When T-LD first started just over two years ago, we never imagined that we would end up with the support we’ve received from our fans. We have met hundreds of car owners, visited countless workshops, followed a number of builds and shared so many stories with you via your computer screens. Now, we’re excited to be breaking out of cyberspace to host an event that will put a selection of these cars all in the one place. Finally, after months at the drawing board, THE-LOWDOWN.com is proud to announce: Showcased! Made possible by our major sponsor, Xtreme Motorsports and in affiliation with Meguiars Australia, the show will take place on Saturday, June 30th, 2012. For full event details and updates, please visit the official Showcased page.

Everyone into automotive culture is a race-car lover on some level. We can’t help it. Watching motor racing on TV as a kid is a formative experience, and for some of us it becomes an obsession that takes over when we get cars of our own. These two incredible S-chassis Nissans show what can happen when you mix import aesthetics, race-car sensibilities and the pursuit of ever-faster lap times.

You can’t go at it alone with builds of this calibre, and these two mates, Matt and James, have shared a lot of similar experiences as they’ve moved from basic club level racing through to more serious competition. We got up close and personal with their Silvias and tried hard to pick a favourite. We still can’t decide.

Matt Robinson has owned his S14 for twelve years. Take a second to think about what you were doing twelve years ago! It was stock, Jungle Green, and just what Matt was looking for at the time.

Mods were minimal to start with; BOV, exhaust, turbo timer, etc. It was a gradual process, but one that never slowed down. “I didn’t intend to turn it into what it is today, but then at the same time, looking back, I could see it slowly occurring. I remember flicking through Hyper-Revs until the early hours of the night and translating Japanese web sites to see what new parts were about.”

Matt is a true enthusiast in every sense of the word. Back when he was tearing down his S14 and modifying it, there wasn’t nearly as much information available when compared to now. “I was very passionate about documenting the work I was doing. I always wanted to try and help others along the way and started early with a lot of tech articles for nissansilvia.com.”

“At the start of nissansilvia.com there was a central bunch of NSW people that met up for cruises and runs. That rolled into starting Australia’s first CAMS affiliated drift club. I’ve moved away from that side of things and become more involved with supersprints and time attack, but this car was my introduction to motorsport.”

“Since then the goal has been to always go faster through continued development whilst keeping the amount of money invested to a minimum. This never worked.”

You would expect a car with twelve years of development to be a formidable package on the track, and you would be exactly right. Matt’s S14 is no highly strung, one trick pony. Rather, it is a well blended combination of reliability and performance.

“The car performs well,” says Matt. “I find it instils a lot of confidence when driving it. I am a big fan of the S-chassis cars, being RWD, relatively lightweight and turbocharged. It’s a great combination that is a lot of fun and extremely rewarding to drive on the limit.”

You can tell an SX Developments car when you look at one up close. The details are all perfect and nothing is done by halves. Twelve years of ownership and track use haven’t hampered the car in any way.

The interior is purposeful but not totally spartan. While carpets and unnecessary trim are long gone, the factory dash has been retained. Matt’s digital display, race wheel and custom centre console upgrade the interior’s looks as much as its functionality.

If you make it to WTAC this year you will see Matt’s car in the show and shine, but as for the main event he’s sticking to the sidelines. “I aim to do more track days at Eastern Creek and Wakefield Park, but my big goal is to go interstate and race on Phillip Island, Winton and hopefully one day Lakeside, Queensland Raceway and Sandown.”

“The car has been a roller-coaster of ups and downs, but I have maintained a consistent passion throughout. I have as a result of building it up over many years and sharing my passions with other people, come away with some lasting friendships that never would have happened had I not been involved in cars and motorsport.”

James’ S15 has a similar story, but whereas Matt picked up his S14 and stuck with it, James strayed a bit before eventually knuckling down.

“I’ve always liked the racetrack,” says James. “Every car I have owned has revolved around a compromise between the road and track (and budget!) and pushing the boundaries as to what you can live with.”

This S15 is James’ second, and his sixth performance car. “I’ve had this one for two and a half years. I second time around I wanted one that was modified to start with, and it took me seven months to find the right one.”

When James picked it up the SR was sporting a 2871R turbo, supporting mods and a mechanical diff. As you can see, it’s come a long way from there. “I put my Bilstein suspension from the first S15 into it, bought some track wheels and drove it like that for a while. Eventually I upgraded the track rims to a more aggressive set. That meant flaring the front guards which unfortunately left them damaged; before I knew it things had snowballed to a full widebody conversion!”

Pete at Bodyform was the master craftsman behind the perfect bodywork you see here. This was the only part of the car that James was not heavily involved in himself. “This is not a workshop built car. I have researched, bought, modified and fitted every part and alteration on this car myself with some help in areas I’m not an expert.”

Underneath that gorgeous exterior is extensive chassis work carried out by James and his mates, the Sutton brothers. Every day after work and every weekend for three months were spent overhauling the Silvia. “The chassis was extensively modified to lighten and strengthen in key areas. Brad at Profabrications also added the CAMS approved half roll cage.”

“By now the car was way behind schedule and well over budget, but it then went to another friend’s house for painting. James Snell and I spent the next two and a half months prepping the car every single weekend. Being a perfectionist I drove him up the wall sanding the car down with 800 grit for that perfect clear over base finish.”

“The end finish was just as I had hoped. The white on the car is the purest commercially available and created some challenges. In the end the car needed six coats of colour and three coats of clear, but anyone who has seen it up close will attest to the quality of the job.”

After letting the bank balance settle, James went back to the drawing board with Andrew from SX Developments to plan an engine package that would put his S15 on the map. “We decided to enter the World Time Attack Challenge and leverage all the chassis work and develop the car further. Every spare minute over the three months leading up to WTAC went into the car. Intense would be a gross understatement to describe it!”

Suspension, aero and engine were all tackled by the team. The turbo selection was critical in order to maintain drivability on the street. The exhaust was made from scratch with no mufflers in sight. “We were aiming for 300-330rwkW on E85 with some decent boost. It wasn’t to be though.”

Sadly money and time left the E85 setup out of reach, so the car hit Eastern Creek with 265rwkW, “which we were a little disappointed with,” says James. Not to be discouraged James went out hard and clocked a 1:39.6s best lap. “The car is amazing to drive on the track; very predictable and balanced. WTAC 2011 was such a buzz, our only criticism was the power. We are already entered into competition for 2012 and work is underway to be at our best.”

Since our shoot James has pulled the engine out of the car and is slaving away on the front end, seam welding, lightening and bracing in anticipation of the new engine.

As you can tell from the signage on these two Silvias, SX Developments have played a big part in getting them to where they are now. We thought it worthwhile having a chat to Andrew, the head honcho at SXD.

“I’d been working on Silvias for years and built up a fair bit of motorsport experience and knowledge on how to get them to go fast and be reliable. When James started talking about entering WTAC we decided it was a good time to build up the brand.”

