Innehållsförteckning för No 272 August 2019 från NZ Performance Car

Enjoyment! At the end of the day, I’d hope this is the driving factor for all of us involved in building cars. Maximizing this one thing should trump everything else! It should be why we invest so much time; effort; and, undoubtedly, cash into building and driving performance cars. I don’t care if you slap on wheels, lower it, and call it a day, or if you fuss over every last bolt, seeking some form of unattainable perfection, I sincerely hope that you’re getting the maximum enjoyment. One thing I don’t think helps this is the current obsession with massive power, which is becoming the accepted norm. Like some form of bad drug addiction, the fun soon wears off when all you’re chasing is the fix, lost in the numbers…

6–7 JULY WINTER DRIFT MATSURI NZ – BRUCE MCLAREN MOTORSPORT PARK, TAUPO The weather may be turning to shit as the winter months roll in heavy, but the shining light of the cold snap is the annual Winter Drift Matsuri hosted by the team at Zeroclass Drift. With 16 hours of drifting over two days promising epic times, hardcore drifting, good eating, plenty of bangers, and one of the wildest after parties known to man, it’s about as hardcore a drift fix as you’ll find. Hit up the 2019 Winter Drift Matsuri NZ event page on Facebook for full details and pricing. 20–21 JULY CRC SPEEDSHOW 2019 – ASB SHOWGROUNDS, AUCKLAND Year after year, the CRC Speedshow never fails to chuck a smile on your face — it’s a genuine…

HEART ENGINE: Mazda 13B (S6), 1300cc, two-rotor turbocharged BLOCK: Kiwi-RE-built, full cut bridgeported plates, Rotormaster 3mm apex seals, dowelled block, balanced and blueprinted, MazdaSpeed oil pump INTAKE: S6 intake, Pac Performance elbow, HKS Super Power Flow filter, Pac Performance intercooler EXHAUST: Three-inch mandrel-bent system, Rotorflow pre-silencer, Rotorflow muffler TURBO: Garrett GT42, Kiwi-RE manifold WASTEGATE: 50mm Turbosmart Pro-Gate BOV: Turbosmart Raceport FUEL: Aeromotive A1000 main pump, Holley Red lift pump, Malpassi fuel regulator, billet fuel rails, Injector Dynamics 1000cc primary injectors, 2000cc Injector Dynamics secondary injectors, two-litre surge tank, Aeromotive fuel filters, custom HPC-coated fuel-system mount, braided lines throughout IGNITION: Bosch coils, MSD leads ECU: MicroTech LT10S COOLING: Pac Performance alloy RX-3 radiator, Pac Performance oil cooler EXTRA: Gilmer belt drive, alloy catch-can, custom super-hard Nolathane engine mounts, modified RX-3 breast…

As the saying goes, if you want the treats you better put in the mahi. Before Damian and I flew to Japan, we knew that some of the best Up Garages, museums, and tuning houses were off the beaten track — and, by off the beaten track, I mean well off it. Not that it bothered us; we were committed to the cause and determined to track down those hidden gems for which Japan is so well known. A must for any car guy is a trip to an Up Garage, so why not the biggest in Japan, sitting two hours outside of Tokyo? Although, as we were staying just north of the city, that turned into a three-hour trip; I said we were committed, right?! As we transferred to…

Tracking the history of your latest addition to the neverending fleet is usually challenging even with the best of ’em. Apart from those few inconsistent invoices crumpled up in the glovebox and whatever parts-shop receipts you can dig out from under the floor mats, you normally have only the little information that the seller can offer to go off — you could have the country’s most well-serviced vehicle or one that’s spent a decade neglected like the illegitimate child of the family and be none the wiser. For the few who are lucky enough to be handed a holy-grail folder of paperwork detailing the car’s existence on our shores, it’s knowing exactly what it saw in The Land of the Rising Sun that is going to be all but a…

Remember as a young buck when you’d be in desperate need of a couple of AA batteries for your remote-control car, so you’d pillage the nearest battery-dependent object, which almost always ended up being the TV remote, much to your parents’ dismay? It was the perfect plan: use only what you need and put it back when you’re done. It was a concept that has undoubtedly saved you a ton of money by not having to buy double the quantity of expensive batteries over the years. Although there’s few things in life to which the same logic can be applied in a practical manner, we saw one that made all kinds of sense during the writing of this feature. The man behind this remarkable discovery is Steven Andrews, Toyota enthusiast…

