PASMAG - Issue 145 - Oct/Nov

ONLY 9!

THE TUNER’S SOURCE FOR MODIFIED CAR CULTURE

$4.9

EVENT COVERAGE

DATSUN 510 ROTARY RAT ROD

› IMPORTFEST 2017 › SPOCOM ANAHEIM

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TBGLIVE WINNERS KEVIN NGUYEN'S NISSAN SKYLINE LUIS TORRES' ACURA RSX JOSH GONZALES' NISSAN 350Z HENRY VELA'S HONDA CIVIC Joey Valenti's Honda Civic Jonathan Togans' Mazda RX-7

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Get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and listen to music, all in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road. Just connect your iPhone or Android phone and go. www.sony.com ©2017 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. Android Auto workswith devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones. Apple CarPlay and its logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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KW-M730BT DIGITAL MEDIA RECEIVER

Works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto #JVCMobile #35YearsStrong #QualityBuilt #Since1982

JVC Mobile Entertainment

JVC Mobile USA | Official

Android Auto works with devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo is a trademark of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones.

Apple CarPlay and its user interface are trademarks of Apple Inc. For safety, various touch-screen functionality is disabled while the vehicle is in motion. See your local authorized dealer for more details. All logos are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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@JVCMobileUSA

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2017-07-13 3:19 PM

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Find Us Online: www.oncore.audio 859 Lawson Street Industry, CA. 91748 (800) 477-2328 (626) 465-3383

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HEAVY MENTAL MACHINE A W R X W I T H A M O N S T E R H E A R T, B U I LT B Y G R E AT M I N D S

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THE ALL NEW

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ISSUE PREVIEW

IT'S ALIVE O

n a dark and stormy night, as lightning crackled through the sky, we flipped the switch on an issue that was comprised of the best Frankensteinedtogether cars we could find. As our lightning rod took a direct hit, the printers started whirring and spit out our finest creation: The Frankenstein issue – just in time for Halloween!

When we say this issue is made up of the good stuff, we mean it. We’ve been scouting builds for months to find the best components, and we think we’ve achieved our goal – I mean, have you seen that cover? Sitting pretty on the front is Austin Barnett’s wide WRX, but something is a little different. I think it might have something to do with the red RB26 and turbo exhaust pipes sticking out of the hood-less bay. We asked Barnett about how this all came about and how he got the job done, so take a peek at his feature further in to learn more.

Also checking all of the right boxes in terms of “you put what where?” are our other two feature vehicles. One is Phil Blottie’s twisted Datsun 510. Running the rat rod look on freshly rebuilt BBS RS wheels is quite the contrast, but once you figure out that the noises coming from this thing are from a 13B rotary, you’ll start looking even closer to see what else he’s swapped around (hint: it’s a lot). The other is an R34 sedan out of New Zealand, courtesy of Peter Kelly’s scouting skills. Immediately, you’ll notice that the wheels are from an R35 GT-R, but when you

take a look inside, the upholstery is Mitsubishi, and the powerplant is Toyota. This is a fantastically unique build that needs to be gone over with a fine-toothed comb to know every single detail. We’ve done that for you, so you just need to flip some pages.

As always, we deliver the new products you look for in every issue, as well as some hot topics from around the industry. Our freelance army of show contributors has wrangled in some quality show coverage as well, this time with SPOCOM Anaheim and Importfest 2017, and there’s also tested audio goodies, plus even more bonus content inside, so I won’t take up any more of your time. Thanks for picking us up. Now, go do something “mad-science-y!”

PASMAG (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published 14 times a year by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada

S U B S C R I P T I O N R AT E S (1 Year Starter) Canada and USA: $24.99 (2 Year Starter) Canada and USA: $34.99 (3 Year Starter) 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 ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Adam Gordon GROUP MANAGING EDITOR: Lee Bailie TECHNICAL EDITOR: Garry Springgay

CONTRIBUTORS Alicia Blakely Marcus Bolds Ricky Chu Peter Kelly Rafael Leal Dahkel Maddox Nhu Nguyen Ranger Ramirez Rob Robson Nick Stanley

ART + PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Queue Gonzalez PRODUCTION + SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Patrick Dinglasan SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Edward Shintani SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Patrick Beltijar GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mike Chan

S A L E S + A D M I N I S T R AT I O N DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: Randi Bentia

MICKY SLINGER

DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES: Richard Robles

PAS M AG E D I T O R

CLIENT SERVICES: Nicole Winters

DIRECTOR, SALES & MARKETING: Frank Maguire DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Craig Sweetman SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR: Anna Rutledge

CONNECT PASMAG.COM TUNERBATTLEGROUNDS.COM PASMAG

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 Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY and at additional mailing offices.

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SEMA Member

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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TRENDING

HOT HOT

NEW

FEATURED

TOPICS

PRODUCTS

EVENT

WINNERS

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#TBGLIVE

HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

INITIAL D’S SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR? For fans of the tofu delivery driver

silhouette as the Scion FR-S/

turned downhill racing prodigy,

Toyota 86. Since the FR-S/86 is

Takumi Fujiwara, and his

a spiritual successor to the AE86

adventures in Shuichi Shigeno’s

made famous by Initial D, MF

Initial D manga and resulting

Ghost’s hero car could make it the

anime series, it’s been a long wait

spiritual successor to Shigeno’s

since the wheels on the books

original series. We’ll have to see

and animation came rolling to a

what’s to come in future chapters,

stop in 2014. Shigeno has explored

but FR-S/86 owners, you may

other themes in his works since,

want to hang on to those cars –

like his recently completed manga

you never know if the resale will go

about baseball, Sailor Ace, but if

the way of the AE86 as well after

anything, that short foray has had

Shigeno is done with it.

fans of Initial D chomping at the bit for something more octanefocused.

Finally, we get our next dose of JDM fantasy racing. Launching with the title “MF Ghost,” Shigeno’s next story focuses on a young driver, Kanata Livington, who has recently returned to Japan after going to a racing school in England, where he graduated top of his class. Taking place in the 2020s, autonomous electric vehicles have become mainstream, displacing fuel burning cars of the past – except for in MFG, a world-renowned racing circuit on public roads that Kanata plans to race in.

In one of the last pages of the 40-page chapter that hit Young Magazine in Japan, Kanata is shown a shadowed car tucked away in a garage, presumed to be the one he’ll be driving in the MFG races, which bares the same

FINALLY, WE GET OUR NEXT DOSE OF JDM FANTASY RACING. LAUNCHING WITH THE TITLE “MF GHOST,”...

OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017 PASMAG

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HALOGEN BULB REPLACEMENT BRIGHTER THAN HALOGEN SMALLER FOOTPRINT FOR VERSATILE APPLICATION FITMENT EXCELLENT FOCAL PATTERN 6 PCBBS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY COOLING

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HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

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WITH THE ADDITION OF A PRECISION 6266 TURBOCARGER AND A TRUNK RADIATOR SETUP, THE “RACE CAR” MONIKER ISN’T JUST SOME FLUFFED UP TITLE – THIS THING IS BUILT TO BATTLE.

TRENDING

NOSTALGIC GRAINS’ RESTO-MOD BMW 3.0 CSL RACE CAR William Izaguirre of Nostalgic Grains has one cool project in the works for SEMA 2017. What started out as a factory 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL has gone under the knife over the past year, building up to a full blown replica of the famous 3.0 CSL Race Car – with a bit of a modern twist.

The original motor just wouldn’t cut it for what Izaguirre was after, so he sourced an S50 out of an E36 M3. With the addition of a Precision 6266 turbocarger and a trunk radiator setup, the “race car” moniker isn’t just some fluffed up title – this thing is built to battle.

Carbon fiber will be used liberally in the dashboard, seats, and aero, and some 17-inch center-lock BBS wheels will finish off the look at ground level.

The car is still under construction, but we’re told it’s almost ready to go. Keep an eye out for this nostalgic racer at SEMA 2017.

HONDA UK BUILT A HONDA CIVIC TYPE R LAWNMOWER I know the Honda lawnmower jokes will already start forming by the time you read the title, but this is actually pretty neat. In 2013, Honda introduced Miimo, an autonomous compact lawn mower. Think of it as

and sporting a cute little black and

edition modeled after Honda’s

it’s done. The tiny clippings simply

a Roomba of sorts for your grass.

white spoiler, the newest Miimo

CBR Fireblade, complete with an

scatter back into the lawn acting

For the 25th anniversary of

prototype is modelled after the

accurate livery.

as a natural fertilizer. When almost

Rolling autonomously around

out of battery, the unit will return it-

Honda’s Type R division, Honda UK

newest Civic Type R. It’s the perfect

came up with an idea that is equal

yard and garage accessory for any

your lawn, the Miimo Type R is

self to its charging point and refuel.

parts awesome and hilarious. Fin-

enthusiasts who already own a

designed to trim blades of glass

Honda, please put this into produc-

ished in Championship White paint,

real Type R. Unveiled alongside

so lightly and often that you won’t

tion for the sake of neglected car

red “H” badging, black “bumpers”,

the Miimo Type R was another

need to collect dead grass when

enthusiasts’ lawns everywhere.

OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017 PASMAG

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YOUR CAR IS YOUR

MISSION CONTROL.

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NAVIGATION & MULTIMEDIA RECEIVERS

See how KENWOOD eXcelon automotive audio components work together to transport your in-car experience at Kenwood.com/usa

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HOT TOPICS & PREVIEWS

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TRENDING

THE REVERSE ENTRY PROJECT: CHAPTER 1 – INITIATION Story by

Adam Gordon

me up with their oil filter relocation kit and oil cooler to make my life easier, and Mike of GT Custom Exhaust in Oshawa helped me fix some previously damaged parts and wiring. Clarion has also supplied me with a full audio system, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I need my interior together first.

IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG JOURNEY BACK TO A PERFECT STREET CAR.

The fate of almost every 240sx sold in

had been tracked and driven hard

North America over the past decade

before I found it. When I picked it

already installed front tension

has been fairly similar: They’re

up, it had nothing inside except

rods and a coolant temp adapter

purchased “lightly used,” gutted of

seats from an S14, an OEM steer-

from my friends at Enjuku Racing/

everything possible, and sent off

ing wheel, and about 75% of the

ISR Performance, as well as a cool

to the track to be abused. Often

dashboard – that’s it. I’ve since

set of period correct Nismo NS5R

times they’ll have an SR20DET

tracked down most of my OEM

wheels from my buddy Mike, Type

swapped in, a welded differential,

interior pieces, but there’s still

X (Kouki) taillights, and AEM’s

aftermarket suspension, and by the

work to be done. The handbrake is

gauges, so we’re on the way. Unfor-

time they’re on to the next owner,

barely functional thanks to a short

tunately, that’s all I’ve got room to

some less than perfect fenders and

lifetime of skids, the wiring is just

talk about for this chapter, so stay

quarter panels. By this time they’re

“good enough” to work, and the

tuned for an expansive Chatper 2 in

hardly fit to be a street car, unless

body needs some love - and paint.

a future issue.

you’re a bit of a masochist, so what

Those are just the beginning. It’s

would it take to do this in reverse

going to be a long journey back to a

unfolds, I’ll be covering the process

and bring a track-beaten 240sx

perfect street car.

periodically in print, social media,

back to the streets? What, you

Thanks to some friends and

At the time of writing, I’ve

As this ongoing adventure

and video in hopes of helping other

thought this was about throwing

sponsors, the journey has begun.

enthusiasts bring track cars back

reverse drift entries? No. Not yet,

AEM Electronics, one of our Tuner

to the streets. Keep an eye on the

anyway.

Battlegrounds sponsors, supplied

project by following PAS (@pas-

me with gauges so I could get some

mag) on social media, and myself

staff, you may already know that I

proper diagnostics early in the

(@gordon.leadfoot) on Instagram

recently picked up a “lightly used”

build. My friends Paul and Frost of

for teasers and behind-the-scenes

1990 S13 Nissan 240sx. The car

Grassroots Performance have set

sneak peeks.

If you follow the antics of our

OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017 PASMAG

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tr. HOT NEW PRODUCTS AEM Electronics CD-7 and CD-7L Digital Dash Displays From $1,443.33 | AEMPower.com Racers rejoice! AEM’s Performance Electronics division has introduced a digital dash display series complete with everything you need on track day. A bright, high contrast display can be viewed in sunlight, and features everything from instrument display to optional logging and lap time tracking with a Vehicle Dynamics Module.

