Old School – Gripshiftslide

Saint Side :: 8th Annual John Street Show and Shine

Grant — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 01:45:34 +0000

Every year the Saint Side John Street Show and Shine never fails to impress! This is the 8th year in a row that Saint side have run this event and closed down the entire street to celebrate the birth of the Saint Side brand.

St Albans basically goes into shut down mode when the annual Saint Side John st celebrations are on! With hundreds of custom bicycles on display and a massive range of cars, whats not to like about the Saint Side Show and shine.

Saint Side fans are dedicated, loyal and fanatical! After eight years the Saint side family has definitely grown and it show’s no signs of slowing down.

A subtle yet appropriate styled R33 Nissan Skyline sat among hundreds of custom bicycles that formed a line from one end of john street to the other.

Dj Rod G kept the tunes going all day with some very cool 90’s classic hiphop, with a mix of new jams squashed in between those hits we all know and love!

This TE27 corolla drew my attention immediately as i walked past, its funky Superlight wheels original paint job and missing front flair gave this corolla some real character.

This annual event always attracts a diverse range of cars from Low Riders to Hot Rods to JDM and everything in between!

Because the show and shine takes up the whole of john st other cars are forced to park a few streets away. I always take the time to walk around the surrounding streets to see the other cars that were not able to fit into the main show. This murdered out FG falcon was so evil it made small children run while dropping and abandoning their beloved comfort toys in the street!

Private Bike shows started to spring up across the road from the main show, Saint Side have reinvented the custom bike by supplying fans with the hottest parts out of america and around the globe.

I’ve spotted this very R32 on the freeway in my daily commute to work, boy does it stand out with that bright teal color and 4 stud conversion complete with Hoshino wheels!

This Chevrolet Pick-up truck was stunning with it period correct signage and wooden side extensions plus it also was carrying a tricked out custom bike in the back!

Next year I think Saint Side should run a dog show alongside the other festivities that take place through out the day. There are so many proud owners and there puppies that come to the Show and Shine. Why not put them on show as well as the cars and bikes.

A good variety of cars showed up to the event with many wildly different cars sitting next to each other. For instance take this track driven 86 and a VIP ride sitting side by side.

Do not mistake the Toyota FJ for an over sized Fiser and Price toy car! From a distance this FJ did not look real! but up close you could see its larger than life personality.

This is the first time I have ever seen a two wheeled General Lee! Love the detail they have gone to with the CB radio on the handlebars and confederate flag on the back!

Denim jackets, gold wheels, red beanie’s you could be forgiven if you thought this was a picture from the nineties!

The Saint Side four legged family was in full force showing that not all Saint Side fans have to be human.

Every detail on these custom bicycles was hand picked and placed on the bike’s for a specific purpose.

Likewise the lowriders had equally as much personality with custom pin striping and chrome to match.

Not to mention there where a few tastefully modified classic Hot Rod’s in attendance. Yet the real focus of the show was the custom bikes.

There where so many bikes it was hard to concentrate on just one! There was a bike to satisfy everybody’s taste!

With a huge mix of styles and influences blended together extending the entire length of john st.

Just like a Harley right? The owner deserves credit for creating such a beast!

When the restoration of low-rider bicycles, streetwear, and collectibles come together you know that the Saint Side crew most likely has something to do with it!

The Japanese influence runs deep with plenty of classic Toyota’s and Nissan’s helping to decorate John st.

The Saint Side event brings together Americana, west coast, custom and vintage lifestyles, for a truly unique experience. Mark and the team have been slaving away behind the scenes to make this years show an absolute hit.
With new clothing being released monthly Australia’s favorite streetwear boutique Saint Side is soon becoming a household name. It is by far one of the most well loved shows of the year and we cannot wait for next years show.
Thanks for stopping by,
Grant

Saint Side :: Annual John Street Show and Shine 2016

Grant — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:24:40 +0000

You know something serious is happening when they shut down an entire street! Why? Because Saint Side that’s why! John street in St Albans is the location and with help from vendors, volunteers and Brimbank Council the party was on.
Along with the lowriders, cruisers, and vintage bikes were a special selection of cars handpicked especially for the show. Karl’s KE10 Corolla from the infamous JVN Garage was in attendance and looking sharp.

There were plenty of American low riders and Yank tanks on show including Lincolns, Mercurys and Chevys with something for everyone’s taste.

The show is not only about cars and bikes but also street culture. Showing off your new kicks with your favorite four legged friend was another strong theme of the day.

I have never seen so many custom bikes in one place with a massive collection of bikes that are not just your every day pushie.

The personal touches on some of the bikes are interesting and could indicate the owners origins or just be a representation of their favorite things.

Trikes aren’t just for kids! White walls, candy paint and lots of chrome!

So gangsta while being so cute! This is something an evil clown would ride in a serial killer movie.

One of Australia’s most E-famous S13’s. Yes it’s Oliver’s crazy low drift beast looking the part as always.

With so much to see in a street full of action it was hard to focus! Every year this show just grows and grows! It’s great to see what Mark from Saint Side has created over the last seven years.

The Saint Side crew is strong and loyal with many of their own cars on display plus performances from K-Star, Ali Belmont and resident DJ Rod G.

The Chevy Imapala steering wheel is almost bus sized but its size is relative to the size of the Impala; its one huge car! So many cool lowriders in one street.

John Street was absolutely packed with people! The atmosphere was electric and with this amount of people it felt like a live music festival.

With 120 bikes, 40 plus cars and 10 plus motorcycles there wasn’t much room for vendors in the street but Mark managed to fit everyone in.

This is truly an original Beetle with original paint job and rust but damn it was tuff!

The winner of Saint Side Excel Award goes to this crazy air bagged ride. There was a constant crowd around this bike all day along with the owner demonstrating how to lower and raise the bike with its crazy air bag system.

