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WTF Friday: Back To The Future

By
DaveT
-
4

On the silver screen DeLoreans (Doc Brown’s anyway) are a mechanical marvel worth turning into a time machine powered by stolen plutonium.

In reality by the time they finished jumping through all the hoops required to go from idea to production vehicle they ended up as stainless steel disappointments.

Don’t get me wrong I like DeLoreans, and the crazy story behind the companies rise fall and rise, but they really deserved something more impressive under the hood (..err boot?) to back up their looks.

138-hp does not a super car make and it was a far cry away from the 200hp John DeLorean originally envisioned powering the car.

Over the years people have tried to fix this problem with turbos and various other motor transplants but this is the first (and perhaps only) time someone tried to fix this cars problem of less than swift forward motion with a rotary mill.

A Mazda 20B motor to be exact lifted from the Mazda Eunos Cosmo. This swap bumped up the power to 300hp and 297 foot pounds of torque and since DMC-12s are said to weigh about 2800lbs from a performance aspect this swap makes fairly logical sense.

From a purists stand point it doesn’t really make a lick of sense and I doubt any mechanic would jump at the chance to work on this car since in additon to the Rotarty swap the original transmission was scrapped and replaced with a 1995 Porsche Carrera unit.


The Eunos half digital/half analog dash also made the trip Back To The Future.

A hilariously dated video of the car from six(!) years ago is below:

Mazda tri-rotor powered Delorean DMC12

A bit more info about the car is here.

Oh and if you are curious about the paint a few DeLoreans did actually get painted shortly after leaving the factory while a few left gold.

Needs more Mr Fusion.

Site Updates

I will be in California from April 6th to the 12th doing the touristy thing with the better half. We will be driving from SF to LA so if there is anything particular I should know going on between those dates (other than Formula D which I can’t make it to) let me know.

There should also be a feature up Monday.

Flashback Fridays

Speaking of DeLoreans I am still looking for this car.

If it didn’t skip to a different time someone should be able to find it…

Classically Trained

By
DaveT
-
2

There isn’t anything wrong with a simple clean e36, and this is a simple clean e36 I’ve been meaning to share  for awhile.

Posted online in January I’ve found myself looking at these pictures time and time again (thanks to never closing the tab) and admiring the owners taste in modifications.

The owner ended up bring the front down a touch more but honestly it could have stayed like this
The wheels are Dinan's made by Fiske
Love the blacked out roundel... attention to details
The black roof also helps bring things together
End it with a roller

The pictures taken by Tristan Shulz don’t hurt this cars case either.

Clean cars are still around…

Family Values

By
DaveT
-
5

As I’m sure many of you know I put off the Turbo Dodge Theme Tuesday for as long as possible because it was hard to pull together and I wasn’t sure the juice was worth the squeeze.

However had I known that posting a few snail equipped Mopars would lead to my first introduction to this Stingray I would have done it a hell of a lot sooner.

Before starting the rebuild of this ’72 Corvette with his father Steve Grybel commissioned his friend Chris at Design 165.com to do a few renderings of the projected final product.

Chris just so happens to own a turbo Dodge and left a comment here that lead me to his blog containing said renderings.



As you can imagine after seeing the renderings I was more than a little interested in what the final product would look like and after learning the car debuting at Detroit Autorama I set out looking for photos a week or two after the event.

The first decent shot I found I posted on the fanpage and as luck would have it a few people recognized the car and pointed me to Steve who sent a link to the build thread.

I’m not entirely sure how I missed this thread on a forum in active on, but once I started to read it I only became further impressed with the amount of work put into the car.

Steve didn’t just pick up a clapped out Corvette and put it in the weeds, the car has actually been in his family since new and during the late 80s his dad modified it for the first time.



While the car looked very period correct Steve figured with a little mini truck influence it could be a whole lot more than just another nice Corvette.