Most people reading this will be very familiar with the practice of modifying cars and will have learned that once a car goes in the garage and parts start coming off, it may be there for some time — some will even know first-hand that it can mean years in the making. So, whether you’re spending those late nights in the garage building your ultimate race car, own a seldom-driven show car that simply collects dust until its next outing, or have the burden of a never-ending project car still in a million pieces that you can’t seem to stop loving, it’s best to have a plan in place to protect yourself in case the unexpected happens. NAC Insurance offers an affordable solution for exactly that with its Fire, Theft…

The future is electric. It is; there’s no denying the inevitable: the future of the automotive industry is electric. With massive pushes from governments and sanctioning bodies towards cleaner, renewable resources in recent years, there is only one way for the automotive industry to go — and it’s been headed there for some time now. Just take a look at how much infrastructure has already been set up to support charging on the go, and the number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid cars swarming the roads. You don’t need to agree with it, or even like it, but there’s no denying that it’s happening and that our petroleum-based fleet is on the decline. For your average commuter, one who simply wants to sip their morning latte while pushing…

With the Japanese launch of the latest generation Toyota Supra going down in May and the New Zealand counterpart only just around the corner, Toyota has even more promising news for Supra fans: the company will soon put parts for the A70 (Mk3) and A80 (Mk4) back into production. Revealed by Shigeki Tomoyama, head of Gazoo Racing (GR) and an A80 owner himself, the GR Heritage Parts Project joins efforts made by Nissan, Mazda, and Honda to preserve popular, ageing models. “We cannot answer about specific parts at this time, but we will make every effort to meet the expectations of owners,” Tomoyama said. “All horses that were once a means of transportation have been replaced by cars, but racehorses remain. There are people all over the world who love…

He’s a legend in the car world, and, this year, for the first time ever, Chip Foose will be in New Zealand to appear at the CRC Speedshow as 3M’s Global Brand Ambassador. The Hot Rod Hall of Famer is heralded among modifiers not only for his skill in designing custom cars but also for his ability to build them. Having painted his first car before the age of 12 — a Porsche, no less — Foose has forged a staggering career that includes prototype and conceptual designing for vehicle OEMs, and the creation of speciality machines for films such as Blade Runner, Runner RoboCop, and RoboCop Gone in 60 Seconds. For many, his most recognizable work would be from the wildly popular television show Overhaulin’, which launched in 2004…

Just like the good old days of ripping endless mainies with four of your mates packed into the cabin of your first shitter that everyone somehow thought was cool and the crew’s favourite hip-hop CD blasting over factory audio from decades prior, Chrome Expression Session is probably one of the best things you can do with your car without the risk of door-to-door racing or Johnny Law giving you a few extra taxes. With the home-base event in the North Island going five years solid and drawing in upwards of 700 entries in 2018, it was only a matter of time before the calls from the South Island became too much to ignore, so the Chrome party headed southwards to Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna in Christchurch for the inaugural…

Touching down on the tarmac at Christchurch Airport marks the beginning of an adventure in hooning, if you’re so inclined — especially if it’s Queen’s Birthday weekend. It’s a weekend that’s become synonymous with absolute humdingin’, limiter-bashin’, slug-growin’ good times for a group of drift-mad humans from the south. For a North Islander of a similar disposition, Street Meat’s Glory Daze is a breath of air — so fresh that the marketing team behind the “100% Pure New Zealand” campaign should probably pop over to Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna and have a wee nosy. The positive vibes diffusing through pit lane; the distinctive style of drift machinery; hell, even the facialhair preferences stand out as markers distinguishing the southern drift dialect from its North Island cuzzies. RUNNING YOUR OWN…

