Table of contents for No 289 April - May 2021 in NZ Performance Car

Ah, what a feeling; thousands of dollars spent, weeks of hard nights slangin’ spanners in the garage, days off work, leave approved, and bam, smoke screen on the second session out at the track day you’ve been waiting for, for ages. Yep, last month, I was a victim of a fate that plenty of you have experienced — engine failure. I had just fitted my new trumpets, had a retune, fitted new plugs, prepped the engine with brand new oil and a racing filter, only for it to fail miserably with smoke billowing out the rear end, thanks to oil getting pushed out of my breather and onto the exhaust. Initially, I thought it was the gearbox oil getting pushed out somehow, until I remembered that we routed a breather…

HEART ENGINE: RB26DETT, 2600cc six-cylinder BLOCK: N1 block, Nitto crankshaft, Nitto I-beam rods, Custom Age 625+ rod bolts, Nitto pistons, Calico-coated ACL race bearings, Total Seal Gas ported rings, HSE billet oil pump, Platinum Racing Products (PRP) block brace HEAD: Kelford 182-SF cams; Tomei 1mm oversized valves; Tomei dual valve springs; Tomei retainers, guides, and studs; ARP head studs; Nitto head gasket; ported INTAKE: Factory plenum, Hypertune intercooler EXHAUST: NDT 1.5-inch runner exhaust manifold, NDT four-inch exhaust system TURBO: Precision PTE7675 (1.12AR housing) WASTEGATE: Two Turbosmart 40mm CompGates FUEL: Frenchy’s twin in-tank pump kit, two Walbro 525 fuel pumps, Siemens Deka 220-pound injectors IGNITION: Franklin Performance R35 coil kit ECU: Haltech Nexus R5 VCU COOLING: Factory Brian Ingham, or his workshop NDT Developments, is a name you will no doubt…

HEART ENGINE: 1UZ-FE, 4000cc eight-cylinder BLOCK: Gapped rings HEAD: ARP head bolts, TRD MLS head gasket INTAKE: 80mm throttle body, air-to-air intercooler EXHAUST: Stainless 3.5-inch dump pipe, three-inch exhaust, single muffler TURBO: Turbonetics T66 ball-bearing WASTEGATE: Turbosmart Pro-Gate 50mm BOV: 50mm TiAL FUEL: Two Walbro 255-litre-per-hour fuel pumps, surge tank IGNITION: Factory ECU: Wolf V550 ECU COOLING: Two radiators, custom hardpiping to boot EXTRA: Innovate wideband controller EXTERIOR PAINT: PPG 2K Arctic White ENHANCEMENTS: Custom vinyl graphics INTERIOR SEATS: Custom WRX front seats STEERING WHEEL: Custom retrimmed INSTRUMENTATION: Boost gauge, air-fuel-ratio gauge, water-temp gauge AUDIO: Sony head unit, JVC 1000W amp, 6.5-inch and 5-inch door speakers, 15-inch subwoofer YOU WOULDN’T THINK A 1UZ-FE AND A LARGE TURBONETICS T66 BALL-BEARING TURBO WOULD ALL FIT INSIDE THE FRAMEWORK OF A KE30 ENGINE…

Back when Wellingtonian Greg Pask began cruising the streets, the fastest cars cutting laps around the Courtney Place circuit were the likes of Escorts fitted with two-litre Cortina motors. Those were the days when the tariffs were just coming off imported cars, and the streets were yet to be taken over by the cheap and powerful second-hand Japanese imports we now know and love. While you could think I’m suggesting he’s old, I’m not; I was there at the time, too. Greg was one of the lucky ones, though; while most of us had to deal with carburetted old shitboxes that could barely turn a tyre in the wet, let alone the dry, he was rolling in comparative high-performance luxury in a 1985 Mitsi Sigma. So flash was the 1.8-litre…

NZ Performance Car: Hey mate, how did you get into modifying cars? Razak: I practically grew up with them. I acquired the love of cars through my dad, who is also passionate about building and racing them. It had always been my dream to have my own fast car that stands out from the crowd. I finally achieved that at the age of 20. Why the Subaru and not a Mitsubishi? There are plenty of fast Evos and not many Subarus. I take pride in doing things differently. Subarus are generally looked down on in the car scene, so I took it upon myself to change that perspective. I’m competitive by nature and I like a good challenge, so it worked well for me. Was the intention always to drag…

YOUR CAR STINKS While we might be used to the smell of oil rags, petrol fumes, or even our four-legged mate, that’s often not the case for those we’re trying to impress in the passenger seat. Sphere Car Air Fresheners are uniquely designed with grid-like inclusions and a round shape that perfectly aligns with the direct ventilation flow to pass air through the very centre of the Sphere. The fragrance released is extremely effective in achieving an even and pleasant smell throughout the vehicle. Available in three fragrances in NZ — Lemon Storm, Ocean Splash and Fruit Blast — and available from leading automotive stores throughout New Zealand. VIDEO EVIDENCE These days, there’s so much happening when you are out for a cruise or drive that you’d be silly not…

