Innehållsförteckning för No 273 September 2019 från NZ Performance Car

Wow, last month it looks like I really struck a chord with a lot of people. Judging by the number of messages I received about last month’s editorial, a lot of you agree with what I was saying regarding not everyone needing to build monster power machines. So, thanks to anyone that took the time to reach out and let me know your thoughts on the subject. It got me thinking: if I can get that many of you to holla about what I’m writing in my ed, can I also extract the same amount of feedback about the content direction of NZPC? It’s something that plays on my mind all the time, ensuring what we deliver is what you want to read. After all, it’s you guys that read…

If it’s not the multibillion-dollar companies that sell it to us hiking the price any time the oil value changes, then it’s the government slapping a fresh round of taxes to take its cut. As of 1 July, we’ve seen another 3.5 cents a litre added at the pump, thanks to a law passed under urgency that implements the second of three annual increases to the fuel tax. The tax increase comes at a time when prices were already heading northwards, with a litre of 91 octane costing an average of $2.28, according to AA Petrolwatch, while 95 octane is $2.37 and diesel $1.68 pre the July hike. AA spokesman Mark Stockdale said that the higher fuel prices won’t be welcomed by the public. “Last year’s increase came at the…

The Pro 7 Series has spent years building a reputation for itself as solid, production-based racing category that now makes use of both the initial RX-7 chassis and a newer, separate class for the RX-8 chassis. With the inclusion of more than just the RX-7, the series has undergone a name change for the 2019–’20 season, becoming the ‘Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Series’. The new season will see 26 to 30 car grids for the RX-7 and RX-8 classes, with round one set to kick off at Manfeild on 19–20 October, setting the benchmark for the races to follow. Much like the previous season, the series will also head south to compete round three, with Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell replacing the Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna round seen in…

Before we kick off, let me ask you one question: if opportunity came knocking at your door, would you be ready to seize it? One person we don’t need to ask this question of is ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett, the biggest name in drifting on the planet, because when that door knock was made, he took it by the balls and built the Lamborghini you see before you. For Mike, the idea of building a supercar that was driftcapable for the Goodwood Festival of Speed (FOS) was something that he’d been toying with to the point at which he actually had renders and a proposal of what it would look like, and what it would take to build. Actually turning those renders into reality, was a whole’nother thing. It wasn’t until…

The first time that we met Tim Johnson — during the unveiling of his RX-2 at the 2015 Nationals — we were floored by the perfection that the then-21-year-old had achieved with ‘LETHL2’, as were many of you when we featured it on the cover of Issue No. 221. That car was insane. Inside, outside, underneath — anywhere you looked — it was polished or painted to a level rarely seen in those days, never mind these days. So, for many, it will come as a shock that the charred remains of this high-roof 323 are the follow-up build. It’s not that Tim has fallen off the back of a glass pipe or anything like that; in fact, it’s the complete opposite. Over the show scene, and wanting to focus…

Old cars (kyusha in Japanese) have carved out a rather special space within the automotive community. Despite being the earliest generation in a long list of rapid automotive development over the last few decades — which typically means that they’re slower, poorer handling, less reliable, and more dangerous — old cars not only continue to exist today but also to thrive. Why? Automakers don’t make’em like they used to. Back when most of those that can be considered kyusha were designed, it was an analogue world. A designer’s strongest tool was the pencil, and endless sheets of paper were sacrificed in the pursuit of perfection. That physical connection allowed them to craft elegant shapes, perfect flowing lines, and sharp panel terminations that are simply impossible to replicate behind a keyboard.…

NAME: TIMMY B // AGE: 32 LOCATION: WELLINGTON // OCCUPATION: BANK MANAGER NZ Performance Car: Hi, Tim. Tell us what made you want to buy an Evo, and why this one. Tim: Hey, NZPC. One of the cars Dad had when I was young was an Evo III — I think it was about 1997. I had some pretty fond memories of that and thought to myself, I want to buy one of these one day. When I started looking, there were a few white and silver ones, but they didn’t really stand out to me, then this green one with bronze wheels turned up on Trade Me. It was in Nelson. I really liked the look of it, so I jumped on the ferry and picked it up straight…

