Table of contents for No 293 December 2021 - January 2022 in NZ Performance Car

Ahhh, that all-too-familiar feeling: lockdown, again. Lockdown is challenging for so many of us, with working constraints and social distancing meaning that we can’t earn a full wage most of the time and we’re restricted from seeing our loved ones. It’s confronting in that you’re forced to deal with things at home, including, potentially, issues that going to work can make it easier to avoid. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. For a lot of you, it’s a great time to get stuck into those projects that keep getting put off. Renovations, the lawns, fixing those lights you told your partner you’d get onto eight months ago, and, most importantly, car projects. For us, it poses a huge challenge. As you will all know, in order to print these…

DUE TO COVID-19 ALERT LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS, ALL EVENT INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING BUT MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Event Spotlight COOL CARS ON TV For a closer look at some of the custom engineering work going on in workshops devoted to owners of special cars, check out Repco Muscle Garage. As the name suggests, the programme focuses more on the performance market and customisation. However, the growing interest in importing American cars of all ages is feeding a thriving industry serving owners who want to add more go, more stopping power, and better handling via the manufacturers’ more recent catalogues or from the vibrant aftermarket parts scene. That growing skill base is also good news for classic owners who may need those fabrication skills, or who…

If you looked at my Google map of Japan, you’d see more gold-star pins than land. That’s how many places I went to over my four-year stint in the country. I’ve compiled a list of what I think needs to be on the itinerary of anybody who likes JDM cars and the culture around them. These are the events, places, and shops that had my jaw dropping to the floor — enjoy! 01 SR ALL STAR MEETING Just like the Toyota Festival or Rotary REunion in New Zealand, the SR All Star Meeting is an event for a certain type of car: a car with an SR-powered engine — mainly the 180SX, S13, S14, and S15 platforms. First held at one of Ecopa Stadium’s parking areas in Hamamatsu, the event…

I never imagined it would get out of control to what it has become now, so it’s still a big shock.” These were Corey’s initial words when we interviewed him about his 10-plus-year Mitsi’ Evo IV build. With a basically factory-looking Mitsubishi Evo IV before you on these pages, you’re probably wondering how this is a 10-year build; where has that time, money, and dedication been spent? Well, sitting under the bonnet, carefully shoehorned in-between the strut towers, is an unassumingly powerful, tastefully refined 4G63 packing more power than most others in New Zealand. Do we have your attention now? Good! Now how does over 600kW at the wheels sound? Strap in, as we go through 10 years of street car, daily-driven 4G63 wizardry. “I mainly bought and built it…

It was in 1997 when Mazda used the advertising slogan “Get in, be moved” and the year this particular Mazda RX-7 FD rolled off the production line and was first registered. Over two decades later, enthusiasts have evolved and adapted to what the Mazda RX-7 means to them. For some, they’re pure collectors’ cars now. But for others such as Michael Kerr, they’re a near decade-long build and restoration — a build that began in what was almost a different era to today’s ‘taxed’ market and bustling Japanese, Kiwi-based car scene. For Michael, though, the RX-7 was bought to be a daily driver — a preposterous thought today given how rare they’re becoming, but back then it served its purpose well, navigating the twists and turns of his quaint home…

I want to talk about some of the different paint protection coatings currently available and the benefits of each. There’s plenty of information and misinformation out there and, with more products showing up in your news feed every day, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out the facts from the hype. Do you need wax or a ceramic coating? What’s the difference between a spray ceramic from Repco and a pro-applicated ceramic from a detailer? Is polish the same as wax? Before we look at these, we first need to discuss the most important part of the process: preparation. Without this step you will get zero benefit from any coating — synthetic or natural — and completely waste your time and money. Ideally, you should be taking your vehicle…

NZPC: Hello Pedro! Very nice to meet you, through our mutual friend and contributor, Steven. To kick things off, who are you and where are you from? Pedro: Hey! I’m Pedro Copado, aged 26, born and raised in Orange County, California. I’m currently dumping money into a 25-year-old Japanese sports car. Outside of modifying cars, what hobbies and interests do you have? As I get older I find myself having less and less hobbies. Maybe I’d say tattoos and music, finding new music and spending more of my spare time playing Apex legends. Recently got into low riding so I guess that’s a little different from the usual drift/stance stuff. Something really interesting is that, although you’re based in another country, you’re passionate about similar vehicles to our readers. How…