This is one hell of a custom trike with its widebody fiberglass shell, custom gear shift and a whole heap of chrome.

This crew took over the road and cruised down to the local milk bar and back rolling in style the whole way.

The show was a massive success! The bicycle raffle raised over five hundred dollars and all the money was donated to the charity Beyond Blue. Saint Side know how to put on a real show with lots of variety and a fun atmosphere. Not to mention they sell some of the best street wear around plus a massive host of custom bike parts. We can’t wait to see what plan for next year. We don’t know what it will be but we know it will be big!
Thanks for reading,
Grant
Saint Side

The bird is the word :: Bluebird U

Grant — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 12:31:00 +0000

In the early 1960’s there was not a great variety of small cars available for the Australian market until the influx of Japanese imports that is. Datsun really lead the way at the time and for good reason! Their cars were ahead of the time in design and reliability. Launched in the 70’s the 610 Bluebird-U was a stand out model with all the ‘mod cons’ of the time.

This classic Bluebird has only been in Mitch’s hands for three and a half years. Lovingly restored bit by bit, Mitch knows every nut and bolt on this car. Taking just under two and a half years to fully restore Mitch has spent countless hours in the shed putting this car together night after night, weekend after weekend.

Why did Mitch get into Datsuns? “My mate had a Datsun Stanza and then a 1600 rally car I liked them and it just went from there”
Mitch had caught the bug. Datsuns are more than just a brand they are a style of their own.
An unloved Datsun can use as much oil as it does petrol! That’s not the case with Mitch’s Bluebird. The engine has received considerable attention and not only does it look immaculate but it also runs like a dream.

This L18 is putting out more than 110 horsepower at the flywheel. This standard engine is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. Rather than go for cheap power like an “SR20 for example” Mitch decided to keep the car original.

The engine bay is ridiculously clean and not a spot of oil or grime can be seen. You could almost perform surgery on metal like this. Mitch always makes sure the bay is looking fantastic and when it does get dirty he cleans it straight away.

Rebuilding this Bluebird from the ground up has cost some serious dough but to have something classic looking this good is totally worth every penny. The satisfaction that comes from building your own car is second to none. Mitch has done the majority of work in restoring this car! He knows every curve and every bolt in this machine.

Mitch did not simply buy a car and be done with it. He knew what he wanted and within a month or two he had found the right car! The Bluebird he had found was in what most would consider “good condition for its age” but Mitch saw more potential in this little Datsun.

The one surprising part of this build is its gearbox. With the standard box the car would be screaming down the highway at 4 to 5k but with new 6 speed s15 gearbox it purrs like a kitten.

Changing a gearbox in a car this old is no joke! It takes a lot of planning, research and dedication. Matching the 6 speed Nissan S15 SR20 gearbox up to the original bellhousing wasn’t a walk in the park but with some gentle persuasion and patience it all came together.

One of the major things that initially attracted Mitch to this car is its shape which takes many cues from different cars of the time. The Nissan Bluebird U 610 combines the best features from models like the 180b, 240z and many other memorable Datsuns.

This car is basically a Japanese car enthusiasts wet dream. The paint the wheels, the black interior, the entire package is just awesome!

One of the most striking aspects of the Bluebird is it’s unique paint job. It really helps set this car apart from the boring standard colours of the era. This particular colour blue comes from Fiat but it suits this car perfectly! If only Nissan had offered such a colour in the seventies.

Mitch wasn’t really into Datsuns until five years ago when the shape of the 610 Bluebird inspired him to go on a journey that till this day has not stopped. Originally he had planned for the car to be a daily driver but it soon turned out to a whole lot more special and soon became a weekend only car.

It’s quite obvious that Mitch takes a lot of pride in his vehicle. Not only does it get cleaned before it is taken out but it also gets a light clean when the car is bought home.

The interior of the car was kept relatively stock however some things had to change to keep up with the times like moving from the imperial to metric system. The ‘speedo’ had to be changed to work with the new gearbox along with the added benefit of being able to now read what speed you are doing without converting MPH to KMH .

One of the biggest problems with the restoration was a giant rusted out section in the parcel self that was almost the size of a human head! Mitch was thinking of patching it with scraps but the shelf had so many weird angles to recreate that it made the job almost impossible. Lucky Mitch soon found a donor parcel shelf from a Datsun of the same era.

The Nardi steering wheel adds a nice touch to the interior; giving it a sporty feel while being relatively period correct. As Mitch said “Sometimes I do wish I had a more modern project car but the hard work always pays off and I love the classics.”

Things on the outside haven’t been left untouched. There has been a fair bit of re-chroming and re-glossing of original plastics.

It is good to see that Mitch hasn’t stanced or slammed this classic Nissan; and has instead kept it clean sitting on 15×7 performance wheels all round. With just enough offset to give the car a traditional vintage look these wheels really help to add an extra hint of class and sophistication.

Shortly after this photo shoot Mitch’s diff let go and in true spirit he rebuilt it himself! The car was back on the road just in time for the Classic Japan Car Show where his car received plenty of praise from the the public. Mitch never stops working on the car and there is plenty more to come for this spunky blue Datsun.

Hiro's Big 8 :: Chevrolet Pickup

Grant — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:02:10 +0000

In one of the most densely populated countries in the world, space is the greatest commodity. Modern Japan has been shaped in every way around making the most of every inch, from towering buildings to automated parking lots. So with space in such high demand, Japan gave birth to the Kei car. Tiny cars with engines less than 660cc in capacity. They’re everywhere and everyone driving them enjoys cheaper taxes as a reward. If you want to make a statement with the car you drive, then there’s endless choices of sports cars, big saloons, European cars and even exotics. With so many cars and so many people, standing out in the crowd and expressing yourself can be a difficult task.
Meet Hiroyuki’s 1977 GMC C10 Pickup, it’s big in Japan… No really it’s huge!!

