Features - ��ֱ�� is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2011

2024-12-10T16:21:51+00:00

By 2011, styles in the automotive world had become as diverse as ever, with the hardcore tuning era of Fast & Furious and video games in the rearview, but its styles still present, different niches of visual modification began to take hold. There was more emphasis on simplicity and timeless design, at least for some - while others fought to keep the insane styles of the turn of the century alive. The weird and wild of the early 2000s was still echoing, but the timelessness of minimalism and a "less is more" mentality when it came to visuals was starting to emerge more commonly. As part of an ongoing series for our 25th anniversary here at ��ֱ��, we've been taking a look through the archives of the last 25 years, and some of the stuff we've found deserves to be shared with you all.

This week, we're looking at the year 2011 in all its glory.

1. Jerred Amick's Supra

For many enthusiasts, Jerred Amick's MkIV Supra is pretty close to what comes to mind when they think of a dream street driven Supra. Simple, yet aggressive exterior styling, a plethora of rare JDM parts, a big turbo, and a flawlessly executed interior. Complete with a healthy dose of carbon fiber and a cool color scheme, this Supra almost seems ahead of its time for 2011.

2. Pete Colello's Hyundai Equus

VIP styling in North America was at a peak around this time, and for Pete Colello that meant taking it to a new platform. His second-generation Equus, which was essentially brand new at the time, was given the full VIP treatment inside and out. Decked out in Junction Produce goods from front to back, the Infinity audio system really sets this one off.

3. Shawn Baker's Scion tC Tuner Challenge Winner

The second-generation Scion tC was begining to make waves, and to help accelerate its popularity among the tuner crowd, Scion launched the tC Tuner Challenge - a challenge that invited builders and tuners alike to modify a Scion tC to see who could come up with the best of the best. Shawn Baker saw this as a worthy challenge, and got to work with some of his sponsors. The end result is one of the most unique and stylish tC builds we've ever featured. Just look at that interior!

4. DTA / Rogue Status 2JZ Scion xB

This could be the most infamous Scion xB ever - the 2JZ-swapped xB built by DTA. This vehicle was featured in a handful of road rallies, including the Bullrun and Gumball 3000 during its lifespan. Rowdy was the name of the game, and this xB was an unsuspecting platform to be given the full DTA treatment. There's something inherently special about a boxy vehicle that could do a burnout with a full crew inside.

5. John Wakely's Subaru STi

John Wakely has built cars in and around the Ontario, Canada car scene for a while, and perhaps one of his most iconic builds was this blobeye STi. Built with function in mind, Wakely tapped into prevelant tuner culture of the era with a unique and aggressive exterior, a nicely modified engine, and of course - a color-matched interior complete with all the bells and whistles.

Magic Tricks: Raymond Tsang's FD3S RX-7 is a Dream Come True

2024-12-06T17:21:55+00:00

Being able to build and drive your personal dream car is something that few enthusiasts ever get to experience. It’s a feeling like no other to complete several years of work, changes, and aesthetic details to finally have your real deal dream car on the road. For Tuner Battlegrounds Season 10 runner-up, Raymond Tsang, this nearly lifelong dream turned into a reality after countless hours - and dollars - and as massive fans of the FD RX-7, we’re a little bit envious of this one.

Tsang’s dream of a last generation RX-7 started when he was just a boy at 11 years old, with posters and Hot Wheels versions of his car. As he grew older, the vision for his dream build became more refined, with a love for aggressive functional aero and time attack aesthetics forming his style. When he finally took possession of his prized FD, he quickly got to work. Among the first, and most immediately noticeable transformations to the FD, was the timeless TCP Magic V3 widebody kit.

Complementing the aero kit is a high quality smorgasbord of pieces: RE-Amemiya hood, Seibon carbon fiber doors and trunk, Voltex wing, and Car Shop Glow duck tail and diffuser combo. The hood and fenders were treated to some custom work with RGN carbon fiber vents, which work exceptionally well with the car’s overall time attack look. The Advan RZ-F2 wheels are the icing on the cake, with enough viewing window to the AP Racing big brake kit. Even at a standstill, the quality of parts and workmanship on this RX-7 is evident.

The 13B under the hood is relatively simple, yet potent. It’s a street ported 13B done by Mazdeez, with a Garrett GT3582R boosting its airflow and output. The racecar cool factor continues in the engine bay with the V-mount intercooler and rad setup, and the signature rotary brap is echoed through a custom 3-inch exhaust and HKS Carbon Ti muffler, when it’s not screaming out of the dual TiAL wastegates.