NAME: PAUL PENG // AGE: 28 // LOCATION: AUCKLAND OCCUPATION: SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER / PROJECT MANAGER NZ Performance Car: Hi, Paul. Tell us what got you into cars. Paul: Hey, guys. What got me into cars? I don’t know … the car got into me! And what was it about this STi that got into you? During the teenage years, I always loved the Japanese cars, with everyone having RX-7s, Evos, etc. One of the boys, Nick, had the best-looking blue, bug-eye STi, and, ever since, it’s been all about the STi for me. Did you have a goal in mind for this one in terms of modifications? I did not have a goal because, initially, I intended to keep the STi stock, but I headed over to Autostance for…

How much does mileage weigh in on a car purchase for you? For most, it’s a big driving factor as to whether or not that cold hard cash will be handed over. There are those that simply won’t even touch anything considered to have high-kilometres, regardless of the condition it may be in. Many still use the benchmark of any six-figure number with a ‘2’ or higher in front of it as the be-all and end-all. Others are a bit more lenient, although they generally want to pay as little as possible for the car in question. It’s understandable, too, as for a long time I shared the same mindset for no other reason than that’s what those around me thought. Perhaps it’s a byproduct of the automotive manufacturing industry…

Our readers will be well aware of the status that the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) still holds among many motorsport enthusiasts, having reigned over the Super Touring era that saw multiple countries hold their own championships packed to the brim with ground-scraping, twolitre-powered weapons of mass destruction. Thankfully for those who remember seeing these cars in their heyday, there are still plenty of examples kicking about across the world, and interest in preserving these relics has never been higher. One particular car with a Kiwi connection is about to go under the hammer in the UK. The No. 23 factory-backed Nissan Primera hides one hell of an SR20DE under the bonnet, sending out a whopping 240kW to the front wheels, and is backed by an Xtrac six-speed sequential. While…

Gearwrench tools is stepping up its presence in New Zealand, kicking off its relaunch with some high-speed supercar action. The premium US brand’s claim to fame is the original patented five-degree ratcheting wrench, which it released back in 1996, and it now offers a full range of mechanic’s tools and a professional tool-storage system. It has built a reputation for unprecedented speed, strength, and access — Gearwrench is even Nascar tested and proven. And to celebrate the relaunch of Gearwrench in New Zealand, the brand has joined forces with Triple Eight Red Bull Holden Racing to give our readers the chance to win a hot lap in one of its supercar entries at the ITM Auckland Super Sprints (13–15 September 2019), with flights, accommodation, and general admission all included! All…

2019 CHROME EXPRESSION SESSION HAMPTON DOWNS MOTORSPORT PARK, TE KAUWHATA The wildly successful Chrome Expression Session is back for the fifth year running for a three-day hit of ontrack mayhem at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park. Entries are sold out, but spectators are welcome and can purchase tickets online or at the gate to witness the premium track time first-hand. The three-day bash features Drive Your Mates, roll racing, circuit racing, burnouts, drifting, a gymkhana, and a show’n’ shine, with the everpopular rotary-only sessions held alongside twilight sessions towards the end of each day. More information can be found at chromenz.co.nz. DAYLE ITM GOLD RUSH RALLY OF COROMANDEL, NZRC ROUND FIVE WHITIANGA There’s no dispute that rallying is in Kiwis’ blood. And whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the sport or…

We all want to have our cake and eat it too. That’s the whole point of baking a cake, right? You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you’re down for that. But, as soon as the powers that be throw into the mix a book full of legal requirements that dictate exactly how that cake can be made and forcibly regulate the recipe through biannual checks, all of a sudden having your cake and eating it the way you want becomes a whole lot harder. So, when Elliot Osborne wanted to whip up a sweet treat far beyond what your local bakery is flogging — one that wouldn’t be held back by the street car recipe book and wasn’t going to ruin his bank account in the…

While a tool-box typically contains spanners, sockets, screwdrivers, etc., there are some liquid additions that can be just as handy as the tools themselves. The trick is to know which product to use and when. If we mention the name J-B Weld, you’ll no doubt start thinking about the original two-pot cold weld reinforced epoxy, but their range is far greater than just the OG. Below, we are going to break down four of the most popular tool-box musthaves from the brand, so you’ll know which one to grab next time. As a side note, each product is a two-part glue and needs to be mixed 1:1 for the chemical cure to happen. If the product is supplied in a syringe, it will automatically dispense both products equally. The plastic…