“Rather than a normal workshop, SX Developments is more of a race team. The idea is to be able to work on interesting custom projects, and put as much time as possible into race-car development.”

“Both of these cars have similar goals, which is to be as fast as possible around a race track while still being drivable on the street and looking good! The wing mounts and front splitter are designed to be quick and easy to remove, without being excessively heavy or compromising functionality. The idea is that with a change of tyres and those parts bolted on, the cars go from relatively streetable to serious race-car with minimum hassle.”

Everything done by SX Developments is carefully planned. A lot of time is spent thinking about and re-tweaking the designs before anything is built. “Matt and James are very fast drivers, and it’s really only by chance that they both ended up building white, widebody Silvias – but I’m glad they did!”

Sadly the team’s on board equipment didn’t capture their quickest lap of 1:39.6 in the S15 at WTAC 2011, but here’s their second quickest with full data overlay for your enjoyment!

Matt would like to thank his wife Michele, Andrew from SX Developments, Eugene at JDM Detailing, John Penlington from Unique Autosport, Yauvulz from Unigroup Engineering, Chris Manning from Sandgate Autos, Greg Boyle from Autosport Engineering, the Nissan Sports Car Club and all the friends who helped along the way.

SPECIFICATIONS:

NISSAN S14 200SX

HARDWARE:
- NIZPRO built forged engine
- Unigroup camshafts
- Unigroup valve springs
- STD exhaust manifold
- HKS GTR-S
- Earls oil and water lines for turbo
- A’PEXi Power FC with hand controller
- Blitz ID3 boost controller
- A’PEXi Power intake kit w/Pod
- NISMO Z32 AFM
- 60mm throttle body
- Turbosmart plumb back BOV
- TOMEI dump pipe
- Enlarged BFR front pipe with extra bracing
- Kakimoto HYPER FULLMEGA N1+Rev cat back modified by SX Developments for diffuser with X-Force Muffler
- NISMO in tank fuel pump
- Bosch 044 main pump
- Sard RJ fuel pressure regulator
- SX Developments custom surge tank
- Unigroup low mount fuel rail
- ID1000cc Injectors
- Caltex E85
- SX Developments catch can

COOLING:
- 50mm bespoke radiator
- Remote mounted 16 row earls oil cooler
- Earls billet remote oil filter relocation mount
- Earls braided lines and fittings
- Hybrid GT Spec intercooler with Blitz piping
- Samco radiator hoses
- NISMO thermostat
- SX Developments thermo fan switch and conversion from clutch fan
- Handcrafted stainless steel ducting from front bar through to radiator
- GReddy radiator cap

DRIVETRAIN:
- Nissan R33 Series 3 GTS-T 5 speed with bespoke SR20 bell housing by SW Motorsport
- OS Giken twin plate clutch
- NISMO SSS LSD 2 Way
- Nissan 4.08 diff
- Noltec replacement diff mounting bushes
- NISMO gearbox mount
- NISMO engine mounts

SUSPENSION:
- Bilstein coil over suspension with custom valving from Bilstein Motorsports Australia
- Tein strut tops
- Carbing strut brace with master cylinder stopper
- JIC pillow ball rear control arms
- Ikeya Formula toe arms
- Ikeya Formula tie rods
- Tein tie rod ends
- Kazama castor rods
- Whiteline H/D sway bar links
- Full replacement Noltec nolathane bushings
- Rear – (rear lower a-arms, rear traction rods upright bush bearings, sub frame bushings)
- Front – (front lower arm)
- Roadholder custom front and Whiteline rear sway bars
- Whiteline camber pins

BRAKING:
- Endless Mini 6Style front callipers
- R33 GTS’T twin piston rear callipers
- R33 handbrake rear conversion
- DBA5000 T3 front rotors
- DBA4000 rears rotors
- Endless PC35 Pads
- Hydraulic hand brake
- Sin brake fluid
- Custom brake lines

WHEELS AND TYRES:
- Enkei RPF1 18×10.5 +15 F&R
- Volk SE37 18×9.5 +12 F&R
- Advan A050- 265/35 R18 F&R

EXTERIOR:
- Vertex Ridge (original) Wide body Kit – front and rear wide guards, front and rear bumper and side skirts
- SX Developments modified rear wing
- SX Developments front splitter with aluminium mounts
- Carbon fibre bonnet
- SX Developments rear diffuser
- Craft Square carbon mirrors
- Vertex front head lamps
- Vertex front indicators
- HID light kit
- NISMO smoked side indicators
- SX Developments front and rear tow hooks

INTERIOR:
- Race Technology DL1 20hz
- Race Technology Dash 2
- Bolt in Bonds roll cage
- Velo GP-90 seat
- Bride rails
- Williams 4 point 3in safety harness
- 1kg Fire extinguisher
- NISMO Shift Knob
- Sparco steering wheel
- Sparco steering boss
- Battery relocation behind passenger seat

NISSAN S15 SILVIA

HARDWARE:
- SX Developments custom made dump pipe
- High flow cat
- Custom SX Developments exhaust
- 740cc Nismo fuel injectors
- Splitfire coilpacks
- Unigroup GEN 3 cams and valve springs with adjustable exhaust cam gear
- Rocker arm stoppers
- Garrett GT3071R T3 0.63
- S15 NA throttle body
- 6boost high mount t3 ceramic coated manifold
- V-Band tial external 44mm gate
- Z32 Air Flow meter
- Apexi pod filter
- GFB plumb back BOV
- Apexi Power FC ecu
- Turbosmart E-boost 2 electronic boost controller
- Nismo 255L/hr fuel pump (lift pump)
- Piersberg 380lph external motorsport pump (screw type)
- SX Developments surge tank mounted outside cabin
- Ross water pump pulley (7% larger)
- Alloy intake
- Custom cold air box
- Custom wiring loom guard under wheel arch

COOLING:
- KOYO 52mm aluminium radiator
- SX Developments electric thermo fan conversion
- Greddy V spec intercooler (w/ replacement hot pipe)
- Greddy oil cooler with relocator (Trust 40mm GTR core)
- Custom underbody air diversion plate (due to FMIC)

DRIVETRAIN:
- Z32 brand new gearbox
- SX Developments z32 gearbox conversion
- Nismo GT Pro TT 1.5 way LSD
- 3.9 auto s15 diff
- Lightweight s14 flywheel
- Exedy heavy duty organic clutch
- Nismo engine mounts
- Nismo gearbox mount
- Subframe align and lock bushes
- Short shifter

SUSPENSION:
- Cusco rear toe arms
- Cusco rear camber arms
- Cusco front castor rods
- Cusco strut tops
- Bilstein Racing Australia fully adjustable coilovers with motorsport pistons (custom spring rates)
- Whiteline front camber pins
- Whiteline blade adjustable swaybar
- Whiteline blade adjustable swaybar
- Solid subframe locking rings

