Julian hit me up with some news from Cali, some good some and some bad. Unfortunately his super clean, low, wrx wagon was smacked up by another car, but don’t worry, it’s currently going under the knife and should be back looking great with some new additions in no time.
Until then he sent me some pics of his friend Arsen’s S2k that’s killing the streets on custom painted Work Emotion CR-Kai’s.
Arsen's s2000 is sitting damn near on the floor courtesy of F2 Type 2 coilsOfficial street sweeper statusThe industrial gray Work rims look great with the teal/blue lugs
Specs:
Work Emotion CR-Kai in a Custom gray.
Front: 17×8 +47
Rear: 17×9 +44
Coils: F2 Type 2 coils.
Shout outs to Us Versus Them and G.T.S Familia!
Julian is going to hit me back soon with some more updates on the status of his wagon and what’s going on with the rest of his homies out in Cali
Being a good guy and knowing that I am a big fan of low, and an equally big fan of wheel swapping, he sent them over to the Stance Is Everything email address, once I took a look I knew they would have a home here.
On this side the front is just about to tuckWhere as this side the front is tucking, full aired out vs not perhaps?Out back the wheel lip meets the fenderWonder how much has to untuck fir drive ability?
Be sure to check out the rest of Jon’s photos over on Up-Shift.net
Those of you who pay a lot of attention both here and on twitter might know that my girlfriend drives a Kia Soul 2u (the one without the flashing speakers), she’s had it about a year and it draws a surprising amount of attention for a stock vehicle, a lot of which can be contributed to it’s unique shape on somewhat rarity on the road.
However after watching me look at, and write about, cars almost daily for the past year has made her begin to wonder what her car could look like with a bit of a drop and some aftermarket wheels.
The nail was firmly placed in ‘I will never modify my car‘ coffin when she joined the Kia Soul Forums and found the following car lowered on a set of 17s.
Things are kept pretty simple on this Soul and often simple works best
While a lot of Kia Soul owners, for whatever reason, go overboard with decals, spoilers, and aftermarket rims at stock height this owner decided to drop his on a set of wedsports and call it a day.
The height looks very livable for the summer and winter and the only downside I see to this setup was that it was achieved via cut springs, however with a little digging I discovered that H&R makes a spring setup for this car.
I would maybe consider removing the Soul badgeI think this look and height would work well for my girlfriends daily
While I don’t see these cars picking up as much of a following as Scions have I’m pretty sure a few more tasteful ones will be popping up on the internet now and again, why not?
Now the only really problem with this plan is she want’s me to pay for all the mods…
Rolling shots are really an art, whether meticulously planned or a random snap out of a window they always have a way of bringing out the best parts of a car and minimizing the worst.
Maybe that’s why Rolling shot appreciation threads can be found on virtually every car forum on the net, here is my homage.
I am a big fan of lip spoilers on wrx's over the standardFresh to deathThese Porsches shared wall space with Lambos in my room growing upSlammed Type 4Hired gunClarkson hated his GT right?Another VW, this time throwin sparksI've posted this car before and I will probably post it againEdirtyThe sky is crazy in this shotThis car looks flawlessVip influenced LexusBig, big, fan of Brians SubaruThis shot looks like it took place on a beach?!s2k with the top down to make up for all the ones in the GTA with the top upAnother VIP LexusWhat? It's a rolling shot of sortsThis might be my second favorite Forrester ever...
Today’s mini feature is a Subaru which, like the last one featured here, is sure to push a few buttons among the more ‘purist’ minded automotive enthusiasts.
This car was brought to my attention by the owner/operator of WeLoveThis.ca, Graeme Harvey, Graeme and the crew over at We Love This (who are good friends with the boys at Union) are all about celebrating anything and everything dope; and today’s car just happens to fit the bill.
Mike treating his pride and joy to a coin wash
Mike Ross’s Bug Eye started out the same as every other Rally Blue rex: stock, and awd. While this starting point is enough for a lot of people Mike wouldn’t be happy until his car was transformed into something that couldn’t be picked up off the local car lot.
After a short stint as a daily driver, the car transitioned to a road course terror for a season, before going in a direction that is foreign to most Subaru’s, rear wheel drive.
Mikes WRX looking like a predator in the night
After removing his front drive axles and modifying his center differential Mike installed a set of Megan track coil-overs and a custom powder coated Cusco multi-link setup.
With his sights set on getting the most out of his new suspension Mike took his car to Scott at Can-align for proper corner balancing before installing his 17×10 +25 Miro STP1’s (with 225/45 Yokohama tires).
Functional stance here
Under the winning blue hood Mikes motor lives in partially shaved the engine bay and once the unnecessary bits where gone under the hood the shaving spread through the rest of the vehicle until a total 250lbs of excesses was removed from the cars over all weight.
When riding in Mikes car you would hardly notice where the weight was subtracted (hint: custom aluminum bumper beams) as save from the air conditioning, no real passenger comfort has been sacrificed.
The 10inch wide wheels really suit the factory wrx fenders
This car has come a long way since Mike got it but the end is no where near in sight, he and the Union Auto Club have a number of tricks left up their sleeves for this already great looking and performing car.
The parking garage will never cease to be an amazing spot for photos
Photo credit: JP Ellis
Big thanks to Graeme (tips and info) and JP Ellis (flicks) at WeLoveThis.ca for helping me out with this feature, and finally a big thanks to Mike for letting me feature his ride.
