Classic – 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

Cars and Coffee :: Truganina

Grant — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 03:16:19 +0000

It has been almost one year since i have been to Cars and Coffee Truganina, these regular Cars and Coffee events seem to be expanding all over the place. This particular Cars and Coffee event has been running monthly for a couple of years now yet it is one of the originals.

All types of cars started to stream in, including a stanced Audi that was on show at the prestigious 100mm car show.

The que to get into the event continued to grow steadily until 10am. Lots of interesting cars made their way into the parking lot looking for the best spots to show off their rides.

It looked as thou there were a few interstate visitors with plates from NSW, QLD, TAZ. The real question, had they really traveled all that way for this monthly event? Or was it just a case of new car purchases from other states?

Regardless it was great to see such a good variety of cars at the meet. This classic Ford Escort was in great condition! looked like it could have maybe been a barn find originally.

There were plenty of nice Subaru’s in attendance including this charmingly stanced Swagon with some very nice mods including some gear from Like Wise.

This photo does not do justice to how low this R34 is! It was really dumped! full commitment by the owner, sporting tucked wheels at this low static ride height especially on a daily and points for the number plate!

A tidy white on white combo saw this RX8 turning heads! Not only did it attract attention but it also has been spotted and mentioned a fair bit on social media.

Damien from JNC Otaku has his very on unique style and you can see it at play in his classic Honda civic interior.

Although the hype over RocketBunny kits is starting to fade they are still damn impressive to see in person! Especially when combined with a great looking wing.

A little touch of color goes a long way! The right set of wheel nuts can really help to bring attention to your wheels among the sea of modified cars it can be the one thing that draws the eye of any onlooker.

Subtle yet effective this Nissan R32 is siting at just the right height to tuck and still be able to get over speed humps and enter driveways it is really what everyone dreams about.

The latest STI looked at home jammed in between its modified friends, I wonder if the STI needs 5 buttons pushed before it will go fast like the new standard WRX does?

No this is not some type of rare Pokemon! Although many people were hard at work playing Pokemon Go at the event this Gozilla wasn’t part of the hunt for Pokemon.

A good crowd for a Saturday morning, the weather was good which made all the difference plenty of cars in attendance which helped create a great vibe for the event.

Its not to often you see a supra running the classic TRD Supra Aero Bonnet! but by the sound of the car and chequered tuning sticker you know that this car will be packing some serious horsepower.

A car that is really starting to grow on me after the years is the mx5, for the longest time all i saw was a hairdressers car but with the right treatment and a few mods this is one of the best bang for buck cars around.

Interesting steering wheel, from the era of car phones and tape players when you needed 4 horn buttons just in case of a random road rage attack.

Spotted some interesting stickers and sights from the day including plenty of Hanging with the Homies air fresheners and even a few of our stickers.

In prime position were 2 stanced RocketBunny 86’s and 2 other equally stunning cars plus our good friends Saint Side selling plenty of rad merchandise.

Could this be a tribute to the Fast and Furious Eclipse from the original movie? The colors are close!

That’s one serious front splitter very time attack inspired with massive canards and plenty of carbon to match.

Not as popular as the standard R34 the four door still can look great with a good set of wheels and small drop kit to set the car off.

As far as wagons go these BMW’s are one of the most luxurious comfy to drive wagons you will find for the price they look great and run like a dream.

Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper, Burt Reynolds was the won who undoubtedly made the Pontiac Trans-Am famous! As a kid i wanted one so bad! It was awesome to see this one in person! Such a classic car!

From one extreme to another! Welcome to Bag town where touching the ground is essential.

An unlikely pair, running a mexiflush setup on a commodore is a statement and a half! Notably bold in comparison to the little mx5.

This KE70 looks like a work in progress with plenty of tasty mods, it also looks like it could be hiding a secret under the bonnet.

The growth of this event is very evident, with increased parking guys helping to fit all the cars into the space while arranging the cars into position. This Monthly event may soon out grow its space come summer! only time will tell if they will have to find a bigger location.
-Grant

Mini Feature :: The Unlikely Coupe

Grant — Thu, 26 May 2016 01:42:17 +0000

From an unwanted shell to racecar in less than a year, when Michael tried to sell the Datsun SSS 200b coupe shell he had no bites! Rather than have a rolling shell taking up space in the garage it was time to inject some life into this old girl.