CHASSIS BRACING:
- SX Developments rear underboot wing support mounts
- Pro Fabrications weld in half cage with front side intrusion
- Seam welded chassis
- Boot braced from strut tops (chromoly)
- Stock boot brace replaced with weld in bar (chromoly)
- Front strut brace
- Nismo power brace 2

BRAKING:
- BNCR33 front Brembo calipers
- DBA 4000 GTR 324mm front rotors
- BNCR33 GTR brake master cylinder
- HCR33 handbrake assembly
- BNCR33 GTR rear Brembo calipers
- BNCR33 GTR rear slotted, vented rotors
- Goodridge braided lines front and rear
- Cusco brake master cylinder stopper
- Custom handbrake bracket – reduced handbrake travel
- Unique Autosports motorsport GEN2 Brake air deflectors
- Street/Track – Endless Pads
- Motul RBF600 brake fluid

WHEELS & TYRES:
- Volk Te37 Super Laps 18×11’s all round
- Street: 285/30/18
- Track: Hankook Z221 295/30/18

INTERIOR
- Cobra fixed back bucket seat
- Sabelt 3in 5 point harness
- Vision seat rail
- Nismo gear knob
- Power FC hand controller
- Defi DIN – oil temp, water temp and oil pressure gauges
- JDM A pillar mount with integrated boost gauge mount
- HKS Boost gauge
- Battery relocated to under passenger seat
- Small UPS dry cell battery
- 3 point immobilizer and alarm

EXTERIOR:
- Vertex ridge front bar
- Vertex ridge rear bar
- Vertex ridge side skirts
- Vertex ridge wide front guards
- Vertex ridget wide rear guards
- Sunline Racing carbon bonnet
- Top stage carbon boot lid
- Voltex wing
- SX Developments front splitter
- SX Developments rear diffuser
- SX Developments toe hook

“That’s a tough one,” is the first thing Justin says in answer to my question. Justin Fox is part owner of Zen Garage, the newest Sydney haunt for a whole range of sub-cultures. “Since opening last December, there has been a lot of feedback about our function and purpose. Some have seen pictures and said that it just looks like a t-shirt shop, others have tried to figure out if it’s an actual garage; but really it’s our home.”

The Zen Garage team have spent a long time deliberating over the words on their websites ‘About’ page; “I suppose we’ve tried to nail down what the concept is exactly, but every time we try we’re closing our mind to what it could become.”

“Right now we’re an automotive lifestyle shop, and a community event space that the blurs the line between online and offline. We’re trying to stay open minded about ways we can continue to grow. It’s a really flexible concept, but at the same time if you don’t get it, that’s cool too.”

Tucked away in the back of a small industrial estate in Sydney’s inner-west, Zen Garage is not the kind of place you just stumble across. You have to know it’s there. The team working behind the scenes are as diverse as Zen Garage itself, and everything in the building reflects that.

One project that the team are collaborating on is this FD RX-7. The ultimate goal for it is Targa Tasmania, but no doubt it will show its face at all sorts of track days.

The process of stripping it down and building it back up to a competitive state has already started, and the finished product will be purpose built for racing.

Upgrades so far include Pedders coilovers, DBA brakes, K&N intake, and a Momo race seat. “We would love to add a proper workshop to the space this year with a hoist and more tools”, says Justin.

The road to having it all finished is a long one, but the FD’s timeless shape does nicely as an ornament in Zen Garage for the time being.

Off to one side of Zen Garage is where the magic happens. “Our office space is the incubator for a digital ad agency called Matespace. We work with forums and websites across various networks for gaming, cars and all blokes stuff.”

“We have so much access as an agency to very specific online communities, and we want Zen Garage to become a hub; a place for us to invite them offline.”

The retail portion of Zen Garage has been the most significant way for people to feel welcome to drop by. If you’ve already visited you will know all about it.

“Currently we’re stocking Illest, PlusSixOne, Thieves & Honour and 3 Fingers Neat apparel and accessories; plus ANJA Sunglasses, Petrol Eyewear, THRILLS bicycles and select automotive parts. We’re always keen to pickup more local labels.”

“We’re the first people to stock Illest in Australia, working directly with them. With growth comes our own branded stuff as well which we’re looking towards.”

Most people will already know the Illest brand as its name has become synonymous with USDM car culture.

New seasons of Illest merchandise never last long thanks to big demand from Zen Garage customers.

Some bits and pieces of Zen Garage merchandise have already found their way on to the shop floor including lanyards and t-shirts.

“I think generally speaking over the years I have developed a certain confidence with my aesthetic for the cultures of bikes, cars, skateboarding, motorcycles and things like that. Zen Garage in many ways is an extension of that aesthetic.”

“Zen Garage keeps everything under one roof.”

“Often I get a bit OCD about something and start off a new project, but when the passion drops off that project fades away. This way people can jump in from one to the other and it all sustains itself somehow.”

“Our gallery space is interesting. It was a small leftover room in the building, and we didn’t know what to do with it. I always wanted to be a curator of an art gallery, so we started our own with the idea of future art shows.”

“To start we tied it in with automotive photography. For most automotive photographers getting photos in a magazine is the pinnacle, but our gallery has given some amazing artists the chance to elevate and have their work on walls. ”

In the main area of Zen is a lounge area and a growing library. “The concept of our library is simple. We invite the communities involved with Zen Garage to feel free to come in and check it out. Magazines and graphic novels have been donated by various people.”

For those into Japanese cars, these DVDs will forever be sought after.

Motorcycle culture is close to the heart of Zen Garage, and the helmets stacked up aren’t the only sign of that.

Models and toys are littered all over the space. It’s like a grown up version of the dream bedroom we had as kids.

You’ll also find unused parts waiting for the right project.

HyperRev magazines are an invaluable resource for Japanese car modifiers, so if you can’t find the right one for your car maybe check the shelves at Zen.

The coffee table is just as well stocked as your local newsagent.

“We launched a Zen Garage tumblr account just after the website. With most businesses you would be concerned with how much taboo stuff you’re able to post, but our tumblr gives us the freedom to post up whatever.”

“It’s a window to the soul of Zen. You’ll see the dark humour and slapstick stuff that we definitely like, plus all the over stuff that we are happy to use to represent what we’re all about.”

Zen Garage’s ‘Project Deathtrap 2.0′ is proudly displayed on a stand in the space.

It runs a single cylinder, air-cooled, 50cc two-stroke engine.

Some issues fitting it all together made things difficult, but “with beers, sweat, swearing and some Dremel action it looks to be sorted.”

Important to Zen’s function as a community space is the games area featuring a ping pong table and Forza on the Xbox with Xtreme Gear race seats. Microsoft actually chose Zen for the Forza 4 launch party.

“The space has been used to host BBQs, music video shoots, car polishing days, a video game launch, the Advan awards night and even bikini shoots.”

“Every time we host an event we pick up another sub-culture. Zen manages to fit in quite well with all of them.”

