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Let's Check Out: Nevada Auto Collision
Sneak Peek: The SEMA Show 2018
e l l e v e h C y v e h C 1970 INSIDE
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 - ISSUE 6
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VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM PUBLISHED BY BRAKR INDUSTRIES LLC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ADRIAN MIRABAL EDITOR ALEXIS SOLORZANO MEDIA RICARDO AGUILAR CLINTON ROWLEY ADRIAN MIRABAL CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CROOKS LIFE AKA SHAYNA WRIGHT JIMMY CROOK LAYOUT DESIGN ADRIAN MIRABAL ADVERTISING SALES@VEGASAUTOMAG.COM 775-455-0513 CONTRIBUTING STAFF BRYAN GUERCIONI VANESSA SOLORZANO COVER PHOTO RICARDO AGUILAR
FROM THE EDITOR
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hat’s up everyone!? Welcome to the final issue of Vegas Automotive Magazine for 2018. What a crazy first year it has been. We started our magazine in January this year and it has grown so much! Thank you all so much for all the love and support. We are a small, family owned business and we only exist thanks to all of you. While we are on this topic I wanted to remind everyone that we do offer our services to you and automotive businesses. Are you interested in a photo shoot with your car? Video shoot? Decals? We can do all of that. Be sure to reach out with any questions. www.brakrindustries.com As usual, we have a few local cars and a motorcycle to check out on top of a small business feature on Nevada Auto Collision. The variety of cars is extreme in this issue! I won’t give too much away, just enjoy! The SEMA show came to town along with SEMA Ignited and you can find a sneak peek inside this issue. Check out www.vegasautomag.com for more coverage. Don’t forget to share and utilize our free calendar. If you have any events you would like included please email them to events@vegasautomag.com Hope you all enjoy and don't forget to please support our advertisers and sponsors because without them this magazine would not be possible.
Editor
Alexis Solorzano
Advertising sales@vegasautomag.com Ideas editor@vegasautomag.com Rides rides@vegasautomag.com
@vegasautomag @brakrindustries
Vegas Automotive Magazine features information and content that is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Brakr Industries LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. Although a sincere effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information published, Brakr Industries LLC cannot be held responsible for any consequences which arise due to error. Copyright © 2018 by Brakr Industries LLC All rights reserved. Printed in the USA
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Contents
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26
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6 - EVENTS 11 - #702VAMFAM 20 - NEvada Auto Collision Feature 21 - around town
SUBMIT YOUR RIDE TO RIDES@@VEGASAUTOMAG.COM
27 - Lowrider super show 28 - The SEMA Show
November/December 2018 >>>>>>ISSUE #6
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November/December 2018
Event Schedule
Always verify event details prior to attending, details can change.
Date November 10 @11am-5pm
Event Name
For more details visit www.vegasautomag.com/events
Location
A Day to Remember 2018 by Freaks of Nature Buffalo Bills, Primm, NV
Type
Cost
Car Show
Free to attend
November 11 @1pm-4pm Calville Bay Marina Annual Car Show
Calville Bay Resort and Marina
Car Show
Free to attend
November 15-18
Street Car Super Nationals 14
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Racing
$$$
November 15-17
Mecum Auto Auctions
Las Vegas Convention Center
Auto Auction
$$
November 17 @2pm
West Coast Short Track Championship
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Racing
$
November 17 @8:30am-12:30pm
Veterans Home Car Show and BBQ
100 Veterans Memorial Drive
Car Show
Free to attend
November 17 @10am-6pm
Cruise to the Border Car Show
Fashion Outlets, Primm, Nevada Car Show
Free to attend
November 17 @10:30-4:30
Vegas Drift: Grassroots
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Drift Event
$
November 23-25 @9am-6pm Motor Trend International Auto Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
Car Show
$
November 24 @8am-2pm Findlay Chevrolet Thanksgiving Car Show
Findlay Chevrolet I-215/Rainbow Blvd
Car Show
Free to attend
November 30 @5pm
Midnight Mayhem #7
LVMS Drag Strip
Drag Racing
$
November 24 @9am-12pm
Caffeine and Chrome
Gateway Clasic Cars of LV
Car Meet
Free to attend
December 1 @8am-5pm
SOC 2018
Texas Station
Car Show
Free to attend
December 2 @8am-4pm
Import Face Off
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Car Show/Race
$
December 7
SNORE Rage at The River
Laughlin, Nevada
Offroad Race
Free to attend
Recurring Events
Caffeine & Chrome Las Saturday of the month 9am-12pm Gateway Classic Cars of LV Las Vegas Car Meets (Free) Every Wednesday Locations vary Follow @Lasvegascarmeets
Cars & Coffee Las Vegas (Free) Every Saturday Morning, 7am-10am Speed Vegas Race Track Follow @speedvegas
Espresso and Exotics (Free) Second Sunday of every month 8am-11am Boca Park Espressosandexotics.com Gears and Grinds (Free) First & third Sunday of the month 8am-11am Baguette Cafe Gearsandgrindsvegas.com Cars und Kaffee (Free) Last Sunday of every month 8am-11am Vesta Coffee Roaster Follow @Carsundkaffee
Your business here for as low as $40/month!
