I’ve yet to quite master the art of being in more than one place at a time and last year one of the many events that fell victim to this deficiency of mine was Torque Modified which took place the same day as Meeting Of The Mazdas.
After hearing nothing but good things about the first event I shuffled some things around to make sure I could make it out the the second annual show and I wasn’t disappointed in the least.
The turnout was great, the vibe was right, and there was good variety which is something I always appreciate.
It doesn’t hurt that the organizer is also an awesome guy who supports as many other events as he can so it’s really great to see his own do well. If you don’t typically attend a lot of shows east of the city but have always been interested I would recommend considering this one for next year.
Since I was in their neck of the woods I rolled up and parked with the folks at Taylor’d CustomsFollowing this truck to the venue I was glad Blair didn’t (completely) lay the bumper down and shower me in sparksEscalade laid out on 28sJon’s Genesis parked up beside a very interesting V6 GenUnder the hood a few changes are noticeable…….but the real business is hidden under the car. Those numbers are at very low boost too!Can’t say I see a lot of Biscaynes at shows I attendThis General was one of a few ‘starcars’ in attendanceIt occurred to me that I don’t think I’ve ever shot a photo of this IS300 befroeNice to see this bagged GTP still around and looking cleanRyan recently Plastidipped his girlfriend Civic……as well as his ownHe ended up taking home the 30lb best stance awardAmong the surprisingly large 3 turnout was this functionally set up Speed3Jamie’s Mazda3 ended up taking home best MazdaMark’s A3 clipped Golf……which is now on style 5sHis wife’s CF Widebody TibKplayground’s line-upOmar’s bagged e36 on X5sThis static A4 also looked great on X5sAvant tuckin’ at all four cornersThis Camaro belongs to ‘Got Ass’ model Kayja Rassweiler who is evidently a huge Hello Kitty fanJaved’s EL with it’s eye popping orange accentsJohn Wakely posted up in the Croftgate Canada boothLast year thieves stole a lot of items from Tim’s engine bay… ever resilient he built it up getterA bigger turbo was one of the recent additionsAlways been a huge fan of Tim’s trunk floor set-up, matches well with his interior while being clean and differentSuper clean first gen CivicHarvin brought out his #melloyellow370 and his girlfriend joined with her FR-SWide-body Skyline on Work VS-KF wheelsCommon Ground trucks bracketing Tim Atkinson’s S10Geoff’s Mazda caught in the reflection of Tim’s wheelsA non reflected look at his truckI’m always a fan of great pinstrippingEither the kid in the background really likes Tim Atkinson’s truck or he thinks it is a good place to poop…Tim reppin for his company Atkinson CustomsFlip-flop Mazda rolling out a little earlyJames took home best mini truckGary’s Ranger ended up in second place in the minitruck classBrandon convincing another show goer that bags are the way to go while Gary hits sidesChris enjoying his trucks first full season on the roadThis should look pretty killer once it is all painted againSome of you may remember this truck from the last limbo contest I shotLimo contents are not quite the same with Miss Danielle….Bagged Infiniti on Concavo wheels making it through the earlier stages of the limboStatic Jetta just making it throughGary ended up being out at this height, valiant effort howeverTim showing just how low he’s able to driveThe winner ended up being this Autozam which had no issues at any height
From what I understand the ‘rules’ for owning an air cooled Beetle are a little different than those of your average car or truck. Certain years you are basically free to do whatever you please without much scrutiny, while some years if you so much as repaint them people will request your head on a spike.
I’ve heard things get so strict that people would rather their parts sit and rot in a shed than go to a project they “don’t agree with”.
The simple idea of a Volksrod most likely offends the most crotchety of traditional Beetle enthusiasts, as well as traditional hot rod enthusiasts theoretically making Volksrod builders a tight knit community of outsiders.
When you think about it that is pretty cool and what hotrodding was in the very beginning…
Anyway on the heels of a fairly popular post on the fanpage here is a Volksrod Theme Tuesday.