THE BIG SNAP We were first introduced to Paul Smith’s AW11 MR2 at Chrome 2018. At the time, he told us that, after having driven solely work vehicles for 10 years, he had decided that it was time to suss out a weekend warrior. What started out as a low-kilometre, rust-free, completely original supercharged example quickly turned into a built 4A-GZE, before an engine swap was on the cards. The initial idea was to swap in a 3S-GTE from the next-generation MR2; however, the conversion mounts got lost en route from the US, and a 3VZ V6 from a Camry, SW20 gearbox, and Megasquirt ECU package popped up for sale, and Paul was sold. The conversion served Paul well, although, not too long after we saw the car, it dropped…

NAME: VICTORIA HINE // AGE: 20 LOCATION: AUCKLAND // OCCUPATION: MANAGER NZ Performance Car: Hi, Victoria. Tell us about your history with cars and modifying. Victoria: Hey, team. I’ve owned a few cars, but, other than putting wheels on and sticking on bodykits, this Skyline was the first car on which I went and had engine work done. My first car was a P11 Nissan Primera — SR20DE, manual — that was lowered on springs and had some aftermarket 17-inch wheels. I thought that was a sick first car, but it wasn’t the Skyline I wanted. Next, I briefly owned an R32 sedan, which was stolen and recovered, then had two Toyota Levins, but Toyotas weren’t my buzz, so I saved enough money to buy the car I always wanted:…

You know it’s a pretty big deal when an email hits your inbox announcing that the powers that be at the New Zealand Drag Racing Association (NZDRA) and International Hot Rod Association New Zealand (IHRA) have set aside their differences to host a joint National Drag Racing Series for the 2019–’20 and 2020–’21 seasons. The long-running disagreement regarding rules and regulations, which has divided the two drag racing governing bodies, finally appears to be settling, with both the racers and spectators set to benefit from the resolution. The existing NZDRA National Series and IHRA NZ National Series will be replaced by the new joint venture, which will comprise eight events, culminating in the New Zealand Nationals to be held at Meremere Dragway and the finals at Masterton Motorplex, both in…

The end of 2018 brought bad news for Kiwi rally fans after our only World Rally Championship (WRC) driver, Hayden Paddon, was essentially dropped from his Hyundai racing team. It wasn’t the result we had all hoped for, after an already reduced 2018 season. However, on 4 July, the man himself broke the good news that he and co-driver John Kennard are back in the WRC for a one-event stint, which may very well lead to a more permanent drive in the series! The pair will campaign Rally Finland (1–4 August) behind the wheel of an M-Sport Fiesta WRC car, and Paddon had this to say about the call-up: “We are working hard over the next [four] weeks to make sure we throw everything and the kitchen sink at this…

Red Bull Holden Racing driver and racing all-rounder Shane Van Gisbergen has confirmed that he will again pilot the MCA Suspension VK56-powered Nissan 370Z at this year’s Garrett International Drifting Cup, which forms part of the World Time Attack Challenge (WTAC). There has been talk of a supercharger making an appearance on the car; however, team principal Murray Coote has quashed such rumours, stating that they will focus on the chassis set-up instead. MILLEN SETS NEW RECORD Three-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb champion and Kiwi driver Rhys Millen has set a new record on the 20km stretch that makes up the infamous hill climb. Piloting a Bentley Continental GT, Millen broke the outright production car record by 8.4 seconds while also finishing 14th overall and winning the Exhibition Class…

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.…

The weather may be turning to shit as the winter months roll in heavy this time of year, bringing the perils of rain with them, but for those of you who care to spend your weekend frying tyres, stacking angle, and putting the front end right up your mates’ doors, there’s a shining light in the middle of the cold snap: the annual Winter Drift Matsuri, hosted by the team at Zeroclass Drift, this year over 6–7 July. It’s one hell of a wild weekend that combines the crazy antics of a full-send drift day with the professionalism and organization that we’ve come to expect from the hosts, seeing everyone from D1NZ pros to firsttimers hit the track at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park to carve out a piece of the…

