Table of contents for Sep-13 in Modified Magazine

Street Cars Aplenty Another year and another Street Car Shootout is in the bag. I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate this event more and more as time goes on. I think it’s partly due to the increased commitment level of the participants and the extremely high level of competition going on. Add to that a truly diverse group of makes and models, and this year’s shootout was destined for greatness. Especially when the likes of an FD RX-7, an E36 M3, and a Chrysler Conquest are thrown into the mix. These types of cars are what we’ve always wanted to see in this competition, but finding ones built to a high enough level for the Shootout is never an easy task. John Lazorack, owner of the Conquest, was featured in…

’13 Ford Focus ST I know what you’re probably thinking: Here’s yet another econobox hatchback prettied up with some fancy badging, bigger wheels, and a center-exit exhaust trying to look like it delivers better performance than its cheaper brethren. To that I say, “Hold on a minute.” The new ’13 Ford Focus ST is the exact opposite; it’s more about performance than it is styling and good looks. We haven’t seen much out of the Ford hot-hatch division in a long time. Correct me if I’m mistaken, but the SVT Focus was the last Ford that could be put in this category. And while countries like the UK have been treated to the Focus RS, we sat and pouted, quietly pondering why it never came to our shores. The wait…

Yes, you’ve seen Hasport’s iconic yellow CRX in the Shootout before, but that’s because it’s a timeless time machine that continues to earn its place in this event with consistently strong finishes. Plus, as Hasport front man Brian Gillespie told us, “I have refused to grow up and I am so irresponsible that I started a business that builds parts for fast Hondas so I can piss off all the people my age. The reason I’m at the Shootout again is that I’m a train wreck waiting to happen and it will make a good story when it eventually does.” Turns out the only train wreck we got out of “old guy” Brian and his Hasport CRX this year was related to the alternator: “Things started off a bit rocky,…

Engine MZR turbocharged 2.3L inline-4 Engine Modifications Custom Performance Engineering air intake, turbo inlet pipe, high-pressure fuel pump, downpipe w/HFC, after-cat exhaust, rear motor mount, and fuel injector seals; ETS 3.25” top-mount IC; HKS BOV; JBR passenger side and transmission side motor mounts Engine Management Cobb AccessPort with custom Stratified Tuning e85 tune Wheels, Tires & Brakes Advan RZ 18’’ wheels; Continental 255/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Hawk brake pads Suspension KW V3 coilovers; corner-balanced by Jerry Reyes; JBR sway bar (r); Corksport camber plates (f) Interior Custom Performance Engineering triple-gauge pod (boost, oil pressure, and AFR); Cobb short-throw shifter It’s always a challenge to find non-Honda FWD competitors for the Shootout, so we were excited to add Pablo Sancho Soria’s Mazdaspeed3 to the mix. As Pablo told us, “I bought…

’13 SUBARU BRZ Engine FA20 2.0L flat-4 Engine Modifications Crawford Performance S3L-I shortblock (custom JE 10:1 forged pistons and billet I-beam rods); custom turbo kit and FMIC, air/oil separator kit, high-pressure water tank reservoir, twin megaphone axle-back exhaust Engine Management Ecutek recalibration by CP Drivetrain CP 600hp street clutch kit; Driveshaft Shop 600hp axles Wheels, Tires & Brakes Work Emotion CR Ultimate 18’’ wheels; Continental 275/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Brembo GT BBK (f/r) Suspension Tein Mono Flex coilovers and camber plates Interior Stock Exterior Stock Crawford Performance has competed in the Shootout a few times before, but this is our first up-close encounter with its new Spec C Subaru BRZ. If there’s one thing Crawford Performance is known for (other than Ken Block’s original Gymkhana STI), it’s Subaru Boxer engines…

’90 NISSAN SILVIA Engine RB25DET 2.5L inline-6 Engine Modifications Garrett GTX 3076 turbocharger; HKS 50mm wastegate; ID 1,000cc fuel injectors; Fuelabs fuel pump and filter; R32 GTR FMIC; Four Seasons custom radiator Engine Management Vipec V44 ECU calibrated by UMS Tuning Drivetrain Cusco LSD, clutch kit Wheels, Tires & Brakes Continental 235/40R18 (f) and 275/35R18 (r) ExtremeContact DW tires; R32 GTR brakes Suspension Tein Mono Flex coilovers Interior S15 front seats Exterior S15 front face conversion; 25mm overfenders; JUN carbon hood; custom side skirts Yes, it’s a Silvia. No, it’s not a 240SX. Yes, it’s a genuine RHD Japanese Domestic Market S13 coupe. From Japan (via Canada). No, really. And yes, it has an S15 front-end conversion, just to confuse you a little further. And if that’s not enough, it…

