I always get a kick out of low cars I am not exactly familiar with, and this Skoda Felicia Family is a low car I’m not exactly familiar with.
I came across this one while collecting photos for a completely unrelated Theme Tuesday and was instantly intrigued by the little white hatch.
From what I gather the car (like most) started off static with the mesh wheels below before eventually switching over to an Air Lift Performance set up.
I dig the retro feeling graphics the car now has on the bottom of the doors, it is nice touch that really suits the cars somewhat retro styling.
I have no clue how the rear suspension is set up on this car but it would be really cool to see the ass on the ground as well.
Even still it’s a clean execution of something different.
Skimming through my rss reader I caught a glimpse of a very peculiar looking Trabant playing second fiddle to a sharply dressed model.
Instantly intrigued I set out looking for more and was shocked to discover that the model in the picture wasn’t just a model but was the builder as well.
Detroit artist Liz Cohen is the mind behind this unique Trabant, a build that she started in 2002.
With an idea in her head and zero prior mechanical experience, Liz searched for a shop that would both teach her what she needed to do and let her do it herself.
After becoming an apprentice at a shop in California Liz spent eight years working on the project, occasionally stopping to take pictures along the way.
In addition to expanding and contracting the way it does the Trabantimino was converted to a FR layout using the better parts of a Chevy El Camino.
The new motor configuration combined with a 114″ final length did pose a few challenges, one of the most complicated was the need for a telescoping drive shaft, conquering that hurdle alone took a full year.
Once all the movement had been sorted out the Trabant was painted, under carriage chromed, and given an interior befitting of a contemporary lowrider.
She’s since shown it at a couple art and car shows where it sounds like it’s received a unanimously warm reception. When asked if she is going to do more with it she has this to say.
“I don’t know if I want to do that,” the artist says with a laugh. “Do I have to be the best lowrider or can I just be really good?”
More info on the Trabantimino can be found here, here, and here. For those who like moving pictures the video below has some words from the artist herself.
These days the Japanese car scene receives a lot of online attention. RWB, Rocket Bunny, and Liberty Walk, are covered so thoroughly that, if I were to be completely honest, they have almost begun to lose some of their allure.
What’s a little less exposed is Japan’s take on tuning styles that are more commonly done this side of the pond, and from the brief glimpses I’ve seen Japan’s mini truck scene is an underexposed mecca of awesome.
One great example of the truck scene in the land of the riding sun is this 94 Nissan Hardbody built by Sinz.
Bagged, bodied, and treated to a few parts borrowed from its 4×4 brother the Pathfinder, this Hardbody is an exceptional representation of just some of the other tuning styles the Japanese are great at.
The part I like most about this truck is the incorporation of a Skyline rear to give the rear some camber, and the use of generously sized (17×9/10) BBS RS wheels.
Check out the entire feature on this truck at Farm Of Minds.
Weighing in on the static vs. air debate isn’t really something I like to do because I feel people should get down how they get down and not worry about how, but I will say that there is something to be said for a clean static car with spot on fitment.
I’m not talking cars that are easily identified as static from fifteen feet away due to smashed bumpers, questionable panel gaps, and catchy slogan covered munched quarters.
I’m talking about the ones that are so low, fitted, and clean that in some cases you catch yourself looking underneath for evidence of bags that are not there.
The reason Shayan’s trunk is popped in this photo is so people would stop asking if he was bagged Every meet Brad shows up to he’s got a serious amount of rubber in his quarters but somehow they never seem to get damagedConsidering the fact that Mazda 3 quarters like to turn to dust undisturbed, I was really impressed with the fitment on this car further impressed when I found out the last car to run these wheels was baggedThe last photos I saw of this car it wasn’t quite so immaculate but at this point it was picture perfectI had to re read the feature on this car just to make sure it was in fact static (20k/18k springs)When this showed up during my search I thought someone mistakenly called it static…But..Love this B4, every set of wheels that have been on it have been perfectEarly fender arches > late for fitmentConsidering the rear fitment, and the work into the quarters I was shocked to learn this e46 was staticSean Dub has always had a way with the e36 chassisHuge fan of this car, love how clean it is considering it’s a chassis where people let a lot of things slideJust perfectThe missing wing on this car irks me (yes I’ve heard the story) but you can’t knock the fitment or ride heightNew wheels, still cleanGoing to close things out with the e30 that inspired this postAin’t even mad
Think I missed your favourite? Or worse did I miss your car? Feel free to let me know via the comments for Part 2.