When it comes to ostentatious garden parties, the English are in a league of their own. For many, the combination of fine champagne on ice and the perfume of burning rubber would result in upturned noses and snobby stares, but not for those at the Goodwood Festival of Speed — England’s rowdiest garden party. Such is the thirst for that Goodwood automotive nirvana that the 2019 Festival of Speed was pushed out to four days rather than the traditional three. Usually, it is our very own ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett — famously known for his ability to lay down so much rubber that the black marks are only finally worn off the driveway as he arrives the following year — who flies the Kiwi flag. This year, however, he had multiple…

1. FIVE-STROKE We’ll kick things off with something you will probably see in production in the very near future. It’s a take on the conventional four-valve engine, except that it allows an additional combustion cycle. So, instead of the spent exhaust gases exiting post-combustion, they are sent into another combustion chamber and compressed for a second time before being exhausted. This second combustion chamber is twice the bore of the first and is common between two fired highcompression cylinders. This effectively increases the expansion ratio of the engine without the side effects that you’d get with an impossibly long stroke. 2. DUKE AXIAL ENGINE 2. DUKE AXIAL ENGINE Developed right here in New Zealand, the Duke axial engine looks like something that belongs in the front of a World War…

EXTERIOR PAINT: Resprayed in 2K pure white by Bradley Woodger and Chris ENHANCEMENTS: Panel beaten, TR-XX front bumper, TR-XX rear bumper INTERIOR SEATS: TR-XX STEERING WHEEL: OMP INSTRUMENTATION: TR-XX cluster, Turbosmart boost gauge ICE: Kenwood KDC-BT530U Bluetooth head unit, Kenwood KFC-M604P six-inch three-way 270W components HEART ENGINE: TR-XX EF-JL, 659cc, transverse three-cylinder BLOCK: EF-JL bored to 740cc, K3-VET 4mm oversize pistons HEAD: Custom Kelford Cams camshafts, custom head gasket INTAKE: Carbon-fibre cold-air box, twoinch K&N pod filter EXHAUST: 2.5-inch downpipe, two-inch 316 stainless-steel system, two Adrenalin R barrel mufflers TURBO: IHI VF 13/14 hybrid, factory manifold with adaptor plate WASTEGATE: Internal 10psi BOV: HKS Super Sequential FUEL: Walbro 255-litre-per-hour in-tank fuel pump, 350cc GTti injectors, Tomei fuel rail, SARD fuel-pressure regulator (FPR) IGNITION: MSD coil, NGK leads, NGK dual spark…

KEEP COOL There’s plenty of components not to cheap out on when it comes to building a car, but one of the forgotten components that can make the most difference is found right in front of your eyes — a front-mount intercooler. Keeping intake temps down ain’t an easy task, and testing has shown that cheaper units simply don’t meet the mark. However, bucking that trend is the Vinny Fabrication 600x300x80, which has proven gains of up to 33kW in back-to-back dyno testing. Designed to handle high-power applications, the bar and plate core features custom flow-end tanks for maximum air distribution. It can be made to suit individual needs, all in-house at Vinny Fabrication, and is priced at $859. Call the team at Vinny Fab on 03 366 6558, or…

WHEELS / TYRES MAGS, TYRES, WHEEL ALIGNMENTS, WHEEL BALANCING, AND REPAIRS AUCKLAND MTS PERFORMANCE Lowest price guaranteed on wheels, tyres, and suspension mtsp.co.nz / 021 4 TYRES (021 489 737) / 82 Wairau Road, Glenfield ARROW WHEELS NZ’s leading builder, repairer, refurbisher of alloy wheels for 35 years arrowwheels.co.nz/ 09 818 8388/ 6D Westech Place, Kelston, Auckland BRUGAR ENGINEERING Mag wheel repair specialists since 1979 magwheelrepairs.co.nz/ 09 486 6832/ 7 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna, Auckland WAIKATO WORLD OF TYRES Hamilton’s leading retailer of tyres, wheels, batteries, and wheel alignment servicing worldoftyres.co.nz / 07 847 0330 / 62 Greenwood Street, Frankton, Hamilton TARANAKI TARANAKI TYRETORQUE LTD Taranaki’s leading tyre/mag specialist, providing automotive services and customization tyretorque.co.nz / 06 757 5988 / 53 Molesworth St, New Plymouth WELLINGTON 41 DEGREE WHEELS Three-piece…