This build is currently ongoing on Stance|WorksWhile the build above is ongoing this one known as the Lexi bug seems to have come to a complete stopLooks like an awesome place to take photos… also reminds me of Red Dead Redemption‘Street Rod’ Volksrod?This particular one reminds me a little bit of a truck I saw at AutoramaNo matter what the theme Speedhunters seems to have something for itThis is the same car from a different sourceEvidently that motor is from a CorvairLove some good rakeTotal Car Magazine has the feature on this oneAnother truck looking oneIf you google ‘Volksrod’ this is one of the first to pop up, it’s a classicLove how this is bare metalRag topped Volksrod from Belgium via Fast Car‘Das Speedster’ which is an incredible buildStarted as a rusty shell… ended up a rotary powered Volksrod. Tons of build pics here
Going to end things with this insane looking (and sounding) GSXR powered Volksrod:
Anyone who has ever worked in the customer service industry has likely heard the saying The customer is always right.
This ‘rule’ even applies when a customer requests a vehicle that is strong enough to drive through anything in it’s path (including an Tornado) while simultaneously being powerful enough to attain a lofty speed goal of 300 kilometres an hour.
Despite being a pretty ridiculous request custom vehicle builder Jack Holt built it anyway, even after the buyer turned out to be “your typical Hollywood flake” who vanished when the bill got to high.
No longer having a deadline the end product took Jack eight years to construct and clocking in at 9 tons this behemoth known as the Screamin’ Eagle is now used at car shows and charity events in Canada and the United States.
He had to make a few changes from the original plans in order to make it street legal but it is still essentially a freight train on wheels powered by an 8 cylinder 2 stroke Detroit Diesel motor.
With the help from a single turbo (duals were played with briefly) the power plant –originally intended for use in tug boats and the like– puts out 1020 horsepower and unrecorded amounts of torque. However for street use he keeps the boost turned down to a manageable 700 or so horsepower.
You can also sleep in it.
It’s a really weird but at the same time pretty interesting.
More photos here on Bug Lugs Flickr and here’s a video where Jack talks about the vehicle.
Site Updates
I performed a little bit of maintenance to the site last weekend, mostly some behind the scenes work that not many will notice but hopefully the commenting lag that plagued the site for the last few months is gone.
I also made a few small revisions to the store because the next shipment of T-Shirts is set to arrive in about two weeks. Previously I had mentioned going with a pre order model but after some careful investing and I was able to get some stock ordered instead.
Below is a proof of two of the five designs that will be up in the store soon, one of which is an old favourite.
Event wise I will be at Torque Modified on Sunday while a friend of mine covers the Tires23 event in Mississauga, info about both shows is below:
Flashback Friday
Tried to think of the last giant diesel powered thing I posted before and it would have to be this Ford posted in 2011.
Travelling, studying, and living abroad is often a once in a life time opportunity and those fortunate enough to do so are usually forced to sacrifice quite a bit. In fact it is regularly said that the best philosophy to have when living life on the road is to pack light and never acquire items you are not willing to walk away from at a moments notice.
For car enthusiasts, this mentality can be a bit of a problem because very few of us are willing to give up our cars, or passion for modifying them, at the drop of a hat.
Neil, who’s main residence is –or perhaps the correct term now would be was– here in Toronto has spent the last few years darting back and forth across the pond where on one side he had a very nice bagged MKV and on the other he had… well nothing really.
Obviously that needed to change so after a brief search Neil scooped up a MKII Jetta as his European runabout and in short order it was wound down on Weitic coils with Mcguyvered skateboard wheels serving as bump stops.
After initially fitting Porsche ‘teledials’ to the car and not being quite satisfied Neil embarked on a search for something a little more unique. A little treasure hunting later and he wound up with a completely one off set of Image Racing Wheels.
Originally built for a 90’s Jaguar race car (and thought forever lost by the manufacturer) these 16×9 splits have been re-drilled to 4×100 and given a proper refurbishing.
Now they are an exceptional, unique, period correct addition that work great with the stock Euro MK2 exterior.
Of course wheels and a drop are not the end of the plans Neil has for the car and the future will see the slightly modified 1.6L motor yanked in favour of a force fed VR6.
