifetime warranty.

Featuring an all new 76mm inducer GEN2 CEA® (Competition Engineered Aerodynamics) CNC-machined, 2618-forged aluminum compressor and new 85mm exducer CEA® turbine wheel, this turbo offers unparalleled performance, great efficiency at higher pressure ratios, and massive power gains over older designs. Rated for 1,350 horsepower.

2014+ Ford Focus ST Intercooler Pipe Kit

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Gen 2 PT7685 CEA Turbocharger

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GUIDE

RYWIRE

Mil-Spec Tucked K-Series Harness Ver. 1 From $899.99 | Rywire.com

ROUSH PERFORMANCE

2015-2016 Ford Mustang Supercharger – Phase 1 From $6,895 | RoushPerformance.com

This K-Series engine harness offers Mil-Spec Teflon coated wire, using standard factory wire colors with a maximum heat rating of 200°C. Customizable by the customer to be ready for a K-series swap with almost any pre-2002 Honda platform, from Civic to CRX to Accord, as well as the Integra and RSX platforms.

ROUSH and Ford Racing have teamed up to develop this industry-leading calibrated supercharger system. Boosting performance to a staggering 670 Horsepower/545 ft-lbs. of torque for the all-new 2015-2016 Ford Mustang 5.0L V8, the ROUSH and Ford Racing 2.3L Phase 1 Calibrated Supercharger Kit is part of the TVS (Twin Vortices Series)

RYWIRE

Mil-Spec Custom Engine Harness

SIKKY MANUFACTURING

BMW E36 LSx Swap Headers

Rywire.com

$ 8 9 9 . 9 9 | S i k ky. c o m

Ryan and Rywire is an automotive electrical mastermind, and he’s lending his services to customers looking to swap engines in their rides. Ryan is willing to make custom harnesses for almost any swap application. The Rywire team has worked with Motec, Haltech, Syvecs, and AEM electronics – a testament to their craftsmanship.

Sikky BMW LSx swap headers are stainless steel and allow perfect drop-in fitment in the BMW E36 with a Sikky LSX Swap Kit using a T-56 Transmission. These headers have 1 ¾” primaries, a 3” collector and come with gaskets, bolts, and V-bands pre-installed. These headers are the perfect addition to your Sikky swap.

SIKKY MANUFACTURING

TIAL SPORT V60 Wastegate

BMW E36 LSx Swap Kit

TiALSport.com

$ 1 , 9 9 9 | S i k ky. c o m

The largest unit in the TiAL lineup.

This massive 60mm wastegate will control boost with dead on accuracy in the most demanding situations.

The V60 is a favorite in the drag racing and road racing industries, from the burnout box to the finishing line at Circuit de la Sarthe.

The Sikky LSX swap kits are designed for use with the LS series of motors (LS1-LS9) and the T-56 transmission.

Our kit requires no modifications to the factory cross member or subframe and does not hang below the crossmember when installed.

When using the Sikky kit it’s a direct drop in solution.

TOMIOKA RACING

Subaru BRZ/Scion FRS/Toyota 86 TD05-20G Billet Wheel Turbo Kit $ 3 , 0 0 0 | To m i o ka R a c i n g . c o m

TOMIOKA RACING Ford Focus ST Turbo Kit $ 2 ,1 5 0 | To m i o ka R a c i n g . c o m This turbo kit features a fast and easy bolt on v-band and utilizes genuine Garret ball bearing technology with turbo size equivalent to a GTX28. The turbo comes standard with billet compressor wheel and wastegate actuator. This turbo kit can power your 2013+ ST to 400WHP.

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Tomioka Racing turbocharger kit is all-in-one solution to increase power for Subaru BRZ, Scion FRS and Toyota 86. The kit comes with TD0520G billet wheel turbocharger and billet waste-gate actuator. During dyno tuning, the kit shows over 65% improvement in peak power and substantial power and torque gain in all RPM range.

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GUIDE

TURBONETICS

Turbo Billet-75 / F1-75 0.96 A/R T4 Turbine HSG Camaro Stage 2 Fro m $ 1 , 9 73 .4 0 | Tu r b o n et i c s . c o m This turbocharger features an HPC 75mm compressor. Designated the T-Series, this turbo family incorporates the latest “state-of-theart” turbocharger aerodynamics and the toughest durability available. The F1-75 turbine wheel utilized in this unit is housed in a T4 turbine housing. Features a 10-blade design and a water cooled 16mm housing.

TURBOSMART

Kompact Shortie Dual Port – EVR05 $ 2 8 3 .4 9 | Tu r b o s m a rt D i re ct. c o m

IWG75 Twin Port for Nissan GTR R35 – 7 PSI $ 5 7 7. 4 9 | T u r b o s m a r t D i r e c t . c o m The new Twin Port IWG-75 Internal Wastegate Actuators are the latest addition to Turbosmart’s range of performance parts for the R35. The kit includes two Twin Port IWGs for the R35’s two turbos, as well as a custom designed bracket and rod, meaning all the benefits of superior boost control are available without any custom fabrication or special tools.

TWEAKD PERFORMANCE

2JZGTE into 240SX Plug & Play Harness

These valves are a high performance replacement for the standard diverter valve fitted to the current VAG 2.0 TSI engines. The Dual Port offers a 50/50 split between recirculating and ventto-atmosphere, for quiet operation at low boost, and the high performance sound associated with vent-toatmosphere BOVs at higher boost.

$899 | EnjukuRacing.com

VORTECH

VORTECH

From $5222.99 | VortechSuperchargers.com

From $6010.99 | VortechSuperchargers.com

Complete, fully calibrated supercharging system for the 2015 5.0L Mustang GT, featuring the V-3 Si centrifugal supercharger with air-to-air charge cooler. The complete system will boost your stock 2015 GT to 630 HP and 483 lb/ft torque with 7.5-8.5 PSI from the V-3 supercharger at the factory redline.

Complete Vortech supercharger system includes a calibration upgrade and all necessary fuel components to boost your FR-S/BRZ to 294HP and 210 lb-ft torque with 9PSI at the factory redline. Includes a replacement MAP sensor and Ecutek programmer to re-flash the ECU with a safe, custom Vortech calibration for 91-octane fuel.

WAGNER TUNING

XCESSIVE MANUFACTURING

2015-2016 5.0L Mustang Supercharger System

MK7R Intercooler Upgrade Wa g n e r-Tu n i n g . c o m Pressure drop numbers over stock and the amount of cool air provided by the MK7R kit from Wagner Tuning is outstanding. The fit and finish of the unit, along with the quality of its craftsmanship, make it perfect for the new Golf R. Come check out all the latest in Wagner intercoolers at the Drive Auto Works booth at WF21 along with the new Golf R.

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These wiring harnesses are built using new wire, new OEM terminals, and new OEM connector housings. Designed for use with the JDM ECU (High impedance injectors, MAP and IAT sensor, no MAF wiring). The only used connectors on the harness are the plugs that connect to the body harness, taken from original core harnesses.

2013-2016 Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ Supercharger Kit

S14 to JZ Motor Mount Brackets $98.50 | XcessiveManufacturing.com

Steel motor mount brackets for 1J and 2J swaps are designed to put that Toyota motor in to your S14 with as little hassle as possible, and work with both standard JZ blocks and VVTi. CNC cut from 1/4" steel plate, formed, gusseted and plated, these engine brackets will handle all the punishment you can throw at them.

