Innehållsförteckning för November 2017 från Fast Car

“There’s more titanium on this SW20 than most of us have ever seen!” What is it that causes us to lust after having the only one of its kind in the world? Is it that magic allure of rarity? Knowing we have the only one makes it, and by default, us, more special. Or is it the human instinct that we want to shine or be somewhat different among the crowd? There’s a certain appeal with going against the grain of society from time to time. In regards to cars, we modify our cars to stand out among the sea of horrid ecoboxes. For us enthusiasts, the way we modify our cars is the perfect way of expressing our individualism. So, to understand why Smicha Momm Thira had such high…

When a car show claims to be one of the UK’s biggest indoor events, you know we’ll be there to check it out. Having established itself firmly in the car show calendar, FittedUK packed over 1000 vehicles into the vast halls at EventCity in Manchester. Originally, it showcased the best German-made metal, but has recently opened its doors to all makes and models. Featuring everything from money-no-object show cars to supercars, low-riders, and the cleanest, original cars around; there were motors to suit everyone’s taste. And with plenty of sponsor and trade stands, the RC track, and special guest DJs (as well as food stalls and licensed bars dotted around), there was ample going on to keep the crowds entertained. With trophies for the best German and Non-German automobiles up…

JUDD T325 From £994 (set) The guys at Judd wheels have gained a big reputation over the past few seasons for offering some of the most prestige-looking wheels around, but ones that come in at rather surprising, rock-bottom prices. It’s clear to see that this simple philosophy has served them well too, because it’s very much more of the same with their new, T325 wheel here. Due to land this month, these huge, staggered 19 and 20-inchers offer a modern take on the classic split-five-spoke or ‘spider’ style that was perhaps most popular in the early ’90s. There’s been quite a resurgence of this style in the past year or so, but none have been offered in such a staggering range of fitments and offsets. It’s pretty obvious that Judd…

Thumpstar DirtyB 140, £699 It may be fun to watch, but we’ve never been ones for dressing up in brightly-coloured leather cat suits, attempting back flips on dirt ramps and ending up in A&E with a broken back. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want one of these teeny weeny, pint-sized pit bikes from the guys at Thumpstar. In fact, we’re loving these so much we’d even consider messing up our perfectly-coiffed barnets by wearing a lid. And that’d probably be sensible, because these little buggers are fast. Thumpstar have been one of the biggest brands for mini-dirt bikes since the early Noughties but, considering they’re in Australia, they’ve never been all that easy to get hold of here in the UK. They’ve still managed to sell over 40,000 of…

GETTING STARTED First things first, you need to check your gear fits. Whether that’s under the seat, in the rear of a two-seater or, as in our case, in the boot; test the space available, have a cuppa and make your master plan. Have a think about how you’re going to secure your enclosure. Some will need to be screwed down, others strapped and some you can simply secure with some Velcro tape or sticky pads. You don’t really want your expensive new kit sliding around all over the place, do you. Most good quality, active subs, will come with dedicated wiring that’s perfectly matched to the built-in amplifier. For passive sub and amp setups, you’ll usually have to purchase a wiring kit separately. Get the right one for the…

“I took it to my first SCCA Autocross and was hooked!” If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I’d like you to close your eyes and try to visualise your first car. Picture its curves, its angles, the condition of the bodywork, the cleanliness and reliability of the mechanicals, the way it smelled. Its registration number, the way it felt when you thunked that lever into gear, the swish of the wipers, the angle of lean as you cornered… Is that bringing back happy memories of a shouty and sylph-like sports car? Or are you shuddering at the grotbox bag-of-nails your motoring adventure began with? Me, I’m picturing a £200 1.0-litre Nova, with irretrievably rusty arches and insufficient power to trouble the skin of any rice puddings lurking nearby.…

The cult of the Volksrod is something that’s been ebbing and flowing ever since Model A and Model T Fords started to sell for serious money. The essence of it, as the name clues you in on, is to take the ethos of a traditional hot rod build and paint it all over a VW Beetle canvas. Beetles are, after all, rather easier to get hold of than vintage Fords (albeit not as much now as back in the 1980s) and the design of the original Volkswagen dates back to the 1930s. So you can’t really argue with the appropriateness of the platform. The traditional way to hammer together a Volksrod is to unbolt all the wings, fit the front beam from a vintage Ford to pull the wheels forward,…

It get’s better too, this isn’t your average Honda S2000, over the past few months the boys at Fast Car magazine have been treating it to some tasteful upgrades with the help of the biggest names in the industry. So far modifications include 17-inch Rota Fighter alloys, EBC discs and pads, Falken Ziex rubber, an EMP custom exhaust system, 3M wrap and Bilstein B14 coilovers. We just hope the competition winner enjoys this car as much as we have, if not we’ll happily have it back. You gotta be in it to win it: Get yourself to the competition tent (see map on page 140) before 2:30pm so you can enter this amazing competition. The winner will be drawn and announced at 3:30pm in the Live Action Arena! TECH SPEC:…

