subaru – Gripshiftslide

Vivid Motorsports :: Formula 1 Show And Shine

Grant — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 10:14:04 +0000

When a group of dedicated car nuts get together only good things can arise! Vivid Motorsports have been on our radar for the last six months and are a group we have been meaning to feature for a while.

When the opportunity to see their car show at the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix was offered, I jumped at the chance!

There were many car groups at the Formula 1 Grand Prix, yet Vivid Motorsports really had the greatest mix of cars compared to the car groups in the area. This classic Toyota Corolla KE30 was one car I did not expect to see! It is one of the most uncommonly modified cars in the scene and also the biggest surprise’s of the show.

Taking influences from the drift world there was a host of Subaru’s sporting blast pipes! Dare I say that the humble Subaru is soon taking the place of the Honda Civic for JDM street dominance.

One of the best things about Vivid Motorsports, it’s not just a group full of hard parking shed pony’s! They actually have full blown track and drift cars within the group.

To me, I believe that cars should be driven not just polished and placed on a pedestal. Vivid Motorsports is what a real car enthusiasts group should be about, track days , social events, car shows and special events.

The fitment scene is really starting to gain popularity in Melbourne despite our crazy strict road laws here in Australia.

Pushing the boundary’s, while avoiding unwanted attention is the great cat an mouse game. Although the game continues to increase in difficulty each and every year.

Their are still some people willing to take a chance for the sake of style! The real question is how fast can you convert your car back to stock?

After setting some quick lap times at Winton Raceway, the Saisoku racing s2000 was looking great sitting among its pals on the lawn just next to Albert Park Lake.

I can even imagine how hard it is to set your car up to sit like this. With its tyre’s tucked and rim’s on the outer edge of the wheel arch. I guess that’s why they call it fitment right?

Tyre stencils are all the rage, yet this looked like it was a new type of stick-on lettering that had a factory style appearance.

Matching the colour with the brake calipers really sets this off and you never know this may spawn a fixie style colour craze in the euro and JDM scene.

The Vivid Motorsports show even had a Maserati on display! The paint job alone was worth more than some of the other cars! Although it was great to see such a complete range of individual and unique cars at the show.

The R32 is one Nissan Skyline that everybody love’s! Such a classic especially when you see a great example like this. Mark my word’s these will start to hit Hako pricing levels in the next twenty years!

Aggressive with a touch of style, this Subaru had plenty of dish!

A wagon you should all be familiar with, Jason Ferron has truly made this R31 wagon stand out by putting it on podium many times in VicDrift and DCA drift competitions. There is a rumor that this very wagon will be for sale in the not to distant future!

One serious package, semi slicks with a spoiler bigger than a Hyundai Excel! Among the daily drivers this R33 really made an impression with the F1 fans.

Vivid Motorsports is really making steps to create a movement and bring back all that is good to the car club community. Putting on social events, track days, kebab runs, movie premieres and more! Vivid Motorsports are really growing in numbers, we cannot wait to attend more of their awesome events in the future.
Thanks for reading,
Grant

JDM :: Docklands Meet

Grant — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:34:37 +0000

On a stormy night at the foot of the Bolte bridge a small gathering of JDM cars were preparing to come together for a car meet and mini photoshoot. I decided to tag along to see what these JDM enthusiasts were up to.

The first car I saw as I arrived was this chunky KE70 sitting on a nice set of Superlight’s with just the right amount of offset. This had me excited for what I might see next!

This tastefully modified GC8 WRX caught my eye with its clean paint work and classic wheels. It soon became apparent that this JDM meet had a strong Subaru presence.

The Subaru Forester seemed to be the most popular vehicle of choice, being as they are almost inconspicuous to the highway patrol. Apart from when you have the mighty rising sun painted on your intercooler.

A popular engine swap for the older Foresters is the EJ205/EJ207 from the WRX, this type of thing would definitely make a great sleeper.

There is always a sneaky euro at a JDM meet and this time it was a rather sleek BMW Z4.

The owner of this E85 BMW Z4 M coupe made sure to park away from the main action so he could make a quick exit encase the boys in blue arrived.