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ROTARY fRANKeNsTeiN D R. SOH N’S FI NE ST C REAT ION YET STORY BY MICKY SLINGER & PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHIL SOHN CHOI

SOMEWHERE IN THE HILLS

OF ALABAMA THERE’S A GARAGE WHERE RX-7S GO TO BE REBORN. INSIDE, A CACKLING MANIAC PIECES TOGETHER WANKEL ENGINES AND REPLACES PARTS ON THE CHASSIS WITH UPGRADED AND INSANELY RARE JDM ALTERNATIVES. HE EATS DORITOS FOR BREAKFAST AND HIS TRIGGER WORD IS “SEAL.” OKAY, OKAY; I DON’T KNOW IF ALL THAT IS TRUE, BUT HOW ELSE WOULD YOU DESCRIBE SOMEONE LIKE PHIL SOHN, WHO IS SO SYNONYMOUS WITH THE FD RX-7 IN ITS ROTARY-POWERED FORM? IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THE GUY FRANKENSTEINS A NEW KILLER FD EVERY YEAR!

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ROTARY fRANKeNsTeiN

i

n reality, Sohn is just another enthusiast that was bit by the Wankel bug at the beginning DR . S O HN ’ S F I N E ST C R E AT I O N of his car phase. As he graduated OF THE THReE fDS, ONE iS eNGAGeD iN A college, the RX-7 was just being introduced to the North American 12-YeAR 20B PROJEct, WHilE THE OTHeR iS market in its third iteration. The AWAiTiNG SOME MAZDASPeeD UPGRADeS FD joined the ranks of other future Japanese classics from that era, like the NSX, Supra and 300ZX. Sohn had his sights set on all of the above once he had paid his student loans off.

“It was between the FD or an NSX,” he recalls. “I was actually close to buying an NSX, but that fell through. Then I kind of ran into my FD, which was being sold by a woman in Nashville, Tennessee.

It had been sitting for three years because she had had two kids back to back and her husband didn’t Since then, Sohn’s garage has know how to drive a stick. That’s expanded to include three FDs, how I got my first FD!” a three-rotor Eunos Cosmo and With one rotary under his belt, an RX-3. Of the three FDs, one is his fascination would soon turn to engaged in a 12-year 20B project, infatuation as he had more experiwhile the other is awaiting some ence with tuned RX-7s. Sohn actuMazdaspeed upgrades. The last ally credits his love for the FD RX-7 one is the one you see here, which with a white ’94 model that was was acquired from a fellow rotary tuned up to 320 horsepower, which enthusiast who gave strict instruche was able to ride along in. tions not to flip it, and make it 72

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YE T

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D R. SOHN’ S FI N EST CREATION YET

something special. Sohn followed through on that like a pro’s golf swing.

“Almost every single part on that car has been swapped,” laughs Sohn.

“I really can’t think of anything other than the body, dash and engine wiring harness that is original.

Literally everything else, even the subframe, has been replaced.”

Under all the hoods of Sohn’s rotary-equipped cars, each engine has only been touched by two people: Sohn’s and his engine builder, Luis Canizales. Sohn is very particular about who he lets touch his cars, especially when it comes to the Wankel powerplant, so back when he was looking for a suitable engine builder, he would bring an iron from a torn down engine with him to see if the builder could figure out what was wrong. Canizales was the only one to identify that the coolant seal was missing. The fact that he has over 30 years of experience didn’t hurt either.

“With this engine, I wanted to put my hands on it, so I went to Luis’ shop and he helped me spec it, I did the clearance on it and then he helped me

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assemble it,” Sohn says.

“Actually, for my second date with my wife, I took her to my engine builder.”

The 13B utilizes rotor housings from a late-model Japanese FD and the intake manifold from a tworotor Eunos Cosmo. The Cosmo’s two-rotor intake is actually fairly common among RX-7 enthusiasts chasing higher horsepower numbers because the intake runners are about 25-percent larger on the secondary. Sohn’s iron’s intake ports are matched to the Cosmo’s two-rotor, and there was even an adapter custom designed to fit the pieces together without modifying the throttle body or relocating the oil filler neck.

To take advantage of all the new air opportunities available, the FD is running a single Garrett EFR 8374 turbocharger in conjunction with a Turblown cast stainless steel manifold kit. The resulting power is put to the ground through use of an Exedy twin-disk clutch.

As Sohn likes to get his cars on the track as often as possible, that magical Dorito power is almost put to waste if it doesn’t hit the track right. The RX-7

“ActUAllY, FOR MY SECOND DATE WiTH MY WifE, i TOOK HeR TO MY eNGiNE BUilDeR.”

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eSSeNTiAlS 1993 Mazda RX-7 FD3S

SPECIAL EDITION 2016

OWNER: Phil Sohn LOCATION: Birmingham, AL BUILT BY: LCR ENGINE: Mazda 13B-REW 1.3L rotary engine

eNGiNE MODifiCATiONS ∂ Borg Warner EFR 8374 ∂ Turblown (cast SS manifold kit, EWP kit) ∂ Mazda 13B-REW (dynamically balanced rotating assemblies, intake port matched to 13B-RE, 13B-RE polished lower & upper intake manifold) ∂ Custom (13B-RE to 13B-REW throttle body adaptor, carbon fiber cooling panel, grounding kit) ∂ Adaptronic modular ECU ∂ Turbosmart (Kompact shorty valve, IWG75 Borg Warner TP B2 Single/Twin Scroll) ∂ Davies Craig (water pump, EWP 150 w/ digital controller) ∂ Chase Bays (coolant overflow tank, ABS delete kit) ∂ Samco (intercooler couplers, coolant kit) Injector Dynamics 1300cc fuel injectors Full Function Engineering (adjustable motor mounts, fuel rail kit, oil filter pedestal, trigger wheel kit, fuel kit) ∂ Defi (oil temperature sensor, oil pressure sensor) ∂ Radium Engineering (competition oil catch can, surge tank, fuel filter kit) ∂ Walbro E85 pump ∂ Koyorad N-Flow radiator ∂ Fast acting air temperature sensor ∂ Apexi GT Spec FMIC ∂ HKS Twin Power ignition system ∂ FEED (oil filler cap, coolant filler cap) ∂ Sakebomb Garage (spark plug wires, Setrab 25-row dual oil cooler kit) ∂ Braille (light battery, vertical mounting kit) ∂ Unorthodox Engineering alternator pulley ∂ Cut aluminum main pulley

ROTARY fRANKeNsTeiN

D R. SO HN’ S FI N EST CREATION YET

squats on Tein Flex Z with EDFC Active Pro, which automatically adjusts damping rates on the fly. At approximately 20 pounds per side, the Gram Lights 57FXX wheels in 18x9.5 and 18x10 sizing are not only a stylish choice, but a functional one as well, especially when paired up with the Toyo T1Sport rubber on all four corners.

Now, anyone who follows what Sohn does knows that this FD has had quite a few faces, and that each time it is reimagined, it comes out wearing a new array or rare JDM parts. How is that possible? Well, it only makes sense that the guy who owns five rotary cars would be a fanatical collector of amazing parts.

“I’ve been collecting for the past 10 years,” Sohn explains. “I have like 10 hoods in my basement, as well as almost every diffuser that’s ever been made for the FD, which is why it’s easy for me to switch up the look so frequently.”

He also has one of the largest Mazdaspeed collections in the US for the FD. Just saying.

This iteration of the FD is highlighted by the Knightsport Type 7 bumper, which he is the first in the U.S. to run, as well as FEED wide fenders and side skirts, which are accented by R-Magic and Mazdaspeed touches. It’s enough to get any rotary fanatic foaming at the mouth.

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eXHAUsT ∂ Jester's Toybox Rein Hard dual titanium catback exhaust system ∂ FEED stainless steel resonated mid-pipe DRiVeTRAiN ∂ Exedy twin-disc clutch ∂ Transmission brace CHASSiS / SUSPeNSiON ∂ Tein Flex Z coilovers w/ EDFC Active Pro ∂ PowerFlex Black Series bushings ∂ M2 launch kit ∂ R-Magic fender braces ∂ Racing Beat (sway bar brace, rear sway bar, sway bushings) ∂ Tri-Point Engineering front sway bar ∂ Mazdaspeed strut tower brace ∂ Nagisa Auto Shakitto strut tower plate ∂ Raceshop roll bar

“i HAVE liKE 10 HOODS iN MY BASeMeNT, AS WelL AS AlMOsT eVeRY DiffUSeR THAT’S eVeR BeeN MADE FOR THE fD..."

