Mazda – Gripshiftslide

WTAC17 :: Mad Mike Brings the Bull to Sydney

Grant — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:56:00 +0000

From the very first time we were introduced to

In 2011 Mad Mike visited Australia bringing with him the legendary MadBull 26b Quad rotor flame spitting FD3 RX7. Once World Time Attack fans laid their eyes on the MadBull they were hooked! the sound was like nothing else…

With a combination of sounds that could be mistaken for a neo-punk cyber dinosaur screaming across a multi-denominational landscape! things as we knew it in Australia would never be the same again. The MadBull produced a high pitched F1 style ear shredding terror that is forever permanently etched in my mind.

The memory of the 2011 Tectaloy International Drift Challenge is still fresh in my mind mainly because of the impression that the MadBull left on me and the whole crowd attending the event. This particular drift competition was held at night and that only intensified the presence of Mad Mike and his flame throwing beast.

Since then Mad Mike has returned to the World Time Attack Challenge to compete in their annual Drift competitions many times. In 2017 he decided to bring with him the newly revised BadBull RX8.

Mike Whiddett was lucky enough to receive a bye in the first round of the top 32 battles. Then Mike found himself up against an old rival, fellow Kiwi Darren Kelly! The Honeywell Garrett International Drift Challenge was starting to heat up and the action continued to surprise some of the sport’s seasoned veterans.

Mad Mike is never far from drama! The Mazda RX8 SP3 suffered a smashed sump during its battles on the way through the top 16. This was caused as Mike’s car dropped over a ripple strip, the damage was severe tearing a hole in the 20b sump!
solid but slippery battle

Although the GripShiftSlide team didnt get time to attend the Honeywell Garrett International Drift Challenge Finale on the Saturday night.
Mike ended up placing 5th at the Honeywell Garrett International Drift Challenge Finale.

Fun2Drive :: Not So Mellow Yellow

Grant — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:02:54 +0000

With another trip to the automotive mecca that is Japan we of course visited our friends at Fun2Drive again. This time I was dying to get behind the wheel of a bright yellow RX7 that was still burnt into my retinas from our previous trip.

After a short drive out of Tokyo we returned to our ‘Home away from home’ Hakone. A picturesque town sprawled across the mountain tops. With stunning views of Mt Fuji it’s also home to an amazing little rental shop called Fun2Drive (More here). After catching up with Chikara and Yoshi we got right into business and I was given the keys to our first rental car, a gorgeous Mazda FD3S RX7.

As I was holding the keys Yoshi told me that this exact car was responsible for taking out a guard rail just 2 months ago. At that moment the skies opened up and it began to rain. Feeling the pressure of keeping this now straight car in the same condition as I had picked it up in I decided to take it easy that morning.

At the turn of the key I found the smooth and deep exhaust note incredibly soothing. This was my very first time driving a car powered by the wizardry commonly known as a rotary engine.
I didn’t really know what to expect but I instantly noticed the car seemed aggressive throughout the entire rev range and very happy on power.

There was a touch of turbo lag when pressing the accelerator, only for a second and then the power came on strong and pushed the car along leaving a very obvious grin across my face at every press of the throttle. The sound and feeling of the car even when stationary was extraordinary. I definitely had a new found appreciation for the Wankel engine.

That’s where my love affair stopped. After the initial excitement of the power delivery and noise the engine made had worn off I found myself focusing on the claustrophobic interior that seemed to carry on and make as much noise as the engine itself with every rattle and pop.

There were also less pedantic problems too like the suspension/tyre combination on the car that made it feel like a wet sponge. It was incredibly hard to get any direct feedback from the road. Visually it was also impossible to get a sense of where the tyres were under the front guards.

Weeks after my trip I was telling friends about my time with the RX7 many of whom are avid Mazda/Rotary enthusiasts. The look on their faces trying to comprehend that I just didn’t enjoy the feeling of the car around corners and that it felt slightly ‘detached’ from the road left them questioning their friendship with me. Understandably I had high hopes for the buzzing rotary but simply couldn’t get past the interior swallowing me whole or the loose feeling from the tyres.

Ultimately I’m sure with more time, the right suspension and tyres this would be an amazing car to drive. I am also sure that if I wasn’t constantly scared of all the guard rails jumping out at me I would have relaxed and enjoyed more of the corners around Hakone’s beautiful twisting mountain roads.