Village Square Car Show + Art Festival Third Thursday of the month 5:30pm-8:30pm 9400 W Sahara Ave Vegas Meets Every Wednesday Locations vary Follow @vegasmeets Car Show on Eastern Every Saturday morning 7am-10am 9500 S. Eastern Ave
First Friday @Findlays VW meet up Every First Friday of the month 6pm-9pm Findlay VW Henderson 983 Auto Show Dr Cars and Coffee Every Sunday morning 7am-10am Rancho and Craig
Send your event to events@vegasautomag.com to be included.
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Check this sh*+ out!
Nathan Brandt's 1993 Suzuki Swift Images by Ricardo Aguilar Words by Clinton Rowley
T
his car is completely insane, no ifs, ands, or buts about it! When Nathan Brandt rolled up to a meet it was love at first sight. We did a photo shoot right there on the spot. Inspired by The No Fucks Given RX7, this 1993 Suzuki Swift has a lot to say we’re just not sure it makes any sense. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nathan is the son of a professional mechanic. When he was 13, his father taught him to drive stick in a 1984 Ford Escort and it’s been a love affair with anything that has an engine since. Nathan has had a handful of odds and ends jobs and never liked working for someone. Shortly after that he became his own boss at age 20 running a special delivery service and lawn care company. The Swift was originally bought in 2016 as a parts car for $300 with over 200k miles on it. The Craigslist ad stated it had a blown transmission. Once he got home he took a closer look and discovered the clutch had been replaced and put in backwards. Nathan swapped it around and had a reliable, running car on the cheap. Instead of keeping it running and using it as a daily driver, he immediatly began working on it by mounting a junkyard Honda Civic turbo a foot off of the car. The car was pushing about 80hp stock and now Nathan estimates it at somewhere around 90-100hp with the turbo making 3-4psi. Somewhere between chopping the roof with a sawzall and installing the turbo, Nathan and his buddies took the little Suzuki off-roading with all stock suspension near Boulder City,NV. While mobbing some ATV trails they destroyed the shift linkage, blew a motor mount and to top it all off the engine
started heating up. In order to get it home his friend had to hold onto the hood in the backseat so they could get home without overheating. Right after the turbo was put in; it was taken to Speed Vegas to run the track. Of course, once they get there an oil leak was discovered during tech. While driving home, the leak became a flow and the flow became a spray coming out of the turbo feed line. Not wanting to risk anything they had the car towed home. This car has been through as much stuff as what has been put on it. On the outside, what started as a hatchback got its roof chopped off. It then turned into a tiny truck using a Geo Metro hood and sheet metal off of an A/C unit. The inside has been gutted except for some racing seats and harnesses. The floor was patched with license plates and the chain steering wheel was made at home. Oh yea! His thumping sound system consists of a bluetooth speaker. Nathan’s current goal for the Swift is to make it down the drag strip completely intact and in under 14.5 seconds. This car was a surprise for sure. It it came out of nowhere and grabbed our attention. With only $600 invested into it, it’s a labor of love which is what this magazine is all about. This car has gotten this far without a vision or plan and we can’t wait to see where life takes Nathan and his fever dream of a ride.
Custom turbo setup made with a turbo pulled off a Honda Civic at the junkyard.