Inside, his office is furnished with two Bride Vios III Type R Japan Edition carbon-backed seats, a Grip Royal Teggi wheel with a Dexter-esque blood spatter paintjob, and oodles of EVO-R carbon fiber to make up the dash and clusters. Mounted on the front of the carbon fiber cluster panel is an iPad Mini that’s running Defi’s Link Advance controller unit, which makes it possible to view all your gauges on the iPad it’s connected to, and can even

activate a GoPro to function as a track cam!

The RX-7 has just started debuting its new look at shows and on the track, so keep an eye out for that. Otherwise, stay tuned for a 20B FD that should be running (fingers crossed) by the fall and a special FD dressed in all Mazdaspeed for the fanboys sometime after that. Any way you slice it, we’re all waiting to see what Sohn has brapping out of his workshop next.

WHeelS / TiReS / BRAKeS ∂ Rays Engineering Gram Light 57FXX wheels - 18x9.5 +25 (f), 18x10 +20 (r) ∂ Toyo Proxes T1-Sport tires - 255/35 R18 (f), 265/35 R18 (r) ∂ Sakebomb Garage AP Racing Big Brake Kit ∂ Ferodo DS2500 brake pads ∂ Chase Bays (ABS delete kit, braided brake lines) eXteRiOR ∂ Dip Your Car custom blended Platidip ∂ Knightsport Type 7 bumper ∂ JDM vented hood ∂ EVO-R (LED taillights, diffuser LED light, carbon fiber fender mirrors) ∂ CR3 Motorsports washers ∂ FEED (carbon fiber side skirts, wide fenders (f/r), front tow hook, door handles, carbon fiber gas door) ∂ R-Magic HID headlights ∂ Herb Motorsport custom (front bumper signal lights, carbon fiber ducktail spoiler) ∂ Rotary Extreme Hood Dampers ∂ Adam Griffith rear tow hook ∂ Efini badges ∂ Sanai carbon fiber rear diffuser ∂ Back Off third brake light flasher iNTeRiOR ∂ Tein EDFC controller ∂ EVO-R carbon fiber (gauge cluster panel modified for iPad Mini, blank shifter panel) ∂ Defi (Link Advance controller unit, Smart Adapter, Link Meter Advance BF gauges) ∂ Davies Craig digital EWP controller display ∂ Grip Royal (Royal Teggi steering wheel, titanium bolts, metal crest horn button) ∂ Bride Vios III Type R Japan Edition carbon fiber racing seats ∂ Takata (Race 6 Hans harness, Race 4 harness) ∂ FEED (shift knob, carbon fiber door step, carbon fiber trunk addon) ∂ Works Bell (short hub, quick disconnect, hub lock) ∂ Herb Motorsports carbon fiber privacy hatch cover ∂ RZ floormats ∂ Carbon fiber interior panels ∂ LED interior lights ∂ Custom 60-mm center speaker gauge pod SPONSORS ∂ Toyo Tires, Exedy Clutch, Defi, Tein, DYC, Turblown, EVO-R, LCR SPECiAL THANKS ∂ My wife for dealing with my crazy hobby, Dan Popkin for the camera and lenses, Michael Osburn, Leo Huang, Billy Merk

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STORY BY ADAM GORDON & PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN CHOI

FROM T HE SHOWROOM FLOOR TO THE TR AC K

fUlL POTeNTiAL

“i NeVeR ReAllY PAiD AtteNTiON TO THE NeW GeNeRATiON UNTiL i SAW ONE iN PeRSON. MY SiGHtS CHANGeD AND i KNeW i HAD TO GeT THE eVO X.”

BRAND LOYALTY

IS SOMETHING THAT MARK AQUINO BOTH PREACHES AND UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF. IT ALL STARTED - AS IT DOES FOR MANY ENTHUSIASTS WITH HIS FIRST CAR. A 1989 LANCER WOULD COME TO BE THE BEGINNING OF AN ENLIGHTENING JOURNEY THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE CULTURE FOR A YOUNGER MARK. AS HIS INTEREST IN CARS GREW, HE QUICKLY LEARNED ABOUT MITSUBISHI’S FAMED “EVOLUTION” AND ITS HISTORY RICH WITH RACING PROWESS. EVERY ENTHUSIAST REMEMBERS THAT MOMENT WHEN THEY SET THEIR SIGHTS ON THEIR FIRST DREAM CAR. FOR MARK, IT WAS THE EVO X.

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A

fter completing college in the Philippines and moving to the United States, Mark acquired his second car, but it wasn’t time for his dream car just yet.

“I had to settle for a fourth gen Eclipse to get me around until I could secure a better career”, he says. “Eight months later, after landing a decent paying job, I received a call from my local dealership saying that they were interested in my Eclipse.”

Making the trip to that dealership would be a decision that changed Mark’s life.

“As soon as I got there, a certain blue, wingless Evo X caught my eye,” he recalls.

“I never really paid attention to the new generation until I saw one in person. My sights changed and I knew I had to get the Evo X. There was just something about the new body style that gave it that modern and aggressive look.”

Unfortunately, the blue Evo X that caught Mark’s attention in a heartbeat was already spoken for, but the dealership notified him that another one was in stock at a dealership two hours away, and

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that he could drive it off the lot as early as New Year’s Eve. Like any enthusiast with their eye on something, waiting any longer than required just wasn’t an option. First thing on New Year’s Eve morning, Mark made the pilgrimage to see what would become his new car.

Having had minor modification experience with his previous cars after giving them the usual intake, headers and exhaust treatment, it was only a matter of time (and money) before he committed to transforming his new Evo. Having gained some support from shops near to his Maryland residence, Moore Automotive and Zury Fabrications, the transformation began to take shape. “At first,

"A COUPlE OF TRACK SeSSiONS GOT ME ADDicteD. iT’S A DiffeReNT RUSH; A DiffeReNT feeliNG WHeN YOU’RE ONE WiTH THE CAR.”

I wanted to build my car to compete in car shows. After doing that for some time, it got boring quickly.

The Evo wasn’t being used to its full potential,” Mark recalls, likely striking a chord that instantly garners him respect among enthusiasts everywhere who build for function.

“I decided to take it to Summit Point raceway and tested its limits.

A couple of track sessions got me

addicted. It’s a different rush; a different feeling when you’re one with the car.” In a genuine driving epiphany, Mark’s direction with the car had flipped 180 degrees. “At that moment, I’ve realized that I’m actually putting my build to work.

It was built to be driven. It will be driven. This gave the car a new direction and purpose. It wasn’t meant to sit still in a garage.”

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"DON’T leT SOCiAL MeDiA TelL YOU HOW TO BUilD YOUR CAR. BUilD iT FOR YOURSelF AND DON’T BE SHY TO SHOW YOUR CReATiVE SiDE."

SPECIAL EDITION 2016

fUlL POTeNTiAL F R O M T H E S H O W R O O M F LO O R TO THE The car’s setup was tweaked, tuned and overhauled several times before arriving at the custom-tailored final product we see before us. In addition to a combination of ChargeSpeed, Varis and MSport parts making up the body kit, the Evo needed the power and handling enhancements to match the aggressive looks, and with the 4B11T power plant, forced induction is usually the answer.

A custom 3.5-inch intake from Moore Automotive directs optimal air through to a Garrett GTX3076r turbocharger, and bellowing out of a custom straight pipe exhaust

by Zury Fabrications. Custom, rare and functional parts were the name of the game with this build, even down to the suspension, a custom 500 Series setup from Fortune Auto.