To celebrate their 50th year of operation Andy McJannett and his brother Rob McJannett, sons of Performance Improvements Speed Shops founder Bob McJannett, set forth on a road trip from Toronto Ontario to Las Vegas Nevada for SEMA 2013.
After a little bit of trip planning on their Parrot Asteroid the brothers McJannett noticed that the famed Texas Mile was ‘almost’ on the way, so in the name of speed they made a little detour on their way to the city of sin.
22 days, 18 states, and 9,468km (5,883 miles) later Andy and Rob have made it back with quite the collection of photos, the SEMA photos you’ve already seen so here are some from their road trip and the Texas Mile.
The car and the pilots
The faithful chariot for this journey was Andy’s Edlebrock supercharged SRT8 300C with a K&N Intake, Moroso aluminium tanks, 8 piston Mercedes Benz brakes, and Mickey Thompson Street Comp Tires.
The pilots of course were Andy and Rob.
Rob with his most intense ready for business faceAndy pondering why Rob is so seriousThe monster and some puny DinosaurPaused somewhere between here and there, after some top speed runs
A very small sampling of the cars at the event
The Competitors
After thinking of a few different ways of breaking up the coverage I decided fast to faster made the most logical sense.
A few vehicles I couldn’t find numbers on but I was able to for most.
This bike went 86.MPH
I need one of these…one of the big ones… no actually make it twoThe lack of numbers or tape leads me to believe this car was just hanging out
I was unable to determine just how fast this Eclipse wentThis Thunder bird sure is a long way from the oval track
This boosted ’70 Ghia managed to go 130.40MPHIt sounds like this Studebaker Texas mile veteran and for 2013 it topped out at 138.3MPHThis has to be one of the last vehicles I ever expcted to see at the Texas MileWith the aerodynamics of a brick you might be surprised to learn that this first gen Ranger went……163.70 MPHBeautiful 69 Camaro that skated down the mile at 167mphThis Huffman Racing 2010 GT3 just scooted past the Camaro with a top speed of 167.30 MPHAndy’s SRT on the dyno prior to his runs.Bug him here on instagram for the final numbersI guess it’s pretty warm in Texas…Andy and his SRT8 pre aerodynamic upgrades….…and afterGetting some heat in the tires prior to going 168.20 MPHTidy looking 89 CRXGood for 169 flatThe Team Shake N Bake Gozilla ran slightly faster than the CRX at 169.60 MPHThis CLS55 AMG topped out at 171.60 MPHA quick browse through MBWorld leads me to believe there is a lot of coin in this engine bayMichael Keisling’s supercharged Camaro was good for 179.8 MPHTape all of the thingsThis zo6 went 180.80 MPHThe CF aero on this twin turbo 67 Camaro put it down the mile at 182.40 MPHThough it looks fairly stock according to the site this twin turbo charged maxed out at 185.10 MPHLots of Ford GTs at the mile…This particular one ran 185.30 MPHI am so used to seeing these set up as drift cars that this looks a little weird… ran a 196.50 MPHFrosty Factory Racing Team ran 197.20 MPH in their Ford GT
The Bohica Racing R8 was capable of 200.20 MPHHighsmith Hemi 2008 Super Bird kitted ChallengerA super and e85 propelled this car to 195.40 MPHUndeground Racing is known for their crazy fast twin turbo cars and this one ran 204.30 MPHThis Twin Turbo ’03 911 ran 212.60 MPH on E85
The new Texas Mile record belongs to Patrick O’Gorman who took Mark Heidaker’s Ford GT all the way up to 278.2MPH
In the 70s Street Machine Theme Tuesday I mentioned that the Street Machine look was pretty versatile, and could be applied to basically every kind of car imaginable.