Siting on a nice set of XXR 521 wheels this turbo second generation Subaru Forester looked just right and not overdone.

It wasn’t all Forester’s there were even some Nissan’s in the mix, this 180sx had a louvered/vented hood giving it a seriously aggressive look.

A nicely modified mix of both 86 and BRZ were competing for the best spots under the bridge. Even a recent recall on the 86/brz power steering rack didn’t stop these guys from attending.

Although there were many Subaru Foresters in attendance this is the one that really stood out among the others with its clean black look and huge STI wheels.

Considering how cold and crazy windy it was, to see so many cars attending this car meet for the JDM store was great to see. It was so windy that with every large gust of wind I had to hold down my camera on the tripod to stop it tipping over! The JDM store looks like it may host more car meets soon and we can’t wait to see them gather more momentum in the scene.
Thanks for Reading,
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

AKDP :: Sumida's STI Forester

Grant — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 12:56:15 +0000

The Subaru Forester is a simple car, it takes the handling and safety of the Impreza’s renowned 4wd system and throws it into a mid-sized practical family wagon/crossover. Mix in some of the rally bred DNA from the Subaru STI range and you’ll get a punchy turbo 2.5l boxer engine equipped car that is a far cry away from the standard round-trip to school, A to B affair you’ll find in most families driveway.
To Sumida-san this 2004 Subaru Forester made the perfect blank canvas and his favorite brush to use on it was the ‘lowering brush’…

Recently wrapping up our 2nd trip to Japan for 2015 we couldn’t wait to get stuck into some features and ‘first off the rank’ is Sumida-san’s STI Forester. We met up with Sumida-san by chance in a car park in Osaka late one night.
After a brief chat and some help from his friends we managed to translate enough to organise a shoot. We met up early the next morning and convoyed with Sumida-san and his friends to our location in some equally impressive cars. (More on that soon.)

In the light of day we were gobsmacked! Away from the shadows and orange street lights the paint work came to life and the extremely low ride height of this Forester became immediately apparent.
When it comes to lowering cars Japan is next level!

Tucked into the guards are an immaculate set of Volk TE37Vs. This design is an instant classic and just like the original TE37 that suit almost anything the 37Vs were designed with a vintage feel that looks at home on classics and modern cars alike.

We say “immaculate” as although Sumida-san’s Forester is extremely clean, you’ll find the telltale signs from driving a car this low on the fenders and wheel arches. For some these scars and bruises add character, almost a trophy if you will.

The wheels themselves are flawless and this goes to show it’s just as much about the wheels as it is the car for some. The wheels aren’t just an accessory here, they’re the major draw card and the car/ride height compliment them.

Looking directly from behind you can see just how much camber is used to tuck the wheels into the guard.

This amount of camber is sure to pour more fuel on the fire, the same fire that has been raging across the internet for years. Queue the “That’s just stupid”, “Ruined the car”, “stance is the worst thing to happen since…”.
We’ve all heard it, there’s arguments from both sides of the fence and we couldn’t care less. We like all cars and all styles, all we see is a passionate owner with an incredible car.

The TE37Vs measure in at an impressive 17″ x 10″ -20 on all four corners.

Standing back it really is an impeccable combo. The lines and wheel choice compliment each other perfectly!

Sumida-san drives this height everyday, there’s no airbags in sight. The suspension is comprised of a set of Cusco coilovers with a staggering spring rate of 34k up front and 16k in the rear!

Sumida-san has owned this car for a little over 4 years and in that time the car has gone through a few different looks. From different bumpers, wheels and roof racks. This car has seen it’s fair share of changes.
While every time the look is quite simple it seems Sumida-san is quite reserved in the overall appearance but when it comes to lowering his car he ‘takes no prisoners’ and goes to the extreme end of the spectrum.

Chatting with Sumida-san about his time with the Forester we asked what his favorite thing about it was, of all the answers we were surprised by his simple and humble answer… The pillar-less doors!! We thought it about it and had to agree. It’s not a common feature found on small four door family cars and usually reserved for sports cars and coupes.