Until then this Jetta serves as the perfect way for him and his new fiancée Scarlett to ride around the English country side in style. Perhaps the next time we see this car Just Married will be scrawled on the back window.
This years GTA Fitted Lifestyle event was such a success that Dave and the guys at Stretch & Poke decided to throw a follow up event last weekend in Ottawa.
As a show of appreciation to those who made the opposite trek in May the Fitted Capital Tour (held at Track Werks) used Stretch & Poke’s tried and tested formula of a casual meet with a few awards.
I couldn’t make the trek out to Ottawa myself so I reached out to Ottawa native, and fellow Mazda 3 owner Alec Lessard, who graciously provided coverage to share here on the site today. Looks like it was a great event and hopefully I will be able to join everyone in the nations capital next year.
Start things off with a great looking Mk6 on BBS RS wheelsI dig the colour choice, stands out but not obnoxiouslyThis nice looking satin black Jetta is one of several cars that were at both Eurokracy and Fitted OttawaThis car was briefly parked next to me at EurokracyWatercooled IND wheels are starting to become a little more common place here in Canada
Looks like this car got fixed up since the tire explosion on the way to Eurokracy
Reall a big fan of this Civic and the one below
Very well executed
Nice looking Accord Coupe on what look to be Work Emotion Xd-9s
This Miata has to be one of my favourite cars from the event love that the owner went with good sized rubber in combination with the flaresJF’s super low 3Love that he didn’t mangle the fenders on the 3 and that they are not rusting awayThough a lot of camber for me personally, I appreciate when people keep the camber front to rear similarThe Blitz 03 wheels are pretty nice as wellBrad rolled through and left with an awardDish.The Whips & Cholcoate Soarer that was kicking up smoke at EurokracyOttawa loves to tuck Exhibit AOttawa loves to tuck Exhibit BEnd things off with this Golf that had a very clean hardline setup
As a big first generation S10/Blazer fan the first time I discovered Syclones and Typhoons they shot to the top of my ‘favorite vehicles ever built’ list about as fast as they ran down the quarter mile.
I mean what’s not to like about an all wheel drive pickup/suv that could out run a Corvette and a Ferrari in stock form?
Held in high regard by many Sy/Tys are one of ‘those’ vehicles that people get a little prickly about when it comes to modification. Of course like everything else there are more than a few people willing to throw caution to the wind and turn something awesome into something amazing.
Or in some cases something just kind of interesting.
I bet the wheel and paint choice on this truck ruffles a few feathers within the Sy/Ty communityCCW Classics work on just about anythingThis 92 is pretty well perfect: it’s got a pte 54 turbo, Sportmachine coils, 3″ drop leafs, rear dics, chipped, etc…Someone needs to make this reality, like now.Also if that same person could find more photos of this truck for me that would be sweetWhile it looks like the owner raided the Lund catalog I do like the use of mesh wheels on a SyHe is also not afraid to hoon it a bit…Since there were only ten of these ever built the chances I will ever see one are pretty slim…Banks power Sy that went 200MPHOh so 90s. You can read more about this truck hereWomen love them tooLike I said…This build was very promising and then suddenly no updates. I hate cardomain for that. So. Very. Much. You can tease yourself here if you likeI’m not going to lie the first few photos of this truck I thought the wheels were photoshopped but it turns out they are actually just that color. It’s actualy You can read more about #2320 on sportmachines.netSo as you all know from the Importfest coverage Tyler owns this LS Syclone on SSRs…….he also owns thisShaun Palmer’s Pike’s Peek SY
One of two trucks in today’s post known as the Syborg, Speedhunters has the feature on this 410 horsepower and 440 foot pounds of torque monsterI was lucky enough to see this Syborg at SEMA in 2010…Technically it stared as a Sonoma GT but there was no way I wasn’t including itIt came a long damn wayThe twin Turbo 4.7 is just the tip of the iceberg with this truck, the build is hereThis belongs to “NoJimmy” on sy/ty.net#lsineverything ls7 in this caseThe lowest of the bunch, perhaps the lowest periodAt this years Camp N Drag
Alright so from here down things get a little wild…. You’ve been warned.