5. ROTARY This title is one in which US company Racing Beat is king, having run 242.005mph (389.49kph) in 1995 with its FD RX-7. However, the FD is most famous for its airborne antics a year earlier, when it flipped at 225mph (362kph). The FD3S ran a triple-turbo 13G three-rotor, making around 900hp (670kW). The car was retired after this, and it currently sits in the basement of Mazda’s US-based R&D facility. 4. HONDA While you’d probably expect the fastest Honda to be a turboed K-series, stroked F-series, or even a Formula 1 power plant (previous holder), it is in fact powered by a turboed 660cc S660 unit that has been built to produce 250hp (186kW) and spin to 10,000rpm. Having run as fast as 240mph (386kph) during SpeedWeek, Honda’s…

If you’ve missed the first four instalments of the 1000-plushorsepower (746kW) pump-gas SR20DET engine build for Cook Motor Racing (CMR), we suggest that you go back and read those first. For those of you following along, you’ll know that the deadline date we spoke about has come and gone. So, by the time you’re reading this, a ship will be crossing the Pacific, and on it will be a container packed with the CMR trailer, and inside that, we’re proud to say that two 746kW billet SR20s are neatly packed. One is a shrink-wrapped long block, and the other is bolted inside the streamliner ‘Wairua’ and ready for war — well kind of… Last time we checked in at CMR, it had been struck a few parts-supply blows, which pushed…

NAMES: BLAYNE ROACH, BRONSON PORTER AGE: 28 (BOTH) // LOCATION: HAMILTON OCCUPATION: OWNER, PLATINUM REFINISHING; OWNER, OLD SCHOOL HOLDEN NZ Performance Car: Hey, g guys. Tell us how this car came to be and why you chose the R32? Blayne: Hi, NZPC. It all started as a low-budget drift missile for Bronson and me to have a crack at drifting [in] and eventually escalated into a soon-to-be-road-legal race car. We were originally looking for an old Holden of some description that we could stuff a 327ci V8 into; however, after scrolling through auctions, we came across this R32. It already had the RB25DET swap done, and, with parts readily available, it was a good buy. So, it’s safe to say it hasn’t quite stayed true to the original plan? Laughs]…

NAME: BRENDAN YOUNG // AGE: PENSIONER LOCATION: HAMILTON // OCCUPATION: COFFEE BOY AT PLATINUM REFINISHING NZ Performance Car : Hi, Brendan. What would you say got you into modifying cars, and what was your first? Brendan: Yo. That’s easy, I got into cars when I was about five and playing with Hot Wheels, then the real things got me. One of my first cars was an ’87 Mazda GT-AE, which I picked up for only a few thousand bucks and got caught up in modifying. Just the usual pod filter, exhaust, mags, and bucket seats; that was pretty much all that was affordable back then. How would you describe the majority of your car ownership? It’s really a bit of everything, to be honest; I’ve had all sorts over the…

Wrapping up the 2018–’19 season of the country’s premiere Time Attack series, NZ Superlap has announced the final results, and it’s time to crown a new set of champions. With the rankings determined by the highest four results for each driver from the five rounds, the Pro Open class was dominated by Tony Satherley in the 666 Evo, while Brady Wild made a clean sweep of the Pro Street class in the billet-engined V11 STi. New series records were set in the Street class, with the titles of Street King and Street 4WD Champion awarded to Andy Brooking in the R32 Skyline — organizers stated that Andy “smashed it out of the park this season, even finding the time to add a cage [to his car] mid season” and reset…

When it comes to endurance racing, it’s not always about winning the battle so much as winning the war. While you may be able to last, or even win, a round, it’s those who can stay consistent and make it to the end of the season in one piece who reap the rewards. With the close of the 2019 Eneos North Island Endurance Series (NIES), Glenn Smith and John De Veth took out top honours in the three-hour category with the McLaren 650S GT3. The pairing scored a runner-up spot in the opening round of the series at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, while round two at Pukekohe Park marked their first win of the season. All they needed to do was finish the final to nab their first championship together,…

Catch the last few episodes of the fourth season of Teng Tools Muscle Garage! So far, there have been seven sweet, sweet episodes of New Zealand’s coolest V8-powered cars, events, sheds, and workshops, airing back-to-back every Sunday. Don’t sweat it if you missed an episode, as there’s still three more to go, and, better yet, we’ve uploaded the full season to The Motorhood for your viewing pleasure — all you need to do is visit themotorhood.com and click through the Teng Tools Muscle Garage post. While you’re at it, don’t forget to enter yourself into the running for the prizes. Not only will this put you in the draw for the weekly giveaways, but you’ll also be in to win the mother of all prize packs. Below is the remaining…