AutoMeter

Beyern

200 PSI Pressure Gauges

Gerade

AutoMeter.com

BeyernWheels.com

AutoMeter has introduced expanded support for applications requiring high performance, high pressure gauges. These new 2-1/16-inch 200 PSI pressure gauges are available in the brand’s most popular gauge lines. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to monitor critical air suspension, oil, or any other pressure readings on your vehicle. If by chance you need a 200 PSI boost gauge, we absolutely salute you!

CONSTRUCTION: Rotary Forged SIZE (IN.): 17-20, 22 WIDTH (IN.): 8-11 BOLT PATTERN: 5x120 FINISH: Silver w/ Mirror Cut Face, Matte Black

CARSHYPE “&&&” T-Shirt $24 | Carshype.com Lower and camber and stretch and poke and stance, just some of the essentials needed for a car to break necks everywhere it goes. This 100% cotton shirt with a custom shirt tag is designed and hand assembled in California, with love. Available in sizes S-XL with free shipping to the continental US.

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DS18

Dual

KEQ 20

DMH25 Screen Mirroring Wi-Fi A/V Adapter

$199.99 | Oncore.audio

$49.99 | DualAV.com

The KEQ20 is a 6-channel pre-amp equalizer network, which is to be used with high quality power amplifiers and speakers in a multi-amplifier system for high fidelity sound reproduction.

This EQ provides maximum flexibility to configure every possible car stereo system. The KEQ20 comes with a built-in high-to-low converter to integrate with OEM source units.

The DMH25 Screen Mirroring Wi-Fi A/V Adapter allows you to wirelessly mirror most audio/video content from any compatible smartphone to the screen of an in-car multimedia receiver. The device plugs into the receiver’s HDMI and USB inputs, and communicates via Wi-Fi Direct. Receivers featuring 2-Way DualMirror technology also allow for control of Android devices from the receiver’s touchscreen.

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

Fullriver Battery Full Throttle FT825-34 High-Performance AGM Battery $253.99 | FullriverBattery.com For a vehicle with multiple accessories or a custom stereo, the Full Throttle FT825-34 High-Performance AGM battery is the perfect under-hood upgrade for your car, truck, or SUV. Its Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) technology, brass terminals, and high shock and vibration resistance give you the confidence that your battery will handle everything you put it through.

Grassroots Performance LSX x Nissan Trans Adapter From $600 | GrassrootsParts.com Looking for an easy, reliable, and performance-ready manual transmission for your Gen-3 LSX swap? Grassroots, alongside G-Force Performance Products, have come together to make a complete hassle-free bolt-on kit that mates any Gen-3 LSX to Nissan Z32 5-speed and Z33 6-speed transmissions. Both these transmissions have proven themselves to withstand high horsepower and torque in a compact package. Kit includes adapter plate, flywheel, stage 1-5 clutch kit, and starter. Everything you need in one box!

LIQUI MOLY

Lloyd Mats

Cera Tec

Model-Specific Honda Mats

$26.39 | Liqui-Moly.us

LloydMats.com

Cera Tec is a high-tech ceramic wear protection product for all motor oils.

Cera Tec reduces friction and wear due to ceramic compounds that withstand extremely high chemical and thermal loads.

Prevents direct metal-to-metal contact, thus increasing the engine service life.

The low-friction effect reduces fuel consumption in gasoline and diesel engines.

Sufficient for 1.3 gallons’ oil volume.

Long-term effect for 30,000 miles.

Lloyd Mats is now offering floor mats with licensed emblems for the following models and years: Accord 2008-on, Civic 2012-on, CR-V 2012-on, CR-Z 2010-on, Fit 2010-on, HR-V 2016-on, Insight 2010-2014, Odyssey 2011-on, Pilot 2016-on and Ridgeline 2017-on. These logos will be available on all of Lloyd’s carpet floor mats products for Honda vehicles, starting with model year 2008.

TBA Brand

Soundstream

TBA Katakana Dad Hat

Picasso PF.6

TBABrand.com

$59.99 | Soundstream.com

Embrace your inner dad self with this “dad hat” from TBA Brand. The TBA Katakana “dad hat” comes in Navy Blue with white embroidery and a red TBA tab label on the rear strap.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone TWEETER MATERIAL: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): > 75 W BASKET: Stamped steel

Seibon Carbon TT-Style Spoiler for 2016-2017 Honda Civic Sedan $640 | SeibonCarbon.com Seibon’s TT-style spoiler for the 2016-2017 Honda Civic Sedan is a fiberglass wing with a carbon fiber center which adds a touch of aggressive Japanese style to Honda’s popular sedan. With styling similar to that of high end sports cars, this is a must have for any owner searching for that street fighter look.

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EXTREME. INTELLIGENT. STEALTH PROTECTION.

TOTAL SHIELD TECHNOLOGY Come visit us at SEMA, Booth #11933 escortradar.com Escort Radar inc., 6500 Cortland St. Chicago IL 60707 1.800.964.3138

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HOT NEW PRODUCTS

TurboKits.com Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Turbo Upgrade $1,495 I turbokits.com TurboKits.com's CLA 250 (C117) Turbo Upgrade is constructed of billet aluminum, with a 59-mm compressor wheel that's 5-axis CNC machined and flows 36+ lbs/min of air. Peak HP and torque gains are in the 80 to 100 WHP range, but the power band continues to grow up and beyond 4,500 RPMs, where gains approaching 125 WHP and lb-ft of torque can be seen. This turbo spools like stock, creates great power, and pulls all the way to redline!

Xstatic Batcap X4000 $499 | XstaticBatcap.com For the serious car audio enthusiast, the Xstatic Batcap X4000 is a long life 115-amp hour battery that weighs in at about 80 lbs. The X4000 has all the energy you need to satisfy your car audio demands!

Unitronic Turbo-Back for MK7 GTI MQB $1,859.99 | GetUnitronic.com Unitronic’s 3-inch turbo-back exhaust system for MK7 GTIs features a TIG-welded, T304 stainless steel, CNC, mandrel-bent construction, stainless steel corrugated flex section, high flow 200-cell metallic catalytic converter, polished 4-inch slash-cut tips, and the unique V-band fastening system featuring Clampco clamps, which guarantee a leak-proof connection. Designed to remove factory restrictions to unleash full engine potential.

Grassroots Performance

RTX Wheels Assassin

LSX Intake Manifold Kit

RTXWheels.com

From $425 | GrassrootsParts.com

CONSTRUCTION: Cast SIZE (IN.): 20 WIDTH (IN.): 9, 10.5 BOLT PATTERN: 5x114.3 FINISH: Black Machined

Introducing Grassroots Performance’s aluminum fabricated LSX intake manifold kit for the Gen-III LSX engine. Available in high-rise/low-rise, satin black/polished aluminum, 102-mm or 92-mm. Expect increased horsepower and torque levels throughout the power-band over stock units. Grassroots Performance's entire line of LSX components are made and tested with the performance enthusiast in mind, yet all have a bold appearance suited for the street and track.

AEM Performance Electronics Water/Methanol Injection System $459 | AEMElectronics.com Reduce air inlet temps, suppress detonation, and reduce carbon deposits in your turbocharged, supercharged or high compression naturally aspirated engine with AEM's water/methanol injection kit! WMI allows you to increase boost and advance ignition timing while using pump gas and increase power levels by up to 20%! AEM's WMI system includes everything you need to do water/meth the right way the first time.

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BEST OF SHOW

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FEATURED EVENT

SPOCOM ANAHEIM JULY 22, 2017

ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER, ANAHEIM, CA

Story by Ricky Chu | Photography by Rafael Leal

spocom @SPOCOM @spocom spocom

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’ve been anxiously waiting

spocomusa

for this day to arrive because I’ve had SPOCOM marked as a dot in iCal for over six months. After battling my way through notorious Southern California traffic, while trying not to melt in the mid-July heat, I finally get to Orange County only to circle the city

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of Anaheim, ready to fight Disneyland goers for a $20 parking spot.

The will call and media lines for tickets wrap so far around the building, to the point that confusion kicks as to whether I’m going to a car show or waiting to get on the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride at California Adventure. The anticipation is brutal and I still have to get past security before I can chase down the beats rumbling throughout the hall from the dance stage, where Major League Crew, The Venmo Project, and Junior New System are warming up for their dance battle.

Finally, I make it inside and feel that electrifying energy shooting through my body, signaling to all my senses that I have finally made it to the SPOCOM show.

And, no, that feeling was not from seeing everyone bolt out of Sneaker Con next door carrying a bag full of the latest Jordans or Yeezys - those sneakers are nothing compared to Toyota Supras, Nissan GT-Rs, Honda Civic Type Rs, the hottest import models, and ridiculously skilled dance crews.

For fellow car junkies, this is your quick fix for some summer madness before you go back to school, work, or whatever it is that you do. From wall-to-wall, SPOCOM is where some of the freshest car owners in North America have all gathered into one building to flaunt all their hard work since last July.

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FEATURED EVENT

THE LATEST TRENDS, FULL THROTTLE

facebook.com/PASMAG

cars and a new Hawaiian theme,

Maybe even Allen Lugue’s gold

ties around, and she wasn’t lying

a “friendly” competition, there are

complete with tiki bar (minus the

RunFree AE86 Toyota Corolla that’s

with the likes Diana Mila, Jessica

no holds barred when it comes

alcohol - trust me, I asked), to

been turning heads for the old

Sunok, Elizabeth Tran, and Janis

to taking home an illustrious

secure Best Team Display.

school lovers. As usual, this proved

True on the scene. Of course, my

to be more difficult than trying to

cover story is that I didn’t spend

Though it is technically

SPOCOM trophy. Crews like Auto

While the entire show was

Concept and R-Rydes have been

indoors this time around, there

get the office to collectively decide

much time in this area, but that’s

battling back and forth for years to

was no shortage of spectators,

on a place to eat for lunch.

actually what happened - I didn’t

take home the Top Team title, so

vendors, and models. I fought my

they always come full force. While

way through the crowds, weaving in

of curves and body lines, I stopped

sukebe boys, or more importantly,

R-Rydes ran away with top team

and out of each aisle, trying to scout

by SPOCOM’s infamous Model

get thrown out by Big Abe.

honors, and deservedly so, Auto

cars for future PASMAG features.

Lounge. Director of Public Relations,

Concept came out in full effect

Rob Kathenbeutel’s Best in Show

Tricia Kawasaki, boasts that their

have popped up or fallen off within

with their usual arsenal of super-

Mitsubishi Evolution is a good start.

event showcases the sultriest hot-

the flow of the automotive scene,

Getting more into the other kind

want to muscle between the

Even when other car shows

SPOCOM has continued to pull a strong following with sellout attendance and competitors. Not to rub it in for the non-Californians, but nothing can quite compare.

Now all that’s left is for me to do is let my eardrums reset to normal audible levels and decompress my thoughts, while I type away and rot my brain on social media.

I really wonder how I used to do this every other weekend. It must have been before I discovered this thing called sleep.

28

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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6/29/17 5:15 PM 2017-07-06 11:36 AM

FEATURED EVENT

IMPORTFEST 2017 The biggest and baddest of Canada

AUGUST 26, 2017

METRO TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE, TORONTO, ON

Story by Micky Slinger | Photography by Rob Robson & Micky Slinger

importfest.com @importfest @importfest importfest

Depending on who you ask, Toronto is known for a few things outside of Ontario. Some would say Drake, while others would say the CN Tower, but if you ask a car enthusiast, their reply would be Importfest.

Taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in August every year, Importfest attracts all of the quality cars from southern Ontario and beyond to one place, living up to its tagline: “Canada’s Biggest & Baddest Car Show.”

To give you a sense of scale, this show is held where the Canadian International Autoshow is every year. Using the North building, Importfest takes the plots Volkswagen, Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Fiat Chrysler, Honda/Acura, Volvo, and Subaru would normally reside in, and packs them full of high profile teams, clubs, crews, builds, and vendors.

The team who brought home the Best Team award, arguably brings some of the highest quality builds to Importfest every year.

With around 40 cars branded with their signature windshield banner, Nextmod took home the hardware, VARIS KAMIKAZE as well as put on an amazing display.