Being no stranger to race fabrication Michael dreamed of a setup that could take a corner instead of acting like a brick on wheels, wanting a responsive setup Michael decided to adapt the S14 suspension setup to the front and rear of the 200b. This was no easy task, the design of the 200b suspension setup had to sit a lot higher in the back end of body than the original suspension. This helped to give the car an aggressive new stance with a slight squat in the rear.

I didn’t stop there Michael had to make some serious cuts to the guards of the car to fit the huge 16×8 -4 wide wheels under the arches. Making the 200b sit super low with a large wide stance meant an extreme commitment to fitment!

The Modifications kept getting more complicated with a custom tunnel having to be fabricated to accommodate the RB gearbox that was attached to a very healthy Nissan SR20det engine.

If you have ever driven a Datsun 200b you will know that the steering is heavy and sloppy! Michael decided to fix that problem with a full steering rack from a S14 Nissan Silvia. The rack had to be slightly modified to fit the Datsun SSS plus a full roll cage was installed! With a good balance of power and handling this package makes the car a hell of a weapon.

The sound of this car is truly amazing! hearing the sr20 scream around the Haunted Hills race track was a pleasure. This Retro build is an absolute masterpiece! Michael has some real skill! make sure you check out Large Automotive Industries if you need some custom automotive fabrication. Michael’s Datsun makes a huge impact to those who catch a glimpse of it! A classic with a new lease on life, This is one of our favorite Datsun Builds of the year.
– 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

Fun 2 Drive :: Meet Your Heroes

Grant — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 02:32:34 +0000

I’m not one to jump in the deep end, yet here I was on my first ever overseas trip, two hours from Tokyo, standing in front of a rental car shop.
There were no boring hatchbacks or sedans in front of me, no, these cars weren’t your standard A to B affair. I was at a shop called Fun2Drive and all the cars on offer here were straight out of my boyhood dreams.
Have you ever wanted to drive a GT-R, RX7 or an NSX for a day? This is the place to come!
Having driven less than 3 hours in Japan in total at this point, the nerves were setting in. What had I done? Signing the insurance paperwork, I worried if I had bitten off more than I could chew…

Tucked away in the serene mountains around Hakone/Lake Ashi this is the last thing you would expect to find, a rental car shop that specialises in sports cars.

Fun2Drive has an amazing mix of cars available, and just like any rental car you can rent them by the hour or even days at a time. Drivers can also choose to partake in tours which take you along some breathtaking roads, some made famous by the Initial D anime series. This is a great option to try out a heap of cars and have a tonne of fun trying to keep up with the instructor.
Booking these cars was a walk in the park. Just a quick google translation of the website and a few emails back and forth with the friendly owner, Chikara, was all it took. He spoke perfect English and made the whole process incredibly easy. On the day, I was met by Yoshi. He was super friendly and also spoke great English which was a huge relief being the ignorant traveler I was, I didn’t learn much more than “Hello” “Excuse me” and ” Thank you” before I set off on the trip to Japan.

First I had to complete a quick 10 minute driving test with Yoshi to see if I could be trusted with their precious cars. I was a little nervous, it had been more than 10 years since I was in a car with any sort of instructor. Thankfully I passed with flying colours. After dropping Yoshi back off at the shop, I set off.
I chose to go it alone and didn’t book a tour, I decided I would take 3 cars for 3 hours each. A sample box of Japan’s finest if you will. No maps, no guides, I was just hitting the open road.

I also decided to rent the cars in chronological order. So first up was a beautiful Hakosuka Skyline. After a quick drive, I pulled over to let that sink in for a minute…
Me, driving, Japan, Hakosuka… Bucket list? TICK !!

This KGC10 Skyline was a stunning example even though this was a replica GT-R. With my hands wrapped around the steering wheel and foot planted on the accelerator, I couldn’t tell and neither could passerby’s.

I found myself torn between staring at it and actually driving it. I must have walked around the car at least 8 times before I finally snapped out of it and jumped back in the drivers seat.

Back behind the wheel I was happy because the roads were just as beautiful as the car!! I was in driving bliss! The smells, vibrations and sounds of the throaty 2.0 litre engine as it powered up the hill were intoxicating.