Inside and out, Tsang’s RX-7 is a real life version of the dream he had when he was 11, with authentic quality parts making up the cockpit, the engine bay, and the silhouette of this iconic Japanese coupe. His love for the golden era of JDM tuners led him down a path of quality parts and timeless styling, and his FD is one of our favorites because of it. As you might imagine, he’s taken home countless awards and accolades from events across North America - including the Runner-Up title in ��ֱ��’s Tuner Battlegrounds Season 10.

Photography by Rafhin Mir, Pierce Sams.

ESSENTIALS

1993 Mazda RX-7

Location: Mississauga, ON, Canada
Horsepower: 400 whp
Club: Endgame.TM

ENGINE
Street port 13B by Mazdeez
Garrett GT3582R single turbo conversion
Custom V-mount intercooler
TIAL (blowoff valve, dual wastegates)
HKS boost controller
Apexi power fc
Koyo Rad
Racetronix dual catch cans

EXHAUST
Custom 3-inch exhaust
HKS Carbon Ti muffler

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
ADVAN RZ-F2 wheels - 18x11 +15 (f/r)
Nitto Invo tires - 275/35/18 (f/r)
AP Racing BBK

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Racing Beat sway bars (f/r)
Maxload P1 air suspension w/ air bar
Spherical bushing kit

EXTERIOR
TCP Magic V3 widebody kit
Re-Amemiya (hood, hood gurney flap)
Seibon carbon fiber (doors, hatch)
RGN (hood vent, fender vents)
Car Shop Glow (duck tail, carbon diffuser)
Voltex Type 5 spoiler
Rxlights (custom headlights, custom carbon infinity taillights)

INTERIOR
Recaro SR3 Tomcat
Titanium shift knob
Works Bell quick-release
GReddy steering wheel
Custom alcantra (shift boot, hand brake boot, black and yellow stitching)
EVO-R carbon fiber console
Custom carbon fiber dash
Defi gauges (oil temp, water temp, oil pressure)

MOBILE ELECTRONICS / AUDIO
Sony XAV-AV5000 double-DIN head unit
Memphis Audio (Mojo Pro dual 10-inch custom box, VIV mono block 2200.1v2, VIV 600.4v2 4-channel amplifier, VIV 60cv2 component door speakers, VIV 60v2 6.5-inch rear speakers, VIV68DSP 6 to 8 channel DSP, 0-gauge wiring, sound proofing)
Custom enclosures

Swapped, Chopped, and Dropped: Paul Sagnay's Rotary-Swapped S13 Vert

2024-12-02T16:37:11+00:00

There is a segment of automotive culture nestled in Japan that believes in rotary supremacy. Swapping any variation of rotary engine into any mismatched sports car is a regular thing for these guys, and they’ve been at it for decades. Over time, that idea spread across the world, including some enthusiasts in America. Tuner Battlegrounds Season 10 winner and friend of ��ֱ��, Paul Sagnay, is one of those enthusiasts - and he’s gone the distance to bring that particular flavor of JDM tuning to American roads.

The S13 Vert you see here is actually a 240sx coupe, despite its RHD steering - that part was a conversion addition by Paul in order to maximize modification, and also to truly embrace the JDM heritage of his build idea. Following that ethos, the build is assembled with quality parts from front to back, including a handful of rare period-correct pieces we’re a little jealous of - carbon fiber Ganadors and the Nismo LMGT-2 wheels are among the immediately noticeable, but it doesn’t stop there. Bee-R goodies on the inside, Blitz / URAS collab parts, and of course, the Spirit-Rei Odyvia kit - the rare little details keep on coming.

Beautiful build and show-presence aside, the star of this vehicle - other than its bright pink paint job - is the incredible semi-peripheral ported 13B REW rotary swap, revealed cheekily by the car’s lack of a hood, and centered in frame nicely by custom paintwork and polished components. Bolstering the 13B’s output is a Borg Warner S476 SXE 76/82 turbocharger churning up 32 psi, adding airflow with an intake manifold from a Mazda Cosmo which has been machined and port-matched for the semi-peripheral port. Mating the 13B to the transmission from the same donor is the job of an ACT XT-6 puck clutch and flywheel package.

There is so much to take in with this engine build, we invite you to browse the spec list below to see the magic. The combination of high-end components and rare JDM parts come together in harmony for a special rotary build. Tuned by Angel Motorsports, the final output was 730 whp and 495 lb-ft of torque. How he intends to put that power down with so much camber, we’ll never know, but we respect it.