Hiroyuki has owned this Chevy for a little over two years and along the way he has tinkered, adjusted and fiddled with just about everything on it. It is no immaculate show car, everywhere you look there’s some sort of blemish, scuff or rust only millimeters away from a perfectly clean nut, bolt or panel. This truck embodies a unique balance of roughness and perfection.

Along the way, Hiroyuki has managed to dip into all sorts of inspirations and influences that have helped to shape this truck. From hot rods, to slammed VIP rides and even some quirky pop culture references, they all make an appearances here and there.

The most surprising thing about this C10 truck is that it’s 100% static, no airbags anywhere. Now just let that sink in for a moment…

Sitting literally some 20-30mm off the ground, it takes a certain type of person to be able to drive such a car and still have it bring a smile to your face. Throw in some narrow Japanese streets and “Brave” simply doesn’t cut it to describe Hiroyuki driving around town. He says “I have to avoid gaps, steps and bumps while driving. Other than that it takes some heart and guts to drive this on the streets”.

Wheel choice for a car of this size and vintage proved to be a difficult task to say the least. Hiroyuki settled on a set of Bart Wheels from the states to finish off the look on his all Americana pick up.

Sizing is an impressive 15x12J” all round… Yep they’re nearly as wide as they’re tall!! Tyre choice was also big part of the picture when fitting wheels this wide. You’ll find 225/60R15’s on all four corners.

The rear wheels just start to tuck under the guards, doing so required the guards to be cut and extended 2.5 inches to accommodate the new shoes.

How exactly do you get a car like this to sit so low without the use of airbags you ask? ** Warning, it’s not for the faint hearted… **

With a utility tray on this type of body there really is not an abundance of room left over for pesky annoyances like a diff or shock absorbers…

In the pursuit of low, Hiroyuki had to cut away the tray and fabricate some new mounts for the shocks along with a cutout to allow the diff to poke up.

Despite the extremeness of the modification, it’s actually very functional.

All this drastic chopping has made for a stunning finished product.

Aside from the jaw dropping ride height the most striking feature of Hiro’s truck is the flat blue paintwork…

Contrasted beautifully by the weathered chrome bumper and grille. Altogether it makes for a rather menacing look.

Inside there’s just as much character as your typical favorite novelty restaurant.

A purple glittery steering wheel, complete with a Budweiser gear knob made from an old beer tap helps him to wrestle the giant truck.

Running the length of the dash you’ll find a rich wooden table/drink holder typically found in a VIP styled saloon. You won’t find a diamond encrusted “luxury potato holder” here… Instead it’s covered in M&M figurines and a pair of cool surfer coconut characters.

On the outside, the original lines of the body have been left untouched. There’s no crazy panel work or shaving here, just the right amount of ‘seasoning’ to bring the best out of this dish.

There’s so much to love about a big plucky truck from a time all but forgotten. The big bench seat filling the cabin and tiny manual mirrors with zero visibility that serve only the purpose of making the driver look “cool” while adjusting them.
Then you turn the key…

Powering this giant rig is a 350 cubic inch small-block V8… This 5.7L engine not only propels the hulking third gen’ C10 along, it also provides the soothing rumble only a classic V8 can produce.

Helping the engine to do the best it can, are a handful of goodies like an Edelbrock carburetor, Moroso air filter and an MSD ignition system.

All in all, it makes for a super simple, yet ultra cool American cruiser that is a far cry from the typical cars that are found on Japanese roads.

Helping Hiroyuki turn spanners into the night are a group of friends who go by the name of Team Freee’s. They all have different tastes, but share the same love for cars. Just the handful of cars we saw on the day were of such a high standard. Among them we saw a neck snapping Honda Accord with some of the most aggressive fitting wheels we’ve ever seen, and one tough as nails Toyota Verossa drift car that was ripping it up on track while we shot Hiroyuki’s truck.

When Hiroyuki’s not scraping along the roads in his truck, he is usually slaying some tyres in his own S13 drift car with friends.

For the future, Hiroyuki’s has decided to convert to the dark side and create an airbag system and make things a little more practical to get around.

Even on the perfectly smooth roads you see in these photos, the truck was hitting invisible bumps and pot holes everywhere we went. And all the while, Hiroyuki was all smiles.

Of the two short weeks I spent in Japan, I was constantly surrounded by cars. From street meets, track days, Super GT, grass roots & pro drifting, but this single car will stay with me the longest.
You couldn’t find a more impractical car for Japan and then to do what Hiroyuki has done to it, this truck captures Hiro’s spirit and attitude perfectly to the “T”.

I would like to thank Hiroyuki for not only sharing his amazing Chevy with us and his time but also his patience as the language barrier made it very difficult to arrange the shoot.
We would love to catch up with Team Freee’s again on our next Japan adventure. Until then…
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Custom Cars & Coffee :: Melbourne 2015

Grant — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 06:00:40 +0000

Melbourne is arguably the home of Australia’s best coffee and also home to some of the best street cars getting around, when these two things come together it means it’s once again time for Custom Cars & Coffee…

Victorian’s are a lucky bunch indeed if roasted beans and automobiles are your thing, with regular Cars & Coffee meets held by our friends over at RTR in the west every month which can see over 100 cars or more if the suns out, while “Custom Cars & Coffee” (CC&C) sees only two events a year and proves to be the bigger affair.