It’s a huge honour to be Hero Contributor for this month. I’ll never get used to getting acknowledged for my pictures. It means a great deal to me and shows appreciation for all the work and hours I do. I have been doing automotive photography for around five years now, but have only been contributing to magazines for the last two. My techniques for photography are strobe photography and light painting — these techniques are not seen a lot and I always strive to do something different. I experiment with different techniques, watch a lot of YouTube and like to learn from other photographers, which I thoroughly enjoy, seeing others’ perspectives. My aim is to get people to see their pride and joy through my eyes and how I see…

Dog and owner look-alike competitions do exist — in case you weren’t aware. Maybe you’ve seen the mildly unsettling images of the winners proudly posing with their trophy and their hairy companion, beaming with questionably justified pride. Hairy old Bruce and his Irish setter, uptight Cindy and her prized Maltipoo, and chubby little Timmy and his wheezing Shar Pei — it’s all very wholesome fun. Research shows that these similarities — not just in looks but also in personality and demeanour — aren’t restricted to the type of people that would enter a look-alike competition; this is a fairly universal phenomenon. Auckland-based Richard Opie is more of a cat guy, to be fair, but what he lacks in canine companionship, he makes up for in the garage. Richard’s cherry-red KP61…

You might be thinking this car looks familiar — well, you might recall a drag-spec Honda Civic dubbed ‘PROJECT D’ back in issue 207. This car was originally built by the ‘Mad Professor’, aka Adam Plews, owner of Speed Science. Around 2013–2014 it was running passes in the 12-second range, which was relatively quick for a road-legal stock-block B18CR. Running straight and hard was its sole purpose. Later on, the engine was swapped out for the mighty K20A and turbocharged! The car was then sold to Hayden Barnett and became known as KFED. It was packing some serious heat at that point, staying in the drag racing scene, having more performance improvements over time, and making faster passes each run. It had a healthy 314kW of K20A turbo power under…

We know the drill: the afternoon screaming text alert that passes through the neighbourhood, and the ominous low beep chime followed by “This is a Covid-19 announcement”. The snap lockdowns bring no difference to the Mazda workshop here at home, other than that the sudden urge to go out and buy toilet paper has been replaced with last-minute attempts to scrounge bolt shops and place AliExpress orders with the hope of delivery. Extra-large rubber bungs that don’t fit in the loom holes? Need them. Wrong overflow bottle? Finding out later that time should have been used to peruse auto shop paint shelves. Get it — basically anything that might ease project pressure. The sense of urgency and motivation to finish the rear suspension, intercooler pipes, and brackets for ECU and…

TO SUBSCRIBE WWW.MAGSTORE.NZ OR 0800 727 574 1) New Zealand delivery addresses only. 2) Offer available on print subscriptions purchased through MagStore only, 3) Offer is not available in conjunction with any other offer. 5) See MagStore.nz for full terms and conditions SUBSCRIBE TODAY ONE YEAR $54 $11 SAVING WITH OFFER TWO YEARS $98 $33 SAVING WITH OFFER…

With Project GRB now punching out 231kW at the wheels using the factory airbox, turbo, injectors, and intercooler, it has proven to be incredibly fun on the road — showing just how impressive the factory platform really is. However, the factory equipment can work well for a time but with more than 100,000kms it’s better to play it safe before something fails. In order to let the Subaru breathe better in all forms, I decided on three key upgrades: a larger airbox, an upgraded blow-off valve, and a catch can. With streetability in mind, I decided to keep things recirculating and enclosed where possible. Plus, these upgrades should also make it sound a heap cooler. Let’s get stuck in! BOOST NOISES! WITH THE HKS AIRBOX AND TURBOSMART DUAL PORT INSTALLED,…