With complete disregard for whatever purists might think Steve set out to do exactly what he wanted with the ‘Vette because in his own words: stock sucks.

His vision necessitated a rebuild from literally the ground up; the sunflower yellow paint was stripped, the interior was redone, the vacuum setup that controlled the wipers and headlight cowls/doors was binned, the firewall was shaved, and a 350 with 202/160 heads and polished everything was stuffed under the hood.

Finally to set it all off the car was laid out on air.





 The end result of a mountain of hard work is an award winning, irreplaceable, car that lives up to the high standards set by the initial rendering.

While most of the pictures of the car taken at Autorama didn’t really do the car justice these amazing photos from Robert (match_box on flickr) certainly do.





Simply incredible is the only way to describe the end result of this project and I have no doubt in my mind you will see these photos of the car popping up all over the place very soon.

The full set of photos can be seen on Robert’s Flickr and I encourage you to go take a look.

Photo Credit: match_box
Illustration Credit: design165.com
Build thread

I also recently learned that Steve is friends with a couple of the mini-truckers out this way and has plans to drive the car to every show it attends from here on out so who knows maybe I will come across this car in the metal sooner rather than later…

Theme Tuesdays: Classy Car Models Part 5

By
DaveT
-
4

If you’ve liked more than one automotive fanpage on Facebook within the past six months chances are pretty good your news feed is starting to look more like a soft core porn by the day.

All this trend of posting half naked women to get likes has done is increase the chances of the disgruntled female two cubicles over reporting you to HR for looking at boobs on work time.

On SIE almost all of the female posts will stay here on the blog so you get to keep your job, and if you do happen to get caught looking at this post just claim you did it because you are into female fashion.

Works every time*.

Managing to retain some class both feet in the air is a feat
Two things which could get a lot of us in a whole lot of trouble
Fisker booth professionals at the CIAS sure didn't look anything like this...
Another booth professional
Models on roofs always make me worry a bit but she looks light enough
70s Dodge Campaigns > Today's
I know the shoes on the s2k are Battles (CST Type 1s) and I will leave it to a female reader to ID the ladies shoes
There are a couple angles from this shoot, the one below you are probably more familiar with
amirite?
Right women and motorcycles Theme Tues...
Better late than never posting this Christmas themed shoot
What? Plaid is classy in some places...
911 love
and more pronounced 911 love
Green for the honeys?
Classy and sassy
It's funny how irrelevant the car is to this photo

*Might not actually work at all.

If you missed the previous:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Oliver’s Travels: 2

By
DaveT
-
6

Since the positive reception of the first Oliver’s Travels Ollie seems to have be stepped up his game in regards to the variety and quality of cars he sends through.

Actually…. that is not really true he’s always submitted a wide assortment of straight up bad ass cars. It’s only now that I have started to compile them into posts have I realized just how diverse his submissions really are.

If there was ever to be some sort of automotive Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit challenge I would want Ollie on my team…

Ollie managed to find another shot of the crazy custom Ford from last Thursday
His love for gassers has not diminished in the slightest since the last post
Seems he picked up a cab over obsession
...easy to see why
A perfect example of just drop it and keep it clean
Don Zapico's 1951 Nash Delivery
A pair of classic Fords Panels
Damn...
Red wheels, red guts
Words cannot describe how much I love this
The Austin Bantam is just one of many cars Ollie introduced me too
Beautiful...
Citroen Loadrunner, evidently a production car of which most are in France, if you are reading this blog and have access to one of these you know what needs to be done.
Note to self... post more FBs
David vs Goliath
2.3L Turbo RWD Starlet.

Thanks again Ollie!

WTF Friday: More Questions Than Answers

By
DaveT
-
10

There is a particularly humorous episode of Futurama that involves the Planet Express crew going under water to a city much like Atlantis. Hilarity of course ensues and a after series of particularly ridiculous events concludes with Bender picking up a lit cigar (under water remember) Hermes exclaims “and that just raises further questions!”

