s3 magazine issue 27

ISSUE 27 // 2013

18 MOOSE24 ThEGOldSTandard40 nUrSESharK48 WEdGIE56 STaYWanGY64 ThEClaP70 SOUlInTaCT

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©2013 KW automotive North America, Inc. All rights reserved

E d I T O r I a l

EvEry timE you makE a purchasE, you arE casting a votE on how you want this world to bE. People say the American dream is dead. I don’t agree that it’s dead yet… but I do agree that it’s been left for dead. And that’s a reality because, over the last few generations, we have lost & forgotten what the American dream is all about. Or any dream for that matter. We need to all collectively get back to our roots, and figure out what matters… or else our own future, and the future we create for our kids is going to lose a lot of color & possibility. And that’s real talk; it’s not a science-fiction movie. But it’s not all doom & gloom either… because we can turn this into a posi-tive thing, and we can do it quickly and easily. We just have to open our eyes to the big picture of what’s re-ally going on… and we have to be willing to stand for something more than just a paycheck.

Because listen - it’s not just about how many dollars we can make & stash… with no f*cks given about who we run over along the way. We need to take a real hard look at ourselves when it comes to that. It’s not just about profit margins, or finding the cheapest cost – at all cost. It’s not about manufacturing over-seas. These are the ideals that are killing the American Dream. And yeah - as enthusiast consumers in the

import culture, we should be willing to support anyone with talent & creativity on this planet over any sea, regardless of imaginary boarders & boundaries. The American dream is not limited to America. But these days, factories abroad are straight knock-off artists. They have perfected it; and it’s a disease. They look at what the rest of the world creates through ingenuity, passion, education, and competition. And if it’s suc-cessful, they ruthlessly copy it… using inferior mate-rials, no imagination, and abused employees. They rip-off, and then undersell the visionaries.

But what if we gave up accountability all together… and we ALL followed the knock-off path to success… and everyone quit giving a shit. What if we ALL be-came copy-cats… thus giving the copy-cats nothing to ‘copy’ anymore? The short answer is: we would all collectively fail to progress in our passions. Nothing new would ever come out. Nothing would ever evolve, or get better, or cut an edge. We’d all just be looking to somebody else for the ‘next big thing’… rather than manning-up to create it ourselves. Hope you don’t care about taking your car to the next level – because it would be a 2013 catalog of knock-offs forever – schweeet! So how long do you think it would be before you just quit and didn’t mess with cars at all anymore? How long before the lifestyle died out? And there’d be no need to look for entertainment anywhere else, be-cause all enthusiast-powered industries would be go-ing through the same decay. Visionaries & enthusiasts fuel progression. And progression fuels & fulfills the human spirit. Without it, we may as well all just eat oatmeal for breakfast, saltines for lunch, and bread for dinner – everyday, for the rest of our lives.

It’s not about how big & rich we can become, even

though everything you see & hear in pop culture is totally opposite to that. And I know it get’s hard to hold onto your roots… when your entire environment is completely fixated on flaunting money as success. But that’s Tom Foolery. Learn to be aware of when your environment is misguiding or fooling you. Just because something is popular or ‘said a lot’… doesn’t make it right. Money is not the success. Passion and progression is where you will start to find real success. Success lies in The Higher Cause: are you pumping somebody’s gas… or are you getting somebody home to see their children. And money will hopefully follow passion, progression, and a higher cause. But money without it - is empty. Not worthless – but empty. And that’s where our breakdown is happening in this day & age. People don’t have a cause, aside from ‘the money’.

The American Dream, ANY dream, is about follow-ing your passion, and chasing down your heart’s intent – pure & simple. It’s about finding identity & individuality in what you do. Progressing your niche, your culture, your community, yourself. They call it a ‘dream’… because it’s supposed to mean something. And the task is to figure out exactly what the dream means for you. Contrary to what people with money will try n’ make you believe, the fact is: money is NOT power. Motivation IS power. Remember that. And if your only motivation is money… then yeah - your American dream is probably flat-lining. And money alone will never save it.

We are truly blessed to live in a society where money & security can come from just ‘hard-work’. Think about how simple, and elemental that is for a sec-ond… and how fortunate we are compared to other

EDITORIAL

6 WWW.S3MAG.COM ISSUE 27 :: 2013

parts of the world. You can go out and get a second job valeting cars or waiting tables TONIGHT… and you’ll automatically/instantly be waaaay richer than the vast majority of most of the people in this world. Worldly speaking, if you have a stock EF Civic, and you’re reading this mag – you’re rich as f*ck. You’re gonna be fine. So why do we continue to obsess over money so much? We need to obsess over the gift that we’ve been given, and turn our attention to doing something real and meaningful with our lives/careers. We need to turn that gift into motivation. The rest will come naturally. We are blessed to be in this position, and we ought not to waste it focusing only on getting more of what we already have so much of.

When you support S3 Magazine and/or Still Hood… you’re supporting fellow enthusiasts, dreamers, cre-ators, and craftsmen in your community. You’re sup-porting a certain type of culture, and a certain way of thinking. We are a people who won’t sell out when it comes to profit, and who will never sell out when it comes to culture & identity. And we thank you for your support. But just as important, we hope that these products & editorials forward YOU inspiration… and cause YOU to dream. And go your own route to pur-sue those dreams valiantly… knowing that YOU also have a voice in this world. And there are people, like us, who are here to listen & back you. The American Dream is only dead if we let it be dead. And the Amer-ican dream only lives if we all consciously support it in everything we do.

“Every time you make a purchase, you are casting a vote on how you want this world to be.” -Anonymous

S3 Magazine (ISSN 1543-1428) is published quarterly by ourselves. Each issue is the result of our hard work and our ideas, and we hope you enjoy it - cause if not, there’s no refunds. Our address is P.O. Box 1536, Loganville, GA 30052. US subscriptions are $19.99 for 12 issues. Subscriptions outside US add $20.00 in US funds. Single copies are available for $4.99 US. Periodicals postage paid at Smyrna, GA post office. Unsolicited pictures and manuscripts become the property of S3 Magazine LLC. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. Step and Get Dealt With.

S3 MAGAZINEP.O. Box 1536 • Loganville, GA 30052

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EDITORIAL/DESIGN

Editor Jonathan Wooley [email protected]

Art Director Cody Wellons [email protected] Assistant Editors Gregg Bucell [email protected] Joe Coville [email protected] Ross Huber [email protected]

Yousef Alvi [email protected]

Graphic Designers Alexander Grant Guy Haynie Simon Ly

Contributors AJ Gillett Aleksey Royt Brady Lankford Jeff Le Josh Kelderman Josh Wilson Matt Best Matthew Jones Rutledge Wood Ty Cobb

ADVERTISING /SALES

Director of Advertising Mike Sanders [email protected]

Jonathan woolEy EDITOR // [email protected]

E d I T O r I a l EDITORIAL

rutlEdgE wood S3 CONTRIBUTOR

what arE you waiting For?So what exactly are you waiting for? 20 years? Is that how long it’s going to take for something to be cool the 2nd time? When the 1964 & ½ Ford Mustang came out, it didn’t take until 1984 for people to realize it was a cool and innovative car. Yet, here in our hobby, we’re still enamored with cars that have been long forgotten by the company that manufactured them. And why? Is it because we like the thrill of the hunt in trying to find an S13 240sx that hasn’t been com-pletely trashed? Maybe. Is it that we believe in our hearts that some old man still daily drives his ’91 Civic Si hatch and he’s going to sell it for $700 in perfect shape? Possibly.

But why? The new Civic Si that’s sitting at a dealership near you looks better and drives cir-

cles around the old ones… and they’re willing to make you a deal on one. Plus, and this is a big plus, people (specifically females) would actually want to be seen in your new K-powered Civic Si… whereas they’re not exactly lining up to ride in your half primered, no A/C hatch that’s still rocking the single cam. Am I wrong?

What about how wild we are over Nissan 240’s? Have you ever stopped and re-ally thought about it? Nissan took a killer car that they made in Japan (the Silvia, 180SX)… stripped out most of the cool stuff (The head’s up display was cool)… stuck a truck engine in it… and then tried to convince us it was a true sports car… all the while knowing it wasn’t. And how many of us look at them online all the time? If I had a nickel for every SR20 swapped 240sx I’ve seen online that didn’t have the correct power steering and AC lines, I’d be a wealthy man.

Let’s think about the FD RX-7. It’s a monumentally cool car. And if you’re a great mechanic with lots of time on your hands, it’s the perfect car for Dr. Wankel’s legacy to live on. OR - like everyone else with one, you can ditch the rotary heri-tage for either a Chevy LS powerplant (Yeah C’mon!) or even the uber popular Toyota 2jzGTE swap. It’s a great way to drop 20 grand on a car that you have insured for $8,000… so don’t drive it anywhere because it could get stolen.

And you know what’s crazy about all this? For the money we end up sinking into to these old sports cars – from constant maintenance, to paint, to over fenders, to suspension, to ridiculously wide wheels that don’t really fit (I’m talking to you Gregg), we’d probably have enough to just go buy a nice car. Ahem, like the Scion FR-S, or even the Ford Focus ST and the soon to be coming to the U.S. Ford Fiesta ST. Or the Volkswagen GTI (Wooley)

I’ve said in my column before what a great car the FR-S is, and now that I won the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race piloting one, I hope you’ll believe me. It’s one of my favorite cars I’ve driven… and it’s a car I’m actively trying to get for myself. And - I believe it’s one of the best cars geared toward automotive enthusiasts in years. Iconic – like the 1964 and ½ Mustang. You know how we all love the AE-86 Corollas? Guess what… it grew up, went to college, and it came home hot as hell and it wants to take you out for dinner. It’s called the FR-S. Now, get off your lazy ass and go test drive one at a dealership. If you don’t… then don’t wonder why in a few years we’re not going to get fun cars like this to drive… and instead you’ll be looking to a car made 20 years ago that’s far cooler now than when it was first released here.

How about the Focus ST? That’s a killer car for the money… and a global plat-form, which means parts aren’t going to be super expensive and hard to find. Have you sat inside a new Focus? They have stepped their game WAY up from any Focus you’ve known in the past. My pint sized co-host Tanner Foust flings his 600+hp Fiesta ST around the Global Rally Cross series every week. He’s one of the best drivers I’ve ever seen in my life - and he loves that thing. Guess what else he loves? His daily Focus ST. He hooked up with Crawford Performance to make his ST even more fun… and even has some special edition Tanner Foust Edition parts on the market. Maybe I should do that with ’83 Honda Civic Wag-ons? Wait, no… that defeats the point of what I’m trying to say here.

Look - I’m not knocking anyone for loving the cars that they love or building the cars that we do, but I AM wishing I could help paint a big-picture for this segment of the auto industry. Right now, automakers are giving us some cool cars… they’re testing the waters to see if enthusiasts are really willing to put their money where their mouth is. And if we don’t support them, I’m afraid I’ll have to go back to trying to find a 240 that doesn’t have a massive dent in the rear quarter panel, or finding an AE86 that still has a full interior, original LSD and the owner is asking less than $6,000.

Oh, and if you beat me to the punch and buy an FR-S before I do, you should know I’m confident that it will drive circles around your old ass, half finished, truck motor powered 240. Stock, no less. And as cool as I think they look right now, I’m not going to cut up a brand new FR-S to put a Rocket Bunny kit on, despite its obvious hotness… because let’s be honest, that’s not going to look cool forever. If you doubt it, go check the jeans that AC Slater (Mario Lopez) used to wear on Saved By the Bell. Are those still cool 20 years later? Nope. But EF hatch’s still are!

EvEry artist was oncE an amatEurThis saying has been stuck in my head every since I heard it, and it’s been making me think a lot about how it relates to our scene. I have been in this industry for over half my life now (scary thought), and I don’t think I have ever meet anyone who just bought a car and instantly & miraculously turned it into a magazine cover car or the fastest car at the track. And for those few guys out there that did, congrats, but I guarantee they had some help and great advice along the way. See - our scene has gotten so caught up in what’s cool online and what the reaction of the forums is going to be, that we have lost sight of that fact that we all started somewhere - usually at the bottom. And that’s not all bad; because there is a ton of fun to be had at ‘the bottom’ when you’re just starting out.