“We will probably still get asked the same questions about Zen Garage, but we’re discovering who we are, so that’s okay. It’s really bizarre how our warehouse space and brand can support the existence of other communities. We now finally have that physical space where we can make the most of our network.”

As Zen Garage grows and comes of age we’re bound to see more unique ideas taking form inside and outside their building.

If you haven’t been there for a look with your own eyes, we highly recommend it. Head to 7/99 Moore St, Leichhardt.

All around the world, small groups are found within communities where like-minded people have grouped together as a result of their shared interests. It’s exactly the same for car enthusiasts and modifiers, who collaborate and create their own sub-styles based on a particular shared taste. To explain this concept, we recently spent some time getting to know the Melbourne based car club known as Agentz.

We’ve known the team and a few of their members for quite some now and it doesn’t take long to realise that their focus is on fitting rare, quality wheels, to predominately Euro vehicles. More importantly, they actively get together on regular occasions just like a family. Started by three individuals, Daniel, Kit and Raymond, the team now incorporates over twenty select members. “Agentz first began in 2003, when a few friends and I came here to Melbourne to study at university. All of us actually met here in Melbourne and it wasn’t long before we all discovered our love for cars”, explains co-founder Raymond.

Their lineup is a quality over quantity approach, although Raymond insists that they’re a very casual team. “If I had to sum up Agentz, I’d say that we’re quite a laid back crew, we like to attend as many car meets as possible and especially represent at the Stanceworks meets and FYS meets here in Melbourne; organised by Oxer and Vyets respectively. Those meets are the best way to escape our busy schedules, get out together and socialize with others in the car community who share the same passion. It’s always great to meet the new kids and network!”

Defining the team as ‘laid back’ is an understatement in our opinion, especially when taking a closer look at the parts on their cars. This right here is Raymond’s E46 3-series sedan. The Air Force suspension combined with OZ Breyton wheels in 17×8.5 -2 up front and 17×10 +14 on the rear go hand in hand. The car has since been parted out with Raymond upgrading to a 5-series. Sydney readers will be pleased to know that the majority of parts are making their way up to the first interstate member to represent the team, more on that soon though.

Twenty-year-old Reece’s Toyota Camry would have to be one of the most unique cars in the lineup and we admire his courage in executing something different in Australia. 19 x 9.5 and 19 x 10 SSR’s on a Toyota Camry was almost unheard of before Reece fitted them onto his car. It’s been creating a stir ever since and for a young modifier he’s on the right track whilst being different to the regular crowd.

“I like to be unique and try to do things no one has ever done before. This Camry is my first car and I wanted to be different. I loved the potential that this generation Camry had before purchasing it, even though my friends laughed at me when I said I was going to buy a Camry! I was originally happy with just lowered springs, new wheels and a lip kit, and even wanted to turbo it. Then I came across the fitment thing, the Agentz crew and eventually Stanceworks. With all that, the direction of modifications changed, I’m now aiming for a ‘VIP inspired’ look,” explains Reece. The VIP inspired styling may not remain the same for long, with a Lexus rumoured to be in the pipeline for the near future.

This pre-facelift model of the Audi A6 has always had more appeal to us than its newer rendition. Owner, Rusmin has opted for a set of Flowspec 5 ADV.1 wheels and they make a lasting impression. Coupled with KW V1 coilovers they’re the perfect combination of both function and form.

S6 side mirrors are about the only exterior modification to the car, though Rusmin tells us that future plans may include a simple OEM look bodykit, Milltek quad exhaust and quite possibly a set of Rotiform BLQ deep concave wheels.

If the A6 doesn’t offer enough of a status symbol, then here’s their elite offering in executive saloon style. Adhika’s Audi A8 features Adjustable Link suspension, which manipulates the stock air suspension and results in less than a one-finger gap at the oil pan at its lowest position. Add to that the MAE wheels (by Oz Germany) and you’ve got yourself a killer combination.

Adhika’s owned his A8 for approximately two years now and tells us that he’ll be focusing on building his Volkswagen Golf in the meantime, whilst turning this A8 into a long term project. “I’ll possibly re-barrel the MAE wheels to 20 x 11 ET 0 all around and attempt to add some facelift bits to the car”, explains Adhika.

Moving forward to their JDM based platforms, this is Yung’s Honda Accord Euro. Taking a simple and clean approach with SSR Vienna LM9s was the right choice. They make a big difference to the look of this popular platform.

“We’ll see an OEM Modulo front bar and side skirts added onto the car in the near future”, explains owner Yung.

Whilst the team may specialise in luxury marques, it certainly doesn’t limit them to having just one style represent them. The teams diversity has expanded over time and we appreciate the mix of import tuners who are now part of Agentz.

Peter’s WRX STI is neat package with a classic black and white colour scheme. The ‘Pignose’ WRX shape is one of our favourites and this STi version is cleanly built.

What better friendly rivalry could exist within the team than WRX vs Evo? Henry’s Evo VIII MR has been transformed with a IX front bar, rear bar and wing. Advan RS GTR wheels, Rexspeed carbon fibre exterior bits, an extensive list of Cusco parts, Gruppe M intake, Fujitsubo catback exhaust and a Tomei dump and front pipe all play a part in assisting the car to easily achieve 250kW at all four.

The more time we spend getting to know the team and members, the more obvious is the unity amongst them. We first ran into co-founders Daniel and Kit, then Raymond well before T-LD existed, yet when we questioned Raymond on what the purpose of Agentz was, and how members join, here’s what he had to say; “To us, Agentz crew is so much more than just another car crew. It’s a family. Our support for each other shows and when people ask ‘Can i join Agentz?’, we explain the process isn’t as simple. We’re not looking to gather as many modified cars in Melbourne as possible. It actually doesn’t even matter what car you drive at the end of the day, as long you’re passionate, you’re in.”

“The perfect example of this is our good friend Kit, who now resides in Thailand after leaving Melbourne not too long ago. He joined us sometime in 2007 and is the humble character we look for. This is a bloke who will go out of his way to help anyone asking a question and doing a favour without even asking for anything in return. He’s the perfect influence to the crew and will remain a part of the Agentz family forever. Even in Thailand he’s still proudly repping Agentz!”

Daniel’s Honda Odyssey represents the true ‘Bippu’ VIP style which they first started out on, but we’ll have to leave you hanging for more until we deliver individual features on the vehicles that make up the team including this headlining Odyssey in the near future. Next year marks the tenth year anniversary for Agentz and the team is assertive that there’s plenty of years to come for them along with new members. In his final wise words, co-founder Raymond expresses, “I seriously think that this is just the beginning for us, in twenty to thirty years we’ll still be flying the Agentz crew flag high and proud”.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that the Queensland scene has exploded. The last few months have set new records and raised the bar for car meets across Australia. Quality cars, quality people; these northern folk know the score. Mercury Motorsport held a dyno day earlier this month in conjunction with Turbosmart, and everyone turned on a good show.

