Nissan 370Z: A Nissan Unlike Any Other

The Nissan 370Z car is one of those models that’s been loved for longer than I’ve been alive. It represents a company that responds to progress and continuously manufactures a car that transcends expectations. Ask any enthusiast and they’ll tell you a million reasons you should buy a Nissan Z. The car at hand is a 370z wearing Milestar tires, whose owner, Joe Velazquez, was kind enough to have a chat with me about his build.

Sarah Bernson (SB): My first question can feel a little generic but I find it can help get the storyline started, so…How’d you get into cars?

Joe Velazquez (JV): I would have to say that I have always been intrigued by cars. I grew up loving lowriders and muscle cars as it was common in my community. Up until the first Fast and Furious movie released when I was in high school. I then became infatuated with the import scene with limitless possibilities in customization.

…But the craziest memory is when I drove down to Arizona for a car show and my car wouldn’t start the morning of the show.…

SB: I think the natural intrigue we find is starting to burn out in the newest generation so I love to hear people say they’ve naturally been into cars for as long as they can remember. The import scene is super vast and certainly one of my favorite communities as well. There are loads of different cars under the import umbrella though. What made you ultimately gravitate towards Nissan 370Zs?

JV: After I got out of the military and moved back to SoCal, I started hanging out with other car guys and several of them also had Z’s. I really liked the body shape of the Z when compared to anything else in the scene. It really sets itself apart from everything else that was easily achievable. The body shape appears to be already widebody and the width of the wheels can be insane.

SB: Friends can be the best (or the worst) influence on us when it comes to car purchases. You get to get up close and personal with their car and so often you catch whatever car-virus they’ve got. Why’d you go with the Nissan 370z out of all the Zs?

JV: I actually went to a dealership to look at cars and I was undecided on what I really wanted before I showed up. After looking at several cars, I was dead set on my current red Nissan 370z. It just stood out when compared to a Genesis 3.0T or Evo MR. 

…I grew up loving lowriders and muscle cars as it was common in my community. Up until the first Fast and Furious movie released when I was in high school.…

SB: Sometimes the right car just hits differently. Like the Genesis and Evo are cool cars but I totally get what you mean. When you got the car did you have a vision for what it would become? What was your goal for the car?

JV: My goal was (and still is) to collect as many unobtainable parts for my car as possible. The more rare, the better. The harder to find, the better. Eventually I want to track my car for fun.

SB: Z cars are fairly abundant so looking for rare parts is totally a good way to separate yourself from the pack a bit. I’ve heard Z’s are a great platform for the track! What are your future plans for the car?

JV: I plan to find rare LMGT wheels and a NISMO mid logo steering wheel. The car itself is mostly complete with how I want it to look.

SB: Hell ya! Wheels make such a huge difference! It totally looks complete as it is though. Super sick! What would you say is your favorite design element and/or performance element of the car?

JV: I would have to say the handling of the car. I was hesitant about getting air suspension because I have been inside cars with terrible air setups. They sometimes bounce around too much and I felt like it might be more of a hassle when talking to others who had them. My air suspension setup is mixed with the full SPL components to make this car handle like a champ in the canyons.

SB: SoCal is known for incredible canyon roads and cruises. Of course, having the right setup is key for performance and safety. Do you have any particularly interesting memories with your Nissan Z?

JV: It’s a little hard to say what my favorite memory is. But the craziest memory is when I drove down to Arizona for a car show and my car wouldn’t start the morning of the show. I had to spend the entire event wondering why my car wouldn’t start. Luckily, a friend was with me. We had to push it up the U-Haul trailer the next day. It wasn’t easy since we needed a chain pulley to help us crank it up and the help of some friends and neighbors.

SB: Ugh! That sorta thing is the worst. I suppose that comes with the car territory though. I always like to ask people if there is anything else they want to tell me about their car, otherwise I feel like I’m manhandling the conversation a bit too much. So, am I missing anything?

JV: I would like to thank my friends at Garbage Dream for always supporting me, Concept 3 Performance for always taking care of my car, and my Nissan mechanic specialists @Zona_Z34 and @VQ_power. I would also like to take the time and thank @kuruzuauto for always keeping my car clean and detailing my car before every major car show.

Something that is entirely apparent throughout our interview is the way Joe not only connected with his Nissan 370Z , but how the car brought him into a rich community. He was inspired by his friends who had Zs, and later when things went rough, his friends were there to help. This story is a common one among car enthusiasts. All of our origin stories are unique of course, but I might go out on a limb here and say that we are all in this for the community almost as much as the cars. The cars are the medium that holds us all together and it’s really something beautiful.

Mike’s One-of-a-Kind Bosozoku Van

Mike’s van is one of those vehicles that literally everyone has an opinion on. Not just car enthusiasts because it’s fairly uncommon to see a RHD vehicle in the states, more uncommon to see a Hiace and obviously a one time event to see Boso-style Van like this one.

Mike imported it basically as-is from Japan so it fits in with the “vanning” style over there a lot more than some of the vans that were built over here to mimic the Japanese machines. This one is as real as they come.

Bosozoku style is loud, colorful, and strange. It translates to “running-out-of-control” and originated in the ‘50s when gangs of young people would drive around recklessly with bikes and cars that were flashy and strange enough to draw everyone’s attention as they did it. They wanted to be seen defying the laws and their vehicle was a huge help.

This subsect is known as ‘vanning’, and while some vans clearly pull from the visuals of Bosozoku, they’re a super niche sector that doesn’t even fully conform to Boso criteria. Some of the vans have been used by Bosozoku gangs for transporting bikes on longer rides, particular to meets and shows. Even though they are closely related to Bosozoku they are still viewed to be part of vanning as a primary definition.

…It translates to “running-out-of-control” and originated in the ‘50s when gangs of young people would drive around recklessly with bikes and cars that were flashy and strange enough to draw everyone’s attention…

Something that seems to separate Japanese car culture from others is that they are more collectivist and it shows in the way they build vehicles. America lands a 91 on the individualism scale, being unique matters greatly here, demonstrating who you are matters here and we use every outlet from pet, to shoe, to car to tell the people around us who we are and how we differ. We want to seem and feel special. Japanese culture has similar style sectors but you seem to see more strict rules played out throughout the modification process in order to maintain group cohesion.

When I approach a story I usually ask myself what does this car say about its owner or how is it unique, what is the covert meaning? When I asked myself the same question of this van it was clear that it wasn’t designed to say a lot about its owner but it was designed to compliment and contribute to the vanning culture at large.

The primary purpose of these builds, it seems to me, is a sense of culture and group cohesion. On their own they seem outrageous and unique but when a group gets together, a true spectacle is made.

…it wasn’t designed to say a lot about its owner but it was designed to compliment and contribute to the vanning culture at large…

Seeing Mike’s van over here is super out of place and that makes it perfect for American individualism. Vanning builds community in Japan and shows uniqueness in the states, it just goes to show how car cultures evolve and change and grow as they cross borders.

I think I’m not the only one who would love to see a Japanese-style close-knit Vanning club put down roots on this side of the ocean, but for now Mike’s will have to fly solo.

Nissan Skyline GT-R Untold History and Myths

What You Should Know about Your Favorite Tuner Car

We get it, we live in an age bombarded with information on a daily basis though multiple platforms and devices. Couple that with the trend of no one trusting the automotive media with everyone and their mom being a content creator and proper historical information. Content creators mess up facts and don’t grasp the basics but can mask it with entertainment factor using adjectives or dropping phases like “dope spec” or “dude, so cool” on their videos. Without much bite to the content, the information about cars that were never sold here like the Nissan Skyline GT-R are muddled half-truths that just make enthusiasts or GT-R owners sigh. But here are a number of common myths and the untold truth behind the Skyline GT-R, a brand that really rocketed Nissan to the forefront of performance cars in the 1990s.

…the information about cars that were never sold here like the Nissan Skyline GT-R are muddled half-truths that just make enthusiasts or GT-R owners sigh…

GT-R Super Car or GT Car ?

We hear this one a lot. But by definition a supercar is going to have 500+ horsepower and an exotic platform and styling that is afforded by a mid-engine rear-transaxle car. In Japan, the GT-R was less of a Ferrari or Lamborghini and more of a Porsche or spicy 4-seat coupe that was comfortable and luxurious, yet a great performer. The term actually in the trim name (GT) Grand Touring and was purchased by businessmen new in Japan for ¥4,450,000 or $31,283 USD (roughly $66,000 adjusted for inflation). Even by the time the R34 GT-R wrapped up its run in 2002 it wasn’t Ferrari or Lambo money at ¥4,998,000 about $45,600 USD (a tick over $76,000 in 2022 money).

Skyline GT-R Can Handle 1000 Horsepower

Well, that is a “hell no” from us owners. The Skyline GT-R really isn’t all that exciting in stock form. Sorry to burst your tunerboi bubble but this was a 276hp car with embarrassing torque numbers from 1989 to 2002! It shared many components with Nissan cars like the S13 240SX and Z32 300ZX but the sum of its parts and that incredible ATTESA-ETS AWD system with screaming high rpm RB26 made for a spirited drive.

…The Skyline GT-R really isn’t all that exciting in stock form. Sorry to burst your tunerboi bubble…

But the GT-R needs to be uncorked and tuned. The bottom end of an RB26 can handle 500whp for a bit but early ceramic wheel turbos won’t get you there and will explode if you try. The later R34 steel wheel Garrett turbos can flow close to 500whp but the transmissions and clutches will not be happy. The R33 GT-R transmission was an upgrade from the R32 and the Getrag 6-speed in the R34 is pretty stout but not for high-horsepower abuse. Suffice to say all the big horsepower GT-Rs have built blocks and added displacement of stroker or the RB30 block.

Skyline GT-R R32s Were Single Turbo RB20 and Rear Wheel Drive  ?

Back in the 1990s, there was sparse information about this Japan-only car. Info had to be translated and/or scanned in from Japanese magazines as the fledgling internet didn’t have the volume of info. An ancient Geocities page cited the 1989-1994 Skyline GT-R as being single turbo and not AWD. This is correct for the GTS-T and lesser trims but this GT-R myth exists today. We regularly hear: “oh you converted to RB26 and the AWD,” it’s easier to just say “yes” and move on.

Nissan Stopped Making the Skyline in 2002

Wrong. The Skyline soldiered on, albeit awkwardly in Japan with cars like the anemic Skyline 350GT based on the G35 we tested in 2004. It was an embarrassment but there was also a 370GT based on the later Infiniti G37 and even a crossover version we will not speak further of. Then they resurrect the Skyline 400R nameplate on a Q50 sedan that although it has 399hp pumping from its VR30DDTT 3.0L V6 twin turbo, it just isn’t worthy of the R33-based 400R nameplate 

Another fact you can amaze your friends with, GT-R production kinda snuck on in 2003. The 2003 Nissan Skyline GT-R Z-Tune is stupid rare with only 19 ever made. Nissan bought back low-mileage (under 30,000km / 18,000 miles) and completely rebuilt them with all of the Nismo catalog of parts. One confirmed sold for over $500,000 in Hong Kong, another privately changed hands for over $1-million USD and another Australian buyer made an offer of $1.4-million but was turned down. Not bad for a $120,000 Nissan.

You can Legally Import Any Skyline GT-R After 25 Years

You can but definitely not on January 1 of your model year plus 25. The rule goes by month and year, for example 1989 R32 GT-Rs started rolling off the line in August 1989. We know one buyer who tried to be slick and roll across the Niagara Falls, Ontario to Buffalo, New York border at 12:01 AM January 1, 2014. He made it, a few months later the feds came seeking more documentation about the car that wasn’t legal until the build month on the VIN.

Another stipulation in the 25-year vehicle importation rule is that cars are not allowed to have motor swaps. They are also supposed to be relatively stock with not a load of aftermarket performance modifications on them. While not technically legal, the Feds either don’t seem to notice or be well-informed on what stock parts actually look like as all GT-Rs are modded.

You Can’t Insure a Right-Hand Drive GT-R

Obviously you can, and should. If your mainstream insurance carrier is giving you a hard time try collector car insurers like American Collectors or Grundy. It’s far less cost and they don’t really have many stipulations that some classic car insurers will. One of the issues you will run into is the VIN number since they JDM cars are 11-digit VINs while we have 17. But many insurance companies will want an inspection done and multiple pictures to justify your ancient Nissan being worth so much replacement value.

Skyline GT-R are Slow, Unreliable, and Blow Up

This is simply not the case. Myself and many owners have experienced years of amazing on-and-off track driving, while twitchy exotics are constantly in the shop. Any 1990s Nissan was well-engineered and can handle abuse. Plus when they do break, the Nissan F.A.S.T. parts system means you can get most parts at your local Nissan dealer. They won’t believe you and can’t look up year, make or model but give them a part number and they will be amazed.

Much of this myth perpetuated for two reasons. The first reason is many early Skyline owners either didn’t buy a GT-R but bought a GTS or the most broke-ass abused GT-R they could barely afford. There are over 43,000 R32 GT-Rs and a portion were poorly maintained, raced and improperly modified in Japan. The second angle to this myth is many of the cars blew up for very simple reasons, the wrong fluid and the wrong gas!  A responsible owner is going to replace all fluids with correct spec and capacity in their new-to-them JDM car.Many owners did not do this, or put the wrong stuff in, like gear oil in an ATTESA transfer case – try it out.

Then there is the pump gas issue. We measure our octane rating using the RON+MON system, which tops out at 91-94 octane depending on your state. Well the GT-R needs 100 octane but Japan has a different rating system so that number is closer to our 98. Don’t be putting 91 octane in a GT-R, upping the boost and try to be a JDM-hotboi. You will be melting a piston, spinning a bearing or exploding a ceramic turbine – 100% guaranteed.

Older Japanese cars will have solid maintenance due to Sha-Ken safety inspections and emissions tests. But once they have trouble passing, they hit auction for export – remember that. 

“mY bOy gEtS GT-Rs FoR 25K”

No he doesn’t. He probably doesn’t have a $25,000 net worth. Back when they were first legal, GT-Rs costing that much did exist but those days are over. Anyone claiming they can get a cheap GT-R shouldn’t be trusted anyway, there are many reVIN’ed cars, blackmarket cars or nearly destroyed and welded back together cars. There ain’t no Japanese CARFAX and most odometers have been replaced or stopped working. Verified mileage is rare, unmodified cars even rarer and example with both along with no accidents is an actual unicorn – buy it. But before purchase always do a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI). 

…Older Japanese cars will have solid maintenance due to Sha-Ken safety inspections and emissions tests. But once they have trouble passing, they hit auction for export – remember that…

GT-R prices are soaring, $25,000 won’t even buy you a new RB26 long block motor let alone a whole car. Nissan has introduced their heritage program to completely restore your R32 to factory specs with new OEM parts but charging upwards of $420,000. Collectible R34 GT-Rs are new fetching over $300,000 and guaranteed to be half a million dollar cars by the time January 1st, 2024 rolls around.

Why is the Nissan Skyline GT-R Illegal in the US

Most R32, R33, and R34 GT-R Fans Waited 25 Years!

You read about the Nissan Skyline GT-R in tuner mags, you saw the Skyline GT-R steal screen time in Fast and Furious Movies and heard Canadians started driving GT-Rs legally back in the mid-2000s. Yes, the Skyline GT-R is the Japanese GT car that captivated enthusiasts’ attention here in the United States and made it the goal of many fanbois of the Nissan badge. Hardcore JDM fans already knew the GT-R was dominating Japan Grand Touring races in Group-A as well as the streets Tokyo but we still couldn’t import the car to America. The Nissan Skyline GT-R was considered an illegal import in the US and Federal agencies have been on the case about shady imports by seizing cars and shutting down illegal importers.

Being an owner of a Skyline GT-R for nearly 18 years now, I’ve seen, driven and been offered to buy many questionable GT-Rs over time. But why are they illegal?

Before we get into it, let’s set a few facts straight. The Nissan Skyline has many trim levels, like the GTS-T and GT-T that were narrow-body, single turbo with rear wheel drive, others had no turbo or even AWD. There was the GTS-4 R32 4-door sedan and even a wagon with a carburetor! The R33 and more desirable R34 had sedan versions as well, lumbering 4-doors that in our opinion, only confused the brand. This left the Skyline GT-R trim and higher variants the most desirable and importers were willing to go to great lengths of illegal activity to get one here into the US.

A bit of history lesson first going back to the late 1990s. The Skyline was Japanese market only being right-hand drive and early cars had no airbags, no side impact beams, no side markers all compromising occupant safety. Meaning it couldn’t be exported outside Japan, but there was a company named MotoRex spearheaded by Japanese national, Hiro Nanahoshi in California that sought to change all that. At the time, MotoRex was the only company seeking to legally import the Skyline GT-R by performing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, DOT modifications, new VIN plate and any further requirements by the California Air Resource Board (CARB). 

MotoRex rose to prominence very quickly but there was a dirty underbelly to the company with a slick but criminal owner. What the public doesn’t know is that only the R33 chassis Nissan Skyline GTS was crashed in the tests. In Japan this was a cheap car to dispose of for frontal offset, side impact and rear crash tests required by the NHTSA and DOT. The R33 coupe failed the side impact tests and the beam was lowered to achieve a pass in 1999. Although approved, Federal regulators didn’t notice that MotoRex was later legalizing not only R33 but R32s and the super expensive R34 an most of which in GT-R trim. The trick worked and there are over 100 DOT legalized Skyline GT-Rs in the US which became super valuable after MotoRex collapsed amidst controversy and criminal activity. Even a MotoRex VIN plate is super valuable, as wrecked cars magically became roadworthy again.

…MotoRex rose to prominence very quickly but there was a dirty underbelly to the company with a slick but criminal owner…

After MotoRex, shady importers saw the pent up demand for Skyline GT-Rs only ever sold legally in the Japanese Domestic Market and wanted to cash in. The most common scam to get an illegal Skyline GT-R was the old ship as parts and re-VIN move. There are so many illegal R32s, R33s and the worth-the-risk R34s in the US using this method. A chassis was either totally disassembled interior and engine removed (or even cut in half) and then rewelded and assembled together. The GT-R might have been complete(ish) but still needed a 17-digit US VIN to make it able to register because JDM VIN plates are 11-digits. The shady importer would then harvest a similar year Nissan 240SX VIN and rivet it on. Don’t believe it? We’ve driven these cars and been offered them for sale, avoid them at every opportunity. 

Sure you might fool a cop or two but crash and see how fast your insurance company won’t back you. Or wait until the feds show up at your door to take it, if you still want to go ahead other countries can’t wait to buy it at auction for pennies on the dollar when it is sold off for export only.

However, much of that is in the past. Companies like Kaizen, Black Ops and Rivsu have all ceased operations, many cars have been seized and insurance companies got wise to the JDM-trickery. Back in Canada, the 15 year importation rule there meant cars would not require any special modifications to be legal and R32 GT-Rs came in legally as early as 2004. The R34 GT-R has been imported there since 2014 as many of the owners await the big day here in the USA. What is the big day? July 1, 2024 the month when the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 chassis first rolled off the line (yes, the 25 rule is legal build month and year, not year alone).

For the sake of discussion, the R34 GT-R Chassis built from 1999-2002 is the most desirable and has become extremely valuable. That made R34 GT-R importation the primary goal of shady importers before 2024 and other wealthy owners who exploited another loophole. Show or Display law means that cars of historical importance and motorsports significance can be imported into the US with various stipulations. Currently, the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec in the rare Midnight Purple II color and 2002-only Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nϋr. The Show or Display allows for a maximum of 2,500 miles per year to shows and events only. While some owners might adhere to that with regular habits, others have found questionable “methods” in these mechanical speedo cable-equipped cars.

There are also a number of illegal R34s from Miami to LA and all points in between that are rumored to be existing under their house of cards importation and VIN history. They will then come crawling out of the dirt with their original VIN plates, looking to be resold as fresh, new imports despite being here for year (or decades). If these cars do go legit, the will be far more valuable as many people avoid GT-Rs with Florida titles for example and a handful of other states.

But does it matter if you have a legal, illegal or gray market GT-R you want to buy? For many people, the prices are becoming absolutely unobtainable. BringaTrailer.com sold a 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec in Midnight Purple II for $320K, the M-Spec is going for around the same. The ultra-rare Nissan Skyline GT-R Z-Tune of which there are only 19 has changed hands privately for over $1-million USD. Even the overlooked R32 GT-R is already over $150-grand.

…But does it matter if you have a legal, illegal or gray market GT-R you want to buy? For many people, the prices are becoming absolutely unobtainable…

Before you go hit bid on the next auction, remember the 25 year importation rule has a stipulation than many avoid. Imported cars are not supposed to have engine swaps or heavy modifications. You can dispute all you want, but it’s there in black and white we just get away with it as no federal employee has a pulse on what a mod even is. Then again, RB26 blocks have no serial numbers either.

History of the Nissan Datsun Z and Fairlady

Long Live the new Nissan Z Car!

The Nissan Z and the Datsun Z have seen their moments of sports car glory and awkwardness over the cars 50 plus year history. With production gaps between models and riding the same platform for over a decade, the Nissan Z-Car was ripe for a shake-up or going to be sunsetted in a Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance boardroom eventually. Turns out despite turmoil at Nissan and their fugitive ex-CEO, they still can make exciting products. Many thought the 370Z Z34 would be the last Z since the platform dragged on for 13 model years. Now, here we are on the dawn of the 2023 Nissan Z launch and we wanted to round up historical highlights of the 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX and 370Z that preceded it.

The 240Z that Followed it All

It might be controversial to think today but the Japanese often copied Western world designs that were superior to their own, much like China does today. Japan did have a solid manufacturing base but after World War II, the country was destroyed creating many set-backs but one positive trait emerged. Stemming from thousands of years of Japanese culture, it is common practice to learn from your victors, adapt their ways and end up being superior to them over time. Which leads us to the 240Z, a car that looks like it was sketched by an Italian or more likely Brit designer.

The press and public couldn’t ignore that the Datsun Z, was remarkably similar to the Jaguar E-Type Coupe. Both had muscular rear hind-quarters, a long hood, bubbled rear hatch, bulbus front fenders extending to cut outs for circular headlights. Underhood both had straight-6 engines, manual gearboxes and SU carbs (well, SU-Style Hitachi units on the Z). Step inside and the door cards look similar, the center stack is full of gauges (with the Z being a bit more sculpted into the dash) right down to the three spoke steering wheel. But the 240Z aimed to do a lot with less power, less weight and half the cost – the Japanese way.

Named the Fairlady in Japan and offering different engines, the 240Z we know in the US was named after the displacement of the motor. The 1970 Datsun 240Z had the 2.4L inline-6 DOHC S20-motor that generated a decent 154hp  and sold well, especially in the US despite being sold in ground zero muscle car era. Still the compact Z could muster an 8-second 0-60mph time and reach 120mph while being able to carve corners better than a muscle car. Production numbers soared during 1971 to 1973 and continued on into the smog-equipped oil crisis of 1974. 

…the 240Z aimed to do a lot with less power, less weight, and half the cost – the Japanese way…

The 260Z is rare, since it only came in 1974 and although it ran stroked 2.6L version of the S20, the power decreased in the US to 139hp! Detuned with lower compression and revised camshafts and carbs for America, the Fairlady Z in Japan received a mild bump with the displacement to 150hp. Considered a forgotten stepchild, the 260Z developed an innovation for future Z-cars, the 2+2 option, with seating for four in a 30cm (11.8-inched) stretched frame). The 260Z still sold well with 53,451 units produced.

Datsun then bored and stroked the six to a total of 2.8-liters and branded it the 280Z (no, not the 280ZX, please hold). Engineers fitted it with reliable and efficient Bosch fuel injection system. Despite an increased weight resulting luxuries and larger DOT-approved bumpers, the car was quick since it now produced 170hp from 1975-1977. Don’t think that is a lot of horsepower? The 1975 Chevrolet Corvette C3 made 165hp… from a 5.7L V8. These were dark times indeed but they would get brighter.

The Turbo Age of 280ZX to 300ZX

By 1978, muscle cars were either badge-engineered shells of their former selves or were gone altogether. The Z-Car forged ahead with basically the same playbook it started back in the 1960s into the disco era. Not to be confused with the 2.8-liter cars, Nissan debuted the Datsun 280ZX with the L28 motor. Although the car was almost a cartoonish version of its former version, with T-tops and an odd gold-accented 10th anniversary edition equipped with gold wheels, leather, and headlamp washers in 1979.