I will be the first to admit that there have been a ton of styles over the years that I have absolutely hated. But that didn’t give me the right to tell these guys that I hated their car, or wheels, etc… because they were just doing their thing like I was doing mine… and we both had an infection for this lifestyle. As car enthusiasts, we are supposed to be a community - a brotherhood if you will. We are supposed to look out for each other, encourage each other, and help keep this scene alive. Do you think Grampa, who has been into hot rods his whole life, is going up to guys at hot rod shows telling them that their wheels suck? Haha - probably not. He’s realized that life is full of ‘better things to do’. And I have been to Hot Rod and Japanese CLASSIC shows around the country… and have never once heard anything negative from these guys. They understand - that even if their style is different from the guy parked next to ‘em… at the end of the day they’re all enthusiasts. That’s how their scenes have stuck around so long… and so many people have stuck IN it for a lifetime. Bottom line – it’s time for a lot of us to grow up and chill out. Do some soul searching. It’s time for us to see beau-ty & personality in ALL of our differences. Cars represent the owners. Unless you’re a leftover Nazi… you should be appreciating & celebrating all the different creative styles that people come up with year after year. Honestly – it’s amazing! So many different walks of life, enamored with

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10


E d I T O r I a l EDITORIAL

mikE sandErs DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Josh kEldErman S3 CONTRIBUTOR

the same chassis – the same foundation. But yet, our events & online outlets are filled with negativity. I mean - why would ANYONE post in a ‘for sale’ thread that that owner should get new wheels? Ummm he is selling his car. If you don’t like the wheels, buy a different car… or buy the car and change the wheels. But don’t waste your breath, his time/efforts, tarnish his thread publically, and possibly ruin his sale. Despite what all the t-shirts or stickers say… no one actually ‘hearts a hater’. No one. It’s like that old saying we grew up hearing and seem to have forgotten, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Are parents even preaching that anymore?? Or are today’s parents just telling their kids, “If you don’t have anything nice to say… just go online and say it to some-body who doesn’t matter.” Cause that seems more believable.

Since when did guys and girls in our scene get so opinionated about what every-one else should be doing… instead of focusing on their own cars?! This must be the ‘Reality TV’ generation at work. They seem to think that their opinion has value. And they live their life by critiquing other peoples’ reality… instead of their own. See before I built my first show car, I had a guy in town I thought had a really nice Civic. And after meeting him & getting the cold shoulder… I decided it was time to build something to beat him at the next show. And I did. You never know what someone has in their garage, or what they’re building that they don’t post online. I know a lot of guys with amazing cars… that have never even been on the forums or Facebook pages. So before getting the misconception that the internet is reality, and that you’re the best and you know everything - think twice. Because there is always someone with something better & faster… and they’re coming for you… because you were a jerk to them at one point haha.

thE rEdbox thEory mEEts thE liFE oF printOk, who here actually loves using Redbox? You know, the little movie kiosks that you can find in most grocery stores?? Hands… anyone? Yeah - that’s kind of what I thought. I’ll admit it; I was pretty pumped about Red Box when it first came out. It was supposed to make movie renting more convenient and more cost effective. But what happened?

To be fair – let’s look at the positives first. First of all it’s super cheap. Only $1 per movie! You can’t beat that! Next, there are locations everywhere! No doubt. There are way more movie kiosks than there were ever actual movie stores. But that’s

pretty much where all the fun ends. The rest of it was good in theory, but it’s kind of flopping when put into real life.

One big problem - they are always out of the new releases. Most of the time, that’s exactly what I want to see! So now, my only option is to go home and order it from On Demand. That kind of kills the whole cost-aspect of it. Then there are the lines. Granted, not that big of an issue, but it is pretty tedious to watch the 3 people in front of me slowly scroll through their choices. Next is ‘the glitch’. Maybe it’s because I live in hot-ass Georgia, but the heat seems to really give these kiosks problems. I have visited them countless times, only to be turned away because the screen was frozen. Not only that – but on the reverse side of the problem, I have driven to a box to RETURN a movie from the previous night, and the damn screen is frozen… leaving me with no way to return the movie… other than driving to anoth-er location somewhere else and hoping for the best. Also – I’ve been there before looking at a frozen screen, standing next to someone who ordered & reserved their movie online, had already been charged for it… and now doesn’t have any way to get it out of the box. This is what happens when you replace people with machines. You are completely at the mercy of technology. There is no reasoning, compassion, or customer service. The final problem is the one that really hits home for me and kind of puts this whole thing into perspective. That is the absolute lack of selection. It is so piss poor… that it’s normally not worth going past the first 3 pages. Back in the good old days of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, we had more selection than ever! Rows and rows of movies, video games, and any TV show you could think of. If someone at lunch told you that you were Un-American because you hadn’t ever seen Ferris Buller’s Day Off… you could go rent it that night. Hell – you could even make a pretty good impromptu date-night out of it. This is what made movie stores so great. It was an experience; an event. It was a staple in American pop-culture.

My point is - that we HAD a great product. It was a grand solution to a simple need. But that was the American spirit. It was almost so grand, that it became a little ad-venture. And most of us look back on it with nostalgic, fond memories. Now it’s all gone. We forced these glorious places out of business because we, as consumers, are stingy… and they, as corporations, are greedy… and we all thought that we had found the next great replacement. Instead - what did we end up with? These f***ing kiosks that make me want to punch babies… and no more movie stores to come running back to. We now have a much worse product than what we originally started off with… and really have no choice but to accept it. Finally - don’t be sur-prised when we see the cost of these Red Box movies rising – now that they have cornered the market. It all kind of sucks if you ask me.

And the reason I bring any of this up - is because I’ve been seeing this type of thinking make its way into the print industry. “Print’s dead!” (…says the guy who hasn’t been featured in print) Do you really think print is dead? Do you want it to be dead? If so – be careful what you wish for. And before you go making all those wishes, be careful to consider the long-term effects. An enthusiast print magazine, much like an old fashioned video store, is an experience. It puts you in a world that no blog or website can take you to. It is an escape. It is captivating. You sink into the vibe of a good magazine… and everything else goes away. It influences you,

and simultaneously, it inspires you. A good enthusiast magazine (no matter what niche) has credibility… and it has credibility because there was a real production-process in order to get it into your hands. People/enthusiasts had a passion and a vision. They created a magazine to voice that passion to others… to find like-minded people, and rally-up a movement. They preached their passion, sought out subscribers, and sought out specific advertisers to help them get the message to the people. They deliberated their words as a team, and wrote them down carefully. They sought out material that fit the vision. They sought out photographers & de-signers to make the material come to life. They found a printing company, and put ‘em to work printing tens of thousands of copies. Then they shipped the magazine to every last subscriber, and sent them to newsstands & shops across the country – helping the newsstand’s business, and the post office’s business along the way.

So that’s the difference between print and digital. By the time your print magazine gets to you – it’s already had an adventure. Print is an old war flag. That’s why print seems to be a natural freeing experience for your mind… while digital has to try and scrap to keep your attention from all the distraction.

So, let’s try to remember the lesson that we have learned from the movie-rental industry. Cheaper & easier does not necessarily mean better. And – if print dies - the online mags/blogs are gonna have free reign to charge both consumers & ad-vertisers however they wish… because there will be no leader and no competition setting the standard. I promise - it will end up affecting a much larger part of our industry/culture than just print. Think Red Box.

So please –everyone remember to slow down and enjoy what we have. Enjoy ALL your high quality products that countless companies out there bust their asses to create for you. Be appreciative of what these people bring to your life, your hobby, and your inspiration.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8


1849 Western Way Torrance, Ca 90501 www.Tanabe-USA.com

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Full Flow for Max Turbo Power*Downpipe is Included

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Handling Balance

Since 1982 Tanabe has been developing high quality parts in Japan, designed for the automotive enthusiast. Tanabe continues to strive to be the leader in the never-ending battle between man and machine.

JGY 350Z TEST PIPESOur friends at JGY have just released their new test pipes for the 350Z! It’s from their Kanji line and if you’re familiar with JGY you know that their line is synonymous with quality, value, and power! These test pipes include flexpipes, cat-delete, and they have built-in O2 bungs (for dyno)… all for $159! For more details: www.jgycustoms.com.

S * * T Y O U S h O U l d B U Y SYSBWILWOOD BRAKES 240SX 4-PISTON CALIPER SYSTEMWilwood has introduced a new 4-piston front caliper system for you 240 owners – to outperform, and out-style the standard Z32 upgrade. As long as you are running 5 lug, then you can partake in the high-strength Forged Billet aluminum braking system that is part of their renown SuperLite series! It comes with 12.9” front rotors in your choice of drilled/slotted or just slotted… and comes with anodized black rotor hats, and stainless line replacements. For more info contact Wilwood at www.wilwood.com.

ChASEBAYS ALUMINUM COOLANT RESERVOIR TANKAluminum Coolant Reservoir Tank. Those words all started with a capital letter…so that has to be good right? Well it is! It’s been redesigned from the ground up to be more compact and better looking. Its new design makes it a breeze to install and while it’s small don’t be fooled, this baby can hold up to 14 ounces of fluid! For more details go to www.chasebays.com.

TANABEFRS/BRZ EXHAUSTToyobaru owners/fanboys!! Tanabe has released their Medalion Concept G Catback exhaust for the FRS & BRZ. This exhaust weighs 18 pounds less than stock! Along with the substantial weight savings, you obviously also get far superior sound, performance, and visual appeal. …And a little bit of that Tanabe pedigree. It comes with everything you need to make your car a monster! www.tanabe-usa.com


S3_Margins.indd 1 5/23/2013 10:24:02 AM

SYSB

SYLVANIA HEADLIGHTS AND LED BARheadlight: If your car is older and doesn’t have projectors or HIDs... and you want to keep the integrity of the original headlight and not retro-fit with projectors/HIDs - give these a try. They create a clean/crisp beam of light, with an output that is brighter, clearer, whiter and better than OEM. It gives the car an updated/modern look... without looking cheesy & cheap like the eBay free-shipping special.

LED light bar: These are cool, because they’re easy to hide, yet they put out a TON of daytime light and can be seen practically from space – making you highly visible to stupid people about to pull out in front of you. And Johnny Law (stay sharp). But more importantly – stupid people about to pull out in front of you. www.sylvania.com/auto

EEffECT APPAREL HONDA LICENSED APPARELI know some of you guys out there are familiar with Eeffect Apparel. These guys have been supporting this culture for years and it’s awesome to see how they have grown and come into their own. This is some exciting news…THEY’RE OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY HONDA NOW!!! That means some fantastic looking clothing and accessories are out there for the Honda aficionado in all of us! Go check out their site at www.eeffectapparel.com

S * * T Y O U S h O U l d B U Y

STILL hOODTRUCKER HATNo one likes the tuna here. www.stillhood.com

TOYOPROXES T1 SPORTIs your ling-long/wang-chung/moo-goo-gai-pan tire you cheaped out on finally giving you second thoughts? Are you attempting to take a 20mph corner and you hear your tire howling from misery? Did you just hydroplane out of control on a hot summer day because it just too humid? You might want to invest some money in a good set of tires. Because a good set of tires, can actually save your whole car. Toyo has your back with the Proxes T1 Sport! We’re running it on our new MKVI GTI project car and the tire is outstanding! It’s an UHP summer tire that comes with a 20,000 mile treadwear warranty, which is super rare for this type of tire. If you don’t like it you have a 45 day/500 mile trial period on top of that! What are you waiting for? www.toyotires.com


TOYO0124 “Empower AD” FPS S3 Magazine ID: Summer 2013 T: 16.5" x 10.75", L: 15.5" x 9.75", B: 17 x 11.25" Gutter: .5" each side, Bind: PB, 300md%md gm

Smart is a tire designed to empower the driver.

For those who want to own the road, the Proxes 4 Plus delivers exceptional

all-season performance, plus it comes with a 50,000-mile warranty.*

Explore our full line of Proxes UHP tires at toyotires.com/proxes.

*Among V & W-Rated tires. Mileage warranty will vary by tire type and fitment, and is subject to exclusions. For complete details, visit toyotires.com. ©2013 Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.

STORY : JONATHAN WOOLEYPHOTOS : TY COBBDESIGN : GUY HAYNIE

19WWW.S3MAG.COMISSUE 27:: 2013

SL27 Speed Style and Sound 8.25” x 10.5” 4 CLR

Motorsport. Defined.

www.stackltd.comWorld Class Instrumentation

The standard in motorsport engineering with a storied history of innovation and elite performance spanning over 25 years,

STACK represents the pinnacle of function and design. Trusting your passion to anything less is simply not an option.