The closest car I’ve driven in terms of age was a 1970’s MG coupe. While not without it’s charms, I didn’t walk away feeling an empty hole that could only be filled by purchasing a classic sports car. No, I just felt like I’d had a fleeting experience with something novel from a time I didn’t understand. It felt like a chore to wrestle around the corners and the engine response was a little underwhelming. I’m sure in its day, many a necks were broken if one came whizzing by.

The Skyline on the other hand, I found from the turn of the key to be something truly special. The initial sound of the fuel pump, then the engine coming to life sending a shock wave of vibrations from the front to the rear of the car, left me in a dizzying high before I’d even set off down the road.

Like most older cars, the steering was clunky and heavy at low speed. Once it was up and moving along though it felt very responsive and the suspension was quite a lot stiffer than I had expected.

I also really enjoyed the slight delay when pressing the accelerator before the car would begin moving. It didn’t feel like that annoying lag you get in an under powered or automatic car. It felt ‘mechanical’ like a million little pieces were coming together to thrust the car forward. It didn’t build up either, it was simply on power or off. This really made shifting down a gear before blasting up a mountain an addictive cocktail, like lighting the fuse of a rocket and jumping on.

Before long I was starting to feel comfortable behind the wheel and I began to just drive the car, I wasn’t premeditating my next move anymore or worrying if I would break this 40+ year old car. It was amazing to just lose myself in the car, the roads and the country.

After only a couple of hours with this Skyline, driving through a few towns it became apparent that this was no ordinary car… It was a national icon! Everywhere I went people were pointing, giving the thumbs up and gesturing to rev the engine.
People young and old were instantly taken by the car. Everywhere I stopped someone would come over and start taking photos of it. At one point an entire family came over and took a group photo with it!

After just 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. I was dreading driving back to the shop. I was feeling like a kid returning to school after the holidays until I realised there were still two more cars to drive! My vacation wasn’t over!!

Flash forward 20 minutes and some 20 years of technology, and motoring in Japan had changed quite a bit! My car for the next 3 hours was this striking Honda NSX, in the ever popular Formula Red factory paint no less. As a self proclaimed Honda geek, I was in heaven!!

While booking my trip, I was easily most excited by the prospect of driving an NSX. This is the holy grail for Honda fans. This was as much Formula One tech Honda could cram into a road legal car at the time.

What could be better than driving around in your hero car on roads with this view?!!

With the giant Mt Fuji in the background everywhere I looked, I was constantly pulling over to snap away like crazy at the two amazing Japanese icons.

We all know how good the NSX’s looks… But how was it to drive? Did it live up to the dream? In one word, YES! I have never experienced such a well balanced car with so much feedback from the road before. The steering was manual and surprisingly light and the suspension was spot on. It never felt awkward, even at speed through corners.

The closest car I’ve driven before with a mid mount engine was a Toyota SW20 MR2 Turbo. The MR2 was from the same era and while plenty of things about the NSX reminded me of the MR2, like the interior, pop-up headlights and bright red paint. However, they were worlds apart. Taking the price difference out of the equation from new, they were both Japanese mid-mount sports cars. The MR2 felt awkward and snappy through corners, the turbo had lag and most of all the shift linkage felt very detached. The gear changing in the MR2 was probably my least favorite characteristic.

Now behind the wheel of the NSX, I was happy to report the handling was brilliant and the gear changes perfect! I’d read once that the NSX was known for having one of the best feeling gear changes. I couldn’t agree more.
As for the power? Funnily enough after reading countless comments on social media pages in response to those “what would you rather own?” type of pictures of some Japanese sports cars, comment after comment would say they wouldn’t touch an NSX because they’re slow, N/A etc etc. I guess the stigma of non-turbo cars got to me and I was not expecting anything exciting…

Oh how I was wrong, they were all so wrong. The response from this engine was amazing. Right from the get go, through to the high RPM, the power is constant and linear.
It didn’t suffer down low like most infamous high horse power Honda engines, there was no need to wait for this magical ‘VTEC’ to kick in and propel me down the road, which I think most of us are guilty of associating with angry loud noises and not actual increases in speed.

This was different, and the sound was phenomenal! It was literally singing as I carved up the mountain, radio off, windows down, just listening to the soundtrack of the C30A engine growling away. I was ecstatic! At one point I was following a convertible Ferrari 458 Italia. Let’s just say the driving was ‘spirited’ and the NSX was well and truly holding it’s own against the Italian thoroughbred.