UP THE STRIP Santa Pod’s infamous quarter-mile of silky smooth tarmac unsurprisingly played host to a whole heap of action on the day. At the root of it all was Run What Ya Brung (RWYB); affordable drag runs up the strip where the public work out who’s got the fastest road-going Vauxhall. From fiery, engine-swapped Novas through to supercharged V8 Monaro monsters, this section of the day never fails to get the crowd going. Laced in between the RWYB sessions, the pros took to the strip in the form of the Ten of the Best qualifier competition – the largest street competition in the UK, no less. With pretty much everything in this league sporting a turbo the size of a beach ball poking out of the bonnet. Our highlights…

On our latest adventures in Bangkok for a few feature shoots, we were determined to get a closer look at the car culture in Thailand. So when street team Liberate, informed us of an underground meet and extended an invitation for us to ride along with them, it was an offer we couldn’t refuse. The meeting place was at a random service area on one of the extensive highways that run around the outskirts of Bangkok. If we were to make a comparison, it reminded us of a smaller version of Daikokufuto or Tatsumi parking areas in Tokyo, Japan. It seemed the place was used to car meets there as staff that pump your gas at the station didn’t seemed phased as we rolled in 10 cars deep. We arrived…

It only takes one look back at your seven-year-old self on Christmas Eve to realise just how much we all love a good pressie. Because let’s face it. It wasn’t the special edition of Songs Of Praise the next day that was stopping you from sleeping back then, was it? And when it comes to treating yourself on your birthday, Newcastle lad Daniel here has taken it to a whole new level. Firstly buying himself a spanking new motor and then following it up with some seriously impressive parts to attach to it in the subsequent years to create this stunning, slammed Golf you see here before you. Beats a fresh pair of socks, that’s for sure. Daniel’s generosity towards himself began on his 21st, a couple of years back.…

Novitec/Vossen NV2 Wheel, POA It has to be said, we’re big fans of the cars from Tesla. After all, when they look so good and are THAT rapid, we couldn’t give a shit if they run on the blood of orphan children or the same stuff you stick up your toaster in the morning. So, don’t be put off by all the polar bear-friendly bollocks. These things are quick. We’d be more put off by the fact the new performance Model X variants cost more than a platinum-plated leer jet re-trimmed in nothing but renaissance paintings. Still, we’ve no doubt all that will change over the next decade, so it’s good to see Novitec and Vossen getting in early with this forged (not to mention fookin’ massive) 22-incher, designed specifically…

Compressor Outlet As the name suggests, the compressed (and very hot) air exits here on its way to your motor – the next stop is usually the intercooler. Core This centre section joins the two housings together and covers the turbo shaft. At the top and bottom of the core you’ll find holes allowing the engine oil to flow in and out, which lubricates the shaft and bearings. Many turbocharger cores also have holes on the sides for water to flow through, allowing extra cooling. Turbine Outlet The exhaust gas passes through the turbine wheel and leaves the turbo to continue out of the exhaust system. Compressor Inlet This is where it all starts. Air gets sucked into the turbo from your air filter at seriously high speed. Compressor Housing…

One Brave Mother Considering he’s shit scared of a great many things (not least heights, Ryanair, wasps, bananas and trains), we were most surprised to receive these phone snaps from our Midge the other day. Turns out it’s not him standing on top of some 1950s bi-plane though, it’s actually his mum – who’s obviously far more of a man than he’ll ever be. Er, we mean that in the nicest possible way though Mrs Midge, naturally. Best. Cake. Ever. You know what they say; time waits for no man, and that means, one day, we’ll be all grown up and have to get married (Easy son, don’t say that in front of the missus! – Initial G). Well, being partial to the odd cake (Did someone say cake? –…

Public Track Time Silverstone’s legendary National circuit will be in full swing all day. Take to the track in your own car, or head to the viewing areas to catch a glimpse of the action. As well as the public track sessions, there will be sponsor, display and club sessions. Whether you’re lucky enough to be driving on the famous Silverstone tarmac or simply spectating from the stands, there is plenty of high-octane action for you to enjoy. TRAX is the place to put your car through its paces. Whether this is your first time or you’re a regular track driver, follow in the footsteps of the British Touring Car drivers as you navigate the same corners as the pros. No matter what your experience or skill level, get the…

We’re pleased to announce that TRAX will be partnering up with Toyo Tires who will be taking over the Live Action Arena at Silverstone on 1st October! The team from Toyo will also be hosting an awesome tyre challenge, which will be located next to the arena. Toyo Tires has been one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the business since its establishment 70 years ago. Offering a wide range of tyres from the top of the line performance models right across to SUV specialised designs and premium road tyres, the aim is for its tyres to perform well in both wet and dry conditions. The Toyo Tires area will also feature its very own exhibition stand where you can check out the latest tyres available from the global brand,…

YOUR CAR You have two main options here: drive your car to TRAX, thrash it around the track, and then drive it home again; or trailer a dedicated track car to the event, unload it, have some fun in it, and trailer it home again. It’s pretty obvious that if you drive your car to the show and spend all day on track, there’s a possibility you face a long walk home again if things go wrong! And while the second option does mean having the expense of a trailer and the hassle of towing, it does mean you can spend all day on track without the fear of ‘how am I going to get home if this breaks?’ and you can therefore push that bit harder Many track-dayers have…