Under the hood Sumida-san has kept the same reserved approach as the exterior. All the factory items remain. The only additions are an upgraded air filter and full exhaust system.

When the starting point is an STI badged Subaru there’s not a whole lot you would want to change.

What he has changed has made all the difference, the full exhaust system has amplified the famous boxer grumble from a meowing house cat to a roaring lion. The noise of the flat four echoing off the street was down right menacing!

Aside from enhancing the sound and freeing a few extra horses from the engine, the custom exhaust really changes the look of the boxy Forester.

Tie this in with the aggressive fitment from the wheels and this is sure to break a few necks anywhere it goes, no matter the reason you can’t help but stop and stare.

Inside are a host of ‘knick-knacks’ and ornaments livening up the standard interior along with a chrome gear knob, extended shifter and Grip Royal steering wheel. The drivers seat has also been replaced with an SR4 Recaro for a bit more support over the factory seat.

The more we looked at the car the more we fell in love! The simple look is super aggressive thanks additions like a headlight cover, eyelid, factory scoop and black front lip.

Spacers lift up the rear of the hood helping cooling and adding a little touch to the front that’s easy to miss at first glance.

Believe it or not, this is Sumida-sans first car! An impressive first car to say the least and over the 4 years it’s gone from stock as a rock to the pavement eating, fender smashing car that you see now.

Sumida-san has enjoyed everyday of owning it and at the moment his plans for the future are actually getting it to sit even lower! He also plans on making a few cosmetic changes along the way.

We’re curious to see if the wheels stay or go, it will be hard to top the Volks.

They’re the hero of this car and look great against the blue, we can see why he hasn’t changed them to save the guards from further damage.

Up close you can see the results of running around Osaka with only a few centimeters of ground clearance!

Sumida-san and his group of friends call themselves AKDP, they share the same love for cars and the same sense of humor. Just don’t ask us what AKDP stands for. (It’s not exactly PG-13).
We’ll be posting all of the crew together very soon. Keep your eyes out for the full feature.

We would like to thank Sumida-san for his time and for agreeing to meet a complete stranger early in the morning for a photo shoot. Thanks to Takahashi-san for translating, we had an awesome time with you and the AKDP crew and can’t wait to get stuck into the next feature.
Thanks 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.

Calder Park Test Day :: Bridgestone Adrenalin POTENZA RE003

Grant — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 11:30:34 +0000

Gripshiftslide was lucky enough to score a special invite to a private test day for one of Bridgestone’s latest products. Other guests to be invited to the event included Full Boost, DownShift, Justin Fox, ClubItr and many more.

Originally scheduled to be held at Norwell Racetrack in Queensland the event was moved to Calder Park because of a large tropical cyclone! Good thing it was moved because on the day we were expected to be on track the entire Norwell Racetrack got flooded.

I could not wait to get behind the wheel of the new WRX! Of the two cars we were using to test Bridgestone’s new tyre the WRX was the one I was more keen to test with.

The reason we were all summoned was to test the brand new Bridgestone Adrenalin POTENZA RE003. The third in a series of great tyres the RE003 combines all the greatest aspects of the tyres that came before it.

With some time to kill before briefing I took the time to take a closer look at the all new WRX. This particular demo car was wearing its big brothers shoes! That’s right some STI wheels! The WRX continued to stare at me and practically begged me to drive it!

At briefing we were invited to learn more about the tyre we would be testing on the day. This included a presentation on the benefits of this awesome new tyre such as improved road contact pressure over the preceding RE002 model. Check out more features HERE.

The boys quickly checked out the tyres before hitting the first track test. The RE003 has a cool lightning bolt pattern down the right side of the tyre. The fancy name for this is the connection block and it helps to increase rigidity and transfer power in dry conditions.

Starting on the back straight we had the challenge of negating a slalom at 3 different speeds in two VW Golf GTIs. One car was running the new POTENZA Adrenalin RE003 tyres and the other Golf was running an expensive competitor tyre.