Charlie’s MX-5 has only just been let out of the workshop with its new motor. You’ll see more from this boosted NA in the near future.

Mercury’s own ‘NITTO’ was proudly on display. It sat next to some of Queensland’s most powerful street cars. Nine trophies were up for grabs on the day.

The action was inside on the rollers with some massive horsepower turning up.

This R32 was keen to show-off its engine bay, and you can see why.

Mercury’s history with Skylines and RB26 motors brings in a lot of clients with GT-Rs. Big singles are a specialty.

Then there’s the next level of severity altogether. Custom everything in here for flat-out straight line performance.

Three 2JZ-GTE equipped JZA80s represented and all of them packed a punch.

Drove to the meet but your car is still filthy? No problem. A bikini carwash was ready to sort out that dirt.

Despite a strong rep in the Japanese performance scene, Mercury have handled plenty of other builds and their dyno days bring in all sorts.

Big displacement with massive boost is the stuff that any performance lover can appreciate. This car pulled top output on the day with 842hp at the wheels.

At a time when so many people are building Falcon GT replicas, it’s nice to see someone grabbing an old Falcon and leaving it be, albeit with fat rubber on the back and a drop tank.

Not even wet weather could spoil the day.

We bet you didn’t see this coming. The compressor housing couldn’t be any bigger in that space.

No secrets about the power this Supra is making.

If we had an R32 GT-R brimming with Tomei parts, we’d be proud of it too. This stunning Nissan was up for sale.

It was ladies galore with bikini models and promo girls all in the one place.

Inside the dyno room the Mercury crew had the cars rolling in and out like a well-oiled machine.

Owners and punters got a good view of it all from the workshop floor. This Soarer is an ’80s favourite of ours.

Still in the build, we’re hoping that the owner gets off his P-plates by the time this R33 is finished.

Over the next few weeks Charlie will be putting the finishing touches on his epic Mazda. This all-purpose roadster has the hallmarks of a first-class street car.

Not everyone was there to get on the rollers, some just came to chill out and enjoy the view. This S15 was looking neat parked up.

A small show and shine in the grounds of the complex was perfect for those who were there for a look around. The cage in this Evo was the real deal.

Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, stanced Commodores are a hit in our eyes. This R8 ute is done proper from all angles.

Turbosmart rep, Rohan, let us know that there is another Turbosmart supported dyno day coming to Sydney. Details are yet to be released but, “it will definitely have a bikini car wash!” he said.

A full list of results can be found below. Sydney-siders, keep your ear to the ground and we’ll see you at the next one.

CAR ENGINE HP

Ford Falcon V8 TT 842
Toyota Supra 2JZGTE 709
Toyota Supra 2JZGTE 579
Ford Falcon XR6T 4L Turbo 535
Holden VY Ute V8 S/C 481
Toyota Supra 7MGTE 450
Toyota Supra 2JZGTE 440
Holden Kingswood Ute V8 NA 414
Mitsubishi Evo 10 4B11T 407
Holden VE SS Ute V8 NA 401
Mitsubishi Evo 4G63T 383
Porsche 911 Turbo V6 T 361
Toyota Chaser JZX90 1JZGTE 344
Ford Falcon XR6T 4L Turbo 342
Nissan 180SX SR20DET 333
BMW 318i E25 M20 T 309
Mitsubishi Evo 4G63T 307
Nissan 200SX S15 SR20DET 292
Volkswagen Golf GTI 2L T 276
Mitsubishi Evo 4G63T 262
Nissan 200SX S15 SR20DET 240
Nissan 200SX S15 SR20DET 238
Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer 4B11T 233
Toyota Celica GT4 3SGTE 216
Nissan 350Z VQ35DE 214
Toyota Celica GT4 3SGTE 213
Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer 4B11T 210
Subaru WRX EJ20T 176
Ford Cortina 3SGE 163
Toyota Corolla Sportivo 1.8L NA 159
Toyota Celica 2L NA 139
Toyota Celica GT4 3SGTE 137
Subaru WRX EJ20T 135
Datsun 1200 12A 100
Holden Gemini 2L NA 83

The V&E Rigoli annual dyno days are a treat to attend. There’s always an assortment of unique cars out and it’s great to see an appreciation for different builds out there. This year, we headed out bright and early to spend our day with the crew at V&E Rigoli and once again, they delivered.

A grand total of 82 cars graced the rolling road over the day and diversity was key. Power runs varied between 100kW right through to 600+ kW displaying the range of cars that V&E Rigoli associate themselves with. The atmosphere surrounding these events is always friendly and a wealth of knowledge is available within the community.

Moving onto the cars and perhaps one of the biggest crowd pleasers of the day. Anthony’s got a reputation for using high quality parts and some of the best craftsmanship available on his cars. His R34 GT-R V-Spec II recorded lower than expected readings though still impressed the crowds.

The car ended up placing second overall on the day at 602.9kW. We’ll look into the finer details and take a look at the main components later on in the article.

Here we have a Ford Capri tuned by Vince himself at V&E Rigoli. To our surprise, this car is still street registered and runs 8.2 seconds down the quarter mile. It recorded an evenly impressive 665.1kW (891.9hp) on the day.

The imposing engine bay shows the level of fabrication and custom work performed to get this twin-turbo car where it is.

Fat rubber is necessary to hold all the power and deliver it to the tarmac. Just check out the residue on the rear bar and you know this car means business.

Jason Naidoo and his Evo VIII MR are spotted at most motorsport events and he was out at this years dyno day once again. It put down 323.5kW on all four during the day.

Jason’s a true veteran to the local time attack scene and he anticipates a number of setup changes for his Evo this year. We’ll be catching up with him shortly once some of these changes are completed to see how they’ll help contribute to quicker lap times.

Inside the complex, the carpark was quickly flooded with cars ready to hit the dyno as early as 8am, with spectators just as keen to see some of the high-end builds.

Paul’s matte black S15 has just hit our local roads again after seeing some time off for a rebuild. Although applied some time ago, the matte black paint job brings out the car’s distinct lines perfectly in our opinion.

The whole team at V&E Rigoli and their crew did a commendable job at keeping up with the numbers and executing the event perfectly.

Noah’s Evo IX didn’t get a run on the dyno during the day, but it’s definitely worthy of a mention. In his four years of ownership, he’s been committed to keeping it as a quick reliable street car.

That’s an optimistic outlook considering he’e chasing approximately 500kW. His circuit setup has seen him achieve relatively quick times around Eastern Creek and Wakefield, including a 1:43 and 1:06 respectively.

One quick peek into the interior and you’ll realise that this isn’t your average Evo. Word is that a large 3586 Forced Performance turbo has just been fitted!

A Voltex wing usually sits on the rear boot, however without that, there isn’t much that gives away the setup of the car, giving Noah the versatility of keeping it on the street too.