A set of super sticky Toyo Proxes T1-Sports wrapped around SSR SP3 wheels keep the car

TR AC K

planted in the corners on the street, while track setup changes over to a wider set of Toyo’s R888s and SSR GTV02 wheels.

A Whiteline sway bar and ARC front strut bar combination is paired to Cusco braces to maintain rigidity, and the OEM Brembo brake pads and rotors grip twopiece slotted Girodisc rotors on all fours to help bring this unit to a quick stop.

One look at the car is all you need to know that this ride is one of a kind, just like its owner. Mark built his Evo not only as a track weapon, but as an extension of his own personal style. Thinking back to the beginning of his build, Mark offers some solid advice for aspiring builders.

“Don’t let social media tell you how to build your car. Build it for yourself and don’t be shy to show your creative side. Make your car personal. Don’t be afraid to push

your car to its limits. Try going to the track sometime. Stay humble and be open-minded - everyone has different tastes.”

Concluding our conversation, Mark extends a handful of thanks to the people who helped him get where he is: A loving shout out to Derrick, Paco, Byron, Sean at APAC, Chris Hoover and Bill at Moore Automotive, Brian at Zury Fabrications, Mark Enriquez, Thomas Million and Tim Varnasup at SOTRENDY, Terry at Fortune Auto, Jeremey Cornitcher, Kevin Choi, Khris Uybengkee, Justin Melton and his CCEVO family.

The story of Mark and his Evo is one that will resonate with enthusiasts far and wide – a true tale of the journey from form to function with humble beginnings and perseverance.

We’re sure that the next chapter in Mark’s adventure will be just as exciting.

eSSeNTiAlS

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution OWNER: Mark Aquino LOCATION: Middle River, Maryland BUILT BY: Moore Automotive, Zury Fabrications, Auto Performance Aesthetics Centre, Brandon Fuggitt Designs, ESH Upholstering, Mastermind North America ENGINE: Mitsubishi 4B11T 2-liter I4 HORSEPOWER: 555 whp TORQUE: 420 lb-ft CLUB AFFILIATION: Xclusiv Alliance

eNGiNE MODifiCATiONS ∂ Garrett GTX3076r turbocharger ∂ Greddy 4” Intercooler ∂ Mishimoto hoses ∂ Tial QRJ BOV ∂ Tial MVR wastegate ∂ Moore Automotive 3.5” intake ∂ Vibrant 5” air filter ∂ Cosworth High Flow Fuel Rail ∂ Tomei Type L fuel pressure regulator ∂ Walbro 450 E85 in-tank, MagnaFuel Protuner 650 external fuel pump ∂ Jun Auto 272/272 camshaft ∂ Injector Dynamics 1300cc injectors ∂ NGK Laser Iridium spark plugs ∂ Okada Projects Plasma Direct and Plasma Booster coils ∂ Dress Up Bolts ∂ HKS DMR ∂ Blitz Throttle Controller ∂ OpenSource Tune ∂ ATL fuel cell ∂ JUN baffled oil pan ∂ Radium fuel pulse damper ∂ Driven Fabrications oil catch can ∂ Tomei titanium upper intercooler pipe ∂ Radium surge tank ∂ Forge Motorsport steering fluid tank ∂ MAP firewall heatshield ∂ Blitz piping stopper ∂ Upgraded metal pulleys ∂ Torque Solutions fuel pump hanger ∂ Tomei valve springs eXHAUsT ∂ Zury Fabrications (custom exhaust, quad tip) ∂ Full Race Prostock exhaust ∂ ATP downpipe with 02 dump ∂ Ultimate Racing resonated test pipe CHASSiS / SUSPeNSiON ∂ Fortune Auto (500 Series coilovers with cup kits up front, springs) ∂ Whiteline (heavy duty sway bar, urethane bushings, endlinks) ∂ ARC front strut bar ∂ Cusco (power brace front, Power Brace Floor Center, Power Brace Floor, Rear Side, Power Brace Rear Member Side and Power Brace Rear Member) WHeelS / TiReS / BRAKeS ∂ Track: SSR GTV02 wheels – 18x10.5+12 (f/r), Toyo Tires Proxes R888 – 295/30/18 (f/r), Raybestos ST-43 brake pads ∂ Street: SSR SP3 wheels – 18x10.5+12 (f/r), Toyo Tires Proxes T1Sport – 275/35R18 (f/r), Project Mu NS400 brake pads iNTeRiOR ∂ Suede/Bride Fabric reupholstery ∂ Coltspeed GT Shifter with ARC shift knob ∂ Personal Pole Position 350 mm steering wheel ∂ Bride Fabric (shift knob, door inserts, armrest) ∂ Defi boost gauge and AEM wideband gauge ∂ Autometer gauge pods ∂ Cusco Bride Vios III seats ∂ Takata Race 6 harness ∂ Weathertech all season mats ∂ Beatrush rear division plate ∂ Custom black suede rear seat delete ∂ Cusco (6-point roll cage, carbon fiber add-on X-bars, harness bar) ∂ Zoom Engineering Kevlar rear view mirror ∂ ARC titanium emblem ∂ YR-Advance carbon fiber paddle shifters ∂ Works Bell (Short hub, Yoshioka Edition quick release system, lock) eXteRiOR ∂ ChargeSpeed (wide body, wide fenders) ∂ MSport front bumper with carbon fiber lip and canards ∂ Varis side skirt ver.2 with carbon fiber air shroud ∂ JUN carbon fiber mirrors ∂ Coltspeed (antenna, carbon fiber door pillars) ∂ Origin Lab GT Wing with Zury Fabrications mounts and iParkHarder titanium stands ∂ SSP aluminium undertray ∂ Showstoppers rear diffuser ∂ Kosky modified headlights ∂ LED taillights ∂ Fuggitt Designs livery MOBilE elEctRONiCS ∂ Sony XNV600bt head unit ∂ Kicker Hideaway (sub amp, sealed subwoofer) ∂ Balupunkt CX170 mid range speakers ∂ Panasonic battery SPONSORS Toyo Tires, Fortune Auto Suspension, SSR Wheels, APAC, Moore Automotive, SoTrendy, KU Connection, Fuggitt Designs, Impulse Automotive, Zury Fabrications, KC Image, AMSOIL

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STORY BY ADAM GORDON & PHOTOGRAPHY BY KC IMAGE

“THAT WILL NEVER WORK.”

WORDS THAT COULD STOP MANY A PROJECT IN THEIR TRACKS. UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU’RE BRENT KHELAWAN, IN WHICH CASE THOSE WORDS SERVE ONLY AS FURTHER MOTIVATION. PERSEVERANCE IS NO FOREIGN CONCEPT TO BRENT. AFTER A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT ALMOST COST HIM MORE THAN A MANGLED BIKE, HE PICKED UP HIS 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500, THE BUILDING OF WHICH, HE SAYS, PLAYED A BIG PART IN HELPING HIM THROUGH HIS RECOVERY.

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THE sTUNNiNG DeSiGN OF THE ClS500 NeeDeD SOME TWeAKS iN ORDeR TO sTeAL THE SHOW.

T

he CLS500 was chosen mainly because of its groundbreaking fourdoor design that shook the world of even the harshest of critics.

Its elegant design drew Brent in, but what really drove it home was the potential he saw for a wild project that had never been done before. For people like Brent, stock is never good enough, so it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before he had plans to change the game.