We started the slalom at 50kph on the competitors tyre. This test was easy and the tyre preformed relatively well. It was when we took the tyre over 65kph that things began to change! Having to be more aggressive with the wheel at a faster speed the tyres had to work a whole lot harder. When we raised the speed again, now at 75kph, the competitor tyre really started to scream in pain and many cones were knocked down!

Then we jumped in the other Golf GTI equipped with the Bridgestone POTENZA Adrenalin RE003 tyres. The first thing I noticed about this tyre was as soon as I gave the car the beans it bit into the road and launched the car faster than the competitor tyre. The control was much greater especially when you took the tyre to its limit.

Next we tested the tyres in the wet! Finally it was time to drive the new WRX. I was expecting a crazy rush of acceleration as I put my foot to the floor however there was nothing. It was just a very calm launch lacking excitement. Yet again we started the exercise with a car running the competitors tyre. Taking it through its paces I noticed a fair bit of understeer when turning in heavy.

It was time to swap cars and after having one experience with the Bridgestone tyre already I was beginning to trust in the tyre. Still I was unsure on how it would translate in the wet? I jumped in the car anticipating some understeer but in actual fact the tyre cut in so well I ended up oversteering! It was almost like I had too much control.

The tests were not over! Bridgestone wanted to make sure we put their new tyre through its paces! This was the second last test and it involved racing down the hill into a tighter slalom in the WRX.

Knowing that the WRX felt slow in comparison to the Golf GTI I started to mess with its many sport driving modes. Finally I found a mode that pushed the tyre harder and now that I had confidence in the tyre I was really beginning to give it hell! From lock to lock I accelerated as hard as the traction control would let me and still the tyre was predictable and totally in control.

It wasn’t only me who was impressed! Everyone was pleasantly surprised at the tyres performance. The tyre really preformed well on extreme direction change. The competitor tyre would tend to lose speed yet the RE003 had the ability to grip when others would just fade.

In both FWD and AWD the tyre was outstanding! I did however come out of these tests scratching my head at the fact that the GTI Golf was out performing the new WRX. You heard right! The Golf was fun and the DSG was super fast. The WRX on the other hand was sloppy; the suspension was too soft which in turn created body roll. Its off the line performance was sluggish and it only really felt good over 70kph.

The last test was designed to show us a real-time comparison between the Bridgestone POTENZA Adrenalin RE003 and a equivalent competitor tyre. We took part in two hot laps with one on each tyre chasing each other at the same speed.

This test really showed how at the same speed the competitors tyre would cause the car to understeer while the Bridgestone RE003 would grip and gain on the car in front.

All in all this tyre is the perfect sport tyre and is great for spirited driving or the occasional track day. Even after a host of Australia’s best car bloggers tortured these tyres for a full day there was no visible wear or tyre delamination on the RE003. I would not hesitate to recommend this tyre! Want to know more? Register your interest for the new POTENZA Adrenalin RE003 HERE and receive information as it becomes available!
Thanks for reading,
Grant

Melbourne Car Meets :: Bundoora

Grant — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 11:59:49 +0000

A new group is on the scene “(MCM) Melbourne Car Meets” Not knowing anything about them I decided to go and check out one of their local events. It was held at Bundoora Park; a place where many hot rod shows and fundraisers are also held. With a wide open grass area and plenty of room to park cars this is one seriously good trouble free spot.

Entry was made easier with the aid of some planks of wood to lessen the dip in the driveway. Although the entrance of this public park is littered with speed humps many very low cars made it in.

If you know your Toyotas you will know what car this interior belongs to. Beige and brown are colours that are set to make a comeback in the not too distant future.

I arrived late to this event yet I was not the only one. Cars continued to roll in for the next two hours. As the area started to fill up the weather set in.

Not your normal street set up with Nitto semi slicks and brake discs larger than a family pizza. This 200sx had obviously seen some track time.

This event was much larger than I had ever expected. With cars from one end of the park to the other there was plenty of variety. Melbourne Car Meets early success indicates exactly how eager the car community are to show off their cars.