All this from a 25 year old sports car, truly a marvel of it’s time. If you’re not into Honda’s or the NSX, do some reading and you soon will be. It has an aluminum body, the interior and windows were heavily inspired by the 360 view from an F-16 fighter jets’ cockpit. Even the late Aryton Senna played a part in the NSX’s development, giving the final advice on the tuning of the suspension and handling. Ladies and gentleman, the stars were aligned the day this rolled out of the factory.

Billed as the “affordable” super car, I get it. I really do. I came across a recent article of a man who owns one of the first NSX’s that came out of the dealership in 1990. Currently with over 400,000 kms on the clock, the car and owner are still just as happy as that first day. He was apparently from the Hakone area as well. I could not imagine a greater car to own in an even greater place.

Now after my 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to my new friend, I think I genuinely felt sad about handing the keys back. This time I’d somehow convinced myself in the short window of time that this was MY car, I’d fallen in love. Everything about this car was just so right. I thoroughly enjoyed my time driving the NSX and given the opportunity I’d own one in a heartbeat.

Now it was of course time to trade the NSX in for the third installment of my Japanese motoring sampler box, the mighty Nissan GT-R.

Not many cars can claim to simultaneously be both the topdog and the underdog. Nissan not only created the ultimate “tuner” car, which has been running rampant since it’s release in 2007 as a king among Japanese performance cars, it is also the indisputable underdog against the likes of many of Europe’s finest. Known to take down some heavyweight bulls, horses and even the odd German or two. The GT-R is nothing to turn your nose up at.

Truly a feat of engineering, this car shouldn’t be fast, it’s big, heavy and boxy. Thanks to some very clever thinkers over at Nissan/Renault (and two turbos) this car is capable of some neck snapping speeds!
The hulking car uses it’s muscular lines to channel air down over the bodywork, the suspension is active and changes to help make this small mountain feel like a sports car. It even has nitrogen filled tyres from factory because oxygen is too unstable!! So I’ve read the brochures, seen the videos, read the reviews etc… But what was it like behind the wheel?! Bloody good fun!!

While the NSX I was driving just moments before made me feel like there was harmony between man and machine, I felt like I was working along side the car to go faster and faster. In the GT-R I was definitely just along for the ride. Once you push that accelerator you’re just holding on. It goes from standstill to warp 5 in the blink of an eye. Roads just aren’t long enough, not even highways. While driving the GT-R, acceleration was the drug and I was hooked! I was slowing down every chance I got just to accelerate again.

The backdrop of Mt Fuji once again set the scene, now later in the day, the clouds had settled and things got a bit dark and angry as I finished my day with an equally dark and angry car.

After attempting my first parking job at the wheel of the GT-R one thing was apparent, this thing is huge!! No really, until you try to park one you cannot appreciate how truly large these cars are. I thought this might not translate well into the corners, I was however pleasantly surprised. While it certainly lacked the feedback of the NSX, this thing was quite nimble and the brakes were out of this world. It stops nearly as quickly as it takes off. This of course helped build my confidence when using the accelerator, god it was fast!!

After circling the same section of freeway (the on ramp was just way too much fun) it was time to pull over and spend some quiet time with the car, which of course isn’t possible until you come to a complete stop as the gearbox sounds like someone stuffed a Milo tin with firecrackers and rocks and then chucked it in the boot. I’ve been in quieter race cars! I’ve actually read that there’s a disclaimer when purchasing the car new that the gearbox is noisy and that you cannot take it back to the dealership to complain.

Would that stop me from buying one if I had the money? Hell no! This car made me feel like I was 5 years old again. Every time I pushed the accelerator I could feel the weight of my everyday problems lifting from my shoulders, to the back of my head where my tongue and eyes now were. This thing is just ungodly fast.

I was also infatuated with the flappy paddle gearbox, I loved it! Every chance I got coming to a stop, I would hit the paddle to downshift.
Like a rat in a cage pressing the button on a food dispenser, I was rewarded. Rewarded with the ‘eargasmic’ sound of the crackle and pop from the exhaust as the gear changed down. Every time the beautiful sound faded as quickly as it came, back to the deafening sound of the rocks in the Milo tin. That is until I pushed the “go fast” peddle again.