The stunning design of the CLS500 needed some tweaks in order to steal the show. A rear bumper, side skirts, some fender flares with carbon fiber inserts and a super-sleek carbon fiber lip spoiler from Lorinser paired with a Wald front end gave the car a drastically new look, adding a hint of aggressive sportiness to the sleek German saloon. A liberal dose of carbon fiber was chosen to accent the Alabaster White exterior, with carbon fiber side mirrors and some really cool one-off headlights with a carbon fiber inner bezel prepared by IGT Automotive.

Chasing the idea of having a full blown show car, an interior overhaul would also be necessary.

With some help from Idealistic Design in New Jersey, the

interior was reupholstered with a combination of platinum silver and burgundy Ultrasuede with a double-diamond stitching pattern.

The carbon fiber accented theme continued inside, with custom silver carbon fiber overlays dressing up all wooden interior components.

No show car is complete without a proper audio setup, and proper is the name of the game for this build. An Alpine INE-928HD 8-inch head unit is matched to an impressive full Kicker speaker system, consisting of two 12-inch L7 subwoofers and eight Kicker QS component speakers placed throughout the interior door panels and back window area. To top it all off, a limited edition black Nintendo Wii is paired to an Alpine DVD player, as well as monitors on the headrests and in the trunk.

THE CARBON fiBeR ACCeNTeD THeME CONTiNUeD iNSiDE, WiTH CUsTOM SilVeR CARBON fiBeR OVeRlAYS DReSSiNG UP AlL WOODeN iNTeRiOR COMPONeNtS.

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With the car’s style accounted for, performance was the next step, and Brent had an unconventional engine swap in mind. The M113K engine, courtesy of a 2005 Mercedes-Benz E55, was the powerplant of choice.

When the idea was pitched to several local shops and builders, they dismissed and laughed at the idea. Little did they know, they were only adding fuel to his fire. When asked about his inspirations and influences in the build, Brent casually extends his thanks to the companies who told him that his motor conversion would never work.

Of course, the doubts from others were not without merit, and the engine swap was indeed the most challenging part of the build. But with some help from expert fabricator Rudy Compart of Accelerated Industries, the deed was done. Rudy flew from Illinois to Brent’s garage in Maryland to custom wire a specialty harness for the new (or old, depending on how you look at it) ECU and motor over the course of a weekend, allowing it to function properly with all components, including the Eaton twin screw supercharger. With all components ready and working, the CLS500 is up to a respectable 440 horsepower and 505 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels.

Not bad numbers for a purely show-built car! Brent and his CLS500 continue to take East Coast shows by storm with a fresh combination of performance, aesthetic and electronics modifications on an uncommon platform with an even less common engine swap. Brent tells us he has plans for even more mods through upcoming seasons. We’ll have to wait and see where this bespoke Mercedes-Benz build goes next.

THE M113K eNGiNE, COURTeSY OF A 2005 MeRCeDeS-BeNZ E55, WAS THE POWeRPlANT OF CHOiCE.

eSSeNTiAlS

2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 OWNER: Brent Khelawan LOCATION: Bowie, MD BUILT BY: Eliazir Chavez, Idealistic Design, APAC, Accelerated Industries, IGT Automotive ENGINE: Mercedes-Benz M113K 5.4L HORSEPOWER: 440 whp TORQUE: 505 lb-ft CLUB AFFILIATION: True Precision

eNGiNE MODifiCATiONS ∂ Eaton twin screw polished supercharger ∂ Carbonio carbon fiber intake w/ K&N air filter ∂ Custom wired E55 ECU eXHAUsT ∂ Zury Fabrications (Custom exhaust, downpipe, mounts) ∂ Kleeman headers ∂ Lorinser exhaust tip CHASSiS / SUSPeNSiON ∂ Renntech adjustable module on OEM air ride WHeelS / TiReS / BRAKeS ∂ COR Concord wheels – 20x9 (f), 20x11 (r) ∂ Toyo Proxes 4 Plus – 255/30/20 (f), 295/25/20 ∂ Brembo brakes – 6 piston calipers (f), 4 piston calipers (r) ∂ 15-inch, 2-piece drilled rotors iNTeRiOR ∂ Custom silver carbon fiber dash overlay on interior wood components ∂ Ultrasuede reupholstering ∂ Silver carbon shift knob ∂ Custom hand-made DTM style steering wheel ∂ AMG gauge cluster conversion ∂ Platinum silver w/ burgundy ultrasuede double diamond stitch (seats, door panels, headliner) eXteRiOR ∂ Lorinser/Wald combination body kit Wald (front bumper, Black Bison front bumper LEDs) ∂ Lorinser (rear bumper, fenders w/ carbon fiber inserts, spoiler w/ custom carbon fiber overlay) ∂ Carbon fiber side mirrors ∂ Custom carbon fiber overlaid headlights ∂ Alabaster White paint MOBilE elEctRONiCS ∂ Alpine INE-928HD 8” head unit ∂ 2 Kicker IX1000 sub amps ∂ 2 Kicker IX500.4 midrange amps ∂ 2 Kicker 12-inch ported L7 subwoofers ∂ 8 Kicker QS component speakers ∂ 2 XS Power deep cycle batteries ∂ Ohio Generator modified alternator ∂ Limited Edition Black Nintendo Wii w/ custom red LED CS gateway ∂ Alpine DVD player ∂ Alpine touchscreen rear monitors installed in headrests ∂ 9-inch Eiger Vision trunk monitor ∂ Infinity mirror trunk floor SPONSORS ∂ Kicker Audio, Ultrasuede, Toyo Tires, Directed

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KeEPiNG iT fReSH A N O R IG I NAL I N SO MANY WAYS STORY BY MICKY SLINGER & PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOGAN WARFIELD

STANDING OUT CAN BE A HUGE CHALLENGE,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO A STAGE THE SIZE OF SEMA. AS IF THAT WASN’T PRESSURE ENOUGH, OUR FRIEND NEIL TJIN AND HIS TJIN EDITION BRAND TOOK ON THEIR VERY FIRST HYUNDAI BUILD EVER IN 2015, BEING ASSIGNED A GENESIS COUPE WITH THE 3.8-LITER POWER PLANT. DEFINITELY WANTING TO START THEIR RELATIONSHIP OFF WITH A BANG, BUT BEING GIVEN A CAR THAT’S BEEN DONE ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE SCION (TOYOTA?) FR-S WOULD PROVE TO BE A PAIN WHEN APPROACHING IT FROM A FRESH ANGLE. WELL, FOR MOST PEOPLE.

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M NO WiDeBODY; NO PROBleM. AND SOME HiGH-eND PeRFORMANCE PARtS? YOU’VE OBViOUSlY NOT SeeN A tJiN eDiTiON CAR BeFORE.

r. Tjin has been at this for quite some time for a reason.

“We did research,” explains Tjin.

“We went through every Genesis Coupe since 2010 or 2011 and went completely different compared to all of them.”

So, what exactly did all that painstaking research bring to light? It turns out that the vast majority of Genesis Coupes at Hyundai’s SEMA displays were widebody (go figure), almost every other color except green, and lacked some high-end performance parts. Just so turns out that Tjin has the hookup on some serious parts, no widebody would make his life a little bit easier, and his favorite color is green. Just goes to show that it pays off when you do your homework, kids.

No widebody; no problem. And some high-end performance parts? You’ve obviously not seen a Tjin Edition car before. Rotiform stepped in with their HUR wheel in black and gold, measuring 19 inches around with 9.5-inch width in the front and a whole extra inch in the rear. Falken tires just slightly stretch over the Rotis in 235/35 and 255/30 in the front and rear, respectively. Just under the wheels, on either end, are some golden, six-pot Baer big brakes.

Holding the wheels on and topping the air valve stems are custom Downstar gold “bullet” lug nuts and valve caps, because you really can’t have enough gold.

Initially, the Genesis was planned to have air suspension, but with Hyundai revealing to Tjin that the coupe would be used in a drift demo, those plans soon changed.