After owning mainly Nissans, thanks to being able to purchase most of the parts back in the day from local wreckers, Nick has moved on and decided to try his hand at a Toyota. Nick purchased the KE70 project as a rolling body, with big plans for making it a track day-spec streeter. Since he purchased it, a T-series LSD has been installed and Wilwood brakes, and he currently has a 20-valve 4A-GE engine being rebuilt for it that will be backed by a T50 gearbox. Not wanting to run fibreglass flare, Nick has sent the Corolla off for fabrication, which will see some flared guards and a roll cage fitted and made.…

There’s nothing better than a track day, there’s nothing better than a cruise, and there’s most certainly nothing better than parking up with your mates and spinning some like-minded yarns. This couldn’t sum up the 2021 Gazoo Racing Festival any better. An incredibly warm, sun-filled festival down at Hampton Downs Raceway saw hundreds of immaculate, new and old Toyotas hardparking, drifting, sliding around in the skid pan, and cutting laps in the countless slow, medium, and fast track sessions. Down behind the venue was a four-wheel-drive course, where lifted and factory Toyota four-wheel drives tackled a challenging course, built to complement the expansive Toyota range. In attendance, was me, your Ed, in my 2004 Toyota Altezza. If you’ve read my editorial at the start of this issue, you will see…

WARREN SARE Hi, me again — only this time you can’t hear me; you are just reading my words. If you are trying to place me, yep, I’m that annoying voice you sometimes hear on the PA at car events. The Ed. asked me to spin a yarn about the 2021 Nationals, and, to be honest, it’s not that hard to do. As a family, Anna, Jordy, Sarah, and I live the event for the full four days — including pack-in — and that makes it quite a simple process for me to transfer what I see, feel, and hear onto paper. My view is a bit inside out, and what I hope to convey is what the event looks like through my eyes. I truly believe that we are…

People all around the world took to the latest A90 Supra. Its curvy, almost JZA80 lines reminded us of years gone by, and Toyota opted for an inline-six with a turbocharger, just like the good old days — albeit from a BMW. It was no surprise then that tuners, enthusiasts, and Youtubers took to the new platform, with one in the USA running an 8.78-second quarter mile. Interestingly, the B58 engine runs an internal collector-style manifold design, with only two exhaust ports exiting the head. Toyota has revised this for the 2021 A90 car, running with a more traditional-style cylinder head that features six exhaust ports. With this change, and a few other tweaks, the A91 Supra will now have 285kW at the engine, over the 250kW in the previous…

HEART ENGINE: 4G63, 2200cc four-cylinder BLOCK: Manley billet crankshaft, Wiseco forged pistons, Nitto rods, ACL bearings, Tomei baffle, custom oil pump HEAD: Kelford 280-degree camshafts, HKS cam gears, GSC retainers and keepers INTAKE: Plazmaman intake manifold, Bespoke Fabrication intercooler piping, custom intercooler, Turbo-Guard filter EXHAUST: Custom front-facing exhaust manifold, Bespoke Fabrication four-inch exhaust system TURBO: Garrett GTX4202R Gen 1 (1.01AR turbine housing) WASTEGATE: TiAL 60mm external BOV: TiAL 50mm FUEL: Plazmaman twin fuel rail, four Injector Dynamics 2600cc injectors, four Bosch 1500cc injectors, two Bosch 044 fuel pumps, surge tank, custom fuel lines IGNITION: AEM Smart coil packs ECU: Link G4x ECU, AEM wideband COOLING: Relocated radiator tank, no thermostat, filled concrete block with Moroso Engine Block Filler EXTRA: Tucked engine bay Like mixing the perfect bowl of kava, it…

DAY ONE: IT’S SHOWTIME! Now in its second year being held in the Tron, the 26th edition of the 4&Rotary Nationals car show was one that brought plenty of surprises, many a nod of appreciation, and an overwhelmingly positive vibe through the gates of Claudelands Arena. With entrants and fans travelling from around the country to take part, and organisers electing to go old school and do away with the now commonplace ‘confirmed entrant’ posters, those paying the fee at the gate were not sure what they would see when they entered the venue. This, in turn, gave punters an opportunity to look at the event without any preconceived ideas. Like a clueless parent at Christmas, it was like the kids opening presents and seeing what they got. Walk in…

Toyota, you mad lads — are you having a laugh? A Yaris? With a bodykit? When we first heard of the Gazoo Racing (GR) Yaris some time ago, it did seem a touch strange, having a large corporation such as Toyota announce the souping up of their eco-friendly, grandma-carting, econobox hatchback. However, when the first render dropped, we became believers. It seemed as though Toyota just needed a badge to throw on the back of what would be a specialised, backward-engineered, road-going weapon, designed and built to homologate their World Rally Championship (WRC) rally car. Ah, we get it now! With flashbacks to spritely homologation specials of the good ol’ days, we couldn’t wait to get our greasy mitts all over the latest offering from Toyota — chuck us the…