What I did enjoy about the car was its looks, it was jaw dropping from every angle. Yellow is easily one of the most striking colours on the smooth lines of the body, the nostalgic feeling I get with pop up headlights is just as strong with this car as any other 90’s performance car I’ve driven as well.
So there I was standing looking at the car under the trees and feeling very shallow. I had more fun looking at it than I did driving it.

I kept thinking is it me? Is there something wrong with me?! Why couldn’t I find the fizzy feeling James May is always fluffing on about with all the cars he’s been driving over the years?

Once I got out of the mountains and found wider roads I started to worry less about falling into a gutter and began enjoying myself more and more. I still found the response from the tyres an issue but as I was taking it easy on the wet roads it wasn’t too noticeable.

This was the first time I’ve not felt a spark behind the wheel of a sports car and it had nothing to do with a lack of power. Even driving the notoriously under powered Toyota 86 I felt more excitement from being able to drive that on the limit of the red line and even the road itself. The RX7 had me nervous and reserved the whole time.

I would jump at the opportunity to drive a modified RX7 just to get a sense of comparison to the stock as a rock version that I drove here in Japan. It felt like I was eating an unseasoned meal that just needed a pinch of salt.

With the last few minutes of daylight quickly fading I decided to soak in as much of the beautiful exterior as I could while dreading the last drive I had ahead of me in the pouring rain.

In summary my time with this RX7 was a bit like a first date with a stunningly beautiful girl with no conversational skills at all. Great to look at but no real substance to keep you interested.
I don’t think I’ll be calling again.
Thanks to the awesome guys behind Fun2Drive, we got to drive a lot more cars this time so keep your eyes out for even more features!
Thank you for reading,
– Gwyn.

Japan Day 2 :: Daikoku Futo PA

Grant — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 09:32:31 +0000

After 36 hours in Japan we finally hit up some car action at none other than Daikoku Futo PA! This tiny car park in the middle of a man made island in the Yokohama harbor is a thing of legend. If you’re into Japanese cars chances are you’ve seen more than a few photos from this location. Here car owners from different walks of life all gather and soak up the experience that is Daikoku Futo any night of the week and during the day on weekends.

Staying in Yokohama meant the parking area was just 15 minutes from our hotel. So hurried back after dinner and set off on our adventure.

The very first sight we were greeted by as we drove down the long spiraling off ramp into the parking area. This ‘Tron’ looking BMW convertible that had light glowing from everywhere. We parked up and ran around like kids in a candy store.

I can’t explain the ‘fizzy’ feeling you get standing in this spot at night… The cars, the orange light and the sound of engines revving is just unlike any car meet at home. The scale of the freeway ramps that circle you create this theater filled with the sounds of cars entering and leaving the car park. It really is just massive!!

The amount of cars even on a quiet night like this was staggering, cars were coming and going all the time. It was impossible to keep up when shooting on a tripod.

These three where all friends.

We loved this bumper-less Crown. It was also refreshing to see a modified Crown after the sea of Japanese Taxi’s getting around Tokyo!

The wheels were on the smaller side for a car of this size bit it still looked great all together.

Our second night in Japan and we were already treated to the sight of a Hako Skyline.

It was beautiful!!

This matte green air-cooled Porsche was a very cool sight amongst all the domestic cars.

There was a small army of MX-5’s out in force.

I’ve only ever seen one or two cool looking MX-5’s together at home so it was awesome to see more than 5 at the same place.

This little dark green one was rocking some wide wheels on the rear. Photos don’t do it justice!

Our favorite MX-5 had to be this BN Sports kitted black number. The level of dish was high with this one!

There was a few Honda’s out and about too.

This little blue EG Civic was sitting stupidly low, it looked awesome from every angle.

The greatest Civic Type R in our eyes… The EK9. These things are just pure awesome!

Another Type R on the same TE 37 wheels.

Over in the corner some local bosozoku bikers were meeting and revving their bikes. When I got closer I realised they were playing songs. They had each made up their own song and began reciting them one after another simply using their engines.

This was one of the coolest aspects of the parking area, getting up close to these amazing machines/people I’ve heard so much about.

Old Suzuki’s and Honda’s seemed the bikes of choice and they all had their own personal touches.

Our personal favorite of the entire night had to be Kazuki’s flawless 86.