This was the second ‘CC&C’ meet held again at Sandown Raceway, this time the weather was undoubtedly some of Melbourne’s “finest” with frequent showers all morning… Despite the rain there was a considerable turn out in the hundreds, the ‘CC&C’ events seem to make for one of the most eclectic car shows around. I’ve not been to any other event that has anywhere near the variety you’ll see here.
One of the first cars to steal my attention was this pristine Camaro Z28, some muscle cars really don’t do it for me. This however has some of the best lines of any in it’s era.

This rusted Holden HZ premier had a few people making some puzzled faces. We loved all the little details and the ‘curb feelers’ were the icing on the cake!!

This MG MGB Roadster was a big win on the euro front, the superlite wheels really changed the demeanor of the tiny convertible. It’s nice to see some people aren’t afraid to add some character to a classic.

While on the subject of European cars ‘CC&C’ did not disappoint. There was something on display from nearly every major stable. Although it seems Germany is the country of choice for most.

There was a handful of Porches like this duo in white, a beautiful 911 and a road ready-racer GT3.

Hands down my favorite V8 powered saloon car. The Mercedes C63. The 6.2L engine creates the most euphoric noise simply by mixing petrol and air! Amazing!!

Between spats of rain when the heavens finally closed up the sun came shining down resulting in some quick costume changes for some.

Despite being on the ‘plumpier’ side compared to the old model, tipping the scales at almost two tonne. The new BMW M5 can get up to 100kph from stand still in just over 4 seconds… The M5 is definitely punching above it’s weight!!

I think I saw a bunny wabbit!! A MK1 Golf aka the Volkswagen Rabbit in the US. The original Golf has always been a charmer, before these guys “Hot Hatches” didn’t exist.

Aside from VW’s as far as the eye could see there was a healthy amount of BMW’s filling out the lines at the show. This E30 was picture perfect sitting atop it’s mesh wheels.

The Z4 M is one of the most underrated roadsters of the modern area. With a punchy straight 6 engine and great handling just add some iconic Japanese wheels and it’s winning combo in our books!

At every show there’s that one car, that one you wait just a little bit longer for people to move out of the way to make sure you get the photo…

This was ‘The car’… This stunning E92 BMW was menacing from every angle.

There’s no denying the wheels are the hero here. 3 piece Work Meisters in satin black.

The fitment is spot on, the owner is brave to be driving around like this in Melbourne for quite a few reasons!

All the cool kids rock up late these days and nothing says cooler than a fresh yellow sticker from the boys in blue. The owner of this Golf also scored some airtime on the “highway patrol – TV Show” so keep your eyes out for that episode when it airs.

It’s easy to see why it got so much attention from side on… Absolutely slammed on a set of Porsche wheels, check out that dish!!

More AMG goodness, this time a coupe. We miss hood emblems, stupid inconsiderate pedestrians ruining it for everyone!!

Another comfortable German four door packing a V8 under the hood and mated to Audi’s renowned 4WD system makes this one quite capable in corners and off the line!

Speaking of 4WD… Not many can come close to the mighty Nissan GTR. The Victorian chapter of Skylines Australia had a huge display of Japan’s greatest export on show.

Round taillights as far as the eye can see…

There was plenty of R35’s on display and amongst such a large group it didn’t take much to stand out, just some wheels and a nice drop in the ride height and this grey number was looking great!

One of the most Iconic colours for the R34’s. Bayside Blue is always a favorite of ours.

We were pleased to find two GTR’s wearing blue at the show, if they were girls at a party they would NOT be friends right now.

This track spec R33 GTR was looking nice thrown into the mix, definitely not the most popular GTR model but this one was very aggressive! It just looked like it was itching to get out onto the track!!

The V35… Some love to argue it’s not a “real” Skyline at all. Others simply see it for what it is… A sleek and sporty luxury coupe. They were a big hit in the US.

The bad weather meant many entrants were running late, cars kept flowing in all morning.

Everyone’s favorite. A Ford Mustang. The blue was great colour on the classic body and with a bigger chin than a man from a Bonds commercial too!

Now to a local hero… The Holden SL/R 5000 Torana. With hulking wheel arches from factory and the green hue it certainly was looking angry!

Remember when I said this was the most eclectic car show around? Down the front we found a giant Dodge ‘truck’, wrapped commodore and wrapped Monaro.

The ‘loud’ looks of the other wrapped cars were dulled by this gleaming Mercedes coupe. The gold wrap had a mirror finish, we were just happy the sun was tucked away behind the clouds!!

In between checking out all the cars there was often the distracting sound of some cars blasting around Sandown circuit, this was the perfect backdrop for the car show.

We don’t know why this guys been hiding from all the Classic Japan shows… A pristine Mitsubishi Galant GTO is a rare sight to be had!

Onto some more classic rides from the land of the rising sun. There were a handful of beautiful Z’s on show.

This was our favorite 270ZX of the bunch, super clean, wheel flares and dished wheels. Perfect!

There was even some quality cars for the little guys at the show! Any kid rolling around in the driveway in one of these bad boys is sure to be the envy of all the other kids in the street.

It seems there were also a few nice cars out in the car park.

We found Daniel’s MX5 adorning a few extra additions.

The new spoiler is a killer piece to finish off the look of the car.

Now we’ve all seen manga art used on a car but we’ve never seen a panel this big done entirely in manga comics.

While it’s pretty extreme it is nice to see some quality artwork up close.

One of the more ‘wild’ looking 86’s at the show, this one paying homage to Toyota Racing Developments ‘TRD’.

Hybrid and electric cars are for rain forest loving hippies right? Wrong!! Tesla has been changing people’s perception of electric powered cars since 2008. Thanks to some ingenious engineering, some 600 newton meters of torque and over 300KW of power.
While range is still the biggest issue for these types of cars speed certainly isn’t a problem anymore.

Easily one of the most curious cars at the show… The English sports car known as the Ultima GTR.