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As import enthusiasts, there’s a common tendency to complain about the lack of new prospect-cars on the market today. I can definitely lump myself in with this category of people. But maybe - just maybe, the problem is not with the new cars on the market today… maybe it’s how we, as tuners, look (or FAIL to look) at the new cars on the market today. Lately I’ve been coming to that conclusion. Because a truth is - we are still passionately loyal & committed to manufacturers like Honda, for cars that they built 10-25 years ago… but do NOT build anymore. Do they really still deserve that loyalty? I don’t know - that’s an open ended question. But has time proven them to be loyal to us, the enthusiasts? The answer is a very sobering – no.

It would be elementary, obvious, & probably bitter for me to list the great Japanese cars that have been killed-off over the last 15 years… and we don’t even need to go that route in this article, because it will lose focus. And we will always buy/love/mod those imports of yesteryear because they all mean so much to us. But what happens when it becomes a requirement to buy/build something newer as well? My opinion is - we shouldn’t get the past twisted for the present. We shouldn’t distort a manufacturer’s heritage, for their current line-up.

Heritage turns into pedigree if you build on it (see the Mk2 GTI article). On the other hand, heritage is nothing more than history if you lose your way. I am personally loyal to Honda… for what they did in the late 80s-early 2000s. But most of those racer execs responsible for all that awesomeness have since moved on, and they have somehow been replaced with keyboard-cat-loving execs with 1/8th the balls. I don’t know that to be 100% fact, but it’s the only conclusion that makes sense when I see what’s available at dealerships these days. So my loyalty, as an enthusiast, has to stop there.

I’m not going to buy a hybrid CRZ, because I love the CRX. It’s not the same soul. And when I wear my Eeffect Honda shirt… I’m damn sure not trying to represent the Crosstour and the new Accord – if you know what I mean. So maybe we don’t need to follow the natural tendency to be a little close-minded to a car like this Mini… because it’s not from Japan. Maybe this is the new sport-compact we’ve been waiting for… and we just haven’t noticed it yet, because we still have our blinders on.

hErITaGE TUrnSInTO PEdIGrEE IFYOUBUIldOnIT.


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EXTERIORPepper white paint, w/custom painted roof & mirrors to matchJCW Aero Kit - custom painted to match carDe-chromed accents

WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSION17” JCW black Challenge Spoke wheels 205/40/17 Yokohama S DrivesJCW Brembo brakesMegan Racing coilovers

THANKS TO...Cole Brothers (615) 865-4532 Custom leather seatsExtreme Window Tint (615)-573-1616Vogley & Todd Custom Paint (615)-256-7137Ty Cobb’s Photography

2012 Mini JCW Coupe ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONBMW 1.6 liter w/ twin scroll turboDDM Works race intake systemGetrag 6-speed manual transmission

INTERIORCustom leatherCustom Alcantara suede accents


2013 Import Tuner, modified & super street_Layout 1 11/12/2012 09:53 Page 1

TExT:JONAThAN WOOLEY / PhOTOS: ALEKSEY ROYT


What were you doing 10 years ago? Where were you in life? How old were you? Think about all the things that have happened in your life over the last 10 years… all the things that were so impor-tant back then, but aren’t anymore. Think of all the things that were NOT very important back then, but are now. Think of all the things that have come & gone. For Jim Le, 10 years ago, he was just starting with this FC RX7. He bought it as a run-ning project… and he had no idea how long the road would be. Because 10 years is a long time to build a car. It’s longer than most people in this country even own their car. 10 years is enough time to drive a new car off the dealership floor, and pretty much use it all up – if you don’t keep after it. What I mean is: a decade has the natural tendency to decompose a car… not re-compose it. They say that ‘marriage’ is a public declaration of love & devotion. Well if that’s the case, Jim Le has been married to this car for a decade now… and that’s longer than a lot of real marriages.

Jim’s relationship with this particular FC began just as the drift scene in America was starting to find itself. 10 years ago, in America, the foundation for drifting was being laid out. Precedents were be-ing set. The personality of drifting was forming & shaping. Careers were being made. It was like settling the West. 10 years ago – anything was possible. Today – everything is possible.

And all the while, over the last decade with all that has happened in the import culture & drift subcul-ture (JDM, stance, V8s, recession)… this car was evolving. When the motor popped, Jim put it in the garage and bought a JDM Turbo II front clip. He wanted to use the clip not only for the motor, but also to convert the car to right-hand-drive. And since the RHD conversion was gonna go pretty deep into the bones of the chassis… he used that as a reason/excuse to strip, prep, and paint the entire car. There’s something that happens when you paint a car. All that time with your hands on it… it forms a bond… a complete awareness of every last accent line & crevasse on that car. Time passed. There were seasons where he worked on the car furiously. And there were seasons where it was all but forgotten… covered up under dust and other projects. But Jim Le always ended up coming back around to it.

10 years is a looong time. But what it really is: Is a testament to Jim’s character… that he never wrote it off. He never gave up, or moved on, or lost the interest, or got out from under it. And beyond just him – this is a testament to ALL of our characters. That with everything that goes on in our lives, es-pecially at this stage of our lives… with everything that comes and goes, and changes and grows… so many of us stay loyal to this culture. We find our roots here, and we find a peace here. And the strength that we gain in this culture - makes us stronger people outside of this culture. We’re bet-ter off for that. So just because you’ve got that project in the garage, and you’ve been slightly down on yourself because you haven’t touched it in a year or two… it doesn’t mean the story is over. It doesn’t mean that it was a bad decision, or that you’re never gonna finish. It may just not be the right time yet. And the story changes as soon as you decide to change it.

Jim lE has bEEn marriEd to this car For a dEcadE now...

and that is longEr than a lot oF rEal marriagEs


ENGINEJDM 13B turbo motor

FMIC

HKS air filter

KNIGTH SPORT FBCD

PROOF blow off valve

FUJITSUBO exhaust

Street port

EXTERIORD-MAX wide body fenders and quarter panels

GP SPORT bodykit

4 stage custom paint job

JDM bumper lights

JDM tail lamps

JDM aero mirrors

INTERIORRight hand drive

KNIGHT SPORT gauge cluster

NARDI steering wheel

NRG quick release hub

SPARCO bucket seats

WHEELS/SUSPENSIONPANASPORTS G7 gold plated centers 18X10 front 18X11.5 rear

FALKEN ZIEX 215/40/18 front 245/40/18 rear

FD3S Rx7 brake conversion all around

POWERED BY MAX coilovers

THANKSBuddha Concepts Design

Style Over Comfort

New Year chrome and polishing

Single Source

Powered By Max

Dan Snook

Larry Ramos

Team Praxis

Everyone that risk their lives taking pictures of the car every day I drive to and from work

My car is not a show car; it is not a race car – it’s my daily driver.

1988 maZda rx-7


29WWW.S3MAG.COMISSUE 27 :: 2013

TExT:JONAThAN WOOLEY / PhOTOS: MATThEW JONES


THEY SAY THAT IT IS LAWYER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT YOU IN COURT. BE YOUR COUNCIL. BUT WHAT KIND OF ‘REPRESENTATION’ ARE THEY REALLY? WHAT DO THEY REP-RESENT? THEY DON’T REPRESENT US. WE DON’T LIVE IN THEIR SOCIETY. WE DON’T WEAR SUITS TO WORK LIKE THEY DO. WE DON’T CHECK THE STOCK MARKET WHEN WE GET INTO THE OFFICE. WE DON’T COMB OUR HAIR TO THE SIDE. WE DON’T HOBNOB AT THE COUNTRY CLUB ON THE WEEKENDS. AND THE ONLY REASON WE STOP IN AT ANY DRY CLEANERS… IS TO FIND OUT WHICH ASIAN DUDE OWNS THE YELLOW HATCH PARKED OUT BACK. SO THE WAY WE FIGURE, HAVING ‘THAT’ KIND OF BOOSHIE LAWYER TO REPRESENT US… WOULD NOT BE FAIR REPRESENTATION. WE’D ALREADY BE LYING UNDER OATH, BEFORE THE GAVEL EVER DROPPED. AND THAT’S NOT OUR STYLE. IT’S NOT US. BESIDES - HOW COULD THEY EVER ‘COUNCIL’ US, WHEN THEY CAN’T EVEN GET A REAL-WORLD GRIP ON WHAT MOTIVATES US, MOVES US, OR WHO WE ARE? NAH – THEY CAN GO ELSEWHERE. THIS IS OUR GUY.

Allow us to introduce you to our new lAwyer.

His name is Mr. Costyn – attorney at law. He gradu-ated from the University of Georgia Law School, and things started happening quick for Costyn. Shortly out of college, he got picked up by a powerful & respected law firm. And within a short time – he was making a quarter million dollars per year. The dream = won! Big money, big power, and big respect at a young age… what could be better - right? This is the stuff movie characters are made of. He had done it. He had beaten the game. Big dick decision-maker. He was the one… and HE was in control.

But back up back up… because the real question is – what was the trade-off? That kind of immediate success can be dangerous if you’re not real careful, and it definitely comes with a price. So what was it

costin’ him? Funny huh – that his name is Costyn… and this was his lesson to learn. The lesson of true Cost in life: a lot of us go through our entire lives, and never grasp this… because we stay blinded to what’s really going on. Our ultimate goal is to drive a new BMW, because it makes us look richer & more intimidating than the other people in traffic. We have to have heaps of money stashed away in a bank, be-cause it’s never enough. And we’re trading literally ‘the time of our lives’ to get those things. Life is time; our time here on this earth makes up our life. It’s that simple. So essentially, what does society’s version of ‘success’ cost you? A lot of times, it costs you your life. You lose the valuable moments of your life, chas-ing what society tells you is success.


Truth be told, sometimes I feel like I’ve done this dance before in another life maybe, and I did it wrong. And it ended badly. And it’s not gonna happen again – this time. Costyn was having those visions too. On paper, he was living a real success story… living the dream. But who’s dream was it exactly? He felt like he was starting to sober up to what was really going on… but they were trying to keep him drugged and seduced with the image and the income. He was looked up to, admired, and respected in all the right social circles. But he kept having feelings that he was a slave. He owned all eyes & ears in any conversation… but his gut told him – he was owned. The people he had associated himself with – they now owned his life, his income, his image, and his identity. And he was only going deeper and deeper into the web. $250,000 per year given… sounds great. But not at the cost of 100% of everything taken. 80 hours a week. What good is cash-flow, if it only buys you a swank condo to sleep in for a few hours… and a nice car & nice suits to rush back to work in? It’s a leash, that’s what. You’re a hamster with the nicest cage and spin-wheel in the whole neighborhood. But don’t let the glitter blind you to the reality that you’re still in a cage.

Costyn felt the cage closing in, so he broke out. You know why? Because he’s fucking wild – that’s why. And that may sound dramatic in print. But remember not to confuse ‘dramatic’ for ‘truth slapping you in the face’. Because the truth is – that there are a lot of people out there who just can’t wait to be domesti-

cated in life, and protected by society, and fed every night at 6:30 before bed. (PS: When I say ‘domesti-cated’… I don’t mean married. Love is a totally inde-pendent thing from being sackless.) And if you don’t stay in touch & true to the living spirit within yourself - that will be you. The numbers grow with every gen-eration, especially in mainland America. But some people, at their core, will always defy the guidelines of society. It doesn’t mean they’re dangerous; it just means they’re wild… deeper in character, possibility, and exploration… than socialization, and conformity. And they’re an inspiration to all. The domesticated breeds always seem to look upon the wild ones with wonder & amazement… and that’s because it’s who we ALL are at our roots - wild. It’s the way we are supposed to be. But like I said, a lot of people are blinded, and the initial wonder & amazement often turns to envy, criticism and ostracism at someone who lives their life a different way.

So here’s what happened: Costyn looked the $250,000+ in the face, and walked away from it… in search of something better, more meaningful, and more real. He ditched the corporate chains, took a huge pay cut, and opened his own law firm - to do it on his own terms. And for that, he gets my full respect. Because it’s truly admirable to come from ground-level, and make your own way up. But it’s a whole different league to take everything you ALREADY have (that society says is ALREADY suc-cess)… question it, give it the finger, and throw it all

away… only to try and do it again by your own rules. Today - Costyn still works hard, but he’s not working in the herd. There’s a big difference there. Like I said, he’s wild. His life belongs to him, and the dude lives it with an absolute realization & appreciation of that fact. It literally took us 4 months and 3 countries… just to pin him down long enough to shoot the truck. When he arrived on location, he had to brush an as-sortment of knives and guns and animal hair off the passenger seat for us to even get in it. During the shoot, he stepped on a thorn… and the thorn was so gnarly, that it literally went through his shoe… and blood started oozing out his sock like a gunshot wound. Didn’t faze him though… he just let the sock & Georgia dirt soak it up. I guess when you’re just getting back from Thailand… a little puncture in your foot ain’t that big of a deal… so long as nothing’s try-ing to slither up it.

