Event Coverage: Hot Wheelz Customer Appreciation

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May 25, 2012

If you’ve got deep pockets it is still up for grabs.

I mentioned in Mondays coverage from the Street Classics season opener that the teal Nash Metropolitan present was the first I had seen in some time in stock form motor and all.

Most of the Nash Metropolitans visible online and at shows (at least in my experience) are heavily modified just like this one currently up for auction on ebay.

Up for 30,000, with a current high bid around half that, this 2010 Hot Rod Magazine featured ’54 convertible is really more custom than it is Nash.

Sitting on a square tube chassis with Mustang II front end, and custom ladder bar rear end, this Nash sports an LS1 where the factory double digit horsepower motor used to live the.

Bags, 17×8 and 17×10 Torque Thrusts, a black interior with a satin black exterior, complete the car and the owner states i gets around 25 MPG highway.

This is one of the nicest and most street-able looking modified Metropolitans I have ever seen’ the only thing that’s got me a little puzzled is the retention fifth wheel on the back which seems a little out of place after all of the other modifications.

Thanks to Cody for the tip.

Site Updates

Shows on shows, on shows this weekend.

First up the Gumball 3000 is in town and rolling through Yorkville, and though I can’t make it this year but I should be able to get some coverage up for you thanks to a helpful reader on twitter.

Saturday I will be at the Hot WHeelz and Tirez customer appreciation event:

While Sunday I will be at Stretch and Poke (weather permitting):

Also happening Sunday is this Summer Sizzle 4:

Since the Gumball is back in town lets go back to the last time they were here which was 2010.

More 2010 Gumball coverage here.

I will have some of the store stock with me all weekend for those who want to pick stuff up.

Shoe Fetish

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May 24, 2012

I feel as though at any time you could say “Dan recently got new wheels” and stand a 70% chance of being right.

Dan being a member of Level One, and the owner of the yellow s2000 you have probably seen on Tuned-Life, Stretch & Poke, and Stance Nation, in addition to event coverage here.

Non locals probably have no idea how often he changes wheels so here is a quick photo run down starting with his latest set all the way back to the earliest I can remember, including his previous s2000 from the first ever Stretch And Poke Meet in 2010.

The craziest thing is I feel like missed one…

Pfaff Tuned

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May 23, 2012

Looks like gabrielb25 from jdmrides caught Pfaff Tunning’s 964 project out in the wild on Sunday.

Erik has been keeping me updated on this project since the beginning but these photos really do a good job of showcasing just how nice this car came out.

If you want more info on this car check out Pfaff Tunings facebook page that basically outlines the entire build.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Baldassarre

Hopefully I can catch up with it soon….

Theme Tuesdays: Local Builds Part 1

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May 22, 2012

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It’s been awhile since a build thread has appeared here, and with the season almost completely in full swing today seemed like the perfect time to post some of the local builds I’ve been following.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of these builds are at the first Stretch & Poke event on Sunday.

Jeff’s Cavalier

Leading off with a Cavalier is a little risky but hear me out, this one is low, tubbed, and boosted and the owner isn’t taking the build to serious at all.

At the same time he isn’t doing anything half-assed, it’s an interesting balance really.

The thread has taught me that both Camaro and Neon brakes can be swapped into Cavaliers information which I am sure might come in handy one day in some sort of trivia game.

Maybe not…

Bulild thread

1JZ E30

It seems like the dominance of the m50 swap is over because people are way more creative with their e30 motor swaps nowadays, especially locally.

The first of two Japanese powered e30s posted today borrows it’s motor from a Supra.

The owner has been taking his time with the build making sure everything doesn’t come apart on the first shakedown and it recently came out of paint so chances are it will be road ready sooner rather than later…

Steve’s E30

The second local e30 powered by a Japanese power plant belongs to Steve who is a member of the Scraped Crusaders.

He had this car running near the end of last year season (most notably at h20i) but he’s done a ton of work to it since then including freshening up the bay, swapping out the suspension, and adding new wheels.

Looking forward to seeing this car around again this year.

JP’s WRX

Like Steve’s car above this was Subaru was also out and about last year after JP finished the initial build which included shaving the trunk, installing v9 STI side skirts, HSD coils, and OZ Futura wheels.

Everything seemed great until the motor spun a bearing last October. That incident turned out to be a blessing in disguise as JP has used it as an excuse to basically completly redo the motor starting with an STI swap and ending with an exterior makeover.

Somehow he is doing all of this while starting a new powder coating business and going to school.

Liam’s Cefiro

This build is most likely pretty fresh in your minds as I posted about it not too long ago, but if you didn’t see that post this insanely awesome sedan was built by Liam of Dorimoto.

Though heaviest lifting is done the build thread is worth a read, this car is on the road and I would be surprised if I don’t see it Sunday.

Oliver’s 72 240

Oliver, the other half (or is it other quarter? I’m not sure anymore), of Dorimoto is building this RB20DET powered 72 Datsun 240.