Most of the VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda models actually sport the same floor and running gear with a different party dress on the top. We don’t really get the Seats here in New Zealand, but the company makes some really tasty hot hatches. With that platform sharing, there obviously comes a lot of ‘Lego’ modification options, but, additionally, many Porsche and Lamborghini parts are also a direct fit on the VAG-platformed cars! ENGINE The Golf Mk5 GTI uses the EA113 engine: 2000cc turbo, 16-valve, Bosch ECU, direct injection (high-pressure, pump-driven mechanically via exhaust camshaft). In ‘normal’ GTI form, they use a BorgWarner K03 turbo. In Pirelli or Edition 30 (Ed 30) form, they use a K04 turbo, carry a slightly different engine code (BYD) and are fitted with rods…

For years now, Mad Mike Whiddett has been based out of a workshop at Hampton Downs Raceway. Not open to the public in any way, it has been a private workshop in which Mike and the team have been able to piece together some of the raddest projects we’ve seen in New Zealand. However, there has been a need for expansion for some time, and Mike has established himself just around the corner in the same building. Now though, the workshop is much larger, able to be viewed from the café at Hampton Downs, and there’s finally a shop front, where enthusiasts can purchase official Mad Mike merchandise on site. We’ll be taking a workshop tour through there for the next issue, so keep an eye out!…

DC Shoes owner and all around gymkhana-sliding, burnout-slangin’ mad dog Ken Block is now a free agent, after an exclusive 10-year partnership with Ford has ended. Ken Block is now a free man, open to deals with whomever he pleases. “Working with Ford over the past decade has been awesome,” Block said in a statement published on his Hoonigan Racing Division website. “I’m super appreciative to Ford for the support over the years, but I am also looking forward to what an unrestricted 2021 holds, and the ability to spread my wings a bit and play with a lot of other toys.” Block has graced our screens with countless hours of Gymkhana content in Ford-powered equipment — with our favourite being the Ford Mustang Hoonicorn RTR V2, a 1400hp 6.7-litre…

BUILT WITH SAFETY IN MIND, MIKE WANTED LINCOLN TO BE SURROUNDED BY A FULL ROLL CAGE. THE MX-5 ALSO FEATURES A HARRIS RADIO KIT FOR COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOM NRG GOLD-FLAKE RAINBOW GLITTERBACK FIA SEATS “Lincoln actually never wanted to get into drifting,” Mike Whiddett tells us. It’s an interesting point, and one that raises further questions — little did we know, this statement had a few levels that would be broken down throughout the conversation. How could the son of New Zealand’s drift superstar not want to follow in his father’s footsteps? “Linc has been around drifting ever since he was born, naturally. He was with us in the States at the Red Bull World Drift Champs before he had even turned one year old, and ever since has seen…

Bihoku Highland Circuit, the racetrack that became my local in Japan, is situated high up in the mountains on the edge of Niimi City in Okayama Prefecture. A quick three-hour car ride west from Osaka will get you there — you could catch a train and a bus, but a car is much easier. From where I lived in Japan, it was a relaxed two-hour journey via the touge routes. I managed to drift there more times than I can remember, with people of different skill levels from all over Japan. As the circuit is in the centre of Chūgoku — which houses Tottori, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, and Okayama prefectures — many drivers from these prefectures frequently make the journey to Bihoku. Bihoku was opened in 1983 and has the…

Four hundred and thirty rotaries — let that just sink in for a second. To put this in perspective, if the team at Choice Events lined up every car with a single-car spacing between them, it would take up the entire Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park’s 3.5km track. When we think of the international rotary scene we think of places like Puerto Rico, Japan, California, Australia, just to name a few. With events like SevenStock in California, Rotary Only in Japan, Rotary Revival in Australia, and, of course, Rotary REunion in good ol’ New Zealand, the rotary scene will live on for many years to come. REunion is back for another round of left-right, goodnight pre-mixed knockouts. I’ve covered this event for the past five years, and not only has it…

NZ Performance Car: Hey, Gerald. How did you get into modding cars? Gerald: Hey, guys. I have always been a car fan and had recently run a race car business — Trass Family Motorsport. I was keen on having a vehicle with a Liberty Walk [LWK] bodykit and contacted Toshio, the owner of the LWK company, who told me they only did a kit for the two-door C63 but would design one for my four-door car. A while later, they phoned me to tell me it was ready, so they ended up sending it straight over to New Zealand. I WAS KEEN ON HAVING A VEHICLE WITH A LIBERTY WALK [LWK] BODYKIT AND CONTACTED TOSHIO, THE OWNER OF THE LWK COMPANY THE C63 IS A GOOD PLATFORM TO WORK WITH.…

One of the many victims of 2020 was the Teretonga round of Drift South. The planned April round had to be canned just as the Covid virus started to hit NZ, but with things returning to nearly normal a few months later a replacement was scheduled to be a part of the Southland Sports Car Club’s January race meeting. A good entry list of 26 cars, featuring drivers hailing from Auckland to Invercargill, headed to the far South to be greeted by brilliant sunny weather — perhaps a bit too sunny for some, judging by the sunburn on some after the event. With a lot of the entrants having never drifted at Teretonga before, practice was a real mixed bag. A few drivers were nailing it from lap one, and…