On the topic of Evos, they were everywhere on the day. Ryan’s Evo VIII MR (pictured to the right) achieved a moderate 202.5kW early on in the day.

Conversations echoed through the whole day with everyone adding their two cents about each car that rolled in and out of the dyno room.

There’s always an anxious look on car owners’ faces just before they dyno their vehicle and see those digits on screen.

Rob Pham’s S2000 is truly admirable. Owning a window tinting business means that he’s pedantic about every panel on the car. There’s only one hint from the exterior that this isn’t your average S2000.

Also tuned by vince, this turbo S2000 measured 285.9kW and its impressive engine bay easily shows its capabilities.

Honda’s S2000 actually has an unusually shaped engine bay with limited space either side of the motor, but plenty of room in front. It’s been used to good effect here.

Another Evo VI about to be run by Vince on the dyno, this one here achieved 181.5kW on the day.

Outnumbered by Evos, this clean Subaru WRX STI put up an impressive 306.4kW with quite a bit of work visible under the bonnet.

Back to Anthony’s ‘Powertune’ GT-R, this R34 build is one that many have been following since it first started back in 2010.

New additions include this impressively fabricated rear diffuser that actually extends almost half-way under the car for real-world downforce advantages.

Rare Nismo wheels are the perfect compliment to the car and a large pair of 6 pot Brembo’s have just been added to the front, with a pair of 4 pots at the rear.

Anticipation spread quickly right before the car pulled an impressive 602.9kW. For those unfamiliar with the vehicle, it’s a 2.8 litre stroker with Brian Crower cams, springs, retainers, valves and cam gears.

The monstrous Precision 7175 billet ball bearing turbo is one of the first things you’ll spot under the bonnet. Another noteworthy modification is the Holinger sequential six-speed gearbox.

It’s safe to assume that despite the unexpected output (it has achieved over 700kW previously), every spectator was pleased to see and hear this car at full noise on the dyno. For those wanting to track the build, be sure to check out his build thread over on JDM Style Tuning.

Moving on, the surprise of the day came from this late model Ralliart Lancer. To our disbelief its power output was 303.9kW!

Looking closer its got a built 2L motor with a BBK turbo and upgraded auto transmission. It’s also another one of the cars tuned by Vince which ran on the day.

This rare RS model Evo has the Voltex lot with a full kit including a rear wing and pair of canards.

The car wasn’t run on the dyno during the day, but we managed to get this quick look under the bonnet. Bill has huge plans for this car, but it’s impressive just as it is. The RS is a rare spec-level for the Evo, made as a base for motorsport.

The Voltex rear wing shows the aerodynamic advantages to be had out on the track. It has a bright future in time attack ahead.

Same goes for those aggressive Voltex canards that set off a fierce appearance, especially when compared with other more tame street cars around it.

Our recent feature car, Koval’s Evo VI managed to get a quick run on the rolling track receiving an expected 383.1kW reading.

Eric’s Tommy Makinen Evo VI may be near stock, but it still recorded 147.7kW, proving strong for the twelve year old motor. You wouldn’t be able to tell it apart from the above shot of Kovals exterior, which is exactly what Koval intended.

Kevin Smith’s WRX did a moderate 154.9kW on the day and he’s content with the result as a base platform to begin expanding on.

This years dyno day saw a number of sponsors chipping in to make this event as successful as the previous ones, with some great prizes up for grabs.

Go Fast Bits, Meguiars, Nulon, AI, GT-Pumps, Armorall and EMS all did their bit and provided prizes for eager contenders.

The diverse range of cars that out on the day is visible here with the Ford Capri surrounded by JDM contenders.

Here’s the engine bay of the 306.4 kW STI we showed earlier. Boxer motors might not make for the best looking engine bays, but they perform!

The late model WRX below drew some attention, as you would expect with Takata green wheels and a vinyl wrapped roof.

The Rigoli’s have built and tuned a large number of cars over time and a few of them were on display during the day, some impressive engine bays to say the least.

This right here belongs to Vince himself; a 7.6 second Datto ute with 2L motor setup for quarter-mile performance.

This close up of the Capri’s custom intake manifold shows off the immaculate welding typical of the build.

Adding two turbos to an already huge motor takes some creative thinking and skill to put together, but it all fits in here.

We won’t mention too much about this motor below, but it hides in a deceiving Nissan Pulsar which makes for one menacing sleeper.

Event sponsors, Go Fast Bits, were kept busy on the day installing and demonstrating some of their products for the crowd.

Just when you thought the range of Evo’s couldn’t get more broad, this Evo II popped around the corner ready for its dyno run.

The worked motor on the older model had us excited to see how it would perform and the car put out a more than respectable 314.2kW in the afternoon.

These annual V&E Rigoli dyno days have established a name for bringing out big cars, and there’s always an even number of spectators lining up to check it out.

Stance is definitely still thriving and these two properly fitted S15s are proving that a simple drop in ride height and optimistic wheel sizes can set off any car.

At the other end of the spectrum we have the Toys Garage Mitsubishi, kitted out to run off-road much more than on.

Even in the dying stages of the afternoon, cars continued to fill the complex as spectators rolled in. TurboSmart rep, Rohan, recently picked up this JZX and we’re keen to see the direction he takes with it.

We’ve seen Hassan in some impressive vehicles over time. Starting with a K-swapped CR-X to an S2000, then an Evo IX, now we have his R34 GT-R. Time will tell what he has planned for this.

John’s Teala Tequila MX-5 has appeared on our posts a few times now and its paint job deserves to be shown over and over again. Word is that motor work is set to begin shortly.

Kevin’s WRX in the carpark after its run on the day – a mix of both form and function is what our friend Kevin hopes to achieve in the near future.

Support for the influx of blogs appearing is great and there’s always a display of them at every meet or motorsport related event.

Peter’s Mazda 3 MPS is unique and generates quite a bit of interest. It’s safe to say you won’t run into another one similar to this one on Sydney streets.

Not many people within the Mazda 3 MPS demographic choose to modify them, but Peter’s taken the right approach with his. Check out the aggressive stance from the front!

Evos and carbon fibre go hand in hand, with this one going all out under the bonnet.

Advan wheels wrapped in Advan tyres makes sense to us.

It’s not often that you see locally built cars that produce 700+hp bumping heads with 4 cylinder Japanese cars, but it was welcomed at this event.

Roberts EG Civic has true character! Rob has mixed up a fresh list of modifications on his car.

These SR3 Recaros are a nice addition to almost any Honda where they don’t come standard. This is one of the only additions you’ll find as most of the interior’s been stripped.

A re-occuring purple theme has hit his cage, wheels and a number of other accessories in the interior.

As the day started to wrap-up, most people still hung about to watch the remaining cars on the dyno and chat into the night. We’re told that the event wrapped up at approximately 10pm!