This guy owns two big huskies... but he never bought a leash. He’s got a wife… but she still lives in Haiti. It sounds like a beer commercial, but this is real. And that’s the thing that gets me: They try and sell you beer based on what ‘the most interesting man in the world would drink’. But f*ck that noise; it’s just hipster marketing. Because the most interesting man in the world wouldn’t sit around drinking beer in a tailored suit, gossiping about how awesome his life was. He’d be out ramping his 1JZ 4Runner… crashing it into courtrooms… getting people off the hook.

costyn FElt thE cagE closing in, so hE brokE out.


1988 toyota 4runnEr ENGINE/TRANSMISSION1JZ GTE twin turbo motor - moderate boost - approx. 420 HP, 154F 23-spline 5-speed transmission with a custom mounting plate, Custom radiator/intercooler mount, Marlin Crawler transfer case 2x4 high, 4x4 high, 4x4 low, Custom drive shafts, Braided steel fuel lines, Custom 3” single exhaust

EXTERIORFrame and body bobbed 8” in rear for better approach angles, Frame and body stretched 3” in front to ac-commodate engine swap, 10,000 lb winch, Custom welded front and rear bumpers

INTERIORMostly stripped & painted with truck bed liner, Sony head unit, Sony door and rear speakers, Rockford Fosgate 12” Subwoofer, 600 watt amp powering all speakers, Sheet metal console cover to accommodate shifter and transfer case lever

WHEELS/SUSPENSION/BRAKESSolid front axle - Detroit locker, Detroit locker rear axle, Upgraded disc brakes - 1” larger than stock, Braided steel brake lines, BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A 35” tires, 15” off road steel wheels, Rancho shocks, Relocated leaf spring brackets, 8” suspen-sion lift


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All components including shocks are covered completely for the duration of the warranty. 39WWW.S3MAG.COMISSUE 27 :: 2013

NURSE SHARK

JONATHAN WOOLEY

ALEXANDER GRANT

ALEKSEY ROYT


A lot of guys out there buy BMWs for the status.Booshie bitch weenies.

They stretch themselves thin to afford ‘em, and then they wear the car like a fancy watch. And I don’t a have a lot of tolerance for that kinda shit. It’s petty; it’s poser; it’s foolish. And in my own opinion, that’s a sign of an empty, shallow, selfish, misguided life… trying desperately to impress/intimi-date the people around you, and trying to use money as muscle. I’m not with it. I see through it. And I don’t want to be around it.

BUT…….. then you have a minority group of guys out there who love BMW for the ped-igree. True enthusiasts to the core… who are hypnotized by the bodylines, the kidney grills, the exhaust tones, the heritage, and the sound of an M3 tearing down a back-straight of any given racecourse on any given morning. Now THAT…that I can com-pletely get down with. Own a BMW because of what it can do physically, not for whatever

you think it can do socially. So – which side of the fence do you think the owner of this M3 is on? Haha. You think he wears this thing like a fancy watch? Or do you think he wears this thing like a bowie knife. And how ‘bout you? Make sure you always stay pushing down that grounded path.

We all know that douche-bag saying,

YOU’VE GOT TO PAY TO PLAY

Well the way I see it, that saying has two interpretations.

The most common interpretation is: You’ve got to spend money to keep up.

The second interpretation is: Commit to your goal.

That’s Babylon mindset creepin’ in. And if you want to try and live your life like that – go ahead & good luck. But I’d be willing to bet that you’re never gonna keep up... and you’re never gonna be content... because there is always going to be somebody faster than you, with more advantages (fair & unfair), and more resources.

Go all in, and pay your dues - see it through. That payment may be money, it may be work, it may be sacrifices, and it may be educa-tion. Or it may be all 4 plus some. Whatever it is – get through it, knock ‘em down, and get there. And when you get there – play! If you don’t know how to play and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and you’re just trying to keep up… then you’re missing what it’s all about.

ENGINEHorsepower Freaks Stage 2.5 Turbo System, Precision T6766 Turbo, HPF Fully Built Motor, HPF Methanol Tank, FJO Methanol Fogger & Pump, HPF Stage 3 Fuel System, HPF Motor Mounts, JIC CROSS SS Section 2 Exhaust, Agency Power Muffler Ti-Tips, Rogue Engi-neering Oil Cap & Bimmian Oil Cap, VRS CF Engine Cover, CF DME Cover, Ballast Cover, Bin Cover, Clutch Masters FX850 Twin Plate Clutch/Flywheel, Autosolutions Short Shifter

INTERIORTecnocraft T2 CF/Kevlar Seats, Takata Rac-ing Harnesses, Custom Black Suede Interior Trim with Red Stitching, 4-Point Roll Bar w/Removable Harness Bar, CF Ashtray Overlay, Shifter Trim, Center Console, Harmann Gear Shifter, LeatherZ Imola Red/Black Shift Boot, E-Brake Boot, Bimmian E-Brake Handle and Pedal Set, Defi & AEM Gauges, HPF Steer-ing Column Gauge Pod, Knock Siren, Race Mode Switch, Methanol Switch, Polished Fire Extinguisher, Memphis Audio Compo-nents, Custom Ffiberglass Autofashion Sub Box and Plexiglass Amp Enclosure, Wrapped in Imola Red Leather, 15” Monitor, McIntosh Power Meter, 3M Dinoc Vinyl Trim

WHEELS/BRAKES/SUSP.Brembo GT 8-Piston Front Brakes, Brembo GT 4-piston Rear Brakes, Brembo GT Cross-Drilled Rotors, Custom Caliper Brackets by Oink Fabrications, HRE C93 20x9.5 F, 20x11.5 R, Toyo Proxes T1S 235/30-20 F, 275/30-20 R, Renn Spec Stud Conversion, Kics Neo-Chrono Lugs, JIC CROSS Compe-tition Coilovers, Camber plates, Rear Shock Mounts, Dixis Titanium Front Strut Tower Bar, Eibach Front & Rear Sway Bars, Rad-energie CF Rear Control Arms, HPF 8-Point Xhassis Brace, Turner Poly-Urethane Front & Rear control Arm Bushings

Thanks to GOD; my PARENTS; my brother ALLAN; my girlfriend JADE. MIKE MA @M2-Motoring for getting me in the scene and for all the help. FREDDY @AutoFashion USA. CHRIS and all the guys @HorsepowerFreaks. PEDRO @Bavarian Garage. LON @HRE Wheels. ROB @Oink Fab. TOYO tires. MOTHERS detail. All the homies that supported me through the way - you all know who you are!


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www.ballengines.com

[email protected]

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49WWW.S3MAG.COMISSUE 27 :: 2013

Since – what – the 50’s? Southern Cal has always been a trendsetting spot for the automotive scene. The birthplace of aftermarket. And it’s no different with imports either. California guys love cars. Califor-nia guys have got style. And the weather + environ-ment support their habit 365. But this car? This car is cool even by Cali standards. And if you’re a Cali kid who doesn’t agree with that… then maybe you’ve been drinking your own Kool-Aid for a little too long if you know what I mean. You ig’nant.

Because this sh*t is sauvé! This is an ‘84 Celica. It takes a bit of an independent mind to build a car like this, in these days. Yeah – it’s an import. But it’s not winning any trendy import popularity contests. No ‘prom queen’ awards. There’s no “Toyota Tuning” magazine to celebrate it. The aftermarket support is nil. And this ol’ Craigslist impulse-buy type-of-car has been completely overshadowed by its comeback kid brother – the ‘86 Corolla. But every once in a while… somebody like Jesse James Ortiz comes along and interprets all that empty press as an incen-tive, rather than a reason to pass. And thank God for people like Jesse James; they keep me from poking my eyes out after looking at the same 5 import chas-sis with the same 3 wheels issue after issue after issue after issue.

Jesse got this car from a buddy for free. Not too surprising – nobody wanted it. Kinda like a teenage orphan with pubs (hmmm that joke is regretful). If it were an AE86, it would’ve been 5 grand. But since it was a Celica… it was just a broken piece of shit in somebody’s driveway, and they needed it gone. So Jesse took the car, originally with a 22re engine (the bulletproof motor from the trucks), and had it running smoothly within a couple of days. It kinda became his daily driver after that. He started bringing it back to life & spirit, and restoring the car in his garage little by little as he continued to drive it. He fit AE86 coilovers on the front, S13 coilovers on the rear, and fit it with a neat set of Epsilon wheels. All the while, Jesse was sort of conspiring to kill the 22re motor ‘accidentally’ so he could reasonably justify a swap. But the damn thing just kept on running. Finally – after a couple years, the motor went in a tremendous sputter of glory. So he pulled it in the garage one mo’ gen, and swapped a rude Toyota 1jz in it. Now – Jesse has an unknown, undocumented, 2200lb mystery Yota with 350hp… disguised as a low & slow car.

And kinda some food for thought: In the Southern California scene, there are a lot of trendsetters… roger that. But most of ‘em closely follow each other’s influences, do pretty much the same things with the same selection of cars, hang out in the same social circles, and get it in Cali-based import mags over and over again because their friends work there. And these guys are cool. And they’re part of the Southern California scene. But they’re not the ENTIRE Southern California scene. Jesse just does it for the love of the car, and the intrigue of building something that could potentially be a wild card. When you take-on a car that is less popular, you are adding more uncertainty to your plate - obviously. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be worth it. Variety counts for something.


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THANKSMy family and friends who helped me with the swap - Renes Motorsports, Jose mufflers, and CxRacing. This car was given to me for free! A good friend of mine was being forced to get rid of it… and I offered to take it, even though it wasn’t running. After tell-ing me it didn’t drive, I was able to get it started and drove it home. After replacing a few things, this Celica became my daily driver with 400,000+ miles on the odometer - and I drove it like that for a good few years. It wasn’t very pretty, but it was loud, slammed and mean looking. I started drifting it, and the 22re was just not enough power, so I decided to put the 1jz in it. With the help of a few of my friends, we were able to mount it in, wire it up, and got it running! The only time this car saw a shop was to get the exhaust done. Besides that - it was all backyard built. Shortly after getting it running, me and my cousin decided to paint it – another job done right in my garage. This car was difficult to build cause you get no help from the forums. This swap isn’t very common and nobody really fixes the Ra65 chassis. Everything is pretty much trial & error. This car has served me 7 years… and 4 of those years with the 1jz. It’s not a trailer queen; I drive it ev-erywhere - loud, dirty, and slammed… oh, and no AC.

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION2.5 1jz-gte motor swap, R154 transmission, CxRacing 66mm turbo, CxRacing exhaust manifold, CxRacing wastegate, Cxracing aluminum radiator, Cxracing in-tercooler, Custom intercooler pipes, Custom motor and transmission mounts, Greddy RS blow off valve, Dual Flex-a-lite 12’ fans, Custom 1-piece driveshaft, Cus-tom down pipe to side exhaust, Apexi exhaust valve

EXTERIORSapphire Blue paint, Shortened rear bumper, Front air dam

INTERIORWood grain steering wheel, Momo hub, Custom Pabst beer tab shifter, Pioneer in-dash, Pioneer speakers, Broadway mirror

WHEELS/BRAKES/SUSPENSIONEpsilon wheels 15x9.5 -25 front 15x10 -30 rear, 205/20/15 Falken 502s, Ground Control coilovers in front with camber plates, Daiyama 240sx coilovers in the rear, Mk2 Supra sub-frame swap


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TEXT BY JONATHAN WOOLEY / PHOTOS BY AJ GILLETT

Forrest Wang is a Formula D driver. He was born and raised on the island of Oahu. Oahu is not the physi-cally biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, but it is the busi-est – with the most population, the most traffic, and the most tourism. There are 3 big cultural influences on this island: the native Hawaiian influence, the US military influence, and the Japanese influence. The cultures obviously differ from one another… but at their essence, they do actually share a lot of the same core values – values that are strong in character, fam-ily, and discipline. And it’s probably because of those values, that the three cultures thrive harmoniously & respectfully on the small island. The Japanese tra-ditions are strong, because during the 70s and 80s, when the Japanese economy began to boom, Oahu caught the eye of many Japanese investors, who came to build hotels, businesses, and buy real estate. They used to have Hawaii Raceway Park on Oahu – which included a road course racetrack. HRP was a popular spot for locals. Fathers brought their sons out to the track, and the lifestyle/hobby was passed down through the generations. Taking into account the Japanese influence, and the physical location of Ha-waii between the US and Japan… JDM cars/trucks/culture were & are a pretty natural way of life. But – after 40+ years, the track was shut down in 2006… leaving racers & enthusiasts with only a few options: 1) De-tune & de-mod the cars back to street-legal. 2) Try and ship them to the mainland to either race or sell. Or 3) Head up to the windy roads on the North Shore mountains and hope the police didn’t catch on. As you can image, Option 3 was the reality…

Forrest Wang was one of these enthusiasts who were left in a jam with a track prepped car, and nowhere on the island to legally run it anymore. And sure – the underground Hawaii import/drift scene was getting by & get away with running at night in the mountains. But Forrest knew in the back of his mind, that it was only a matter of time, before the heat came down on him. Let’s be real - how long can you get away with

running the same mountain roads on the same small island in the same well-known high-profile green 240… before the street-racing odds stack up against you? Police don’t even need to show up and ‘catch you red-handed’. Everyone on the island knows you because of your car…hell the cops can just park in your garage, eat a sandwich, and wait for you to come back home. Plus, the necessity of doing everything under time pressure, in secret, and with unpredictable conditions was stunting his growth as a driver.