It’s offered both as a fully built road ready car and funnily enough as a (do it your self) kit car. The car is however far more advanced than it’s diy origins let on.

Utilising a tubular steel space frame with a fiberglass body it’s light, really light!! Weighing in a smidge under a 1,000KG.

Inside is one of the simplest interiors we’ve ever come across. No distractions here just some pedals, a shifter and a steering wheel. Surrounded by a generous splash of Alacantra and this is somewhere we simply refer to as our “happy” place.

The engine found in the “turnkey” version (factory built) is a small block V8 sourced from Chevrolet mated to ether a Porsche gear box or Getrag Transaxle unit. Recent builds have been putting out over 500kw… That makes for 0-100kph in about 2.6 seconds!!!!

Now the exotics. Custom Cars & Coffee really has it all. There were Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s, and Maserati’s for all to see.

Lamborghini’s have always been the pin up poster car of choice for young enthusiasts but it wasn’t until the Murcielago came along in 2001 that Lamborghini really took the mass produced super car fight to Ferrari. Paving the way for the Gallardo which sold more in total than all previous Lamborghini’s combined! The Murcielago was however the more extreme of the two featuring the companies biggest V12 engine to date.

The Murcielago really is one of the most striking cars in person and easily one of the widest at over two meters wide!!

What would an Italian super car be with out scissors doors?! It really adds to the theater of the angry Italian bull.

The heart of the beast. A 6.5L monster of a V12. One of the last we’ll ever see thanks to stricter emission laws.

Lastly another V12 terror from the land of pizza. The Ferrari Testarossa. One of the most Iconic supercars of the 80’s and also known for it’s ridiculously large side mirrors.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Custom Cars & Coffee and can only imagine what the turnout would have been like if the weather was on the dryer side.
This is hands down the best mix of cars we’ve seen on home soil and really captures the feeling we get seeing all the photos from some of the coffee meets from Irvine, California.
We’re look forward to the next big event these guys conjure up, to keep up to date follow their Facebook page here. Customcarsandcoffeemelbourne
In the mean time if you have a craving for early mornings, roasted beans and gorgeous cars then check out the regular monthly meets held by Road Track Rally – Cars & Coffee
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Melbourne Minitruckin :: truckin ain't easy

Grant — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 10:20:59 +0000

Every second Tuesday of the month a dedicated group of mini truckers get together under the Bolte Bridge. It’s a community built on customizing what some would consider “work utes”. Airbags are king in this world and rail scraping is a common occurrence.

Mighty Car Mods proved that rust is an attention grabber but I have never seen a rust and colour combo like this. Theses colour contrasts remind me of an abstract textural painting.

A work in progress; this old Ford is nowhere near finished but even in its current state it draws attention and makes a statement.

With road signs as floor pans and a mini Chopper bike in the back this mini truck meant business. I would describe this trucks style as rat rod meets urban warrior.

It would have taken quite a few sticker books to complete this. Love it or hate it the sticker bomb style has not died yet. Has sticker bombing taken on the new meaning of being alternative? It seems its the new symbol of our troubled youth. At least that’s what Today Tonight would say!

This Toyota was clean shaven of door handles! That’s right the owner must use magic to enter his car… that or fancy door poppers. Nothing is left untouched on this Hilux. The headlights, grill, wheels, and all kinds of little mods have transformed this once standard Hilux.

Probably one of the largest speaker door pods I have seen installed on a daily ride. The owner of this tricked out Rodeo/Isuzu described his sound system as a 70’s inspired banger.

At first when I saw this mini truck I wasn’t that impressed… that sounds bad but the more I found out about this car the more I was intrigued. Siting at stock height this mini truck does not make much of an impact.

I didn’t even know this was running airbags and when it dropped to the ground I had a new found respect for this mini truck. Not only did it look amazing siting that low to the ground but this Rodeo/Isuzu was a transformer in disguise.

This engine looks pretty stock right? Well behind the smoke and mirrors is a hidden turbo. Where you may ask? Tucked up slightly behind the back seat and sitting really low it hides from the prying eyes of the law. The owner has seen his fair share of Internet hate over this mod but personally I like it when people push the boundaries and are creative with their engine customization.

With sixties styling and modern suspension dreams can come true. This has to be one of the best looking F100s in Australia!

Sitting right on its rails this Ford truly looks menacing. Calling this beast a mini truck sounds wrong because there is nothing mini about this F truck.

From every angle this Ford looks immaculate. When you fully observe this truck you can almost see the countless hours that went into creating this work of art.

I’m sure there is a Toyota Hilux under there somewhere but it is almost unrecognisable with this type of styling applied to it.

Being low and long certainly makes a statement. ‘IGOLOW’ definitely captures your attention.

Although this mini truck is in primer it still turns heads. Getting a Hilux to sit this low is no easy feat as the rear rails have to be cut and modified to allow the airbags to drop the truck on its ass.

Seriously clean! This for me was the most impressive ride on display. Well finished and polished with a shine that was almost irresistible.

You can tell that this fully notched chassis allows for maximum drop! With a shaved tailgate and shaved door handles this Hilux was looking slick.

Almost all of this Hilux has been modified but something I haven’t seen on this type of mini truck is a good set of custom led tail lights.

Although one of the smaller meets for the Melbourne mini truckin group there were still a dedicated few that showed us just what real fans they are. These low-slung rides are few and far between but when you see them parked next to a regular car you understand instantly why they go to so much effort.

National VW :: Swap Meet & Show

Grant — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 10:04:51 +0000

When a bunch of Volkswagen’s get together, you know that a diverse range of people will arrive with them.
The show and swap meet was held this year at the Williamstown Maritime Association just near the main pier of Williamstown. With such a unique location, situated just on the waters edge, this show really made the cars shine.