04 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION VIII Engine 4G63T 2.0L inline-4 Engine Modifications AMS 2.3 stroker kit w/Ross 8.5:1 pistons and Oliver rods; TMS head studs; race-ported head; 850R turbo kit; Race VSR intake manifold; Race intercooler, 3’’ intercooler piping, 3’’ exhaust, 1,000hp fuel system, C.O.P., and engine mounts; ARP main studs; Supertech valvetrain; Tomei 280 cams; Fidanza cam gears; Tial wastegate and BOV; Boomba TB Engine Management AEM v2 EMS tuned by Chris Black at AMS Drivetrain Shep Racing trans; Exedy/AMS triple metallic clutch; AMS clutch lines and rear diff moustache bar eliminator; Torqueline carbon-fiber driveshaft Wheels, Tires & Brakes Volk Racing TE37 18’’ wheels; Continental 265/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Giro Disc 2-piece rotors Suspension Ohlins FLAG Series coilovers; AMS trailing arm bushings; AEM strut bars Interior Status seats; Personal steering wheel;…

Autocrossing is, as much as any motorsport we can think of, more about the driver than the car, or so the legend goes. Some hard-core autocrossers will even tell you it’s 90 percent driver, 10 percent car, but we think they’re 50 percent full of shit. Regardless of the percentages, there’s no denying it’s a unique type of racing that demands a different driving style and a more severe car setup than a street car or time attack car needs. Simply put, it’s not easy going fast through a maze of cones in Second (and occasionally Third) gear, especially when you’re driving something set up for the street, the dragstrip, or the road course. And that’s exactly why we’ve seen some of our lighter-weight and lowerhorsepower teams kick butt in…

Winning the overall championship takes a consistent top performer, which demands an elusive mix of power, grip, handling, driver skill, and perhaps most important of all, reliability. The list of overall winners at our Shootout includes some of the biggest names on the time attack scene and in the import tuning game, AMS Performance, GST Motorsports, and ScienceOfSpeed among them. By winning this year’s Shootout, David Bruzewski and his awesome Mitsubishi Evolution VIII became just the second privateer to take home the big trophy (J.C. Meynet having done so two years ago in his AQ Motorsports–sponsored STI). As David told us, “For years my friends and I have talked about what it takes to win the Shootout, and over the years I have built what I’d hoped would be the…

3M Paint Defender DESCRIPTION If you’ve seen or experienced what it takes to apply a clear bra to the front of a car, you can appreciate the time and effort that goes into it, not to mention the associated price tag. Good clear bras can cost $500 to $1,000 or more, but they seem like a great idea because, let’s face it, these days there’s more debris and junk being flung from truck and car tires than we care for. Up until now, there weren’t many do-it-yourself options available; applying a clear bra meant going to a professional. But what if there were a way to get clear, bra-like protection simply by spraying it on? It sounds almost too good to be true, but thanks to the innovative minds at…

Versiontwo Laboratory (V2LAB), a media development company in Orlando, Florida, threw its third annual automotive meet this past spring aptly titled The Mystery Meat 2. With a staggering number of cars showing up (more than 7,000) and just about 20,000 people descending on the event from all over the southeastern Untied States, this meet was one for the record books. Cars weren’t the only attraction, though. Live graffiti painting, freestyle rap battles, and even a sneaker Dunk Xchange were part of the fun. The city of Orlando was blown away by the attendance and said it was the biggest event the downtown area has ever seen. To keep things casual and chill, the V2LAB guys stressed that this was a meet and not a car show. There were no trophies,…

Dispelling the Rollover Safety Myth When I first got into racing, and by that I mean taking my street car to autocross and time attack events, one of the more hotly debated topics in the paddock and on Internet car forums was whether it’s safe to use a four-point or six-point racing harness in a car that isn’t equipped with a rollbar or rollcage. I think most weekend warriors would agree that the lightly bolstered (and slippery, if leather) OE driver seat and three-point factory seatbelt provide little to no lateral support, so you end up having to brace yourself (with elbows, knees, and whatever else you may have available) against the door and center tunnel, as well as apply a death grip on the steering wheel. This can be…