The subtle red glitter in the paintwork was beautiful. We were digging the mismatched wheels. Work Equips up front.

TE37V in the rear.

This is seriously one very cool street driven hachiroku!!

Not to far away we found some very nice looking Infiniti’s.

This FX was dropped on it’s airbag suspension while it was parked and had heaps of top end audio gear inside. The roof racks had a very cool flower wrap on them too.

The G-Series sedan was sitting low on a set of 3SDM 0.08 wheels.

These wheels looked the business gleaming away under the street lights.

As it turns out the Toyota Prius is one of the most modified cars in Japan, seriously every second one we saw had blacked out taillights, wheels and an exhaust. This one was a little bit different and certainly had a bigger budget then most sitting pretty atop a set of fifteen52 Tarmac wheels. This thing looked killer.

From big budget to low budget this ‘diy’ Legacy wagon would look at home at most grass root race events. The matte black paint and custom front splitter design along with the rear wing made for a menacing looking street car.

One of the few Supra’s we saw, this was definitely the more wild looking of the bunch. Check out the rear diffuser setup!!

The car park fell quiet for a short time, the silence was quickly interrupted by the unique burble of this Porsche arriving. The sound stuck out like a chip packet being opened in a church.

One for the rotary fans. This spotless white FD RX-7 was certainly worthy of a few photos.

The body kit seemed like a simple lip kit at first but became all the more extreme when you got closer. The rear diffuser alone was a work of carbon art!

A late and brief attendee was this Evo wagon, such a shame we don’t see more of these in Australia. I’ve only ever seen one in real life before this.

This Scion XB was pushing the camber out on the rear wheels, lots of character here. mismatched panels, rusted bonnet and stone chips galore. This was cool!

This tiny Suzuki Alto was just tucking these 14″ mesh wheels in the rear.

It had some patched up fender damage on the front from running so low around Tokyo’s streets.

Later in the evening another cool 86 arrived, this time a coupe!!

In the infamous two tonne black & white combination and on a set of Watanabe wheels… Perfect!

It doesn’t get much cooler than this, sitting behind an idling Toyota Sprinter in Yokohama.

There was truck loads of Toyota’s by this point. Check out the crazy fitment on this Crown.

This Chaser was in pristine condition and funnily enough had the loudest sub woofer I’ve heard on the street. It was ridiculous!!

It had a nice amount of dish too!

One of the toughest looking cars of the night had to be this black Nissan Cima.

The big chunky wheels set it off perfectly.

It’s hard to describe this car without using the word “gangster”…

Even more Toyota Crowns!! They’re literally everywhere here! We were about ready to call it a night before the police did it for us After a few too many cars got a bit loose when leaving the car park.

Then this arrived… The hero car of the night. a sky blue liberty Walk R35 GT-R.

The huge over fenders of the rocket bunny kit perfectly covered the massive rear wheels.

This thing was big!!

Seeing a car like this here in Japan was really a special moment for me, I stood still just enjoying it not even touching my camera for a few minutes before I felt the pain in my feet that comes from a 15 hour day of walking none stop.
So that was that we called it a night and headed back to our hotel.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

WTAC 2014 :: International Visitors

Grant — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 11:51:53 +0000

Like any music festival, big name acts bring the fans in droves, especially international super stars. The World Time Attack Challenge is no different and when it comes to international guests, they’ve got you covered.
It’s no easy task to convince a race team to invest a large amount of money to send a car on a boat half way across the globe along with a small army of mechanics to go head to head with a bunch of locals who don’t want lose on their home turf.
Year after year, Ian and the team behind WTAC manage to top themselves and 2014 was the biggest field of overseas talent we’ve seen yet!

First up team America had two entries. Andrew Brilliant has now decided to keep his time attack Eclipse within Australia (originally from the USA). Having the car based here and help from GT Auto Garage his campaign for 2014 was his strongest yet.

Having won both 2009 & 2010 Super Lap Battle Limited FF titles Andrew is certainly no amateur! With the dream of being the fastest FF car at WTAC Andrew had his work cut out thanks to a little mouse that could…
Andrew’s biggest rival is none other than the QLD based Mighty Mouse CRX. With a time of 1:31.8430 the little Honda was still at much faster pace than the Eclipse this year. Not to take away from AMB Aero USA’s efforts as Andrew and the team managed to shave off a staggering 5 seconds from their previous year!!