Don’t be fooled though, the day wasn’t just for enthusiasts. It was also a family friendly day out with heaps of kids and of course dogs out and about enjoying the sunny atmosphere.

The variety of cars on show was huge to say the least, not to mention the amount of parts and unfinished projects that were up for sale.

This BUG was a true show stopper and with an almost Herbie style colour scheme and some summer decals, this was one phenomenal car.

Peering in through the window, this doesn’t look like a Volkswagen… but looks can be deceiving!

The Karmann Ghia coupe is one of the most sought after and collectible VWs. It has its own style and you can even see that hint of Porsche styling within the shape of this car.

Apart from the large collection of VW Beetles and Kombies, there were also a fair amount of type 3 Volkswagens on show.

This is not your average VW Beetle. With enough horse power to move a small planet, it looked truly intimidating. Everything on this car apart from the shell had been constructed just for this build and with the aim of going stupidly fast!

This wasn’t part of the show, but I found it lurking in the car park. I love kit cars, especially ones that are clubman style.

With the Sea Shepard’s “Steve Irwin” looking over the Swap Meet & Show, many people couldn’t help but take a closer look at the famous ship.

The one thing that VW owners know is character. Of all the modified and non modified cars we have seen none have as much character or are as individualised as older VW’s.

The Safari Kombie van is the slightly rarer version of the Kombie. However, in Australia we didn’t get too many of them and to see this one restored was a great sight to see.

This isn’t a VW obviously but Mini Mokes are a dying breed and it seems it’s the perfect run around for the Sea Shepard group. Check out its double canon exhaust setup! Plus its hardcore roll bars makes this little Moke ready for a fight.

What an impressive pillar-less VW custom type 3 coupe. Removing the pillar from this type 3 makes it look much cleaner and puts a new spin on an old favorite.

Some seriously beautiful pipe work here and a monster turbo to match! Love the side by side exhaust and screamer pipe set up.

All kinds of parts were on sale with these speedo’s catching my eye. Parts for these cars are getting so rare that anything in working condition is desirable.

It’s those individual touches that make VWs special. People add the most unique trinkets to their cars which adds real personality to them.

Stephen’s Notchback was looking amazing as usual! Such a clean ride with a great set of wheels to match.

There were lots of Kombies on display and even a few on sale. They are becoming the most prized VW and have seriously gone up in price over the last 5 years.

Not as popular as the Beetle but just as nice is the 1968 Notchback which has the advantage of being just that little bit lighter than the Beetle.

With so many parts and engines for sale this swap meet provided a haven for collectors. It gave restorers a good chance to source that hard to find part needed for their project.

The show had a rather early start so most people disappeared around midday for lunch. Yet there still were a few die-hard VW fans checking out the remaining cars.

There is always one in a crowd that sticks out! Rossko’s 1600 Squareback certainly does that! We first spotted this car at the Hanging Rock Car Show and may even feature it in the future.
The day was full of great cars and fantastic people. The Volkswagen community is growing with every year! With many of the members traveling interstate for this very show it truly represents their passion for these wonderful cars.
Thanks for looking,
-Grant

HWY Oakleigh :: HighWay Masters

Grant — Mon, 27 May 2013 07:11:00 +0000

So what is HWY? it is a car and bike enthusiast club that is rapidly growing in size! Since november 2012 the group known as HWY has been creating a new type of car meet scene. One that does not discriminate on car or bike type and the best thing it’s open to all! The major difference with this car club is that it’s a Charity organisation.

One of the most impressive attributes of HWY is the regularity of its meets, nearly every Friday its on!
i was shocked to see such great classics on display especially driven by “P” platers.

Yes sticker bombing is still alive and well. I like the fact that there are a few people keeping it alive within the scene.

Probably one of the most scariest cars of the night, it arrived full of people and every one in the car was wearing a mask. With many gas masks and other crazy masks, i thought this may turnout to be a drive by shooting but luckily i was wrong.

Did i mention that the nights theme was dress up! You cannot really tell from the photos yet there were plenty of school girls and onesies. It also was great to see such a collection of skylines together in one place.

Such a clean restoration and attention to detail. This is a great looking package that really did make people stop and take notice.

There were a few 86’s in attendance but this one really caught my eye! with these simple mods this 86 is totally transformed and now really stands out amongst the sea of cars.

Two very iconic cars just happened to be siting next to one another. If only my car history looked this good!

Sex spec style seems to be one of those things that has not left the scene yet. Is sydney to blame? im not sure but i respect the amount of tuck this commodore gets on its airbags.

The General Lee’s dark cousin made an appearance, its one car that i really didn’t expect to see at this car meet.

One mad little e30 that looks like it has had a bit of track time over its life.

It seems that all the NA supras are finding homes, surprisingly not the only supra on the night i saw about 4 in total which is good considering that they are really not as popular as they once were.

The R34 GTR is one of those cars that most JDM fans dream of owning at one time or another. So glad to see one at a local met like this.

Nissan has come up with alot of new cars lately but none have had as much character and ionic lines as the 370z. The design really does give that Datsun look in a modern way!

Although HWY meets are 70% / Holden / Ford i did manage to find some gems among the rough.

This one of the cars i wish i would of had as a “P” Plater, tough, fun to drive, with plenty after market parts. The s13 is a real trooper!

Now for something different a Hearse you say? well their ain’t many Hearse’s up for sale! so if you want one you have to create one. The movement of creating modern Rat Rods and throw backs is a very interesting concept and like all things evolution is always around the corner.