$1.15 MILLION OF IMPORT RESPECT An iconic Toyota 2000GT recently set the record for the auction sale price of a production Japanese import. RM Auctions dropped the hammer at a staggering $1.15 million for the sleek Toyota coupe. Perhaps best known for its role in the ’67 James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, the 2000GT features a Yamaha-developed. 2.0L straight-six rated at 150 hp, a lightweight chassis, and plenty of wow factor. Rising Sun classic has lagged behind in the collector market. We like the upward trend on pricing and would love to see early Coronas going for big bucks in the near future. NSX ON COURSE The reissued Acura NSX supercar is keeping on schedule to make its showroom debut in two years time. It will be assembled…

CLASS: FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE Engine K20/K24 iVTEC 2.4L inline-4 Engine Modifications 88mm, 12.5:1-compression CP pistons; Carillo rods; Supertech valvetrain; Drag Cartel Stage 4 camshafts; Skunk2 header; Berk Technology 4” oval exhaust system w/HFC; 750cc RC fuel injectors Engine Management Hondata Flash-Pro Drivetrain Gearspeed transmission; Kaaz LSD; Competition Clutch Stage 4 kit Wheels, Tires & Brakes 17’’ Volk Racing CE28 wheels; Continental 255/40R17 (f) and 215/45R17 (r) ExtremeContact DW tires; Acura TL-S Brembo calipers (f); Project Mu Club Racer brake pads; Goodridge brake lines Suspension Tein Mono Flex coilovers; GodSpeed v2 rear camber kit; Buddy Club roll center adjusters; Ultra Racing sway bars and chassis braces Interior Bride seat; Schroth harness; Personal steering wheel; DEFI water temp gauge; AEM wide-band gauge Exterior Mugen RR replica front bumper, side skirts and front fenders;…

’88 CHRYSLER CONQUEST TSI Engine ’02 Corvette LS1 5.7L V8 Engine Modifications Swapped oil pan; Improved Racing oil pan road race baffled; custom long-tube headers; 3.5’’ MagnaFlow straight-through muffler; poly custom engine mounts; 3” dual pass custom radiator; K&N carbon-fiber intake; Ford Mustang 5.0 steering rack Engine Management factory ECU tuned by Church Automotive Drivetrain T56 6-speed transmission; custom shifter and knob Wheels, Tires & Brakes HRE 505 17’’ wheels; Continental 255/40R17 (f) and 285/40R17 (r) ExtremeContact DW tires; Ford Mustang 5.0 power brake booster and Cobra master cylinder; ’04 Mustang cobra PBR calipers; 13” Brembo rotors; LMS aluminum mount brackets; Hawk brake pads; custom brake ducts Suspension D2 custom-valved coilovers; Steeda bumpsteer kit; custom CNC steering knuckles; custom control arms; MK1 poly bushings; Suspension Techniques sway bars (f/r); LMS…

’13 SCION FR-S Engine FA20 2.0L flat-4 Engine Modifications JDL FT86 twin-scroll turbo kit, overpipe, catted front pipe, single exit after-cat exhaust, catch can/small battery kit, and custom GT Spec wing; Injector Dynamics ID850cc injectors; AEM in-tank fuel pump; Koyo radiator Engine Management AEM Series 2 EMS Drivetrain Clutchmaster FX350 clutch kit Wheels, Tires & Brakes Work Emotion CR Kai 18’’ wheels; Continental 255/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Essex Competition brake kit Suspension KW V3 coilovers; Hotchkis camber plates, strut bar, sway bars (f/r); Whiteline bushings Interior Stock Exterior Password:JDM full carbon lip kit The other turbocharged ZN6 we invited to the Shootout this year was JDL Auto Design’s FR-S, a car we watched come together on Facebook. Although you won’t see them in the results for reasons we’re about to…