This car started out really rough but he has done an outstanding job of turning it around and considering this photo of it unfinished took facebook by storm awhile back it’s safe to it will be a big deal when it is complete.

And to think at one point he wanted to sell it.

Weirtech’s RWD CRX

Linking to a build thread that is nearly 50% broken images isn’t the type of thing I would normally do but, this happens to be a RWD turbo f20 powered CRX built by one of the best fabricators in the city so I will let it slide.

This build is moving fairly slow as he is often busy with other peoples projects but the updates are always worth the wait.

Tim’s Batmobile

How could I not include this build? A bagged Tim Burton era Batmobile built by one of the nicest enthusiasts I’ve ever met?

Easily one of the most unique builds I have ever followed and perhaps the best uses of a Chevrolet Caprice ever.

Build Homepage

Rudy’s 2002

Just when you thought this post was all wicked daily drivers and the occasional pop culture car here is a dedicated track build by a well known local e30 nut.

Rudy has been building this car for what seems like forever (2008) and his thread goes wildly off topic at times but this project recently started to resemble a car and as of about a week ago had it’s first go around the track.

I think a 2.0 m10 that has been converted to fuel injection sits under the hood right now with plans of boost (Callaway setup) in the future.

Street’s Alfa Romeo Spider

I have been following this Alfa Romeo Spider build since January 1st 2011 and somehow just realized it was local.

In my defense I was so flabbergasted at the amount of fabrication and attention to detail put into literally every part of this car that small details like license places and area codes lurking in the background didn’t even register (read sometimes I am a little slow).

The builders attitude is awesome and he takes the time to address everyone who responds in the thread which is rare.

Purists are mad.

Chopshop’s AWD Jetta Coupe

Kevin of ChopShop decided that if Volkswagen wasn’t going to make the car he wanted he was going to do it his damn self so he started cutting up his already awesome Jetta to make it a 2dr. bagged, boosted, awd monster.

The amount of work into this car already is baffling and it’s really only the tip of the iceberg knowing what he is capable of.

Not sure if he has a completion date in mind but I haven’t seen him at Joyride for awhile so who knows…

Going to end it with Kevin’s build lest this post go on forever but I’ve got a few threads earmarked for part two, if you have one I should be aware of just send an email through.

Event Coverage: 2012 Street Classics Season Opener

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May 21, 2012

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The 2012 Street Classics season offically started this past Saturday May 19th at the usual Canadian Tire Etobicoke location.

Over the winter a number of retail shops opened which has shifted things a little bit in regards to organization but thankfully the entire cruise in didn’t move.

Saturday was that perfect ‘not too hot not too cold’ evening weather which made for an excellent turn out and as I mentioned on Friday I took my father with me to give him a chance to relive his glory days as an enthusiast.

chevy_van2 — While I'll take pictures of 70s van interiors I don't think I am adventurous enough to ever set foot in one without a hazmat suit

chevy_van — Close up of the awesome mural

nash_metro — The first Nash Metropolitan I have seen in some time that actually has it's factory motor

daddyfatstacks — Caddy on bags with "Daddy" on the drivers door rollin through...

There’s always a number of interesting late model cars that come out to these events, more often than not ones I do not see at other venues.

aston_martin — Aston did a great job designing this car, aggressive and classy

corvette — This car looks like it means business I wonder if the owner tracks it

corvette_rear — While I love these tails I am sure glad that they stopped showing up on trucks

About four or five Vipers showed up this week, which started a debate with my dad and I, what burns more gas at the end of the day a strip ready classic, or standard trim Viper?

dodge_viper1 — Accurate plate is accurate

Of course Vipers were not the only snakes with venom at the meet…

This sled that represents for the Lead Kings car club is a car I never tire of seeing, the miles of grime accumulated inside that cavernous grill is a good indicator this car gets driven.

cutitupfront — Hubs and whites time and time again a winner with the right height

cutitupshifter — Not sure if this is new or I had just now noticed it

americanstance — The many shades of classic stance

Two cars before I came along and ruined everything my old man owned a Thunderbird so he pointed this one out.

ford_thunderbird2 — The textured blue continued into the (gutted) interior

ford_thunderbird — Not your standard wheel setup thats for sure... SRT wheels up front I think

If you are anti General Motors you may want to keep scrolling because here comes that aforementioned clump of GMS.

pontiac_transam1 — An incredibly clean 76 Trans Am

chevy_impala — Dale always brings out his previously featured Impala

chevy_camaropg131 — Strip ready second gen Camaro

chevy_camaropg132 — Interesting plate...

chevy_elcamino1 — Perhaps the best looking of this generation El Camino I have ever seen in person

chevy_elcamino2 — Never really occurred to me just how long these are

chevy_nova2 — In addition to one of the sweetest paint colors ever...

chevy_nova1 — This Nova also has an immaculate engine bay

chevy_vega1 — Another ridiculous car creation by A&d Performance in Brampton

chevy_vega2 — I can not imagine how this is to send down the strip

One of the main reasons I enjoy attending Street Classics events, and classic cars shows in general, is because I always wind up stumbling across a vehicle I have either never seen in person before, or just plain didn’t know existed.