I could have called this ‘Event Coverage: Rich People Envy‘ because after I left Yorkville, where the Gumball cars cruised to in Toronto, I was fairly jealous of what all of the Gumball participants get to do.
Driving from city to city in a ‘rally’ and stopping off at local tracks and party hot spots and having enough money have to care about things going wrong is every automotive enthusiasts dream.
Gumball is something that I will most likely never be able to participate in, but I was glad to be able to spectate a little bit of, even though Tony Hawk and Rooftop in the A Team van and the Hoff in KITT were no shows, oh and the Bugatti Veyron went straight to the Hyatt hotel.
Outside my work
Since this all went down walking distance from my work I just stayed downtown and went to the bar before hand (gf was DD) then we cruised over to Yorkville to see whats up.
Seeing the cars outside my work was pretty awesome because I could get some close shots.
This clean, local, ae86 wasn't in the Gumball but was rolling with themThe gumball medic, I found it hilarious he had to cover so much for people to not think it was a real ambulanceThe only local Gumball entrant I saw, Zookie throwin up duecesHe's a Transformers fan!Ferrari's on bloor, 3rd building back from the no u turn sign is my office
Roll in
We didn’t stay near the roll in too long just because it was really hard to get pictures with everyone leaning in so far to do the same
This is Gumball, livin it upThe story goes this guys original car broke down so he bought this Camaro to finish the rallyI've never seen so many Gallardos in my lifeDrop topLots and lots of vinyl wraps F430 rollin in
Stopped shots
Eventually we got sick of crappy drive in shots and decided to walk around so here are those pics organized by brand
Misc
The safest limo you will ever be inThis Skyline almost seemed mundane compared to all the exotics, almostUK guys help me out what model Renault is this?Immaculate 72 Dino, awesome.Conquest Vehicles Knight XV 400 hp of get out of the wayThis thing was massiveMaximillion Coopers Morgan Aero MaxWith a cardboard windowThis truck was crazy, so crazy people brought models for it...
BMW’s
Not in the gumball just a local York VillianI heard a few people wondering why someone would take a wagon, they didn't notice it was an m5 I guess?
Maserati’s
Money.Mo Money!
Bentley’s
Not sure the green works on this B machine but I could see it working on something elseThis car had gatork skin all over it, it was actually kinda neatThey also had photos of the stops they had been on the car, again unique touch
Porsche’s
I love Porsche bodylinesMr X to the ZNever saw the man himself
Lamborghini’s
I loved LP670LV and it's roof rack, murdered out is dead you say? Nah.More vinyl wrappingLambo rear windows are useless anyway
I saw a thread on jdmrides containing compilations of clips captured by red light cameras, prior to watching this video I didn’t really have any idea how ballsy some people are when it came to running reds.
Some people just gun it and pray while others are just oblivious and cruise on through. This footage will shock and amaze you…
A few of them are good for a chuckle where as others… well if you have a faint heart I apologize.
Site updates
I went to Gumball, and I will have my photos up tomorrow. I really really wish I was rich now, that’s about it.
Here is a quick mobile photo of car that was basically right outside my office.
Gumball Porsche GT3 on Bloor Street
Flashback Friday
I’m in a painted wheel mode today, maybe because I just watched a video on wheel refinishing so let’s toss it back to the painted wheel Theme Tuesday.
Keepin things Gumball here is a lambo with color matching lips
Growing up my dad was a car guy, he used to take me to the Toronto International Auto Show, buy me remote control cars and got me hooked on building models.
For almost as far back as I can remember his 91 Volvo 940se was his pride and joy. This car was my first introduction to RWD luxury and my dads ‘family compromise’ so to speak. He loved this car and would often take me for spirited drives showing me the effects of over steer as we went. I often hoped this car would be mine but sadly this was not the case.
One tragic winters day my dad brought his car to his mechanics house for a head gasket replacement and while there the mechanics son took it out for a joy ride.
Unfortunately for my dad and his car this kid just had his G1 (learners permit) and had no idea how to handle a rear wheel drive car in the winter more so one with boost.
He ended up over cooking a turn, sliding into oncoming traffic, and striking another car.
Not only did that thief write off my dads car he also wrote off the car that he hit and put that driver out of work for about a year. The thief was perfectly fine (Volvo safety) but he was promptly sued by the driver of the other vehicle for lots and lots of damages.
While my dad was not physically injured by this incident having his pride and joy taken away from him basically shot a hole into the heart that once loved automobiles. Sure my dad will come out and wrench with me when I need a hand but he absolutely does not car about what he drives, his own cars have been tools to him ever since that incident.
I often wonder what he and I could have turned that Volvo into should it still be around, maybe it could have ended up looking something like this 740?
The stance on this brick is right properI don't know what it is about boxy cars but they just take well to dish
Guess we will never know, but if I win the lottery I know the first thing I am buying my dad.
Bad title I know, but moving past that, Noah at EKhatch is posting regularly again and has done something pretty interesting with his hood.
He’s brought it down to metal and thrown some WW2 era Rob Schwager graphics on it for this summer.
While a lot of people have done bare metal hoods and let them rust out, Noah is going a different route and doing his best to keep his hood from rusting so that it both pops out and blends in with his silver paint.
It looks pretty killer if you ask me.
It is awesome what can be achieved with some creativity and a spare hoodIt's wrapped in vinyl here but he is going to clear coat it insteadAre you ready to take it to the next level Noah 😉 I think he had to spray this car with wd-40 weekly...