The EG Civic is one of the best Civics made. It is small light and rigid. The EG is often used as a good base for FWD time attack / track cars. They also make a fantastic daily especially if they are running a b16a under the hood. Love the JDM look with crystal headlights and amber indicators.

While we are on the subject of great Hondas; how about the S2000? They are everywhere now! Even Mighty Car Mods have one now! This one is looking sharp with its BBS style rims and red highlights.

Mmmmm ..polished lip! With more reflections than the mirror room in Enter The Dragon, these rims are distinctive. Yes that’s right this is the work of Primal Garage! One of the best car stylists from Melbourne.

Like seeing an incredibly beautiful girl you can’t help but stare. The car that put Primal Garage on the map belongs to the one and only Neil Gray. Truly one of the sexiest 180sx’s in Australia!

From behind the fence several wild beasts were pacing up and down while the unsuspecting crowd drooled over cars. A gang of giant evil mutant chickens sat only 20 metres away from the car show just waiting for their chance to strike.

Black on white is always a good combo especially with a set of Work Meisters. Not only do they balance out the large footprint of the FD RX7 but they are also very classy.

The Honda Accord Euro has gone through waves of popularity over the years and it seems it’s making a comeback. With sharp edges just like Global Knives these Euros have the right proportion of straight lines and curved panels.

They look great slightly stanced and dropped. This owner has gone for a balance of black and silver on white which really makes this car stand out. There were a lot of euros in attendance and all of them had their own individual style.

The new Lancers are growing on me, especially Evo styled Lancers. With larger side skirts, Evo bonnet and a nice set of wheels this Lancer was a real head turner.

This Lancer had undergone a huge re-trim with custom captain chairs and interior highlights. This car had entered into show car territory. Even the rear seat had be luxuriously rebuilt with Mercedes like comfort.

Love it or hate it people love to sticker their wheels to show off their offset. Does it ruin the look of the car? I don’t think so. It adds that personal touch to the car.

The Ke70 Corolla has gone up in price in the last few years. However, smart kids know that if you stalk the streets enough you find an old person with one in amazing condition for the right price. With a tucked rear wheel and what looks like chopped springs this little Ke would of been scrubbing and bouncing all the way to the event.

One of the best Honda’s ever build, the NSX is a car you don’t often see but when you do you make sure you have a good look. As the number plates suggests this car is truly unique.

With a custom MH Design Wide Body Kit and a set of shinny Volk GTC wheels this is one beautiful NSX. The customisation does not end there with a crazy professional audio setup by Pac Audio and a custom red leather interior.

Talking about beautiful cars this Nissan Z was spectacular with flares, a great set of wheels and f1 style mirrors.

This was one evil looking Subaru with black on black and some small red highlights and a sinister smile.

There is always a car that rolls in and steals the show and this was it. The two tone S13 was so low it was removing grass as it drove into the park. With Diamond Racing up front and Speed Star MK2s at the back this ride was in its own league.

Once it parked people slowly gravitated towards it like a moth to a flame. There was something intoxicating about this s13; was it the the fact that this car wasn’t bagged? How did the car make it to this event without being stopped by the po po? We will never know but for this reason I think the crowd had mutual respect for this car.

Our friends at Zenki Wear were in attendance with two very nice Toyota 86s siting either side of their stall. If you have never heard of Zenki wear your missing out! If you like Japanese cars and t-shirts then you will love Zenki wear.

This is such a distinctive car. Not only does it look great but this livery design is simple and effective. The sumods boys were at the event
with a great selection of parts that they import and sell. It’s good to see groups like this getting together to make aftermarket parts more available in Australia.

Melbourne needs more car meets and events in general. With this type of response for a new car group it shows how passionate the modified car community really is. A trouble free event with many awesome cars and great people. Melbourne Car Meets are doing everything right and we can’t wait to see what they organise next.
Thanks for reading,
Grant

Hankook :: NSW Time Attack 2013

Grant — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 06:12:41 +0000

It seems Australia is fast becoming the time attack capital of the world with so many ground breaking builds, passionate people and of course some truly great businesses supporting the scene.