Sitting almost at the outskirts of this weeks event was a Lamborghini Espada, which was one of those cars.

lambo_espeda_front — More accustom to their sports cars I found this one rather unusaul

lambo_espeda_front2 — However don't take that to mean I didn't like it

lambo_espeda_rear — Unique lines all around

lambo_espeda_int — Evidently each model of this cars interior changed drastically from one year to the next

lambo_espeda_motor — The owner was chatting about replacement parts for this car.... he must have a stash of arms and legs

While the Lamborghini above was a treat this Cadillac was the car of the meet in my eyes. I spent a great deal of time looking admiring this car and waiting to see if I could get a few snaps f it from a far.

Next time I see it I am going to have to seek out the owner, I would love to shoot this car on it’s own.

caddy_front — The interior was actually wrapped in plastic like a couch in the 80s to keep it spotless

caddy_int — The interior was actually wrapped in plastic like a couch in the 80s

caddy_side — Almost completely on the floor....

This year I hope to swing by more Street Classics events then I did last year, the next will probably be mid June.

WTF Friday: Truck Ram Rod

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May 18, 2012

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What’s 10 feet 2 inches long, has 480hp, and runs a 12 second quarter mile at 110 miles per hour? This Truck.

Why is that something worth talking about? It weighs almost 4000 pounds and has the aerodynamics of a flying shoe box.

Sure today throwing a ton of horsepower at something big, heavy, and square isn’t anything out of the ordinary but in ’63 when this truck was built and run it was a pretty big deal.

Built as an exhibition car this Dodge had all its factory running gear yanked from under the hood and replaced with a 413 cubic inch Ramcharger backed by a fittingly heavy duty TorqueFlite transmission.

That huge motor tossed this trucks weight distribution right out the window and even with the entire front end being replaced with fiberglass panels, and a lead tailgate, distribution was still a 70/30 split.

To help with the weight transfer this truck received the gasser treatment, high up front, lower out back.

As expected this truck chewed up and spit out parts until all the kinks were worked out and was a bit of a handful to pilot (quickly) due to their being pretty much no weight over the rear wheels.

Since it was such a handful you would think some famous quarter mile racer at the time would point this metal brick but it was actually driven by a DJ named Dick Boyton, wild.

Like all interesting racers it appears as though it vanished for awhile and then was rebuilt (or at least replicated), information about how it ended up looking like below was oddly a little scarce but as they say, legends never die.

More Info can be found in this article titled ‘The Flying Barn Door‘ and of course on The H.A.M.B where all cool things automotive seem to be documented.

Also there is a video in that classic old timey voice.

Site (Car) Updates

Some of you may have noticed this picture on the fanpage revealing that yes I finally put my car back to summer mode with a little help from the guys at Automatrix Auto Service. The new pillow ball mounts from BC are a huge improvement over the old and the new front springs really put me at a ride height I am much happier with.

Once I actually detail it I will take some new pictures but here is one from my phone.

Flashback Friday

Street Classics kicks of Saturday and I’m going to swing by with the better half and my old man. If you see me holler.

Love those shows man.

EF ya

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This car popped up on my radar(somewhat recently) thanks to JDM euro.

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May 17, 2012

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With my recent obsession with the Japanese American low rider scene I almost forgot about all the awesome native builds in Japan.

Chances are pretty good I may have posted this EF sedan sometime before but even if I did it’s not like it isn’t worth seeing again.

Locally these cars usually have hazy bondo filled rear quarters so the condition of this alone is mind blowing. Never mind the stance.

efya2 — If I recall correctly there was a set of these for sale locally in the winter, wonder where they ended up

efya1 — Small detail but I have always liked when people gracefully bend their plates to match the bumper instead of moving them or leaving them straight

Horse Show

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May 16, 2012

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Mustangs two weeks in a row? What’s going on?

Though most of the Mustang crowd hates the cars posted on this site those that are into the low life sure know how to put together an eye pleasing car.

The fox body will always be a favorite of many not just for it’s looks but also for its performance, distinctive exhaust note, and huge aftermarket catalog.

This 87 notch spotted on Stance| Works is one of the better looking notches I have seen online lately.

notch4 — Eibach Prokits up front with H&R springs in the back with a coil removed all around

notch5 — I much prefer the smoked headlights to the GTs covers often found on these

notch2 — A keen observer noted that the exhaust now goes under the axle on this fox

notch1 — Perfect ride height for this car if you ask me

Specs are 18×10 + 25 XXR wheels with 255/35 tires, it’s also got a Cobra 03/04 (thanks Phil) IRS suspension out back.

I should look for some Camaros to even things out..

Theme Tuesdays: Shelby Appreciation

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May 15, 2012