But there were advancements that would define upcoming Z-Cars, like the 280ZX Turbo in 1981. The turbocharged car pushed the top-trim 280ZX to 180hp and 203 lb-ft of torque but with added weight, luxuries and an optional 3-speed automatic, there was a problem. Enthusiasts argued the sports car magic was gone and this was now a luxury 2+2 cruiser but who cared? The 280ZX set sales records and bagged a Car of the Year award in 1979.

…by 1978, muscle cars were either badge-engineered shells of their former selves or were gone altogether. The Z-Car forged ahead with basically the same playbook it started back in the 1960’s…

Back then enthusiasts thought the 280ZX looked awkward with dated 1960s sports car styling and Nissan had already planned big moves for the upcoming 300ZX. The motor was now a V6 but not just any V6 the legendary VG30ET. Sure the 3.0 Turbo produced 200hp in the US but it cranked 230hp in other markets and was capable of 739hp in the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo IMSA race car. Yes, the same IMSA race car that defeated the venerable Porsche 962 on streets of Miami circuit in 1987 and won the Sebring 12hr in 1989 and 1990. Enter the modern era of the Nissan Z-Car.

The Rise of the Nissan 300ZX Z32

Sales numbers and world-beating turbo VG-engine aside, the 1984-1988 300ZX looked 1980s. Nissan rebadged it in 1985 to no longer be a Datsun in the midst of a staggeringly-expensive marketing campaign to lose the Datsun name. The new Nissan 300ZX was all Nissan and recalling the first time it was seen in person, looked like a spaceship in 1989. Nissan was on top of it’s game, the Skyline GT-R R32 was out in Japan, the 240SX was an excellent low buck pure sports car and the flagship 300ZX Turbo would set horsepower and performance records for the Z-Car.

Nissan finally figured out that it could divide a 2+2 Coupe with an NA motor and a fiery 2-seater with the new twin turbo V6. It later became popular to swap this VG30DETT into the 2+2 for extra occupants and cargo but retain the 300hp performance of the 2-seater. Fun fact, the 300ZX Twin Turbo made more horsepower in the US than Japan (capped at 276) for the first time. 

But sales were affected by the recession and rising inflation in Japan. A car that debuted at $33,000 was nearly $50,000 by the end of the production a trend affecting the rival FD RX-7 and Mk4 Supra as well, mean like them US sales were cut early and by 1996, the Z was gone.

But not before a couple special models popped up like the Final Edition limited to 300 cars in 1996, the rare-as-a-telephone booth convertible debuting in 1993 and the SMZ tuned car build by racer Steven Millen, the 365hp Nissan SMZ. Production continued on in Japan (just like the Supra and the stretched to 2002 RX-7) until 2000 when the Z-Car took a worldwide hiatus.

Back to Battle with the 350Z and 370Z

Nissan has gotten a lot of mileage out of their FM-platform. It might not do anything fantastic but it does everything good being the underpinnings to family haulers like the Murano, middle-management sedans like the Maxima and yes modified to be on the Z. The new VQ35DE engine might have lacked a turbo but it was up there for naturally aspirated horsepower and debuted when Sport Compact crazy was burning brightest in 2003.

The 350Z had ridiculous aftermarket support. Turbos and superchargers for the 3.5L V6 were everywhere, widebodies, strokers and scissor doors were not uncommon. The 350Z became a staple in the US drift scene with Chris Forsberg swapping an SR20DET into a Z33 and later winning the 2009 Formula Drift Championship in a Titan V8-swapped Z convertible! The wild success of the Z33, would translate to what in the 370Z trim.

We always liked the 370Z Z34 chassis from it’s launch in 2009. Classic lines, sharper styling, Nissan Flying-V family face, it was compact, more powerful and had a 6-speed manual box with innovated Syncro-rev. But even at 332hp, still felt like not much of a leap plus it went into limp mode on track immediately with its crowded engine bay not dissipating heat. We still were “meh” on the Nismo version of the 370Z at 350hp and for performance enthusiasts there were simply better options out there… with four seats. Plus SUVs and crossovers were the focus of the buying public and automakers looking to cash in.

Is the World Ready for the Reborn Nissan Z

We still believe it should have been called the 400Z. Sure Nissan carried the torch for displacement nomenclature properly (we’re looking at you BMW) but even though the new Z is powered by a 3.0L V6 twin turbo (again) it cranks 400hp, so it would still add up. Considering the Z34 chassis dragged out so long, we predict this is the last Z, heck they even still refer to it as the Z34. With retro styling from Z-Cars of the past, a twin turbo V6 and proper 6-speed manual gearbox – yes this will sell and bring media adoration to Nissan’s Z once again.

Rare JDM Cars at the 2021 SEMA SHOW

Million Dollar Skyline GTRs, Special RX7s, and Widebody Nissan Zs in Las Vegas

Spotting a Nissan or a Toyota is something you can do in your grocery store parking lot, but the ones you find at the SEMA Show are a little bit more special. Actually, that is an understatement, these are some of the most sought after JDM cars and some of the most popular styles in the Tuner scene. In terms of JDM and Tuner cars there is all sorts of stuff at SEMA this year, some of which you will never see, and others that you will probably see on retail very soon, with a couple only being JDM inspired. Come check out these JDM gems that we’ve spotted at SEMA 2021!

We never were sold any skylines in the US until Infiniti G35, and so to say that they are rare here is an understatement, especially for these two GTRs. This is the first R33 GTR 400R to come to the US and only 44 400Rs ever made. Named 400R because of its 400hp output, this was the rarest and craziest Skyline to come from the factory. Specifically this is a 400R in Sonic Silver making it a one of 5 ever made. Brought out by Top Rank Imports, this Skyline definitely stole the show

Vehicle: Nissan Skyline GTR R33 400R Sonic SilverThe other one is a Midnight Purple II V Spec GTR which cost about the same as Lamborghinis, one of the rarest color combos and trim packages for the R34 GTR.

We also spotted this Origin Widebody S14 Kouki with a 2JZ VVti Stuffed in it. It is hard to look past those stunning custom headlights though, but you’ll probably be staring at the tail lights of this thing if you caught it on the street.

You know the brand new GR 86/ BRZ? HKS is already making a new exhaust system so that you can sputter and bang your boxer as quickly as possible.

We also Saw this yellow RX7 from Fortune Auto, sporting a full RE Amemiya kit with the aero headlights.

Check out this S30 Widebody Z from Extreme wraps. It might look different from a standard 240Z or 260Z because of the slicker aero front end, referred to as a G Nose.

Finally here’s a couple BMWs that have adopted a lot a of the JDM tuner style and incorporated them into their Bavarian Builds.

Layin’ Frame

Some Basics On Slamming Your Ride

So you want to go low, huh? Ok, well there’s “just a few inches” low and then there’s “pavement pounding” low. Both are cool and have their place on certain vehicles, and while a modest drop in suspension does go a long way in terms of appearance, nothing compares to laying your car or truck out on the ground. Granted, there is quite a lot more to take into consideration if you’re interested in the latter option, but if you’re serious about taking your daily or show vehicle to the next level, it can be done, no matter what you’re driving. 

Asses the Situation

All vehicles are different, which means that the modification process to get said vehicle on the ground varies as well, as does the list of parts needed. Clearance plays a big role, especially with modern cars. With only so much available space at the front and rear, you may just have to get creative and pay close attention to tire selection as well as important wheel specs (width, offset, etc.). Every half of an inch counts, so do be sure to examine just which parts and pieces will need to be trimmed, relocated or cut out altogether in order to clear a path for adequate suspension travel. Classic cars in general have lots more room to work with at both ends, so take that in mind when deciding how to move forward with your project. 

Trucks, on the other hand have much more clearance space to play with at the rear. With only a bed floor standing in the way of axle and chassis clearance, there are just so many more options. Chopping up the bed is a necessity when ‘bagging a truck, with the easiest solution being to either cut out a portion of the floor that’s in the way, essentially. From there, you’ll have to decide to leave the area exposed, build a covered “bridge” or raise the entire floor up to keep a “stock” appearance. There are lots of ways to get the rear down on the ground with a truck, which makes this particular scenario mighty interesting. 

Equipment

If you’ve never ‘bagged any of your vehicles before, there are a few key components you’ll have to familiarize yourself with while prepping your ride for lower lows. Assuming that you will be ‘bagging your car or truck since hydraulic setups aren’t all too common these days (but they are out there), the air system is only as complicated as you make it. Air management systems have come a long way since the days of having to individually piece every single component out when building an entire air setup. 

The airbag itself is an essential component of the system, but it is not the most important (or even the most expensive). You’re going to find out quick that quality air management systems are worth every buck, as many of them have all the system’s ECU, valve manifold, and pressure and height control (in some premium packages) all built right into a small and convenient, easy-to-mount unit. From there, you’ll need to select an air compressor (or two) to keep the system supplied with enough air at all times. Figuring out air line plumbing can be a tedious process, but one that can still allow for creativity. Once everything is wired up and checked for problems, accessing this orchestration of components is made simple though a programmable controller, or if equipped, an app installed on your phone. 

The airbag itself is an essential component of the system, but it is not the most important (or even the most expensive)…

While that does sound like quite a bit to worry about, it is—to an extent. There used to be much more involved, but there are lots of plug-n-play type units that helps simplify installation. 

Alterations

Cutting and altering the chassis and other factory components (depending on the vehicle) is essential when it comes to “laying frame”. While it’s a big step to take, it’s important to not take these steps lightly, and ensure that an experienced person take the lead, even when it comes to simple rear frame notches. Using a plasma cutter, cut wheel and drill all require some know-how to deliver the best results (which includes your safety). Always remember the golden rule when working with these tools—measure twice and cut only once!

Half and Full Frame Packages

A lot of classic muscle car and truck projects have the luxury of a wide selection of well-crafted front, back and full chassis systems on the aftermarket. These take a lot of guesswork out of building the best air ride setup possible. Since the existing frame on vehicles of a certain age can be “iffy” at best, selecting these options could really come in clutch. These types of setups do offer far more than the ability to go up and down, as optimum ride quality is the ultimate objective with these, which will only make your project better in the long run. These kits do run on the high side when it comes to suspension components, but they are definitely worth the dough. 

‘Bagging your ride is a big step, that’s for sure, but once it’s done and all the kinks are worked out, it really is worth the effort. Nothing gets more attention on the road than a car or truck that can change the height of their ride with a simple push of a button. Even at rest, there’s nothing quite as cool as a vehicle resting on the ground with the wheels and tires tucked far into the fenders. Your ride will definitely catch all the attention in the parking lots at work, at the grocery store, as well as at any car show you take it to. 

Nothing gets more attention on the road than a car or truck that can change the height of their ride with a simple push of a button…

Don’t fall into the trap of investing only the minimal amounts of money and time when slamming your vehicle. You definitely get what you pay for as far as parts and components go, and there is no such thing as “cheap” quality labor (unless you’re doing the work or have a friend or relative willing to help out).

What is VTEC?

How Honda Created a Legend With a 10mm Pin

What does it take for one specific bit of simple, yet brilliant technology to achieve meme status? In the case of Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (better known as VTEC), it started out as a way for Honda to offer better performance while still meeting emissions standards and displacement limits at the start of the 90s and arguably gave the company’s automotive division the same kind of high tech street cred their motorcycles already enjoyed. 

The original VTEC led the way for a whole new slate of variable valve actuation systems from practically every major manufacturer, with a wide range of complexity and effectiveness seen today. Back in the day, it would be hard for anyone to imagine that a simple pin moved by a hydraulic actuator could become such a legend, but in retrospect it seems like one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” inventions.

Best of Both Worlds

To understand the impact of VTEC on the automotive world, it’s worthwhile knowing exactly what it is and what it isn’t. Conventional piston engines rely on one or more camshafts, turning at one-half engine speed, to control the motion of the intake and exhaust valves. No other single aspect of engine design has a bigger effect on performance, economy, or emissions than the timing and intensity (for lack of a better word) of valve events, and for engines without some sort of variable valve control, every compromise gets carved in steel at the factory and can’t be changed without getting into the ‘wet’ part of the engine. 

This is important because the physics involved in getting air and fuel into the cylinder and exhaust out mean that a cam lobe design optimized for low-end grunt is going to be unhappy at high RPM and vice versa. At lower speeds, cylinder-filling is improved by having relatively small valves with low lift, trading away some pumping losses in exchange for keeping velocity up in the intake tract, but towards the upper end of the RPM scale, bigger is better and low lift will kill airflow. Similar tradeoffs for valve duration (the part of the 720 degree four-stroke cycle when the valve is open to a meaningful extent) and valve overlap (degrees of crank rotation during which the exhaust valve is still closing while the intake valve starts to open at the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next) also have a big effect on how the engine delivers power. 

With a traditional camshaft, it’s one and done since whatever specifications were ground into the lobes at the factory are all you have to work with short of a swap. Hot rodders came up with some work-arounds, of course – part of the skill set of the traditional pushrod V8 racer was ‘degreeing the cam’ which involves using an adjustable timing gear set to move the cam’s timing earlier or later in the cycle, and dual overhead cam engines can use the same strategy plus change the intake and exhaust timing relative to one another to get some adjustability for overlap, but this was strictly something done in the shop rather than on the fly while the engine was running. More crucially, it didn’t change the cam lobes’ profile or lift.  

A Stroke of Genius

The solution seems obvious now, but at the time it required asking what sounds like a dumb question – “If the engine runs best with one cam design at low speed, and another at high speed, why not give it two cams?” At its core, that is all VTEC is – a way to put two completely different camshaft grinds into the same engine, and switch between them on demand. That’s much easier said than done, though, especially when whatever you come up with has to be simple enough to produce economically, durable enough to last for a hundred thousand miles or more, and designed to fail ‘gracefully’ and not leave you stranded if something goes wrong. 

… that is all VTEC is – a way to put two completely different camshaft grinds into the same engine, and switch between them on demand…

In 1984, Honda launched the New Concept Engine program with goals that included increasing torque and horsepower for their car engines across the RPM range, with an eventual benchmark of achieving 100 horsepower per liter of engine displacement for production engines. Initially, the NCE initiative led to powerplants like the DOHC ZC (forerunner of the D-series engine) as early as 1985, but the real breakthrough came when previous research begun in 1983 into a system intended to improve fuel economy was rolled into the new project. 

One of the main players in the NCE project was Ikuo Kajitani from Honda’s First Design Department in their Tochigi R&D Center. “Characteristically,” Kajitani said, “four-valve engines are known as high-revving, high-output machines. And for that reason we knew it would be quite difficult to achieve low-end performance if the engine’s displacement were too small.” He was certain that a solution to the problem could be found in the work done on the fuel economy project in the form of an engine that could change valve timing and lift dynamically during operation.

This capability took shape as a very simple but elegant system that uses only a few additional parts compared to a conventional valvetrain. At the beginning, the team had considered around thirty different methods of achieving this goal, but to narrow down the field, priority was given to systems that relied on proven technology rather than novel approaches that might have unforeseen show-stopping flaws. With a mixture of caution and optimism, ideas that seemed promising but had a high risk of being developmental dead-ends were set aside. One of the most important goals was to have a mechanism that could handle 400,000 cycles without failing. In the end, the team settled on the system we now know as the original VTEC.

For each cylinder, instead of a single cam lobe to control valve events, there would be three: Two low-speed lobes with a single high-speed lobe between them. With the system deactivated, each valve would be controlled by its own low-speed lobe, while a third cam follower with no direct connection to the valves followed the profile of the single high-speed lobe. On computer command, a hydraulic valve would send oil pressure to move a pin into place to connect the outer followers to the inner one and lock the whole assembly together, causing the valves to follow the more aggressive center cam lobe profile. 

No Magic Involved

Though the concept was simple, there were still significant technological hurdles to overcome. One major example of this was the fact that they needed to squeeze three lobes into the space originally occupied by one, and those lobes would also be operating the valvetrain under higher loads and engine speeds than they’d previously been engineered for. Solving this issue required improvements in both metallurgy and design, but the team achieved their goal (and then some) in time to confidently introduce the new technology for the 1989 model year. 

While VTEC in its original incarnation does allow an engine to operate in ways that a fixed valvetrain simply can’t, there’s a widely-held misconception that it’s some kind of super-science that works like hitting the switch on a nitrous system. In reality, what it did was allow Honda to build engines with the ability to change between a cam designed for efficient, clean, and fuel-sipping performance to one with the grind the engineers wanted to use in the first place. As a matter of fact, it’s not uncommon in race applications to use a single-grind camshaft that actually defeats VTEC in order to increase tolerance for abuse and reduce complexity and weight. When street driving isn’t high on your priority list, the flexibility and broad powerband that VTEC allows isn’t as important, but it makes a huge difference in your daily driver.

…it’s not uncommon in race applications to use a single-grind camshaft that actually defeats VTEC in order to increase tolerance for abuse and reduce complexity and weight…

The Bigger Picture

For all the popularity of “VTEC just kicked in” memes, the system actually does what it was intended to do – Allow small-displacement engines capable of high fuel economy and low emissions during test cycles and normal driving to also provide exceptional horsepower when run hard. In the process, Honda managed to turn cars like the Civic from quirky but reliable transportation devices into ones that were actually fun to drive fast. Whether it was their intention or not, you can argue that the evergreen popularity of all the generations of Civic that followed were a direct result of the NCE project and the development of VTEC. 

Today, every manufacturer has implemented some sort of variable valve timing setup, even for old-school pushrod V8 engine designs. There’s a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms used to describe all the different proprietary ways manufacturers have come up with to adjust valve timing, intake versus exhaust cam phasing, and so on, and Honda has gone on to improve their own engines with VTEC-E, 3-Stage VTEC, i-VTEC, and i-VTEC with Variable Cylinder Management. But the real special sauce – changing to a completely different cam profile on demand – remains at the core of VTEC technology. Until we reach a point where camless valve actuation via pneumatic or electronic direct control finally makes its way from the cost-is-no-concern pressure cooker of Formula One racing to the street, Honda’s approach will likely remain as the best way to change lift and duration on the fly. 

You Bought A New Track Car – Now What?

Essentials for Hot Laps on a 5k Budget

So you’ve taken the plunge and bought yourself a dedicated track car. You did your research, found what you were looking for in sound mechanical condition and not already so far from stock that you’d have to rip everything out before doing it the way it should have been done in the first place, and you’re eager to get it prepped and put some laps on it. But you’re not made of money, and your meme stocks only got you into low earth orbit instead of to the moon, so you have a $5,000 budget for everything you’re going to need. 

Some hard choices will have to be made, because every dollar spent in one area means a dollar less to spend somewhere else. Here’s how we would allocate those 50 Benjamins most effectively – while your priorities are going to vary from ours, having a plan is the difference between a car on the track and yard art on jackstands for another year because you ran out of money and motivation.

Helmet – $350 ($4,650 Remaining)

Yes, we know you already have a helmet you bought off Craigslist. Yes, we know you are the one driver who will never, ever crash. This is still non-negotiable. Every reputable track day event organizer will insist on an ‘in-date’ skid lid that meets an accepted testing standard. Most often this is Snell SA or its equivalent – some sanctions will accept a Snell M-rated helmet, but the DOT-only models are almost always not considered good enough, for a reason.

Helmets designed to meet the SA and similar ratings have features that make them better suited for automotive use, where sharp impacts with objects that can penetrate the shell are more likely than the types of forces involved in motorcycle crashes, and they’ll have a fire-resistant liner. The “in-date” part is important too; the impact-absorbing liner has a finite lifespan, which gets shorter the more it is exposed to temperature extremes or solvent and gasoline fumes. 

While it’s possible to get an open-face helmet that carries a SA2020 tag for as little as $160, we recommend a full-face model, and as the list price goes up you’ll also get better fit and finish and improved comfort, which is important when you’re trying to concentrate on-track. Throw in another $40 or so for a fire resistant head sock (also good for comfort, as well as keeping the liner of the helmet cleaner) and $350 is a reasonable starting point for this critically important item.

Tires/Wheels – $2000 ($2650 Remaining)

We’re assuming that if you’re limited to a $5k overall budget for track car upgrades, you’re probably not going to trailer to and from events. We’re also going to assume that you will want a separate set of wheels and tires so that you’re not burning through expensive high-performance tires daily driving on them (though mad props to you if you are hardcore like that – we’ve been there ourselves). Like everything else on this list, wheels aren’t an area where you want to cut corners, but it’s entirely possible to get into a set of four new, quality wheels from a reputable manufacturer for around a grand. For that price, you are looking at cast rather than forged wheels, so the tradeoff is slightly higher weight for a lower price, as well as not being as forgiving or repairable when tweaked during inevitable encounters with debris or curbs.

Like everything else on this list, wheels aren’t an area where you want to cut corners, but it’s entirely possible to get into a set of four new, quality wheels from a reputable manufacturer for around a grand…

Tires are consumables, and depending on how hard you run them and what your level of compromise is between grip and longevity, these may have to be replaced several times a season. Fortunately, it’s often possible to find a well-heeled fellow enthusiast who always has used tires that have ‘gone off’ for full-boogie competition purposes but still have plenty of laps left in them for less serious use, so we’re compromising and putting a cost of $250 a corner out there to give some wiggle room for that initial set. Like always, your experience may vary, and cars with uncommon fitments or really big meat will tend toward the more pricey end of the spectrum. 

Brake Upgrades – $1250 ($1400)

Here’s another area where there is a wide range of possibilities – if your track car has decent stock brakes, all that may be necessary for anything less than full competition use might be a change to a different brake compound, braided stainless flex lines, new rotors, and a fluid flush and bleed. On the other hand, most cars of interest to the track day crowd have a lot of bolt-on options at surprisingly reasonable prices. If you don’t go totally nuts, our budget should at least cover a front caliper upgrade in addition to the other things mentioned above, plus a spare set of pads to be bedded in and brought with you if you’ve chosen a soft-but-grippy compound and a tight course to run on for a mid-day swap.

if your track car has decent stock brakes, all that may be necessary for anything less than full competition use might be a change to a different brake compound, braided stainless flex lines, new rotors, and a fluid flush and bleed…

Suspension upgrades – $1400

We’re going to take the last of our remaining budget and allocate it toward suspension. On the less expensive end of the scale, a complete, properly engineered and matched set of quality replacement springs, dampers, anti-roll bars, and polyurethane bushings can set you back as little as $750, while the sky is the limit for a complete competition-spec coilover conversion with multi-way adjustable dampers. We’re splitting the difference here, but odds are you will come in either substantially above or below our average estimated price. Depending on what kind of tracks you prefer, you may prioritize suspension above brakes, or the other way around, and adjust your spending on these last two categories accordingly.

One thing you absolutely do not want to do under any circumstances is to cheap out here; there are a lot of janky ‘lowering kits’ and coilover conversion setups with suspiciously low price tags and brand names you have never heard of, but spending any money on components of dubious quality and unclear origin can only lead to disaster. 

That Money Went Fast…

As you can see, it doesn’t take a whole lot to blow through $5k getting your new toy set up properly, but going into it with clear expectations for the cost and effort involved can keep your dreams from dying before you ever get to the track. Keep in mind that this is just a start, and in order to keep your racing fun sustainable, it’s a good idea to set aside money for every event you attend in some place where you won’t spend it, to be used for future consumables like tires, brakes, and maintenance items. Budgeting is never fun, but it makes the fun stuff possible, and helps you to drive more and dream less. 

Hot Swaps

Engine And Chassis Combos Limited Only By Imagination

Engine swaps might seem like a recent thing, but OG hot rodders did it back in the 1950s, putting the then-new small block Chevy V8 into Ford Model T chassis, and when Cadillac created a long-stroke 500ci version of their corporate big block in 1970, wrecked Eldorados became a prime target for drag racers looking for as many cubes as they could get. Today, despite tightening regulations that threaten to make any kind of automotive modification illegal, let alone a complete motor swap, mixing and matching cars and drivetrains has never been more popular. Let’s look at some of the most common types of hybrid chassis and engine combinations (and we mean that in the cool way, not the electric motor ‘hybrid’ sense) and the reasons behind them.