With the day nearly over, I sat quietly looking at the car for moment.
Here I was with a Nissan GT-R, a picturesque town, at the foot of a giant mountain, in one of the greatest countries on Earth. Until I experience the joys of parenthood, I think this will be the happiest day of my life. I really do mean that, I was truly free, keys in hand, I could drive this amazing machine wherever I wanted. That is, until my 3 hours were up.

As much as I’ve tried, I don’t think I can put my experience into words. So please go do it for yourself.
Visit http://fun2drive.co.jp/ and speak with Chikara and Yoshi and make your dreams come true, even it is only for a few hours.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Beyond Blue :: Show 'n' Shine / Meet & Greet

Grant — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 02:33:48 +0000

What better way to start off the new year than with a big car meet?! Held at Moorabbin Super Centre this Facebook only event had huge numbers confirming their attendance. All were there to show off their rides whilst supporting the great charity Beyond Blue.

The first car that really caught my eye was this uniquely painted Chrysler Sigma Scorpion. It was airbrushed in a military aircraft style complete with rivets and imitation surface rust.

At first glance I thought this was a modified Mitsubishi Starion! As I got closer I was shocked to find that this was a Chrysler. With the classic standard wheels dressed in matte black the car is not screaming for attention yet the paint work really draws you in.

Although this car meet was mainly made up of Holdens and Fords I chose to focus on the imports and cars that caught my attention. This R34 decided to create his own car park as the space was seriously getting limited.

The award for attention to detail has to go to this Hz Holden panel van! It featured a shiny new V8 that was cleaner than most cars in attendance.

The cars continued to roll in! This immaculate 86 flew past bringing with it many new cars to the meet.

The pair that really stood out for me were these amazing 86’s. Both had their own style and both were real neck breakers.

It’s the small details of a car that really give it personality. Take for instance this Snoop Dogg air freshener which helps give the car some attitude. Unique air fresheners are becoming popular; our friends at Saint Side have all the gear to make your car stand out.

An automotive icon, the Toyota Supra, is a car that will always stand out even if it’s not painted in bright yellow! It has most likely the biggest ass on a 2 door car you will ever see! This along with its performance makes it a true modern day classic.

Pretty much sex on wheels.. so lots of people are not into stance but you have to respect the look of this immaculate 86. With iconic Work Meisters wheels and a beautiful static ride height it’s hard to believe how this car can be driven daliy with out any guard damage.

Want to make your Commodore and your bike stand out? Vinyl wrap them in blue camo! Wearing some funky star shaped shoes this Holden had a style all of its own.

I was surprised to see this type 3 VW at a car meet like this. Usually more suited to a Euro meet it was great to see a mix of car makes on show.

A true combination of modern and classic merged together this interior is very individual while being subtle at the same time.

Modifying an Audi takes balls. Not only is the car expensive but also the parts! In saying that this looks great and we wish more people would make their Audis look dope.

There were lots of cars that turned up and I mean lots of cars! With 4 car parks full the car meet scene is starting to heat up again this year with plenty of new players.

Luxury cars never looked so good. Dumped on its ass this Mercedes embodies extreme luxury with plenty of style.

Neo would approve of this paint job! Heavily airbrushed with heaps of detail! Although this style was extremely popular in the late nineties you do not see much of it these days.

Why take a Ferrari to a local car meet? Because you can! As soon as it parked a huge crowd formed and the questions started. So how fast have you been in it? Does it get you the ladies?!

As the Boxter becomes more affordable we will soon see a lot more modified Porsches on the road.

The purple engine bay adds a lot of character to this s15. Dressed all in white with some classy gold wheels and a nice kit it’s hard to walk past this beast without a second look.

As the sun went down the cars started to leave and what was left? A genuine Tommy Makinen Evo that had been hiding behind the crowd of Commodores and Fords.
This was the biggest car meet I had been to in some time. It was similar in numbers to HWY yet with less trouble. It looks like there will be plenty of large car meets and cruises this year and we look forward to checking them out.
Thanks for reading,
Grant

Sneaker Freaker :: The Big Kahuna

Grant — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 06:58:10 +0000

Melbourne once again lived up to its well known weather last weekend, with a glorious sunny Saturday followed by a Sunday that seemed to have a bored two year old flicking the weather switch every 5 minutes.
Those that braved the cold conditions were rewarded with one of the best street events in town.
Sneaker Freaker took control of Globe Shoes head office in Port Melbourne to host ‘The Big Kahuna’ event, a massive Sneaker swap meet with truck loads of Melbourne street culture thrown in for good measure.