At the same time, Formula D and US drift scene was really starting to take off on the mainland. So over the course of a few months, Forrest did some deliberat-ing, and came to terms with the fact that it was time to go for broke and leave the island. He decided to pack it up, move to the mainland, and give it a go as a professional driver in an upcoming sport. And the reality was… that the move was a hard pill for For-rest to swallow. He didn’t want to leave his home, his family, his friends. But - he wanted his passion for motorsports to fulfill a dream… not end with a shred-ded license, a loss of freedom, and a bunch of regrets. Home will always be waiting there for him.

So he saved up his money, had everything shipped to the mainland, and rented a place in Southern Califor-nia with Justin Pawleck and Ross Petty. Those were the early days, and those three dudes were at it to-gether, trying to make a name for themselves – run-ning local events, NOPI Drift, Formula D… whatever & wherever they could get experience & track time. And now the rest is still kind of an unfolding story. For-rest Wang has settled into Las Vegas, and opened a shop called Get Nuts Lab (no homo). He is running his second year in Formula D with the green 2JZ swapped S14… and this black S14 pictured is his daily driver. Pretty cool that he keeps it so real with his daily – as most drifters, out of necessity, end up driving full size trucks on a regular basis. This black S14 is a clean & complete SR swap, retaining A/C, interior, stereo… all the amenities making it possible to actually daily in

Vegas. As far as Formula D goes - Forrest is stoked to see how far he can actually take it. But he doesn’t stress the driving career or the Formula D pressure. And that’s that Hawaii boy positive/chill attitude kick-ing back in. As far as he sees it, he’s already won. He’s content. He’s happy. He’s got a life in the desert that he honestly enjoys. His shop, Get Nuts Lab, is exactly the way he always saw his career-life going. These guys seriously have a wicked setup; it really is a Fantasy Factory. They have ¼ pipes on the side-walls, and they have a full, legitimate, paved drift course out back. When the sun goes down, all the toys come out. And it’s legal! Forrest even keeps a couple of drift sleds on deck for friends and/or newcomers to hop in and try out. What better way to sell parts – than to let people feel them out and get hooked on a test-track.

So after a couple of hours of hanging around the shop one night during SEMA, Forrest let me jump into the driver’s seat of one of his missile cars. For those of you who do not know me, I like drifting... but by no means am I great drift-er. So I went out on the track with my buddy Pat Goodin. He rode with me and gave me a few pointers and before ya know it, I was link-ing the course, hitting NONE of the clipping points. After about 10 minutes of driving the car around, I hear an engine grinding in from my driver door… Forrest had jumped in his car, and was now banging his front bumper on my door! Need me to remind you, I am no drift king. I now have Forrest Wang, one of the best drifters in the world, bullying me around a track! When Forrest and I pull back off the track, I couldn’t move. My arms were weak and shaking… but I had a huge adrenaline rush going. That was my first time ever running tandem, and it was in a missile car with a pro driver.

– Gregg Bucell


Now please please please don’t go kicking rocks around Let Nuts Lab… waiting for Forrest to give you a car to drive… because odds are that it’s not go-ing to happen, and I don’t want this to put him in an awkward spot. But that’s the vibe of the shop. It’s like a tuner garage meets a skateboard park. It’s like the cars are their decks… and the course is their bowl. The way they jump in… and jump out… and then just kick it on the sidelines for a while. It really is like a skate park for leadfoots - local boy’s paradise shop.

And there in the middle of the damn desert, Aloha lives strong. You don’t have to be from Hawaii to get it. But growing up in Hawaii, or even spending some time in Hawaii… will put something inside of you, if you let it. It’s so much more than clear water and suntans. Hawaiian culture will put a spin on the way you look at things. I can’t really explain it. I think a lot of it is because – there is a sense of genuine love there… a sense of accountability to watch over your brothers and your sisters… a sense of responsibility to watch over your environment. And a sense of simplistic sat-isfaction… to be purely content in the ‘now’. Because ‘now’ is what it’s all about. A lot of times, we lose all that on the mainland… because our ‘island’ is so large and cut-throat. We end up forfeiting our ‘now’ because we’re obsessed with our future. We end up turning our backs on our brothers & sisters, in order to search for personal gain. We look for ways to use our environment/culture, rather than embrace it & shine in it. But good things come out of honest dreams & intentions. Get Nuts Lab is proof of that. This shop was Forrest’s abstract/undefined dream when he made the decision to leave his home on Oahu. Now it has shape & definition, and it is his dream come true.

AS FAR AS HE SEES IT,HE’S ALREADY WON.


1995 nissan 240sx ENGINES14 SR20 engine swap, S15 T28 turbo, HKS wa-stegate actuator, GReddy stainless turbo elbow, 3in stainless downpipe, 3in dual tip exhaust, S15 6spd transmission, OS Giken str twin plate clutch, Nismo engine and tranny mount, GReddy oil pan, Yashio fac-tory water pump pully, Koyo radiator, JDM S14OEM fan shroud, black silicone radiator hoses, custom Get Nuts intercooler system, Power Enterprise accessory belts, working climate control, ARC radiator cap, Tomei oil cap, Tomei fuel pump, K’s Racing boost gauge

WHEELS/SUSPENSIONStance XR pro comp coilovers with Swift springs - 8k front 5k rear, Battle Version rear camber arms, rear toe rods, rear traction rods, front tension rods, Get Nuts power brace, solid welded bushings on rear subframe, Get Nuts spindle mod, relocated steering rack, Tein tie rods with extended rack spacers, Hardrace rack bush-ings, welded diff with R33 cover, Tanabe sway bars front & rear, Cusco front strut bar, JIC rear strutbar - carbon fiber, S14 SE 5 lug hubs, 350z track front Brem-bo calipers, DBA slotted rotors, Project Mu front pads, braided stainless brake lines – front & rear, STI rear Brembo calipers, Project Mu rear pads, Brembo drilled and slotted rear rotors, R33 e-brake assembly with Project Mu brake shoes, SSR Vienna Courage wheels 18x9 neg 10 offset front, 18x11 neg 10 offset rear

EXTERIORS15 front end conversion, OEM S15 headlights, Dia-mond Lighting technology HID kit, Origin conversion fenders, Dmax type-3 front bumper, Dmax carbon vented hood, Dmax LED mirrors, Dmax roof spoiler, Dmax side steps and rear bumper, Rocket Bunny car-bon fiber trunk spoiler, Get Nuts pulled rear fenders, Get Nuts paintjob, JDM S14 rain gaurds, OEM S14 Kouki taillights

INTERIORBride Brix driver seat, Bride Ergo passenger seat, Bride low rails, Rear seats reupholstered in Bride ma-terial, Dmax floormats, custom Koa wood shift knob, Sparco steering wheel quick release, Vertex 330mm steering wheel, Yashio factory drift knob, Pioneer dvd touchscreen head unit, Alpine component speakers, Alpine Type R 12 inch sub, MTX amps


TExT by Josh Wilson / PhoTos by JEff lE

if mEdiocriTy dEsErvEs APPlAusE - Why don’T WE All go find A ford focus, And clAP Around iT?

-from the movie fired Up

When I personally sit down to do a write-up, the general process includes: looking over the car’s appearance & demeanor… and then going through an interview with the owner, so I can coordinate a feel for the article and a plan of attack. Every once in awhile though, I find a car that has too many great possibilities for a starting point… which I imagine is kind of like Germany trying to decide how & where to first invade France in WWII. All the options just kind of leave you dumbfounded.

This Ford Focus SVT, owned by Kevin Lewis, is one of those conundrums. 1) It’s a Ford Focus… so really, what the hell is it doing in a magazine anyway. 2) We have Kevin’s upbringing as a domestic-lovin’ mid-western boy. 3) Kevin’s got quite a unique story on the build… full of trials & tribulation. And 4) This car is more about pushing the throttle through the floor… than looking pretty in a parking lot. All of this makes for a build that’s so much more real & genuine than what first meets the eye of most import enthusiasts when they see ‘a Focus’. So let me try and pin it down.

Like most car-kids in the Midwest, Kevin grew up at events with his dad - peering under hoods of healthy V8’s that hailed from Detroit. The mentality behind these builds was all about wiping the smile off of some tool’s face at a stop-light… not trying to prove yourself as a new-generation underdog with a 4-banger. Kevin was naturally following in the old man’s footsteps, because that was his influence. And at age 15-16, he had been scouring the local area for an older Corvette, Grand National, or Mustang. But one day, his dad came home with a Mustang mag featuring a compact Ford Focus - that had a 5.0 V8 shoved into its bay. Joe Dirt I mean Kevin grabbed the Mustang mag and was like, “Oh Daaaang”… instantly falling in love with the idea. It was a slap in the face. He fell in love with the theory of a low tuner sport-compact with a motor swap. He fell in love with the stigma of being an underdog… being the one to take a disrespected, overlooked car… and put it in surprise attack-mode.


It’s like the import addiction hit him all at once from every direction. It just happened with a Focus - that’s all. He had been called to action! And his dad was fully on-board to lend a helping-hand. He quickly picked up a Focus, sourced a V8… but sadly, an old lady in a Lexus plowed into that car before the build ever had a chance to get going. During that period, however, Kevin had studied up quite a bit on the ins-and-outs of his chassis. On his second Focus, Kevin was chang-ing his game-plan. This Focus was going to be the SVT model… and he was throwing the V8 idea out the window. After three months of searching, Kevin finally found the right SVT, which would be the start of a build that would span over an 8 year period.

Now, 8 years later, here it is in print. And I’m sure a few of you are mumbling, “Why the f*ck is a Focus getting a feature.” But that’s what makes Kevin’s Focus so good – it honestly deserves one. If this thing was a JDM Civic or 240, you would’ve seen it shared on every popular Facebook page by now – fact. But because he picked the ‘girl next door’ chassis… above the super-models that the crowds swoon over… Kevin and his Focus remain a little overlooked and underappreciated. But that’s ok. Just because it’s a less popular car, does not mean it was built substandard, or behind the times. In a lot of cases, that might turn out to be true. But this time – it’s not. When the SVT got in Kevin’s hands, he knew from the start that he would be battling the critics. And he wanted to build something that wasn’t going to just fade into the vast sea of trendy small four-cylinders ricing about town. His power-plant had changed a bit between Focus’ - from a muscle V8 mindset, to more of a sport-compact mindset. From a domestic mindset, to a tuner mindset. But the general idea of a sleeping underdog Focus remained intact. No one ever gives an old Focus the time of day… it gets pretty much no love from any enthusiast base. And Kevin wanted to use that to his advantage.

So - Kevin instantly began researching forced induction with the SVT. He started out with a Pro-charger, which at the time was the best option for him. After a year of

running that setup, the engine popped. And the next 4 1/2 years would be a slow, daunting ‘coming of age’ process of building a REAL motor, and hoarding turbo parts, so his Focus could haunt the streets once more.

This would be the toughest part of the build for Kevin. Not only was it his first time building a motor from the ground up, but it was a Ford Focus… which meant a huge lack of aftermarket support. Most of the parts under the hood are either the first of their kind, or they’re parts made in extremely small quantities. Kevin admits, “I’m not quite a pioneer for the Focus… but there wasn’t a whole lot of tracks laid out for me to follow.”