The most recent race was the second leg of the Hankook Tyre Time Attack series, teams from all over Australia made their way to Wakefield Park Raceway, NSW for two days of flat out, foot to the floor racing against the clock!

Some of the countries highest profile cars were out to set some blisteringly low lap times, the BYP DC Integra is proof that knowledge is greater than money.
The BYP boys have built one of the most reliable and quickest cars around and it took out the number 1 spot at the last round of this series in Victoria!

Another serious Honda build also from Sydney is the newly completed JDM Yard DC5, this is an all out no expense spared build with strong focus on simple additions to the motor and plenty of aero mods.
The car still retains a naturally aspirated engine and is everything a die hard Honda fan would come to expect from a workshop such as JDM Yard!

After the odd Honda, Skyline or Subaru the rest of the field was of course littered with Mitsubishi Evo’s!!
The mighty AWD sedan is still one of the most potent packages to come out of the land of the rising sun, out of the Evo’s competing. Over 10 years separated the oldest from the newest model!
Proving they got it right back then and haven’t messed with it’s success since!!

Performance doesn’t come cheap, every car was packed full of the latest and best tech and gadgets. Check out the Haltech dash!!

Friends of GSS and all round cool guys, the Road Track Rally crew made the drive up from Vic with their very well put together street class Evo.

The team has been fine tuning and tweaking their Evo in preparation for the upcoming World Time Attack in October, Entering again in the club sprint class we hope to see the boys finish on the podium once again.

Now this was an interesting sight, a bright yellow Evo 6… We were in love!

Hiding behind the number plate was this very sneaky Billion cold air intake!! Also you can just see the edge of an oil cooler in a very snazzy anodized blue to keep the colour scheme going.

Out on track the little yellow Evo almost lifted a rear wheel flying flat out through the corner!!

As the BYP Integra was heading out you could see the determination in Benny’s eyes as he prepared himself for maximum attack, with cold conditions and wet weather setting in the early sessions were the ones to make count before things got wet!

After the first session the boys ran a respectable 1:02.7, still a few seconds shy off their best time around Wakefield there was still plenty of room for improvement. Weather permitting of course!!

JDM Yard were off to a good start with at least four turbocharged Evo’s still a few seconds behind them, their N/A Integra was well under the 1:10 mark and was consistently getting quicker!

Behind the wheel of the JDM Yard DC5 was of course Adam Casmiri who has helped pilot the car through some very quick lap times this year, the car is set to go under the knife again before WTAC.
No time attack car is ever really complete or finished, it seems even over just the course of a race day each cars goes through significant changes. Just as a golfer changes his clubs time attack cars go through different size tyres, damper settings and even minor aero adjustments.

It’s amazing how quickly the aero game has stepped up in Australia over the last two years, the Integrity signs Evo 7 has a setup that would have been consider over the top and very extreme just a few years ago.
Now nearly every car has had a wing/fin added to pretty much every panel to help lower those lap times, to the untrained eye it might look like a case of ‘more means quicker times” but each individual piece of aero has been painstakingly tested to ensure it is making a difference and improving the handling of the car at high speeds.

Chasing down the Evo’s was one very well put together Skyline from Victoria, John “Richo” Richardson has been taking his love of speed to the track for years!

His once very standard GTS-T R33 has taken on a heap of enhancements which have helped propel John to some super quick lap times, his Skyline is definitely not to be underestimated.
The heavy AWD system on a GT-R isn’t needed to drop those lap times, John constantly proves that with the right driver a nice RWD setup can do very, very well.

Between all the Evo’s we did enjoy the occasional fly by from Kieran and his 350Z, while not the most popular car to be using at a time attack event the car held it’s own with a very respectable 1:09.1!!

The only Mitsubishi out on track with only two wheels pulling it along, this tiny 1.5L FWD Ralliart Colt managed some very quick times amongst it’s peers. Nearly breaking into the 1:10 mark and below!!
It certainly made for a great show lifting it’s leg like a small dog about to do some business!

After two sessions it was time for many cars to come back in for a quick check up, oil change…

… And even some fresh tyres, this 350Z made full use of it’s sticky Hankook Ventus R-S3’s.