NISSAN 370Z Show-goers were enticed into the

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BEST OF SHOW Jason Gale

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FEATURED EVENT

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area by a line-up of almost every flavor of GT-R, including two BenSopra-kitted examples, which lead to a closed-in, carpeted display with new Work wheels on show, as well as Nextmod Mississauga’s JCP Magic, LS-swapped RX-7 and the brand-new Old & New slant-nose 996 Porsche, affectionately named “Ultron.”

Ultron wasn’t the only Old & New Porsche on display either – actually, Importfest’s main exhibition featured a red carpet rolled out for both of their team members’ Porsches, clad in the newest widebodies available from Japan. At the far left of the carpet was Navin Pillai’s plum purple Old & New 997, and at the far right was Importfest’s Pandem 987 Cayman – the first in Canada. Also a first, both Porsches were equipped with Vossen’s prototype three-piece forged wheels in 18-inch sizing.

We at PASMAG had our own attraction in the form of our Tuner Battlegrounds Live competition, and the two facing off were Saiss Parthipan’s Hyundai Genesis, the local, and Alexandre Bouchards’s Subaru WRX hailing from Quebec. After a hardfought battle, Parthipan came away with a decisive victory, reeling in 68-percent of the popular vote and earning a trophy and a feature in a future issue of PAS!

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2017-09-12 7/27/17 9:56 2:51AM PM

Taking home the “Biggest & Baddest” award (Importfest’s Best in Show) was Jason Gale’s Varis Kamikaze Nissan 370Z, which came as a surprise to no one. Gale’s car is on another level in terms of fit and finish, and quality of parts used. With its wild body styling, multi-piece HRE wheels, and super rare Top Secret titanium parts, this car is a standout, even when it goes over the border to American shows.

Speaking of which – there were more enthusiasts from the US that came up this year than any in the past. Seeing plates from Boston, New York, and Wisconsin was pretty cool. Considering some iterations of Importfest have been almost exclusively Canadian, it’s great to see enthusiasts from the US of A recognizing Importfest for the show it is and making the trip up to show off and hangout.

After a full day of taking in the show and shine, watching break dancing competitions, and trying to find a way around the lines formed for the featured models, Importfest 2017 was finished, but the events carried on to the next day to celebrate the grand opening of Importfest Performance, the team’s new shop in Scarborough. As the show continues to evolve, so does the brand, which we think means that 2018 will be even bigger and badder.

PAS_2017_Oct-Nov145_Importfest.indd 5 Untitled-2 1

FEATURED EVENT

IMPORTFEST 2017

FILL 'ER UP

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@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > El Paso, TX ENGINE > Honda D16Y7 1.6L I4 SOCIAL MEDIA @the_grand_leveler_

ENGINE

ARC (magic air filter, intake box) + Custom air intake + Skunk2 (64mm throttle body, 70mm intake manifold) + Gates Racing timing belt + Downstar hardware + Aftermarket headers + Spoon reservoir covers

EXHAUST 3-inch straight pipe exhaust + GReddy DT exhaust tip

DRIVETRAIN K Tuned B/D series shifter

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES BBS RS wheels – 16x9.5 (f), 16x11 (r) + Yokohama front tires – 195/40/16 + Federal rear tires – 215/40/16 + BBS + Bugatti caps

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION Airlift V2 management and struts + Skunk2 (control arms, camber kit) + MPC drop forks

EXTERIOR

Charge Speed (front lip, side skirts) + Honda Access (bumper moldings, headlight washer nozzles) + Rear bumper valences + Euro Type R grille + Sonar clear tail lights + Custom duck bill spoiler + Custom flared rear arches Valencia Orange paint + Yakima roof rack + ARC canards + APR carbon fiber mirrors + XK Glow underglow + Carbon fiber license plate frame + Euro plate holder w/ custom Euro plate + JDM static strip, + Clear side markers + Quik-Latch mini front bumper quick release + Sickspeed hella horns + Carbon fiber hood

INTERIOR

HENRY VELA

1997 HONDA CIVIC

By Adam Gordon | Photography By Dahkel Maddox (

rowing up alongside his dad’s project cars in the garage, Henry Vela wasn’t as into the world of cars back then as he is now. After helping his dad for so long, basic maintenance such as oil changes and brake services started to stick with him as he understood more.

Fortunate enough to be a part of a family which was heavily into modified cars, everything started coming together after he saw the first Fast and Furious movie.

He started to develop a keen interest in cars, and once his brothers took him to local car meets where he was surrounded with car culture and late nights, his fate was sealed.

G

38

@glacier_z)

EVENT

Low Class Militia: Spring Fest TX @lowclassmilitia

April 23, 2017 Ascarate Park & Lake, El Paso, TX

As a full time college student, Vela had to be careful when diving into a modified car. He had to strike a balance in his personal life, including school and family time while also working on a car.

He chose a 1997 Honda Civic with the aim of keeping costs manageable. Of course, once you pass a certain point, there is no going back.

58% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

Vela went into his build with a vision in his head, saying he wouldn’t be swayed by the opinions of others while working on his car. Since that day, the look of his car has changed over time, and it stands out in any crowd. With a modified D-series Honda engine under the hood and plenty of mods both inside and out, this Civic was put together with love and appreciation.

FG2 front and rear seats + Euro black panels + Suede dash + Custom upholstered door panels + K Tuned shifter w/ shift knob + Purple carpet + Cusco 6-point roll cage + Custom headliner + Wink mirror + NRG hub w/ quick-release + Momo Ferrari Gritti steering wheel + Mugen pedals + Carbon fiber dash tray + Cluster gauge pods + Takata harnesses + Custom trunk setup

AUDIO/MULTIMEDIA Pioneer single-DIN head unit + Optima battery

SPONSORS Buddy’s Body Shop + Broken Wrench Automotive + Sickspeed

Vela extends a heartfelt thank you to Teddy, Son, Jose Garcia, and everyone else who helped him out along the way.

He closes with a plea to up and coming enthusiasts: “Never let negativity diverge you from your own vision,” he says.

“Build what makes you happy.”

That is a philosophy we can all get behind.

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > Toms River, NJ ENGINE > Honda K20Z3 2.0L I-4 SOCIAL MEDIA @joey_fg2 Joey Valenti

ENGINE KTuned fuel rail + Shaved & tucked engine bay + Wine bottle coolant overflow bottle

EXHAUST Custom 2.5-inch exhaust system + Megan Racing header

DRIVETRAIN ACT clutch

WHEELS / TIRES Avant Garde F110 wheels – 17x10 +9 (f/r)+ Toyo Proxes tires – 205/40 R17 (f/r)

SUSPENSION Truhart air struts + Vera Air EVO air management + Skunk2 rear camber kit

EXTERIOR

Mugen (RR sedan front bumper, grille) + Carbon fiber fenders + Honda S2000 side skirts + Top1 Motors front lip + Precision Works solid motor mounts + Downstar bumper quick release + J’s Racing style GT wing + 10K HID headlights + LED white fog lights

INTERIOR Hydro-dipped hardwood dash + Downstar El Chapo shift knob - powdercoated by Gem Powdercoating+ Avenue steering wheel + Bride (Low Max racing seats (2), shift boot, center console cover, rear deck lid cover) + Sparco harnesses + NRG (steering wheel hub, quick release hub, harness bar) + Custom hardwood flooring

JOEY VALENTI

2008 HONDA CIVIC SI

By Micky Slinger | Photography By Vlad Shuriga (

oey Valenti has always been a bit of a tinkerer of Hondas, but never someone to go into a full-blown build. For him, the passion just wasn’t there – that is until he had to put a new motor into his Acura Integra.

Calling up a friend of his, Darryl, to see if he could do the job, Valenti was hit with a surprise answer: yes, but he wouldn’t take money.

Instead, he’d show Valenti how to swap out his B18, step-by-step, so he could learn the maintenance required. After the satisfaction of doing the job with his own hands, that was all that was needed to light the fire.

“I can't explain the feeling, but I can say that from that moment on is when my passion for cars really took off,” says Valenti. “Everything just started coming naturally to me and I knew I wanted to build something that I could put my all into.”

J

MOBILE ELECTRONICS

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EVENT

Elite Tuner Cars & Coasters @elite_tuner

June 4, 2017 Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey

After parting ways with his Integra via an accident, Valenti’s eyes turned to an eighth-generation Civic Si coupe, something he’d had his sights set on for some time to dive into with his own hands. While there weren’t many eighth-gen coupes being built, Valenti decided to further distance his on the outside with carbon fiber fenders and a Mugen RR sedan front bumper fabricated to fit the two-door, while a custom hardwood and Bride fabric theme plasters the inside.

The most challenging part of the build was the tucked and shaved engine bay, according to Valenti. He did the job himself, relocating the

73%

Kenwood KDC-BT365U single-DIN head unit + Pioneer 1,000-watt subwoofer amplifier + Kicker Comp 12-inch subwoofer

OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

ABS system, fuse box, ECU, battery, and extending a bunch of wires, only asking his friend, Jim, for an assist in welding up the engine bay.

While being the most challenging, Valenti says the outcome of having one of the few shaved and tucked eighth-gen coupes out there was so worth it.

And we haven’t seen the last iteration of this Civic either. In the words of the man himself: “My car will never be done because I will always have some new idea that will pop into my head.” I guess we’ll see what’s next on Valenti’s mind through his Civic coupe.

OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017 PASMAG

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@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > Buckley, WA ENGINE > Nissan VQ35DE 3.5L V6 HORSEPOWER > 430 whp TORQUE > 333 lb-ft SOCIAL MEDIA @elephantjosh josh.gonzales.5076

ENGINE

Vortech (V3 supercharger kit, intercooler, air intake, fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump, timing control) + Mishimoto (radiator, fan shroud, hoses) + Cosworth intake manifold + DressUpBolts hardware

EXHAUST Exotic Speed exhaust + Strup headers + Z1 test pipes

DRIVETRAIN Exedy stage 1 clutch + Ugrades axles + Kaaz 2-way LSD

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES Art In Motion MA50 – 19x12 -15 (f), 19x13 -55 (r) + Continental tires – 275/30/19 (f), 305/30/19 (r) + Hawk brake calipers + Z1 Motorsports drilled and slotted 2-piece rotors

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION Air Lift Performance air suspension

EXTERIOR Rocket Bunny V2 body kit + Big Country Labs spoiler + IJDM toy taillights + 3M Matte Metallic Brown vinyl wrap

INTERIOR WeAreLikeWise shift knob + Grip Royal steering wheel + Prosport gauges + Bride Low Max seats + Sparco 6-point harnesses

AUDIO/MULTIMEDIA Kenwood head unit + JL Audio 10-inch subwoofer + Kicker sub amplifier

SPONSORS Art In Motion Wheels, Air Lift Performance, Mishimoto, DressUpBolts, WorldWide Stance

JOSH GONZALES

2004 NISSAN 350Z

By Adam Gordon | Photography By Nick Stanley (

ften times we find what we were looking for in a place we hadn’t thought to look, and that’s exactly what happened with Josh Gonzales and his 350Z. Back when Gonzales was in the process of building his Subaru STI, he picked up the 350Z you see here as a daily driver. The more he drove the Z, the more he realized it was more fun to drive and push to the limits compared to the Subaru. It wasn’t long before his attention shifted, and when the Rocket Bunny kit came out, that was the final nail in the coffin. The 350Z was now the project.

O

40

@nickl.media)

EVENT

Hot Import Daze: Seattle @hotimportnights

May 7, 2017 Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, WA

Gonzales takes pride in having done everything on the car himself, with the help of some friends at most. Despite encountering a few challenges along the way due to having very little experience, he persevered, and says he couldn’t be happier with the rewarding feeling of doing it himself. It also made for a great learning experience!

23% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

As a show car, Gonzales wanted his 350Z to be well-rounded, and he definitely hit the mark. “I like that the car is balanced,” he says. “It's not like most show cars that have no power under the hood, but it's not like a track car that is only focused on performance and nothing more. I think my car has the right amount of every aspect.” Well done, Gonzales!