Sagnay’s rotary S13 was a true labor of love, and it took a couple years before it was truly ready to drive to and from the shows. Now that it’s ready to show, we can all appreciate the incredible craftsmanship. Everything from the off-brand engine swap, the unique exterior, the RHD conversion to complete the beautiful interior transformation, and everything in between right down to the hardware, Sagnay’s build is one for the ages, and it’s no surprise that this machine won him a Tuner Battlegrounds Championship title.

Photography by Gus Rodriguez.

ESSENTIALS

1993 Nissan 240sx

Location: Silver Spring, MD
Horsepower: 730 whp
Torque: 495 lb-ft
Car Club: Modded Ambition

SOCIAL
IG: @moddedambition

ENGINE
13B REW 93+ RX7 block
Mazda GSL-SE Timing Cover and oil pan
Semi-Peripheral Port housings
Dynamic balanced rotating assembly
Extended street port machining
9.4:1 rotors
RX8 high power (eccentric shaft, stationary gears)
10mm ARP Tension Studs
Rotary Aviation apex seals
Mazda Cosmo 13B RE port matched intake manifold
Custom 2-inch stainless equal length runners w/ billet T4 flange
Borg Warner S476 SXE 76/82 - 1.16AR
Turbosmart 60mm Wastegate and oil pressure regulator
Haltech (Elite 2500 ecu, iC7 dash, engine harness, coil packs, coil pack harness, WB1 wideband and sensors)
Custom V-mount radiator/intercooler setup
ARC Japan GTR32 radiator
Vibrant intercooler
Performance Plumbing Components copper and chrome plated AN fittings
PRP Drive-by-wire conversion kit
Bosch 82mm throttle body
Radium Engineering (10-gallon fuel cell, surge tank, fuel cell cage, fuel filter w/ heat sink, primary and secondary fuel rails)
Injector Dynamics 2600cc primary and secondary injectors
DW300C 340lph fuel pumps (4)
Aeromotive Extreme Flow fuel pressure regulator
Improved Racing High-Flow Engine & Transmission oil cooler thermostat
BMW electric water pump conversion
JDL MFG (billet throttle body adapter, water adapter, side mount alternator conversion, oil cap)
Full Function Engineering trigger kit
Atkins Rotary pulley kit
Chase Bays/Wilwood (brake and clutch master kit, brake booster delete, brake bias)
Steveos Kustoms shaved and tucked engine bay w/ custom air brush and House of Kolor paint
True Focus Fabrications oil catch can
Custom 1 piece aluminum driveshaft
32-row oil coolers (2)
Dress Up Bolts hardware
Pop Pop’s Garage custom engine brackets and mounts
Tuned by Angel Motorsports

EXHAUST
Custom exhaust system

DRIVETRAIN
ACT (XT-6 puck racing clutch, ProLite flywheel, counterweight)
KAAZ 1.5 way LSD

WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
Rays Nismo LMGT-2 wheels - 18x10-45 (f), 18x12.5-41 (r) polished by Chamorroboy86
Parts Collective titanium (center caps, lug nuts, wheels bolts)
TDMI (EL Series monoblock BBK (6 piston front calipers, 2 piston rear calipers, 330mm 2-piece floating rotors, stainless steel brake lines)
Ichiba 5 lug conversion

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
CageKits tube front end powder coated super chrome
Custom Street Faction Engineering TIG welded front subframe
Custom power brace from Kaiju Fab
Parts Shop Max (Competition coilovers w/ air ride conversion, lower control arms (f/r), tension rods, toe rods, subframe risers, Limit Break camber/KPI lockout adjustable front kits)
Air Lift Performance 3P air management
Voodoo13 billet Rear Upper Control Arms and eccentric bolt kit

EXTERIOR
Spirit-Rei Odyvia 18-piece widebody kit (JDM Honda Odyssey RB1 headlight conversion, 65mm front & 85mm rear fenders)
House of Kolor custom paint w/ Painthuffer metal flake
Ganador carbon fiber mirrors
DMAX LED tail lights
S13 coupe door conversion w/ shaved body line

INTERIOR
JDM (RHD conversion, S15 Silvia rear seats, S13 SIlvia carpet)
Bee-R Japan (steering wheel, racing hub tilt, horn button autographed by Imai-San, carbon fiber door panels)
Bride (Zeta III carbon fiber seats, seat rails)
Takata pads and harness
Del Duca’s Upholstery Plus interior black suede and pink stitched reupholstery
Blitz / URAS boost controller, power meter and turbo timer
Veilside shift knob
URAS shift boot
Final Konnexion drift button
RE-Amemiya FD3S short throw shifter
Custom chassis harness

AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS
Optima Yellow Top battery

SPONSORS
Angel Motorsports
TDMI US
Parts Collective
Advanced Clutch Technology
Boosted Adrenaline
Dress Up Bolts
Lowered Lifestyle
Del Duca’s Upholstery
Powdercoat Express
Steveos Kustoms
Optima Battery

Throwback: 5 MORE Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2010

2024-11-25T18:33:22+00:00

The incredibly diverse builds and ��ֱ�� features of 2010 were so special we couldn't keep it to just five that we first dug out of the archives. This was amidst the peak of tuner mags and tuner culture in America, and everyone wanted in on the action. As part of an ongoing series for our 25th anniversary here at ��ֱ��, we've been taking a look through the archives of the last 25 years, and some of the stuff we've found deserves to be shared with you all.

Back by popular demand, here are 5 more features from ��ֱ�� in 2010.

1. Mine's USA Nissan 370Z

Mine's is a brand name so often associated with Nissan GT-Rs of multiple generations, but they also modified and tuned Z cars. When Nissan's 370Z hit the scene, the Japanese tuning house was eager to jump on the 350Z's successor, and they did so in both Japan and in the United States with Mine's USA. The full Mine's exterior kit, including the signature front air vents, and some 20-inch Work Gnosis GS-3 wheels set the Z apart along with the black accents and iconic Mine's livery. Mine's and Ohlins collaboration coilovers lent the Z some good ride height and handling, and a catalogue of Mine's bolt-on mods bumped the horsepower modestly.

2. Charleston Penesa's Mitsubishi Evo

The 2010s saw the rapid rise of Team Hybrid vehicles featured in ��ֱ��, and you'll actually find two of them in this article. Among our favorites of all time is this bright orange Mitusbishi Evo on RAYS GramLights. Timeless exterior styling, a heavily modified 4G63, and a full blown trunk audio and entertainment install make this an instant classic for ��ֱ��.

3. Kenny Lee's Dodge Neon SRT-4

The Dodge SRT4 is perhaps one of the most criminally underrated tuner platforms of all time, likely due to its FWD and domestic nature - once considered "boring" to a lot of import tuner enthusiasts. This SRT4, owned by Kenny Lee, is anything but boring. Featuring one of the most radically modified exteriors of all time for the SRT4, and a heavily modified engine, this is a true one-of-one and a ��ֱ�� classic.

4. Omar Rivas' S2000

As promised above, the second Team Hybrid feature from this year! At a time when the Honda S2000 was all the rage among Honda fans, it was harder and harder to do something different. Omar Rivas decided to blend aggressive body styling with subtle aesthetic cues to cook up a timeless time-attack style S2K for the street. The exterior is a carfully chosen mix of J's Racing, ASM, C-West, and Voltex - with other bits like Spoon sprinkled in. With a mod list that took up nearly a full magazine page, there is much more than meets the eye underneath this S2000.

5. Vince Nguyen's Infiniti FX35

Infiniti's FX35 is not one of the first vehicles that comes to mind when with think about a show-worthy build platform - in fact, it's probably not in the first 100 - but Vince Nguyen decided to break the mold, and we're glad he did, because this thing is hard. From the outside, Nguyen's FX35 features some wicked body work, stunning paint, and big HRE wheels tucked fender-to-lip. Under the hood, a fully built VQ35 full of Cosworth internals bolstered by a Jim Wolf Technology 700 twin-turbo system featuring dual Garrett GT30 ball-bearing turbos. Yeah. This isn't your mom's Infiniti.

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2010

2024-11-12T15:26:30+00:00

As we turned the page on the first decade of the new century, ��ֱ�� was also now celebrating more than 10 years in business and countless feature vehicles up to this point. The weird and wild of the early 2000s was still echoing, but the timelessness of minimalism and a "less is more" mentality when it came to visuals was starting to emerge. Pop culture had modified cars in the spotlight with video games and movies. As part of an ongoing series for our 25th anniversary here at ��ֱ��, we've been taking a look through the archives of the last 25 years, and some of the stuff we've found deserves to be shared with you all.

This week we're looking at the year 2010 in all its glory.

1. Isac Mion's Rear-Engine Mini Cooper

Is this one of the most bonkers Mini Cooper builds ever? We're inclined to say so. Custom widebody work, a healthy dose of carbon fiber, BASF paint, and - oh, we didn't mention the engine behind the driver. This rear-engine Mini was the brain child of Isac Mion and his sponsors, and it's safe to say it turned heads and won awards at shows for years to come. Opening the trunk lid reveals a beautiful exhaust system and a turbo peeking through.