Well exercised patience turned out to be vital in the build, since so many parts had to be made one-off. He wanted everything to be done right, no matter how long the task was going to take. After the car had sat for 3 1/2 years, most of Kevin’s buddies had written-off the build… giving him shit that it would never run again. But that was just the kind of motivation that a guy like Kevin needed. So for the last year, Kevin worked on the Focus in complete secrecy in his garage like a mad scientist. As he closed in on completing the build, he decided to pick up a 350z for a daily driver. This was the final straw for the few remaining friends who held on to a thread that the SVT might actually get completed. For everyone but Kevin - it was time to stick a fork in the SVT because it was done.

But one fateful evening a few months later, Kevin’s Fo-cus came back to life with a pop… and then a roar. Kevin was sporting an instant ear-to-ear shit eating grin on his face… that was 8 years in the making. And to have a little fun with the victory, he decided to drive it over to where a few friends of his were hanging out that night. “I casually drove it over, parked it outside, and went downstairs without saying a word about it… just waiting patiently for someone to leave or show up. Finally, one of my buddies said he was gonna run to the store. I listened as his feet trucked up the stairs. The grin came back to my face – just waiting for it. About 30 seconds later he came avalanching back down the

stairs freaking out. Haha - it was surreal; totally worth it. It was finally done, and no one could believe it.”

After years of work, Kevin’s Focus SVT is representing hard. The suspension has seen a complete makeover to help with handling and aesthetics. Appearance wise -Kevin has kept it very simple and almost pain-fully clean, since he has been shooting for a “sleeper” from the very start. Only the meaty tires and front bumper cut-out hint that something unusual might be going on. Other than that, it is a very clean and tasteful look for a Focus. And it effortlessly keeps up appearances with the popular imported hatchbacks of the scene.

Of course - the majority of the time and money has been spent under the hood of this SVT. A bored out ’98 ZX2 motor has been fully built, with a grocery list of components being replaced along the way. On top of that - a custom turbo setup (highlighted by a Garrett GTX3076R with a Tial stainless steel .63ar turbine housing) was added to an already healthy four-cylinder. Kevin’s Focus now boasts just over 400 horsepower.

But even with those kinds of HP numbers and this somewhat unarguable clean look… Kevin still hears the “It’s still a Focus” type of comments. Or the “Why spend that much on a Focus when it can be done on another platform for less??” Because that’s what car guys do, Goofy! We spend a lot of money & time on a car that we love, when none of it is really necessary. If everybody thought that ‘statistically’ – then nobody would have ever touched a Civic back in the 80’s & 90’s… and nobody would have ever pioneered the import culture. For Kevin, and a lot of the rest of us – we like to have a car that some people can’t seem to justify mathematically or practically. That’s part of the mentality that binds us all together, am I right? It’s a love; and Love is not restrained to math or practicality. So why bind some of us inside of the culture, only to outcast others with the same love… but a different badge on their hood?


2002 FORD FOCUS SVT ENGINE/TRANSMISSIONBlock bored .027”, Clevite 77 bearings, ARP studs/bolts, Polished crank, Eagle rods, CP Pistons/rings, Ported and polished SVT head, CFM exhaust cam gear, CFM PCV delete plate, Billet oil pump gears, VF En-gineering engine & tranny mount, Garrett GTX3076R with Tial stainless steel .63ar turbine housing, Top-Speed turbo manifold, Tial MVS wastegate, Custom intercooler piping, Tial ‘Q’ blow off valve, Precision intercooler, Custom down pipe/dump pipe/intake pipe, Diablo Sport mass-air-flow interface adapter, CFM 65mm throttle body, TopSpeed intake manifold, Moroso catch can, Greddy Profec-B Spec II, N2MB WOT box, SCT ProRacer Package, 2 Walbro 255’s, Steeda fuel rail, Injector Dynamics ID1000’s, Aeromo-tive boost reference regulator, SPEC stage 3 clutch, Fidanza flywheel, Torsen T2 limited slip differential, Ford Racing short throw shifter

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR5% rear & 35% front window tint, 03-04 SVT HID’s, Blacked out corner lights and grill, Lamin-X yellow fogs, AEM UEGO wideband Air/Fuel gauge, Autometer NV series boost gauge, Autometer NV series electronic fuel pressure gauge, Autometer NV series voltmeter, Kenwood KIV-701 head unit

WHEELS/TIRES/SUSPENSIONESM 004 17x8 +38, 215/45/17 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Specs, Ground Control coilover sleeves, Eibach pro-kit struts, H&R 24mm front sway bar, Steeda 28.6mm rear sway bar, Energy Suspension endlinks f&r, Ford Racing front strut tower brace, Focussport rear strut tower brace, Massive rear camber arms, Factory SVT brakes with Hawk pads

THANKSMy family - for putting up with me and the car. My friends - for the help, and keeping me motivated. Fer-nando at Racing Parts Solution - for making the car run as well as it does. Lastly - of course my dad for getting me into this crazy lifestyle and teaching me all along the way.


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The GTI brand is authentic. It is a progression of a theory – an evolution of an ‘idea for a car’ that spans over generations, and careers, and lifetimes. The Germans have a track-record for doing this very well. To give an example, consider the Porsche 911. That car was introduced in 1965 – almost 50 years ago… and it has never, to this day, lost its vision of the original intent. An absolute confidence in the advantages of a rear-engine driver’s sports car - Porsche set out to prove it a half-century ago. It has defined the entire brand. And think of how many careers have been spent at Porsche over the last 50 years… how many brilliant minds have all been focused on perfecting one car and one theory. It is an exercise of patience, determination, and perfection.

The GTI nameplate has its own unique story, but the theory of evolution is the same. Volkswagen was/is the peoples’ car. And with the GTI, the theory was to take practi-cality… and put it on steroids. It may not sound like too much of a ground-breaking idea by today’s standards. But back in 1976 when the GTI was introduced in Eu-rope, there was no Civic Si. There was no Type R. Or ST or SVT or Type-S, or GT or GST… or any of that cool shit. Gas was at a premium in that day… and cars had lost their punch. But with the GTI, Volkswagen engineers set out to do ‘more’ with ‘less’… and to do it with an affordable chassis that they were already producing. And that last sentence is very significant to our heritage as enthusiasts, because it set the precedent for ‘sport-compact tuning’ – the idea of swapping engine/brake/suspension parts & modifying pieces… to make an overlooked economy chassis into a pocket-rocket. Other manufacturers like Porsche and Lotus were succeeding on the premise of doing ‘more with less’… but they were doing it at a more extrava-gant price-point (more with less… with more). And it was the theory & success of the GTI – that subsequently lead to cars like the Civic Si… and so on. And now, the GTI is passing its 35th birthday… and its essence is still strong & pure at its core. Much like its wise uncle, the 911, each new generation of GTI never strays very far from the generation before it. It’s never a complete morph in shape or style. It’s more like - a natural, sensible evolution of its predecessor. Soul intact.

...WITH THE GTI, THE THEORY WAS TO TAKE PRACTICALITY...AND PUT IT ON STEORIDS.


The Germans listen, and learn from their cars. They let time and real-world-expe-rience tell them where the car could be tweaked & improved. And then they focus on those points for the next generation – to make the car better. For example – the Mk6 GTI is both lighter & stiffer than the Mk5 GTI. And the MK7 is lighter and stiffer than the MK6. Not many other cars on the market are getting ‘lighter’ these days. The engines are evolving simultaneously with the chassis, increasing in displacement over the last decade from 1.8 turbo to 2.0 turbo – moving from timing belts to timing chains. Turbos & fuel injectors are becoming more efficient, yielding more miles per gallon, but also yielding more power. The stock fuel system in a MK6 GTI can handle 340+hp – just by ‘dialing it up’ through software tuning programs.

And here’s the best part - the part that comes full-circle and gets poetic: With each new generation and each new mark that’s released in succession – the car gets ‘better’. True. But somehow…….. so do the old ones, like this MK2. They get better too. Each new model is an evolution… but with each step forward, it kind of makes you have to take a look back, and love the old models that much more. Love them for their purity. Love them for their simplicity. Because it takes the newer designs, still standing apart from the crowd, to make you truly appreciate & understand & feel the passion of what the original designs are all about. The new models bring a vindication, and a credibility to the originals - because the soul of the car has lasted through the ages. It has endured. Time has proven it right. And on a day-to-day basis we kind of just overlook it. But it’s one hell of an achievement.


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FEATUREDPRIVAT REMEMBER

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1990 volkswagEn gti ENGINE/TRANSMISSION‘95 Vr6 swap, Techtonics chip, 2.75” mandrel bent custom exhaust, Magnaflow muffler, 3” stainless steel turn-down, Unorthodox pulleys, WhanAB billet alumi-num dipstick.

EXTERIORPaint - Sport Classic Grey 2011 from a Porsche 997, Shaved Items: Front bumper turn signal, fog light holes, license plate recess, hood vents, side markers, driver side wiper & roof antenna, rear hatch wiper, squirt nozzle, rear key hole, rear bum-per exhaust cut-out and tow door, rear dip lines deleted, ABD Racing grill spoiler, Aero lower grill piece & badge-less grill, 1986 golf rear hatch - no 3rd brake light Jetta windshield - no rearview mirror tab

INTERIORAuto Meter gauges - Pro Comp series: 5” speedo, 5” tach, 3/8” water temp, oil pressure, fuel & volt, Corba Monaco racing seats, Momo steering wheel, Custom 6pt cage - welded in, 5pt Crow racing harness, Audi A4 chrome door latches

WHEELS/TIRES/SUSPENSIONFK Silverline coilovers, Neuspeed rear sway bar, Custom rear tie bar, 16” BBS E50 wheels - 9” front and 10” rear (Falken Ziex F 205/40/16 front, 215/40/16 rear)


STORY: JONAThAN WOOLEY // PhOTOS: MATT JONES // DESIGN: GUY hAYNIE


We thought this car was pure & cool, because it’s a real-life daily-driven modified FRS… owned by a guy who lusted after it long before it hit dealerships. And when it did finally hit dealerships, he went and bought one… and paid for it with his own hard-earned money and/or credit. You know – the old fashion way haha.

Because see - here’s an industry secret, if you don’t know it already. Often times, when a significant new model like the FRS hits the market, a lot of the cars you see initially flooding magazines & websites are ‘dollar cars’. Meaning that the owner (or aftermarket co.) got it for $1 from Honda/Toyota/Ford/ETC corporate… based on promises to get it heavily modified & heavily publicized. A lot of times, these are the cars that the aftermarket companies use to R&D their new parts for that particular model… so they can have a catalog ready to go when the car officially hits the market. And that’s a good thing for us, the consumers. Sometimes the dollar-car does not even have VIN numbers – meaning that it can’t legally be on the street, and that it has to be given back and possibly destroyed after its purpose has been fulfilled. Bummer. In other cases, the owner gets to keep the car. Win! And when all these cars begin to flood the social media outlets… it’s an awesome instant gratification. It’s a quick high. It creates a lot of instant hype & buzz for the new model… but it creates a lot of instant HATE as well. And long term, with regard to the bigger picture – it sort of cheapens the whole experience of seeing the car evolve… and forming your own opinions as informed enthusiasts. Because we all know that social media has a way of trying to form our opinions for us.

Call it old fashion, but sometimes it’s still nice to see a good car progress in natural steps.


www.facebook.com/eeffectapparel | eeffectapparel.com | twitter.com/eeffectapparel

2003 - 2013

I mean – these days, before you can even see & touch & smell a new car in person at a local dealership, you have already seen 10 online or in a mag that are already waaaay more built than yours could/would ever be. The whole ‘story unfolding’ process is skipped… and that kind of takes the fun, suspense, and the motivation out of it. It’s kind of like jumping straight to the end of a movie or book… without witnessing the beginning or the middle. That’s the pace of our world these days. And we need to slow it down sometimes. Keep a grip on things.

So what we’re showing you here – is ‘the middle’ of the movie/book. This is the part where the enthusiasts get to watch the PROGRESSION of their cars… to see, feel, and enjoy it at different stages. Get in the thick of it. This is Justin Dennis’ FRS. It’s low on a nice set of BC Racing coilovers, and it’s got a great set of Work wheels. It’s got a Vortech supercharger – paid for, not sponsored. It’s got a few headlight tweaks. It’s still sporting the factory paint. It does not have a widebody kit yet, it does not have a 2JZ swap, and it does not have some sky-ed wing… although any of those options would be highly endorsed for later on down the road haha. It gives us time for our immediate lust to develop into a more meaningful love. This is roots tuning. And roots tuning is why we can love a local AE86 more than a top-tier Formula D car.