All In The Family

In terms of sheer numbers of completed swaps, updating (or backdating, in some cases) a particular car with an engine from the same manufacturer takes the top position. In the import and sport compact world, the most common swaps involve upgrading Hondas with more powerful engines – the trend began with taking lightweight Civic or CRX shells originally equipped with fuel-sipping but low-output D-series four cylinder engines and replacing them with more powerful B-series engines from models higher up on the price and performance ladder. With the introduction of the even more powerful and versatile K-series, those became the donor engines of choice, despite being somewhat more complicated to swap due to the necessity of changing transmissions as well. The extra effort is worth it, though; 200 horsepower or more from a completely stock engine in a late-90’s Civic that tips the scales at under 2,400 pounds makes for very entertaining performance at an affordable price.

In terms of sheer numbers of completed swaps, updating (or backdating, in some cases) a particular car with an engine from the same manufacturer takes the top position…

Honda engine swaps have become so popular that you can find ready-made components like engine and transmission mounts, headers, and ECU adapters for pretty much any reasonable (and more than a few unreasonable) combination of engine and chassis. With the trailblazing handled, potential compatibility issues have all been sorted out by somebody somewhere. It just takes a bit of research to come up with a proven recipe to follow, and entire books have been written on the subject covering every last detail.

Another common form of swap involves putting an engine not available in the US market into a chassis that was sold here, with the first example that comes to mind being the Nissan 240SX. Known in Japan as the 180SX and Silvia, when the company brought this fun little RWD coupe to America, they decided to replace the JDM CA and SR series turbocharged engines with KA series naturally aspirated ones. This decision was likely based on the fact that the KA engines were already “federalized” for US emissions regulations and would be less expensive than bringing in a new powerplant without an existing approval. Though well-suited for mainstream buyers, since these engines had previously been used in Nissan’s Hardbody line, they were derided by some as ‘truck engines’ unworthy of the car’s sporty image.

Of course, enthusiasts care not for things such as EPA regulations, and many CA and SR engines got strapped to pallets in Japanese wrecking yards and shipped to the west coast to be reunited with S13 and S14 240SX models here. Some particularly ambitious souls went as far as to cram RB26DETT twin turbo inline sixes from the JDM Skyline GT-R (among other applications) into that chassis as well.

Speaking of legendary Japanese turbo sixes, let’s not forget the Toyota 2JZ-GTE. This engine powered a whole generation of the company’s flagship performance models, but only came to US showrooms in the Mark IV Supra Turbo. This engine has found its way into a number of different swaps, including both Lexus IS300/GS300/SC300 models as a replacement for its naturally-aspirated sibling, the 2JZ-GE, as well as other non-Toyotas with engine bays long enough to accommodate the sizeable inline six. 

Could Have Had a V8

Don’t think this is just limited to import brands, either. When Ford ended production of their classic pushrod 5.0 liter V8 engine in the mid-90s and replaced it with the high-tech overhead cam Modular family, it was only a matter of time before those engines started to find their way into Fox-body Mustangs and even classics. One of the disadvantages of overhead cam cylinder heads in a V-configuration engine layout is that compared to pushrod designs of similar displacement, they inevitably end up larger in width and height. Adding cams and timing gear to the top of the cylinders makes them inherently taller than engines that simply have to accommodate rocker arms beneath the valve covers. In a bit of irony, older muscle cars with their large engine bays have more room to accept Modular V8 swaps, making them somewhat easier to work on than modern factory Fords with cramped under-hood layouts. 

While Ford was breaking ties with their previous engine architecture, GM took a less radical path, introducing the first LS-series engines. These successors to the original small-block Chevy V8 and its follow-on “Gen II” LT replacements are in many ways a “what might have been” look at the direction Ford could have taken with their own small-block pushrod architecture. Though the Gen II engines had a lot of problems including a notoriously unreliable optical ignition pickup and were widely panned by gearheads, the Gen III/IV LS family turned out to be a huge success.

Lightweight, powerful, durable, plentiful, and cheap, they quickly replaced the venerable SBC as the engine of choice for GM swaps. Like the aforementioned Honda engines, a huge aftermarket has developed to make putting an LS into an older car easy, right down to complete kits that handle ignition and carburetion should you choose to go old-school and ‘downgrade’ from EFI. Another factor that led to their popularity was that they were manufactured in both iron and aluminum block form, so that those in search of an inexpensive and bomb-proof bottom end could simply grab a low-compression iron block truck motor from the local pick-a-part and feed it a decent amount of boost or nitrous without a lot of drama.

Cross Breeding

While mixing and matching engines and chassis from the same manufacturer often makes things somewhat easier because of shared mechanical and electronic components, taking an engine from one maker and stuffing it into another company’s car has been popular forever as well. As we mentioned before, early hot rodders who started out by putting Ford Flathead V8 engines into Model Ts embraced the original small-block Chevy with great enthusiasm as soon as they started turning up in junkyards. Today, purists will howl in outrage about LS-swapped Fox Mustangs, but a dispassionate look at it shows this is the same kind of thing gearheads have always done. Mustang engine transplants aren’t limited to just Chevy engines either – Most famously, the notable 2006 documentary film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift included a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback with a Nissan RB26DETT as a ‘hero car.’

Today, purists will howl in outrage about LS-swapped Fox Mustangs, but a dispassionate look at it shows this is the same kind of thing gearheads have always done…

Like Honda swaps, the popularity of the LS Fox combination has led to an entire range of aftermarket parts to make the process close to turn-key, and all the information necessary to make it happen successfully is easily accessible online and in print. In fact, there has been a strong “LS all the things!” movement in the enthusiast world, with practically every rear wheel drive platform becoming a candidate for a Gen III/IV GM V8 swap. It’s even reached the point where a backlash has occurred against it – many people see the commonality of the LS as a detriment to the originality and creativity of Pro Touring builds, preferring original or at least period-correct engines. Odds are that any SEMA resto-mod build that isn’t intended to specifically highlight another engine will have some flavor of LS power, to the point where it’s become a running joke among writers and photographers.

Regardless of one’s feelings about LS engine transplants, they’re going to be with us for the foreseeable future, and not just in cars. They’ve become the weapon of choice for inboard-powered boats of all kinds, as well as aircraft and even homebuilt helicopters. But eventually something new will come along, and it’s entirely possible that we may one day see all-electric powertrains with ‘universal’ designs developed to simply drop in place of an internal combustion engine and transmission. While one-off attempts at this have come and gone, as the hardware becomes standardized for OEM use (and thus also becomes more affordable) and battery technology advances to increase energy density, peak output, and cruising range, garage mechanics who want something completely different under the hood will embrace these swaps as well. 

About the Author: Paul Huizenga is a California-based freelance contributor who has owned, raced, and written about everything from Subarus to Mustangs to Corvettes over the last two decades. He is currently studying the feasibility of an LS4 engine and transmission swap into a Fox-body to convert it to Chevy power and front-wheel drive, because some men just want to watch the world burn.

Springs vs. Coilovers vs. Bags: What’s the Difference?

Are Springs, Coilovers, or Air Suspension Best for Performance?

It might seem like common sense that having more choices when it comes to just about any decision is a good thing. In many circumstances, that’s true, but when presented with too many options, ‘decision paralysis’ can set in, making it harder instead of easier to choose the right path. Instead of making life easier, it causes anxiety, slows down or even stops decision-making, and can even lead to remorse after the fact as you churn through all the possibilities you didn’t pick. 

When it comes to upgrading a car’s suspension for high performance street or track use, we’ve reached the point where for many popular platforms, there’s no clear winner for every situation out of a wide variety of aftermarket setups. While we can’t guarantee you’ll avoid ‘paralysis by analysis,’ we might be able to help clarify your priorities with the following look at the pros and cons of the three basic categories of mods: Spring and damper replacement, coilover conversion, and air suspension. 

Springs and Shocks/Struts

This category encompasses replacing the factory-spec springs and dampers (whether those are conventional shock absorbers, MacPherson struts, or a combination of the two) with upgraded aftermarket parts.  

Pro:

• Likely to be the least-expensive option, both to buy and to install (if you don’t do it yourself)
• Properly-engineered matching suspension kits take the guesswork out of picking the right spring rates and compression/rebound settings
• Durability is often as good as or better than factory parts
• Some high-end kits offer limited damper adjustment for fine-tuning
• Fewest compromises in ride quality and noise for dual use street/track cars

Con:

• Limited range of spring rates for applications ‘out of the mainstream’
• Systems on the most affordable end of the spectrum usually offer no ride height or damping adjustment

The Bottom Line:

Usually the least-expensive and most-available option, but with significant compromises in adjustability and performance as the tradeoff.

Coilover Conversion

For the purpose of this discussion, we’re going to define coilovers as a complete replacement of the factory spring and damper setup, whether those are individual components or struts, with aftermarket alternatives. This is the most typical choice for serious track applications, but also has a wide fanbase for street/track use as well – partially because of the serious race cred and the ‘hardcore’ aura that goes with the tradeoffs involved. 

Pro: 

• Short of a completely re-engineered suspension right down to the control arms and chassis attachment points, coilovers offer the best possible handling and the widest range of adjustment, as well as more precision and repeatability when changing settings
• Good coverage from multiple manufacturers for the most popular car applications
• Narrower coilover units can offer more clearance for wider wheels and tires without fender modification
• Adjustable ride height without altering spring rates
• Dampers available in configurations from non-adjustable to 4-way (high/low speed compression and rebound)
• Relatively simple and easy to change spring rates with ‘universal’ springs to suit different track conditions

Con: 

• A very, very wide range of quality/price, from pro level down to “I bought this off of Wish – why doesn’t it fit?”
• A whole new form of decision paralysis – lots of adjustment often means more ways to get it wrong
• Systems intended for track use can be noisy and harsh on less-than-perfect pavement
• Expect to either replace or rebuild the dampers on a regular basis, as they are usually designed with longevity as a lower priority
• Less-common performance cars may need to have coilover sets pieced together from components if ‘all in one box’ kits aren’t available

The Bottom Line:

Not the best choice for comfort or street driving, but the de-facto standard for full-race use. Beware of pitfalls in quality at the low end of the scale, and excessive complexity at the high end.

Air Suspension

Commonly referred to as “bags,” today’s performance-oriented air suspension systems are a far cry from the lashed-together rigs that pioneered the technology. Once strictly an option for “stance” and car shows instead of performance, it’s now a solid contender for track-oriented builds.

Pro:

• Adjustable ride height is the main attraction here – modern air springs offer a wide range of spring heights selectable simply by adding or reducing pressure, and clever design of the air bags themselves achieves this without significant changes in spring rate
• Compatible with multi-adjustable race-spec dampers for suspension tuning
• Systems with quality air springs rival conventional factory steel springs for durability
• A great choice for cars that will see use on both the race course and the street, making low ride height that would be a disaster with a ‘static’ coilover suspension achievable in a car you can still drive to and from the track
• Complete, ready-to-install kits are available for more applications every day

Con: 

• Trends towards the expensive end of the scale compared to anything but full-race coilover systems
• Additional hardware like compressors, tanks, solenoids, and pressure gauges required for adjustment on-the-fly, which adds expense and weight
• Modern air springs only allow changes in ride height while spring rate remains the same, requiring complete replacement of a relatively expensive component to alter it
• Like coilovers, less-popular applications may require ‘a la carte’ component selection instead of an off-the-shelf solution

The Bottom Line:
The king of adjustability, at the expense of additional weight and cost. Limited (but growing) off-the-shelf choices.

Wrapping it Up

There’s no one-size-fits all solution to picking the right path for the suspension on your project car or daily driver, and the wide variety of choices (made worse by conflicting advice from all directions) doesn’t help. Hopefully we’ve made it a little bit easier for you to organize your priorities, from the cost involved to the complexity of installation and tuning to your personal intended use (which often turns out to be somewhat different from where you actually end up in practice). Relax, take a deep breath, and consider the options we have set before you as a starting point in your search for the perfect suspension.

What’s the Next 240sx?

Filling The Iconic Tuner Car’s Shoes Won’t Be Easy

Unappreciated in its day, only available in the US with the much-maligned KA24 “truck motor,” and canceled Stateside before we could get the S15 version, Nissan’s 240SX has finally gained the popularity among enthusiasts it deserved from the start. Unfortunately, the days of picking up an unmolested, factory-original Nissan 240sx for sale for next to nothing are long gone, leaving us to wonder what might be the next platform to take its place in our hearts as the true 240SX alternative. 

After much beard-scratching and somber contemplation of the question, we’ve come up with five possible candidates for “the next 240SX.” We’re sure that not everyone will agree with our choices, but we’ll try to list the pros and cons of each so that at least you know why we picked the cars we did. Now, in no particular order, here’s our best guesses:

SN-95 Ford Mustang (1994-2004)

Before you get all bunched up about a domestic pony car being on our list, hear us out. These cars are cheap, plentiful, available with an OHC V8 in 2-, 3-, and 4-valve per cylinder layouts depending on year and model, and there’s an enormous performance aftermarket for practically every important component from driveline to suspension. They’re relatively light for their size, especially the V6 models, mechanically uncomplicated compared to more modern cars, and if you really want a turbo 4 or V6, all the show-stoppers involved in an EcoBoost swap have more or less been figured out. 

The only real knock on this platform is that the vast majority were solid-axle cars (but so was the AE86…) and even that can be addressed with a factory IRS rear end swap from a 1999-2004 Cobra or as a complete kit from Ford Performance Parts.

NA/NB Mazda Miata (1989-2005)

Here’s another potentially controversial addition to our list. The first and second gen Miata, despite having all the right elements put together in a very competent manner, labor under the stereotype of being a “chick car” – and that’s about the nicest way to say it. Nevertheless, they’re a ton of fun to drive, there’s an endless assortment of upgrades available thanks to a very substantial presence in club racing, and if you want more power than the standard naturally-aspirated 1.6 or 1.8l engine delivers, there’s always the 178-horsepower factory turbocharged 2004-2005 Mazdaspeed model. There were even people building complete kits to drop 5.0l pushrod Ford V8 engines into them before LS-swapped 240s were a thing.

On the downside, there is the fact that even without the optional hard top or the standard cloth roof up, the Miata is cramped at best, and an interference fit for drivers on the taller half of the adult American bell curve. Even so, the clearest signal that these cars are on the upswing in popularity is the fact that it is getting harder and harder to find them for sale in reasonable condition at bargain prices. If you fit, and you are secure enough in your identity to just laugh off the haters, these Mazdas are worth serious consideration.

Z33 Nissan 350Z (2003-2008)

After Nissan basically had the 300ZX priced out of the US market in 1996, the Z32 platform lingered until 2000 in its home country, but no replacement was immediately forthcoming. It took Renault’s purchase of a huge chunk of the company and the installation of automotive visionary/international fugitive from justice Carlos Ghosn as Nissan CEO to get the Z back into production. The result was a very competent sports car that took the nameplate back to its roots after the previous generations had gotten progressively softer and more oriented toward the “grand tourer” paradigm.

The VQ35 N/A V6 provided ample power from the outset and got better as the Z33 model years progressed, starting at 287 horsepower, then getting a bump to 300 for 2005 and finally 306 for the final two years of production. ‘07-’08 models are also generally agreed to have the best gearboxes out of the bunch as well. Needless to say, there’s an enormous amount of factory and aftermarket parts support, and these cars have always been popular with tuners so competent setup and modification isn’t exactly blazing a new trail.

Unfortunately, when the Z34/370Z was introduced, these cars saw a large enough drop in price in the secondary market that even though they were relatively new, they were still cheap enough to be chewed up en mass by owners and shops not entirely focused on treating them respectfully. As a result, those that escaped rough handling can be hard to find and somewhat pricey, but if you are willing to do some searching and possibly undo previous mods made with more enthusiasm than skill, the 350Z is a good candidate as a replacement to the 24osx.

Toyota 86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ (2012-2020)

When the Subieota twins were introduced in the US under both Toyota’s Scion sub-brand and Subaru badging, the expectations among enthusiasts were sky-high. So high, in fact, that despite getting all the fundamentals right, the car wasn’t a huge hit, with US combined sales peaking at just under 27,000 units in 2013, and dwindling to under 5,000 by 2020. Some of that can be attributed to the belief that a turbo version was just around the corner, but the only engine available was a N/A 2-liter flat four from the Subaru parts bin that only delivered 205 horsepower.

Some automotive journalists are still betting on a second generation eventually going into production with Subaru’s turbo 2.4 and an additional 55 or so horsepower, but current events and ever-declining sales numbers during the initial run bode against that. Since there’s little mechanical difference between the first and last models and depreciation has had almost a decade to work its magic on the price of early cars (which were never really overpriced new, at least once dealers stopped adding on additional markup) these may be an up-and-comer for the title of “next 240SX.” Aftermarket parts selection is OK but not extraordinary, and there are relatively straightforward engine swaps to Subaru’s more desirable engines being done on the regular. We’ve even seen a “BRZ-06” with a Corvette LS under the hood, though we suspect that replacement rear tires for that car will cost more than the conversion in the long run…

Hyundai Genesis Coupe (2010-2016)

Here’s one we almost guarantee wasn’t on your radar before this – Hyundai’s first RWD sports coupe is one of those, “oh right, I remember that!” cars that never really got the attention it deserved, in our opinion. Available with a choice of 2.0l turbocharged four cylinder or 3.8l V6 power, it was mostly lost in the shadow of its contemporaries like the aforementioned Toyobaru and even the then-current V6 Mustang and Camaro. The 2013-up turbo four delivered 275 or so horsepower, complete with a bit of boost lag not seen much any more (but highly nostalgic in its own way). The GDI version of the V6 that dropped in 2013 also picked up substantial power compared to its multiport-injected predecessor, rated at just shy of 350 ponies and putting it on par with the 370Z NISMO, if you can believe it.

Aftermarket support is sparse but not non-existent, and these typically carry a late-model used car price tag, but you can be assured that you won’t be lost in a sea of Genesis Coupes at your local cruise night, and they are a ton of fun to drive, with even the N/A V6 models being surprisingly tossable much like the Nissan 240sx. 

That concludes our conjecture for now, and as we draw the veil over our crystal ball until next time, we wonder what your predictions are for the enthusiast successor to the 240SX…

2023 Nissan Z Revealed With 400 HP Twin-Turbo V6

Aug. 18, 2021 – In a global broadcast from Brooklyn’s Duggal Greenhouse, Nissan revealed the all-new 2023 Nissan Z sports car, only about five miles from where the original 240Z debuted. As you may have noticed, the new future classic is the first of Nissan’s line of iconic sports cars to not have a numeric designation, and will simply be known as the “Z”. Although this new Nissan may have lost some numbers, it definitely gains them back in horsepower!

The design of this new 2023 Nissan Z was of utmost importance to the brand, with a need to create a sleek and attractive exterior with a silhouette that pays homage the original models. This look features a long hood and low rear stance. Moving to the inside, the cockpit is extremely driver-centric, including a 12.3-inch customizable racing-inspired meter display, available leather sports seats and 8-speaker Bose audio system. 

The 2023 Nissan wouldn’t be a Z without the classic shape and style, but what’s really going to attract the masses is what’s under the hood. Equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine, the Nissan Z puts down a solid 400 horsepower, about 70 more horsepower than the 4th-generation 370Z. When it comes to the transmission, two choices are available. For those looking to get a classic Z experience, a 6-speed manual transmission is available with a motorsport-inspired EXEDY high-performance clutch. On the other hand, you can opt for a new 9-speed automatic transmission with aluminum paddle shifters. 

The 2023 Nissan Z will be available with multiple packages, including Sport, Performance, and “Proto Spec” edition which is limited to just 240 units. Nissan says the price will start at a price around $40,000.

State of Speed Los Angeles: An August Affair

Three shows down and hundreds of cars rolling through, we are incredibly pleased with the turnout of the State of Speed Los Angeles Car Show, presented by Milestar Tires. From the beginning, we knew the local car scene had a ton to offer, and that the monthly meet would end up being a melting pot of incredible builds and bonafide gear heads of all stripes.

This time around, the Los Angeles automotive enthusiast heads came out in droves.

First, The Cars!

Dusting off then gassing up your ride and heading to the event early is indeed the way to go. Cars start rolling in before the clock hits 7 AM to grab the prime spots, and of course, the glorious early morning photo op!

Most of the time you’ll hear them before you see them, and it’s a guessing game as to what is about to pull in next. It doesn’t take much time before the lot starts filling up with builds of every interest. Restored classics and restomods to old school JDM’s and some serious off-road machines —  there’s sure to be something for every taste.

The People

Great builds take more than some spare change, and it’s the car owners that bring these projects to life.

They’re out there answering questions about each and every minute detail of their ride; whether you’re just genuinely interested in the labor behind someone’s rotary swapped Datsun, or are looking for some recommendations on a bigger turbo, each and every owner is more than happy to chop it up about their ride.

A Day Well Spent

As the shows continue to take place each month, and the crowds continue to grow, we are excited to see the scale of State of Speed Los Angeles in the times to come. We’re grateful to collaborate with Milestar Tires to bring this event to fruition, and there isn’t a better place out there to hold the event than the Tireco headquarters in Gardena, CA.

So for those that have previously shown up for State of Speed Los Angeles, we look forward to seeing you again, and for those who haven’t, stop by, grab a coffee, and bring your ride!

Return of An Icon: The Acura Integra

Aug 13, 2021 – Sure a Pininfarina Battista debuted at Monterey Car Week, and even a Singer 964-generation Porsche 911 built to DLS spec, but the show was stolen by none other than Acura. During the event, with literally no anticipation from the crowd, Acura announced the revival of the 2022 Acura Integra, a car that hasn’t been sold in the states since 2001.

The company has been so secretive and succeeded so well at keeping the news under wraps that it caught everyone by surprise. The Integra, which was one of two cars that helped to launch the brand dating back to 1986, was a widely popular compact car known for its handling and performance. 

Jon Ikeda, Vice President and Acura Brand Officer, shared that he’s “thrilled to say Integra is returning to the Acura lineup with the same fun-to-drive spirit and DNA of the original.” The news was spilled to the crowd at Monterey Car Week with an aerial drone performance. The drones were used in sync to depict a sporty coupe, before they moved in formation to spell out “INTEGRA RETURNS 2022”.

With so many brands bringing some of their most well known vehicles out of retirement, including Ford and the Bronco, and Toyota and the Supra, it will be interesting to see how the chips fall for Acura and the new Acura Integra. Other than a teaser shot of the headlight with a debossed “Integra” located underneath, not much has been specified about the car. With that being said, we don’t know much, but we do know that it is going to be great!

A Streamlined Guide to Aero

What Do All Those Wings and Fins Do, Really?

Getting into the subject of aerodynamics as they relate to cars is asking for trouble. Whether you’re talking about imports with big goofy wings and dive planes that look like anime road catfish, or even just owners of a certain domestic brand who steadfastly refuse to remove the banana-yellow shipping guards on their cars’ factory splitters, it’s a topic that draws a lot of derision. Sometimes that’s warranted, but there is a place for aero mods in the tuner’s toolbox. Understanding the goals of functional aero is the first step in moving from the realm of questionable styling choices into something worth doing for the sake of improved performance. We’re going to jump in with both feet and banish the poser-tech to the Land of Wind and Ghosts, so hang on…

No Free Lunch

Aerodynamic modifications to a car serve one or both of two main functions; reducing drag and reducing lift. Most changes affect both drag and lift, and while downforce can be important, achieving meaningful results in that area without a huge drag penalty can require some finesse. Drag is especially important because it increases with the cube of velocity – drag-inducing elements of a vehicle’s design that aren’t worth worrying about at low speed become big problems on the highway or racetrack. Like almost any part of car design, the ability to maximize the desired effects while minimizing the drawbacks is what separates winners and losers.

An excellent example of this that’s become ubiquitous over the last two decades in OEM car designs is limiting the volume of air that passes underneath a car. In older designs, this was a source of both lift and drag, and as a result, modern vehicles have become lower and they’ve added aerodynamic features to the nose of the car to redirect flow. These changes cost virtually nothing for manufacturers to implement but provide real benefits.