That’s a 900hp 438 sitting in between the fenders of an actual TyphoonThe owner put the motor in after grenading the turbo 6 twice overIt is still all wheel drive with a beefed up diff up front and a Ford 9 in the rear. A bit more info on it is here
Last but not least I end things with this insane twin turbo Typhoon laying bumper:
With Importfest coverage just barley out the door we can move things right along with the third round of CSCS coverage for 2013. Round three took place at Mosport and while that’s a venue I particularly like shooting I opted to sit things out this round because I was a little run down from a week of preparation for Importfest.
Luckily I was able to find a few photographers willing to pick up my slack and judging from the photos contributed by Kevin Tam and Kenny Barnes, CSCS Mosport was a blast just like years previous.
Today’s post runs through a couple photos from each event so enjoy!
Show & Shine
Nice looking TL under the Standard Suspension tent, don’t think I have seen this car beforeClose look at the stretch on the back of Brad’s MR2‘Mr. Cleeen’ supercharged G35That is an exceptionally large sub box…Bagged Jetta offering mustache ridesKevin Tam’s personal carBeautiful Mazdaspeed Protege, amazing to see one still in such great shape considering how ‘kind’ Toronto winters are to MazdasTrevor’s Speed3 which I think was torn apart after this for some motorworkLove this Subaru without the the bike on the roofIt seems like the number of modified NSXs in Ontario is growing quite rapidly…Straight off the Importfest floor to CSCSThe satin pearl wrap on this car looks greatAlisha Lynn and Melissa DanielleFrom the back…Team Nextmod at CSCS
Paddock
Swift GTI… one of the first hot hatches?They never said it would be easy on bodywork…Love Huskies…Crusin’ the pits in styleMarrin’s “Tattoforty”Probably the best e-brake handle I have ever seenPat brought his FR-S out to MosportI didn’t notice at Importfest but the exhaust setup changed from when I shot it, makes sense as it was just a mock up straight pipe thenNextmod’s got their s2000 game on pointAwesome shot of Mike McGinnis waiting to head out on the track for Unlimited AWDMiata waiting to head out for a rip
Time Attack
Said Miata chasing down an FR-SAwesome to see a big SRT 8 Sedan out on course with the much nimbler vehiclesScott Shadbolt in his Super e46, he is currently sitting in second over all
Chris Boersma of Boersma Racing in his SSFWD CivicFocal Point Concepts Type R making a few lapsAndrew Cassidy’s FC RX-7I didn’t know that Teknotik had an RX-7 in their stableJames Kutschke looking great as alwaysRichard Nado in the Touge Tuning WRX
Drift
Miguel of Drifters AnnonymousFrancisco Becerra making his way down the challenge Mosport courseLooks like someone made their way down from DMCC for this roundI think it’s Maxime Poirier but I could be wrong…Riley is currently sitting second in overall points, which make sense considering how consistent he isGoing to end things with Pat sending his FR-SGood luck at the next round Pat!
Big thanks to Kenny and Kevin for their help this round.
When I first started this site in 2009 the thought never occurred to me that I would have the opportunity to hand pick cars for a Stance Is Everything designated area at one of the largest aftermarket automotive shows in Canada.
After an enjoyable, and successful, showing in 2012 I approached the Importfest organizers early in the year to secure six spots for 2013.
For 2013 I was proud and lucky enough to have Blair (B8 A4), Shayan (B6 A4), Ryan (MK4 TDI), Luke (’61 Beetle), and Tyler (LS GMC Syclone) represent SIE alongside myself at Importfest.
Today’s post serves double duty as a show of my appreciation and a dedicated look at each of their cars via photos I’ve found online along with a few of my own.
Blair’s Audi B8 A4
Blair was actually the first person I asked to show again and the last person to actually sign up due to a very busy year with Taylor’d Customs.
Last year Blair represented the classic segment of the booth with his ’57 3200 but this year he switched things up and brought his daily driver.His daily just so happens to be an Air Lift Performance bagged B8 A4 tucking 20″ Vossen CV2 wheels.
It’s a simple effective combo that makes you wonder why exactly Audi made the wheel wells on the B8 large enough to swallow 20s.