Case in point the 75 Honda Z600 found in today’s post.
This car doesn’t just look the part however, thanks to an unknown resourceful mechanic who stuffed a Chevy 427 under the hood it can run with the best of them as well…provided it doesn’t flip over.
I’m going to bet that wheelie bar saw a decent amounts of useI would be very interested to see the interior of this car because I am sue the motor takes up quite a bit of real estate
That rake! The body work does appear to be quite well done
Really wish I had more info build but sadly the four photos above seem to be all the internet is willing to give up.
If you know more about it (or a similar car) feel free to share in the comments.
After an Ontario Provincial Rally Championship win in 2010 and a second place overall finish in 2011, Team Manick took 2012 as a year to regroup and focus their efforts. After 9 months of design, fabrication, and assembly they are back on the stages – this time competing in the Canadian Rally Championship, and hungry for the podium.
But enough about that, let the pictures do the talking.
Team MaNick is comprised of a group of guys under the age of 30. The Narini brothers drive and co-drive the Lachute powered STI, which is where the name MaNick came from, sort of like a celebrity couple – like Penis (…Peter and Katniss from The Hunger Games… obviously) or Brangelina.
The way I see it there are two ways to put a car up on it’s bumper. A talented person with a switch box manipulating the flow of hydraulic fluid, or raw stump pulling power.
In my opinion both are awesome and as such both are showcased in today’s post, enjoy.
Lowriders
Start things up with some local ridiculousnessI’ve actually never seen a truck hopper in person, probably gets pretty wild
Not a single care was given this dayIt’s a damn shame that this appears to be a screen capJeff from Switches N Thangs keepin’ it 100
Quarter Miler Terrors
This might actually not be on bumper but I’ve never seen a Bronco up that high without use of a ramp
That’s a heck of a lot of Wagon to put back on the bumper……and that is a whole lot of turbo (take a leap of faith that the bumper hit)No leap of faith required hereIt’s awesome that a car that can do this can be plated in California where I hear the ministry laws are pretty stern
Wheelie bars are evidently for the faint of heartI assume at this point you just pray you come down somewhere in the direction of where you took offKind of like this…
Chances are pretty good I am going to say this every year I don’t go for the rest of my life but, I really wish I went to SEMA this year.
The feeling of missing out only intensified when I took some time this weekend to take a second pass through Rob’s photos from SEMA 2013. Unfortunately until I’ve got some wealthy mistress bank rolling the site I’m going to have to keep the every other year thing going a little bit longer.
This conclusion of the SEMA 2013 coverage presented by Performance Improvements has another look at a few vehicles from earlier posts as well as a few cars and trucks I somehow missed previously.
51 Studabaker Woody Classic with a 390-cubic-inch Ford Edsel V8 under the hood
I think I am officially ok with these visually.Historically I ‘ve heard people criticize Chevy quite harshly for interiors but these look really good
I swear the only time I see, or hear, about DC Sports any more is at SEMA, could just be the circles I travel inWindshield banner reads: “The Art and Science of Wheels”. I have no comment for that.Falken, as always, taking their booth displays above and beyondThis Willys is awesomeSome pretty awesome art over on Maxgrundy.comRob searching for Inspiration for the Performance Improvements Factory Five car perhaps?
More pictures of this car are in part 2 if you missed them. I still stand by it being a piece of metal artJust another 32 Ford?Nope……2JZ!
What do you figure the odds of this being a good movie are?I see two possible uses for this; awesome Power Wheels, or awesome RC car
Interesting Barracuda that was part of the car crazy showcase, Just A Car Guy has more photos of itGulf Livery knows no boundsChris Moore’s 72 Ford Mavrick GTMike Holleman’s El Camino which you can read more about right hereProbably the only Mercury Cyclone I’ve ever postedAwesome work here and no question about whether or not it lays framePerfectLincoln V12 powered 32 Ford. Would love to hear what this sounds like runningHow long you figure the guy in this picture stood there in awe?Picture perfect gasser
Thanks for making it through all of the coverage, I hope you guys enjoyed it!
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