One area of special attention that was often poorly-understood or simply ignored in the past was air passing through the front grille, into the engine bay, and out through the open underside. Smaller air inlets better-sized to the radiator core and ‘bottom breather’ noses that actually relieve pressure at the lowest point under the bumper, plus aerodynamic trays covering the underside of the engine compartment are all examples of the way modern designs improve aero in this region.

We have to admit that we’ve been among those who have either intentionally removed an engine bay undertray to make maintenance less of a pain, or simply lost one due to ill-advised encounters with curb stops or speed bumps, but not having them in place as intended is a significant source of both drag and lift. There’s little point in trying to improve aerodynamics at the nose of the vehicle with added parts if the primary flow-control features of the factory design are missing. 

Presuming that you’re starting from an intact, OEM aero standpoint, is it possible to modify things yourself and achieve meaningful, non-cosmetic results? The answer is a qualified yes – like every other aspect of automotive engineering, factory designs are always a compromise between competing goals, and the compromises you might choose as an enthusiast aren’t always the same as the ones that are aimed at satisfying the greatest number of ‘normie’ potential customers. In the case of aero, low drag, stable handling at freeway speed, and low noise top the factory wish list. 

As an enthusiast, you may be willing to trade away some extra drag (and lose a bit of fuel economy at cruise) in exchange for added downforce to improve traction. Increased wind noise may also not be a concern for you, and you might be willing to accept the negative consequences of a lower ride height, like increased susceptibility to damage from potholes and curbs. These are just a couple of considerations when planning out aero changes to your vehicle. 

With all this in mind, let’s start from the front and work our way back, describing different aero components and how they function (or at least are supposed to function).

Nose Dive

It used to be that air dams with splitters (a horizontal plate attached at the bottom of the air dam) were only seen on race cars, but they’re appearing with greater and greater frequency on factory cars as well – often with the aforementioned plastic protective bananas still attached, because reasons. The purpose of a splitter is to cleanly divide flow between the air moving around and through the nose of the car and the air traveling underneath the body, as well as limiting how much air goes low instead of high. To be truly effective, splitters need to be quite close to the ground, and even though factory-designed ones are usually higher than ideal, they still provide an endless source of horrible scraping noises over curbs, driveway entrances, and other obstacles if the driver isn’t careful. 

A properly-designed splitter and air dam combo will reduce both drag and front end lift by reducing turbulent flow to the underbody, and will also help the engine bay tray (if present) to do its job. A secondary purpose is to help guide flow around the front wheel openings, which are a major source of drag. 

Dive planes, canards, fins, or whatever you want to call other small aero devices placed on the quarter panel in front of the wheel arches also serve this purpose, as do longitudinal fences at the gap between the fender and the hood. Properly engineered canards can also help promote the flow of air from brake cooling ducts that source air from the high pressure area in the bumper by creating a local region of lower pressure to draw air away from the rotors and wheels after it has done its job. 

Care has to be taken with hood fences, though – viewed in profile, a car is shaped somewhat like an airplane wing, and just like a wing, air that is accelerated over the upper side creates an area of reduced pressure, generating lift. Ideally, fences will keep high pressure air from spilling over the fenders (thus increasing front downforce) without forcing it to follow the curve of the windshield over, rather than around, the passenger cabin. Fences, as well as canards/dive planes to a lesser extent, can also greatly increase turbulence around external mirrors – while this isn’t a huge source of extra drag, it can create a lot of interior noise ranging from a very-low-frequency ‘brown note’ rumble to intolerable high-pitched whistling. 

Side View

Extended lower sills along the sides of the body are another example of managing airflow beneath the vehicle. Like splitters, to be completely effective they need to be impractically (at least for on-road use) close to the ground, but they aren’t totally useless even when compromised for the sake of clearance. 

An interesting side note here is that a number of competition vehicles, ranging from the 1970 Chaparral 2J Can Am car to modern Formula SAE karts have been built with ‘powered downforce’ using a fan to pull air from underneath the car. Working like a reverse hovercraft of sorts, the front, sides, and rear of the underbody were sealed to the road surface via flexible skirts with polycarbonate sliders at the bottom to reduce air leakage, and a slight vacuum created by the fan across the entire underside of the car delivered enormous downforce at zero MPH with no aerodynamic drag. It was said that the 2J could develop enough suction to allow it to stick to the roof of a tunnel at a standstill, and the pair of 17 inch fans, driven by a separate snowmobile engine, could drive the car forward at 40 MPH just by their thrust alone.

Of course, in Can Am competition the technology was immediately outlawed, as these things tend to be, but in racing situations where it isn’t outright banned by the rulebook, this unique form of “aero” is still an extremely effective one. In the real world with roads that aren’t billiard-table smooth, the skirts take a beating, and getting rocks and dirt actively sucked up through powered fans does not make the people driving behind you very happy. Nonetheless, a good front splitter and side skirts, combined with a rear end shaped to create a low pressure area can still take advantage of this same effect, though only in motion and with much less total downforce. 

On the roof of the car, vortex generators can be fitted along the back edge just ahead of the rear window. These are small triangular features that are actually designed to create turbulence, but in a very controlled way. By inducing a narrow band of swirling flow, they act in the same way as a solid fence and can help keep flow attached to a surface, with a small drag penalty. Originally vortex generators (as well as fences) were found on aircraft wings as a way to stop span-wise (side to side) airflow and improve stall performance. In the automotive world, you’ve undoubtedly seen these on factory Mitsubishi EVO sedans, and their budget cousins can easily be found in the stick-on plastic whatsis aisle at your local auto parts store, alongside portholes, fake vents, and chrome Punisher symbols. Usually, these cheap little pyramids are poser tech, but they can actually be effective when used in the right spots. Unfortunately, without sticking tufts of yarn all over the outside of the car to see how air is moving locally across the roof and backlight, the ‘right spots’ are impossible to determine beyond an educated guess. 

Winging It (Spoiler Alert)

Finally, we get to what you’ve all been waiting for, the defining piece of aero hardware – the wing or spoiler. First, though, please understand that the terms aren’t interchangeable, and although both reduce lift/increase downforce on the rear end of the vehicle, they do it in different ways. Let’s start with the simpler of the two, the spoiler. 

The name for this aerodynamic device comes directly from its function; ‘spoiling’ the lift of a wing-shaped surface. Earlier, we described how the body of the entire car in side-view resembles an aircraft wing with a curved upper surface, and just like an aircraft wing, since air has to travel farther and faster across the top than the bottom, it will generate lift. A spoiler on the back of the car works exactly as it would on a wing, disrupting that flow of air to kill some of the lift being produced. 

Just as importantly, a spoiler can actually reduce total aerodynamic drag despite being an impediment to the smooth flow of air. Back at the dawn of ‘streamlining’ (as aerodynamics were first called 100 or so years ago) inventors looked at the teardrop shape of a falling droplet of water and concluded that nature was providing them with a blueprint for the perfect low-drag shape. As a result, a lot of the first efforts at streamlining included long, pointed tails to allow the airflow to smoothly rejoin behind the vehicle without producing an area of low pressure.  

As zippy as these designs looked, they were somewhat impractical for road vehicles, and designers searched for other solutions. The most successful was developed by a German fellow by the name of Wunibald Kamm in the late ‘30s when he discovered that an abruptly cut off vertical shape at the back of the car was nearly as effective in reducing drag as a pointed tail. By inducing some of the boundary layer air close to the surface of the body to tumble into that space behind the car, it created an area of turbulence that didn’t mix with the other air flowing around the car and worked like an invisible (and weightless) pointed tail.

Since that time, the “Kammback” has been widely adopted, and can be seen in cars ranging from the original Honda CRX to many modern hybrids. For best results, the vertical surface should be placed at a point where the body’s cross section has sloped back down to about 50% of its maximum, but this limits the workable roofline and tail shapes quite a bit. Add a spoiler to the trunk lid or the back edge of the roof on a hatchback, though, and you get a similar drag reducing effect as a full Kamm rearend. 

Wings, particularly those that are intended to do something more than just look cool, are somewhat more complex. Ideally, a wing will be placed far enough away from the body of the car to be in “clean” air instead of sluggish and turbulent boundary layer flow. Interestingly, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona and 1970 Plymouth Superbird, with their fender-mounted ‘basket handle’ rear wings that were higher than the roofline had ideal placement for them, but it wasn’t for aero reasons – they had to be that high so that the trunk lid could still open underneath them!

A few years earlier, the Chaparral 2E Can Am design had debuted a tall strut-mounted rear wing that had what would be now considered “active aero” – A pedal on the floor would flatten out the angle of the wing and simultaneously close a shutter on the air dam that normally allowed air out through a vent in the front bodywork when depressed, letting the driver reduce drag when downforce wasn’t needed along high speed straights. The struts for the wing were also directly connected to the suspension, so force was applied straight to the rear tires instead of through the springs. While it worked very well, it proved to be fragile and after a few failures in the cars adopting these kinds of movable wings, they were outlawed (leading to the aforementioned Chaparral 2J ‘sucker car’).

Today, it is very common to see high-end (and even some not so high-end) sports cars with rear wings that automatically deploy and adjust their angle based on road speed and cornering forces. For aftermarket race-style wings, the angle of the airfoil (or in many cases, multiple airfoils) can be changed in the garage by altering the mounting points in order to customize the balance between drag and downforce for a particular race venue. Spill plates on the ends of the wing serve the same purpose as the winglets commonly found on commercial jets, reducing drag caused by vortexes shed by the ends of the wings. 

It’s also worth noting that a wing can help high-speed stability side-to-side by moving the car’s center of pressure rearward. The center of pressure is the imaginary point where all the aerodynamic forces are balanced, and the farther behind the car’s center of gravity it is, the more the car will want to travel in a straight line. Any kid who’s built a model rocket and decided to put all sorts of fins on the front will tell you that having the center of pressure at or ahead of the center of mass gets you something that flies like a pinwheel instead of an arrow, and the same applies to car aerodynamics. We should also point out that the ever-popular ‘wing on the back of a FWD car’ isn’t necessarily just poser-tech. At high speed the car doesn’t care that much about which wheels are doing the motivating, and since FWD cars tend to have a forward weight bias in the first place, a properly-designed rear wing can greatly increase stability and cornering balance.

Finally, we get to the last details as we reach the very tail end of the car. Wings and spoilers often have small features on their rear lips to enhance their effectiveness, which can be either fixed or adjustable. A small tab, usually a half-inch high or less and mounted at the very trailing edge of a wing or spoiler at a right angle to the surface is usually referred to as a “Gurney flap.” It gets its name from the legendary racer and team owner Dan Gurney who came up with the idea as a quick handling fix for his driver Bobby Unser’s car. To hide the true purpose of the modification, he initially floated the story that it was just a way to protect crewmembers from the sharp trailing edge of the wing while working on or pushing the car, but soon enough everybody figured it out and it became commonplace in race car aerodynamics.

A taller, usually adjustable trailing edge lip is typically called a ‘wickerbill,’ and explanations for the name are easy to come by but none are definitive. These fall into the category of aero devices that can be tuned in the garage or pit to suit the race course by sliding them up or down in their mounting slots. 

So there you have it – the incomplete guide to understanding car aerodynamics. We hope that we’ve fired your imagination and that you’ll follow up on the subject with further reading, since it’s a topic of pretty high importance for both factory and modified vehicles. Plus, aero stuff looks cool when it’s done right, but you already knew that…

Top 5 Affordable Supercars

Let’s say you’ve come into some money. Not life-changing, private island money, mind you. More along the lines of catching a hedge fund in a short squeeze, getting into (and out of) cryptocurrency at just the right time, or even just scratching a particularly good lottery ticket. While a new Lamborghini isn’t going to be in the budget, what are some head-turning cars that you can actually drive and enjoy, but are within your financial reach?

We’ve come up with a list of a few different ideas, should you want to scratch that supercar itch without paying a price tag that’s more in line with real estate than something you can park in a garage. It’s not all-inclusive, and we’re sure that many readers will have their own top choices, but daydreaming is always fun and it’s even better when those dreams are within the realm of possibility.

Honorable Mention: “Component Cars”/Replicas

Though ‘kit cars’ got a bad reputation decades ago when they were mostly based on aircooled Volkswagen or Fiero chassis and a LOT of optimism about your own fabrication skills, the industry has come a long, long way in terms of quality and value-for-money. Companies like Factory Five Racing and Superformance offer the chance to own cars like a Cobra, Daytona Coupe, Corvette Grand Sport, or GT40 that would simply be out of financial reach if you wanted an original. As a plus, with modern components and drivelines, they’re going to be a whole lot more reliable and drivable than the originals (and potentially a whole lot faster on the track), and you can customize them to suit your own must-have list.

You will need a warm, dry, comfortable place to work, a bitchin’ set of tools, some mechanical aptitude, and an unusually high level of patience if you chose this route, though. If you are like the author and are the kind of person who loses interest in the 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle after the edges and two out of the three kitten faces are done, this is not for you. 

#5: 996 Porsche

For a lot of people, the Porsche 911 family defines the idea of an aspirational sports car. Many of those reading this article had a poster of the original 911 Turbo on their bedroom wall as a kid. None of those reading this article can afford one, and even if you could, it would try to kill you the first time you drove it. 

Fortunately, though, the long history of the marque offers some choices that are within our parameters for affordability and that are actually reliable and fun to drive. We’ve singled out the 1998-2004 996 as our favorite in this category because it’s about the least expensive way to get into a Porsche that you can actually be proud of (apologies to those 914, 924/944, and 928 peeps out there. You know we’re right.) A little history explains why these cars are what they are – they represent a radical shift from previous 911 models, trading a new water-cooled flat six for the old air-cooled design that was no longer capable of meeting ever-stricter environmental and noise standards, and sharing a ton of parts with the less-expensive Boxster that had just been introduced. Porsche purists clutched their pearls in dismay, but despite the somewhat meh styling, the 996 was a huge hit with new car buyers and a ton of them were produced in many variants. 

While there are a lot of keyboard warriors who make a big deal out of the faulty design of the intermediate shaft bearing that can do expensive damage to the M96 engine in non-GT2, GT3, and Turbo 996 models if it fails, by now most of the cars susceptible to this problem have already been either junked or fixed – just be sure to get a car with a verifiable service history that shows it has been corrected, or budget another two grand or so for a shop to replace it with the improved design.

#4: V8 Ferraris

Is there a manufacturer more closely-associated with the term “supercar” than Ferrari? And yet, thanks to the miracle of depreciation, you can get yourself into a good one for less than a new optioned-out Ford F150. While the Italian carmaker is known for their screaming V12 engines, bargains can be found if you can live with four fewer cylinders. 

In the ‘classic’ (or at least classic-adjacent) category, we have cars like the 308 GTB/GTS from 1975-85, which will make you feel like Thomas Sullivan Magnum III every time you turn the key, its improved successor, the ‘86-’89 328 GTS which is actually known for its (relative) reliability and easy maintenance, and the 348 which replaced those in turn for the 1989-1995 model years if you want Testarossa strakes on a budget. 

Moving on to more recent V8 models, prices start to rise, as you might expect, but you can still get an awful lot of Ferrari for the money with cars like the F355 (produced from 1995-1998), the 2000-2004 360 Modena, or even the front-engine 2009-2014 California if you can stretch your budget to six figures.    

The caveat here is that maintenance costs are not for the faint of heart, and depending on where you live, even finding a mechanic who has ever even seen one of the Ferraris you just bought off of Facebook Marketplace may not be possible. But hey, even a broken Ferrari in your garage is still a Ferrari in your garage, right?

#3: Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R

The EPA giveth, and the EPA taketh away – while there’s currently a fight going on to preserve the right to even work on your own car, let alone modify it, there’s also the 25-year rule that turns unimportable pumpkins into glittering carriages as soon as they hit the quarter-century mark. And no forbidden fruit was quite so attractive to an entire generation raised on racing video games than the original Godzilla, the 1989-1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R. 

Over the course of the production run, Nissan cranked out more than forty thousand R32 GT-R models in a variety of specifications, and since 2014 every one of them has been legal to own in the US (at least as far as the Feds are concerned; your state may suck like the author’s does and impose its own restrictions). As far as all-wheel-drive turbocharged cars designed in the late 1980s go, they’re reliable and have a robust supply chain plus plenty of folks here in the ‘States who know how to work on them. 

Despite their large production numbers, though, prices are on the rise and we predict that before long they’ll exceed what’s sensible for a car you actually want to drive on a regular basis. Get in now if one of these right-hand-drive dream cars is on your wishlist.

#2: C6 Corvette Z06/ZR1

The 2005-2013 Corvette earns our ‘bang for the buck’ award on this list, especially in the form of the naturally-aspirated LS7-powered Z06 and supercharged LS9 ZR1 models. When these cars were new, there was nothing that could touch them in terms of performance per dollar spent, and the arrival of the C7 for the 2014 model year helped drive down their resale value. Throw in the introduction of the mid-rear engine C8 for 2020 and the bottom got knocked out of prices for used sixth-gen Corvettes, making them the performance bargain of the 21st century. 

The Z06 and ZR1 have very different personalities; the 505-horsepower LS7 in the former is about as good as a non-forced-induction big displacement V8 engine gets, and the car was clearly aimed at track performance with a first-for-Corvettes full aluminum chassis and suspension tuning that owed a lot to the experience earned in competition with the previous C5’s near-interchangeable underpinnings. The 638 horsepower ZR1 is a T-Rex of a car, and driven hard you’ll find yourself unexpectedly bumping the redline because the blown powerplant just doesn’t nose over and run out of breath as it climbs the tach.

Another big plus with these cars is their reliability and serviceability. Maintenance and repair is well within the ability of a home mechanic, and if you’d rather have somebody else take care of it, literally any Chevy dealership on the planet can get parts. There’s a huge aftermarket if you want to upgrade the suspension or engine as well. While some Z06 models had issues with the LS7 dropping valves, by now they’ve all either been fixed under warranty or they’re not going to fail. About the only downsides are that the interiors are just “good for a Chevy” rather than extraordinary, and you will also be required by law to wear jorts and white New Balance tennis shoes while driving one.

#1: First-Gen Acura NSX

You knew this one would make the list, since part of the original mission statement for the 1990-2005 NSX was to be the original ‘affordable supercar.’ The goal was to match the performance of the Ferrari 328/348 without the reliability issues or the price tag, and the styling was closely based on the Pininfarina-penned HP-X concept car. Honda being Honda, the NSX would also avoid all the ergonomic woes common to other mid-rear exotics, with decent interior room and really excellent all-around visibility from the driver’s seat.

The NSX started out with a 270 horsepower 3.0 liter V6, which was replaced for 1997 with an improved 3.2 liter, 290 horsepower engine. In such a light car (depending on model and year, curb weight was between 2,800-3,160 pounds) this made for plenty of performance, and in 1992 a NSX-R variant was introduced with a focus on track use, trading away a little bit of street manners. 

The car got a facelift for 2002, most easily recognizable by the replacement of the original pop-up headlights with less-fun fixed projector HID units, and beneath the skin there were some changes to the suspension calibration with stiffer springs front and rear and a higher-rate rear anti-roll bar. Regardless of the model year, these cars have held their value well and remain insanely fun to drive while still being about as practical as a mid-rear two seat sports car can be. Best of all, even though they’re “just” a Honda/Acura, they still turn heads thirty years after they hit the market, punching way above their weight class in terms of coolness.

So that’s our supercar list – like any of these things are, it’s subjective, and your opinion may place other cars higher than the ones we’ve picked out here. The important thing, though, is that there are more affordable, desirable supercars available on the used market today than there have ever been, so being on a budget doesn’t have to mean living with something boring in the driveway. 

The 2022 Toyota GR 86: New Looks, More Power

April 05, 2021 – Last November brought the newest iteration of the BRZ from Subaru, and now five months later, Toyota has released its friendly competitor, the Toyota GR 86. For those unfamiliar with the new letters added to the 86, GR stands for Gazoo Racing, the company’s motorsport/performance brand. Following the GR Supra and GR Yaris, the new GR 86 is the third global model in Toyota Gazoo Racing’s GR series of sports cars. 

Nine years and 200,000 86s later, the car has become synonymous with a variety of motorsports, including rallies, gymkhana, dirt trials and more, while others have been uniquely customized to fit the needs of the customer — ahem, forced induction. Toyota surpassed their goal of delivering the dreams and the joy of driving inherent in sports cars to its customers through its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles. A platform capable of intuitive handling and instinctive responsiveness has made for an incredible driver’s car. 

Moving back to the friendly competition, Subaru and Toyota jointly developed the 86/BRZ platform, although the two vehicles focus on separate features to give the ultimate driving experience to the customer. This new business and capital alliance between Toyota and Subaru is only the beginning of a beautiful relationship. It’s hard to see where they can go wrong judging by the reliability of each brands cars and their deep roots in motorsports. 

The new Toyota GR 86 is everything it has been, plus a bit more. Toyota has continued the same recipe with the GR 86 that it used for the original 86 — a 2+2 rear-wheel-drive coupe. However, Toyota has stepped it up when it comes to performance, throwing in an evolutionary new 2.4-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine in place of the old 2.0-liter. The increase in power significantly reduces the GR 86’s 0-60 times, dropping the time for the previous model of 7.4 seconds to just 6.3 seconds. Responsiveness has also been enhanced, providing a smooth, stress-free ride through the rpm range. 

Lowering the center of gravity was also an extremely important goal Toyota set out to achieve. The use of an aluminum roof panel results in a lower center of gravity, while aluminum fenders, updated front seats, and new mufflers all contribute to reduced weight. Body rigidity has also been improved in the GR 86, with the goal of delivering increased handling in all speed ranges. 

Diving into aerodynamics, the GR 86 features aerodynamic components seen on 86 models that have participated in motorsport events, including air outlets, side sill spoilers, and other parts that significantly improve steering responsiveness and stability. 

Overall, the new Toyota GR 86 is going to deliver an improved driving experience over the previous generation, while continuing to be an ultimate driver’s car. There’s no turbocharged version yet, but who knows what to expect in the future! While no price tag has been announced, the new GR 85 is scheduled to launch later this year most likely near the $30,000 mark. 

The 2JZ-GTE: What Cars Have The 2JZ Engine?

There’s no magic behind the success of Toyota’s most popular powerplant, the 2JZ, just sound engineering and a focus on getting the basics right.

Toyota’s 2JZ-GTE is legendary among car enthusiasts for its durability and power potential, capable of reliably delivering 700-plus horsepower without ever touching the factory long block, and four-digit dyno numbers with the right internals. A product of 1990s Japan’s economic boom, saving money on its design and construction was nowhere near the top of the priority list, and the result was an engine fit to be Toyota’s flagship in the secret JDM horsepower war of the era.

It certainly didn’t hurt this engine’s reputation to be paired with the MKIV Supra; a whole generation of enthusiasts grew up with Toyota’s ultimate sports car as an ‘aspirational vehicle’ the same way 80s kids had posters of the Lamborghini Countach on their bedroom walls. A certain movie franchise that will remain unnamed here helped fuel that fire, and even if you didn’t know a wastegate from a blowoff valve, if the 90s were your formative gearhead years  you could recite the factory 2JZ-GTE specs by heart like your older brother could rattle off the Konami code.

While even casual US fans of import performance hold the 2JZ in high esteem, unless you’ve torn one apart and put it back together again, all the details both large and small that earned its bulletproof reputation may not be a part of your knowledge base. To rectify that, we’re going to look at why this twin-turbo inline six became a world-beating engine, starting from the very basics.

Getting That 6-Pack

To begin with, there’s the cylinder layout. Today’s 6-cylinder engines are almost exclusively V-block designs – this layout makes for a very compact engine that is well suited for short engine bays in cars with longitudinal drivetrain designs (where the engine’s crankshaft runs front-to-back) as well as in front wheel drive transverse setups (with the crankshaft running side-to-side). Unfortunately, V6 engines offer significant challenges in terms of firing order, requiring either ‘split’ rod bearings on each of the three pairs of crank throws to even out the timing of each power stroke, or an “odd-fire” crank design with the cylinder pairs sharing a single throw, but the firing events at uneven intervals of crank rotation.

Another option is a flat-6 design, favored by Porsche and Subaru. This also gives a very short engine from the crank snout to the flywheel, but a very wide one. Firing intervals aren’t an issue in what effectively is a V6 engine with a 180 degree cylinder bank angle, but this layout has inherent imbalances in the reciprocating and rotating planes because of the offset of the cylinders.