A number of people asked if any significant cutting was necessary to get the car to sit this low and the answer is noWith Team Vossen in town it was definitely nice to have a car on Vossens parked with SIE – Via: Spyder 01
Shayan’s B6 A4
Shayan’s car is actually the first of my wife Lyndsey’s two picks for 2013. She’s been a big fan of it since he put the vinyl wrap on and I’ve taken quite a few photos of it over the years so it seemed quite fitting to have him on board.
His car was the only one that several people seemed to think was bagged when it’s actually static. It was pretty funny seeing the reaction on the faces of some when they learned that –unlike several others– he didn’t lower his car specifically for (or at) the show.
He drives it exactly how you see it.
If you’re wondering how he turns… he just does and it all works outThe white Rotas really pop against the vinyl wrap – Via: Dumped Daily
My 2004 Mazda 3
Last year my car was fortunate enough to make it into the show due to a friend backing out a week beforehand. This year I actually entered it ahead of time and did my best to make sure that it not only represented the site well but Air Lift Performance as well.
After hemming and hawing about what to do with my hatch fate intervened when I found a piece of glass perfectly sized for a tank window while out walking my dog. A few nights with a jigsaw and I was pretty happy with the final result. The judges must have also liked it because I managed to walk away with the cars first award, a second place in the Mazda 3 category.
Prior to the show my lip was significantly stone chipped. A few hours with Dr. Colorchip the night before fixed that right up – Via: IllMotionEventually I think I am going to take the tank out and give it a proper polish – Via: IllmotionI’ve yet to figure out exactly where to put that trophy…
Ryan’s MK4
I was really happy when Ryan inquired about space for 2013 because his car was a show-stealer at least years event.
Two years in a row Ryan TDI has been of of the cleanest both literally and figuratively and it’s great to see it get such a positive reception.
It’s one of those cars that the more you look the more you see (the devil’s in the details) and the fact that he’s always constantly refining it just makes it all the better.
Three-peat in 2014?
Ryan’s CCWs are actually for sale currently and I am really interested to see what he picks up nextLove the yellow accents in his engine bay which are a Caterpillar yellow which is a nod to his profession as a Truck & Coach technicianA well deserved Ultimate Jetta Award
Luke’s ’61 Beetle Deluxe
Luke’s bug is the second of Lyndsey’s two picks for 2013 and a vehicle that was arguably the most popular of the entire show. It’s highly unlikely many people expected to see a 61 Bug draped in period correct accessories at a show called Importfest but that’s what made having it there so damn cool.
His car was literally surrounded by people the entire show and if there was a people’s choice award I’m pretty sure Luke would have walked away a winner.
It wasn’t uncommon to see people young and old posing with, and taking pictures of, this beautiful bug.
Two years in a row there’s been a car with a swamp cooler in the Stance Is Everything booth at Importfest, hopefully that tradition can keep goingSuch a photogenic car – Via: Dumped DailyVia: Krying Out Loud
Tyler’s LS GMC Syclone
Ty’s truck is the only vehicle in the booth I had not seen in person prior to Importfest 2013. I have however been closely following his build on Stance | Works and had eagerly been anticipating seeing it in person.
On Friday when he rolled up I nearly had a complete S truck relapse on the spot because it’s honestly everything anyone could ever want out of the chassis when it comes to the perfect balance between performance and looks.
It was really funny to watch people at the show walk past the truck, glance under the hood, come to a complete stop, then come back once more and really take a look at what they saw. Out of the entire show it’s easily the vehicle I took the most pictures of and I can’t wait to shoot it properly once it’s fully on the road as a daily driver.
The SSR’s are such a solid choice for this truck, they suit it so damn wellI love how he got all the stickers reproduced in a Gold hue that matches the gold accents all around the truckLove these wheels and it’s a twist to see them used on an s10#lsineverythingFor those curious yes it is a real SycloneLike everyone else this trophy was incredibly well deserved
Big thanks once again to Blair, Luke, Shayan, Ryan, and Tyler for being awesome people to spend the incredibly long day with and supporting the site at Importfest for 2013.