Every inch of this car has something to look at.
@therealnathanbrandt
Driver Specs:
Suspension:
Name: Nathan Brandt Occupation: Special Delivery Services and Lawn Care Hometown: Las Vegas, NV Favorite food: Tacos Favorite thing to do: Go to the dry lake bed
-All stock
Wheels/Tires: -13" stock steelies
Body:
-Started as a hatchback -Roof completely cut off with sawzall -Made truck bed out of Geo Metro roof and sheet metal from old AC unit.
Audio:
-Single Bluetooth speaker hanging behind the seat.
Vehicle Modifications:
Engine: Base 1.3 with approx
Interior:
90-100hp - Custom Turbo setup from junkyard. Came off a Honda Civic.
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-Fully gutted except two race seats and harnesses -Custom license plate floor -Extended shifter about two feet -Homemade chain steering wheel
Custom bluetooth speaker to keep the jams going.
SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM
Readers' rides! Use#702VAMFAM
@vegasautomag
Want to see your ride here? Be sure to follow us on social media and use our tag, #702VAMFAM on your car/truck/ motorcylce related posts! TAG US TO BE FEATURED!
FEELS LIKE
FREEDOM
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Jeffery Mannaa's 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide Special Images by Jimmy Crook & Shayna Wright Words by Clinton Rowley
SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM13
J
effery Mannaa is clearly a man with individual taste. I can guarantee that there isn’t another bike like his 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide Special on the road. As they say, “Individuality is the definition of freedom.“ I think having your own custom bike to cruise on definitely feels like freedom.
A Las Vegas Native, Jeffery has always had his hands on something with a few wheels and an engine. His grandfather was always working on something and Jeffery was in there helping him every weekend. At 26 years young, Jeffery owns and manages his family’s home renovation business. In 2014 at the Annual Laughlin River Run, he spotted a big wheel bagger for the first time and it definitely struck a chord. Jeffery says “I was mind blown by the look of it. From that moment, I created a vision and told myself I would build something like that one day.” That same year he went out and bought his bike right off the showroom floor at Harley-Davidson. Since then, a pretty long list of things has been done to it. The engine was juiced up with a Screaming Eagle Stage 2 kit and a Vance and Hines exhaust and fuel pack. Keeping the bike sitting pretty is the Dirty Air “El Grande” air ride in the front and the rear. As for wheels, he is running an 18” rear gloss black wheel but what you really can’t miss is that big ass 30” Renegade coming straight for you. With a custom leather seat and a Rockford Fosgate sound system, riding this monster is just like cruising on a recliner at home. The real eye grabber though is the paint done by Griffin “Rufus” Walker; I’ve never seen a paint job like it. It has an old school feel while being its own style. The build itself took about six months and he really only ran into electrical gremlins. One of his main goals with the build is to inspire someone to create something that THEY envision just like he was inspired to build his. With out a doubt this bike is eye catching but I guarantee Jeffery will enjoy it more than anyone. You can catch him cruising on Saturday mornings or grubbing on food around town. When we asked him if he had any future plans, he said, “Enjoy all this hard work and money spent. It’s a motorcycle. Ride it like you stole it!” We couldn’t agree with that sentiment anymore.
Driver Specs:
Name: Jeffery Mannaa Occupation: Home Contractor Hometown: Las Vegas
@Jmannaa
Vehicle Modifications: Engine:
-Screamin Eagle Stage 2 Power Kit -Vance And Hines Exhaust -Vance And Hines Fuel Pack
Suspension:
-Dirty Air “ El Grande “ Instant Air Ride Kit Front And Rear
Wheels/Tires/Brakes:
-18” Rear Wheel Gloss Black -30” “Aspen” Front Wheel By Renegade -All Black Steel Braided Lines -Performance Machine 6 Piston Front Caliper In Black
Body: :
-American Suspension 30” Rake Kit -Misfit Industries 30” Wrap Front Fender -Trask Chin Spoiler -Dirty Bird Concepts “Speedster” Front Windshield -Pickard USA “Swag Bag” Tank Extensions -Dirty Bird Concept Extended Side Covers -Pickard USA “Swag Bag” Rear End
Audio:
-Double Din Touchscreen Receiver -Rockford Fosgate Speakers And Amp
Misc:
-Custom Leather Seat By Danny Gray -Saddlebags Lined In Black Velvet -All Accessories And Engine Rockers Powder Coated Gloss Black -10” Vance & Hines Handlebars -Dirty Bird “Gnarly” Series : Fork Cans,Grips, Shifter,Rear Brake,Floorboards,Passenger Pegs, And Bag Latches. (All -Powder Coated Gloss Black ) -MRI Electric Center Stand -Custom Dynamics LED Windshield Turn Signals -Custom Dynamics Plasma Rods
Thanks:
My girlfriend, Brianna Cecrle for the endless amounts of support on all of my endeavors. My best friend, Cody Campbell for slaving away on this bike with me for months. Griffin "Rufus" Walker for painting/pinstriping this beauty. Jimmy Crook and Shayna Wright for the amazing photos and getting my bike featured.