The 2JZ, however, is a classic inline-six. This engine geometry offers ‘perfect’ primary balance and silky-smooth operation at any speed–an important consideration for a powerplant intended for use in Toyota’s premiere performance cars. The firing order, with evenly-spaced firing intervals and overlapping power strokes, also lends itself to turbocharging as it smooths out pressure delivery to the turbine(s).

Materials Matter

Another critical factor in the 2JZ’s high threshold for abuse is the cast-iron block. While it’s certainly possible to build a durable all-aluminum engine for forced induction, iron is more forgiving of stress, with less thermal expansion and a defined fatigue limit. The latter sounds like a bad thing, but it’s the reason springs are made from steel and not aluminum – when stressed below its fatigue limit, an iron block can handle an effectively unlimited number of load cycles without metal fatigue, while aluminum gets a tiny bit closer to failure every time stress is applied. There is a price to be paid for the 2JZ’s iron block construction, though; it’s one of the major reasons why a fully-dressed engine tips the scales at over 500 pounds.

Speaking of that block, it’s a seven-main-bearing design with a deep skirt at the bottom that extends past the crank centerline. Many engine blocks are designed in such a way that the main part of the structure ends right at the crank midline and the main bearing caps project beneath it. While less expensive to cast and machine, this type of block usually needs reinforcement of the main bearing journals for high performance use. In classic domestic V8 engines, you’ll hear about “four-bolt mains” where each cap has an additional pair of bolts, often splayed at an angle to the primary pair, to cure this weakness.

While the 2JZ has two-bolt main caps, they are inset into the block’s thick main web, which gives them extra support without needing an additional pair of bolts. Nissan addressed this issue in the 2JZ’s arch-rival, the RB26DETT, with a ‘girdle’ that incorporates all the main caps into a single structure, and modern V8 engine designs like the GM LS and Ford Modular families use deep-skirt blocks with cross-bolt main caps. Compared to these other fixes, Toyota’s approach is elegant and simple, and hasn’t proven to be an issue even when the 2JZ is pushed far beyond its original horsepower and torque output.

A cast cover with a separate small, stamped metal sump for oil control rounds out the bottom end of the 2JZ, with the cover acting as a stressed component of the block rather than simply keeping all the oil from falling out the bottom of the engine. Having a fully “boxed” crankcase is another intentional choice by Toyota to make the block assembly as strong and rigid as possible, without introducing additional complexity or expense.

The stock 2JZ crankshaft is another strong point of these engines. Because inline-six cranks are, by necessity, relatively long compared to most other engine layouts, there’s the potential for them to act like torsion bar springs, twisting along their axis and even having issues with destructive feedback if the frequency of the power pulses lines up with the harmonics of the crank. Knowing that this was a potential weak spot, Toyota’s engineers specified a forged, rather than cast crank, with relatively large 62mm main and 52mm connecting rod journals. While aftermarket billet cranks are available, for all but the most extreme builds they’re simply unnecessary–that’s how good the factory crank is.

Heading up the block, you’ll find special GTE-spec rods that are stronger than the ones found in naturally-aspirated 2JZ-GE engines, plus turbo-specific cast pistons with a slight dish to lower compression ratio to a boost-friendly 8.5:1. The underside of the pistons are cooled by oil squirters fed by a gallery at the bottom of the cylinder bores to help prevent detonation caused by hot spots as well.

Getting a Head

Where the block meets the head, the 2JZ uses a ‘closed deck’ design that fully supports the cylinder bores. Compared to an ‘open deck’ block, this leaves less room for coolant passages, but it is a far better way to prevent head-gasket-killing bore shift under boost and maintain the head-to-block seal. Speaking of head gaskets, the stock 2JZ comes with a multi-layer steel gasket of the type typically used as an aftermarket upgrade as another way to prevent combustion leaks. The head is secured with 14 bolts, arranged so that each bore is surrounded by fasteners on all four corners. Replacing these factory parts with upgraded bolts or studs is a relatively inexpensive way to make an already-stout engine just a bit more durable – since the factory fasteners are single-use ‘torque to yield’ bolts they will need to be replaced anyway once the head comes off for any reason, so you might as well upgrade while you have the engine apart.

The bore and stroke are “square” at 86mm each for an actual engine displacement of 2,997cc. The bore diameter leaves plenty of room in the pent-roof combustion chamber for a pair of 33.6mm intake valves and two 29mm exhaust valves. Those valves are activated by a pair of belt-driven cams; while the JDM Aristo and 1998-2002 Supra got VVT-I variable cam timing on the intake side, the 2JZ-GTE in the US-spec MKIV Supra did not. To keep valvetrain mass to a minimum, the cams activate “bucket” tappets that act directly on the valve stem instead of through any kind of rocker, with lash adjusted by shims of variable thickness between the buckets and valves. Though not as quiet or maintenance-free as a valve drive with hydraulic lash adjusters, this system, which is almost universally used in high-performance motorcycle engines, is incredibly reliable and doesn’t require a ton of spring pressure to control valve motion at high RPM, reducing frictional losses. The wide buckets do limit max valve lift and cam lobe design to some extent, but the 2JZ is less sensitive to cam grind limitations than a naturally-aspirated engine would be thanks to forced induction.

Fuel and Spark

Sequential electronic fuel injection was standard, with JDM versions getting 440cc injectors and the US import 2JZ blessed with larger 550cc models. Even with elevated fuel pressure, these can be a bottleneck for power production, but fortunately Toyota used the common top-feed design and aftermarket injectors with much higher flow are common and relatively inexpensive.

One of the quirks of the 2JZ design is in the ignition. Many people think it’s coil-on-plug, but it’s not. The engine uses what’s known as a ‘wasted spark’ setup where two cylinders that are 360 degrees out of phase in the firing order share a single coil. One cylinder gets the coil perched atop the plug at the center of the pent-roof combustion chamber, while the other spark plug is connected to the same coil by a short high-voltage lead. Both cylinders receive a spark when the piston is just about to get to top dead center; one is on the compression stroke, while the other is on the exhaust stroke, and that spark is ‘wasted.’ It’s a clever way to make three coils do the job for a six cylinder engine, and while it’s possible to replace the entire ignition with an aftermarket setup that has individual coils for each cylinder, experience has proven that the stock coils in good condition provide a spark that’s “hot” enough to reliably prevent misfires even at elevated boost.

It’s worth mentioning that the 2JZ-GTE also employs dual knock sensors, which are transducers screwed directly into the engine block that act like a microphone to detect the first signs of detonation. The ECU can then act to protect the engine from serious damage by pulling ignition timing advance, reducing boost, or both in response.

Making Good Things Even Better

The 2JZ-GTE as implemented in the US MKIV Supra delivered 321 horsepower and 315 pound-feet “at the brochure” and featured a novel sequential twin turbo setup that reduced boost lag by relying on just one unit at low RPM to make the most of available energy in the exhaust stream, then bringing the second identical unit up to speed as the revs climbed to supply sufficient airflow. The result was an amazingly well-balanced power curve, but about an hour after the first Supra was sold in US dealerships, somebody was already pulling off all the intake and exhaust plumbing to install a big single turbo and ditch the dinky side-mount air to air intercooler for a giant FMIC. As the years have passed, pretty much everything you can think of in terms of a turbo setup has been tried on the 2JZ, and hitting an arbitrary horsepower target number is as straightforward as looking to see what’s worked in the past and using that as a blueprint.

It’s a tribute to just how right Toyota got this engine that here, almost 20 years after the last one was produced, people are still building and racing them, parts are widely available, and they pretty much just aren’t wearing out. While newer designs that are lighter, smaller, or cheaper to produce have taken the 2JZ-GTE’s place, it’s doubtful that any of them will earn the same bulletproof reputation or fanbase as Toyota’s legendary twin-turbo inline six.

The Nissan Z Proto Is Revealed and Packed With Classic Z Touches

September 16, 2020 –  Nissan has finally unveiled the new Z Proto demonstrating their plans to revive the Z badge. It has a totally new design, relieving the 370z of its many years of service. The designers at Nissan had the main goal of injecting the DNA of the past legendary Z cars like the 240z and 300zx into this new platform.

Nissan has stated that the rear tail lights are directly inspired by the 300zx, but “reinterpreted for the modern world.” The front end is directly inspired by the 240z featuring that large rectangular duct in the middle as well as a similar headlight shape taking cues from the iconic headlight covers on much desired ZG version of the platform. The roofline maintains a very similar feel to the current 370z, but has sharper lines and a cleaner overall look.

Performance wise, Nissan has stated that the Z Proto has an enhanced V6(likely an upgraded/larger HR platform engine?) Details on the performance will come soon with the release of the actual Z, but Nissan assured that the Z Proto represents a commitment to providing the passionate Z enthusiasts with a true drivers car. Being true to this sentiment, the Z Proto was revealed with a good ol’ 6-speed manual transmission. Z enthusiasts and fans of cars in general are excited to see how the final product will look like and perform, but we can take comfort in the fact that manufacturers still want to make fun to drive cars for the ones who love them.

Honda Announces Limited Edition 2021 Phoenix Yellow Honda Civic Type R With Forged BBS Wheels, and Michelin Cup 2 Tires

Sep 3, 2020 – Honda announces all new 2021 Type R Limited Edition Civic Type R. This 2021 Type R Limited Edition embodies multiple engineering and feature changes designed to maximize performance, without sacrificing Type R’s unique combination of razor-sharp performance and civilized daily-driving manners.

The New Nissan Z Proto Reveal: Coming Very Soon

September 1, 2020 – The new Nissan Z car is coming. And it won’t be long til we get to see what it looks like. Dubbed the Nissan Z Proto, the new car was teased in a video highlighting the heritage of the beloved Z badge. It also has a beautiful group rolling shot of all of the past Zs(minus the 370z) that’ll bring a tear to your eye.

The video features clips of Nissan’s past Z models like the 240z, 280zx, Z31 and Z32 300zx, and 350z, and shows off the Z’s deep ties to racing. Though they didn’t show any more of the Z Proto than we’ve already seen, this teaser video lets fans rest assured that Nissan is acknowledging the Z’s roots and is dropping something that will respect that. Set to reveal on Spetember 15th at the Nissan Pavillion and on the NissanNext.com, the Nissan Z Proto will be showing its face very soon. Hopefully during the reveal they give us some details on performance aspects of the Z, but right now much is to be under speculation. Will it be a hybrid electric? Will it have some update to the VQ engine? Will it even be called the 400z like everyone thought? No clue. But regardless, we’re happy to see Nissan reviving a classic and much loved sports car.

10 Engines That Changed the World

We take a lot of things for granted today – engines that start with the turn of a key, deliver abundant horsepower from minimal displacement, squeeze every mile possible out of a gallon of gas, and run for a hundred thousand miles and beyond with only routine maintenance. But over the last century or so, there have been some definite turning points where new technology and fresh ideas have radically changed how we drive. Here’s a look at ten of them that deserve recognition.

Ford Model T – 1908

Henry Ford’s car for the masses was one of the few vehicles in history that actually got simpler and cheaper over its long production run, and the basic 144 cubic inch inline-four under the hood, delivering a whopping 20 horsepower, was the perfect powerplant for the job. With a 3.98:1 compression ratio, this side-valve engine wasn’t all that sensitive to fuel quality, which was an important selling point in a world where the availability of highly-refined gasoline was pretty much non-existent.

Everything about the Model T’s engine was simple by design. There was no fuel pump, with the single sidedraft carb relying on gravity feed much like a lawnmower engine, and spark was provided via magneto and four “trembler” coils to step up the voltage. After an initial short run of a few hundred engines equipped with a water pump, Ford switched to a ‘thermosiphon’ cooling system that relied on the natural circulation of hot water. Hand crank starting was supplemented with an optional electric starter in 1919.

Although Model T production ended in 1927, the engine continued to be manufactured all the way up through the fall of 1941 for use in industrial and marine applications to power pumps and generators. 

Ford Flathead V8 – 1932

Though the V8 engine configuration, with two banks of cylinders sharing a single case and crankshaft, dated back to the turn of the 20th century, Ford’s original 221 cubic inch “Flathead” V8 was revolutionary in 1932. Most widely-produced car engines up until that time were either inline four or six cylinder designs, and even luxury cars with powerful (for the time) eight cylinder engines almost always were inline block layouts. The relatively compact Flathead was initially rated at 65 horsepower, then improved via an increased compression ratio to 85, and the design morphed into a number of different displacements ranging all the way up to a 337 cubic inch version and shrunk down to a diminutive 60-horsepower 136CI model.

Despite having cooling issues stemming from the necessity of routing exhaust passages through the block, and the general inefficiency of the valve-in-block cylinder head design, it’s impossible to understate just how important the Flathead was as an automotive powerplant. It was the engine that spawned the original hot rod movement, and countless aftermarket performance parts, up to and including overhead valve “Ardun” cylinder head conversions. Eventually overshadowed by more modern V8 engine designs, the Flathead still remained in production (albeit in highly-modified form) all the way up until the mid-1960s, and it continues to be popular with hot rod builders interested in retro or period-correct power.

Volkswagen Flat Four – 1936

Designed during the era of German nationalism that metastasized into the Nazi Reich, the horizontally-opposed, air-cooled flat-four engine from the “people’s car” ended up powering decades’ worth of vehicles that became synonymous with peace and love, and remained in factory production for more than 50 years, eventually spawning a water-cooled successor and laying the groundwork for Porsche’s legendary aircooled 6-cylinder “boxer” engines.

Despite its uber-simple design, which utilized a horizontally opposed layout to make it as compact as possible and fan-driven air cooling to eliminate the need for complex castings incorporating passages for liquid coolant as well as the weight of a water pump and radiator, the VW flat-four featured some remarkably sophisticated engineering for the era. The heads were manufactured from aluminum, while the finned cylinders were cast iron, and the crankcase was made from lightweight but strong magnesium.

With displacements ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 liters, and horsepower ranging between 24 and 99+ in factory trim, the VW flat-four found its way into a lot of vehicles other than the iconic Beetle – vans, the mid-engine Porsche 914 and “entry level” 912, countless dune buggies and kit cars, and even aircraft. As a matter of fact, its similarity to the widely-used Continental and Lycoming horizontally-opposed air cooled aircraft engines led not only to conversions for experimental kit planes, but even certified versions for aviation use. Its simplicity, durability, and tuner-friendly nature mean that the VW aircooled four will be popular for as long as internal combustion engines still exist.

Jaguar XK6 – 1948

There were inline-six engines before the Jaguar XK, and there were dual overhead cam engines before it as well. But the 3.4L engine that first appeared in the Jaguar XK120 sports car (their first sporting model since the unpleasantness on the Continent ended production of the SS100 in 1939) was the engine that all subsequent I6 designs and all DOHC powerplants of any cylinder count worth mentioning can claim as an ancestor.

When Nissan, Toyota, and even BMW set out to build their own I6 powered sports cars, the XK6 provided the archetype, so if you are a fan of the RB, 2JZ, or M30, you owe a debt of gratitude to this seminal design.

The XK6’s iron block was topped by an aluminum cylinder head; the material had been selected not only for light weight but also for its ability to efficiently move combustion heat into the cooling system, which allowed a higher compression ratio without detonation (and took advantage of the massive increases in fuel knock resistance that the war had brought). Widely-spaced, large valves and ports designed to increase intake charge swirl let it breathe, and the XK6 quickly went from a rated 160 horsepower to 210, then 250.

The Jag 6 was the result of a generation of engineers who had been pushed hard for a decade to defeat an existential threat to their nation turning their now-razor-sharp skills on making the best auto engine they possibly could, and between 1948 and the end of its run in 1992, the design in all its variations and displacements made its way into dozens of different Jaguar models, and even powered the Scorpion and Scimitar armored fighting vehicles.

When Nissan, Toyota, and even BMW set out to build their own I6 powered sports cars, the XK6 provided the archetype, so if you are a fan of the RB, 2JZ, or M30, you owe a debt of gratitude to this seminal design.

BMC A-Series – 1951

The Austin Mini holds pride-of-place as the car that first put together all the elements of the modern automotive transportation appliance in the same package: All the bulky mechanical parts out ahead of the passenger compartment, with a transaxle powering the front wheels driven by a transverse inline-four engine. The diminutive car required a similarly-tiny engine, and the BMC A-Series, ranging in displacement from 0.8 to a whopping 1.275 liters, was the perfect companion.

While outside of Japan’s Kei sub-sub-compacts, almost every other FWD car is huge compared to the original Mini, but they all draw inspiration from it. Nissan’s CA family can show a direct engineering family tree to the BMC A-Series, having been built around a licensed version of the little Austin’s blueprints. The A-Series inline four wasn’t anything particularly revolutionary in terms of performance or mechanical engineering, but it led the way in how engines would be packaged in the future to free up maximum space for people and things on the inside of the vehicle, making an impact on the automotive world that was as enormous as the engine itself was small.

Chrysler Hemi – 1951

Born from an experimental aircraft engine design that reached maturity just a bit too late to contribute to the Allied war effort in 1945, Chrysler’s hemispherical cylinder head concept was, at heart, the engineering solution to the problem of fitting the biggest possible pair of valves into any given cylinder bore diameter. Once civilian car production re-started, the company took what they had learned in developing that engine and applied it to their FirePower 331 cubic inch V8 that debuted in 1951, delivering between 180 and 300 rated horsepower depending on configuration.

Thanks to the design’s wide bore spacing, displacement grew throughout the decade, and DeSoto Fire Dome and Dodge Red Ram and Power Dome versions of the same architecture were introduced. But the second-gen Hemi, introduced in 1964 and displacing 426 cubic inches, was what put the name on the performance map. The over-the-counter version available to the driving public from 1965 to 1971 was rated at 425 horsepower (gross, with no accessories like a water pump drive or alternator to put parasitic drag on the engine) and 490 pound-feet of torque. In competition, NASCAR and professional drag racing teams embraced the enormous (and enormously powerful) Hemi, and there are still traces of the original 1964 Hemi DNA in today’s nitromethane-burning supercharged Top Fuel and Funny Car engines.

While the name was revived (rendered in all caps – “HEMI” – don’t you forget it!) for a third generation in 2003 that continues in production today, the engine bears little resemblance to its forebearers – a true hemispherical combustion chamber as seen in the second-gen engines, while allowing very large valves, ends up with a “squish” space that looks like an orange peel. This makes the design sensitive to fuel quality and ignition timing to make sure that large, thin volume of compressed gas and air burns smoothly and completely. Modern multi-valve “pent roof” cylinder heads with four facets for a pair of intake and exhaust valves, plus a fifth for the spark plug, achieve the same airflow advantages of a two-valve Hemi head while allowing more efficient combustion chamber shapes. Nevertheless, Chrysler’s Hemi remains as an iconic turning point in performance engine design.

Small Block Chevy – 1954

Arguably the most popular engine of all time, the original “small block” Chevy V8, first introduced in the 1955 model year Corvette and Bel Air, caught lightning in a bottle, and its descendants continue to be manufactured today for use in cars like the mid-rear-engine C8 Corvette. Unlike the Flathead, Chevy’s V8 utilized an overhead-valve cylinder head that allowed for higher compression, a more efficient combustion chamber design, and improved cooling.

The original 265 cubic inch design eventually grew into 400CI factory engines with the same bore spacing, and the SBC was one of the first production engines to deliver more than one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement. Over five separate generations, there have been countless changes to the original Chevy V8, including various mixes of cast iron and aluminum blocks and cylinder heads, distributor-fired and coil-per-plug ignition, carburetors, mechanical fuel injection, and EFI, and even cylinder deactivation for “displacement on demand” and variable valve timing.

Through all these changes, from the original 162 horsepower Gen I in 1955 to today’s naturally aspirated Gen V LT2 rated at 490 horsepower in the 2020 Stingray and the 638-horse supercharged Gen IV LS9, the SBC has retained one archaic design feature (with the exception of the unique Lotus-designed DOHC 1989-1995 LT5) – a single cam located in the center of the vee, with pushrod valvetrain actuation. In a world dominated by overhead cam designs, GM’s venerable cam-in-block design continues to prosper in everything from trucks to sports cars.

Wankel Rotary – 1964

Out of all the engines on our list, the Wankel is definitely the most revolutionary (pun intended). Forgoing the conventional piston-engine layout, the design originally conceived by Felix Wankel and patented way back in 1929 is a graduate-level education in geometry and physics. Instead of reciprocating, all the internal components in a rotary spin in the same direction, and although it operates in the same general way a four-stroke piston engine does, it has the power delivery characteristics of a two-stroke, with one power “event” per turn of the output shaft for each rotor assembly.

…but whenever there’s a need to pack a huge amount of horsepower in a high-RPM engine the size of a pony keg, the Wankel is ready to answer the call.

German manufacturer NSU was the first to bring a semi-practical design to mass production, but it took Mazda to really embrace the Wankel, licensing the patents and working out many of the unique challenges posed by the design, which included developing combustion seals for the rotor apexes and between the rotors and housing sides that would be durable enough to compete with piston engine technology that had several decades’ head start. Legendary Mazda cars like the Cosmo, RX-2, -3, -4, -7, and -8, and even a compact pickup (which was singularly unsuitable for rotary power in practical terms, but an awesome example of Mazda’s “Wankel all the things!” enthusiasm) featured rotary power, and many US manufacturers considered using variations of the design for everything from subcompacts to Corvette concepts.

Unfortunately, some inherent drawbacks remained hard to overcome – apex seal lubrication required a small, but continuous consumption of oil as there was no crankcase to separate lube from the combustion process, and although Wankel rotaries are very compact and mechanically simple compared to piston engines that deliver the same power, they’re also thirsty thanks to the thermodynamic inefficiency of their continuously variable combustion space. In the end, even Mazda more or less gave up on rotary engines for production vehicles, but whenever there’s a need to pack a huge amount of horsepower in a high-RPM engine the size of a pony keg, the Wankel is ready to answer the call.

Honda B-Series – 1988

Where would a list of the Ten Engines that Changed the World be without the Honda B-series? For one thing, the author would be risking violence at the hands of a pitchfork and torch wielding mob of Honda fans, but this particular inline four earns its place on merit. It’s arguably the most-popular modern inline four in history, and it combined all the features and technology we take for granted in high-tech engines today. Although it was never intended for turbo– or supercharging, it proved itself to be readily adaptable to boost, and there’s no small-displacement engine family that can boast as much aftermarket support as Honda’s killer B.

With displacements ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 liters in factory trim and rated horsepower from 126 to 190, there were a wide range of variations in both short and tall deck versions, with a panoply of different details like cylinder head design. But the big thing Honda gave the world with the B-series was the widespread introduction of VTEC, their term for a system to switch cam profiles through the use of a hydraulically-actuated cam follower setup. Activated by a signal from the ECU, VTEC allowed the engine to flip between valve timing, lift, duration, and overlap optimized for fuel economy to higher performance and back again, foreshadowing all the current variable valve control technology incorporated into state of the art engines today.

Like the Ford Flathead and classic Small Block Chevy, the Honda B-series has become a favorite of racers and enthusiasts due to the broad availability of performance parts and the extensive tuning knowledge gained over the past thirty years (has it really been that long?)

Nissan VC-Turbo / Mazda Skyactiv / Hyundai Cvvd – Today

It might seem like a bit of a cheat to give the last spot in our top ten list to a whole group of modern engines, but there are so many new technologies being introduced to production internal combustion engines that we can’t simply ignore their effect on the landscape. Gasoline direct injection (GDI) was the first to become relatively commonplace, offering both performance and fuel efficiency increases, but compared to what’s come after, it seems almost quaint – after all, Diesel engines have more or less always been direct-injection.

Nissan’s recently-released VC-Turbo engine uses a multi-link connecting rod assembly to provide a continuously variable “static” compression ratio, from 8:1 for turbocharged operation under boost to a miserly 14:1 under low load and atmospheric intake pressure for maximum efficiency.