’93 MAZDA RX-7 Engine 20B three-rotor Engine Modifications ZN Performance–built 20B w/large street port; RX-7 Specialty’s 20B subframe; Precision 74mm turbocharger; GReddy FMIC; Koyo radiator; Denso in-tank fuel pumps (x2); Bosch 044 inline fuel pump; dual oil coolers with fans; MagnaFlow HFC; custom 4’’ exhaust; custom CAI Engine Management Microtech LT12x ECU Drivetrain Transmission built by Liberty Gears with face-plated gears; Turbo II LSD; Exedy triple-disc clutch, diff and trans brace Wheels, Tires & Brakes Fikse FM-5 18’’ wheels; Continental 255/35R18 (f) and 295/35R18 (r) ExtremeContact DW tires; EBC brake pads Suspension Tein Flex coilovers Interior Stock Exterior ’99-spec front bumper and front lip; Scoot vented hood Last year we had our first rotary-powered entry thanks to MazdaManiac Jeff Abrams and his turbocharged RX-8, and this year the rotor count…

’95 NISSAN 240SX R14 Engine RB26DET 2.6L inline-6 Engine Modifications JE pistons; Headgames ported cylinder head; Ferrea valves; Tomei 280 cams; PMI head gasket; ACL bearings; Full-Race RB26 twin-scroll turbo kit w/BorgWarner EFR8374 turbocharger; ID 2,000cc fuel injectors, 4’’ downpipe, and exhaust w/HFC Engine Management ProEFI 128 ECU tuned by Blackmarket Racing Drivetrain R14 AWD conversion; ETS-Pro center diff controller; Competition Clutch twin-disc clutch; Quaife front LSD; R32 GT-R transmission and rear LSD; DSS aluminum driveshaft Suspension R14 double-wishbone front suspension conversion; S13 rear suspension w/SPL Parts links, tie rods, and control arms; Moton coilovers Wheels Enkei RPF1 18’’ wheels; Continental 285/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; G35 Brembo brakes (f); R32 GT-R brakes (r); Project Mu brake pads Interior R33 GT-R seats; R33 GTS-T gauge cluster; Full-Race rollcage Exterior Kognition Design…

At last year’s Street Car Shootout, we somewhat controversially ran the time attack on Firebird’s West Circuit, a small and technical course we half-jokingly nicknamed America’s Tsukuba Circuit. But due to the complexities of NASA AZ’s biggest race weekend of the year, of which we’re just a small part (and are eternally grateful for NASA AZ’s continued role as Shootout host), we were back on the main circuit for this year’s time attack. The drama began before we even started to officially time teams: As he blasted down the 5.8-mile front straight, Bobby Poage snapped the transmission input shaft on his turbocharged 20B RX-7 during a practice session. I guess it’s no secret that 650-plus whp is hard on 20-year-old gearboxes, but Bobby and his brother Tim were smart enough…

01 MAHLE HONDA S2000 POWERPAK PISTON SET Available for the 2.0L and 2.2L engines in boosted and normally aspirated applications, Mahle’s exclusive GoldSeries skirt coating allows its PowerPak forged pistons to be run in the Honda S2000 FRM (fiber reinforced matrix) cylinder bores without the need to sleeve the engine block. As with all Mahle PowerPak piston assemblies, these are lightweight, ultrastrong, slipper skirt–forged pistons that include German steel pins, race-proven round wire locks, and a steel-nitrided racing ring set. MahleMotorsports.com 02 TITAN MOTORSPORTS 2JZ HIGH-LIFT CAMSHAFTS After months of development and testing in race and street applications, Titan Motorsports has released its Toyota 2JZ high-lift camshafts. Currently available in 264/9.35mm lift, 272/9.45mm lift, 280/9.45mm lift, and 280/10.4mm lift, these high-lift camshafts require a valvespring upgrade and come complete with…

Fueling the Fire It’s no secret that to make horsepower, you need the right mixture of air and fuel. In Part 1 we installed a Turbonetics GT-K 700 turbocharger and a Full-Race twinscroll manifold, which will provide all the compressed intake charge we need to reach our horsepower target of a comfy 400 flaming Doritos at the rear wheels. But a well-conceived engine build capable of delivering power across a broad rpm range also needs that air to travel a smooth and unrestricted path into the combustion chambers, where witchcraft happens as those mysterious spinning triangles convert the compressed air charge along with the added fuel and spark into what we hope will be a competitive horsepower number. With the exhaust side of the motor taken care of, we continued…