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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2017-09-11 4:13 PM

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@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > Garland, TX ENGINE > Honda K20A2 2.0L I4 SOCIAL MEDIA @dc5_luigi Luis Torres

ENGINE Hondata KPro

DRIVETRAIN Exedy stage 3 clutch

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES

BBS RS wheels – 18x10 +10 (f/r) + Federal 595-RR tires – 265/40/18 (f/r)

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION BC coilovers + Swift springs

EXTERIOR BuddyClub WTCC widebody kit + 2005-2006 RSX front bumper conversion + Type R spoiler + Top 1 diffuser + Mini H1 retrofitted headlights + Morimoto lighting

INTERIOR Suede headliner + Diamond-stitched accents + Blox shift knob + Vertex steering wheel + DC5 Recaro seats + Takata harnesses + Carbon fiber trim

SPONSORS Tru Photography + JoeDaddys Customs + CS Bodyshop + Elite Ride Accessories

LUIS TORRES

2003 ACURA RSX TYPE S

By Adam Gordon | Photography By Nhu Nguyen (

ometimes an enthusiast’s love for cars runs in the family, and that certainly seems to be the case with Luis Torres. When he was much younger, his father used to bring him out to car shows and the drag strip, so it’s only natural that Torres developed an affinity for cars.

His father was all about muscle cars, but Torres is on the other side of the coin: he’s all about the imports.

Torres has long been a fan of Japanese cars, and held a particular soft spot in his heart for the DC5 Honda Integra Type R. In the U.S. market, the equivalent is the RSX, so he pulled the trigger on a 2003 Acura RSX Type S. With intentions to build a show car right from the start, he was looking for aftermarket parts in no time.

The most treasured aspect of this build for Torres is the BuddyClub

S

42

@nhuoodles_photography)

EVENT

Hot Import Nights: Dallas @hotimportnights

May 13, 2017 Market Hall, Dallas, TX

WTCC kit, an extremely rare and well-made body kit. When he saw it for the first time, he knew it was the one for him, so he contacted BuddyClub USA. Unfortunately, by the time he got in touch the kit had sold out, and BuddyClub didn’t plan on making any more. “I left them my contact info and told them if they ever made a couple more to let me know,” says Torres.

Almost a year later, his prayers were answered. BuddyClub had reproduced a limited amount of the

17% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

WTCC kits, and they had one with Torres’ name on it. He purchased it immediately. Combined with his front end conversion, Type R spoiler, Top 1 diffuser, BBS RS wheels, and retrofitted headlights, the car’s look has been completely transformed.

Although he started out building a show car, Torres’ time with the car has slowly given him the need for speed, and he says he finds himself wanting to track the car more and more. Now that's a transition we can get behind!

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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DATA-IF YOU WANT TO WIN, YOU HAVE TO KNOW.

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KEVIN NGUYEN

1991 NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R

By Adam Gordon | Photography By Alicia Blakley (

hen Kevin Nguyen started working at Nissan as a first year apprentice, his friend and work colleague had an RB25-powered S14 that motivated Nguyen to dive into the world of old school cool Nissan sports cars.

Nguyen then picked up a Skyline R32 GTS, but found that the car wasn’t wide enough for his goals, so he sold the GTS to upgrade to the full blown R32 GT-R. What started off as a stock GT-R meant to roam the streets of Cal-

W

44

@itslish_)

EVENT

Auto Expo Galleria @battleindustriesinc

September 3, 2016 Starlight Casino, Westminster, BC

gary quickly became a big project for Nguyen when he attended Calgary’s Driven show. At the show he saw multiple R32 Skylines that he had never seen before, and they all had unique modifications that

51% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

he really enjoyed. It wasn’t long before he was creating a list of modifications to source, and thanks to Autodream, a shop just down the road from his house, he was able to get most parts with relative ease.

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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@tunerbattlegrounds

2017-09-15 9:57 AM

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > Calgary, AB ENGINE > Nissan RB26DETT 2.6L I6

HORSEPOWER > 551 whp TORQUE> 432 lb-ft

SOCIAL MEDIA @kaywiin Kay Ng

ENGINE

Brian Crower (retainers, spring kit) + Borg Warner S300 SX turbocharger + Yonaka intercooler + TiAL dual 38mm wastegates + K&N air filter + Raw Brokerage intake manifold + SARD fuel rail + Aeromotive (fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump) + Tomei (camshaft, cam gear) + HKS timing control + Split Fire coil pack + R34 Skyline crank shaft + Manley forged rods + CP (pistons, piston rings) + Cometic gaskets + ARP head and main bolts + Link G4 standalone G4+

EXHAUST In addition to the body kit and cool aero, taking the build’s aesthetics to the next level is Art In Motion wheels, a brand which Nguyen says helped him out with excellent customer support, as well as sets of high quality wheels.

Ngyuen also extends a thank-you to Cedric of Ceika brakes, citing

TR-TBG-Kevin Nguyen-PAS_2017_Oct-Nov145_v2.indd 3

them as the best brakes he’s had for the GT-R. In closing, Nguyen jokingly cautions prospective GT-R owners.

“Owning an R32 GT-R is expensive, especially when you’re a student on budget,” he laughs. “It's my second girlfriend.” Take good care of her!

Autodream custom (exhaust, down-pipe, dual tip) + DOC Race header

DRIVETRAIN

OS Giken (TS2B clutch, flywheel)

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES Art In Motion MA50 wheels – 18x11 -11 (f), 18x12.5 -48 (r) + Nitto (NT555 Gen2 front tires – 275/35/18, NT01 rear tires – 315/30/18) + Ceika BBK (13-inch two-piece slotted and drilled rotors, 4-piston calipers)

CHASSIS/SUS PENSION K Sport air struts + Cusco sway bars + Kansai front strut bar + Megan Racing upper control arms + Driftworks rear upper arms + Turtle Garage HICAS delete bar

EXTERIOR Veilside body kit w/ fenders + TopSecret diffuser + Fuji wing flap + WinnipegHID custom headlights + Junyan LED taillights + 3M Fierce Fuchsia vinyl wrap

INTERIOR Vinyl rear seat and roof liner reupholster + Mishimoto weighted shift knob + Personal steering wheel + Link Dash2Pro display + Bride (Low Max seats, seat rails) + RCI 5-point racing harnesses + Accuair e-Level air management package w/ touchpad + Custom air tank setup

SPONSORS Autodream, Art In Motion Wheels, CEIKA

2017-09-15 9:57 AM

tr.

@tunerbattlegrounds

ESSENTIALS LOCATION > Las Vegas, NV ENGINE > Mazda 13BTT 1.3L Rotary HORSEPOWER > 310 (est.)

TORQUE > 290 (est.)

SOCIAL MEDIA @jonflip29 Jonathan Togans

ENGINE

Street ported+ GReddy (FMIC, hoses, air intake, Profec boost controller) + Aeromotive Stealth 340 fuel pump + NGK spark plugs + Atkins rotary gaskets + Banzai Racing (block off plates, oil pan brace) + A’PEXi Power FC

EXHAUST

Magnaflow (Ti cat-back, downpipe, racing muffler, cat delete pipe)

DRIVETRAIN ACT stage 2 street clutch

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES Volk F-Zero wheels – 18x9.5 +22 (f/r) + Bridgestone Potenza tires – 265/40/18 (f/r)

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION Stance GR+ Pro coilovers + Mazdaspeed sway bars + Mazda R1 front strut bar

EXTERIOR RE Amemiya GT-AD widebody kit w/ molded rear quarters + APR GTC 300 spoiler + HID headlight conversion + 1999 taillight conversion + Candy Apple Red paint

INTERIOR Top Secret shift knob + AEM gauges + A’PEXi gauges + Defi (gauges, gauge pod)

AUDIO/MOBILE ELECTRONICS Alpine head unit + Pioneer (mid range speakers, tweeters, rear fill)+ JEGS battery relocation kit

JONATHAN TOGANS

SPONSORS

1994 MAZDA RX-7

By Adam Gordon | Photography By Jacob Ramirez (

onathan Togans had always considered himself an unbiased lover of all vehicle platforms, but when it came to JDM icons of the 1990s, that is where his heart was. Finding himself totally in love the Nissan’s Skyline, Toyota’s Supra, Acura’s NSX, and Mazda’s RX-7, Japanese car culture became an obsession for him.

Togans joined the Navy, and it wasn’t too long before he was deployed to Atsugi, Japan, where he says the culture shock hit him like a truck. Once he was sent out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, he spent his spare time reading car magazines and browsing forums for inspiration. Soon, the temptation couldn’t be resisted, so he purchased an RX-7 he found on the forums, and had it sent

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@jay.grams)

EVENT

J

Autocraft LV, Street Runners Group, Precision Garage Las Vegas, Exclusive Customs Las Vegas

Elite Showdown: Las Vegas @elite_tuner

February 11, 2017 Silverton Casino, Las Vegas, NV

home to his parents’ house back in the states.

Even with the car now owned by him, Togans wasn’t done shopping.

He developed a vision for his car, and began ordering parts to go with it while he was still out on deployment. Only when he arrived home on holiday leave periods was he able to start piecing together his build. Taking inspiration from Japanese street cars and car culture, he carefully chose reputable brands with a longstanding history on his platform.

58% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE

Now completed (at least for now), his RX-7 features a handful of engine modifications, as well as some impressive body work. The stunning RE Amemiya widebody kit has had its rear quarter panels molded thanks to Mike Roacho from Exclusive Customs. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Togans’ friends and family. “I have received support from friends and family members all over the world to be here,” he says, “and I feel very blessed to have come this far.”

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TEST REPORTS

BY GAR RY SPR I N G GAY

Pioneer AVH 3300NEX DVD Receiver Review A singleDIN head unit for the smartphoneconnected audio afficionado.

kay, I’ve done plenty of reviews about smartphone oriented head units, and this is going to be another. This time, however, we are looking at a product that actually fits in a single-DIN opening! So, if you have been longing for a dash full of high tech trickery to meld with your smartphoneobsessed lifestyle, here is one that won’t require a complete dashboard remodel just to fit.

The brand-new Pioneer AVH3300NEX features an innovative and highly customizable interface, and is designed specifically for today’s smartphone driven user.

It includes all the whistles and bells you’d expect and hope for, including a seven-inch motorized touchscreen in a single-DIN sized chassis. This is a brand-new piece, so the unit I received for review is a pre-production prototype - that’s how new it is! The unit is on shelves alongside some of the other recently introduced NEX units by time you read this.

O

FEATURES Like the other Pioneer NEX (Networked Entertainment Experience) source units, the AVH-3300NEX includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so it’s compatible with the vast majority of popular smartphones (iPhone 5 or later, and compatible Android phones). Touching the screen allows you to take advantage of Siri Eyes Free, or Google Now. Also, built-in is Pioneer’s proprietary AppRadio Mode+, which provides control of all your compatible apps directly from the touchscreen. The innovative interface is formatted specifically for ease of use and safer operation. For those of you who have discovered the Waze navigation app, you’ll

have it right on the screen in front of you, and can access it via Android Auto or AppRadio Mode+ (also available on iOS devices).

You also get compatibility with the free to download AppRadioLIVE app, which pulls content from many different sources and services. Whether it’s a map, music, news, or a calendar, this app allows you to combine whatever information you need into a single easy-to-use interface.

Of course, full Bluetooth handsfree calling functionality is built in, and you can stream content from your phone via Bluetooth. Once your phone has been registered with the AVH-3300NEX, future pairing is automatic whenever

“THE BRAND-NEW PIONEER AVH-3300NEX FEATURES AN INNOVATIVE AND HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE INTERFACE, AND IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR TODAY’S SMARTPHONE DRIVEN USER. ” 50

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your phone is within range. Pioneer has also improved the call quality with their new Wideband Speech Handsfree Profile 1.6. This exclusive feature nearly doubles the frequency bandwidth of the call, and approaches FM-type sound quality.

Pandora personalized internet radio is also included, and control is available directly from the touchscreen as a dedicated source. Compatible with Apple iOS, as well as Android devices that support the Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP), just download the Pandora app and enjoy new music mixed with your current favorites.

If you prefer Spotify, no worries, as it is another supported application, and, in fact, has been given its own dedicated source on the AVH-3300NEX. Satellite radio aficionados will appreciate compatibility with a Pioneer SXV300 Sirius XM tuner, and audiophiles will love the high resolution 192-kHz/24-bit playback capability via USB. The user interface is customizable to your

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

pioneerelectronics.com

@PioneerUSA

@PioneerCarAudio

PioneerNorthAmerica

PioneerMobile

personal preferences, and there are multiple different lighting colors and display choices available.

Two auxiliary video inputs (RCA and 3.5-mm) are available on the rear panel, as well as a rear-view camera input, and a rear video monitor output.