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B n l I a k c k c a B
' e l l e v e evy Ch
s n a m w ul Ne
Pa
1970 Ch
o Aguilar d r a ic R y b s e g Ima n Rowley Words by Clinto
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T
he Chevrolet Chevelle is one of America’s favorite classic muscle cars. The 1970 body style falls into Chevy’s second generation (1968-1972) Chevelle. If you consider yourself a fan of the Chevelle then you know they made multiple style bodies of this car. (Convertible, twodoor, four-door and station wagon body) On top of this, there were many power plant options and accessories to customize. That still stands today. If you get your hands on one of these cars, the options are endless. As you have learned over the last few issues, we are always looking for something unique in our featured vehicles. This 1970 Chevy Chevelle is no exception with a 2015 LSA engine swap pushing 600hp. Imagine everything that is amazing about the Chevelle from the factory and then making it your own in modern time. That is exactly what Paul Newman did with his car. Removing all the chrome aided the black paint in making this car look mean as hell. It has an aggressive stance that will make your knees shake. I love everything about this car, even if it makes me a little scared. Being raised by a group of circle track drivers back East, Paul says “There was always a lot of horsepower in the garage.” That is a great recipe to have extremely good taste in vehicles. Before owning his Chevelle, Paul has had a few heavy hitters parked at home like a 1968 Shelby GT500KR, 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, 1971 Plymouth Barracuda, 1967 Chevrolet Nova, and
Thanks:
a 1969 Mustang Fastback. Some people dream of having even one of those cars making that roster quite impressive. Paul bought the car about two years ago from a buddy as a rolling shell. This made it the perfect canvas to make it look exactly as he wanted. Dropping a 600 hp LSA with a six speed transmission under the hood would get that shell rolling pretty quickly. Big six piston Brembos were installed all the way around to stop this monster. All of the tuning and engine bay work was done by Halls Hot Rods here in Las Vegas. The Forgestar wheels have a nice staggered set up that help bring the look together. The suspension consists of tubular control arms, RideTech Sway Bars and RideTech Shockwave Air Ride setup. All of it coming comes together to make this car ready to pounce. While the car was in the shop getting shaved and painted, Paul found out the hard way that some people are hard to trust with doing what they were paid to do. So he pulled the car from that shop and took it to Mike at Exclusive Customs and clearly they knocked it out of the park. You can catch Paul working at Wet Republic or cruising in his ride to one of the plenty of concerts in town. He says he has a couple of other builds in the works that aren’t road worthy yet. We know he’ll make those cars look just as good as this Chevelle.
Big Shout out to Josh & Louie at Halls Hot Rods, Mike and the crew at Exclusive Custom & Dre over at WC Motoring for the setup on the car.
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Driver Specs: Name: Paul Newman Occupation: Busser
Vehicle Modifications:
Engine: 600hp 2015 LSA with 6 speed transmission Suspension: -Full RideTech Shockwave Air Ride setup -Tubular control arms -Extreme Front and Rear Ride Tech Sway Bars
Wheels/Tires/Brakes:
-Forgestar 18x9 in front with 20x10.5 in rear -Brembo 6 pistonBig Brake setup in all four corners with 15” slotted and cross drilled rotors
Body: :
-PPG Custom Metallic Paint done by Exclusive Customs in Las Vegas -Custom Powder Coated Bumpers and Trim done at Powder Coating Plus in Las Vegas
@ Soul_Surfer_702
Misc:
-Moser 12 bolt Rear End with Eaton posi 391 gears -All Tuning and Custom Engine bay work taken care of by Halls Hot Rods in Las Vegas. Special shout out to Josh and Louie for all the custom Fabrication on her.