Some of Melbourne’s usual suspects like Saint Side, Fuel magazine and of course yours truly came along to make the day one to remember.

Globe’s warehouse and loading dock were over run with Sneaker Freaks snapping up rare and discontinued shoes from dozens of vendors.

The event was heaven for our fury little friends who love to chew old sneakers, thankfully their owners kept them on their leads as some of the sneakers on offer were worth more than $3000!!!

Aside from shoes and street ware, there were also a heap of classic cars invited along by the team from Fuel Magazine.

There were tonnes of old school cruisers and even a rad kombi on display!

This 1950’s Chevrolet Corvette convertible was a thing of neck snapping beauty.

The crew from Saint Side had a huge display of custom low rider bikes, each and every single one had it’s own unique theme. We loved the Louis Vuitton version.

The amount of work that goes into these creations is absolutely mind blowing. This was one of the more aggressively styled bikes on show.

Gold, Candy and Chrome as far as the eye can see!

Back inside there was plenty of wheeling and dealing going on with so many rare items up for grabs – it was certainly a buyers market.

Hosting an event at Globe’s warehouse would be a sin without some skateboard action. On show were plenty of vintage skateboards from the early 90’s and beyond.

All the skate paraphernalia was scattered around the Globe half pipe. Yep, they have a private skate park on site! Lunch breaks wouldn’t be for eating if you worked here!

In the outside area we had invited some of Melbourne’s best street cars along and despite the not so amazing weather, we were blown away by the dedicated owners that braved the weather and the driveway!!

Karl’s tough as nails KE Corolla wagon was a crowd favourite, complete with a Unicorn hood ornament that bled real rainbows!!

Later we found out that rainbow blood was in fact some oil escaping from the mighty 4AGE from the trip over to the event.

Josh brought back his S14 from the last event at Calder. This thing is absolutely perfect and clean enough to eat off!

The wheel choice on this blue EG Civic was spot on! Rays TE37V’s fill out the guards perfectly on this little hot hatch.

Some of the 100MM crew came down to party, we cannot wait to see what the boys have up their sleeve for the 100MM car show.

Probably the best line up of Melbourne’s street cars we’ve seen, so much quality!!

Billy’s 86 is still jaw-droppingly beautiful and we can’t wait to get some alone time with it after WTAC.

Chris’s E30 is spotless, we were really digging the new air splitters on the bonnet too.

Another of Melbourne’s best E30’s came along. Alistairs’ equipped E30 was one of the winners from the last event held at Calder, so we just had to invite him along.

While the weather wasn’t on our side for the day, the public certainly was with huge numbers coming along to see what all this Sneaker fuss was about.
We cannot thank the team from Sneaker Freaker Magazine enough for inviting us along and allowing us to showcase some of the best cars in Melbourne.
Until next time, thanks for reading.
– Gwyn.

MotorEx 2013 :: Bigger, Better, Shinier!

Grant — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 09:36:17 +0000

It was once again time for Meguire’s MotorEx to hit the streets of Sydney. Now in its’ 13th year, the show is truly bigger than ever and reaching a wider audience. This is all thanks to a huge display of cars ranging from classics and hot rods, to all out custom cars and even a few Euro/JDM models thrown into the mix.

The show consists of hundreds of top quality show cars filling out the Sydney Olympic Park hall. However before you even step foot inside, you’re greeted by dozens of Sydney’s best street cars.

Dubbed ‘Real Street Boulevard’ the street car themed display leading into the main show has proved to be a hit, year after year.

The ISON Industries EG Civic was strutting it’s stuff for all to see. Without the bonnet on every nut and bolt was exposed showing the incredible amount of detail in this build!

One of our favourites from the entire show had to be this ratrod inspired Datsun ute from the street display.

The extent of the modifications don’t become fully apparent until you take a peek inside though. Every surface has something ripped out and replaced with old wood or has been wrapped in twine.

Laying frame and blinding onlookers thanks to some shiny chrome Moonee hubcaps.

Our necks snapped when we saw this fiery red head! The Testarossa 512 TR was the perfect poster car back in its’ day.

Even after all these years the mid engined super car is simply beautiful from every angle.

