Posted
Feb 08 2012, 04:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 25 comment(s)
Garage Saurus is one of those names that everyone has heard of. So you might be forgiven if you've been wondering what has happened to them. The owner, Hayashi-san, is still very much active in the Japanese tuning scene, continuing to build crazy GT-Rs and other JDM rides on a daily basis out of the Saurus workshop in Saitama. The reason that he and his cars haven't really been out at events and shows over the years is that well, he has pretty much achieved what he set out to do, and the...
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Posted
Feb 02 2012, 06:10 PM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 27 comment(s)
While visiting 101 Motorsport I came across something that is quite unusual: this Suzuki Carry. Produced in Japan as a Kei truck, they rolled out of showrooms with an 82hp, 1.3 litre motor. This particular example however, has been completely revamped. Work Equip 03s are popular wheels, but not on trucks like this. Owner Anthony opted for 15x8-inch -29 Equips for the rear, which required custom-made metal fenders. The fronts are slightly narrower at 7-inches wide with a +2 offset. The body-kit package...
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Posted
Jan 25 2012, 10:10 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 87 comment(s)
Come April it's going to be a mighty hard choice for potential owners of the 86 and BRZ. Which car to go for? They are virtually the same vehicle, no major differences except the badges and of course similar prices. However, once the car you see here hits the showroom it's going to be might hard not to go the Subaru route. STI have been teasing us with modified versions of the BRZ, first at the LA Auto Show with the first concept, and now with this closer to production version that was shown...
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Posted
Jan 17 2012, 06:10 AM
by
Jeroen Willemsen
with 22 comment(s)
The EVO VII is a pretty rare sight on Dutch roads, so when I was given the chance to shoot this example I immediately said yes. The car belongs to Henry who imported the car from the UK. After he bought the car he didn't change much except for the eye catching orange Gram Lights 57D. As the name suggests on the windshield Henry is part of the Streetgasm team. It is one of the more well-known teams in the Dutch tuning scene. The car has a lot of carbon touches. It starts at the front with a chunky...
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Posted
Jan 05 2012, 08:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 33 comment(s)
We are well into S-ichi-go day, and this is a car I've been holding onto, waiting for the perfect occasion to feature it. When it comes to clean, street-tuned Silvias there aren't many that I've come across that are quite as fresh as this ARMS example. These are the kind of cars that always stand out the most to me, rides that offer the "complete package" as you will, a perect mix of performance and usability on the road. ARMS built this car to participate in time attack events...
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Posted
Jan 02 2012, 03:30 PM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 43 comment(s)
JZX 100s are rare sightings in Australia, particularly those of the modified variety. However at a local JDMST meet I uncovered this black and gold Mark II example. Outputting 380hp at the wheels, this is Queenslander Keiran Ryan's clean daily driver. We woke up at 3am on a cool summer's morning for this photoshoot just beyond the Wivenhoe Dam in Queensland, Australia. Black cars can be tricky to shoot, but this secluded single lane road, combined with the morning sunrise, proved to be a...
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Posted
Dec 23 2011, 07:00 AM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 83 comment(s)
With so much hype around the new Toyota 86/Scion FR-S, it seemed fitting for me to pay a visit to an impressive example of the original AE86. Owned by Australian Seamus Eldershaw, this Trueno coupe has received plenty of tender loving care over the years. The gorgeous Toyota chassis was purchased in Japan just over 12 months ago on Yahoo Auctions and imported onto Australian soil. It's previous owner had garaged the Trueno for its entire life, so it was certainly a good base for Seamus to start...
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Posted
Dec 06 2011, 02:40 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 75 comment(s)
Where to start? That was the question that lingered in my mind when it came time to write up the feature on Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s Team NFS RTR-X. Unlike a lot of the cars we feature here on Speedhunters, the RTR-X is something that many of you are already familiar with - whether you followed Vaughn's build posts, saw the car at an event, or even drove it virtually in an NFS game. I personally became quite attached to the project as I photographed its construction from start to finish, and that's...
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Posted
Dec 06 2011, 08:10 AM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 39 comment(s)
This diminutive Datsun 1600 may appear relatively stock, but looks can be deceiving. Owned by Australian Brock, it has seen a host of modifications that transform the 1600 into a rather serious street car. Beneath the hood you'll find a late model SR20DET conversion. Brock has fitted Stage II camshafts, valve springs, rocker arm stoppers and 740cc injectors. Hanging beneath this 6Boost manifold... ...Is a low mounted GT2871R, which helps this 1600 produce a healthy 345.2hp at the rear wheels...
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Posted
Nov 28 2011, 02:45 PM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 26 comment(s)
It's not every day that you come across a Mazda 3 like this. While the 3 may be a popular Japanese family car, they're certainly few and far between when it comes to the drag strip. Initially, owner Kurt Scott only wanted a quick street car. But as is often the case, one thing led to another... ...And his 2005 SP23 became a focused drag car. Enlisting the help of Australian car builders Mercury Motorsport, Scott's Mazda was put on a strict weight diet and given a healthy dose of horsepower...