Showing the Evo’s that Subaru still has some pretty quick chassis was of course the big green hulk… The Autotech Engineering WRX.

Armed with some seriously wide tyres, huge Project Mu breaks and one massive wing, we were excited to see Bruce Banner transform into the angry hulk and SMASH those lap times!

Jason Naidoo proved that expensive aero and big budget builds will never be a replacement for an experienced driver…

Jason steered the subtler looking Xtreme Motorsports Evo 8 through a stupid quick time of 1:03.8!!

Hamish’s Ev0 8 was probably the most ‘streetable’ car in the club sprint class, despite the cars stock standard appearance it’s still good for a flat 1:08 lap time.
We wouldn’t mind driving something that quick to the shops for some milk in the morning!

The oldest car competing during the weekend was Owen’s 1977 Toyota Celica, after a long weekend the car smashed out a 1:10.5!!

The fastest Subaru on track, The Ultimate Tunes 99′ WRX. Jason wrestled with the pro class car all weekend and so close to cracking the sub one minute mark!!
The team finished on a lap of just 1:00.2!!!!!!

Even in factory form any Lotus is a force to be reckoned with out on the track, after Southern Motor Works tinkered with this Exige the volume had certainly been turned up to 11!!
Driver John secured 3rd in the open class with speedy lap of just 1:01.8!

Even though drivers were racing against the clock and not each other, there was plenty of overtaking happening given the short layout of Wakefield.

So how did the Hulk go? Jason scored 2nd place in open class just .2 of a second in front of the bright orange Lotus, the final lap was a not too shabby 1:01.6!

Adam and the JDM Yard Integra missed out on a podium finish, landing them in 6th place with a lap of 1:04.2.
With WTAC in the team’s sights the car has already been pulled down after this event in preparation, we can’t wait to see how this N/A Honda goes against the worlds best!

We’re happy to report that Darrin and the RTR Evo X finished in 3rd in the club sprint class with a 1:04.7!

The number one car for the weekend was Rick Bates in the Vsport/GoPro Evo X, Rick was the only driver who managed to break the one minute barrier… Not once, but twice!!
The final lap that scored him the win overall and for the pro class was an astonishing 59.9790!!

We’re wrapped that more and more is happening each year on the Australia time attack calendar, with support from companies like Hankook the future is very bright for all time attack racing enthusiasts.
Bring on WTAC and then bring on 2014!!
For the full results check out the Wakefield website.
http://www.wakefieldpark.com.au/bates-blistering-59-second-lap-win-nsw-time-attack.html
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.
All photos courtesy of Robert Mocchetti | Full Motion Photography

Rexnet :: Dyno day

Grant — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 05:44:56 +0000

REXNET forum had decided to host a dyno day for it’s members, after much debate Springy Motors was chosen as the preferred location.
With over 25 cars on the list, limited time and a BBQ to squeeze in, it was time to get these cars on the rollers!

The boys at Springy Motors always make sure the cars are in good condition before they go on the dyno, oil and water checked and boost and vacuum lines inspected.

Many of these Subaru’s look standard on the outside but have some sneaky mods under the bonnet.

There is one at every event a Mitsubishi EVO! It must have known is biggest rival was in town for the dyno day.

From a distance, I spied an interesting straight pipe exhaust!

There is something familiar about this rex! I think I have seen its famous cousin around here somewhere.

All the stickers… but ones missing!

A Luxury ride, STI equipped too! Easily one of the best looking liberty’s manufactured, unfortunately the newer liberty does not hold a candle to this model in the looks department.

Hatch vs sedan… Who will win?

Looks like there is another modified Subaru RS on the scene, so Michael’s “Grip” RS isn’t the only one now.

Great colour choice on these gold wheels, makes this forester totally stand out amongst the regular ‘Foz’ crowd.

That’s not a Subaru! another intruder!
Don’t worry as it’s only the Springy Motors tuned R32 Skyline.

22b right? Nope! It seems I was wrong as many other were too, this is the type X WRX 2 door.
The 22b is a wide body version only found in Japan and a few rare exports floating around, thanks Michael for the heads up!