Xtreme Motorsports have a name for importing some of the best in desirable Japanese cars and Fadi’s GT-R lives up to the quality machinery we’re used to seeing from them. It didn’t run on the day, but we’re told his V-Spec II is easily capable of 320kW at all four.

TE37s look great on almost any import and especially clean on this S15 we spotted later in the day.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; timeless style is the first thing that comes to mind when we lay eyes on any FD. Peter has done a great job with his so far and achieved 155kW on the afternoon.

This years V&E Rigoli dyno day proved another success and brought together some of the builds we’ve come to expect, as well as new ones. The range of cars that came together made this one of the best dyno day’s we’ve been invited out to. There’s no doubt that they’ll grow over the years to come, so we’ll see you again for next years annual event!

Vince from V&E Rigoli would like to take the final opportunity to thank everyone who attended on the day for their time and patience, those who ran their cars on the dyno, Michael Koval for organising the event and ensuring it logistically ran as smoothly as possible as well as Ezia Rigoli, Thuy Koval, Thao Tran, Charles Lam, Marek Lturrieta, Marina Tcholakova and the rest of the Rigoli crew for their help and assistance.

RESULTS  - TOP 30 POWER OUTPUTS

1. CAPRI – BLK40T – 891.9HP, 665.1KW
2. R34 GT-R – GTR828 – 602.9
3. XR6 – TMW333 – 442.3
4. COMMODORE VR – BWY39S – 586.7 HP, 431.5KW
5. EVO 6 – KOVAL – 383.1
6. EVO 6 – BBL010 – 353.0
7. XR6T – LOLHSV – 335.8
8. XR6 – AI77BP – 333.4
9. EVO 8MR – BZS84W – 323.5
10.EVO 2 – EVO21T – 314.2
11. STI – MOJ00E – 306.4
12. RALLIART-  RALYRT – 303.9
13. S2000 – TIFO01U – 285.9
14. R35 GT-R – GFBGTR – 281.3
15. EVO 8 – BTP01Y – 270.2
16. EVO 9 – DMO571 – 269.9
17. EVO 8 – BLF55T – 269.9
18. EVO 7 – BSE55U – 266.1
19. S15 – BZF732J – 256.1
20. 350Z – BW123Q – 252.6
21. EVO8 – EEV000 – 252.1
22. EVO 6.5 – JRZ187 – 239.9
23. EVO 7 – JCS70Y – 232.7
24. XR8 – XRV080 – 231.7
25. EVO 8 – EV0080 – 227.2
26. EVO 7 – GB71AV – 225.8
27. SUPRA – BADMK3 – 222.6
28. EVO 9 – BBK35S – 219.9
29. CHASER – BN02VO – 217.4
30. EVO 5 – SB84BC – 216.1

Rarely does 400kW (540hp) look this understated. Finding the correct blend between a quick and capable car that does not attract too much attention from the authorities can be a difficult task. Even more challenging, is building a car to the point where a line must be drawn to keep it street-registered and avoiding dedicating it to track duties. Our friend, Michael Koval, knows this all too well and created the ideal daily driver, with one thing in mind, “I set out to achieve a ten second daily driven street car.”

Six years ago this Evo was more or less standard. A fun drive, but not enough to satisfy Michael. He started out by adding an eBoost unit to control air pressure levels, an aftermarket exhaust and Apex’i PowerFC ECU.

Michael set out to always keep the car daily driven, but to make it capable of 10-second passes down the quarter mile. Few street cars can genuinely make this claim to fame.

Throughout the build process, Michael wanted to ensure that the car didn’t stand out to the law at all.  To keep in line with this the car has been kept relatively stock exterior wise. Nissan GT-R wheels are about the only difference you’ll spot to the exterior, yet even they’re an OEM part (albeit from a different manufacturer).

Midway through Michael’s build hit a standstill at the 2011 V&E Rigoli Dyno Day. “Vince from V&E Rigoli and I knew the motor was at its limits, although on the day I still instructed Vince to just put in an extra psi or two for the power run. Next thing we knew, the rod bolt snapped!”

Funnily enough, Michael was already intending to leave the car at Rigoli’s after the dyno day anyway, he just added a few extra bucks to the bill for a Manely 2.3L stroker kit and billet crank.

Under the hood there are very few details giving away the potency of this 4G63 stroker. That’s all part of its appeal to our eyes.

“I have built a car that doesn’t stand out to law enforcement, but it is very fast at the same time,” says Michael. That’s a bit of an understatement, we think.

The stout Evo exterior looks purposeful just the way Mitsubishi made it, but a set of BC Racing coilovers bring the body down just enough over the 18×9 +30 GT-R wheels.

Inside, Michael is currently getting around on Tommi Makinen seats from an Evo 6.5, a desirable upgrade for any Evo.

Those who have followed this build elsewhere may have seen the Tillett carbon seats which once made up part of Michael’s interior. Whilst they were extremely light (3kg each) and great for support, they weren’t the most versatile choice.

We absolutely love the cleanliness and simplicity of this car. A proven performer that will never come undone with a few scrutinising looks.

Now finished off, Michael’s engine bay shows his minimalistic approach in all its glory. Even the factory heatshield has been retained. So few cars with this power have the ability to get away with it. This is the future of hi-po street cars in Australia, and we’re all for it. Go before show is the name of the game.

Current plans for Michael are to enjoy the car as it stands and attend as many motorsport events as possible. Although now that he has achieved his goal, he’s tempted to push the bar further. “One day, I might just go all serious and strip it, put slicks and throw it on the gas to see how it goes!”

Michael would like to take the opportunity to thank his wife Thuy Koval and Vince Rigoli for their help, support and patience with the car.

SPECIFICATIONS:

VEHICLE: Mitsubishi Evo VI

OWNER: Michael Koval

ENGINE:

- Rigoli built billet 2.3 1000hp+ Manley stroker kit
- EMS 4860 + hand controller
- Greddy intercooler core
- Plazmaman intercooler pipes
- GT pumps 76hta turbo
- M&W C.O.P ignition
- GFB response bov
- Turbosmart E-boost2
- Custom 4inch intake
- Camtech 272 cams
- Ti springs and retainers
- Custom bigger breathers on valve cover
- Id 2000 injectors
- Custom rigoli exhaust system
- Turbosmart billet actuator
- Balance shaft delete
- Evo 7 Golpher alloy radiator + greddy 1.3bar cap
- Topstage carbon fibre airbox
- Walbro 255 intank pump
- External aeroflow 044 pump

DRIVETRAIN:

- PAR straight cut gears with custom ratios
- RS rear end conversion
- KAAZ front lsd
- ORC twin plate clutch

SUSPENSION:

- Whiteline front and rear swaybars
- Ultra Racing 4point under body brace
- Ultra Racing 4 point boot brace
- BC coilovers
- Ralliart front and rear bushes

WHEELS & BRAKES:

- Nissan R34 GT-R wheels
-Elig track pads

PERFORMANCE:

- 402kw atw @ 34psi
- 10.9@133mph on street tyres

You probably know our motto here at T-LD: ‘Less is More’. We try not to throw it around too much in the articles we write, but it so accurately sums up our attitude towards modifications that sometimes it just can’t be avoided. Tony’s EK Civic below could not fit the bill any better. Such a simple setup, but oh-so-perfectly executed. If there is one thing we want to make clear, it’s that you don’t necessarily need rare parts, huge power or a six figure budget to build a cool street car, you just need class.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD DESKTOP WALLPAPER

Tony commutes from Sydney’s outer suburbs to the CBD in his Civic seen here. “My car is basically just about nice fitment with OEM parts replicating the EK-SiR. The unique wheels make it pop,” explains Tony. His BBS RS wheels do indeed set the car off in a colour combo different to most. They’ve been restored and re-barrelled to 15 x 8 +12.3 sizing. You can read all about the restoration process over on RAW Works.