Hermes’ repeated confused reaction and desire to grasp what is going on in that scene is exactly how I felt when I first saw this Geo Metro(?) turned into whatever it is now.

Each picture does nothing to explain the one before it and just raises further very valid questions.

So looking at the photo above I can kind of assume it is some sort of Geo, or other compact GM compact (maybe Firefly), however at this point it’s origin is the last of my questions. I would like to know however:

Where did the rest of the car go?
Why go through all that work and leave a door that looks like it could open on the passenger side?
Does the hood still open?
Does that window roll down?

Looking at the second picture it becomes apparent that the person doing the work is at least halfway capable because the panel construction doesn’t look all together terrible (though it might be wood), but…

How do you get the wheels off now?
Are the panels removable do you have to remove the entire rear end to get them off?
Is that the fuel filler near the rear windshield?
If this car ever rolled over would the occupant survive?

Also side pipes, this car has them.

Coming around to the rear no answers, just more questions…

who did all the glass (ie rear windshield) work on this car and did they know what it would become?
And what HAS it become what was the point of this entire endeavor?

While we are on the topic of things that don’t make sense I wonder what happened to this prior to it ending up in the junkyard that made the result below the best course of action?

Questions that will never be answered…

Site Updates

Took a huge shipment of orders to the post office today so anyone who ordered between last Sunday and last night should see something in their mail box really soon.

Two extremely sick dubs showed up in the inbox this week so I’ll be working on getting those features up in the next two weeks.

Finally the weather took a turn for the better which means it is about time to start sorting things out with my car.

Flashback Fridays

In addition to the aforementioned VWs I also got an email about a local TY build, which reminds me of the Syborg, which I saw at SEMA.

I hear a collector owns it now.

Anarchy

By
DaveT
-
8

I’m pretty sure not everyone is going to like this car and that’s alright because I am almost absolutely positive the owner doesn’t care, and I just like to see just what kind of cars I can get away with posting before one of you has me committed (or at the very least disconnects my internet).

According to -273 before this car became what it is today it started as some kind of 50s Ford.

What it has become today is a little hard to describe, and I hesitate to call it a rat because that term is becoming fairly over used these days with some people even taking offense to it.

At the end of the day is what it is which is exactly what the owner wanted it to be.

Seeing this car leave a trail of sparks behind it would be terrific
This side makes it seem as though the owner has intentions of one day painting it
Suicide door is fitting, as is the exhaust
Steering wheel aside I think those are lawn chairs
Curious what the completed grill work will be.. could see a Mercury grill working maybe
Wheel choice is spot on
Not legal in Australia....
I like em' dropped

As always anymore info is appreciated.

Going Back To Cali

By
DaveT
-
3

For long time readers today’s car may look a little familiar and that’s because it was first posted in July of 2010 alongside an equally stunning white 328i.

At that time Bryan had just saved the car from an early death at the hands of a neglectful previous owner and done a little bit of work to it.

Since then Bryan has realized that his project 318ti is so much more to him than just a nice looking way to get from here to there.

His ti, affectionately known as “Tessa”, has been one of the few stable things in his life after a series of ups and downs and the friends he has met through his passion for automobiles are ones he wouldn’t trade for the world.

These friends (who are the type to spend hours with him in the garage wrenching or just sharing laughs) along with a very active local enthusiast community have inspired Bryan to continue to pushing forward with his car.

While Bryan is quick to mention that he isn’t anywhere near finished with his ti this current iteration is the best the car has ever looked.

The exterior modifications present in the first feature (M3 front bumper, M-tech ti rear bumper,  luxury package grille, M-tech side moldings, M3 mirrors, and LTW low rise spoiler) remain and seem to flow together much better now that the car is rolling on 16×8 Hayshi mesh wheels.


Going against the notion that 16s are too small for the e36 these unique wheels, with a hint of patina, give this car a bit of a vintage feel which works exceptionally well with the unique lines of the ti.