Oakleigh Masters was a great location for the meet. Even know the police did know of the event they still made several laps of the carpark to make their presence felt. Everyone still had fun, the growing community of young car lovers really look forward to events like these and not even the police car dampen their mood.
HWY really is changing the car scene for the better. With so many events and fundraises planned we at Grip Shift Slide will defiantly attend more of these great events.
Want to find out more ? hit up HWY FB Group or their new forum -> http://www.likehwy.com.au/
Thanks for looking,
Grant

Hanging Rock :: Classic Spectacular

Grant — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:56:40 +0000

Its that time of year again, the hanging rock classic car show has one of the biggest car shows of the year, the amount of cars on display is incredible.
knowing that so many cars would be attending i decided to arrive at hanging rock early, even before i got there a mini car show of its own had sprung up, the main BP truck stop before hanging rock was absolutely full of car clubs pre-meeting before the event.

What is a car show without a classic Holden Ute, this one had a fair bit of custom work, the bonnet boob wasn’t to everyone’s liking but most people did admire the immaculate paint work!

With the rising popularity of Magnus Walker the old porsches are showing up everywhere! there was at least 15 of these beauty’s on display.

The Porsche 356 is one of those cars that just has so much character and presence, the shape is so unique and bold.

This car looks like it is straight out of that old english TV show Heartbeat, the Austin A30’s where very popular back in the mid fiftys.

Mercedes never built a ute for the australian market, but this one of a kind W114 Mercedes-Benz really impressed a lot of people. The custom fabricated back window looks factory because it is so well engineered. Sitting nice and low on airbags, this is one ute that definitely shows the mini-truck kids how it is done.

Would the DeLorean have been forgotten if it weren’t for the movie back to the future? Im glad that this is a car that will not fall into the shadows and be forgotten. Being loosely based off the Lotus Esprit, it is a shame that the company never got to make any other models than the DeLorean.

So fresh So Clean Clean, i just cant believe how immaculate this engine bay is its ridiculous!

Dafaq! yeah that’s right its rabbit man, some of you may know of this guy and some will not! He is often seen at ford shows and other classic car shows with his pimp rabbit. Who brings a full spit on a total fireban? Im not sure but the CFA told them off several times, until the no BBQ rule was enforced later in the day!

This thing is so rare! Its the first time i have ever seen one, i just cant believe they made a coupe version of the toyota crown!

Your not an aussie car lover if you don’t like the SLR 5000! pick a colour any colour!

Not all the classics are standard, check out this custom extra large front intake on this Shelby.

So many Shelby Cobras! in one place!

The Viper, such a strange car in person the curves and lines are very odd, it is a truly massive car!

Probably the cleanest Ford Roadster Hot Rod at Hanging rock, simple and not super flashy. Its a shame that there where not many Rat Rods at the show but we hope to see some next year.

The 1970’s Torino is not the type of car you normally see on the road that’s because its an import from america, why didn’t we get such things in Australia? maybe its because Crysler was to much competition at the time and the charger was so damn popular.

This is one of the only Ford Roadster Hot Rods i have seen with a cool old school racing paint job complete with period correct stickers.

You many have seen this at other hot rod shows, its is one unbelievable piece of machinery and it has airbrushing that actually suits the car.

Ok im going to be honest i do not know what type of car this is but it is very unique and cool.

The 80’s saw allot of sports cars, one of the more affordable ones is the corvette, with is sensible clean look it was the choice of many middle class business men.

This car just has so many bold lines! its a second gen Ford Fairlane from america, just look at all the exterior detail, cars these days do not come with any crazy trims like this!

The Toyota 800, this thing is awesome, its kinda like a mini 2000GT. Very ahead of its time and only a very limited amount where made, the main competition for this car was the honda s500, im a big fan of the toyota 800 because i have a strange liking for kei cars.

The interior of old cars have so much more class than cars of this current generation.

Corolla GT E70 that’s right its pretty much a two door version of the ke70! i wish they made more of these to take pressure off the ae86.

The First generation Ford Fairlane, just as magnificent as it was back in the day.

Inside its nothing but a buffet of chrome and style.

This was not the only GT40 in attendance we counted at least 3 around the place and all had there own individual character.

This third gen Toyota Corona looks tough, with its bright white wall tyres, these small sedans from the 60’s are great!

Sneaky sneaky, 90% of the cars are pre 1986, how did this get under the radar? it ok because we love skylines!

Yeah i bet you all know what this is? but did you know this is one of 5 cars built for Gone in 60 seconds, yes that right they built 5 and on the day chose one to film. Originally purchased from america for $70k the owner has been offered over $200k for this car!

Yes i climbed the rock! yet by the time i got around the whole show and then made my way to the top, half of the cars where gone! Every year this show just gets bigger and bigger, there are so many cars it becomes a bit of a blur by the end, but there is always two or three stand out cars that you remember after the show. Another year and another hanging rock show, still the years biggest car show to date, with over 1400+ cars!
Big thanks to our Guest photographer Brendan from BlackTop Images, http://www.facebook.com/BlacktopImages
Thanks for looking,
-Grant

Classic Japan 2012 :: Bigger, Better, Best!

Grant — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 07:25:58 +0000

Classic Japan 2012… What an event!!
This year it was held at Como Park using two full sports ovals, allowing for more than twice the amount of entries than that of last years show. The turnout was absolutely fantastic and the crowd was perfect!!

The event was hosted by the Toyota Car Club of Australia and entries were open to all Japanese makes/models manufactured before 1987.
All the proceeds from the event went to Beyond Blue so the event was raising money for an extremely good cause.

On the top oval we spotted a heap of Suzuki Mighty Boys, Nissan 240Z’s and this perfect red AW11 MR2.

Looks like this little Mighty Boy could deliver a lot more tofu than the original delivery car from the famous anime series.

One of the most iconic classic Japanese cars to receive the modifiers touch, the Datsun 1600 has been a favourite with enthusiasts both young and old.