Scion FR-S

ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONVortech supercharger with 10 psi pulleyARK Performance catback exhaust Borla UEL header

Competition Clutch stage 4 clutch and 12lb flyweel

EXTERIORScion badges converted to Toyota GT86 badges Factory headlights blackhoused with candy yellow high beam lensesPerrin shorty antenna 5 Axis Designs rear spoiler

WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSIONWork Emotion XD-9 wheels 18x9 front, 18x10 rearFalken ziex tires 225/40/18 front, 245/40/18 rear BC Racing coilovers Whiteline front and rear swaybars with adjustable end links

THANKS TO...Thanks to my Fiancé and my Parents for putting up with me, and supporting me in whatever I want to do. My buddy J who is always there and willing to lend a hand. All my friends in Ground Level car club. Finally everyone else in the car scene that I’ve met over the years that has influenced me and given me exposure that helped to get where I am today.


SO YOU KNOW THAT SAYING “DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW”?

WELL, C.J. IS THE JOHN MCCLANE OF THIS MANTRA — THAT YIPPEE-KI-YAY… JUST DON’T GIVE-A-SHIT SORT OF GUY. IN AN AGE WHERE WE’RE ALL SO CONSCI-ENTIOUS OF HOW OTHERS VIEW US — THROUGH ‘LIKES’ OR BY ‘FOLLOWERS’ OR BY ‘SUBSCRIBERS’ — THIS SAYING SEEMS HARDER THAN EVER TO FOLLOW. YEAH – IT’S EASIER THAN EVER TO SAY, EASIER THAN EVER TO PUT ON A STICKER, BUT HARDER THAN EVER TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW & PUT INTO PRACTICE.

SO WHEN WE FIND SOMEONE WHO REALLY EMBODIES THIS,

WE HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.


How can we ever truly know how individualistic our efforts and actions are with this constant media and feedback stream being shoved down our throats on the daily? Do you really even like Red Bull? What re-ally makes a Miata a girls’ car? Is drifting really that anti-establishment? How can anyone full-heartedly say their choice in life was a completely independent decision - unaffected by external factors, opinions, and marketing slants?

We are strong believers that true individualism lies in how an individual deals with the hate dished out to them by a million anonymous forum users and Internet gang bangers. It’s easy to say “I love haters” or “I do this or that for myself, and myself only,” but it’s a totally different story when you’re balls deep, thousands of dollars in, and relatively e-famous because of a car that unfortunately gets hated on just as much as V6 Camaros.

I have a good feeling that C.J. is the real deal: the “speak softly and carry a big stick” sort of guy (well, in his case, “speak with a good ole’ Southern accent and drive around in an outrageously dumped two-seater roadster”). So I’ll set the record straight and give you a crash course in simplistic C.J. badassery. See – C.J. had a turbo ’87 Supra in high school. Before you go ahead and get all ‘Mk4 fanboy’, under-stand that the 7m-gte still makes for a pretty ballsy car for a teenager — especially for a teenager who has unlimited access to a car lift and welding materials. Yeah - C.J. worked, and continues to work his ass off at his dad’s shop. Throughout high school, he was able to reap the perks by pullin’ his pop-up light goodness into the empty bays after shop hours instead of studying for finals.

So just like any teenager would, C.J. got fed up with the constant repairs needed to keep his Japanese IROC on the road, and decided it was time to go for something a little more reliable; something with a wealth of aftermarket options. Ya know, like a WRX or SI right? Wrong! This guy goes for an autotragic Miata. As if he didn’t catch enough flak from his car buddies for selling his Supra… he ends up with the ultimate Bad Luck Brian concoction of finger-sized door handles, Lego-man seating position, and a 4-speed slushbox. This decision was kind of like Michael Jordan quitting the Chicago Bulls to play baseball.

So then, coming to his senses, he trades that Miata for… get this… another Miata! He dilly-dallies around with suspension mods until he ultimately said “enough is enough” with this Miata game. Who knows, maybe it was like Air Jordan getting tired of not dunking on fools… but C.J. needed something with a little more grit and balls. So he got opted for an ACR SRT-4: 1 of roughly 1,100.

So everyone thought C.J. came around again. He ditched the small displacement naturally aspirated life for some domestic rice, and was back in the fast lane… with big boy door handles this time. However, remember when we said C.J. is sort of like John McClane?? The kind


of guy who thrives on un-ideal conditions?? Well, the SRT-4 was just too much of a safe bet… a sure thing. It made

him a little uneasy. So he threw everyone another curve softball, and picked up yet another…. wait for it… Miata!

C.J. didn’t — and still doesn’t really — have an end-goal for this particular car. He just takes it as it comes. This

Miata attracted him, because the black with red interior is a rare combo… and even more rare to find in good

condition. He wanted to go LOWER! so he bought coilovers. He wanted some fresh bling, so he went for a set of

Klutch SL1’s (which he later sold for the Work wheels pictured). He wanted to carve about - so he got a roll bar and

reinforced frame rails. He wanted to survive the inevitable bumps & bruises of the slammed life… so he got an oil

pan skid plate and raised the engine. Every addition made to the car was a methodical decision.

The Miata you see here is the combination of C.J.’s coming of age and resilience (and masochistic hatred for rear

seats). To be honest, this car is relatively stock in the performance department. It’s not swapped, and it’s not boosted.

Sure, it has official Work Equips, flawless fender work and cleaner body panels than it did back in ’93 when it was

new, but the real upgrades are more apparent in areas that a lot of guys in the scene still struggle to grasp: perspec-

tive. The “love what you do and the rest will follow” mentality.

C.J. is a freakin’ mechanic, and in line to become shop owner of his family’s business down the road. The guy knows

fast from his Supra and his SRT, and he also knows hate from his history with Miata’s. Don’t get us wrong, C.J. has

big plans down the road for this thing — he’s no slouch. But what he did with this specific car is representation of

his tastes and his wants. Sure his muscle car lovin’ pops doesn’t really get it, and I’m sure the Supra and SRT guys

didn’t get it either. But this time, C.J. got it just fine.

“THE MIATA IS LIKE THAT ONE EX-GIRLFRIEND. YOU KNOW THE ONE… NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU BREAK-UP, YOU JUST KEEP GOING BACK.”


INTERIORSparco Speed 2 Seats, Grip Royal Steering Wheel, OEM Nardi Shift Knob w/ extender, HardDog Hardcore Rollbar

SUSPENSION / WHEELSWork Equip 03, 15x9 -6 O-Disk, Toyo T1Rs 195/45/15, Raceland Coilovers w/custom extended top hats, Oil pan Skid Plate, Raised Engine, Flyin’ Miata Frame Rails, Magnaflow Exhaust

EXTERIORBrilliant Black, OEM Trunk Spoiler, Front & Rear Lips,

R-Speed Sideskirts V2, Clear Turn Signals, Full Red

Tail Lights, Eunos Badge, OEM Hardtop w/Spoiler

1993 MAZDA MIATA LE(ONLY 1500 PRODUCED)


STORY : ROSS hUBER // PhOTOS : BRADY LANKfORD // DESIGN : GUY hAYNIE


There are two factors in life that when not in equilibrium can squash our dreams and aspirations. The classic “ID” and “Superego,” the angel and the demon on your shoulders. The voice that tells you how it should be, and the voice that tells you how it could be. It’s up to you to forge the harmony between the two, and not just give up. But what are the two factors?

Preferences and priorities. One you’re allowed to have, and one you must have. But which one? Sure, your preferences might say, “zero offset, blast pipes, and racing seats,” but your priorities say “daily commute, family, and sanity.” Is this really how our minds work at their core, or just a programmed societal code? We’re taught that your priorities must align with that of a responsible adult: fiscal responsibility, age-appropriateness, and maturity. However for those of you in the tuner scene, you say “F&ck that!” The average adult isn’t a tuner, nor does the general public (the people who

assign these priority norms) understand the raw inspiration we get from seeing builds come to term, or dropping huge bucks on cars that get driven twice a week. What if it’s your priority to follow your preferences? The ability to stand outside yourself, consciously observe the world, while still following your own beat, and keeping your unique tastes. For some, the priority #1 is to be true to yourself - to rigorously and confidently pursue your preferences.

Are you confused yet? If so, it means you’re a human being. We ‘sort of’ know what we want, and ‘kind of’ know how to get it. But for Shawn, this whole process came a little more naturally. First thing you should know about Shawn is that he has more insight than a Chinese Zen master. You’d think he was raised by guidance counselors or something just by his cool, calm, and collective demeanor. When Shawn was 18 he set out saving for his first big boy sports car. When I say “saving,” I don’t mean just scrounging up some paychecks

for a down payment, but straight up hoarding a year’s salary. This is not a popular option - sitting outside on your lunch break hearing cars rip down the freeway knowing that one day you’ll have your chance. But more importantly for Shawn, was knowing that when that day came, the car would be his: no debts, no loans, no looming payments.

Like most of us breaking into the import scene he started out looking for the usual suspects: 350z, Rx-8, etc. Shawn could have easily picked up some rust-bucket with bad synchros, spewing smoke all in the name of wanting in on the car game as soon as possible, but that lifestyle wouldn’t jive with the standard Shawn set for himself.

After a year of ball-busting saving he ultimately settled on the AP2 s2000 you see here. Not having an extensive automotive background, Shawn just relied on his own research and findings to determine the high-revving, go-cart-like Honda was for him.


Shawn knew the s2000 wasn’t the fastest car on the market, nor the best power-per-dollar option. But power to weight ratio was good, the power to displacement ratio was record-setting, and the 9,000 redline definitely made it just what he was looking for. That being said, this is where things got interesting. Shawn had an aesthetic vision. He knew exactly what he wanted his car to look like, so after he tended to the usual power-adders, he set out to transform the car- to put his imagination in motion. He sourced all of the exterior pieces, and handed the keys over to Yager Autowerx. What was probably similar to losing a child to social services, Shawn went six long months without his S2K.

Let’s recap: homie saves for over a year and buys a car in full. Then he buys nearly half the car’s worth in aftermarket parts, and drops it off at a body shop where it sat for a good fraction of the time he owned it. After a few weeks of surviving solely on his daily driver, Shawn caved. He got a taste of the sports bike life from a friend. (when I say a “taste” I really mean a taste - he seriously saw the bike and said “Hey! I want one of those!”) Shawn tapped into his turbo-kit fund and unloaded on an ’08 Yamaha R1. Uhm, wut?

For a guy who bolted a roof on his s2000, because he wasn’t too much of a fan of the convertible life… a sports bike makes perfect sense, right? So never having ridden a motorcycle before, Shawn crawls

on his new toy and goes nuts. Can you imagine what the Yamaha nut-swingers on the forums would say? Starting out with a 250cc or something piddly to ‘learn the essence’ of biking was not an option for Shawn. Why should it be? I guess it all comes back to the preferences and priorities thing: Shawn wanted it; he had the cash that he earned from years of working the graveyard shift, and pulled the trigger on it. Case closed.

Shawn now had a mix of insane speed, and with his S2K finally coming out of the shop, loads of steeze and style. Everything fell into place. With the relentless speed of the bike, he didn’t feel like he HAD to boost his S2K anymore… he just enjoyed it for its loud, high-revving, balanced, N/A glory. And - he didn’t have to sell his S2K to get the bike. He also didn’t have to annihilate his credit because he was too impatient or restless. Shawn simply pursued his preferences while maintaining his priorities: save up, follow through, and know that all the hard work is worth it in the end.

This is what is missing in a lot of our culture: temperance. We need to stop thinking in terms of ‘finished products’ and understand that the journey is 90% of the fun. It’s what makes us who we are, and gives us the life-lessons and stories that inspire others. It’s what makes the cars in magazines that much more interesting. These projects become a timeline of yourself, your choices, tastes, and outlook.