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONALITY As you might expect, there isn’t a lot of room to fit many hard buttons on the faceplate, as the front edge of the screen takes up the top half of the space. Once the faceplate quietly motorizes out, virtually all the controls and adjustments will be made on the touchscreen, aside from the rotary volume knob on the faceplate. This is a good thing, because most of them are hard to reach when the screen is out anyway. The controls and icons used are clear and easy to use, and the overall ergonomics are fine. The screen provides a clear picture for DVD playback, or when viewing the picture from the optional rear camera input.

A wireless IR remote control is also included in the box.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE On the test bench, the Pioneer proves to be an admirable performer. The built-in amplifier develops 20 watts x 4 into four ohms, and has a ruler flat frequency response. The pre-outs also measure very well, with 3.9 volts of unclipped output, and an equally flat response curve. Output impedance is decent at 190 ohms, and signal-to-noise performance is excellent, measuring -82.1 dB A-weighted. A built-in DSP-powered crossover provides 11 frequency selections and the slope is adjustable from -6 dB to -24 dB in six-dB steps. To further aid tuning, a 13-band EQ is also built in, and the optional Pioneer CD-MC20 would add Auto EQ and time correction functionality.

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MEASURED SPECIFICATIONS AMPLIFIER CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms)

20.0 watts/ch X 4

A-Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2V/1W @ 4 ohms) Amplified output

-76.7 dBA (Aux)

THD+N @ 2V/1W @ 4 ohms 1kHz

0.03%

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)

PREAMP SECTION Max Usable Output Voltage

3.9 Vrms

A-Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-82.1 dBA (Aux)

Output Impedance

190 ohms

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)

“A WIRELESS IR REMOTE CONTROL IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BOX.”

CONCLUSION Smartphone-centric users with single DIN dashboard openings finally have something to cheer about!

The AVH-3300NEX has all the bells and whistles of the double-DIN units, but now will fit in your dash.

Everything I’ve seen here tells me it will be an easy to use, easy to live with, and a good sounding unit.

With all that in a single-DIN chassis, your search for connected nirvana may finally be over.

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TEST REPORTS

BY GAR RY SPR I N G GAY

SONY XAV-AX200 AV Receiver Review A smartphoneready head unit that is so easy to use, you may not need the manual.

ony’s all new XAV-AX200 builds on the popularity of the XAV-AX100, but now it includes a CD/DVD transport as well. A perfect choice for smartphone integration, it features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. This allows you to control your favorite features with the unit's touchscreen or voice commands, as well as receive spoken directions from navigation apps. To further simplify your life, it even automatically detects the type of phone you’re using!

S

MEASURED SPECIFICATIONS AMPLIFIER CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms)

20.4 watts/ch X 4

A Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2V/1W @ 4 ohms) Amplified output

-84.0 dBA

THD+N @ 2V/1W @ 4 ohms 1 kHz

0.08%

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz

PREAMP SECTION Max Usable Output Voltage

3.95 Vrms

A Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-91.2 dBA

Output Impedance

80 ohms

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz

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FEATURES In addition to the DVD player, the XAV-AX200 also comes with a host of other features and functions, but the real story here is the availability of Android Auto and CarPlay. Apple’s CarPlay has been around for a while now, but only recently has the Android Auto app really taken off, and people in the know seem to think it’s going to be even more popular than the Apple system. Whether you’re an Apple or an Android person doesn’t matter, what’s important is that a compatible receiver, like this Sony, allows you to push the information on your phone to the large display in the car’s dash.

This keeps your phone out of your hand, and makes you safer while driving. Navigation is always at the ready, and you can even have your text messages and emails read to you. Any phone-based apps like iHeart Radio, Spotify, or Pandora will now work on the display of the Sony radio in your dash.

The XAV-AX200 has other cool features as well, such as three camera inputs for three externally connected cameras (one must be reverse), allowing the driver to link up to them and view the images on the receiver’s display. Of course,

the unit also supports Bluetooth hands-free calling and streaming, SiriusXM Radio, and it will even play back FLAC audio format files stored on a USB drive.

On the audio side of things, the Sony won’t disappoint. A 20x4 amplifier is built in, and there are front, rear, and sub-out pre-amp connections, with four volts of output. Combine that with a 10-band EQ, Sony’s “Extra Bass” bass reinforcement, DSO (Dynamic Stage Organizer) and built-in crossovers, and you’ve got a ton of tunability and adjustment at your fingertips.

The XAV-AX200 is compatible with many factory steering wheel controls, without needing an adapter.

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONALITY I like the clean and simple layout of the controls and on screen menus. Everything is extremely intuitive to use - I didn’t even need the manual. The touchscreen works well and provides sharp, clear video performance. I’ll also give a nod to the rotary encoderstyle volume control, which is simply the best possible way to control the volume on a car radio; you don’t have to look for a button, and when your hand falls on it, you simply rotate the knob. It doesn’t

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TEST REPORTS

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

SONY XAV-AX200 AV Receiver sony.com

CD SOURCE - AMPLIFIER FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

@sony

@sony_canada

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sony.ca

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HIGH PASS FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

+6

SUB OUT LPF - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+5 +4

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voltage and low source impedance. Output impedance is very important because it allows good signal transfer over the vehicle’s noisy chassis with minimum degradation, and a high signal voltage permits minimal gain required at the amplifier. This provides the best possible noise immunity and dynamic range.

I generally won’t consider a head unit truly high performance unless it has at least three volts of clean pre-amp output.

One thing I was a little surprised to find were the basic -6-dB/Oct crossover slopes in the pre-out filters. I would have expected at least second order filters, if not selectable slopes.

For those who are simply going to use the built-in amplifier, it meets the CEA-2006 rated power and the S/N measurements for both the amplified outputs, and the pre-amp outputs also exceed the rated spec. Distortion at rated power is also very low, and the frequency response is reasonably flat as well.

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get simpler or safer than this.

In addition, there are hard buttons for track up and down, as well as a home button for the main screen.

If you like to customize your screen, the Sony provides several different wallpapers to choose from, or you can import your own image via the USB port.

One thing I wish most source unit manufacturers would improve on is the convenience of accessing the subwoofer level control.

This should not require the distraction of navigating multiple screens and menus to access, as it gets used frequently. The Sony is as good (or bad) as the rest, needing a multi-menu process to arrive at the sub level output control. At least it has one.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE The Sony proved to be a good sounding unit, regardless of the source selected. The tuner pulls

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@sony

SONY XAV-AX200

in all my favorite stations easily, but I did miss having my HD channels available. When listening to a standard CD, the sound is natural and uncolored, with zero audible noise. Bass response is full, deep and powerful, while details in the highest frequencies are distinct and easily identified, but not at all harsh or hard sounding. Listening to the Cowboy Junkies’ Trinity Sessions and Robbie Robertson’s self-titled album, there’s a very good sense of space, the vocals are clear and natural sounding, and the stereo separation is excellent as well. Switching to a USB drive and some high-resolution MP3s, the results are pretty much the same as the CD section. The Sony’s sonics leave little to ask for, and I found absolutely nothing to gripe about. USB track search and selection is reasonably fast, and you can also search quickly

LOW PASS FILTER FREQUENCY RESPONSE

CD SOURCE

via a file list. Oddly enough, the XAV-AX200 does not support iPod connectivity.

When my listening session was over, I connected the Sony unit to my test bench, and measured the actual performance specs.

Reinforcing my pleasant listening experience, the specifications measured well. The preamp outputs are excellent, with high

CONCLUSION

Overall, the Sony XAV-AX200 is a good-sounding, easyto-use source unit. It has good audio specs and enough features to satisfy most everyone. Its primary focus is unquestionably the smartphone integration, and if that is high on your wish list, this is definitely a receiver worth serious consideration.

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Y V A E H L A T MEN E N I H MAC A WRX WITH A MONSTER HEART, BUILT BY GREAT MINDS Story by

Micky Slinger

I Photography by Ranger

Ramirez

Tucked away in a garage in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the shrieking laugh of Austin Barnett can be heard echoing from within over the whiz of impact guns, high-pitched buzz of saws ripping through sheet metal, and the sizzle of metal being welded back together again.

Inside, Barnett toils away on his wide WRX, stretching and relocating in the bay to fit his transplant: the heart of a monster.

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HEAV L A T N ME E N I H C MA SOON, JUST LIKE THE ‘STANG BEFORE IT, THE WRX HAD BEEN PUSHED TO THE ENGINE’S LIMITS AND BARNETT STOOD AT A CROSSROADS: REBUILD THE FLAT-FOUR EJ25 TO HANDLE MORE ABUSE, OR DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

I

t’s almost hard to believe that before he became Dr. Frankenstein, Barnett was blissfully unaware of the potential of JDM sport compact cars. Being brought up by a mother who loves Corvettes and owns a ’63 Stingray and a C5, as well as a father enamored by Mustangs who drives an all-original ’70 Boss 302, Mach 1 with a 650-plus-horse 460 motor, and a 2000 Cobra R, it’s no surprise that his first foray into the world of automotive modification was a 1994 Mustang Cobra at the

58

age of 16. Starting out with minor upgrades, the Cobra was eventually worked up to heads, cams, intake, nitrous, and even a 76-mm turbo.

As college was about to start for Barnett, and the Cobra’s 5.0-liter Windsor V8 wasn’t liking boost too much on the stock block, it was time for a sensible, yet fun daily driver. Enter the hawkeyed 2012 Subaru WRX hatchback. With AWD, a turbo, and plenty of cargo space, it ticked all the boxes - that is until Barnett found out about the massive aftermarket available for the WRX. After that discovery, the Mustang was shelved and the daily became the new project car – as it goes. Soon, just like the ‘Stang before it, the WRX had been

pushed to the engine’s limits and Barnett stood at a crossroads: rebuild the flat-four EJ25 to handle more abuse, or do something completely different. After starting his own business engineering shift knobs and other accessories for cars at Billetworkz, Barnett needed a company vehicle and a white panel van just wasn’t going to cut it, so the “completely different” approach seemed to be the way to

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UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR USUAL RB26 TURBO KIT WASN’T GOING TO FIT IN THE ENGINE BAY OF THE WRX, EVEN WITH IT SHAVED AND TUCKED BEAUTIFULLY...

go. As he sourced the new heart for his WRX, some say this is when he went from humble engineer to mad doctor.

As Barnett became more acclimatized to the JDM community, he heard whispers of the legendary GT-R and realized that if he wanted to do something truly different, the RB26DET powerplant would be the one to have for his creation. One would think that with both cars being AWD, the swap would be at least a little more straightforward than you’re imagining, but a hole made for a horizontal-four just isn’t the same as one meant for the large Nissan inline-six. Barnett was going to need some qualified help to get this done, and luckily, he knew just the right group of people.

Being an entrepreneur that’s heavily involved with the automotive community, Barnett knows quite a few talented local individuals that have headed up their own businesses, and calls many of them friends. Dave Brown of FAST of West Chester was one buddy that was instrumental in achieving the Godzilla transplant.

“His experience, as well as his ability to do the impossible, made the easy decision for me to have him perform the motor swap,” Barnett says of Brown. “The guys at FAST of West Chester did a fantastic job deciding the proper steps to fit the motor and trans into the car. Some days consisted of mocking the motor into place and just staring at it for a few hours, and some days consisted of pulling the motor in and out and cutting along the way.”

The swap was far and away the most challenging part of the build, especially when trying to keep the WRX’s all-wheel-drive goodness.

In order for the front diff to line up

T N E M Y V A E H 60

with the Subaru hubs, the RB26 had to be pushed back through the Subaru firewall, which resulted in a brand-new, custom firewall so the GT-R engine wasn’t technically a passenger. As a result of the extension, the steering column, center console, and front seats were pushed back, facilitating the need for the OBP Racing floormounted pedals. FAST soon found out that the oil pan wouldn’t clear the front crossmember and the chunkier GT-R Getrag six-speed and front driveshaft wouldn’t fit the transmission tunnel, so the oil pan was cut and the WRX was swapped to a dry sump setup, while the trans tunnel was made more accommodating.

Unfortunately, your usual RB26 turbo kit wasn’t going to fit in the engine bay of the WRX, even with it shaved and tucked beautifully, so reinforcements needed to be called in, and Jason Schmuck of Schmuck Built heeded call.