Mazda introduced a whole range of new technology under their “SkyActiv” trademark, from the aforementioned GDI to a low-compression (14:1) advanced diesel with two-stage turbocharging to eliminate a large percentage of the particulate and NOx emissions normally associated with compression-ignition engines. They’ve even rolled out a gasoline “SkyActiv-X” engine with two-stage direct fuel injection and variable spark or spark-plus-compression ignition that promises 20-30% greater fuel efficiency.

The “camless” engine has been the holy grail of powerplant design since the middle of the last century, and while certain exotic-but-impractical designs have been proposed or used for pure race engines, and some production engines like BMW’s N55 have implemented systems that can dynamically control cam phasing and variable lift, Hyundai’s Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology comes as close as we’ve seen so far to offering complete control over when and how much a conventional tappet valve opens. While it still relies on mechanical contact between a cam lobe and a follower, it’s a good compromise between practicality and theoretical “perfect” control of valve motion.

We’ve done our best to pick the most significant engine designs without prejudice or favoritism, but we’ve undoubtedly left some of you scratching your heads as to why we overlooked your personal selection in our Top Ten. Make your case in the comments below, and we might just revisit the topic in a future article to mend the error in our ways…

The Rotary Revolution

In the 140-plus years since the modern internal combustion engine was invented, there have been a countless variety of different designs; 2-, 4-, and even 6-stroke cycles, inline, vee, W, X, H, and horizontally opposed cylinder arrangements, combustion chamber shapes ranging from flathead to hemispherical, and all manner of the different valve and camshaft configurations. The technological pressure cooker of wartime development brought forth oddities like the Great War’s rotary piston engines that spun the entire crankcase and cylinders around a crank firmly bolted to an aircraft’s nose. Those evolved into radial engines with stationary crankcases, culminating in massive 28-cylinder beasts displacing more than 4,000 cubic inches and delivering 4,300 horsepower by the end of the Second World War. Then, there was the truly strange “Deltic” design that arranged three crankshafts at the corners of a triangle, each powered by pistons that moved in opposition to each other, with no cylinder head at all.

It’s the sort of mechanism that feels like it was reverse-engineered from a crashed UFO, or taken straight from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel compared to a piston engine.

But whatever form even the strangest of those engines took, they all shared one design feature that Nikolaus Otto, the creator of the first modern internal combustion engine, would instantly recognize: A reciprocating piston moving back and forth in a cylinder bore, translating linear motion into rotation via a connecting rod and crankshaft. It’s a concept so simple and elegant, but so well-suited to the task that the overwhelming majority of internal combustion engines have employed it. Though they’ve grown in sophistication over the years with new materials and manufacturing techniques, decent piston engines can be made using very basic design skills and fairly simple machine tools. Because of how difficult it is to build a “better mousetrap” than a piston engine, almost every attempt has fallen short in one way or the other and been forgotten, with one notable exception: The Wankel rotary.

Thinking Outside the Box (Or Tube, in This Case)

First conceived in the late 1920s by German engineer Felix Wankel, despite having only two main moving parts, the rotary engine’s principle of operation isn’t intuitive at first glance like a conventional piston engine. The Wankel goes through the same four stages as a piston engine – intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust – using a bowed triangular rotor that moves around an oval housing (technically, an ‘epitrochoid’ shape, a word that means “you didn’t do well enough in your Trig class to understand what’s going on here”) on an eccentric shaft. A fixed gear on the side of the housing engages a ring gear on the inside of the rotor so that for every complete turn of the rotor, the eccentric shaft turns three times.

It’s the sort of mechanism that feels like it was reverse-engineered from a crashed UFO, or taken straight from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel compared to a piston engine. But the important thing is that the motion of the rotor within the housing causes the volume between the rotor face and housing to vary in a useful way, just like the rise and fall of a piston in a cylinder bore. Though Wankel filed his first patent for the rotary engine in 1929, it would take until 1957 for him to develop a working prototype while employed at the German NSU car company. His original prototype, while using the same general principle as the rotary engines we are familiar with today, was somewhat more complex with a rotor housing that spun inside an outer casing as well as the moving rotor on the interior.

Working in parallel (and without Wankel’s knowledge), NSU engineer Hanns Dieter Paschke also developed a working prototype stationary-housing rotary engine in 1957, and it would be this design that evolved into a practical car engine. Intrigued by the potential of the Wankel, auto manufacturers from around the world, including AMC, Ford, General Motors, Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, and even Rolls-Royce licensed the design to develop their versions, but in the end, Mazda was the only company to produce Wankel rotaries in any significant quantity. While the rotary had some significant advantages over conventional piston engines, it also had several drawbacks that were inherent to the design, plus several non-trivial technical hurdles to overcome before it was suitable for mass production.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

On the positive side, the Wankel ran with a smoothness that no piston engine could match. In television ads, Mazda used a catchy folk song with the chorus, “Piston engine goes (boing, boing, boing), Mazda engine goes ‘hmm’” to emphasize that attribute. The lack of reciprocating parts also meant that Wankels could safely turn RPM numbers that would float the valves on any conventional production line piston engine, limited only by the strength of the rotor and stationary gears and what the engine-driven accessories like the alternator and water pump could endure.

In terms of size and weight, rotaries are extremely compact and light for their power output. Though they commonly had their displacement described in terms of a single chamber on each rotor’s volume (making the ubiquitous Mazda 12A and 13B rotaries nominally 1.2 or 1.3 liters), the fact that there were three such chambers for each rotor made them perform more like an engine with twice the stated displacement.

…NSU’S struggle to build production rotaries that didn’t blow bits of apex seal out the exhaust was the major reason the Wankel quickly gained a reputation as an unreliable engine.

As far as drawbacks go, the first problem facing anyone trying to make the Wankel practical as a production car engine was creating effective and durable seals. In a conventional piston engine, the gap between the piston and the cylinder wall is sealed by a ring package that uses a combination of gas pressure directed into the ring lands and the pressure differential between the area above and below the ring itself to dynamically load the top ring and keep it at the proper tension. While modern piston ring design and the materials used have become very complicated and sophisticated, simple iron rings with a square profile will do the job quite nicely if you’re not trying to squeeze out that last few percentage points of power and efficiency. As a bonus, circular rings are a piece of cake to manufacture to precise tolerances as well.

This isn’t the case with a Wankel. A look at how the rotor oscillates in the housing tells you that you’re going to need three long, gently curved seals on either side of the rotor, plus three seals at the apex of each point of the rotor’s triangle to separate the individual “combustion chambers” from one another. While the side seals didn’t turn out to be a big deal, coming up with apex seals that were durable enough for a production car ended up being a real challenge. NSU’s struggle to build production rotaries that didn’t blow bits of apex seal out the exhaust was the major reason the Wankel quickly gained a reputation as an unreliable engine.

Mazda managed to develop reliable apex seals for their rotaries, but another challenge came from the fact that unlike a piston engine, where the cylinder bores are continuously lubricated by oil slung from the connecting rod bearings as the crankshaft spins, there’s no convenient way to get lubrication to the apex seals. The solution came from injecting small amounts of engine oil into the intake airstream, providing the same end result as premixed fuel and oil for a 2-stroke dirt bike or chainsaw.

In the end, rotaries proved to be more trouble than they were worth, even for Mazda, at least in terms of production car use.

Unfortunately, about the same time Mazda got that issue figured out, the oil crisis of 1973 sent fuel prices skyrocketing, and in the US, emissions standards began to be taken seriously. This double whammy hit the Wankel where it lived – although the engines were efficient in terms of size and weight for their power output, their Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (the amount of gas required to produce a particular amount of horsepower) was poor compared to a conventional piston engine and having to constantly inject a bit of oil mist into the engine inevitably lead to unavoidable higher hydrocarbon emissions.

Thermodynamics Is a Harsh Mistress

As it turns out, a piston engine with cylindrical bores is about the best practical shape for keeping heat contained inside the combustion chamber, since it has the least surface area for any given volume. The arcane geometric wizardry that makes a Wankel even possible also dictates that the constantly changing combustion chamber shape is going to have a lot of surface area for the engine’s displacement, which means that a disproportionate amount of the heat energy from burning fuel is going to end up slipping away into the rotors, side housings, or endplates instead of doing useful work. That unavoidable fact meant that rotaries would never be able to match a conventional piston engine’s fuel economy pony for a pony, even when installed in a car optimized for the Wankel’s lightweight.

There are other quirks to rotary engine design as well – because of that oddly-shaped combustion chamber, Mazda used two spark plugs per rotor with staggered ignition timing to make sure the air/fuel charge burned as completely as possible. Additionally, variable cam timing and/or valve lift can dynamically change the characteristics of a piston engine’s combustion cycle, but a Wankel engine’s intake and exhaust timing are fixed, much like a valveless two-stroke engine, dictated by the position of the ports on the side housings and periphery of the center housing.

The Wankel Legacy

In the end, rotaries proved to be more trouble than they were worth, even for Mazda, at least in terms of production car use. The end of the line for the venerable original 13B, which remained in production for an astonishing three decades, came with the end of FD RX-7 production after the 2002 model year. By then, the 13B-REW had evolved into a twin-turbo 280 horsepower plumber’s nightmare of vacuum lines and emissions control hardware that was far removed from the simplicity promised by the original Wankel design. Its successor, the naturally-aspirated 13B-REW RENESIS found in the 2003-2013 RX-8, improved emissions, and fuel economy via a radical rework of the exhaust port location and truly heroic engine control calibration efforts, but ended up falling short of ever-more-restrictive emission limits in the US and Europe nonetheless.

…the real legacy of Herr Wankel’s inspired engine design is the unmistakable sound of a three-rotor peripheral port engine banging against the rev limiter at the race track, sounding like a cross between a machine gun and the end of the world.

Mazda continues to experiment with Wankel engine design, showcasing things like hydrogen-fueled rotaries that burn much cleaner than gasoline-powered designs in concept vehicles, but it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see the widespread enthusiasm for this radically different kind of internal combustion engine as we did in the late 1960s and early 1970s again. For niche applications where a high power-to-weight ratio and compact dimensions are critical, the rotary will retain its popularity, but the real legacy of Herr Wankel’s inspired engine design is the unmistakable sound of a three-rotor peripheral port engine banging against the rev limiter at the race track, sounding like a cross between a machine gun and the end of the world.

10 Amazing JDM Cars, and How We Got to Buy Them Here

The Japanese domestic car market has produced a lot of innovative, cool models over the years, creating JDM gems that never make it to our shores. It doesn’t take huge numbers of cars sold to make a car a success in Japan – in 2019, just shy of 5.2 million cars were sold there in total, of which nearly 2 million were “Kei” cars designed specifically around a set of tax and registration rules that make these miniature vehicles less expensive to buy and own. 

To put those numbers into perspective, between the Ford F-series, Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado, and it’s twin the GMC Sierra, Americans bought more than 2.4 million full-sized domestic-brand pickup trucks alone. While there is plenty of money to be made in the US by Japanese manufacturers (especially if they have plants located stateside), the volume of sales required to make an imported car successful absolutely dwarf what would be considered a hit in the home market.

“Federalizing” an imported model to prove that it meets US crash performance and emissions standards is not an inexpensive or quick process, and as a result many of the wild and wonderful JDM-only models we all lust over were never brought to our shores as new cars. But the ones we did get tend to fall into a few very specific categories that made them worth the effort for Japan to export and sell in US showrooms. 

The Halo Cars

The first entries on our list are cars that didn’t have to sell in huge numbers in the US (even though some turned out to be wildly popular) because their purpose was to act as flagships for the brand – performance cars that, through association, would help sell the bread-and-butter commuter cars.

Datsun/Nissan Z

By introducing American enthusiasts to the 240Z in 1969, Nissan (known in America as Datsun back then, but that’s a tale for another time) proved that Japanese imports weren’t exclusively cheap, boring economy cars, and that a world-class sports car didn’t need to be expensive, unreliable, or temperamental. After six generations in the US, the lineal descendant of the original Z, the Nissan 370Z, remains popular, though the mantle of performance and technology leader for the company has finally passed to the GT-R in the US.

Mazda RX-7

Following the trail blazed by the Z-car, Mazda introduced their own sports car to the US market a decade later with the first-gen RX-7. With a unique Wankel rotary powerplant that set it apart from anything else available then or now, it built Mazda’s performance reputation in North America through three generations. At the close of the 20th century, Mazda finally began to step away from the rotary due to emissions and fuel economy concerns that were inherently harder to solve than in piston engine designs. The 2003-2012 RX-8 was the last hurrah for Mazda’s line of flagship sports cars, and even that was more of a grand tourer; a far cry from the light, flickable first-gen cars. 

Toyota Supra

Starting out as simply a stretched version of the Celica, the Supra found its true Kung Fu in the third generation cars introduced in 1986 that were split out into their own model line, and a turbocharged engine was offered for the first time. But the Mark IV Supra would be the defining version of the mark, and from 1993 to 2002 the Supra would arguably rule the Japanese performance car market in the US. A diminishing US demand and no new-generation JDM model put an end to the Supra, but Toyota revived the name for a rebadged car based on the BMW G29 platform used in the Z4 in 2019, to a decidedly mixed reception among enthusiasts.

Honorable Mention: Acura NSX

When Honda launched the Acura sub-brand in 1986, the first ‘high end’ badge for a Japanese carmaker in the US market, their product line was limited to what were essentially optioned-up, very nice versions of the same cars in Honda dealerships. Much like the Spanish Inquisition though, nobody expected the first-gen NSX in 1990, sold as a Honda in the home market but badged as an Acura in the US. This mid-rear two-seat sports car was legitimate competition for many exotics of the time, and was certainly far cheaper and more reliable than your average ‘90s supercar. Though it was never a huge sales success in and of itself, it certainly provided a lot of eye candy in Acura showrooms for customers to drool over while the salesman worked his four-square sheet to get them into a nice Integra or Legend with the undercoating and extended warranty rolled into a single monthly payment…

The Cool Cousins

This next group of enthusiasm-worthy cars made it to US shores because they had a much more sensible relative they could rely upon to help them get a foot in the door. These models are the JDM performance versions of the manufacturers’ bread-and-butter models, adapted for US regulations and let in because their sensible relatives already did most of the hard work. 

Subaru WRX/STi 

In 1993, Subaru first brought the Impreza to America as their sensible family car, with an uninspiring 1.8 liter, 110 horsepower naturally aspirated flat-four under the hood. A 2.2 liter optional engine was quickly added, and in 1998 we got the 2.5RS – a toe dipped in the water to see if America was ready for the real thing. After the second gen Impreza hit US showrooms, there was finally a turbo WRX model available alongside the more pedestrian naturally aspirated Imprezas, and sales of Subaru’s performance flagship were high enough to ensure it remains in their US lineup to this day.

Mitsubishi Evo 

While Mitsubishi had gone through a “Turbo All The Things!” period in the late 80s and early 90s in their US imports and joint ventures with Chrysler, by the end of the century they’d pivoted to crossovers and commuter cars. Their perpetual JDM rival Subaru had shown there was money to be made in bringing performance models across the Pacific with the WRX, and in 2003 the Evolution VIII was offered to US buyers for the first time. Two subsequent generations followed in North America, but 2016 saw the end of Evo production for all markets worldwide, and Mitsubishi seems focused on SUV, truck, and crossover models to the detriment of their legendary performance car heritage.

Nissan 240SX

You know a car model is successful when the company making it keeps the old model in production while simultaneously bringing out a new version, which is exactly what Nissan did with the 180SX and its successor the S14 Silvia in the Japanese domestic market. Nissan hedged their bets with the USDM 240SX, substituting their tried and true naturally aspirated KA24 “truck motor” for the turbocharged CA18DET in the 180SX, deftly sidestepping the need to gain EPA approval for a different engine unique to this particular model. Nevertheless, the S13 and S14 generations of the US 240SX sold well between 1989 and 1999, inspired untold numbers of amateur drifters, and were the recipients of countless LS engine swaps. 

Honorable Mention: Lexus IS 300

Built on the Toyota N platform, which it shared with the SC 400/300 sports coupe that had been in the US market for almost a full decade, the IS 300 debuted as a 2001 model year car in America, and came with the same naturally-aspirated 220 horsepower 2JZ-GE engine found in the earlier non-turbo MKIV Supra. This four-door platform, in addition to allowing you to comfortably terrify more than one passenger at a time (unlike the Supra, with its vestigial back seat) also introduced the world to clear “Altezza” tail lights, and things would never be the same. The IS is still in the Lexus lineup in the US market, now in its third generation and available with a 241 horse turbo inline 4 or a 311 horsepower naturally aspirated V6, but the original Altezza hit the sweet spot where performance, practicality, and JDM street cred overlapped.

the [JDM cars] we did get tend to fall into a few very specific categories that made them worth the effort for Japan to export and sell in US showrooms.

The Unicorns

Finally, there are some cars that made it to the US despite the fact that there was no way they were ever going to sell in big numbers, or even well enough to amortize the costs involved in getting them approved for sale in America. Three of them on our list are based off of popular mainstream cars, while the fourth is just… weird. But for all these rare and wonderful vehicles, there had to be somebody behind the scenes who stuck their neck out and said, “I know these won’t make us a pile of money, but Americans deserve to have them anyway.”

Mazda 323 GTX

In the days before the WRX or the Evo, and before most US enthusiasts had even heard of rally cars, Mazda built a homologation special version of their Familia/323/Protege, a very sensible little three-door hatch that was doing a pretty decent job in the Americas as a frugal commuter car. In place of the standard naturally-aspirated 1.8 liter, 100 or so horsepower front wheel drive setup was a 1.6 liter, 132 horse turbocharged engine coupled to a manual transmission and AWD drivetrain with a lockable center differential and viscous limited slip. The engine took to tuning like tigers on sardine oil, and it was easy to tweak the revvy little turbo motor to 180 horsepower and beyond. Only 1200 or so made it to the US in 1988 and 1989, and the vast majority of them lived short but glorious lives under the heavy right foot of enthusiast owners, so they’re rarely seen today. Nevertheless, all credit where credit is due to whoever it was at Mazda that decided America needed this insane little hatch.

Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo

The Celica and Supra, once based on the same chassis, had parted ways in the 1986 model year, with the Supra becoming its own RWD model and the Celica going to front wheel drive. Toyota didn’t completely abandon Celica performance models, though – in the domestic market, they introduced the GT-Four all-wheel-drive system with an advanced-for-the-time electronically controlled center differential, and fitted it to a number of different models, including a turbocharged Celica. Though they’re rare as hen’s teeth in America today, the first-gen Celica All-Trac Turbo made it to the US market for the 1988 and 1989 model years, then surprisingly survived the Celica’s generation change for 1990, but only about 1,600 were sold in the States through the 1993 model year. Making a solid 200 horsepower (compared to the next-best N/A Celica’s 135 or so) and with a stout 5-speed manual gearbox coupled to a rally-tested all wheel drive system, the All-Trac was the Eclipse GSX/Talon TSi AWD/Laser RS Turbo AWD two years ahead of the wildly-popular DSM triplets. But the price premium and lack of visual distinction from other Celicas doomed it to obscurity among all but true enthusiasts.

Mitsubishi Galant VR-4

Speaking of the Eclipse GSX, for the 1991 and 1992 model years, Mitsubishi also decided that America should receive a version of their sensible, highly respected, and strong-selling Galant 4-door sedan that shared the same turbo all-wheel-drive layout as the first-gen DSM coupes. This proto-Evo delivered 195 horsepower to all four corners with a sophisticated (for the ‘90s) driveline using a viscous coupling center differential and 4-wheel “in phase” steering that could turn the rear wheels as much as 1.5 degrees in the same direction as the front at speeds above 30 miles per hour. As a technology and luxury showcase, it also incorporated now-common features like a fade-out dome light and the ability to operate the power windows and sunroof for a half-minute after turning off the ignition. The Galant VR-4 was ahead of its time in many ways, and it’s a shame that after just two years and around 3,000 cars imported to the US, its tenure in the American market was over. 

Subaru SVX

This might just be the king of the fantastic beasts on our list – in 1989 Subaru debuted the Alcyone SVX (pronounced “al-SIGH-uh-nee” because reasons…) at the Tokyo Auto Show, and followed up with a production model for the 1992 model year. As the flagship of the Subaru line, it represented the best in luxury and performance, and unbelievably they managed to sell more than 14,000 of them in America (more than half of the total worldwide sales) through the 1996 model year. A naturally-aspirated 3.3 liter naturally-aspirated flat-six engine that was basically an EJ22 with two extra cylinders sat under the hood, sending power to an automatic transmission, as none of Subaru’s manual gearboxes at the time had the capacity to reliably handle the rated 231 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of peak torque. All-wheel-drive was standard, of course, and the swoopy styling included fixed side windows with small, inset retractable panes, a la the Lamborghini Countach and the DeLorean. For a company known in the early ‘90s for quirky, small economy cars that happened to have AWD, the SVX was a wild departure from the norm, and the styling has actually aged pretty well over the decades.

So there you have it – our list of the top cool Japanese cars that we actually got to buy here in the ‘States. Our sincere thanks go out to the anonymous decision-makers and influencers working inside those manufacturers’ head offices who took a risk in bringing cars that might not have made a lot of money to our showrooms, but gave us some of the most amazing and wonderful cars the Japanese Domestic Market has to offer. 

Evolution: A History of Mitsubishi’s Ultimate Lancer

Though Mitsubishi’s current US product line has dwindled to a current state of just two crossovers and two sedans, there was a time when they loomed large in the tuner scene. Gathering momentum in the 1980s with a “Turbo all the things!” phase that led to the legendary 4G63 turbo powerplant, Mitsubishi went from strength to strength for the next two decades with cars that were on the cutting edge of technology and performance. A partnership with Chrysler led to the original DSM triplets, and when that relationship ended on a more or less amicable note, Mitsubishi built on their reputation in the American market with reliable, powerful, and desirable cars designed around the foundation established during those heady days. One of the major high points of Mitsubishi’s performance era was the long-running Evolution line of high-performance Lancer models, and we’re here today to take a look back on each generation from one to ten.

EVOLUTION I

Mitsubishi had twigged to the concept of an all-wheel-drive sedan with the Galant VR-4, which made its debut in 1988 in the platform’s sixth generation and continued through the eighth gen in 2002. Originally built as a homologation special for Group A rally competition, just over 3,000 would reach the US as 1991 and 1992 model year cars rated at 195 horsepower and 203 peak pound-feet of torque.

…in 1992 the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models were introduced, carrying over the Galant VR-4 drivetrain.

While the Galant provided a toehold for Mitsubishi into WRC competition, it became clear that the smaller, lighter Lancer platform made more sense for race duty, and in 1992 the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models were introduced, carrying over the Galant VR-4 drivetrain. The now-iconic 4G63 turbo inline four 2-liter engine was tuned to deliver 244 peak horsepower and 228 pound-feet of peak torque.

Two models were offered for public sale; the RS, which omitted convenience features like power windows and seats as well as anti-lock brakes (which would be disabled by those converting the cars to race duty anyway), and the more street-focused GSR. Another important difference was the rear differential – GSR models received a viscous coupling that progressively reduced slip between the rear axles in response to different rotational speed, while the RS came with a clutch-type limited slip differential (LSD) that became standard for future Evo RS models.

A look at vintage brochures from the era shows that it was quite common for Japanese domestic model new vehicles to be advertised and sold with inexpensive steel wheels and generic tires, as it was understood that buyers would immediately replace them with the aftermarket rolling stock they preferred, and the Evo I RS is no exception.

EVOLUTION II

For the 1994 model year, the Lancer Evolution got minor updates to its suspension and bodywork, as well as a bump in output from the 4G63 to 252 peak horsepower. Both the wheelbase and curb weight crept up by small increments, but for the most part things remained as they had been before, save for the substitution of a clutch LSD for the viscous unit across all Evo models.

EVOLUTION III

More meaningful changes for the Evolution came in early 1995 with the Evo III – though still based on the 5th gen Lancer platform, chassis stiffness was increased by a claimed 20 percent and functional changes to the bodywork improved the efficiency of brake cooling and airflow to the intercooler. The new Evo also received a redesigned rear wing incorporating a reshaped “wickerbill” trailing edge and new end plates, increasing downforce.

Most significant, though, were the changes to the 4G63 engine. The compression ratio was bumped up to 9.0:1, and the turbocharger gained a larger 68mm compressor wheel in place of the previous 60mm unit. Advertised horsepower rose to 266, and in order to homologate a new anti-lag system for competition use in Group A rally racing, production models gained a secondary air supply system that was inactive but still present.