I can’t imagine not having any of these guys back next year so for 2014 I may need to ask for more spaces again….
In the movie The Fly a mad scientist enters a transporter and winds up crossing himself with a house fly becoming a grotesque monster that frightens little children.
In Toronto a mad mechanic crossed a c5 Corvette with Eclipse tail lights, Foose wheels, and a lot of fibreglass to create a grotesque monster that confuses car enthusiasts world wide.
Citroen 2CV inspired front end perhaps?
In all honesty the work done to this car –craftsmanship wise– can’t be faulted but sadly the combination of things leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to an aesthetically pleasing package.
In my opinion it just falls flat on it’s bug-esque face.
Long car was looongKind of like chipmunk with puffy cheeksThe aforementioned Eclipse tail lights
After a few laps of the car with my iphone I got out my SLR and mono-pod to really capture this beauty.
It’s almost the entire length of a standard length parking spot making it quite the long carI cannot for the life of me figure out what cars donated front end partsKinda looks like ass cheeks, taking ‘Dat Ass’ pretty seriously…
Site Updates
Long weekend here in Ontario but I am going to put some work in on the store side of things and hopefully do a soft re-launch with some of the new stickers. Still waiting on word back from my printers about the T-Shirt designs but fingers crossed I will hear back today and the pre order can also kick off this weekend.
Finally the last of the Importfest 2013 coverage should also make it’s way onto the site this weekend.
Flashback Friday
After watching a mess of burnouts at the same car meet the Corvette above was at I was reminded of the time an e30 ate a curb attempting to show off.
Time to jump right back into the second of three Importfest show day coverage photos. Despite the “can’t beleive I missed that car” feeling I get after every event I am pretty happy with the coverage this year compared to years previous. I’m finally on my way to figuring out the tricky Metro Toronto Convention Centre lighting.
Part 1 ended off with a lot of the cars Nextmod brought out and today’s coverage hops from crew to crew before ending off with a few vehicles from Street Outlawz including their insane v10 Nissan s14 project.
Vossen Wheels brought their World Tour to Toronto this year, more on that in future postsIf I were to do my wheel faces any other colour….Basit’s bagged 6 was the featured vehicle in the Vossen/Importfest photo boothI like the switch to the CV5 wheels and obviously I’m down with new Airrex/Accuair suspension setupPat popped the hood of his FR-S for show day. This is the first time I’ve seen the car in running conditionWith help from a snail and a bit of meth Pat’s FA20 put down 380hp to the wheels on the on point dynoAnother shot of Brad’s MR-2 which he keeps spotlessTurns out I did manage another photo of this RX-7Swung by the Fitted booth and said what’s up to Dave briefyA familiar looking EK from CSCS eventsThe interior of the crazy Gran Tourismo Maxima that was posted in the preview coverage. More audio in this car than in my houseThis car was beautiful, functional, and just all around well builtSpeaking of functional this boosted Type-R was all businessBringing a little bit of Wekfest to Canada was this Lab246 EGIs this an F20 powered Civic!?Colour me impressedThis Talon has such a unique engine note; somewhere between about to stall and ready to tear a quarter mile a new one.Paul Tolson’s 2013 (and 2012 I believe) best of show winning Lexus GS400Craziness all around with this buildSic Ryde’s beautiful 500e which is sitting lower on new wheels since I spotted it at Brimell Scion’s Super Tuner 4Importfest 2013 is also where he chose to début his Sic SmartBrandon’s truck looking clean as alwaysSteve’s temporary wheel set-up while he waits to start somebody work to fit the Luxury Abstract wheels he won at Liberty VIP’s ‘Black’ event last yearOmar’s Bagged e36 near the end of the nightBilly’s always controversial Silvia clipped wide body IntegraWhen Spencer of So Fresh Automotive told me a v10 was between the fenders of this car I thought he was joking……sure enough though that’s a Viper V10 sitting in there….…it’s obviously not yet running but plans are to get er going before the season is out then next season add boost
That’s it for part 2 the next part, the conclusion will be coverage of the Stance Is Everything booth at Importfest 2013 which should be up tomorrow or Friday.