Specializing in forced induction fabrication, Schmuck supplied a one-off turbo kit that would snake around the RB26, as well as a V-mount radiator and intercooler

setup, and the slant-cut exhaust pipes that I would call hoodexit, if the WRX ever wore a top.

With Haltech Platinum Pro ECU masterminding the situation and a Borg Warner EFR 9174 twin-scroll snail providing the whoosh, the newly-homed wailing six-cylinder unleashes a staggering 713 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque to all wheels.

“I started with one of the most popular sport compact cars, the

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ESSENTIALS

2012 Subaru WRX

OWNER > Austin Barnett LOCATION > Lancaster, PA BUILT BY > FAST of West Chester ENGINE > Nissan RB26 2.6L turbocharged I-6 HORSEPOWER > 713 hp TORQUE > 568 lb-ft

ENGINE

WRX, and combined it with one of the most legendary sport compact cars, the GT-R,” Barnett says of his choice. “I hear from many other enthusiasts that I’ve combined two of their favorite cars into one.”

Now, if Barnett’s WRX was a trailer queen, it wouldn’t really matter how he supported the engine and the power it produces, but seeing as how he actually has the guts to drive this thing, his friends made sure that the hatchback wouldn’t implode on the first drive through town. Fast of West Chester fabbed-up a tubular front subframe, subframe brace, and a transmission crossmember to keep things from getting twisted, and Barnett employs sticky R888s in 315-wide, wrapped around 18inch Nessen Forged S7.0 wheels, to keep the four corners from continuously burning out. Massive eight-piston front, and six –piston rear Runduce calipers help bring the WRX down, while an Air Lift air suspension system literally brings the hatch’s MNT Rider Designs widebody and Carbon Fiber Element fenders down over the 12inch wide wheels.

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“The car was ultimately built to drive and have fun with, but no corners were cut, as I wanted it to also be a show car,” Barnett explains. “I would like to enjoy the car more in 2018 by taking it to tracks for fun, as well as having fun in it driving around town.”

Since the WRX is meant to be a part-time showstopper, the fit and finish inside is just as fantastic as the outside. Carbon Fiber Element supplied hints of CF throughout, while Exact Art made-over the upholstery with Alcantara, as well as trimming up the rear seats in Takata fabric to match the Drift Pro LE twin racing seats up front.

There’s also some fancy electronics for Barnett to peer over, like the AIM MXG dash, which allows

him to view custom vehicle data or datalog on track, and an iPad mounted for control over the Air Lift 3P management. The custom six-point roll cage ties the theme of show and go all together.

“One of my favorite aspects of the build is the people and friends I brought together to build this car,” gushes Barnett. “With many other great friends whom are also entrepreneurs, I wanted to build a car that could feature all of our work.

I’ve met a lot of my best friends along the way.”

One of the friends he made along the way that Barnett lists as his biggest inspiration is Willy Izaguirre, a fellow business owner (Nostalgic Grains) and rad car owner (SR-swapped ’68 Datsun Roadster). Izaguirre’s Roadster was a definite inspiration in the uniqueness department, but he also taught Barnett to stay humble and build his passion. Those lessons led Barnett to build the WRX you see here now.

For Barnett, it’s not about trophies (even though he’s won quite a few now), it’s about building something truly unique, which we feel he’s done – in a mad scientist kind of way. We’re glad he flipped the switch on his WRX, giving it life and scaring the townspeople, but he's not done yet - Barnett has teased us with a couple letters and numbers for the future: RB30.

Nissan RB26 engine swap + FAST of West Chester engine bay shave & tuck + Borg Warner EFR 9174 twin scroll turbocharger + Schmuck Built custom (turbo kit, V-mount intercooler & radiator, oil catch can) + Turbosmart Comp40 wastegates (2) + Plazaman (throttle body, intake, fuel rail) + AEM fuel pressure regulator + Radium Engineering AEM 320 E85 fuel pumps (2) + Injector Dynamics 2,000cc fuel injectors + Ross Tuffbond Stage 4 dry sump oil system + Splitfire coil packs + Cometic head gasket + ARP head studs + Haltech Platinum Pro ECU + Wiring Specialties engine harness + Zeitronix flex fuel setup

EXHAUST

Schmuck Built custom (hood-exit exhaust, turbo manifold)

DRIVETRAIN

ATS (triple carbon clutch, flywheel) + Nissan (R34 GT-R Getrag AWD 6-speed transmission, R33 GT-R 4.10 rear differential, + Nismo LSD) + Driveshaft Shop custom aluminum driveshaft + Full Race Motorsports center diff controller + Custom electric power steering

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES Nessen Forged S7.0 3-piece wheels – 18x12 +6 (f/r) + Toyo Proxes R888 tires – 315/30 R18 (f/r) + Runduce big brake kit – 8 piston calipers (f), 356-mm slotted rotors (f), 6-piston calipers (r), 330-mm slotted rotors (r), stainless brake lines, brake pads)

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION Air Lift Performance 3P air suspension system + Whiteline sway bars + FAST of West Chester custom (tubular subframe (f), transmission crossmember, subframe brace (r), diff mount)

EXTERIOR Paint & bodywork by FAST of West Chester + Tri-stage white w/ gold pearl flake custom paintjob + MNT Rider Designs widebody kit + Carbon Fiber Element custom (fenders, flares) + Blacktop Aero rear spoiler + APR carbon fiber (front splitter, Dodge Viper rear diffuser) + Custom (retrofit HID headlights, angel eyes, taillights)

INTERIOR

AIM MXG dash + Exact Art (carbon fiber & Alcantara custom upholstery, shift boot, e-brake boot) + Billetworkz (shift knob, steering wheel hub adaptor) + Carbon Fiber Element modified steering wheel + NRG flip-up steering wheel hub + Tanabe gauges + Takata (Drift Pro LE racing seats, harnesses) + OBP Racing floor-mounted pedal assembly + Apple iPad dashmounted for Air Lift 3P management + Custom 6-point roll cage + Relocated steering column, center console & front seats

Y V A E H L A T N ME SPONSORS

Billetworkz, FAST of West Chester, Schmuck Built, Carbon Fiber Element, Nostalgic Grains, Exact Art

2017-09-12 10:07 AM

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D E T S I TW Y S A T FAN A C USTOM DATS U N 5 1 0 W IT H A T W IST Story by

Adam Gordon

I Photography by Marcus

Bolds

Phil Blottie, the man behind Twisted Images, is no stranger to Datsun’s 510 platform. By the time he got to the example you see here, he had owned 15 of them in a 20-year period. In love with the 510’s drivability, looks, and tuner-friendly nature, Blottie was already familiar with the platform when it came time to build something truly different that hadn’t been seen before. A same-brand engine swap is always cool, but he wanted to go the distance with this build, turning it into something that couldn’t be replicated.

W

hen he first purchased the rusty shell of a Datsun for $200, he wasn’t

sure what he was going to do with it. “I didn't have any plans for it, other than to save it from going to the scrap yard!” he tells us. “My friends and I started talking about ideas for it, and it very quickly turned into a vision for the car you see here. Not much changed from the original plan,

64

except for the 13B swap- that's the result of watching too many rotary videos on YouTube!”

Yes, you are reading that correctly – the 510 here is indeed powered by a Mazda 13B rotary engine, and perhaps the best part is that swap is just the start of the car’s Frankenstein nature. The entire car from the chassis up is a smorgasbord of parts from around the automotive world. In addition to the Mazda rotary, you’ll also find the 5-speed transmission from

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an RX-7, an R200 differential, the front suspension clip off a 1994 Toyota pickup, Recaro seats from a Mk2 Volkswagen, and some unique taillights from a Nissan Bluebird coupe. As you can see, this car is the rolling embodiment of the Frankenstein theme of this issue.

The wild build started out as an idea to keep up with a bunch of Blottie's pals in friendly competition. "My friends are a constant source of inspiration for new ideas, as well as motivation to keep working on projects. They're always building something new, so I have to keep up!” Blottie quips. While running his own business and providing for a wife and three children, he managed to find just enough time to piece the 510 together for SEMA 2016. With an extensive history of working on cars for most of his life, Blottie made quick work of some of the car’s most challenging modifications.

Thankfully for him, Blottie’s wife Victoria is always supportive of his projects, and even helps him with styling decisions. Putting on copper-plated BBS RS wheels that tuck beneath the Datsun's fenders, for example, was her idea. Behind those special 15-inch wheels wrapped in Achilles ATR-K tires sits a set of Wilwood brakes, complete with Dynalite 4-piston front calipers and Dynapro 2-piston rear calipers.

The car’s drivetrain is a mismatched batch of rotary-centric parts, all pieced together perfectly and built to perform. In addition to being built to look incredibly cool, this Datsun 510 was also built to handle abuse and fire-spitting burnouts, so the drivetrain had to be ready to withstand some thrashing. The 13B rotary engine sends its power to the drivetrain via

a Turbo II Mazda RX-7 five-speed transmission, which transfers rotating power into an R200 differential before hitting specially rebuilt axles from Driveline Service of Sacramento.

With a background in mini trucks, Blottie wanted his 510 to lay completely on the ground when aired out, but the Datsun’s Macpherson struts and low crossmember up front wouldn’t allow for that. In theory, he could have raised the crossmember, but the struts would have to be so short that it would leave little to no travel for the air suspension, and sacrificing that much ride quality wasn’t an option. Noticing that the bottom of the car had a lot of rust after sitting in a field for years, Blottie came up with a plan.

Rather than repairing the unibody and ruining the beautiful patina the car had earned on its 1970s SCCA Trans Am 2.5 Challenge paint job, a 2x3 box frame was created that would tie into the roll cage for structural integrity. A 1994 Toyota pickup served as the donor vehicle for a front clip that would secure the new front suspension to the frame they built. The mini truck background lent some familiarity to this process, and it wasn’t long before custom upper arms and

THE 13B ROTARY SENDS ITS POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN VIA A TURBO II MAZDA RX-7 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION, WHICH TRANSFERS ROTATING POWER INTO AN R200 DIFFERENTIAL.

TWISTED

FANTASY 66

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ESSENTIALS

1972 Datsun 510

DRIVER > Phil Blottie LOCATION > Carmichael, CA BUILT BY > Roark Motorsport, Ridiculous Fabwerks, Grant Fab, Clean Concepts ENGINE > Mazda 13B 1.3L rotary HORSEPOWER > 170 (est.)

TORQUE > 145 (est.)

ENGINE

lower A-arms made up the suspension geometry. The entire front clip from the ’94 Toyota was narrowed by four inches to fit within the confines of the 510’s dimensions, and the project began taking shape.

Once the new frame was ready, Air Lift Performance suspension coupled with VIAIR compressors made it easy for Blottie to bring the car down to ground level.

After making some custom strut mounts, the Air Lift bellows were slotted into place in the custom Toyota frame beneath the 510’s body, and the car was ready to lay that frame on the ground.

A stock 13B just wouldn’t do any justice to Blottie’s creation, so it was soon time to add some bolt-on performance courtesy of Weber and Racing Beat. Weber velocity stacks funnel air through a 48mm IDA carburetor, which travels through a Racing Beat intake manifold before undergoing the wizardry that is Wankel engine combustion. To supply ample fuel for the increased air intake, a Holley fuel pressure regulator and fuel pump are put to use. All in, this setup is good for a little less than 200 wheel-horsepower, which may not seem like much, but it’s more than enough for such a fun little platform.

Blottie’s favorite aspect of his build is the contrast between the ratty exterior and the quality of everything underneath. “At first glance, most people will just see shiny wheels on a dilapidated car,” he writes, “but once you start looking at all of the custom work, you'll see that everything that was modified was done properly, painted or powdercoated, and built to work.” That idea is especially evident in the interior, where you’re met with the Mk2 VW seats, Nardi

68

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Mazda 13B swap + Weber (velocity stacks, screen, 48-mm IDA carburetor) + Racing Beat intake manifold + Holley (fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump) + MSD (6AL2, ignition wires, blaster coils) + NGK spark plugs

EXHAUST

Custom 2.5-inch stainless steel (headers, exhaust, exhaust tip) + Summit Racing stainless steel brackets + Vibrant V-bands

BLOTTIE’S CAR WAS BUILT ON A BUDGET, BUT THAT DOESN’T PREVENT IT FROM BEING A TOTAL SHOW STOPPER WITH MORE CHARACTER THAN ANY OTHER CAR IN THE ROOM.