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Posted
Nov 24 2011, 02:15 PM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 36 comment(s)
Over the past few years I've lost count of how many drag races and drag cars I've photographed, but I've always been meaning to shoot one that was Australian born. That changed when I visited Mercury Motorsport, where I came across this stunning 1981 VC Commodore. Purchased two years ago by John Desmond, this Commodore is no longer street registered and has been built specifically for the strip. What really appealed to me was its unassuming exterior. With the accompanying steel wheels...
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Posted
Nov 24 2011, 12:10 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 59 comment(s)
Imai-san at Bee Racing noticed I was drooling over the shiny blue S15 Silvia sitting in the middle of his workshop during my last visit there. It's not every day that you come across a car like this, a project that someone has obviously poured a lot of time and effort into. If you sum up the sheer investment that has gone into sourcing some of the best parts out there, it wouldn't surprise as much as what the car is worth on the second hand market. Turns out the owner has just sold this Silvia...
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Posted
Nov 22 2011, 02:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 27 comment(s)
It's finally happened. I can tick another "to do" off my long list of things I need to get done before I die. For many people of my generation there is one exotic that is the embodiment of a supercar. Its posters have graced walls of car obsessed kids across the world, many have played with die cast models of it and probably all have dreamed about owning or driving it. The Lamborghini Countach was designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone, the same designer that penned the equally beautiful...
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Posted
Nov 17 2011, 06:00 PM
by
Patrick McGrath
with 37 comment(s)
My hometown is a strange little place. With a population of around 45,000 people it's relatively small, but the amount of car culture that is hiding just beneath the surface here is something else. It's home to a host of beautiful custom machinery that you probably never know existed. Thankfully, my friend Neil Shen, owner and creator of the fantastic Juicebox blog, has an amazing sixth sense for seeking these cars out. Take this two door zenki Toyota Levin for example. Being rebuilt from...
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Posted
Nov 15 2011, 08:00 AM
by
Mike Garrett
with 28 comment(s)
When the first Pro Touring cars hit the scene in the 1990s, the idea was simple. Take the timeless style of a vintage Muscle Car and make it perform like a modern machine. Not only was a Pro Touring car built to be an all around performer, it was also built to eat up miles without breaking a sweat - whether it was a long interstate run or a backroad romp. At some point though, Pro Touring cars may have jumped the shark. A walk around the SEMA Show today will turn up countless examples of Pro Touring...
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Posted
Nov 11 2011, 05:45 AM
by
Linhbergh
with 23 comment(s)
When you see a finished product, no matter what it may be, it is hard to imagine all the planning, conceptualizing and work that went into it. Designers have always said that the best designed products are the ones that look like they haven't been designed at all. Take for example, products made from a personal electronics company with a fruit as its name and logo, any Braun house appliance, or a high-end sports car. Thousands of hours have gone into the creation of these various things and it's...
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Posted
Nov 10 2011, 12:00 PM
by
Patrick McGrath
with 90 comment(s)
Twenty-eleven has been a massive year for Nakai-san and the Rauh Welt brand - the year has seen RWB expand across the world with the first RWB built cars in the USA and the UK. I'm sure most of you have been following the updates of the illest and Hoonigan Porsches online but I wonder how many of you know about Nakai's visit to the United Kingdom earlier this year. Nakai-san has personally overseen and been heavily involved in the build of each RWB car thus far. He is quite clearly very passionate...
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Posted
Nov 01 2011, 06:00 AM
by
Charles Kha
with 118 comment(s)
In just a couple of hours, countless modified cars will debut in the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The SEMA show is the juggernaut; the biggest aftermarket car event of them all. Amongst them, one particular car is certain to steal plenty of attention. Separated by some 5100 miles, two hugely influential car builders, Mark Arcenal and Nakai-san, have collaborated to create a car that is sure to send ripples through both the American and Japanese car scenes. Say hello to their creation...
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Posted
Oct 31 2011, 09:30 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 35 comment(s)
The FD will be 20 years old next year. It's hard to believe that it's been around for so long, but the 13B-powered beast continues to captivate the minds of rotor-heads the world over. Mazda really nailed it when they created this final generation of the RX-7, from the neutral handling, to the explosive delivery of its rotary engine and of course its timeless design. There is no other car out there, especially one that is almost 20 years old, which lends itself so well to anything from mild...
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Posted
Oct 31 2011, 11:00 AM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 39 comment(s)
Our Street Cars & Sleepers month is coming to a close, but we still have some impressive cars coming your way. Take for example, Zico Tran's K20A-powered Civic. With the assistance of JDMyard, the idea behind this Civic was to create a balanced all-rounder; a car versatile enough to be used on the street as well as the occasional track foray. And although drag racing was never high on their agenda, a recent experiment at WSID saw this EK street car cover the quarter mile in the 12s. I have...
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