From one bright red car to another… The cars inside the main hall were a stark contrast to the street cars outside, with meticulously restored domestics and American muscle filling out the arena.

With so many Aussie icon’s being tirelessly restored from the ground up, it’s often hard to show off every part of the car at once. Some creative displays had cars raised in the air with carefully positioned mirrors reflecting all efforts that are normally obscured.

One of the stars of the show had to be this XY Flacon dubbed ‘427 RR’. Everywhere you looked, this build had it’s name etched, stitched or painted on nearly every surface, taking huge pride in its stroked 427ci motor filling out the engine bay.

Another show stopper in white, was the LeBrese 1978 XC GS Hardtop. A favourite from previous years, this car has had a ridiculous amount of work done over the years. Centered around a hand made tube chassis and F1 inspired suspension. So the question on everyone’s lips, what is the cherry on the top? Quad Webbers bolted to a stroked 393ci Clevland motor.

Pimp’n ain’t easy and nether is building a custom low rider in Australia!

Got wing? The Plymouth Superbird is quite an interesting looking muscle car from the past. A fun fact for those playing at home, the iconic rear wing was only made so big so that the boot could be opened on the production version of the car. Tests had suggested that a wing as high as the roof was all that was needed to tame the rear at high speeds.

From a toy car inspired build to real life, Custom body works brought the house down with their debut of this House of Kolor purple Dodge Charger. Poking through the bonnet is a 426ci Hemi with a blower strapped on for an easy 1000hp!!

Truly a thing of beauty, the interior of this Shelby GT500 had us staring into the intricate details for what felt like forever. It is cars like these that make us appreciate how special some cars were back in the days of cubic inches and racing stripes.

The Australian built and globe trotting ‘Wild Cad’ has been doing the rounds since it’s 2010 MotorEx debut including a 12 month stint in an American showroom. Not bad for a 1959 Coupe DeVille, Go Aussie!!

There was absolutely no shortage of custom hot rods at this years show…

We’re still wondering were you sit in this one though, not the most inviting of cockpits with many a pointy bolts sticking up from everywhere!

This lime green 200SX is a former star from the Autosalon days.

Whether it’s your style or not, not a single inch of this car has been untouched and it’s hard not to admire the hard work that has gone into this build.It is decked out with suicide doors, shaved everything and a massive turbo bolted to the side of a rotary engine for good measure.

While keeping with the Japanese theme there were quite a few clean examples hiding around the hall. This FC RX7 for example was immaculate!!!

There were actually quite a few RX7 packed into the show. It was great to see such a strong following for the mighty Mazda!!

Check out this massive Garrett turbo stuffed into the tiny engine bay of this old school Mazda RX2.

This was one of the bulkiest looking R33’s we have seen in awhile. This wide mouthed GT-R was looking spectacular thanks to it’s incredibly shiny paint job. Quite an interesting colour choice too!

This little Datsun has been in the works for an astonishing 8 years!! The conversion list is very extensive but the cream of the crop has to be the 700HP 13B rotary conversion!

The Built to Order EG Civic has gone through quite the transformation since last years event. Complete with a full roll cage, matte pink paint job and a fresh new set of ‘BTO’ kicks!!

Another relic from the Autosalon days that has been in hibernation for many years. The OVAKILL Magna is indeed regarded by many as over kill… Looking past the chassis choice this is some top quality work and we can see plenty of innovation as far as show cars go.

Woods & Woods showed off their concept car. The striking long body is stretched over massive 24×10″ wheels. Helping the car spin those massive rollers is a whopping 14 liter V16!!!

No Sydney car show would be complete without an appearance from Queen Street Customs. Stepping up their game from their previous halo car is a hard act to follow… From Ferrari to Rolls Royce seemed to be the only logical choice!
With the unstable nature of car shows in recent years, it is great to see MotorEx go from stride to stride. This year saw the show extended with a third day open to the public, 12 brand new cars were unveiled and the attendance seemed to be bigger than ever. We are counting down the days till next years show!
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.
Photos courtesy of Robberto Mochetti | Full Motion Photography (< Check him out on Facebook!)

PSRA :: Performance Motor Show Melbourne

Grant — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:53:08 +0000

Finally a breath of fresh air has entered Melbourne and brought with it a performance based car show. Not only has the organiser of this event brought together some of the best tuning shops and related business but also a huge range of Australia’s best performance vehicles.