This tidy blue example was sporting an SR20DET engine swap. So with a few extra ponies under the hood, this little sedan would put a massive smile on the face of just about anyone that got behind the wheel.

In a long line up of Corolla’s, this AE82 was looking great thanks to a little lowering and a set of period appropriate ROH wheels.

Further down the line we found ‘We Heart Cars’ competition winner Justin and his track attack Corolla, one of a few cars wearing one of our stickers on the day!
Get yours here > http://store.gripshiftslide.com/

After a quick walk around the event I think I can safely say that I am now infatuated with Datsun utes!
This rat rod inspired 1000 ute was a crowd favourite thanks to the matte paint and side exit exhaust.

Directly opposite there was this shiny green Datsun that won me over, it almost looked like a standard affair at the front.
Business at the front…

… Party at the back!
While the pipes might not work for everyon,e it does pay homage to the crazy place all these wonderful cars come from and here at GSS we welcome more influence from some of the wilder trends in Japan.

We have never seen so many 240Z’s at a single event before, with numbers close to the double digits it was an impressive sight.
Some absolutely stood out from the crowd though, like this immaculate red zed!

There was a touch of VIP on the bottom oval thanks to this Toyota Cressida.

Chrome low rider wheels worked a treat for the four door cruiser.

Brown is not a colour that comes rushing to mind when thinking of Japanese cars for me, here on this Corolla wagon however it actually works very well.
Also worth a mention was the showroom condition RX7 sitting by its’ side. I had a full walk around the car and it was perfect!

This two tone DR30 Skyline had me sucked in for awhile, like a moth to a light bulb there was no escape!!

Inside it was full of 80’s charm wherever you looked: ribbed gear boot, hard lines/angles and champagne gold/silver colour coding.
This is my kind of cockpit!!

The classic Japanese town car… The RT40 Toyota Corona!
This white beauty was covered in lashings of chrome and white walls, everything you could ever want in a 1960’s sedan.

Warning: This photo may cause increased heart rate and blood pressure in many of our readers, this is perfection at it’s finest!
This Datsun Fairlady 2000 roadster would be one of my ultimate choices for driving the famous Californian coastline…

… Manufactured from 1967-1970 it was ahead of it’s time as far as Japanese automobiles were concerned – reaching speeds of nearly 200Kph and a red line of 7,000RPM! Thanks to a lack of emission restrictions here in Australia at the time, all models delivered here came standard with the ‘competition’ upgrade which included duel carburetors and a performance camshaft.
This stunning beauty was matched with ridiculous performance for it’s price tag, at the time it was the cheapest in it’s class and continually won races against it’s more expensive rivals!

This is one of my ‘hero’ cars from the picnic at Hanging Rock event earlier this year! This club racer inspired Datsun 1600 really got me excited by all of these older chassis and made me appreciate the milestones they achieved in terms of affordability, performance in their time when compared with more expensive European and American cars.

KE70 friends!!!
One clean and one not so clean. The one on the right is the kind of car you wouldn’t let your daughter go out to the movies with.
Running a 4AGE 20v engine in RWD configuration mated to a Supra gearbox with a turbo for good measure, this small sedan runs rings around newer cars thanks to a healthy 147kw at the wheels.

Brandon and Dave’s Cressida’s were stars of the show with many older enthusiasts taking the time to see what the younger generations take on what an older Toyota should be.

Steve’s Sunny ute was looking great with all the other classic pieces of metal scattered around the oval. There were so many cars using the ‘rising sun’ to add a bit of character to their cars but none quite as large as Steve’s cover for his tray.

Hamish’s 240Z was definitely the shiniest car at the show thanks to a fresh paint job. only days earlier courtesy of DT Panels. With the paint now sorted, Hamish has a few more things to tick off his list before really showing it off.
With any luck in six months time we will be showing you a lot more of this car.

Heath’s 260 wagon came back for its’ second year at the Classic Japan show, now with new wheels and a lower ride height the wagon was looking better than ever!

Nothing comes close to wood grain interiors in terms of classiness.

The rear facing seats are still such a unique feature, this is our car of choice for the drive in movies next time.

Now for something on the rarer side, a Mazda Capella looking great on some dished out wheels!

Spotted a clean white AE86 with some Shockworks coil overs. These guys are quickly becoming a very popular choice for suspension amongst Toyota enthusiasts.

Nicks’ RX7 with massive fender flares, running a 12a turbo motor making this Mazda a little two-door rocket!

It seems classic car fans come in all shapes and sizes and even species!!

Now this is something we all enjoy… The mighty Nissan Skyline, the original circle taillights we love so much!

As a bonus this year there was a massive motorbike display in the middle of the oval, the same rules applied to the bikes.
Japanese makes and pre 1987 production only.

The Honda S800, Honda’s final roadster for thirty years until the recent S2000.

Automatic is for chumps… This is Hondamatic, the transmission of the future!
Well at the time it was very impressive stuff as it still maintained engine braking thanks to a unique design.

This was one of the most impressive cars on show all day, this KE20 had it all including a rebuilt motor, turbo, tough wheels and fender flares, you name it!

A name fit for a king!
The Toyota Crown received all the extra’s and was the pride of Toyota’s production line.

This little guy believe it or not is Toyota’s first ever sports car!
The Sports 800 was equipped from factory with a monstrous 34kw and could reach 160kph on a racetrack!!

One of the ‘S’ chassis underdogs, the Nissan S12. Sold locally as a Nissan Gazelle, we’ve never seen one as clean or as modified as this one!
This really is one of the shows not to miss so please keep your calendars clear for next years Classic Japan Show, with wonderful cars and a good cause there is no excuse to miss it a third time around.
We would like to thank all the organisers for inviting us to come down and take photos and sell some merchandise at the show, we had a blast and will see you all next year!
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.