01 AUTO METER GPS SPEEDOMETERS Monitor speed accurately, on or off road with satellite signal technology from Auto Meter. New GPS Rally-Nav speedometers are engineered to interpret data from an included high-speed antenna assembly providing lightning quick response and eliminating the need to ever calibrate the instrument for gearing and tire size changes. In fact, there’s no reason to interact with the transmission or driven wheels at all, resulting in a simplified installation. AutoMeter.com 02 FORTUNE AUTO DREADNOUGHT SERIES For the serious racer and performance enthusiast, Fortune Auto’s Dreadnought series of coilovers are the next step up in suspension systems. Assembled in the USA, the coilovers come with a shock dyno graph and assembly certificate outlining the build and desired specs. The 24-step compression and rebound adjustable dampers feature a…

What goes together better than Detroit and a pushrod V8? A road course and a shooting range, that’s what! Or least we think so, which is why we’re huge fans of the hidden gem just north of Detroit known as Waterford Hills. Built on the grounds of the Oakland County Sportsmen’s Club, where the members are mainly interested in firing their guns on the numerous shooting ranges found on this 200-acre property, in 1958 an infinitely wise board of directors decided a racetrack would be a good addition to their noisy outdoor pursuits. That’s right, Arizona (and Kenny Enterprises), you’re not the only state with a serious appreciation for firearms and race cars. Waterford Hills isn’t just a big-boy wonderland decorated with shotgun shells and corded race tires, though; it’s…

OK, we’ll admit it. We originally planned to alternate on an annual basis between Street class cars and Race/Unlimited class cars as a way of satisfying our hard-core, go-fast readers and our more street-oriented readers, so this year should have been all about no-holds-barred, race-prepared machines showing us what they’re made of. But after the success of last year’s street car event, which generated more positive feedback from our readers and more entry requests from teams than the previous five Shootouts combined, we decided to stick with this format for the foreseeable future. And as you’ll soon see, we haven’t just decided to stick with Street class entries, we’ve also decided to broaden our horizons by inviting our first-ever European-made machine as well as our first ever V8-powered machine, not…

CLASS: FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE Engine Integra Type R B18C5 1.8L inline-4 Engine Modifications Mitsubishi Evolution VIII turbocharger; Turbosmart IWG actuator; CTD turbo manifold; Hasport engine mounts; Koyo radiator, Engine Management Hondata S300 engine management Drivetrain Competition clutch and lightened flywheel; ITR gearset and LSD Wheels, Tires & Brakes 17’’ Motegi MR125 wheels; Continental 215/40R17 ExtremeContact DW tires; NSX calipers (f); GSR calipers (r); Mini Cooper 11” rotor conversion; Hawk brake pads Suspension Ksport Kontrol coilovers; JDM Type R sway bar (f); Cusco sway bar (r); Comptech subframe brace (r) Interior Precision Chassis Works 6-point ’cage; Sparco seats and harnesses; MOMO steering wheel; Ksport QR steering wheel hub; Neptune Tunerview Exterior Aero 3” front splitter; APR GTC-200 carbon-fiber rear wing (for time attack); GPR Auto carbon-fiber drag reduction wing (for drag race)…

’95 BMW M3 Engine S50B30 3L inline-6 Engine Modifications Engine refresh w/ARP head studs and Cometic head gasket; Garrett T67 turbocharger; Turbosmart 45mm wastegate; HKS BOV; Javi 666 turbo manifold; Technica Motorsports 60-lb fuel injectors; 255-lph fuel pump kit and blowthru MAF; Insane Innovations custom FMIC Engine Management Technica Motorsports ECU tune Drivetrain Clutch Net stage 5 clutch; UUC polyurethane transmission mounts Suspension Ground Control coilovers and camber plates (f); Racing Dynamics sway bars (f/r) and strut bars (f/r); BMW lower X-brace Wheels Apex Arc 8 18’’ wheels; Continental 245/35R18 (f) and 275/35R18 (r) ExtremeContact DW tires Interior TC Kline 6-pt rollcage; OMP steering wheel; Sparco seats and rails; Defi D-Link II and display w/boost, fuel pressure, oil pressure, and EGT gauges; Innovate wide-band gauge Exterior AC Schnitzer front lip,…

’13 SCION FR-S Engine FA20 2.0L flat-4 Engine Modifications Innovate Motorsports nonintercooled supercharger kit (75mm 9psi pulley); Borla Cat-Back exhaust and HFC Engine Management Ecutek recalibrated ECU by Innovate Motorsports Wheels, Tires & Brakes Gram Lights 57DR 18’’ wheels; Continental 255/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Essex Sprint Competition brake kit (f) Suspension RobiSpec KW V3 coilovers; prototype front and rear lower control arms, bumpsteer correctors, alignment, and corner balancing; Interior Sparco seats, harnesses and steering wheel; Essex FT86 adjustable harness bar; Innovate Motorsports wide-band gauge Exterior APR GT-250 rear wing and GT3 sideview mirrors Last but certainly not least among our threesome of Toybarus was Innovate Motorsports’ Scion FR-S, featuring an elegantly integrated twin-screw supercharger kit. We first spotted this kit at PRI (Performance Racing Industry trade show), and the first…