The aggressively custom-built wheels and tires to stretch and meant for air fitment were already ready, so it was up to Tjin’s inhouse team to make it all work.

With the help of the KW suspension’s adjustability, they got it to not only work, but to perform. This coupe gets sideways.

Getting the Genesis green seemed easy enough. With a call to Axalta, Tjin nailed down a killer Lamborghini shade of green with a gold pearl infused to really make the car pop underneath show lights. The paint itself wasn’t so straightforward. That specific green color isn’t available in a water-based mixture, so they wouldn’t be able to paint it in California due to the extremely strict emissions laws. So, Tjin did what anyone does in a time of hardship – headed to Vegas! This time for a paintshop, not the slots.

Inside is pretty dapper. The Genesis is an RS trim model, so it

iNiTiAllY, THE GeNeSiS WAS PlANNeD TO HAVE AiR SUSPeNSiON, BUT WiTH HYUNDAi ReVeAliNG TO tJiN THAT THE COUPE WOUlD BE USeD iN A DRifT DeMO, THOSE PlANS SOON CHANGeD. JUNE // JULY 2016

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KeEPiNG iT fReSH AN ORI GI NAL IN SO MANY WAYS comes with some high bolstered racing seats from the factory, but they’d totally look better covered in leather. Tjin’s usual leather partner couldn’t tackle the RS job, so he used a recommendation through Hyundai’s channels, which lead him to Alea Leather. They import their material from Italy, so you know it's good. Paired with the customprinted Colin Tjin (Tjin’s son) inserts and a full roll cage from Unique Fabrication, the interior was completely transformed.

The last, and most important tidbit that his prior investigation yielded was the fact that no one had supercharged a Genesis Coupe equipped with the Lambda 3.8-liter V6 before. As Tjin is the Automotive Marketing Director at Vortech, this was right up his alley, but he soon realized why no one had supercharged a Gen Coupe previously.

It’s a giant pain in the ass.

As usual though, Tjin had a solution (I told you he’s been at this a long time), and called on his friend, the tuning guru himself, Bisi Ezerioha of Bisimoto Engineering.

If you didn’t know, that’s the guy who builds those wild twin turbo

Porsches and that 1,000-horsepower Honda Odyssey. Together, they combined their efforts and came up with a successful system that added some extra kick to the already capable V6.

“I got the blower, the blow-off valve and the intercooler from Vortech and then Bisi made the brackets, the piping and everything else,” explains Tjin. “It’s basically a Bisimoto kit with Vortech hard parts, and it’ll be available that way through Bisimoto.”

You heard it here, Genesis owners! And as usual, from both Vortech and Bisimoto, the kit is tuned to be reliable for daily use. It uses the stock engine after all.

“We tuned it so that it could be beaten on and be a lot of fun,” Tjin says. “I drive the car all the time. I don’t want to build something you can’t drive.”

So, let’s run through our checklist here. Green? Very. Solid performance parts? Yes, sir. First supercharged 3.8-liter Genesis?

Absolutely. You can actually drive it and have some fun with it? Bonus!

Neil Tjin does it again, in a way no one else has.

...AND AS USUAL, fROM BOTH VORTECH AND BiSiMOTO, THE KiT iS TUNeD TO BE ReliABlE FOR DAilY USE. iT USeS THE sTOCK eNGiNE AfTeR AlL.

eSSeNTiAlS

2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe RS BUILT BY: Tjin Edition LOCATION: Irvine, CA ENGINE: Hyundai Lambda 3.8L V6

eNGiNE MODifiCATiONS ∂ Vortech (V3 supercharger, blow-off valve, intercooler) ∂ Bisimoto supercharger kit ∂ Optima battery ∂ Downstar bolts ∂ Pennzoil fluids eXHAUsT ∂ MagnaFlow exhaust system WHeelS / TiReS / BRAKeS ∂ Rotiform HUR wheels – 19x9.5 (f), 19x10.5 (r) ∂ Falken tires – 235/35 R19 (f), 255/30 R19 (r) ∂ Downstar bullet lug nuts ∂ Baer (6-piston calipers (f/r), 15-inch cross-drilled & slotted rotors (f/r)) ∂ Unique Fabrication custom (brake brackets, braided brake lines) CHASSiS / SUSPeNSiON ∂ Unique Fabrication custom roll cage ∂ KW Suspension coilovers eXteRiOR ∂ Axalta Lamborghini Green with Gold Pearl paint ∂ Paintjob by Luis Rodriguez of L&R Autobody ∂ Unique Fabrication custom (front lip, rear spoiler) ∂ LightWurkz (custom headlights, LED bumper lights) ∂ Daley Visual custom Tjin Edition x CT x aLL STaR banner iNTeRiOR ∂ Alea Leather custom Italian leather interior ∂ San Diego Sign custom printed CT inserts MOBilE elEctRONiCS ∂ Scosche (boomBOTTLE, Magic Mount) PARTNeRS ∂ Hyundai USA, Unique Fabrication, L&R Autobody, Pennzoil, UTI, Axalta, Rotiform Wheels, Falken Tires, Baer Brakes, KW Suspension, LightWurkz, Alea Leather, Scosche, Optima, Downstar, MagnaFlow, Bisimoto, Vortech Superchargers

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Some say all aftermarket parts are designed to fit.

We say they never spent all afternoon trying to make one fit.

A lot of aftermarket crash parts don’t fit because no one made sure they would fit. Or that their welds were in exactly the right places. Or that they were as safe as the original.

So why mess with shoddy repair parts? Use CAPA Certified replacement parts and you won’t have to.

We protect you by putting parts through tough tests to see if they fit, perform, last and are as safe as the originals. Only those that pass earn CAPA Certification.

Those that fail? They’re out there somewhere.

Just look for the CAPA Quality Seal to be sure you get genuine, affordable CAPA Certified replacement parts and not some untested substitute. Or you could be in for a long afternoon.

TM

If it isn’t CAPA Certified, it isn’t a genuine replacement part. capacertified.org

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T E C H

ENGINE SWAP

101 HAUTE AG’S INFINITI V8 SWAP STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS RADISIC

THERE ARE TWO GOLDEN RULES WHEN IT COMES TO SWAPPING ENGINES: PLAN, AND BUDGET

eDitOr’s NOtE: Chris Radisic is the General Manager of Haute AG, an automotive performance, customizing and aftermarket parts sales shop in Calgary, Alberta, and he graciously documented the process of swapping an LS V8 into his personal Infiniti G35 Coupe.

Thanks very much, Chris!

A

s car enthusiasts, we have all thought about our dream car, on several occasions. Along with that, some of us have also dreamt about the perfect engine inside of our favorite chassis. So, what does it take for that dream to become a reality? Luckily, we have some of the necessary steps it takes to get your project to go from paper to pavement. In this write up we will be referencing an LS V8 swap into an Infiniti G35 Coupe. Keep in mind that this is strictly a guide, however all of the planning and approach should be carried out in a similar fashion. We’ll start off with the two golden rules of engine swapping.

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ENGINE SWAP

T E C H

101

HAUTE AG’S INFINITI V8 SWAP

RULE #1: PLAN

RULE #2: BUDGET

Just when you think you have planned enough, go over it and plan again. We cannot stress how important this is. There are so many facets to cover before the actual physical part of the swap is started that it can be daunting:

This is where you need to be 110-percent honest with yourself, no matter how big or small the dream is. Budget can literally make or break your build. I have seen it happen all too often; someone gets started on a project, but mistakenly didn’t factor in a large portion of the swap or an unforeseen event that could take place. At that point, there’s no further budget to rectify whatever it is that has occurred, which is a project killer. This is obviously the worst case scenario, but also why the planning in Rule #1 and proper, honest budgeting in Rule #2 play hand in hand with one another.