Got Instagram? Want print fame on top of all those likes that fly your way each time you post a photo? Want to show us your whip without actually talking to us? Want to see what other readers are up to in their sheds? The answer to all these questions and why these two pages exist lies in the use of the hashtag #nzpc. Search it, use it, and thrash it! We keep a very close eye on it and will be choosing a bunch of hashtagged posts each month to print right here. And that’s not all — the best shot will earn it’s photographer a little prize for their trouble. So remember, next time you’re gram’n’, use #nzpc.…

EACH GARRETT TURBO BREATHES THROUGH ITS OWN INTERCOOLER — CUSTOM FABRICATED USING VIBRANT CORES — LOCATED IN EACH SIDE POD OF THE BUMPER What constitutes a challenge to one man might seem like a walk in the park to another — and, when you get all deep and philosophical about project car building, it is essentially just a series of challenges one must overcome, one after another. Some guys just like to stack a few more up than others. When it comes to Guy Ellwood, slapping a bigger turbo onto a factory-fitted straight-six was just not going to whet his appetite; this man wanted to challenge his car-building skills to the ninth degree, so he decided to double his trouble with what has to be the most ridiculous conversion a…

TOYOTA FT-60 CHASSIS: Carbon-fibre composite manufactured by Tatuus (Italy) ENGINE: Race-prepped 8AR FTS–derived two-litre four-cylinder; turbocharged, direct and port injection systems POWER: 200 kW WEIGHT: 600kg (dry) TOP SPEED: 250kph GEARBOX: Six-speed Sadev sequential with paddle shift TYRES: (F) 230/560, (R) 280/580 FIA TIER: Three Open-wheel racing has long been considered the pinnacle of motor sports, where supreme beings among mere mortals go to drive in the likes of Formula 1 (F1). It only takes one look at Toyota Racing New Zealand’s single-seater championship, the Toyota Racing Series (TRS), to see how popular it remains on our shores. Stretching back 15 years, the series continues to evolve, with the recent unveiling of its latest car platform and a new framework that will help mark the championship as a must-do for…

While CARnival may have been a new event on the calendar for 2019, that’s far from the vibe that was given off in its packed-out pits; an instant classic. The format? Well, you know the MO of these events: cruising, drifting, drags, burnouts, power skids, and some grip sessions — basically, everything you want to do in your car on the street but will end up in cuffs should you try. Such is the popularity of this type of horsepower party at the moment that no fewer than 350 competitors fronted up in Taupo in the bone-chilling temps that Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park delivers midwinter; the type of temps that make your fingers go numb within minutes, your nose turn red, and you look as if you’re vaping. CARnival kicked…

NZ Performance Car: Hi, Tara. Tell the readers how you found yourself modifying cars. Tara: Hey, NZPC. Back in college, when my friends and I were at the age of sitting our licenses, I saved up to buy my first car. It was an ’89 Honda Civic. The first financial mistake after that was a ’92 Mitsubishi GSR. We took it off the road within the first six months to replace the 1.8-litre with a two-litre Evo motor. From there, it didn’t end; she went for a full respray, new shiny parts, and [was] converted to rear-wheel drive. Several years later, it was done. What made you want to own an STi, and how did you find this one? Funny enough, I was first looking at the Mazda MPS, but…

LOCK IT IN Back in the day, if you lost or broke your car key, it was a simple case of calling out the locksmith or getting a new one cut to suit. But, with the advent of key fobs that include electronic components, there’s a bit more to it now. Don’t stress, though; New Zealand automotive accessory distributor, Griffiths Equipment, has teamed up with Mechatronics Auto Parts (MAP) to provide a comprehensive nationwide supply of parts to deal with the problem. MAP’s extensive range of complete keys, key fobs, key rubbers, and remotes covers pretty much any make and model you can ask for, and is available from leading automotive stores throughout New Zealand. Further information can be found at maparts.com.au. ON THE LIMMY Sticking a Beams engine in…