The car has undergone many changes since 2013 but the biggest change this year has been a new Haltech ECU and Jack LeBrocq behind the wheel. The team finished with 1:35.7200 around Sydney Motorsport Park.

The second entry for Team USA, ARK Design R32 Skyline and some say this car is cursed. Two years ago at it’s first WTAC, the car was accidentally shipped to China missing the competition completely. The team took a year off, rebuilt the car from the ground up and set course for Sydney once again. This time the arrived with plenty of time to add finishing touches in prepping the car…

This is where it all began to fall apart for the ARK Design team with multiple mechanical failures and then serious issues with the ECU. It was all over for the team even before the first day of competition… The R32 limped around the track for two sessions but did not manage a timed lap. We’re hoping this just makes Team USA push harder for 2015, as we haven’t seen two teams really go head to head for the fastest lap since Sierra Sierra vs Cyber Evo in 2011.

Now from the motherland, the biggest heavy hitters in WTAC history. HKS and Top Secret, two of Japans largest tuning names brought the fight in the form of two wild R35 Nissan GTR’s

The HKS GTR piloted by Nob Taniguchi really was one of the stand outs of the entire event. With ‘out of this world’ looks, the green headlights remind us of an angry alien/insect.

HKS’ direct competitor in the GTR shoot out, Tarzan Yamada in the Top Secret R35. We found ourselves pinching our arms while gazing at these legendary machines.

These were real hero cars and nothing was more exciting than watching these two giants battle it out in the fading light on Saturday.

Once the sun dipped out of sight, these guys really started pushing hard. HKS took the win nearly a full second in front with a time of just 1:30.8380!!

Tarzan certainly gave it all he could in the Top Secret GTR finishing on 1:31.7250. You can’t say he didn’t try.

Another entry from Japan and no stranger to WTAC, the Top Fuel S2000 was back again for another shot at glory. Nob Tanaguchi was also driving the S2000 for a second year, with plenty of seat time between this car and the HKS GTR Nob was certainly dealt with plenty of track time to get things right.

Pro class is where all the time attack monsters reside, Top Fuel has dealt with pressure like this before yet with the most competitive field ever seen at the world time attack challenge this would not be an easy task for Nob.
This year Top Fuel was sporting a new aero package designed by Voltex Racing to help win the fight. But was it enough?

They were faster this year but the team missed out on a podium finish by just over a second. Over the last 3 years they have continually improved in time and in speed. Sadly the rest of the competitors have also improved! The car did suffer a few issues over the weekend and we have to wonder if the car had more to give. Looks like we will have to wait for next year.

Nob locked the s2000 in 4th place with a respectable time of just 1:26.8700.

With a name like Kyushu-Danji, you can only guess that this team is also from Japan! The immaculate BNR34 Skyline GT-R snapped necks for all that dared to lay eyes on this albino Godzilla.

Hot off the heels from fast time around Tsukuba Circuit, Kyushu-Danji was here to set records! With a car that just screams race ready and a driving style that resembles Nigel Manson!

Driver Miyata Sumihiko pushed the r34 to its limits setting a time of 1:31.6856 taking 3rd in his class.

Another return entry, the beautiful RE Amemiya RX7. The ex-autosalon demo car turned serious time attack competitor has quickly become a crowd favorite.

This year in the drivers seat was none other than Japanese racing legend Max Orido!!!

Max is considered racing royalty and featured in many tuning video’s since the 1990’s making him quite the celebrity amongst Japanese tuning enthusiasts.
Max planted his right foot and steered the RX7 to it’s fastest time yet at just 1:27.3410!!

If WTAC had a public face it would be this man, Suzuki Under has been competing for 4 years now and has become the absolute crowd favorite and under dog of the event.

Committed is one way to describe Under Suzuki, we have watched his personal creation the “Scorch Racing” S15 transform over the last 4 years with more carbon fibre and aero development than the united states air force.

While he has received a little help along the way Under is still predominantly a privateer entry in the event, no one wants the win more then Under.

This year he pushed harder than ever before and it wasn’t until the final dusk session when the track was at it’s coolest that he managed his best time ever… All with no headlights!!

Under finished 2nd with a blistering 1:24.8800!!! While over the moon with his win, he has said he will not rest until he is number one!! We cannot wait for 2015!