DRIVETRAIN

Exedy pressure plate + Racing Beat 6-puck disc clutch + Turbo II RX-7 5-speed transmission + Driveline Service of Sacramento (rebuilt axles, custom driveshaft) + Welded R200 differential

WHEELS/TIRES/BRAKES

BBS RS wheels – 15x7 +14 (f), 15x8 +39 (r) + Achilles ATR-K tires – 165/45 R15 (f), 165/50 R15 (r) + Wilwood (Dynalite 4-piston front brake calipers, Dynapro 2-piston rear brake calipers, 12-inch 1-piece front rotors, 11-inch 1-piece rear rotors) + Braided brake lines + Custom pedal box w/ Wilwood master cylinders (3)

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION steering wheel, Defi Advance ZD gauges, and Corbeau four-point harnesses – the perfect hints of modern day aftermarket parts in a custom classic.

Blottie’s car was built on a budget, but that doesn’t prevent it from being a total show stopper with more character than any other car in the room. Part of the idea for Blottie was to show that you can do great things in the car world without blowing your life savings. “You don't need an unlimited budget, the newest fanciest parts, or a $20,000 paintjob to enjoy a car, or even win at shows,” he says.

“This car was built on a budget to take out to shows, abuse on the street, do burnouts, shoot fireballs, and make people stare!” This is definitely one of the best Datsun 510s out there, made especially cool with the use of some imagination and ingenuity to create something that can’t be mimicked.

What a twist!

Air Lift Performance suspension on custom mounts + Urethane bushings + Custom front upper arms + Modified lower arms w/ tension rod delete + Modified rear arms for air suspension mounts + 1994 Toyota pickup front suspension clip narrowed by 4 inches

EXTERIOR

FutoFab front chin spoiler + Bosch Mercedes W123 headlights w/ LED bulbs + Nissan Bluebird coupe taillights w/ sequential turn signals + Shaved wiper cowl + 1971 SCCA 2.5 Challenge Races graphics

INTERIOR

Datsun “Lil Hustler” shift knob + Nardi wood grain steering wheel + Leather Lokar boot and bezel + Defi Advance ZD gauges + Mk2 Volkswagen Recaro seats + Corbeau 4-point harnesses + Custom firewall, floor and rear panels

MOBILE ELECTRONICS

Optima Red Top battery + 2-gauge main power wire w/ cutoff switch

TWISTED SPONSORS

Twisted Images, Air Lift Performance, Grant Fab

FANTASY 2017-09-12 9:59 AM

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2017-08-16 2:23 PM

o l i d l e n o o z g e h t

T H I S K I W I S K YLINE IS NOT TOO HOT AND NOT TOO COLD - IT’S JUST RIGHT Story & Photography by

Peter Kelly

To you, mid-July probably conjures up fond memories of long summer days, cold beers by the lake and barbecues in the back yard, but all the way down here in New Zealand?

July is the worst.

70

J

uly, for us, means mid-winter (being in the Southern Hemisphere and all), and it isn’t even the fun

type of white-out winter like you get; it’s more of a grey and dull time of year that brings a damp, oppressive cold that you just can’t seem to shake and seemingly endless bouts of sideways rain punctuated with weekly storms. As you could

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s k c o

e n

imagine, it’s just about the worst time of year to be out photographing cars, but sometimes, when a subject just ticks all the right boxes, it’s worth packing up the camera gear and leaving the warm embrace of the office.

This is how I found myself standing in the middle of a deserted industrial area in Auckland one Sunday afternoon, soaking wet and freezing cold. My car was beached with a flat

tire, there was yet another rain storm fast approaching, and I was rapidly running out of daylight. Everything seemed to be saying “just give up and go home,” but I wasn’t taking the hint, not with the sound of Dustin Ng’s 1998 ER34 Skyline sedan approaching at what sounded like a great rate of speed. There was no mistaking the distinctive Toyota 2JZ bark, nor the sound of a big 60-mm Tial wastegate dumping

exhaust gasses as the three-liter six came into boost somewhere a few streets over.

Dustin’s ER34 soon rounded the corner and pulled up alongside. Needing to work quickly before the next rain storm settled in, I almost didn’t have time to take a moment and appreciate the Skyline - almost. A true street car, the aesthetically simple ER34 finds a perfect balance without swinging too far

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c o l i d l e n o o z g e h t

“I WANTED TO BUILD THE CAR LIKE YOU'D BUILD A GOOD HOT ROD. IT'S MADE BETTER IN EVERY ASPECT, BUT IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO TELL HOW.”

one way or the other - power, handing, usability, looks and cost.

It’s subtle, yet aggressive. It’s comfortable, yet fast.

“After building my Evo-powered Mitsubishi Mirage race car, I wanted something I could get more use out of,” Ng, who operates a motorsport-focused workshop in Auckland, explains. “The Mirage was 500 horsepower and 1,250 kilograms (2,760 pounds), but was terrible to drive on the road and only had two seats. The original idea for this car was to 72

build something interesting on a budget that I could use to tow the Mirage to the track and enjoy with mates.”

An ER34 Skyline sedan fit the bill perfectly, and as an added bonus, they're cheap and plentiful with plenty of aftermarket support here in New Zealand.

“Any Toyota sedan is either ugly or has a huge price tag in comparison,” says Dustin. “I like the R34 front and low roofline, but don't like the flat rear guards. I first bought a cheap crashed car, but it was too far gone, so I found another base model GT that was missing a few parts. I took it to a panel beater to shape the rear guards into the wider GT-R style, but to be honest, the guards came out looking terrible so I started again with new panel beaters, GT Refinishers. I drove in with a pair of R35 wheels sticking two inches out of the guards and drove out with them nicely tucked under fresh all-steel guards.”

In a similar fashion, the front end of the R34 stays away from fiberglass - Ng wanted it to look right. After plenty of searching, he eventually found an entire genuine R34 GT-R front end, which once matched with a custom set of side skirts and rear lip, was coated in a factory Mazda deep red hue. To finish off the look, Ng runs a set of massive R35 GT-R wheels.

“I liked the look of the factory Rays Engineering wheels and wanted something other people wouldn't have,” Dustin says.

“I found a full set at a race workshop that was building an enduro GT-R, and as they were also upgrading the brakes I picked up the R35 Brembos too - big wheels need big brakes.”

Although it’s very common to see super aggressively styled cars here in New Zealand, especially of the rear-wheel-drive Nissan variety, that was never the path that

Ng wanted to go down for his ER34.

“I wanted to build the car like you’d build a good hot rod. It’s made better in every aspect, but it’s sometimes hard to tell how.” Also in keeping with the traditional hot rod ethos, wherever possible Ng has used parts from other vehicles, only resorting to the aftermarket if there was no better option. Most obviously, that includes the Toyota 2JZ sitting between the front Tein Flex coilovers.

In a land where Nissan’s RB motor is equal measure plentiful, cheap, and very well developed, why would Ng cross-breed manufacturers by running a Toyota engine in a Nissan chassis?

“It’s the best of both worlds,” says Ng. “To build an RB that makes reliable horsepower requires a lot of love and isn’t cheap. 2JZs sound amazing, have variable cam timing and can make the power much easier - plus the swap was very easy. I had the

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#24835

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ESSENTIALS

1998 Nissan Skyline GT (ER34) OWNER > Dustin Ng LOCATION > Auckland, NZ ENGINE > Toyota 2JZ-GTE 3.0L I-6 HORSEPOWER > 591 whp

ENGINE motor bolted up in a single night.

I was never chasing big power for this build, but in normal 2JZ fashion it made big numbers without much stress.”

Aside from a set of 278 10-degree lift cams, the motor is internally stock, but still easily strong enough to handle the 591 horsepower at the wheels supplied by a Garrett GTX 35/82 - a versatile turbo that is cheap and easy to find in wrecking yards across New Zealand, thanks to Ford Australia using it on its excellent four-liter straight-six Barra motors, as found in the ubiquitous Ford Falcon XR6T.

74

Backed up by a Getrag V160 six-speed Supra gearbox, the motor pushes its power out to the rear 285-wide Falkens via a GT-R diff and axles, which while strong, does present some challenges due to the ratio.

“The rear diff has a 4.1 final drive, while the Supra’s is 3.2, so the lower gears are not great for traction, but at 100-kilometersan-hour (62 mph) in sixth, you put your foot down and it puts you in the back of your seat instantly,” Ng grins. “The low-down torque with a smooth six cylinder and VVTi making boost at 1,300 rpm also make it nice to cruise, so providing

you ease on the throttle around town, it’s fine. Stomp on it though, and it goes straight to red line.”

Even with a car full of people sitting comfortably on modified Mitsubishi Evo seats front and rear - the R34 absolutely hauls and handles, and that’s part of what makes this car so great.

Often the more time and money we spend on cars, the less we get to use and enjoy them, but Ng has his racecar for that; this machine is built to strike the perfect balance of what a good street car should be.

Sure, there’s a bevy of far more extreme vehicles floating around my fair country that I could have also shown you, but Ng’s R34 sedan is, to me at least, the embodiment of a perfectly balanced build. It sits directly in that “goldilocks zone” of speed, looks, practicality, and drivability, all without being crammed full of a catalogue’s worth of megadollar aftermarket parts.

Sure, my camera gear may have needed a few days next to the heater to dry out afterwards, and I’m pretty sure I ended up with pneumonia for my troubles, but after watching Ng’s ER34 slide down the street in the pouring rain, plumes of water spraying off the rear treads and flames licking the bumper as he made a break for home, I’ll happily say it; I regret nothing.

Toyota 2JZ-GTE engine swap + Custom (278 10-degree lift cams, intercooler piping, oil catch can, power steering reservoir) + Garrett GTX 35/82 turbocharger + TiAL 60-mm wastegate + GReddy (80-mm throttle body, blow-off valve) + Hypertune 3-piece billet intake plenum + ARP fasteners + ACL bearings + Bosch (044 fuel pumps (2), braided fuel return line, 1,200cc injectors) + Aeromotive fuel regulator + Superspark ignition coils + Link (G4+ ECU, boost controller) + Fenix (alloy radiator, 14-inch fans (2)) + Seam-welded engine bay

EXHAUST

Custom (3.5-inch stainless exhaust system, single-exit rear muffler) + Sinco turbo manifold

DRIVETRAIN Getrag V161 six-speed manual transmission swap + Exedy twin-plate clutch + Toyota OEM flywheel + Nissan R34 GT-R (differential housing, axles) + Tomei LSD

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION Tein Flex coilovers (modified) + Hardrace rear arms

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES Rays Engineering Nissan R35 GT-R wheels – 20x10.5 (f/r) + Falken Azenis tires – 285/35 R20 (f/r) + Brembo Nissan R35 GT-R brakes (6-piston calipers (f), 4-piston calipers (r), 380-mm 2-piece rotors (f/r))

EXTERIOR

Mazda red paintjob + GT Refinishers steel rear widebody + Nissan R34 GT-R front end conversion + Custom (side skirts, rear lip) + LED tail lights

INTERIOR Recaro Mitsubishi Evolution VII (front seats, rear seats) + Sparco steering wheel + Nismo gauge cluster + Autometer Shadow gauges (boost, temperature) + Wideband 02 sensor gauge + Nissan Skyline R34 GT-T dash swap

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

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@DBRINKWORTHFLARES

MARS AUDIO SOUND AND BEYOND 6923 Narcoossee Rd Orlando, FL 32822 (407) 344-2277

MARSAUDIOSOUNDANDBEYOND.COM

@IDESIGNSAUTO

INTECH PERFORMANCE 1062 Rue Lévis Terrebonne, QC J6W 4L1 (450) 824-3622

GROUNDED CONCEPTZ 1549 Bayly St Pickering, ON L1W 2Z1 (800) 447-8449

IDESIGNS AUTOMOTIVE 10873 Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 91789 (626) 926-0289

INTECHPERFORMANCE.COM

GROUNDEDCONCEPTZ.COM BOMEX GRAPHICS 218 Hutchings St Winnipeg, MB R2X 2Y2 (204) 694-6734

EMPIRE AUTOWORKS LTD. 104-17533 64th Ave Surrey, BC V3S 1Y8 (778) 575-5550

BOMEXGRAPHICS.COM

MOBILE TOYS INC. 909 University Dr E College Station, TX 77840 (979) 268-6066

MOBILETOYSINC.COM

OUTCAST GARAGE 18440 Amistad St #E Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (877) 236-7063

OUTCASTGARAGE.COM

EMPIREAUTOWORKS.COM XIII MOTORSPORTS 227 Advance Blvd #12 Brampton, ON L6T 4J2 (647) 278-3278

XIIIMOTORSPORTS.COM NEXTMOD MARKHAM 290 Yorktech Drive #27 Markham, ON L6G 0A7 (416) 800-9139

BLOOD TYPE RACING INC 2091 Johns Court Glenview, IL 60025 (847) 845-0976

NEXTMOD.COM

BLOODTYPERACING.COM

UNITED SPEED RACING 1847 Canton Hwy Ste 3 Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 674-5825

UNITEDSPEEDRACING.COM

NEXTMOD MISSISSAUGA 776 Dundas St E Mississauga, ON L4Y 2B7 (905) 566-4888

NEXTMODMISSISSAUGA.COM

WE WANT YOU TO BE A PASMAG DEALER! 000

PASMAG

+ Receive preferred dealer listing (print) + Receive preferred listing in Dealer Locator on pasmag.com + Receive 10 copies per issue + Receive a poster for the shop APRIL // MAY 2017

For more info and to register as a Preferred Dealer, go to www.pasmag.com/dealer or call (416) 922-7526.