THE SR20DET HAS BEEN BUILT TOUGH, BUT NOT FOR PULLING BIG NUMBERS. ANDREW WANTED A DEPENDABLE POWER UNIT, SO THE BLOCK IS STUFFED WITH QUALITY FORGED CARRILLO COMPONENTS HELD TOGETHER WITH ARP BOLTS. A SNEAKY NA CAM UPGRADE SITS IN THE PORTED HEAD, GIVING THE LITTLE DATSUN GOBS OF ‘GET UP AND GO’ Retro-tech, restomod, pro-touring — whichever hyphenated moniker you wish to use for the particular box that epitomises a certain type of build, there’s a bunch of constants that runs innately like high octane through their respective fuel-line veins. Whatever the designation, and despite their finely nuanced differences, the style of each of these ‘automotive subgenres’ is, at its core, typified by a copious amount of modern tech being poured into a classic shell. In the import world,…

NZPC: Hey Johnny, really tidy Silvia — how long have you owned it for? Johnny: Thanks! Coming up to 12 years now. I purchased it after high school, and I’m now in my early thirties. Why did you choose the Silvia over any other platform? Couple of high school friends of mine owned Silvias before me which started my interest in them. The front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout makes the platform so versatile. From drag racing, circuit racing to drifting — it can do everything! It’s obviously set up for track days, where does it get used mostly? I used to compete in the NZ Superlap series, so that had a huge influence on the way the car was modified, but nowadays it is mainly street driven on weekends and the…

YOUR BUILDS IN DETAIL QUINN’S BIG BOOST K24 DC2 We are sure there aren’t many Japanese car enthusiasts who haven’t enjoyed a good ol’ Honda at some point, and almost all of them would have dreamed of doing a turbocharged one at some point. Six years ago, that project started for Quinn after he purchased a completely stock ’94 DC2 Integra. The plan initially was to have some reliable fun on the street, with the odd visit to the track. “The first real rendition of this build was basically a bolt-on eBay turbo kit on the original B18C motor with a chipped ECU, with the usual supporting bits and pieces,” Quinn explained. However, after following the import drag scene for a long time in the States, Quinn saw what people…

SERIOUS STYLE The Rotiform SNA is a custom forged, three-piece wheel, handmade in the USA. With a nod towards retro European styling blended with cutting-edge profiles and new construction techniques, Rotiform wheels push the limits of modern car modification. With flexible specs and colours, there’s every chance you will find the fit that completes your vehicle. Check them out at dtm.co.nz. HOT FRAGRANCES Hot Wheels has developed in partnership a range of automotive-inspired air fresheners, which pay homage to some iconic hot wheels, including Beach Bomb — an uber rare Kombi from 1966 worth six figures today. In true Hot Wheels fashion, no detail has been overlooked with these air fresheners, currently offered in either 3D hanging or vent mount. Available in two fragrances: Treasure Hunt – a combination of…

EXPERTS FOR EVERY NEED CONSUMABLES OILS, ADDITIVES FLUIDS, FUELS AND WORKSHOP CONSUMABLES AUCKLAND RECHARGE BATTERIES Battery revitalizer and conditioner recharge.net.nz / 0800 36 66 36 PO Box 350, Pukekohe, Auckland SOUTH PACIFIC ETHANOL Suppliers of quality race fuels southpacificethanol.co.nz / 021 885 902 20 Bledisloe Street, Cockle Bay NATIONWIDE MICROTECH NEW ZEALAND LTD Producing a range of affordable high-quality engine management systems microtechnz.co.nz / 03 374 5000 125 Wordsworth Street, Chch DRIVELINE/BRAKES BRAKES, GEARBOXES, DIFFS, DRIVESHAFTS, AND AXLE PARTS AND REPLACEMENTS AUCKLAND DIFFS R US Not only diffs, also chassis fabrications, suspension, tubbing, custom body modifications 09 270 0855 / 4A Kaka Street, Otahuhu, Auckland SOUTHLAND PADDON RALLYSPORT GROUP Winmax brake pad suppliers for street, drift, offroad, circuit and rally paddonrallysport.co.nz / 027 318 1748 / info@paddonrallysport.co.nz / 26 Silverstone…