EVOLUTION IV

With the introduction of the 6th generation Lancer platform for 1996, an all-new Evo model was developed as well. Though the turbocharged 4G63 was retained, the transverse engine layout was completely flipped, going from the clutch on the right side of the car and the timing belt and accessories mounted on the left to the exact opposite arrangement. Flow across the cylinder head remained the same relative to the engine bay; both the III and IV had the intake manifold next to the firewall, and the exhaust and turbo mounted to the front.

Also on the menu was a new twin-scroll turbocharger and more horsepower (276 ‘at the brochure’), but as before, the RS was more race-focused with a helical front limited slip differential and closer gear ratios in the manual 5-speed gearbox than the GSR. The Evo IV also received a very distinctive front clip with large, round fog lights that made it easily recognizable from its predecessors.

EVOLUTION V

Changes to the Evo continued at a furious pace; in 1997 the “World Rally Car” class was introduced to the competition rulebook, following Group A specs but dropping the homologation requirements, which influenced the design of the fifth-gen Evo that began production in 1998. Still based on gen six Lancer architecture, the new Evo’s bodywork was wider to accommodate additional wheel offset and an increased track width, along with larger-diameter 17 inch wheels and upgraded Brembo Brakes.

Higher-capacity fuel injectors, lighter low-drag “slipper” pistons, ECU hardware changes to allow flash tuning, and another revision to the turbo led to an increased official peak torque figure of 275 pound-feet (up from 261) for the 4G63, but quoted horsepower remained at 276, as this was the maximum Japanese manufacturers had agreed among themselves to admit to. This bit of fiction, referred to as the “gentlemen’s agreement,” had come about as an attempt to prevent a horsepower arms race on the one hand, and negative public sentiment from ‘overpowered’ cars being advertised on the other. In truth, all the gentlemen were sandbagging, and any car from this era quoted at 276 crank horsepower could be depended on to produce more (and sometimes MUCH more) straight off the showroom floor.

EVOLUTION VI

For the 1999 model year, the Evo received yet another bodywork revision – the enormous fog lights of the IV and V were downsized and moved farther apart to free up more real estate for brake and intercooler ducting, and a larger charge air cooler core as well as an upsized oil cooler were fitted. Quoted horsepower and torque remained the same, though the turbo received a titanium-aluminide turbine wheel in the RS model, reducing rotational inertia and thereby minimizing lag a tiny bit.

In addition to the stalwart RS and GSR models, the RS2 split the difference a bit by up-optioning with selected GSR bits, a limited-edition RS Sprint tuned by the UK Ralliart company was created with a marginally lower curb weight than the RS and a claimed (and probably accurate) 330 horsepower rating, and both RS and GSR Evo VI models were available in “Tommi Mäkinen Edition” trim with unique front bumpers, other cosmetic touches, lower ride height, and the RS’ exotic turbine wheel as standard equipment in the GSR as well.

This generation marked an important turning point for the Evo, as Mitsubishi dipped its toe into the international market with the Ralliart version – rather than being a strictly JDM car, the company would begin to directly court overseas buyers who had previously been limited to grey market imports.

EVOLUTION VII

The new millennium and a new seventh-gen Lancer platform begat another update to the Evo for 2001 – larger and heavier than the previous iterations, it was also more rigid with stronger sheetmetal and additional bracing, plus seam welding and additional spot welds in critical areas. Attention was paid to weight reduction in places where strength wasn’t critical, so the overall increase was less than 45 kilos.

The 4G63 powerplant received improved intake geometry in both the head and manifold, a bigger intercooler core and reduced exhaust backpressure, and a slightly smaller (and therefore faster-spooling) turbine housing, which pushed quoted peak torque up another 11 pound-feet to 283, but (you guessed it) horsepower stayed at a claimed 276. A sophisticated electric/hydraulic actuated multiplate clutch-type center differential replaced the previous viscous coupling, and the RS version got the computer-controlled Automatic Yaw Control that had previously been found in the GSR in place of a clutch LSD in the rear, as well as “sports ABS.”

For 2002 only, an automatic transmission equipped GSR-A model was available, which was intended as a distinctive and more-refined ‘Grand Touring’ Evo.

EVOLUTION VIII

For the 2003 model year, the big news for the Evo (at least for American fans, who had been lusting after the cars for years thanks to video games and a certain movie franchise utilizing them as ‘hero cars’) was that the car was finally coming to US showrooms. Spurred, in part, by the success Subaru was seeing with the USDM WRX, Mitsubishi went to the trouble and expense of “federalizing” the Evo VIII. Unfortunately, the Evo America got was in some ways watered-down, with an SAE-tested 271 horsepower from the detuned and emissions-compliant 4G63, and no active yaw control, among a plethora of other differences.

The RS and GSR models persisted, with JDM RS versions available with an optional 6-speed manual transmission and MR-spec versions of both with aluminum roof panels, cosmetic changes, and minor aero, interior, and functional upgrades. The 2005 MR GSR finally brought the 6MT option to US buyers, just in time for the generation to be replaced with the next.

Unfortunately, the Evo America got was in some ways watered-down…

EVOLUTION IX

Evolution number nine (with apologies to the Beatles) was first shown to the public in early 2005 as a 2006 model. Still built on the gen 7 Lancer platform, the polite fiction of the “gentlemen’s agreement” was finally dispensed with, and Mitsubishi announced crankshaft numbers of 287 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque from the mildly-reworked 4G63 thanks to an updated turbocharger and MIVEC variable valve timing on the intake camshaft.

In Japan, buyers had the choice of RS, GT, and GSR trim, with MR versions of the former and latter, while the GT split the difference between the stripped-down, race-ready configuration of the RS and the more street-oriented GSR. A relative handful of Evo IX wagons were sold in Japan as well, with the option of a GT-A automatic 5-speed transmission in place of the 6-speed manual in the GT and MR versions.

In the US, there was the standard-spec, the RS with an aluminum roof, radio delete, and stripper interior, the SE that featured aluminum hood, roof, and front fenders plus BBS wheels and other cosmetic distinctions, and the MR, which added a 6-speed manual transmission to the SE plus upgraded suspension dampers from Bilstein, special badging, and of course those distinctive MR “vortex generator” bumps above the back glass.

EVOLUTION X

The debut of the gen 8 Lancer also meant a new Evo, and, as it turned out, the end of the line for the model. Beginning production in late 2007, the final Evolution marked a radical change under the hood – gone was the tried and true 4G63, replaced by its successor across Mitsubishi’s product line, the 4B11. Once again nominally rated at 276 horsepower in the home market, in the US this new 2-liter turbo was advertised with 287 peak horses and 300 pound-feet at its introduction, a straight replacement for the outgoing engine, but with all-aluminum construction instead of the cast iron block topped by an alloy head that characterized the 4G63. The engine gained variable timing on both the intake and exhaust cams, and switched to a chain drive for the valvetrain instead of the previous belt. The new engine also moved to an “open deck” design to simplify production of the block, at the expense of losing a bit of the cylinder bore stability that made the previous powerplant capable of handling a truly irresponsible level of abuse.

In the US, the X received a 6-speed twin-clutch “Sportronic Shift Transmission” in MR trim, while GSR-spec cars retained the 5-speed manual. The Evolution got a fitting sendoff in 2015 with a Final Edition, uprated to 303 horsepower, but by the end the car was selling slowly in the US market, thanks in no small part to the $40k MSRP for a car that belonged to a better, bygone age of performance.

Today, it’s up for debate whether Mitsubishi has a future in the US personal vehicle market, and the existing slate of aggressively meh cars and crossovers in dealerships is a far cry from the glory days of the past. Still, nothing can dim the reputation of the Mitsubishi Evolution, which remained as an icon of high-tech performance across ten generations.

Nissan Announces New Vehicle Subscription Service Called Nissan Switch

Feb 19, 2020 – In an age of countless subscription services offered from the 50 billion video streaming platforms to basic things like socks, there can’t possibly be anything else interesting we can shell out a monthly fee for right? Nissan thinks otherwise. With their new subscription service, Nissan Switch, they’re offering a way for the average consumer to select a car to drive one day and switch (get it?) to a totally different ride the next day. And the lineup of cars to choose from isn’t going to be some old beaters and neglected rides; they’re all going to be from the current model year. We know what you’re all thinking and the answer is yes, you can get a GTR. For an additional cost, of course.

The monthly fee for Nissan Switch kind of depends on what selection of cars you want. After an initial membership activation fee of $495 you can choose from a couple subscription levels:

SELECT – $699/mo

• Altima
• Rogue
• Pathfinder
• Frontier

PREMIUM – $899/mo

• LEAF PLUS
• Maxima
• Murano
• Armada
• TITAN
• 370Z

If you want the GTR, you’ll have to get the premium subscription and pay the additional cost of $100 a day for a maximum of a 7 day rental. Despite the seemingly high fees, what’s included in the price is quite valuable. Your monthly subscription to Nissan Switch includes delivery, cleaning, insurance, roadside assistance, and regular maintenance. On top of that, you’re allowed unlimited switches as often a new vehicle each day. With this subscription service, you can drive a Leaf for the daily commute of the week and a 370z on the weekends. Or maybe you have a camping trip planned and want to swap out for a Titan. Maybe you want to take your kid to soccer practice in a different crossover or suv every time, sure why not. There are so many possibilities available to fit whatever convenience you’d like to have.

Nissan is carrying out initial testing of the Nissan Switch program in Houston, TX and gauging the public’s interest. On the surface level, this seems to be a solid deal for those with the dough and extremely diverse needs. It’s no news that Nissan has been struggling these past couple years, but will this new service spark the fire they need?

Happy Accidents:
Jay Roxas’ Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX

We can’t control what life throws at us; we can only roll with the punches and make the most of what we’re given. Such is the case for Jay Roxas. If it wasn’t for some unplanned unpleasantness, the Mitsubishi Evo IX you see here might never have come to be.

Our story begins more than a decade ago, when Roxas first discovered his love for Mitsubishi’s rally-bred sedan. “Ever since the Mitsubishi Evo 8 came out, I’ve always wanted the car. It had always been my goal to get one,” he recalls. Finally, in 2011 he came across a 2006 model year Mitsubishi Evo 9, and decided to pull the trigger. He didn’t want to take a piecemeal approach, explaining, “I kept it stock for about five years because I was trying to save up enough money to do it the way I wanted all at once.”

“I took the [Evo IX] into the shop, and they were backed up and busy so it was going to take a while to fix, so I just said, ‘let’s do everything’…”Jay Roxas, Evo Owner

Call it fate, call it luck, call it karma, but everything happens for a reason, and in Jay’s case, a chance encounter with an irresponsible driver was the signal from the universe that it was time for the Evo to evolve. “I was actually in a hit and run, where a lady hit me from behind, and she tried to run away!” he recalls. “We chased her for like four miles, and it turned out she didn’t have insurance, didn’t have registration, and she had two kids in the car. It didn’t even have plates!”

Police got involved, justice was served, but Jay’s Evo was still in need of repair, and a decision had to be made. “I took the car into the shop, and they were backed up and busy so it was going to take a while to fix, so I just said, ‘let’s do everything’,” he recalls. “Everything” started with body mods from Voltex, from the front bumper to the widebody fenders and over-fenders to the quarter panels and side skirts. VIS supplied the carbon fiber hood and trunk, and the whole car received a custom Melbourne Red Metallic respray, based on the BMW factory color.

“…it’s not going to sit in the garage. I spent too much money on it for me to just look at it…”

“It has a full custom diffuser, and I had a custom front splitter made because I wanted something stronger than carbon fiber that wouldn’t get beat, because I am going to drive the car – it’s not going to sit in the garage. I spent too much money on it for me to just look at it,” Jay explains. The custom touches are an intentional nod to function as well as individuality. Per Jay, “If that accident didn’t happen, my car would probably still be stock right now. If I had to do it over again without that, the car would probably be full Voltex – everything, wing, diffuser, the whole body. But in that process, I realized I wanted to put my own twist on it instead of just copying what had already been done.”

The Mitsubishi Evo IX rides on Tanabe Sustec Pro coilovers set up by Chewerks in California’s City of Industry, and is shod with Milestar 265/35R18 XP+ ultra-high performance all-season tires on all four corners. The tires are engineered to deliver exceptional handling in dry and wet conditions, as befits a rally-bred chassis tamed for the street. This is an Evo that gets driven, so having a tire that balances tread wear, dry performance, and wet grip was a critical part of the equation.

Though the 4G63 long block and factory turbo remain stock, Jay’s Evo has received a full slate of well-thought-out bolt on upgrades for additional power, including an ETS front mount intercooler and piping, a full Tomei exhaust downstream of the turbine, and a KTM 3-port boost controller. With a dual map E85 or 91 octane tune by KT Motoring, the setup is geared for a max 25 PSI boost.

“The last time I had it on the dyno, it did 400 to the wheels, give or take, and for the track the way I use it, that’s all you really need,” Jay says. “If I want to push more than that, well, I will wait for the engine to give out and then do a full build.” In the meantime, Jay has a ride he can enjoy every time he turns the key. “In the past year, I’ve been going to nursing school, so I told myself that I have to hold off on what I do with the car,” he admits. “I don’t get to take it to the track like I did, and I will go to shows once in a while, but that’s about it. This is kind of the boring part, until I finish school.”

Though it sounds humble, Jay understands and appreciates what he has. “I want to focus on what’s important. The car is nice, but it isn’t my top priority. Where the car has taken me now, never was in my plan. For people to actually recognize it? Never in my plan. I wanted an Evo to track. I never thought I would be taking it to shows, and that people would invite me to bring it. I feel like it hasn’t even sunk in that people would do that.”

Slammedenuff SoCal 2020:

Bagged and Bougie

Bringing automotive enthusiasts together is what every great car show and meet is about, and SlammedEnuff has been excelling at this since 2011. SlammedEnuff SOCAL 2020 took place this past Sunday, February 10th, and let’s just say it was spectacular. The show features some of the most insane builds in Southern California, from OEM Plus to Slammed, from Off-Road 240SX to VIP Lexus LS400, and everything in between.

Walking the aisles of SlammedEnuff had us breaking our necks from one build to the next—whether slammed and VIP cars are your cup of tea or not, you can at least admire the true craftsmanship each car displays.

Euro

“It’s like a never ending project for me.”Clair (@r32queen)

This slick VW R32 owned by Clair (@r32queen) and sponsored by Kormodiv will definitely stop you in your tracks. “It’s like a never ending project for me,” says Clair. “There are a set of 3-piece wheels on order. Interior doors soon to be reupholstered with alcantara honey comb pattern.” As if this R32 wasn’t beautiful enough, it is about to get a heck of a lot cooler!

Sometimes you just wonder how people get the perfect fitment, the right amount of low, and a lot of wow factor. This clean purple wrapped Audi S4 flawlessly perfects all of these traits.

This Widebody BMW E92 shows just how cool and crazy some of these cars at SlammedEnuff can get. I mean, who doesn’t love a nice purple wrap with cartoon animals all over.

JDM

The Subaru WRX and WRX STI have been killing it on showroom floors since their release. These Subarus are a prime example of tasteful modifications all around. We talked to Frankie (@Frankie9512, light grey WRX on the left) about the show. “It was a great turnout […] everything was well organized.” There’s nothing worse than an unorganized and chaotic show, so we are thankful to the team at SlammedEnuff for putting on an epic event!

“…future plan for the Evo is to work on making a bit more power and torque.”Madi (@evo.madi)

When it comes to Evos, Madi (@Evo.Madi) knows how to build a show car, and it’s no wonder she won best Mitsubishi at SlammedEnuff! We had a chance to talk to Madi and she told us that her “future plan for the Evo is to work on making a bit more power and torque.” She also has “plans to rewrap the car and go with a new look entirely.”

We love the way this Evo is looking, but can’t wait to see what she has in store for it.  “I made a lot of big moves last year so this year will be more about fine tuning and adding the little details.”

It’s already hard enough to go wrong with an RX7 FD, and even harder with a Rocket Bunny Widebody kit, but then throw some bright Orange into the mix and you’ve created one beautiful machine.

This Lexus RC F sponsored by FlexiShield will have you questioning why you don’t own a Lexus. Although that grille to car ratio is a bit high, this thing is too mean and way clean.

240SX Takeover

No car show is complete without a 240SX overload. There are so many different routes you can go with a 240SX that it’s just so easy to put your own personal touch on one. Just make sure it’s “slammedenuff”.

Talk about going a completely different route, this next 240SX was completely outfitted for off-road use. There’s no doubt that this car is just as much fun in the dirt as it is on the road!

VIP

There was a plethora of VIP builds at SlammedEnuff—nothing beats a Chandelier in the back seat for some added elegance!

We also had a chance to chat with Adam’s Polishes, a familiar name to anyone in the car scene. When asked about how the show went, they said “The show was awesome. Great variety of cars and high quality builds. We hope SlammedEnuff comes back to Socal soon!” We definitely agree with the show coming back next year.

All in all, this event was one for the books. SlammedEnuff Socal 2020 brought out some of the most amazing cars in the area, and everyone from spectators, to vendors, to participants enjoyed every second.

2020 Civic Type R Refresh Gets Upgraded Suspension, Brakes, and… Fake Engine Noise?

Feb 6, 2020 – The new 2020 Civic Type R made its US debut at the Chicago Auto Show and brings with it some performance upgrades and a new bright and electrifying color option fittingly called “Boost Blue”. Sorry Honda fanboys and girls; still no Pheonix Yellow. The interior will get a fancy touch with a new Alcantara™ wrapped steering wheel and redesigned shift knob complete with shorter throws. Performance wise, the new Civic has upgraded 2 piece brake rotors that are stated to reduce fade and improved dampers and bushings for ride quality. It’s not like the Civic Type R was ever subpar in terms of performance, so these upgrades are sure to give it even more aggressive cornering capabilities on track days and spirited drives.

The new feature that Honda slipped into the 2020 Civic Type R, and what is sure to get everyones gears grinding is the addition of what they call “Active Sound Control”. The new feature reportedly, “modifies interior sound in concert with the chosen drive mode.” Which basically means you choose fast mode; you get fast sounds.

“[Active Sound Control] modifies interior sound in concert with the chosen drive mode.”

Some would say that this new feature is tacky and diminishes the genuineness of a true performance car. Some would also say that it’s minor and can be overlooked in respect to the car’s actual performance capability. How do you feel about fake engine noise? Let us know!

Exhaust 101

Everything You Need to Know About Exhaust

One of the most popular upgrades for any performance vehicle, from V8 Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers through pickups and SUVs to “tuner” turbo cars is an aftermarket exhaust. Considering how common it is for owners to discard the factory pipes in favor of something different, we’re going to take a look (and listen) to the basics of exhaust systems from start to finish to highlight what you need to know. Whether you are looking for more horsepower, a better sound, or both, your bank balance and your neighbors will thank you for educating yourself before you strap on a new aftermarket exhaust. 

An exhaust system has to achieve a few primary functions – First (and most importantly from a performance standpoint), it has to efficiently move spent gasses away from the combustion chamber to allow room for a fresh charge of air and fuel to enter for the next power cycle. Second, it has to move those gasses to someplace that won’t dump a lot of waste heat in the engine compartment (Fun Fact: 40% or more of the heat generated during a car engine’s operation ends up going out through the exhaust) or asphyxiate the driver and passengers. Third, except for pure competition applications, it has to moderate the volume and sound quality of the exhaust noise. Finally, in modern OEM applications, it has to incorporate emission control systems to reduce the amount of pollutants released by the exhaust.

Understanding these functions is the key to understanding why factory exhaust systems are built the way they are, and knowing what the tradeoffs involved in modifying your exhaust will be. Let’s follow the path of a puff of exhaust from the cylinder to the tailpipe to see how all the components involved contribute to the process.

When the exhaust valve opens, hot, energetic, pressurized, but diffuse waste gas exits the cylinder and travels through the exhaust port and out of the cylinder head. Each cylinder has its own port, and those outlets are connected to each other by a manifold. In most OEM designs that manifold is made out of cast iron, which is a good choice for durability and keeping the overall size of the engine package small, but it can come with a performance penalty. To keep things compact, the manifold may have runners for each individual cylinder that are different lengths or even different diameters, and this offers performance part makers their first opportunity to find a few extra horsepower.

Current state-of-the-art engine designs often make things difficult for anyone trying to build performance headers…

A manifold made of tubular steel, referred to as a header, is a common performance upgrade. Individual runners, called “primary tubes”, carry exhaust gasses to a collector where the output of several cylinders combines into a single stream. The collector does a couple of things besides just simplifying the plumbing from that point on – it reflects pressure waves along the primary tubes back to the cylinder head, and it lets each cylinder “talk” to each other. By carefully designing the length of the primary tubes and the volume of the collector, a good header can actually flow more efficiently than an exhaust port that’s open to the outside world by letting the waves of high and low pressure work together from cylinder to cylinder to actively scavenge exhaust gas in the engine’s main operating RPM range. 

Current state-of-the-art engine designs often make things difficult for anyone trying to build performance headers; because of ever-increasing emissions standards, it’s very common to have a catalytic converter built into the factory exhaust manifold so that it gets up to operating temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of pollution during a cold start. Some engine designs even combine all the exhaust runners into the cylinder head itself, eliminating the manifold entirely. And in the case of turbocharged engines, the cast exhaust manifold is usually (but not always) also the mounting point for the turbo. All of these factors will determine whether a performance header is a worthwhile upgrade, or indeed even an engineering possibility, for your particular application. 

Speaking of turbos, you’ll frequently see a component called the downpipe listed as a performance upgrade. This particular piece of exhaust plumbing connects the outlet of the turbine section to the down-stream parts of the system, and in some factory engine designs it’s a well-known bottleneck for exhaust flow. Turbochargers like having as little restriction at the outlet of the turbine as possible; this is what lets them extract energy from the exhaust and use it to spin the compressor on the intake side. A well-designed aftermarket downpipe can increase horsepower throughout the RPM range as well as reducing boost lag. 

For both forced-induction and naturally-aspirated OEM engines, the next stop is usually the main catalytic converter(s). In V6 and V8 RWD cars, they’re often incorporated into an X-, H-, or Y-pipe, while inline engines with a single header have a simple section of exhaust pipe that incorporates this emission control device. Back when catalytic converters first became necessary in order to meet tailpipe pollution standards, they posed a serious obstacle to performance, causing a major restriction to exhaust flow that the engine had to fight. Today, both factory and aftermarket catalysts take a very minimal toll on horsepower, and depending on how aggressively emissions laws are enforced in your neck of the woods, removing or defeating them can be very expensive if you happen to get caught. Ultimately it’s between you and your conscience if you decide to roll the dice, but the performance penalty for a catalyst-equipped exhaust is much lower than it was back in the day.

You’ll often see variations on the term “cat-back” in aftermarket exhaust descriptions – this usually means the system has no effect on emission controls and is legit in all 50 states (at least from a pollution perspective). Factory exhausts need to meet specific sound level limits, as well as being durable enough to not wear out during the car’s warranty period even in salt-encrusted rust belt states, while being as inexpensive as possible. A good aftermarket cat-back system will offer superior materials and construction – typically stainless steel – while being lighter than the OEM exhaust, and if it’s particularly well designed (and the factory system is particularly bad) it may even increase horsepower and torque. 

Mufflers use a variety of different engineering approaches to reducing and changing the sound of the exhaust. Solid or perforated baffles inside the muffler body can be used to suppress specific frequencies by reflecting sound waves back on themselves, and packing materials like fiberglass are sometimes employed to absorb sound energy, though if the muffler is poorly designed, they can get compressed or even blown out over time, compromising the effectiveness of the system. Mufflers with a “straight through” design typically give less flow restriction at the expense of less sound reduction than designs that force the exhaust to change direction or travel through multiple internal chambers. Even the overall size of the muffler plays a role in how it sounds – more internal volume gives the designer more opportunity to modify overall noise levels and tune out unwanted frequencies. 