Like a well-worn pair of jeans, some things in life just feel so right, you wonder how you ever lived without them. The Performance Vauxhall Show (PVS) at Northamptonshire’s legendary Santa Pod drag strip, certainly acts as a warm, familiar face for more than a few car enthusiasts in this country and beyond. It’s been a staple date on the performance show calendar for longer than we care to remember. And, it’s fair to say that with all those years’ of practice, the organisers have got the event down to a tee nowadays. The 2017 instalment once again successfully celebrating all things griffin-badged in serious summer style. With an estimated 10,000 punters attending on the day and no less than 2,000 tasty Vauxhalls old and new to ogle over, it’s…

“The Japanese car scene just seemed a whole lot more epic to me!” Ever had one of those fleeting moments of madness where you’ve been tempted to sack it all in, dye your hair blue and go live in a hut in the woods? In this crazy age of be-cool-or-die-trying conformity, we’re surprised this hasn’t happened more in recent years. The world of modified cars isn’t safe, either. The internet is quick to judge every millimetre of offset on your new alloys and comment on how the colour of your brake callipers clashes so badly against your re-sprayed bodywork. Thumbs down. But why should it be like this? Surely if the owner is pleased with the outcome of their ride, the matter should end right there? For Rotterdam-based Nick here,…

Tuning companies and parts manufacturers are our lifeline. Even the most skilled members of the Fast Car world could do with a helping hand, be it with parts, fabrication, mechanical work, or electrical trickery, from time to time. The trouble is, this is real life rather than a fairy story. While there are great guys out there, there’s just as much opportunity to get stung by someone in the car scene as in any other part of the world. So it’s time for us to give you some advice. We could sum it up by simply saying, do your research. But while that’s true, there’s more to it than that. So here’s our top 10 ways to not end up getting your pants pulled down by a dodgy tuner... 1…

Laser Tools Mini Thermometer, £30 OK, so strictly speaking, it may not be an essential; you could always stick your hand on your brake discs or exhaust manifold and see if it hurts or not. However, this little gadget from Laser is both frickin’ cool and amazing in equal measure. The idea is simple: it uses an infrared beam to take temperature readings in a matter of seconds, rather than traditional methods that take forever and are a right bugger in hard-to-reach areas. But, what would you need an item like this in the garage for? Apart from the obligatory seeing if your nads are sweaty or not – diagnosing sticky calipers and overheating circuit boards or checking heat-shielding and coolant circulation would be at the top of our list.…

A couple of months ago we (and by ‘we’ I obviously mean me) fitted a spanking Audiotec Fischer Match system to our Jules’ Beemer. The idea was simple, to demonstrate how an ultra-modern, direct-replacement audio upgrade, can be installed in next to no time at all. We did the whole job in an afternoon. That does beg the question though; what if you can’t find a plug and play woofer for your car? What if they simply don’t make one? Or maybe you’re just looking for some even bigger boomage. Well, don’t panic because installing a more generic subwoofer or two, won’t take you very much longer. To be honest, there’s not one passive sub and amplifier combo that can’t be fitted over the course of a weekend – you…

“Seat time really helps and my drifting improved a lot” Where were you the first time you came across drifting? For 25-year-old Callum Marshall, appropriately enough Driftland was the place where drifting grabbed him by the balls, slapped him across the face and yelled: “Build an awesome E36 drift car you idiot!” Not wishing to upset the voices in his head, that’s exactly what Callum went and did. It was during that passenger ride in a Drift Taxi back in 2014 that Callum became instantly addicted to the smokey automotive art form. He sat there wide-eyed as the driver flung the car around the track, back-end fully sideways, insanely loud exhaust rattling his brain and smoke pouring off the rear tyres. When he got out, he instantly wanted a drift…

TOM FORSYTH’S EJ9 CIVIC FC says : Young Tom here reckons he might have the lowest static EJ9 Civic in the country. And take one look at it in the flesh and you probably won’t doubt it! Using custom coilovers with some serious camber adjustment thrown into the mix, this sweet hatch is sitting satisfyingly close to terra firma, and looking the business because of it! But a low ride height isn’t this beauty’s only party piece. In fact, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Helping it to stand out further is the sumptuous Black Pearl Rose body wrap, which is contrasted by the glow-in-the-dark (yes, glow-in-the-dark!) engine bay re-spray. Talking of the engine, this is a heavily modified version of Honda’s 1.4 D14 screamer, tucked and shaved to…

Mazda RX-7 • UK built and owned • Rocket Bunny wide-arch bodykit • 14.5x18in (rear) Weds Kranze ERM split rims • 13B twin-turbo rotary with large street port Feature Cars: RB-kitted Cayman Mad Mazda RX-7 Awesome Audi TT E27 slammed 7 Series 80s Apple-inspired ‘78 Bug Bonus Feature: The Top 10 Wheel Brands you’ve never heard of Out There: Retro Rides Gathering: The coolest show of the year doesn’t disappoint #388 On Sale Friday October 13 *Subject to change because we’re Fast Car and we do what we want…