Our friends at Martini Racing Australia had a great selection of cars on display. This amazing GTR was on loan from Charge Speed Australia. ( V-Spec Performance )

Martini had thought of everything, with a full blown race simulator at the head of their stall! Kids were forming lines just to have a go on the Redline Race Simulator. Martini had a great show of Ferrari’s with both old and new on display and they even threw some of them on the live dyno!

I soon found out where all the modern Corvettes have been hiding. You don’t see many on the streets and it seems a lot have been brought over here, modified and then tracked. This is one car that I wish the V8 Supercars would let into their competition. But we all know why they wouldn’t let the z06 Corvette in… remember what happened when they let the “Nissan R32 GTR” have a go!?

Our Friends at Road Track Rally brought down their time attack Mitsubishi Evo along with a few other special cars of theirs, to exhibit the full range of tuning and services they can provide.

This vintage speedway car caught my eye because I have been meaning to go to a speedway event for quite some time. I think it was the inspiration that I need to finally do so.

A true Hot Rod with flames and all! The performance industry covers a massive range of cars big and small, this being one of the more unique types of performance vehicles among today’s ever growing range of performance cars.

There is something about the new Camaro shape that I like, yes I know it carries a Chev badge, but it has such personality and prowess that it simply cannot be ignored.

This 86 was sporting a custom supercharger that tucked into the engine bay like meat into a pie.

The Honda S2000 is one hell of a car and is the choice of many famous tuners! You might find yourself asking why? Because the car held the record for the highest horsepower per liter for any NA piston road production car for 10 straight years. With a full Amuse kit this S2000 looked amazing! It is the first time I have ever seen one fully kitted up like this and I really like it!

Formula 5000 is madness and Jay Bondini is one mad bloke because he owns 2 of them! This is one beautiful Lola T332 and it has had plenty of great owners in its past. I’m so glad to see something like this on display here in Melbourne.

Now onto one of my favourite cars of this year; the 370Z. Blingwork Auto had a wicked display of cars, their 370z, with its sexy kit slowly seduced me every time I walked past.

A large range of engines were on display alongside the many other cars. Plenty of these engines were worked and are in development for upcoming projects.

Our friend Greg from Pirelli was kind enough to let me get up close and personal with their GT3 Z06.R Corvette. It has raced at the Bathurst 12 hour, Australian GT series and Victorian state series.

Up close you can see that this is not a normal road going car! Trofeo Motorsport and Pirelli have put a lot work into this Z06 and the 2013 Australian GT series. Pirelli is the control tyre for this season and everybody knows that it is the best tyre for the job. With some good results this season, Trofeo Motorsport can’t wait to get back on the track and hey will have their chance come July at Sydney Motorsport Park and GSS will be watching the results closely.

This crazy drag Camaro was big in every way, big power, big wheels, big money and it really did stop people in their tracks.

There were so many nice cars on display at this show that it was hard to know which way to look. I did find one way to look though; straight at this super clean M-series BMW!

Is this what brand new cars looked like in the 70’s? If so, I want one! Just to cruise around in and make loud noises!

How do you make one of the prettiest Skyline’s ever created look even more attractive? Wrap it in carbon and put it to work on the track.

When a car is so immaculate underneath, it needs mirrors to display this fact. Is it still a real functioning car? Or a trophy? Don’t get me wrong, I like the EH but this is taking things a little too far.

I dig concave as much as negative offset. When you add fancy colours in the mix, then things get out of control!

As well as engines and cars on display there were large setups of full exhaust systems laid out around the show.

Power and fabrication! This car show had it all! Just look at this engine bay! You can see the countless hours spent getting every detail just right.

Do you like wheels? We do! The range on display blew our minds. This is just a small selection of wheels that where on display at the show.

If you know your European engines, then you should be able to identify this one! I cannot because VW engines scare me…

This is one of two GT3 Audi R8’s on show, both of these cars looked marvelous sitting near one another.

With such a big show, organised in such a little time frame it is truly astonishing to see what can be accomplished when someone sets out to achieve a dream. Australia’s first ever International Performance Motor Show really did impress and our hats are off to the organisers! We hope that in 2014 they invite us or groups like us, so we can display modified street and drift cars to show exactly what the scene is capable of.
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