So when the main attractions are the fastest tuned cars in the world what do you do for entertainment between sessions?? Bring a piece of motoring history to the fans of course, the infamous Mazda 767B Le Mans car! The sound is like nothing else 4 rotors of ear shredding glory!!

To see a classic Le Mans car on track was incredible! It is great to know this isn’t just collecting dust in someones garage and still being used to bring joy to the world. The owner/driver was so excited to be sharing his prized possession with the fans, so much so that he was only meant to complete 3-5 laps but instead continued for almost 10!

From seeing this as a matchbox car in our childhood, to seeing it in reality, there are no words to explain how amazing this piece of machinery really is. Everywhere it went the crowd followed! This year Mazda was one of the major sponsors of WTAC 2014 so along with the 787B they also had a good collection of historical and influential Mazda’s both on and off the track.

If the sound of quad rotor wasn’t enough to keep you on the edge of your seat during lunch than some freestyle motorkhana driving from NZ based Alex Kelsey and his V6 powered Peugeot was sure to get the blood pumping.

This car is as custom built as they come. Starting out in a similar fashion to Nigel Petire’s drift ute. Alex’s Peugeot started out life in tiny garage.

The angry little Peugeot features a hand-built Renault Sport V6 engine and spits flames like no tomorrow. What is it with cars from New Zealand shooting flames?!
We would like to thank all our internationally guests for their continued support of our home grown series and again to the whole team behind the World Time Attack Challenge. The greatest event on the Calendar!!
Stay tuned for even more post WTAC goodness.
Until than, full results here.
Thanks for reading,
– Grant.

WTAC '14 :: Fresh Off The Boat

Grant — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:36:57 +0000

The 2014 chapter of the world time attack challenge is just 4 days away as we type this, months of careful preparation, shipping and planning is starting to pay off.
The hero cars from the motherland have arrived with just days to spare. All year we have been teased with snippets and photos of some of these cars and now they’re finally on our shores.
We couldn’t wait to get down and see these beautiful machines in the flesh!

These are the real deal, poster cars from any Japanese car lovers wall. The tuning gods of Japan have sent over their finest for an all out GTR battle.

These sort of aero mods help slow cars knock milliseconds off their track times, we can’t wait to see what they’ll do to an R35!

HKS have not yet had a racing entry at WTAC, they sent over their infamous red Evo purely as a static display. Now fans will really get to see what the land of the rising sun has to offer.

Scorch racing has gone from strength to strength now in it’s 3rd year of the WTAC series, still predominately a privateer entry/driver with a little help from sponsors.

Under Suzuki has hand built one of the wildest time attack cars on the planet, with blistering fast track times normally reserved for all wheel drive applications this really is a testament to what can be achieved if you’re as determined as Suzuki San.

Rocket bunny everything!!! Formally of Ben Sopra fame this over the top 180SX is now in the hands of Japanese drifter Daisuke Hasegawa. The look of this car is tame compared to what lies beneath… A HKS built VR38DETT lifted from an R35 GTR!!

Speaking of Rocket Bunny, check out kiwi drifter Mad Mike’s new look.

The car has gone through yet another massive makeover in time for it’s 3rd ever WTAC event.

Mad Mike Whiddet is not know for being quiet and reserved, this car is as loud as it looks. Mike definitely has volume knob on 11 for this one.

Same same but different, another rotary powered beast that will have the crowds on their feet with their fingers in their ears.

Ex- Le Mans racer, the legendary Mazda 767B.

This is as pure as the come, the sounds that exit the exhaust are said to be sweeter than the harp of an angel.

They don’t hit much harder than this… Max Orido, Team RS*R and a 1000 horse power Nissan V6. This is every Option DVD viewers dream live in Sydney Australia!

Some of the local talent came to check out the competition.

HKS!!! We’re going to be pinching ourselves every time this GTR flies past just to make sure we aren’t dreaming.