So many nice STI’s everywhere, this one is just about to get its methanol injection kit set up for some good boost gain and some extra low end power.

From one STI to Another, a very clean example of the 07′ WRX!

Gold is always a good choice for WRX wheels and I really like the cool little roof spoiler!

NA Power!! That’s right with no tune and on the standard computer too! Michael managed to pull the incredible figure from his RS.

So much pretty colour in the engine bay! This engine is finally back in it’s home after being pulled out twice in the last few months. It is running great and will soon have a proper ecu and a rev limiter installed.

Nice and clean de-badge! and kebabhunter sticker too!

This engine bay was so clean that I couldn’t even believe that the car was driven to the event, I looked everywhere for the trailer but this was just how much the owner really looked after his car!

And now for something completely different! An evil looking GT was sitting quietly in the corner of the workshop, with a blower the size of a small car strapped on top!!

Glad to see Michael’s ride on the road again! still considered one of the best Subi’s in the scene.

The leader board, its a little out of orders but check out the 334kw by Simon!

The type X WRX 2 door was so nice! I couldn’t get enough of it!!

This is one well modified bug eye, checkout the laptop in the passenger seat, self tuned and modded!

The guys Looking for the right t-piece to fit so they can monitor the boost of this beast.

For those brave enough to stand inside the shop while the cars were run on the dyno, they were treated to a symphony for the ears!
With the unique sound you only get from the Subaru boxer engine then mixed with the background noise from the Sandown V8 race practice held a short distance away. It was out of this world, my ears are still bleeding!!

Everyone sat and chilled out to digest there BBQ food while waiting to see the next car on the dyno.

One hella modified bugeye WRX! When it comes to Subaru performance Springy Motors knows where its at!

It doesn’t stop at Subaru or even imports for that matter, If you want power they’ll know how to extract it from almost any type of car, checkout the crazy super-charger and quality setup on this ford.

Standard looking Falcon right from the factory?.. Wrong! 2 speed 450kw+ talk about a sleeper!!
You can only just see the inter cooler behind the grill, no one would ever suspect what this car is really capable of out on the street.
A great day and an awesome bunch of Subaru Fans made this dyno day one to remember.
Thanks for looking,
– Grant

JDMST EOMM :: Hoodie Weather

Grant — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:49:50 +0000

On Saturday, members of JDM Style Tuning gathered at Docklands for their end of month meet. However, the weather was not on our side. In typical Melbourne fashion, the heavens opened and the rain just didn’t stop! That did nothing to dampen the spirits of all those that showed up and we were rewarded with a fine selection of JDM machines.

This guy was like ‘Damn I want me some cool JDM wheels!’
Baby Godzilla’s are becoming rare. It was good to see one that had been looked after so well.

A tastefully modified Liberty with a large exhaust system and burnt tips to set it off.

One of the greatest handling cars of its era; this Aw11 Mr2 was tough!

I’m a fan of these Honda pocket rockets! This well customized EP3 was sporting a nice set of BBS shoes.

Evo’s were by far the most popular car at the JDM meet. This example had many subtle carbon fiber add-on’s.

Toyota’s answer to the Intergra Type R-the AE111. A very under rated car that has a lot of tuning potential.

Mark III Supra. You could tell by the sound of it that it was hiding some extra horsey’s under the bonnet.

The Bolte Bridge is always a favourite for car meets and impromptu photo shoots.

STI monster. Something a little different to your everyday Rex.

Diahatsu Cuore with nice SSR Mk2 wheels.

This was the oldest and most striking Evo that turned up.

The Adidas sticker sets this Evo off! High performance branding on a high performance machine.

Mr Brig, Evo 7

Did someone say group shot?

With a feel of luxury performance, these Liberty’s have the best interiors and make a great daily drive with plenty of punch.

Despite the weather this meet was huge ! I have been to car meets where it is sunny and only half as many people show up!
It was impressive to see so many enthusiastic car lovers. We here at Gripshiftslide can only hope to see more of this type of thing come 2012.
– Grant