Did You Know? •The Chevelle shared a platform with both the Monte Carlo and the El Camino. •The Chevelle was built in 10 different plants in two countries during its run.
SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM
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Let's Check Out
Facebook:
www.nevadacollision.com
Nevada Auto Collision Center
Address:
1635 S. Mojave Rd Las Vegas, NV 89104
Hours:
Monday to Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 8am-12pm
Images by Brakr Industries Words by Adrian Mirabal
Instagram:
@nvautocollision702
I
n a wreck and need a check? How about, need your car back on the road looking good and safe!? With so many ads out there for body shops and painters it is hard to know who you are dealing with. We are fortunate (and unfortunate) enough to have worked with this shop first hand on many occasions. Whether it was a fender bender that one of us got in or a family heirloom that needed some love as part of a restoration, they have always treated us fairly and provided us quality work. Alfonso Tamayo and Suzanne Tamayo-Soto are the owners of Nevada Auto Collision Center. Their team has been at it for 40 years in Las Vegas repairing anything from a classic 1950’s truck all the way to a brand new Mercedes Benz. Alfonso’s family owned shop has been in the making since he was just 16 years old and someone took him under their wings at a small shop in Pico Rivera. He started out there cleaning up the shop, sanding and prepping cars and then learning metal work. When he thinks back to those times, he feels very fortunate to have learned from someone who was not just a “Bondo Magician” but a real expert in metal work. The owners of the shop he worked at for over 40 years, decided it was their time to get out of the auto repair industry and focus on other ventures. When they sold their business, Alfonso felt it was time to reevaluate his career and life. As a family, they decided it was time to take his experience in the automotive repair industry and put it to work for their family. While they were searching for the perfect business location they came across an opportunity to take over an established family owned shop on the east side of Las Vegas. For the past 3 years they have been focusing on growing and fine tuning their business. Through hard work and perseverance, they have established themselves as the go to family owned shop for all your repair needs. “We Make Friends by Accident” You can see that around their shop in action. Every person who walks through the door is treated with respect and outstanding customer service. They have 5 star ratings and a Better Business Bureau A grade. You can find them doing things like assisting customers with obtaining a rental car, working through their insurance companies to ensure they get the best possible repairs, providing concierge services for estimates, drop offs and pickups, and just providing a friendly and comfortable environment to set themselves apart. When you deal with Nevada Auto Collision you don’t have any fancy commercials or gimmicks just a group of neighbors with your best interest in mind.
• Auto body paint and collision repair • custom paint • spray in bedliners •fleet services • frame repair
Around town
A snippet of what is happening around town
Barret-Jackson, Las Vegas
By Adrian Mirabal
Images by Clinton Rowley
Barrett-Jackson comes to Las Vegas. This is more than just an auto auction. There were vendors on site doing demos, new car manufacturers showing off the latest model cars and a ton of auto enthusiasts looking to score the next deal. Check out the next show for yourself and see what it's about!
WHEELhouse Open House/Car Meet Images by Ricardo Aguilar
Check out the video! If you didn't make it out to the WHEELhouse Open House/Car Meet last month than you definitely missed out! What a great turn out! We had such an awesome variety of cars show up for everyone to check out and tons of raffle prizes including a set of wheels! The event was such a hit that I think I see another one coming in the future. Keep an eye out for details.
SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM
Images by Ricardo Aguilar Words by Clinton Rowley
W
e all know this 2004 Subaru WRX; it’s at all the meets. You see it driving around town and you know exactly who’s in it. Ivan Tarula is the one driving if you really didn’t know. If he isn’t working as an Air Compressor Field Tech or with his girlfriend, Lisa, or his daughter, Isabella, you can find him at all the car meets and shows in town. Ivan is originally from Los Angeles. He grew up going to meets and shows with his older cousins. Just like so many of us, that’s when the love set in for cars. His love for cars really shows in the vehicles he has owned. Just to show you, here is his track record of vehicles: a 1994 Buick Roadmaster, 2003 Nissan Sentra SE.R spec V, 2000 Audi a4, 1994 BMW 325is,1996 Nissan 200sx, 2001 BMW 528I, 2004 Honda cbr600rr, 2001 Yamaha v-star, and finally a 1999 Ducati 900s. It is definitely an odd collection of rides. About six and a half years ago, while driving to work, Ivan spotted a Subaru WRX at a dealership. He thought about it all day and as soon as he got off of work he went and bought the car. He is the second owner of the wagon. The original owners were an elderly couple who drove it back and forth from the east coast. So one owner, they were elderly and driven only on the highway? I would say that’s a damn good purchase. Rocking a Cobb Accessport, this wagon is pushing 260 horse power. We all know any engine mods is just to hear that Subaru rumble. As far as suspension goes, it rides on Raceland air struts, a Slam Specialties management system and dual Viair Compressors. The car sits on Klutch SLC2 wheels wrapped in some Federal tires this thing looks good sitting or moving. Helping keep those wheels and tires looking great are the Forcewerkz flares. The interior is decked out in NRG with seats, harnesses, harness bar, hub and quick release. He is running a Sparco steering wheel and some LED lights to polish it all off. Now we have all seen this paint job, what started out as a seemingly random decision to plastidip the Subie turned into his friend, Rigo, brushing on the bomber graphics. After that, he went back and airbrushed everything and since then this car has been unmistakable. A year ago they decide to officially paint it for SEMA. The only thing is it was his only car so he still had to drive it while it was being finished. We’ve all been there though. Ivan says that the best memory he has with his ride is watching his daughter’s reaction when it won its first award. We asked Ivan what’s next for the car. He says “I am hoping for a widebody kit, paint and an engine swap. My goal is to be a booth car in The SEMA Show. I want to be one of the cars that people remember and use as inspiration.” Next time you see Ivan and that crazy paint job say hi.
G N I P P DRO S B M BO
X
R W U R A B U S 4 0 0 2 IVAN TARULA'S
Check out the video! SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM
Thanks:
Rigo Padilla for killing it in the paint. Sam Sanchez @rumblebee.sti for showing me the way. Klutch wheels, Awdsome Lifestyles,Gettagrip , bamshifts, federal tires, R1 concept, XK Glow, Jdm emergency, and all my friends and family for all the support they have given me.
@04poswrxwagon
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Driver Specs:
Name: Ivan Tarula Occupation: Air Compressor Field Tech Hometown: LA>>>Las Vegas
Vehicle Modifications: Engine: 260hp EJ205
-Godspeed top mount, Cobb 3in castles turbo back, perri inlet, DC sport SRI, Cobb accessport v3
Suspension:
-Raceland air struts, slam specialties management, dual viair compressors, gt spec strut bars, cusco H-brace and front power brace.
Wheels/Tires/Brakes:
-Klutch wheels slc2 wrapped I federal 595 rsr 255/35/18 -Cadillat ATS Brembo Brakes
Body: :
-forcewerkz flares and jdm sti front and rear bumper covers with fogs.