This must be what it’s like if you watched your parent’s wrap your Christmas presents days before you could open them… Hurry up World Time Attack we want to race now!
Do not miss out on this one, if you haven’t booked your tickets or flights do it now!!
More info – http://www.worldtimeattack.com
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.
Photos courtesy of Roberto Mocchetti | Full Motion Photography

Downshift 2012 :: End Of Year Meet

Grant — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:26:44 +0000

Well it was the end of the working year for the lucky-some (my self included) and I was coaxed into attending only my second Downshift meet for the year, I think even the first one I didn’t even take my own car to. But none the less, it’s quite stunning to see the exponential growth of this event. You see threads and photo’s scattered over the forums post-event, but it’s just not the same, you have to be here to really appreciate how far this has come.
Myself and a few friends arrived relatively early, which is quite rare, but since I haven’t used my a camera since my last post on GSS back in 2011 I really did require a bit of warm-up work. So I started the day down from the main entry gate, turned out to be quite a nice spot!

Another cool little MX5, you see at least 5 at most meets.

This R33 was a monster, not knowing at the time of the photo but later in the day its engine bay was pulling quite a crowd!

A very very clean EVO. Although I’m not as big a fan of these as I am the VII’s and up, still credit for a clean car.

I chubbed up after this came through, the noise was just lovely.

Another tidy P-Plater, it’s cliché but I can never get tired of a clean Supra.

The DC5, this car reminds me 45SET (for the QLD Honda People).

I believe this owners name to be Paul. I’ve been familiar with the plates 57ING for about 5 years now and would see this car twice a week around the northern suburbs of Brisbane.

This Starlet belongs to Ant. I first saw this a few years ago through Boostcruising and the detail with this car really is phenomenal.

Sharpy’s SRJ37, another member of Club High Rollers.

Don’t quote me on this, but I do remember Ant (two above) having a blue 350Z and plates similar to this. Either way, big fan of it!

Another mint R32.

MCS91. I photographed this back in 2011 at one of the ADGP events IIRC.

One for the die-hards!

Tough! Great offset and the twin pipes kill it!!

It’s amazing what wheels do for a car in general. Am actually currently working on a KE38 with a close friend.

Hellllooooooo ladies!

Oh my sweet lord! If anyone from Brisbane remembers the POV crew, they definitely had a way with Hondas, looks like nothing has changed.

Another tidy FD, looks like many others agree too.

Probably my favorite P-Plater car of the day.

This E46 was just fantastic. Really I must have walked around it several times over the day.

This was definitely different, one of the only Chargespeed kitted s2000’s I’ve seen in the country.

Early model EVO, such an iconic car of the 90’s turbo heydays.

Waving the flag for the old school camp was this pristine Mazda R100 wagon, I loved all the little ‘JDM flare’ the owner had added.

I have been friends with Alex (The owner) for a few years now, and he really has done a remarkable job with this car. A lovely presented B20 EG.

As you can see, quite the cornucopia of cars on display, have seen this out at PowerCruise & PowerPlay.

That’s a nice bum!!

You all remember Mark and his NX Coupe? Past GSS feature car, still going strong!

In the words of the Joker…..”Well helllooooo beautiful”.

Charlie’s MXB055. One of the best Mazda’s in the country, so well executed!
So to be honest, I don’t venture to these events much anymore, but it really was a nice way to end my year, good friends, good cars, good times. Rory, Foy, Matyas, Alex and the other DS crew members have done a fantastic job, well done folks.
Thanks for reading,
– David.

JDMST :: End of Year 2012

Grant — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:19:06 +0000

Last Sunday marked the end of year for the JDM Style Tuning Melbourne family and after such an up and down year for these meets, organisers were unsure how another large meet near the city would go.
Thankfully everyone was well behaved and the day was a smashing success!

With over 150 cars on display it can get a bit crazy so here are just some of the cars that caught our eye.
Neil from Primal Garage brought along his new 180SX, closely modeled on his previous black 180Sx. We expect this new one to be quite the head turner when he is finished tinkering.

Sitting pretty on a set of AME TM-02’s with some wide fenders to finish off this aggressive look nicely.

The car park chosen was just a stones throw away from the regular Bolte bridge location. Melbourne’s Monash freeway provided a fantastic backdrop, almost looking like a famous ‘Daikoku’ Japanese car meet. Rather fitting for a JDMST meet, don’t you think!!

With some regulars coming along for the afternoon it was almost a ‘best of’ JDMST looking at the year we’ve had.

This KE70 has been a regular attendee all year and with a considerable distance to drive to each meet we are impressed at the owner’s dedication to the club.

Now I am a big Honda fan (please don’t hate me) so this turnout really impressed me with some amazing builds that have been hiding somewhere in Melbourne.