Currently, Tony is in the process of once again re-barrelling the wheels to be wider, whilst also taking the opportunity to re-spray the centres. Given enough interest, we’ll be sure to bring you a full feature once he’s finished. Until then, click the link above to download a desktop sized wallpaper version of this shot.

If summer was a car, it would be this S2000. Just look at that bright yellow paintwork, convertible roof and smiling Honda front end. You can’t front on a car like this as far as fun-factor is concerned. Though this body shape was first launched thirteen years ago, the S2000 looks as fresh-faced and young at heart as ever. A timeless winner.

Michael Nguyen bought his Honda exactly one year ago. The only aftermarket additions were the wheels. Michael picked it up it with the intention of keeping it clean and simple; a modest cruiser with just the right OEM+ modifications.

“Before the S2000 I had an EG Civic that I went all out on. It had lots of rare parts on it and stuff but I wanted to do the S2000 differently,” says Michael. At the start of his search for the right car, Michael was keen on a white one, but when this Spa Yellow example popped up he had to have it.

“It’s a rare colour for the S2000, and it’s even harder to find a clean one these days.” He’s not wrong about that, but his is one completely unblemished car.

Outside, Michael sourced a host of AP2 exterior upgrades for his first-generation model. The bronze CE28s are hugged by the S2000′s guards thanks to Tein coilovers. The whole look hits the nail on the head as far as we’re concerned.

Open the door and you’ll notice just how well looked after and neatly modified this car is. The centre console has all been upgraded to AP2 parts, and the soft-top has had its plastic rear window converted to glass.

“The car itself is so smooth,” says Michael. In the garage he has a daily driver as well, but he spends more time daily driving the S2000 which is supposed to be his weekender! “It attracts the right and wrong attention all at the same time,” he laughs. “But it’s exactly what I hoped it would be.”

SPECIFICATIONS:

VEHICLE: 2001 Honda AP1 S2000

OWNER: Michael Nguyen

EXTERIOR:

- OEM AP2 Front Bar: Shaved HID washers
- OEM AP2 Front Lip
- OEM AP2 Rear Bar
- OEM AP2 Headlights
- OEM AP2 Tail Lights
- Glass Rear Window Conversion
- OEM AP2 Clear Side Indicators

INTERIOR:

- OEM AP2 Centre Console
- OEM AP2 Centre Console Surround
- OEM AP2 CR Leather shift boot w/ yellow stitching
- OEM AP2 Radio Door
- BLOX Titanium Gearknob
- Alpine head unit: plays mp3/CD/USB/iPod/iPhone
- Modifry audio control unit
- Alpine Type R 6.5″ component speakers
- Alpine 2 Channel Amp

ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN:

- KIA 4.77FD, Cryo treated, shot-peened, with J’s Racing Diff Collar
- Modifry yellow jacket speedometer calibration unit
- KOYO Full Length Aluminium Radiator
- SAMCO Blue Radiator Hoses
- Garage Defend Radiator Cooling Panel
- AP2 2.2L Gold Spark plug cover
- Odyssey PC680MJT Lightweight Battery
- TRUST Racing Spark plugs
- Exedy Heavy Duty Clutch
- J’s Racing Intake System

SUSPENSION/BRAKES/WHEELS:

- VOLK CE28 Bronze, 17×8.5 +40 + Advan AD08 Tyres
- TEIN RS Coilovers
- J’s Racing Driveshaft spacers
- Spoon X Brace
- Cusco front sway bar
- Cusco rear sway bar
- Cusco rear strut bar

Our mate Tendy isn’t one to make a lot of fuss. He’s a no nonsense bloke, and when it comes to cars he knows what he likes. You know the saying ‘money can’t buy taste’? Well it’s bloody true; so it’s refreshing to see someone who has the means to go a bit wild on a brand new car doing it with class and elegance.

Trainspotters will know straight away what this is – a Volkswagen Scirocco R. Us humble Aussie’s have had to wait patiently for VW to get their act together and import these to our local dealers, but Tendy wasn’t prepared to hold out for that. He’s had this one since February 2011 when Scuderia Imports took delivery on his behalf.

Tendy is the first to admit that he has a bit of a wheel addiction. After dropping the car significantly with some KW coilovers, it was on to the footwork. ”Wheels are like shoes or sneakers,” Tendy says. “Some people collect them.”

‘Some people’ includes Tendy, who has been through four sets of wheels on this car alone in the last twelve months. Autotechnik have been the main supplier for Tendy’s addiction, bringing in a set of forged two-piece TWS EXspur EX-fv 19″ in black to start off with.

After that Tendy went a bit trendy with a set of 19″ ADV1 8.1 wheels also in black. The next set, pictured in our shots here, moved away from the black on black theme. They’re Volk Racing G12s, also supplied by Autotechnik.

Tendy hasn’t passed on the specifics of this setup, but they’re 19″ in diameter like all the others, and look stunning. We haven’t seen another set of G12s surface in Australia thus far.

Under the hood you’ll find some HPA Motorsport “bits and pieces”, to quote Tendy directly. As you can see, he’s not one to get caught up in the mods too much.

A custom dump pipe off the Scirocco’s turbo feeds an ARQRAY titanium cat-back exhaust system.

Inside, there isn’t much worth doing given the ultra-high quality of standard kit supplied by Volkswagen

The seats are as beautiful as they are comfortable and functional. We wouldn’t mess with this either.

A few carbon fibre finishing bits have found their way in from Rennenhaus. You also shouldn’t miss the subtle Garage Vary add-ons for the outside.

Since our shoot Tendy has switched out the Volk Racing G12s for another set of silver rims; 2011 Anniversary Edition BBS LM-Rs in 19×9.5″. Very nice indeed.

“Tinkering with cars has always been a hobby of mine,” says Tendy. “I find it’s a good way to release stress and have a good laugh with mates.” We like the way Tendy does things; no need for fanfare or drama – just passion. Tendy would like to say thanks to his friends and family, Budi at Autotechnik, Alessio from City Performance Centre and Sam at Scuderia Imports.