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Reach grassroots enthusiasts 365 days a year with strategic content, social marketing and more!

CONTENT TUNERS

TAP into the ultimate platform to engage real enthusiasts through events, social media and traditional print and digital properties.

Learn more at

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2017 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER

event listings TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS #TBGLIVE #TBGLIVE provides regional competing opportunities for event promoters and competitors. Competitors who wish to participate in #TBGLIVE must advance/pre-register to compete in the #TBGLIVE affiliated event(s).

october

october

7

november

14 -15

18

HOT IMPORT NIGHTS: PORTLAND

CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP

STANCEWARS: HOUSTON

Hot Import Nights brings automotive celebrities and top industry influencers to the Portland Expo Center on October 7th for an event not to be missed! Showcase your vehicle and take home awards and prizes or come witness the top show vehicles the North West has to offer! The ultimate import lifestyle festival makes its way to Portland, Oregon!

Over 200 vehicles will be on display and competing with their systems in over 50 different formats of competition. Competitors from multiple states as well as Canada and Mexico come together for this one of a kind “battle of the car stereos.” The sound off organizations of dBDRA, IASCA and MECA are all partners in producing this event.

An event in which premium car owners and wheel fitment enthusiasts meet and showcase their incredible crafted vehicles in the Houston area. One hundred preapproved cars will be selected to be inside the event next to the hottest vendors and sponsors. VIP parking will be located inside the event this year.

HOTIMPORTNIGHTS.COM

CARAUDIOCHAMPIONSHIP.COM

STANCEWARS.COM

(PHOTO: TAYLOR VOLLRATH)

(PHOTO: TRAVIS CHIN)

(PHOTO: DANNY BATISTA)

THE LONE STAR CONVENTION & EXPO CENTER, CONROE, TX

A

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RU

N-DOWN

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Wichita Falls, KS

usaciworldwide.org

Hunter Mountain

Hunter, NY

daslaufwerk.com

Gridlife: TrackBattle Round 5

Gingerman Raceway

South Haven, MI

grid.life

Hot Import Nights: Portland

Portland Expo Center

Portland , OR

hotimportnights.com

Import Expo: Toronto

Canadian National Exhibition

Toronto, ON

importexpousa.com

All Team Bash: ATB Car Club Festival

Coolray Field

Lawrenceville, GA

facebook.com/allteambash

Elite Tuner: Texas

Western Technical College

El Paso, TX

elitetuner.net

Hot Import Nights: Thompson

Thompson Speedway

Thompson, CT

hotimportnights.com

Import Face-Off: Epping, NH

New England Dragway & Motorsports Park

Epping, NH

www.importfaceoff.net

Import Face-Off: Joilet, IL

Route 66 Raceway

Joilet, IL

importfaceoff.net

Formula Drift: Round 8

Irwindale Speedway

Irwindale, CA

formulad.com

Car Audio Championship

Kentucky Expo Center

Louisville, KY

caraudiochampionship.com

Global Time Attack: Speed District

Auto Club Speedway

Fontana, CA

globaltimeattack.com

Slamfest: We're Coming Home

Florida State Fairgrounds

Tampa, FL

minimadness.com

Heat Wave

RMB Regional Fairgrounds

Robstown, TX

heatwaveshow.com

Southrnfresh: 6

Coweta County Fairgrounds

Newnan, GA

southrnfresh.com

SPOCOM: Texas

Dallas Market Hall

Dallas, TX

spocomusa.com

Stay ill Clothing: Cars & Chaos

LifeZone360

West Dundee, IL

Euro'd Out: Fall Meet

Englishtown Raceway Park

Englishtown, NJ

etownraceway.com

Street Driven Tour: Atlanta

Lanier RacePlex

Braselton, GA

streetdriventour.com

Style Driven

2128 4th Ave N, Birmingham, AL

Birmingham, AL

okeydokebrand.com

Elite Tuner x Zociety Arizona

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino

Chandler, AZ

elitetuner.net

Import Expo: North Carolina

Charlotte Convention Center

Charlotte, NC

importexpousa.com

Low Class Militia: Border Classic Car Show

El Paso County Coliseum

El Paso, TX

lowclassmilitia.com

Panda Junction: Fall Edition

Leidos Field (Ripken Stadium)

Aberdeen, MD

tuner-evolution.com

V2lab: The Mystery Meat 5

Seminole Towne Center

Sanford, FL

v2lab.com

Oct 29

Import Face-Off: Chandler, AZ

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park

Chandler, AZ

importfaceoff.net

Oct 31Nov 3

DUB Show Tour: Las Vegas

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas, NV

dubshowtour.com

SEMA

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas, NV

semashow.com

Nov 1-5

World Cup Finals: Import vs Domestic

Maryland International Raceway

Mechanicsville, MD

importvsdomestic.com

Clean Culture: ATL BallPark Banger

Coolray Field

Lawrenceville, GA

cleancultureevents.com

I95 Shutdown

The Roanoke Rapids Theatre

Raonoke Rapids, NC

Import Face-Off: Ennis, TX

Texas Motorplex

Ennis, TX

importfaceoff.net

Global Time Attack: Super Lap Battle

Buttonwillow Raceway Park

Buttonwillow, CA

globaltimeattack.com

Simply Clean 9

Destination Daytona Complex

Ormond Beach, FL

iamsimplyclean.com

San Francisco Auto Salon

Moscone Center (Esplanade Ballroom)

San Francisco, CA

sfautosalon.com

FixxFest

Bradenton Motorsports Park

Bradenton, FL

fixxfest.com

Hot Import Nights: Tampa

Tampa Convention Center

Tampa, FL

hotimportnights.com

StanceWars: Houston

TBD

Houston, TX

stancewars.com

Import Face-Off: Fontana, CA

California Speed Way Drag Strip

Fontana, CA

importfaceoff.net

Oct 7

Oct 8

Oct 13-14 Oct 14-15

Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 21

Oct 22

Nov 4 Nov 5 Nov 9-10 Nov 11 Nov 18-26 Nov 18 Nov 19

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Wichita Falls Expo

Das Laufwerk

E

World Finals

Oct 7-8

T

occupybigbear.com

/

Big Bear Lake, CA

IA

Big Bear Lake Visitor Center

MED

fl2k.com

Occupy Big Bear

/

honda-fest.com

Bradenton, FL

R

Orlando, FL

Bradenton Motorsports Park

DA

Central Florida Fairgrounds & Exposition Park

FL2K

N

Honda Fest: Florida

BY

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mecacaraudio.com

C

Ellicott City, MD

/

Fresh Designs Pros

YOUR Y WEEKL NG TUNI NEWS

TED PRESEN

L

elitetunerreg.com

EVENTS

WEBSITE

Annapolis Junction, MD

/

LOCATION

Savage MARC Station (Parking Garage)

DelMarVa Soundfest Series: 3 - State Finals

Oct 6-8

80

VENUE

EliteTuner x JBM: Import vs Domestic Maryland

D

Oct 1

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DATE

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KENTUC KY STATE FAIR, LOUISVILLE, KY

A

P ORTLA N D EX P O CEN TER, P ORTLA N D, O R

PASMAG TUNE-UP // YOUR WEEKLY SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING TUNING

In 2017 we will be releasing weekly installments of PASMAG Tune Up, the tuner's source for WEEKLY NEWS, EVENT COVERAGE, SOCIAL RUN-DOWN and a close look at what is TRENDING in the automotive world. We'll also use the platform to RETREAD back to some of your favorite PAS content throughout the years, and offer our readers a new source for what is happening in the automotive world right now.

Mobile Electronics Competition Association MECA is both a club and a mobile electronics contest organization. The organizing body hosts car shows and competitions complete with music and contests.

They even have a MECA Kids contest using Power Wheels toys!

PASMAG OCTOBER // NOVEMBER 2017

PAS_2017_Oct-Nov145_EventListings.indd 1

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W AT C H O N

ROUND 01 MARCH 31 - APRIL 1

ROUND 05 JULY 14-15

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS - STREETS OF LONG BEACH

TRUE NORTH

LONG BEACH GP COURSE :: LONG BEACH, CA

AUTODROME ST. EUSTACHE :: MONTREAL, QUEBEC CANADA

ROUND 02 APRIL 28-29

ROUND 06 AUGUST 4-5

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY

THROWDOWN

ORLANDO SPEED WORLD :: ORLANDO, FL

EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY :: MONROE, WA

ROUND 03 MAY 12-13

ROUND 07 SEPTEMBER 8-9

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS - ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

SHOWDOWN

ROAD ATLANTA :: ATLANTA, GA

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY :: FORT WORTH, TEXAS

ROUND 04 JUNE 2-3

ROUND 08 OCTOBER 13-14

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS - THE GAUNTLET

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS - TITLE FIGHT

WALL SPEEDWAY :: WALL, NJ

IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY :: IRWINDALE, CA *SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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

@FORMULADRIFT

@FORMULAD

/FORMULADRIFT

#FormulaD #FormulaDrift OFFICIAL ENERGY DRINK

FormulaDrift_PAS_Ad17-7.indd 1 Untitled-1 1

OFFICIAL MILITARY SPONSOR

8/15/17 12:00 AM 2017-08-30 10:03 AM

Spot

Photography by Ranger Ramirez

Want to win some awesome PASMAG gear?

THE 10 DIFFERENCES

ORIGINAL

ALTERED

? ??

Send us the 10 CORRECT answers to this puzzle at letters@pasmag.com for a chance to win a PASMAG Fan Pack (Formula Drift 10th Anniversary Photo Book, stickers and some copies of PASMAG)!

Need the answers?

Visit pasmag.com/Spot10

Spot The Differences.indd 1

2017-09-11 4:58 PM

IMMORTALITY ACHIEVED. With over a full year of painstaking work and a no-expenses barred attitude, Clarion resurrected and reinvented an icon. Clarion Builds’ NSX started its journey as a bone stock and tired year-one Acura NSX. In its signature style, Clarion brought together an elite group of industry leaders to do what they do best, taking on the ground-up restoration, modernization and tasteful modification of a timeless supercar and a true automotive legend.

THE ULTIMATE MIX OF OLD AND NEW MASTERED PERFECTLY BY CLARION BUILDS AND EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE THROUGH BARRETT-JACKSON You now have a chance to bid on this peerless supercar and, in the process, make a difference in the lives of countless in need. Clarion Builds’ highly praised Supercharged 1991 NSX restomod will be offered at the Las Vegas auction event on October 19 - 21, 2017. The proceeds of the auction will be donated entirely to the country’s largest humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross.

Find out about the Clarion Builds NSX and the auction at www.clarionbuilds.com/acura-nsx

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A1000 ADJUSTABLE EFI REGULATOR

Here at Turn 14 Distribution, we have the performance parts your customers need, stocked floor to ceiling in our massive Pennsylvania and Nevada warehouses. With flat-rate shipping, the best B2B experience in the industry, and a return policy designed to make doing business with us simple and seamless, we’re ready and able to provide the parts and service you need.

Turn 14 Distribution – Performance Delivered. Period.

TURN14.COM // 100% WHOLESALE // 877-7TURN14 SEMA BOOTH 21555

2016 SEMA WD of the Year