A Nardi woodgrain wheel helps bring some of that vintage feel on the inside and to add a little bit of personal flair back to the car after the antifreeze green BBS wheels were removed Bryan added a clear pink bubble swirl shift knob.


With arguably one of the largest after market automotive communities in the world fueling his passion there is no telling where that motivation will take him in the future and I’m sure it won’t be long until we’re going back to Cali for another update on Bryan’s ti.

Modification List

Exterior

  • M3 front bumper with luxury package grill
  • M-tech ti rear bumper
  • M-tech side moldings
  • M3 mirrors
  • DJ auto euro ellipsoids w/ city lights. 55w Low beams, 35w High beam
  • LTW low rise spoiler
  • Depo Euro tails
  • Depo Clear side markers

Interior

  • Clear w/Pink swirl bubble shifter
  • Sony Head unit with upgraded Pioneer Internals & sub woofer

Performance

  • Custom twin loop exhaust
  • 3.5 inch Cold Air intake

Suspension

  • Rokkor Coils
  • M3 Tophats

Wheels/Tires

  • Hayashi Mesh 16×8 ET -4 ET -5
  • 205/40/16

Photo Credit: Media Junkies

Front Rear Sedan

By
DaveT
-
6

Normally I let Theme Tuesday posts stand alone but I’ll make an exception today for this awesome home grown build by Liam of Dorimoto.

Locals will probably remember Liam best for the 240 he used to slide around Cayuga and Mosport at previous CSCS drift competitions but that car has now been returned to the earth and now he’s moved onto next.

Next in this case being an insanely awesome 1jz powered Cefiro built from the ground up for street and track use.

I’ve been following this build all winter (you’ve probably seen a photo or two posted on the fan page) and now that it is more or less all together I think we can all agree that it looks incredible.





Photos by Jesse Trnka, more build info on zilvia and Dorimoto.

The cars already starting to pop up a few places online and I am sure I will see it at least once this summer.

Theme Tuesdays: Non Traditional, Traditional Lowriders

By
DaveT
-
12

Reading that title you guys might think I wrote this a few beers in but hear me out.

After stumbling upon the Datsun on wires that was posted in the ‘Four On The Floor‘ Theme Tuesday I started thinking about other not so typical cars done up traditional lowrider style.

Traditional meaning, lots of chrome, flake, gold, white walls, wires, supremes etc.

A few laps of layitlow.com looking for vehicles that are not so average and you end up with this.

President Limo anyone?
Another look at that Nissan from a few weeks ago
74ish Nova tuckin' hard
60 some odd Pontiac Grand Prix from Japan... Japan's lowrider game is serious if you didn't know
Vintage snap of a Pontiac Catalina
One of a few cars today I NEVER expected to see done this way
Go figure it hits a mean 3...
Another one way outside the box, is it weird this might be the lowest Fiero I've ever seen?
I think that says Laurentian in script there...
Probably the most Pontiacs I have posted consecutively on this site
Corvair
and another
Oldsmobile Dynamic rocking a very sick paint job
Chrysler Cordoba
Like I said on Friday, I need to post more T-birds
Buick Invicta.... big fan of this one
Vega with a ton of negative camber up front and dog dishes all around
Another from Japan
Wild Cat... cars had cooler names in the sixties
Only lowrider of this generation I've seen... z28 or Iroc?
Last posted this Camaro in the vintage lowrider Theme Tuesday
Pinto flexin'
Nova wag with a glasstop
Legit Olds, also from Japan
This is an uh....Im not sure
Gremlin.
Going to end with this one which is going to leave a few of you scratching your heads or throwing up your arms in disbelief

I honestly think that the ‘scene’ could learn a lot from the acceptance of the lowrider community, those guys are literally down with anything so long as you show some pride in your work and are respectful to others and it shows.

Props to the guys over at layitlow.com for having some of the longest threads full of awesome I have ever seen.

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