2. 20 Hertz Chrysler 300C

Following up the world's wildest Mini Cooper is arguably the world's wildest Chrysler 300C from the mad masterminds at 20 Hertz Audio. If you were around the show circuit in these years, there's a good chance you've seen this car before, especially at Importfest in Toronto. Built to be a true show car, this 300 was altered from top to bottom in every way possible, from body work, to the engine, and of course, a full audio and entertainment system - hence the TV ascending from the trunk at the push of a button.

3. Unitronic VW R32

By 2010, the secret of the VW R32 was already out of the bag - this platform had potential, and lots of it. Among the first to take the R32 to its highest level (at least back then) was Unitronic, with this featured vehicle. The custom widebody and HRE wheels are among the immediately noticeable modifications, but looking under the hood reveals a bespoke turbo system with lots of bits from Unitronic.

4. ECS Performance Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

The Subaru Impreza 2.5RS is a rare sight these days, and they weren't exactly everywhere back in 2010 either. ECS (East Coast Swappers) Performance decided that the modest performance of the 2.5RS wasn't nearly enough for their tastes, and swapped in an ECS-built Stage 2 STi engine and drivetrain from the same era. Now pushing well in excess of 450 whp, this was more like it. A unique paint color and a deleted rear wing make this 2.5RS look incredibly unique, and they were ahead of the curve with the TE37 usage.

5. Final Konnexion R34 Skyline

Final Konnexion is a name synonymous with JDM style, and when this kit for the R34 hit the world, it was one of the most talked about body mods for the fanboy-favorite platform. This car from the brand themselves in Japan embraced the tuner culture of the era in its entirety - deep dish color-matched wheels, tinted [perhaps too much] headlights, and a shopping list of sponsor decals.

VIDEO: PAS365 Rally 2024 - Vegas to Salt Lake

2024-10-09T15:29:22+00:00

For the second time in 2024 - and the third time since our official PAS365 Rally launch last year - we gathered up some friends and new faces, planned out a fun route, and rallied with the group all the way to Formula DRIFT. A departure from our original Toronto to New Jersey rallies, this latest rally would prove to be one of our most scenic and well executed rallies to date, travelling from the desert floor in Las Vegas, through the valleys of Arizona, up the mountains of Utah, and finally descending into Salt Lake City before Formula DRIFT Salt Lake the following day.

The rally launched from our favorite car themed bar and lounge, K-Ways Hookah Lounge, and had fun stops including the North Point Lookout over 11,000 feet above sea level, the childhood home of Butch Cassidy, and a grand finale dinner at the incredible Garage Grill & Salt Flats Bar. Attendees had great chances to win prizes via the ultimate high-stakes cornhole beanbag toss, a poker run throughout the rally, social media contest, and more. Our video covers all of the fun stops, the journey along the way, and even bonus bits like the travel to get there and the pre-meet the night before the rally at K-Ways.

Along the way, we were able to give away some awesome prizes thanks to our sponsors. PAS365 Rally: Vegas to Salt Lake was made possible by presenting sponsor, ST Suspensions, as well as all of the other sponsors: ACT, Rotiform, LiquiMoly, Proform, ODX Lighting, Koyorad, R1Concepts, and TurboKits.com.

PAS365 Podcast: SEMA 2024 Live - Part 2

2024-11-07T16:45:38+00:00

Continuing our shenanigans from earlier in the week of SEMA 2024, we opened up the live stream for the second time this week to discuss more awesome builds and products from SEMA. We look at some of the most popular builds that are circulating the internet since SEMA 2024 opened, as well as some hidden gems that even attendees at the show might not have seen yet. In this video we found some of our favorite builds of the show, and checked out some of the award winning new products in the iconic New Products Showcase.

Watch Part 1 here.

Features - ����ֱ�� is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ����ֱ�� in 2011

Magic Tricks: Raymond Tsang's FD3S RX-7 is a Dream Come True

ESSENTIALS

Swapped, Chopped, and Dropped: Paul Sagnay's Rotary-Swapped S13 Vert

ESSENTIALS

Throwback: 5 MORE Vehicles from ����ֱ�� in 2010

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ����ֱ�� in 2010

VIDEO: PAS365 Rally 2024 - Vegas to Salt Lake

PAS365 Podcast: SEMA 2024 Live - Part 2

Features - ��ֱ�� is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2011

Throwback: 5 MORE Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2010

Throwback: 5 Vehicles from ��ֱ�� in 2010