EXTERIORSmoked amber headlightsShine ASM style front bumperAPR custom splitterVIS - Mugen style hoodCraft square mirrors (with Mugen bolts)Downforce side diffusersOEM side strakesRockstar Garage - Mugen style hardtopTamon design rear spoilerJs2k keyhole coversSpoon rear diffuserShaved trunk, fenders, & rear bumper tow hook coverPained Grand Prix white with custom ice pearl

WHEELS / BRAKES / SUSPENSIONBuddy Club n+ coilovers…Umbrella Auto Design variable ride cupkitSPC camber kitBeaks rear tie barSSR Type F’s - 17x9.5+40 front 17x9.5 +32 rear Hankook V12s 245/40/17Blox titanium lug nutsBrake Lab rotors

Honda s2000 ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONPassword JDM intakePassword JDM cooling plateGladman performance cover kitS2carbon works over flow coolant tankBerks high flow catInvidia n1 cat backNRG hood dampers

INTERIOROEM black carpet and door insertsBride Gias IIQube engineering white LED gauge cluster and LED buttonsPassword JDM carbon fiber center consoleHard dog roll barASM floor matsZoom engineering rear view mirrorNRG quick release Personal Neo Grinta steering wheelAlpine x305s head unitViper alarm systemModifry seat belt lockModifry center console organizerModdiction titanium shift knobGT Design alcantara shift boot


Words by ross HuberPHotos by Matt bestdesign by Joe Coville

You know you belong to something special when a couple thousand grown men can wake up at 5 a.m., hop in a car an inch of the ground, and travel hours-on-end while exposed to blaring exhaust and ass-cramping racing seats to spend a day hanging out in a parking lot. The same guys who willingly make themselves susceptible to cancer-inducing sunburn, hunger pains, hangovers, and unemployment office-length lines at every Porta-Jon. Sounds crazy right?

Now take into account the fact that most of the cars at this meet rolled off the dealers’ lots at some point in the last three decades, costing little more than what a used mk4 Supra goes for nowadays. This sh*t is crazy — that sort of Lord of The Rings/Star Trek con-vention hall, never-taking-your-action-figures-out-of-the-plastic-wrap sort of crazy. But you know what? IA Atlanta brings out the best — the cream-of-the-crop. Amidst all of this, some of the nation’s cleanest, fastest and most creative imports gather in one giant hard-parked congregation.

Walking down the endless rows of cars is like a Hol-lywood movie premiere — a straight up red carpet event. Immediately your mind turns into a Google Im-age Rolodex. The excitement of saying “I’ve seen that car online on XYZ blog” quickly dissipates as you real-ize this is the scene you see on the Internet. The cars you have set as your desktop background, or saved on your smartphone as inspiration for your own build are all of sudden staring you in the face. You see the face behind the build, the man behind the camera, the

crew behind the blog and the staff behind the merch. And then it clicks: this really is an “alliance” of en-thusiasts, here to share information and admire other people’s build just as much as much as they want theirs looked at — the sort of community where kids want to support the scene. Paychecks cashed the pre-vious Friday are blown coming into work on Monday, all in the name of some new interior bling or baller threads. It’s the scene where a conversation about a $40 shift knob turns into a passionate discussion about wire-tucks and flatfour boxer engines.

You see, this is what happens when you demand more out of the scene. It’s for the guys and gals who want more than just building a cool car. It’s the insatiable urge to contribute more and more, to get more in-volved, and to forge a life within this community. This culture takes place in the real world, the “now”, not behind a computer screen. The vendors you see at these events make a genuine effort to come out to these gatherings- making sure their orders are filled, inventory stocked, and ready to give their supporters some genuine customer service- “enthusiast service” if you will. This article isn’t supposed to turn into a “support genuine products” or “stop eBay builds” rant, but a public service announcement that as long as groups like Import Alliance, and the supporters who come out to these events for nothing more than to see cars, talk shop, and support the culture, than this scene will survive- even flourish.

THiS CULTUrE TAkES pLACE iN THE rEAL wOrLD, THE “NOw”, NOT BEHiND A COmpUTEr SCrEEN.


Somewhere along the line, we as Americans lost some of our ingenuity. We started looking for a pay-check outside of our hobbies and passions in order to give us the freedoms to do what we love outside of work instead of looking to these hobbies and passions for the answer.

As a recent college grad plagued with horror stories of the sh*t job market and failing economy, Import Alliance gives me so much hope in this community. How else can you explain 3,000 strangers spend-ing a weekend together, renting skeezy motel rooms and even organizing mini parking-lot meets the night before the show? The import scene can be a self-sustaining community; a group determined to push on with their passion beyond all the fly-by-night, e-famous hungry #yoloswag “enthusiasts.” Import Al-liance is proof that you don’t have to be a racing team or parts manufacturer to be a part of this culture. After all, what good is a car without a functioning, thinking and passionate person behind the wheel?


I am ALL ABOUT the older Japanese & Euro imports. I think that owning one develops your sense of charac-ter as a man. There is something raw about older cars that a new car, no matter how good, just can’t cap-ture (minus a GT3). It’s that Steve McQueen vibe; that James Dean largely mysterious & rebellious way of life. Man & machine… wild and undomesticated by laws & society. An older tuner car won’t let your calyces go soft to a pampered life’s creature comforts. It teaches you to get by on necessity, stick with what you need, and be adaptable. It keeps you from getting soft. Man doesn’t need air conditioning. Man doesn’t need pow-er steering. Man needs a clean windshield, a big turbo, loud pipes, and a seat bolted to the floor. Anything else, including taillights, is a luxury. Guys with the older cars always tend to go a little bit wilder. They tend to put a little more meaning & grit into their build. They attract a certain interest and attention. They always have an epic story to tell. And they can fix almost anything from the side of the road. They’re the go-to guys.

Having said all that, I think newer imports have their place as well. Having a new car allows you to go even more wild with the old one in your garage – and vice versa. The 2 cars, old and new, work together as a tag-team. When one’s out on jack-stands… the other one comes in and saves the day. I mean let’s get real for just a second - if you’re a younger guy out there trying to maintain a 20-year-old car, plus drive it every day, plus mod it, plus drift it (or whatever else your do-ing with it), plus go to work, plus go to college… it just realistically becomes an impossibility to keep up. And it will end up beginning to ruin your daily life without you even realizing it. If your car starts to malfunction, it immediately takes over your whole day. You have

T E C h

PrOJECTMK6GTI INTRODUCTIONto call in to work because your car broke. The parts store will have to order your replacement, and it will take a day. You’ll break down on the way to pick up your date, having to cancel & thus hurting a blooming relationship. Your grandma is left at the store waiting for you, and she doesn’t own a cell phone… so there’s no way to contact her and tell her that you’re broken down… so she just waits & wonders if you forgot her again. You’ll smell like gas at your graduation. You come into church late, and the preacher has to pause and stop preaching until you shut your car off in the parking lot… because it’s too loud to talk over. It will rain, and your entire life gets screwed because you can’t defrost your windshield and your car is so low and light that it floats away in a puddle. The list goes on & on. So keep your 80s or 90s tuner – I actually demand that you keep it. But maybe also consider the fact that a reasonable car payment… may in fact be the best money you ever spent.

And with the Mk6 GTI, we see this car as being built well beyond its price range. Not to sound like another instant VW fanboy, but the Volkswagen Audi Group now owns/builds Lamborghini and Bentley. Not saying that the GTI is a baby Lambo… but techniques and information is shared between companies… and that peaks my interest. At 200hp, it’s not the fastest car in the class… but it feels really well built. And with all the software tuning available for the 2.0 turbo and DSG tranny… this thing will be a missile within a few issues. VW’s 2.0T seems to actually be quite ‘detuned’ from the factory... with a ton of untapped potential. And isn’t that what this is all about?

But first things first – we had to give it some wheel & suspension appeal.


For the coilovers, we went with KW Suspension’s Variant 2 setup. We went with the KWs, because they are an EXTREMELY high quality, refined tuning brand. Cruising down the street, the average passen-ger would not even notice the change in ride comfort from stock. The KW coilovers take larger imperfec-tions in the road supremely well. It’s not a Lincoln; you do feel them. But it is much more of a ‘sports car solid’ feedback, and much less of a ‘knock your rear-view mirror off’ jarring type of experience. They are amazingly smooth and quiet. But put the car a little more towards its limits, and the KW coilovers come alive and make you feel totally confident. I’ll put it to you like this: I have Skunk2 Pro-C coilovers on my CRX, and they are also an awesome setup that I love & endorse 100%. But they are in race-mode abso-lutely all of the time. All the time. And on the street, if the roads aren’t that great – you’ll be weaving around dodging imperfections with your eyes peeled and your butt puckered constantly. It’s exhausting sometimes. But still - if you’re anything like me, when you’re reading up on coilovers and people use words like ‘comfort’… it can actually be a turnoff… because you’re looking for the rowdiest and raciest, most seri-ass setup available. You don’t wanna hear words like ‘comfort’. That’s because you’re a man – congratulations. But trust me, with KW Suspen-sion, comfort VS performance is not a sliding scale.

You really do get both. And there is not any loss of confidence or performance on the ‘race’ side of the spectrum. If I was to try and give you a pin-pointed description for KW coilovers – I’d say that KW is what they would install on James Bond’s car.

The wheels are TSW Interlagos: size 18x8 +45 – 18.8lbs. The Interlagos is one of TSW’s Rotary Forged wheels. Basically, in no scientific terms, what TSW does is forge the rim of wheel at high pressure... at the same time as the wheel is spun at high speed. The process changes the molecular structure of the metal, making it stronger… and at the same time, making it lighter. Both of those are very good things. And – the weight saving is in the rim of the wheel; the farthest distance from center. That’s the very best place to save your weight, because it furthest reduces your rotational mass. You want a wheel to be as light as possible throughout, but saving weight on the outermost extremities is going to be the abso-lute most beneficial… and give you the most gains in performance. When put to the pavement - losing rotational mass will allow your car to accelerate and decelerate noticeably quicker. Yes – it is absolutely noticeable. A lot of the slow & slow cars are in fact ‘slow’ because of the heavy boat anchor wheels. And kids - that’s what allows you to walk on cars with higher horsepower numbers. Stance and offsets will come & go… but fast will never be out of style.

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Tires are the Toyo Proxes T1 Sport in 225/40/18. These are the next generation Ultra High Performance tire after the Toyo T1R, and now come with a 240 treadwear (as opposed to 280 on the T1R). They are a great UHP tire that you can realistically use on the daily, and not have to worry about watching them shred away before your very eyes… unless you run -10 degrees of camber. One of the stipulations when building this GTI is: we have to be able to jump in it tomorrow, drive it to Vegas, rob a casino, use it as our getaway car, and then drive back home with the mon-ey. Theoretically of course. These T1 Sports will make the roadtrip… and make the getaway. And note: If you’re wondering about the white Toyo logos on the tires… those are actually painted on by me… they did not come like that. I don’t know if this is the best way, but here’s how I did it: Put a piece of blank white paper up to the tire where the Toyo logo is. Rub your hand over the paper until you have made an imprint of the Toyo logo on the paper (this ensures that you get the correct arch of the letters for your tire size). Trace the outline of the imprinted Toyo logo with a pencil. Scan that traced logo into your computer. Then – I sent it to Shocker Joe and had him increase the size by 30% just to make it highly visible on the tire (you’ll probably have to do this without Shocker Joe). Print

it out. Tape it to a piece of construction cardboard… kind of like you’d use for a school project… but get the thicker/stronger one. Cut out the logo with a razor blade knife. Now you have your tire stencil with the correct arch (I stuck the center of the ‘O’s onto the tire with 3M double sided thick tape). For paint – I am us-ing a white spray can primer with flex. I’m not entirely sure if that’s the best paint to use… there is prob-ably something better that I haven’t found (FYI that tire paint at the parts store is a gimmick). See – tires are made of polymers and oils. And within a few days of driving, those oils will move to the surface of the tire… and will penetrate into the backside of the paint – turning your bright white into a dirty white/brown. And it will just keep ‘browning’… so you have to touch it up, and it is a lot of maintenance. That’s why I went with a white primer… in hopes that the primer would seal it from the oils (which it really didn’t). Also, as you drive, tires flex & move continuously. So the paint tends to crack & flake… that is why you want to find something with a flex in it. Like I said, it’s a lot of maintenance, but it gets easier & quicker. And honestly, the darkening and cracking kind of makes it look rode hard and cool.

A young woman got pulled over for speeding just outside of New Orleans. The Louisiana State Trooper walked to her car window, flipped open his ticket book........ and the young woman said, ‘I bet you’re going to try and sell me a ticket to the Louisiana Troopers Ball, aren’t you.’ The officer replied, ‘Mam, Louisiana State Troopers don’t have balls.’ There was a moment of silence, then he closed his book, tipped his hat, got back in his car, and drove off.

J U n K I n T h E T r U n K

HOLLER AT uS! FaCEBOOK.COM/S3MaG


s3 magazine issue 27

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