’06 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION IX Engine 4G63T 2L turbocharged inline-4 Engine Modifications FP Green turbocharger; 1,200cc fuel injectors; RS Motors twin fuel pump setup; Buschur intercooler piping; AEM intake Engine Management EBC and E85 tuned by RS Motors Drivetrain Exedy twin-disc clutch; Evo 8 4th gear; Competition rear diff from Mullerized; solid aluminum diff mounts; AWD aluminum driveshaft Wheels, Tires & Brakes Advan RS 18’’ wheels; Continental 265/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires Suspension Ohlins from John Muller; Whiteline roll center kit, sway bar (r), endlinks (r) and bushings Exterior Buschur rear mustache bar and front crossbar RS Motors was, to us at least, a bit of a wild card. We didn’t know much about these guys other than that their shop was founded in 2003 and they’ve been building fast imports in…

’06 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX Engine EJ257 2.5L flat-4 Engine Modifications Manley H-beam rods; ARP head studs; ’08+ STI oil pump; LIC Motorsports adjustable timing idlers; Synergy 20G turbocharger; Turbosmart wastegate, BOV and FPR; Deatschwerks 850cc fuel injectors Engine Management Cobb AccessPort Drivetrain JDM STi RA 6-speed transmission, axles, flywheel and front diff; ACT 6-puck clutch kit; Suretrac front and rear LSD Wheels, Tires & Brakes Wheeldude Rota G-Force 18’’ wheels; Continental 255/35R18 ExtremeContact DW tires; Stoptech ST40 BBK (f); Hawk brake pads; Techna-Fit brake lines Suspension Mann Engineering Type-25 “Road Course Spec” coilovers; Whiteline sway bars (f/r), steering rack bushings, roll center kit, antilift race kit, endlinks (f/r), and subframe locking bolts (r); Snail Performance strut bar (f), V-brace (r), and subframe Interior Autopower 4-point rollbar, MOMO seat; Sparco harness…

Some of us in the import scene have lost touch with this simple truth: Drag racing is fun. Sure, it doesn’t require a lot of side-to-side movement of the steering wheel (unless things go horribly wrong), but there’s just something primal and grin-inducing about a straightline test of speed. It’s like the 100-meter sprint at the Olympics, except longer. And with cars. Which makes it better. Plus, NASA AZ was kind enough to accommodate our request to have the drag race at the end of the day so the teams could turn up the boost and go for broke. I mean who doesn’t want to see Bruzewski’s Evo or Poage’s 20B FD run at 30-plus psi rather than having to hold back because there’s another event afterward? Truth be told,…

Evolution. It’s inevitable, and without it, we would all live very mundane and boring lives. When I got into the car scene, I was always mesmerized by German sports cars, especially the Porsche 911 (who wasn’t?), but when you’re 16 and buying your first car, a 911 doesn’t exactly fit into the budget. Instead, it becomes a dream car you hope to one day call your own. Thanks to some good timing and a strong desire to keep expanding my automotive knowledge base, I now own this dream car, an ’87 Porsche 911 Turbo. My love for Japanese cars hasn’t subsided, but as with any job or hobby, one has to evolve to keep the mind occupied. The 911 is a car that by most standards is technically flawed, with…

STORY PETER TARACH PHOTOS HENRY DE KUYPER AND PETER TARACH Track Day Bonanza It’s long overdue, but Project Super VIII finally made it to the track for a shakedown. Anytime you substantially modify a car, there’s bound to be some trial and error involved, and there’s no better way to see what works and what doesn’t than some laps around a track. Let’s rewind for a moment, though, and quickly recap what has been done to improve the handling and power production on this ’03 Evo VIII. A plethora of bolt-ons has opened up both the exhaust and intake tracts thanks to Tomei and HKS. A CBRD BBK Lite upgraded stock-frame turbo has been fitted up, and with an RRE tune, the engine produces 339 whp and 323 lb-ft of…