• DO YOU HAVE THE DESIRED CHASSIS? • WHAT IS THE FINAL GOAL OF THE CAR; TRACK MONSTER OR TASTEFUL, FUN DAILY? • WHAT POWERPLANT DO YOU WANT? • WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO SOURCE A DRIVETRAIN? • WILL YOU BE REFRESHING THE MOTOR? • WILL YOU PAINT THE ENGINE BAY WHILE IT’S DRIVETRAIN-LESS? These are just the very tip of the iceberg, but essential questions to ask yourself. There will be a million other things that arise as you progress, but these are a great place to start.

THE MOMENT YOU CAN FINALLY AFFORD TO STOP EATING RAMEN ALL YEAR TO SAVE FOR "OVER NIGHT PARTS FROM JAPAN"

ONCE YOU HAVE THE BIG QUESTIONS SORTED OUT, AND KNOW 100 PERCENT THAT YOU HAVE THE REQUIRED BUDGET, THIS IS WHEN THE FUN STARTS TO TAKE PLACE.

I use the word “fun” loosely, as it can be stressful and trying at times.

Just know that once it is complete, it's one of the greatest feelings and rewards. Take it slow and steady, and the race will be won. Preparation is huge at this point. Have the chassis clean and fully accessible for whatever task you are completing.

Be sure that the motor or drivetrain you will be putting in is clean and as complete as possible. The easiest time to tinker or install parts is when the motor is out, so take advantage of that while you can. Think of what aftermarket gauges you will be running, if doing so, and install the sensors for them at this time. On the chassis side, if you even think for a second that a certain wire or section of harness will need to be reused, label it clearly in whatever terms are easiest for you to understand.

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From this point forward, it’s really just about taking things as they come and progressing through the swap. Test fit everything before final installations to ensure proper fitment and function. On our build, we had to get the drivetrain situated before taking measurements to have a custom shifter made, along with a one-piece aluminum driveshaft. As we were at a standstill waiting on parts to be made, we continued on with the accessories and everything else around the motor. The engine harness was run, braided stainless lines and a fuel pressure regulator were routed from the tank, power steering lines were fabricated and installed, and heater hoses were attached. After everything was confirmed to fit and work, it all came back out and any necessary modifications to the chassis were

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ENGINE SWAP

T E C H

101

HAUTE AG’S INFINITI V8 SWAP

THE EASIEST TIME TO TINKER OR INSTALL PARTS IS WHEN THE MOTOR IS OUT, SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHILE YOU CAN.

made. We had some firewall clearance issues, which were rectified, and once we were satisfied with everything, the engine bay went in for paint.

Once the chassis was back from paint, our custom parts had been made and received, it was time to get to business on final assembly. The drivetrain was installed, shifter and driveshaft were confirmed to fit, then all of the items required to make the package work were carefully laid into place. Once everything was in and the ECU was installed, grounds were in place, it was time for the always nerve racking first start up.

We were running a stock ECU with HP Tuners so initial start up wasn’t too concerning for us. If you are running a standalone engine management or aftermarket ECU, ensure that you follow their instructions and setups however they are outlined.

I always recommend attaching a mechanical oil pressure gauge if you do not have one installed in the car, and make sure to prime the system before starting the vehicle up the first time. This way oil is distributed throughout the system and you aren’t starting anything “dry” (turbochargers, cylinder heads, etc.). After you have breathed life into your swap (hopefully without too much hassle), it is time to make sure everything is happy. Ensure all fluid levels are proper, loose electrical is tidied up, charging system is functioning, and no leaks are present. If at any time there is an issue, shut the vehicle off and rectify them accordingly. The last thing you want to do, after all of the blood, sweat,

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and tears, is to compromise your project over something menial. If you have a fresh motor, drain and fill oil after minimal run time.

After this point, for the first several thousand kilometers, I always triple check everything. Make sure pressures and temperatures stay in proper operating range under varying loads. After a few hundred kilometers, I always go over every fastener and bolt that was touched and ensure they are still torqued and in proper position.

From there, drive the car as you would in its daily life. Be cautious, but not paranoid. There may be weird noises or smells as things bed in and situate themselves how they will finally settle.

Don’t be alarmed at every little thing, but be aware. If something seems very wrong, address it however the situation requires. Another step I take when first wrapping up a build is to take a

fire extinguisher with me. In all of the chaos that a swap can be, sometimes little things such as oil leaks or fuel seeps can be easy to overlook.

And once everything is in motion, if something is to go wrong, it happens quick. Just make sure to be prepared.

All in all, this is the basic approach we suggest when tackling a motor swap. There will obviously be variations as to what you will need to account for with your swap, all we suggest is you consider all angles before diving in head first. Other than that, enjoy the process, and use it as a learning experience. You will not only learn a multitude of things about your vehicle, but maybe even yourself. As always, happy wrenching, and good luck with those swaps!

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2016 SEASON SCHEDULE ROUND 01

ROUND 05

JPN ROUND 01

APRIL 8-9 LONG BEACH, CA.

JULY 15-16 MONTREAL, CANADA

MARCH 12-13 MIE, JAPAN

ROUND 02

ROUND 06

JPN ROUND 02

MAY 6-7 ATLANTA, GA.

AUGUST 5-6 MONROE, WA

MAY 21-22 FUKUSHIMA, JAPAN

ROUND 03

ROUND 07

JPN ROUND 03

STREETS OF LONG BEACH - LONG BEACH GP COURSE

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP - ROAD ATLANTA

CANADA - AUTODROME ST. EUSTACHE

THROWDOWN - EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY

SUZUKA TWIN CIRCUIT

EBISU NISHI CIRCUIT

UNCHARTED TERRITORY - ORLANDO SPEEDWAY

SHOWDOWN - TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

SEPTEMBER 9-10 FORT WORTH, TX.

AUGUST 20-21 OKAYAMA, JAPAN

ROUND 04

ROUND 08

JPN ROUND 04

JUNE 17-18 WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ.

OCTOBER 7-8 IRWINDALE, CA.

OCTOBER 15-16 SHIGA, JAPAN

JUNE 3-4 ORLANDO, FL.

THE GAUNTLET - WALL SPEEDWAY

FINAL FIGHT - IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

OKAYAMA INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

OKUIBUKI STREET

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT FORMULADRIFT.COM FOLLOW US FOR EVEN MORE DRIFTING ACTION! OFFICIAL DASHCAM

@FORMULADRIFT

@FORMULAD

/FORMULADRIFT

OFFICIAL MILITARY SPONSOR

R3_FormulaDrift_Orlando_PAS_Ad.indd 1 Untitled-1 1

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eveNt listiNgs JUNE-JUlY 4

5

10-12 11

11-12 12 17-18 18-19

18

19 25 25-26

26

VENUE

Orlando Speed World Dragway Palace Station Hotel & Casino Jays Alarm & Car Audio HRE Performance Wheels Lakewood Blue Claws Napierville Dragway Pacific Raceways Tulsa Raceway Park Firemen's Park Loud & Clear Car Audio Lucas Oil Raceway Autodrome St. Eustache Mobile Toys Inc Lucas Oil Raceway Lucas Oil Raceway Lucas Oil Raceway Ocean City Convention Center Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park La Palma Park Roland E. Powell Convention Center Wall Speedway ICAR Experience Gately Audio Angel Stadium Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Ocean Center Melos Auto The Sound Factory Music N Motion Xtreme Vehicle Designs Crutchfield Biloxi Coliseum Biloxi Coliseum Toronto Motorsports Park Pittsburgh Raceway Park Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum Chicago Indoor Soccer LLC