This factory green EK civic was covered in cool parts; type R wing, spoon mirrors, carbon bonnet, Recaro seats and BBS wheels.
Another cool addition that only Honda nerds will pick up on or even appreciate is that the owner has installed SiR rear seats with headrests!
Amazing stuff we know but thought we should point it out for non-Honda fans.

Some more Civic’s that have snapped a lot if necks in their time no doubt, This USDM inspired duo have taken Honda’s in Melbourne to a new level.
Throw in some K series engine’s and these cars would be world class!

Both cars have been finished to such a high standard it really is an impressive sight seeing the two together. The Midori green hatch has CCW’s on all four corners while the Electron Blue coupe is wearing Sprint Heart CP-R’s. A classic choice amongst Honda aficionado’s.

Last Honda I promise!!
This DC5 Type S Integra was covered in hot parts like an aggressive looking lip kit, Spoon brake calipers and a set of Work 11R’s.
We’d love to see some more of this and maybe even under the hood!

The three lowest cars from Ballarat!!
The X7 Cressida’s were back out again and this time they brought their Skyline friend along. This R31 was so low it was scraping the whole way even at low speeds.
Ballarat is over an hour out from Melbourne so that would have been one intense drive!!

Here is Heath’s other car when he is not driving his cool Datsun wagon. That’s right, a convertible left hand drive Porsche!!
Very unique and we can’t wait to see if Heath adds any of his flare to this classic Euro beauty.

Evan from Rpower Motorsport came out with his R33 GT-R to see what all the fuss was about. Word on the street is that Evan is working on some exciting stuff at the moment.
We can’t wait to see what come’s of Rpower Motorsport in 2013!

The star of the show despite all the controversy over fake wheels and real stickers was by far this RX-7. It is one serious looking car, that wouldn’t look all that out of place in a batman movie, wouldn’t you agree?

Chris has been building this Mazda for quite some time now. The car originally started out white and has since taken on a very menacing look!

While no expense has been spared in the build, Chris’ RX-7 has been a hot topic of conversation since the meet thanks to some ‘fake’ wheels with genuine stickers. However these are just a temporary fit until he can decide on the perfect wheel for his pride and joy – according to Chris.

Gordie’s little Fiat showed up for its last Victorian meet ever. After the meet the blue Fiat was being picked up and taken back to Queensland with its new owner.

Something we would like to see done more here in Melbourne is the Subaru Forester. We have seen show and we have even seen a few with some ‘go’!
We are still waiting for one with the perfect balance. If you have a Forester or know of one that fits this description please send us an email on enq@gripshiftslide.com

More fuel for the ‘fake’ wheel fire! This Mazda hatch looked like a perfect daily streeter and we think the Jap hatch on Euro wheels is a winner!

Andrew’s Bug eye WRX has been stealing plenty of looks lately thanks to an impressive set of Work XD9’s wheels, with a size of 18×9 in +20 they’re rumored to be the only set like it in Australia!!

Believe it or not this little truck is a 1990 Nissan Sunny. Another rare thing to have in the land of Oz… as this is actually a long wheel base model!
Something considered rare as rockinghorse poo and is rumored to be the only one in Victoria!

Gareth’s MX5 has recently acquired a supercharger and has been enjoying some spirited mountain drives. We’re sure that this little roadster would be a heap of fun through some nice twisty roads!

Despite the obvious high front end. this S14 was near perfect! With tough looking front fenders, 2UP 3-piece wings and some huge Work Meister’s under the guards making it look the picture of perfection.

All in all, one of the best meets of the year. We take our hats off to the organisers for putting in all the hard effort to secure a location and for putting up with all of the stress worrying if people will behave our not.
With the day showing that there is hope for the Victorian scene yet, future events will see more entertainment and food etc available too.
Well done to all those who have participated and come along to any of these meets over the year, we have seen numbers grow from 20 odd cars to over 400!!!
Something we hope continues along with all the good behavior!
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Random Snap :: MX5 = Unicorn Love?

Grant — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:26:50 +0000

Walking around the car park at a recent practice day at Winton, I found this sticker on a little MX5… Needless to say, I was lost for words. What did it mean?!!

Stickers aside, it was one clean car. A perfect example of what I think is quickly becoming a modern day classic.
Thanks for reading.
-Gwyn.