Audio:
-dogs.Alpine deck, ds18 component speakers
Interior:
-Nrg seats, harness , harness bar, hub , quick release , sparco steering wheel, xkglow lights
Misc:
-Custom airbrushing
Images and Words by Clinton Rowley
W
ith a single cylinder engine and a whopping 13 hp, the BMW Isetta 300 can grab more attention than cars with one hundred times the horsepower. This 1958 Isetta is one of the quirkier cars we’ve covered. As soon as we saw it, we knew we had to check it out. I mean come on who doesn’t want to see Steve Urkel’s car in person?! With top speed of 53 MPH, on a decline and a tailwind, this little screamer stays well away from the highways but it achieves nearly 78 MPG. The numbers on this car are insanely upside down but all I can do is smile when I see it. The Isetta was originally made by Italian car company Iso (who also built refrigerators, hence the front door) but was only in production from 1953 to 1956. BMW took their own shot at the Isetta and really made it their own. The door is the front end and that’s really it. The steering wheel moves with the door to give you more room to get in. This car is a group project/restoration owned by Ronald Lewis and Kenneth Goldberg. Ronald is a Realtor who has been living in Las Vegas since 1994. Kenneth is Registered Nurse who has lived in Vegas since 2003. They both have a history of loving cars so restoring projects together was a fitting hobby. Ronald and his friend Kenneth discovered the Isetta after seeing it on a few automotive shows. They fell in love with the unique style and crazy design. They agreed that if one came available they would buy it and restore it. The car was actually on display in a museum previously but went up for sale a short time later. They moved quickly and became the new owners. They wanted the car to be drivable and didn’t want to trailer it anywhere; this also means it generally stays on the Henderson side of town. As you can imagine specific parts for this little thing might be hard to come by but Kenneth and Ronald took care to find genuine BMW parts from private dealers and such. Nevertheless, it all came together into one hell of a conversation starter. While we were shooting the car it drew a constant crowd at a local park. People of all ages were gawking and had a ton of questions. The owners enjoy all the attention the car gets. They really enjoy the happiness and curiosity it attracts when they take it to shows or even for a short stroll. We asked the duo what their favorite memory is with the car. Kenneth said “My favorite memory was parking at a car show next to million dollar cars and having more people wanting to take pictures with our car than the exotics.” Ronald told us “My favorite memory is we once had a famous basketball player sit inside because his friends said he would not fit. He was 6’9” and he actually fit pretty well inside.” Here at Vegas Auto Mag not only do we like high horse power, loud exhaust and custom everything. We like cars that have a purpose whether it is to be jumped, raced, cruised, or shown off. This little Isetta has probably the most important purpose to us and that is to bring happiness and smiles to car culture, and it does it bone stock.
J U S T A L IT T LetEtaB30IT0 1958 BMW Is
lowrider super show Images by ricardo aguilar
Check out the video!
SHOW COVERAGE AT WWW.VEGASAUTOMAG.COM/Lowrider-supershow-2018
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THE SEMA SHOW 2018
S !
K E E P K SNEA S ND WORD A S E G A IM MIRABAL N A I R D A BY
EMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association. The SEMA organization helps businesses involved in vehicle customizations in a variety of ways. One of the most well known is the SEMA Show. This is an annual trade show right here in Las Vegas, NV and spreads across 4 days. Manufacturers come to the SEMA Show to show off their new products to buyers that are eagerly looking for the newest and latest trends. This year’s show featured over 2,400 exhibiting manufacturers. The show features 1.2 million square feet of exhibitors and an additional 1 million square feet of features and attractions. Imagine the biggest car show you have ever been to but on mega steroids! There is somewhere around 1,500 feature vehicles throughout the show. The show has grown tremendously starting with just 98 booths and 3,000 attendees back in 1967. With the show being in our hometown, we cleared the schedule and attended all 4 days. This is just a teaser into what we saw. We made many amazing connections with companies to bring you fresh content and introduce new products and services going into 2019. Be sure to check out our video recaps online along with full photo albums and more. The show is not open to the public but the past few years there has been a show called SEMA Ignited. This is held Friday after the show is over and is open to the public. A lot of the vehicles from the show attend for the public to get an up close look. There are also live action demos. This year Formula D, Nitro Circus and Kia put on a show with drifting, jumping and freestyle motocross. If you don’t work for a business that qualifies to attend SEMA we recommend checking out SEMA Ignited next year! To learn more about the SEMA Show check out www.semashow.com
>>>
One of the many display vehicles exiting the convention center to participate in the parade to SEMA Ignited.
>>>
This is just one row of one hall taken at a random time on a random day. That might give you an idea of how tremendous this show is.
• Over 1,500 feature vehicles • Over 2,400 Exhibitors • 2.2 million sq ft of exhibitors and attractions • over 162,000 visitors 28
Exhibitors do a lot of different things to get you to check out their products. Some bring live demos, fancy parts displays or the wildest rides! You can see Lincoln Electric brought out their welders for live demos. Monster Energy had Hanro Studios doing custom engraving right in their booth. Nelson Racing Engines set up a custom turbo rack and of course SEMA themselves had spots throughout the show where you could buy official SEMA gear!
Quite a few companies brought along full race car simulators for you to check out.
Cars and trucks of all different styles come from all around the world to be on display at the show and showcase new products.
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