LOCATION

Orlando, FL Las Vegas, NV Fresno, CA Vista, CA Lakewood, NJ Napierville, QC Kent, Wa Tulsa, OK Niagara Falls, ON Kansas City, KS Indianapolis, IN St. Eustache, CA College Station, TX Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis, IN Ocean City, MD Thompson, CT Anahiem, CA Ocean City, MD Wall, NJ Mirabel, QC Sacramento, CA Anaheim, CA San Jose, CA San Jose, CA Daytona Beach, FL Sacramento, CA Knoxville, TN Dublin, CA Noblesville, IN Charlottesville, VA Biloxi, MS Biloxi, MS Cayuga, ON New Alexandria, PA Philadelphia, PA Chicago, IL

WEBSITE

formulad.com wuste.com termpro.com hrewheels.com evolvefam.us

importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net niagaratntexpo.ca usaciworldwide.org slamology autodrome.ca iasca.com iasca.comw mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com occarshow.com facebook.com/hondafest nissanjam.com foreverslammed.com formulad.com eurokracy.com termpro.com extremeautofest.com hotimportnights.com mecacaraudio.com tuner-evolution.com termpro.com mecacaraudio.com termpro.com mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com scrapinthecoast.com usaciworldwide.org cscs.ca importfaceoff.net elitetuner.net facebook.com/TIC.Chicago

JUly DATE SHOW NAME 2 2-3 3 4 9

10

16 16-17 17 22-24 23 24

30

30-31 31

VENUE

LOCATION

Jays Alarm & Car Audio Autodrome St. Eustache Pocono Raceway TBD River Red Ex Salem County Fairgrounds Pocono Raceway Bellevue College Los Angeles Convention Center Christie Lake Conservation Area 1615 Simcoe St S Lucas Oil Raceway

Fresno, CA St. Eustache, CA Long Pond, PA Anaheim, CA Winnipeg, MB Woodstown, NJ Long Pond, PA Bellevue, WA Los Angeles, CA Dundas, ON Oshawa, ON Indianapolis, IN

Formula Drift: Round 5 (Canada) Hot Import Nights: Chicago MECA: Bluegrass State Jam II Offset Kings: Montreal, QC Waterfest AutoFest CarsFestivity DUB Show Tour: Houston Heat Wave: Austin USACi: Heat Wave Austin 742RACE.WARS: Irwindale, CA MECA: Summer Jams Wekfest: San Jose Extreme Autofest: San Diego Final Bout: Special Stage (Central) StanceEast: Summer Slam Jam Street Driven Tour: St. Louis Tuner Evolution: Philadelphia Summer Showdown Import Face-Off: Albany, NY

Autodrome St. Eustache Hawthorne Race Course Appling Hi-Fi Autodrome St. Eustache Raceway Park Provident Bank Park Piste d'accélération Pont-Rouge Dragway Houston NRG Center Travis County Fairground Travis County Fairground Irwindale Event Center James E Ward Ag Center San Jose Convention Center Qualcomm Stadium USA International Raceway Camp Centennial Gateway Motorsports Park The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center Norfolk County Fairgrounds Lebanon Valley Dragway

St. Eustache, CA Cicero, IL Russellville, KY St. Eustache, CA Englishtown, NJ Pomona, NY Pont-Rouge, QC Houston, TX Austin, TX Austin, TX Irwindale, CA Lebanon, TN San Jose, CA San Diego, CA Shawano, WI Moncton, NB Madison, IL Oaks, PA Simcoe, ON West Lebanon, NY

23

PAS_2016_JuneJuly_137_EC.indd 1

JUNE

10

VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER Children of the '80s can prepare to take a trip down memory lane with the upcoming Netflix series Voltron: Legendary Defender, which premieres on June 10.

JUly

13

JUly

db Drag: Fresno, CA So Clean. Show Clean Culture X ImportExpo Hot Import Nights: Anaheim Driven Show: Winnipeg Fresh Meet: Summer Bash MPACT Motorsport Festival and Car Show StanceWars: Seattle DUB Show Tour: Los Angeles Euronited Canada Grass Roots Show 'n Shine Import Face-Off: Indianapolis, IN

AIR JORDAN 5 RETRO "BLACK/METALLIC SILVER" The original black, fire red and metallic silver colorway of the Air Jordan 5 Retro is set for another re-release.

RADIOHEAD The rumored long awaited album is set to drop in June

JUly

22

STAR TREK: BEYOND Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew return in the third installment of the rebooted franchise.

WEBSITE

termpro.com soclean.bigcartel.com cleancultureevents.com hotimportnights.com drivenshow.ca freshmeetevents.net mpacteast.com stancewars.com dubshowtour.com euronited.com

BROOKLYN HIPHOP FESTIVAL 2016 The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival is an annual celebration of hip-hop music and culture.

NAS will be the headliner this year.

15

GHOSTBUSTERS Thirty years after Ghostbusters took the world by storm, the beloved franchise makes its long-awaited return.

facebook.com/GrassShow&Shine

importfaceoff.net formuladriftcanada.com hotimportnights.com mecacaraudio.com fatlace.com/offsetkings waterfest.net facebook.com/autofest carsfestivity.com dubshowtour.com heatwaveshow.com usaciworldwide.org racewarsusa.com mecacaraudio.com wekfest-usa.com extremeautofest.com final-bout.com stanceeast.com streetdriventour.com tuner-evolution.com facebook.com/SummerShowdown importfaceoff.net JUly

19

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE OWN IT ON BLU-RAY™ JULY 19TH!

Fearing the actions of god-like Superman if left unchecked, Batman takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. © 2016 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Ratpac-Dune Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

3-5

Formula Drift: Round 3 (Uncharted Territory) Wuste European Car Festival dB Drag: Fresno, CA HRE Open House All Star Fitment Clean Society Import Face-Off: Kent, WA Import Face-Off: Tulsa, OK Niagara Tuner & Truck Expo USACi: Thunder In the Heartland Slamology Honda Fest IASCA: Augieland IV IASCA: Slamology MECA: Slamology SQL Concert Car Showdown MECA: Slamology SPL Smackdown OC Car Show Honda Fest Nissan Jam OCMD Takeover Formula Drift: Round 4 (The Gauntlet) Eurokracy dB Drag: Sacramento, CA Extreme Autofest: Anaheim Hot Import Nights: San Jose MECA: Hot Import Nights Tuner Evolution: Daytona Beach dB Drag: Sacramento, CA MECA: Smokies Spring Slam dB Drag: Dublin, CA MECA: Car Wars II MECA: Crutchfield Sound-off Series II Scrapin The Coast USACi: Scrapin The Coast CSCS: Race 2 Import Face-Off: New Alexandria, PA Street Kingz: Nissan X Infiniti TIC 2016 Car & Bike Show

3

CARMAGEDDON: MAXDAMAGE A throwback to old-school Carmageddon, available for XBOX ONE and PS4

JUNE DATE SHOW NAME

THE GOVERNORS BALL NYC MUSIC FESTIVAL A three-day, multi-stage music festival on Randall's Island in New York City on June 3-5, 2016.

Kanye West and The Strokes headline.

2016-04-15 5:14 PM

Notes: pdfx1a\rupload to: www.ppgpubs.com/pasmag

TOYOTIRES.COM/PROXES

HIGH PERFORMANCE THAT NEVER RESTS.

®2016 TOYO TIRE U.S.A. CORP. GYMKHANA STAR AND RALLY DRIVER KEN BLOCK. CLOSED COURSE.

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The Ultimate In-Car Audio Experience.

Take your in-car audio to outstanding new heights with the RSX-GS9 High-Resolution Audio Media Receiver with Bluetooth®. By uniting premium components with our greatest audio technologies—including DSD native playback—you can be sure you’ll always enjoy high-quality audio when on the road.

Learn more at sony.com/HiResCar

©2016 Sony Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Sony and the Sony logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. Bluetooth® and the Bluetooth logo are trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. The N Mark is a registered trademark of NFC Forum, Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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