Of course, the main reason to replace the factory resonator and muffler system is to get an exhaust note that you like better than stock, and this comes down to personal taste. The only advice we can give you in this respect is, if it’s in any way possible, find somebody who already has the cat-back aftermarket exhaust you are considering and listen to it in person. Video and audio clips on the internet are better than nothing, but they are no substitute for hearing it yourself. It’s also important to ask yourself if it’s something you can live with all the time if it’s your daily driver, and if your need to flex on everybody who pulls up next to you at a stoplight is worth your neighbors actively hating your guts. A good exhaust system is music to your ears, but there are plenty of people out there who have hung new pipes on their car but secretly wish they’d picked something else, no matter how much they tell their friends it’s exactly what they wanted it to sound like. 

The bottom line is that your exhaust system is one of the first things people will notice about your car, and one of the last things you want to get wrong. Make sure you educate yourself, get input from other people who have done the upgrades you’re considering, and be realistic about how much of a performance increase you can expect and how much additional noise you’re willing to live with to get it.

Balanced Attack: The Nissan 370Z That Was Meant to Be Driven

When the Nissan 370Z was introduced back in ’08, it had all the makings of an absolute dream machine. The 370Z 2-door sports car with its sleek, low slung design was a vast improvement from its predecessor, the 350Z. The all-new variant, redesigned from the ground-up featured an all-aluminum body structure with increased rigidity, lightweight components, improved suspension, and a 3.7-liter VQ37 VHR V-6 engine to boot that held its own against formidable foes that cost double, the value of the Z. Even today, this sixth-generation model holds a special place in the hearts and minds of gear-heads worldwide as it continues to impress with its visual allure and capable performance both on and off the track.

It wasn’t long before he decided his weapon of choice was a ’16 Magma Red 370Z.

Three years ago, when it came time to purchase a new car, Joe Velazquez wasn’t looking for your typical commuter vehicle. “The kids moved out of the house and it was time to upgrade into a more sporty ride that I could enjoy on a daily basis”, mentioned Velazquez. It wasn’t long before he decided his weapon of choice was a ’16 Magma Red 370Z.

By the time he drove the car off the dealer lot, Velazquez had already formulated a plan to begin modifying his 370Z and execute it tastefully. The first order of business was focusing on improving vehicle horsepower performance. A Motordyne M370 upper manifold replaced the factory unit and was coupled to a Nismo R-tune cold air intake to improve airflow. A set of Motordyne long tube headers vacated spent exhaust gases through a Fast Intentions 2.5-inch exhaust system. A Mishimoto 19-row oil cooler, power steering cooler, and radiator were all used to improve cooling capabilities. An UpRev software module was installed to maximize fuel and ignition timing. The ECU performance tuning was reworked by @saul_nismo_knights.

In order to efficiently transfer the vehicle newfound horsepower onto the tarmac, Velazquez opted to install an Action Clutch stage 3 clutch and lightweight Chromoly flywheel. With all the improvements made to the 370Z from the factory, there is an inherent flaw. The internal concentric module inside the clutch slave cylinder made of plastic degrades over time. He decided to convert to an external module using a ZSpeed CMAK V2 clutch slave cylinder delete kit. The final piece of the puzzle was implementing a heavy-duty RJM Tilton HD clutch pedal system that’s designed to work with the factory remote reservoir, and OEM type or aftermarket clutch slave cylinder.

With the engine complete, Velazquez turned his attention to the handling of the car. Stopping power is now handled by R1 Concepts 6-piston front brake calipers and 4-piston rear calipers that assist with cutting rotating weight and are larger in size than OEM to help improve braking. Tein springs and a Hotchkis front sway bar was installed and mated up to Momo RF-5C wheels in 19×9.5 +15mm offset upfront wrapped in Milestar MS932 XP+ 255/35-zr19 tires and 19×11 +23mm offset wheels towards the rears with 295/30-ZR19 rubbers.

Velazquez admits one of his guilty pleasures includes stretching the Z’s legs around the twisty roads of Azusa Canyon for some spirited driving. According to him, the upgraded suspensions modifications made a “night and day” difference. “Out the box, I felt the Z exhibited excessive body roll and the initial cornering didn’t feel right. Concept 3 located in Santa Fe Springs is my one-stop-shop that not only helped dial in my suspension but also installed a slew of SPLParts including front and rear camber and pro end links, bump steer front outer tie rod ends, eccentric lockout kit, and titanium rear traction arms. The Milestar MS932 XP+ tires offer fantastic grip and overall performance that helped further increase the handling capabilities of the Z.” The chassis and suspension were completed with a Z-Speed aluminum under shroud and Street Faction rear bash bar w/jack point.

Subtlety wasn’t the goal.

When it came time to modify the exterior of the vehicle, Velazquez wasn’t looking the replicate your typical cookie-cutter build. “I wanted to create a 370Z that people haven’t seen before at shows or driven on the streets. Fly1 Motorsports located in Ontario CA, helped transform my 370Z from a stock to a show quality build using their honeycomb carbon fiber parts.

Subtlety wasn’t the goal. The exterior consists of a mishmash of various products. Slick Carbon based in South Gate CA provided a set of CF side mirrors, CF roof, CF A-pillars, and CF 2015+ Nismo-style rear wing. A closer look reveals a Fly1 Motorsports honeycomb carbon fiber hood, front fenders, vortex generator, and splitters. The exterior was completed using a Zakustech honeycomb carbon fiber louver to recreate a sleek retro-inspired design while maintaining an aggressive appearance. A pair of EL Stig RGBW LED demon eyes and EL Stig RGBW halos were retrofitted into the original headlights to set the car off-in-style.

With everything taken care of but the interior, Velazquez wanted to keep modifications to a minimum. After adding Street Faction door cards, a Momo MOD30 steering wheel was affixed to a Works Bell short boss, Rapfix quick release and Rapfix flipper. A pair of Momo Daytona Bucket seats were mounted to Buddy Club brackets and rails and Cusco 5-point harnesses were secured to a Next Level Performance roll bar. “ The Momo seats keep me firmly planted but comfortable when driving on any road including twisting through the canyons. It didn’t feel like I was sloshing around allows me to drive with more confidence.

Currently, the vehicle is undergoing a facial transplant using a combination of Varis Kamikaze widebody parts combined with Nismo bumpers. Velazquez’s 370Z was built to be the perfect example of a “driver’s Z” that was tastefully modified and that’s exactly what it is. Everything works, everything looks in place, and it continually turns heads anywhere it goes.

Rally Legend:
Subaru Tecnica International (STi) History

Among Japanese car manufacturers, Subaru has always had the reputation for building quirky cars that defied mainstream thinking, but they’ve also led the way to many innovations that have become commonplace today. Sure, there have been plenty of weird and wonderful Subies like their first “sporty” car, the XT, the Brat, the SVX, and the Baja. But they were also the manufacturer who brought full-time all-wheel-drive to the masses, and they more or less invented the “crossover” market with the Outback (with apologies to the 1979-1987 AMC Eagle, which was as far ahead of its time as the 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner with its retractable hardtop.)

Today, Subaru’s split personality can still be seen in their product lineup, dominated by CUV variations but also including a select few performance models, topped by the new S209 STI. To understand how we got to today’s Subaru Tecnica International, we need to hop in the Wayback Machine and take a journey to the fabulous Disco era, and the revolution brewing in rally competition.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

The current Subaru corporation can trace its carmaking roots back to tumultuous post-war 1950s Japan, and even further still to the Nakajima Aircraft Company of the inter-war period, creator of the B5N “Kate” torpedo bomber that was the mainstay of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s carrier strike groups during World War II. After the Allied victory, Nakajima was reorganized into Fuji Sangyo, Ltd. and then subdivided into a dozen smaller companies in 1950 as part of the Japanese government’s efforts to break the influence of powerful business interests known as Zaibatsu. In the swirling environment of rebuilding the country’s manufacturing infrastructure basically from scratch, several of the twelve business entities came back together to create Fuji Heavy Industries in the mid-fifties and started working on plans to build the kinds of small cars that had begun to supplant scooters and bicycles in the Japanese market as buyers became more affluent.

The car most familiar to Americans from this period has to be the 360, Subaru’s first model to be produced in substantial numbers. Falling within the “Kei car” regulations for smaller vehicles taxed at a lower rate in its home market, the 360 was imported to the US to the tune of about 10,000 units total by the ahead-of-his-time entrepreneurial genius / con-man (depending on who’s telling the story) Malcolm Bricklin, laying the foundation for today’s Subaru of America. Advertised as “Cheap and Ugly,” the 360 was powered by a 2-cylinder 2-stroke 356cc engine and had a curb weight of fewer than 1,000 pounds empty. When Brickin and SOA were unable to sell all the 360s brought into the ‘States, even at the bargain price of $1,300 new in 1968, he attempted to make lemonade out of the situation with a franchise scheme called “FasTrack” that combined RV sales with autocross-style parking lot racing of the 900 or so leftover cars that couldn’t find buyers. As you might imagine, this was not a wildly successful venture and quickly became nothing more than a footnote to Subaru’s racing history.

AN AGENT OF CHANGE

In 1968, Japan’s government-mandated a partnership between Fuji Heavy Industries and Nissan, with the latter taking a 20 percent stake in the former under a plan to make the country’s auto manufacturing sector more competitive internationally. After this merger, Subaru began making inroads into the US market, including the creation of the cult favorite Brat in 1978. The Legacy would follow in 1989, along with the Impreza, which was introduced in 1993. When Nissan was gobbled up by the Renault group just before the turn of the century, their piece of Fuji Heavy Industries was sold off to General Motors, leading to the weirdness of the badge-engineered Saab 9-2X, a mildly restyled Impreza. By 2005, GM had sold off their chunk of FHI, with a fraction going to Toyota, who later invested more capital to gain an overall 16.5% stake in the company. That intermarriage led to projects like the “Subieyota” BRZ/FR-S/Toyota 86 that we know today.

Against this backdrop of ownership changes, Subaru was making moves to break out from the “Cheap and Ugly” mold, and in the late 80s, one of the best ways for an automobile manufacturer to show off their chops was in the blossoming world of international rally competition. As early as 1980, Subaru had campaigned Leone coupes in the WRC, and while Audi is often seen as the pioneer in AWD performance with their seminal Quattro, Subaru was right there in the fight with their AWD competition models. In 1988, Subaru Tecnica International was founded to consolidate the company’s motorsports efforts under a single organization, and the new Legacy platform was drafted into competition service.

With the introduction of the Impreza for 1992, STi (the lower case “i” would be ditched in favor of capitalization in 2006) had a smaller, more nimble car as a starting point for their factory-backed rally efforts. In cooperation with the UK-based Prodrive motorsports company began to develop “World Rally eXperimental” (WRX) versions of the Impreza, first for competition and homologation, subsequently expanding to become a more broadly-based performance designation, much like Nissan had done with the NISMO moniker.

BIRTH OF A LEGEND

The original GC8A WRX, which was introduced in the waning months of 1992, featured power from a 237-horsepower turbocharged 2-liter version of Subaru’s then-new EJ engine, a flat-four design that followed in the footsteps of the previous EA design that dated back to the mid-1960s. The horizontally-opposed four-cylinder layout, while somewhat more expensive to manufacture than a typical inline-four, offers the advantages of being short front-to-back, allowing a longitudinal instead of transverse crankshaft layout even when coupled to an all-wheel-drive transaxle, and it also has a very low center of gravity compared to inline designs.

Though there was no official STi version of the GC8A, the WRX Type RA was offered as the starting point for competition modification, with deleted comfort and convenience features like air conditioning, power windows, and soundproofing. All WRX models at the time featured viscous coupling differentials in the center and rear, and the RA added a close-ratio manual gearbox to the mix.

…cars destined for 22B status received bodywork modification, a Bilstein suspension package, larger wheels and tires, STi brakes, and other modifications, creating the iconic “classic” WRX STi.

The following CG8B, which debuted for the 1994 model year, was the first WRX available with an official STi designation. The engine’s output was uprated from the standard 237 horsepower to an advertised 247 in the STi models, and an STi RA version, also stripped of components not needed for competition cars, delivered 271 horsepower “at the brochure” and substituted an electronically-controlled center differential that could be manually locked by the driver in place of the standard viscous coupling.

Fast on the heels of the 8B was the CG8C for 1995, bumping power in the WRX model to 256 ponies and 271 for the STi, and many different special versions were produced including Prodrive-prepped “Series McRae” cars for the UK market, and V-Limited editions for Japanese sales. The 8C model was superseded by the GC8D at the end of 1996 for the following model year with updated styling, 276 horsepower from the EJ20 in both the ‘standard’ WRX and STi models (likely a conservative number to stay under the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ among Japanese manufacturers to not advertise any streetcar with more than 280PS), and a coupe version. The following CG8B, which debuted for the 1994 model year, was the first WRX available with an official STi designation. The engine’s output was uprated from the standard 237 horsepower to an advertised 247 in the STi models, and an STi RA version, also stripped of components not needed for competition cars, delivered 271 horsepower “at the brochure” and substituted an electronically-controlled center differential that could be manually locked by the driver in place of the standard viscous coupling.

More detailed changes followed for the GC8E for the 1998 model year, but the big news for enthusiasts was the extremely limited production (less than 450 total, primarily for the Japanese domestic market) of 22B STi. This version featured a distinctive wide-body fender fitment and the EJ22 engine, overbored to a 2.2-liter displacement but still nominally rated at 276 horsepower, though in reality producing substantially more. Starting with production line WRX Type R chassis, cars destined for 22B status received bodywork modification, a Bilstein suspension package, larger wheels and tires, STi brakes, and other modifications, creating the iconic “classic” WRX STi.

The highlight was the 2000 WRX STi S201 – limited to just 300 units, it had the entire STi parts bin thrown at it…

The GC8F and 8G rounded out the end of first-gen WRX production in 1999 and 2000, respectively, carrying over the majority of the previous design with minor detail changes and numerous special/limited editions. The highlight was the 2000 WRX STi S201 – limited to just 300 units, it had the entire STi parts bin thrown at it and a rated output of 305PS (300 horsepower, give or take a pony).

COMING TO AMERICA

For the 2001 model year, the Impreza received a complete makeover – the coupe version would no longer be available, but most notably, the car was given “New Age” styling (uncharitably referred to as “bug-eye” by many enthusiasts). In 2002, the WRX finally made it to US shores with a 227 horsepower turbo EJ20 powerplant. The “blob-eye” nose replaced the original styling of the GD platform in America for the 2004 model year, but more importantly, US buyers finally got access to an STi version of the WRX. Spurred by market competition from the 271 horsepower Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru gave stateside STi models a 300 horsepower EJ25 heart transplant, along with a larger scoop for the top-mount charge cooler and a Driver Controlled Center Differential that allowed manual selection of front to rear torque distribution from 50/50 to the automatic mode’s 35/65 split. The chassis received additional bracing, forged 17 inch BBS wheels were standard, and Brembo brakes went on all four corners.

2006 brought another facelift for the GD in US showrooms, with the “hawk-eye” front end making its debut. More importantly, though, motivation for the base USDM WRX was upgraded via substitution of the larger-displacement EJ25 in place of the EJ20, bumping horsepower just a bit to 230 but raising and broadening the torque curve. Upgraded brakes with four-piston front calipers, aluminum front suspension links, and 17-inch wheels became standard for the WRX as well. In 2007, a slew of minor changes (besides the “I” in STI getting promoted to upper case) was made to the top Impreza model, including suspension revisions (some of which were prompted by a desire to cut costs), taller second, third, and fourth gears, and a switch to a Torsen rear differential. An 800-unit run of the STI Limited model added some cosmetic touches to the exterior and leather upholstery.

The third-generation Impreza, introduced in the spring of 2007 for the 2008 model year, offered the STI model to US consumers exclusively in a five-door “mini-wagon” body style – sedan and coupe fans were out of luck. Five more horsepower was squeezed out of the turbo flat-four, for a total of 305, and some of the “boy racer” styling cues like the enormous hood scoop and wing of the previous version were toned down. Brembo brakes were again standard, along with 18-inch wheels, a helical limited-slip differential up front and a Torsen LSD in back, and the latest DCCD in the middle with three automatic and six manual modes to tailor torque delivery between them.

The “base” WRX received an upgrade in power to a rated 265 horses for 2009, while the STI model remained unchanged, save for minor details. The status quo remained through the 2010 and 2011 model years, and the STI kept pace with its perennial rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. In 2012, a fourth generation Impreza was unveiled, but the WRX and STI lingered on, still based on third-gen architecture. Power for the STI remained the same, but a sedan version joined the 5-door body style to the joy of those who had missed the notch-back look. Much like Toyota had done decades earlier by splitting the Supra from its Celica roots into a model line of its own, Subaru had signaled that the WRX and STI would become distinct from the lesser Impreza lineup.

SEPARATE PATHS

The WRX and STI got their belated update for the 2015 model year, and while the “basic” WRX got another small bump in power with a switch to the 2.0-liter FA20F engine with an advertised 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of peak torque, the STI retained the 305 horse EJ carried over from the previous generation. This time around, long-roof fans were out of luck, as both models no longer were offered in hatchback/5-door/wagon body styles. With the Evo gone from the scene, the direct competition for the STI became cars like the AMG CLA45, which was considerably more expensive, and the Golf R and Focus RS – both worthy adversaries, but not necessarily something that would get cross-shopped against Subaru.

After cosmetic updates for 2018, there was finally some real news for 2019 – for the first time, there would be an “S-model” STI sold in America. The 2019 STI S209, unlike the largely hand-built S201-S208 models that were only available in the home market, cleared the obstacles in place for US homologation, very late in the model year. Based on the STI RA, which itself received a minor 5 horsepower bump to 310 ‘at the brochure,’ the S209 picked up a far more substantial increase to peak numbers of 341 horses and 330 pound-feet. Wider wheels and 265/35R19 tires, recalibrated suspension (including a 10mm drop to offset the taller tire package), grippier brake pads, and a ton of aero changes distinguish the S209 from its lesser STI brethren. Unfortunately, with just 209 cars slated for the US, a $10,000 premium in MSRP over the RA, and inevitable dealer markup shenanigans, this ultimate USDM STI is also breathtakingly expensive.

Whether you look at Subaru’s history and see their offbeat, iconoclastic approach, or focus on the wild-child STI division, it’s impossible to ignore the influence they’ve had on the automotive industry. While there’s no way to know what the future holds, it’s a safe bet to say that they’ll continue to follow their path, while the rest of the world tries to keep up.

Godzilla Rises:
The Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R

At the close of the 1980s, Nissan set out to create a car that encompassed the best of everything they were capable of producing – the most advanced drivetrain, the most powerful engine available to the general public, the most advanced electronics, and the most sophisticated driving experience they could deliver. The name they gave it, GT-R, was a direct reference to the car’s historic lineage, but to the world, the Nissan R32 Skyline was known simply as “Godzilla.”

If Japan had a social media status for its relationship with technology, it would be permanently set to “It’s complicated.” As an island nation, and a densely populated one at that, the country has always been reliant on its ability to do more with less. Even centuries ago during feudal Japan’s period of isolation during the Tokugawa Shogunate (look it up later if you’re not already familiar – it’s seriously fascinating) when almost all interaction with the Western world was cut off, there was Rangaku, a term describing the body of knowledge developed through their one remaining point of contact with the Dutch. Through Rangaku, Japan stayed abreast of world developments in technology, warfare, agriculture, and medicine, and when Commodore Perry and a US expeditionary fleet forced the issue in 1853, Japan went from a feudal society seemingly frozen in time to a fully-modern empire overnight.

After the Second World War (which had, as one of its many causes, Japan’s quest for resources to feed the country’s industrial economy), the country was back to square one, and in the rebuilding environment of the 1950s, a pop culture icon emerged from the depths of the ocean, born of atomic fire and intent on destruction for destruction’s sake – Godzilla. The OG Kaiju carried a lot of cultural baggage on his scaly shoulders, and over countless appearances in film and other media, his portrayal evolved to match Japanese society’s relationship with history and technology. Godzilla went from an amoral, elemental agent of chaos sent to punish mankind for its hubris, to humanity’s sometimes-ally; he might stomp you or set your neighborhood on fire, but he wasn’t going to let those other giant monsters disrespect the Earth, either.

What’s In A Name?

When the motorsports media gave the R32 Skyline GT-R the nickname “Godzilla” in reaction to the way it was laying down the hurt in the Australian Touring Car Championship series at the start of the 90s, it wasn’t inspired by anything much deeper than the mildly-xenophobic “Japanese monster” connection. But fans worldwide embraced the moniker, and another pop culture icon was born, representing Japan’s star-crossed love affair with bleeding-edge technology.

The R32 Skyline GT-R began as the brainchild of Nissan chief engineer Naganori Ito, who drew inspiration from Porsche’s 959 supercar. The 959 was the answer to the question, “What do you get when you throw a ton of money into developing the 911 platform to the very limit of what’s possible?” Launched in 1986, it was aimed squarely at Group B rally racing, but arrived just as the “killer Bs” were outlawed thanks to a series of serious and sometimes deadly crashes in competition. With no place to race, the extremely limited production Maximum Porsche became the ultimate high-tech German sports car for the street.

For Nissan, the starting point for their ultimate street car would be the new R32 Skyline chassis. Replacing the R31 Skyline, which had seen a GTS-R performance variant for Group A Touring Car homologation in Australia, the R32 chassis would have a veritable alphabet soup bowl’s worth of different variants – GXi, GTE, GTS, GTS-25, GTS-T, GTS-4, and finally the GT-R. No Skyline had held the GT-R designation since the short-lived C110 Skyline, which replaced the Hakosuka model in 1972, and the new R32 version embodied a radically different design philosophy from the simplicity of those previous models.

Nothing Ordinary About It

As with the 959, the R32 Skyline GT-R is an all-wheel-drive car built on a nominally RWD platform. The longitudinally-mounted RB26DETT inline-six engine is bolted to a 5-speed manual transmission similar to the one utilized in the 300ZX Turbo, backed by an electronically-controlled transfer case. The main output shaft sends power to the rear differential, while a propshaft extends forward on the right side of the transfer case to spin the front differential. The transfer case can vary the torque split from 0/100 front to rear to 50/50 by engaging a clutch pack upon computer command – borderline science-fiction stuff for the end of the Eighties.

The front and rear suspensions are both multilink independent designs, and Nissan incorporated an early version of their HICAS rear-wheel steering system to provide up to one degree of both out-of-phase rear steer at low speed to tighten the turning radius, and in-phase steering while the car was at higher speeds to improve stability in turns. While modern drivers may consider this feature a mixed blessing in terms of handling (and many current R32 owners have “locked out” HICAS), when in proper operating condition the system does offer what was promised by Nissan’s chassis development team.

The star of the show in the R32 Skyline GT-R isn’t the driveline or the chassis, of course – it’s the RB26DETT under the hood. The cast iron inline six-cylinder block features 86mm bores and a crank with a 73.3mm throw for a “true” displacement of 2,568 cubic centimeters, rounded up to 2.6 liters for the purpose of general discussion. The block is topped by an aluminum dual overhead cam cylinder head with four valves per cylinder, and compression is a very mild (and turbo-friendly) 8.5 to 1. The intake valves are fed via a trio of two-barrel throttle bodies, effectively giving each cylinder its own throttle blade. On the exhaust side, there are two Garrett M24 turbochargers, each fed from its own set of three cylinders and equipped with integral wastegates set to regulate boost to 10 PSI.

Under-Promise, Over-Deliver

In factory trim, the GT-R’s RB26 is rated to produce 276 horsepower at 6,800 RPM and 266 pound-feet of torque at 4,400. These numbers are “at the brochure,” however – at the time, Japanese car makers had an understanding between themselves that none of them would advertise a car for sale with more than 280 PS (short for the German term ‘pferdestärke’ and often referred to as “metric horsepower” even though there’s a perfectly good SI unit for power – the kilowatt…) In any case, every Japanese car company with a high performance model produced engines that actually delivered well in excess of this fictional limit, and Nissan was no different. The real figure for an RB26DETT in factory tune is more like 315-plus horsepower, and with modification and increased boost the engine platform is capable of far higher power levels.

The star of the show in the R32 Skyline GT-R isn’t the driveline or the chassis, of course – it’s the RB26DETT under the hood.

The R32 GT-R was offered in a few different variants besides the ‘standard’ production model. In 1989 and 1990, 560 NISMO models were built – 500 were offered to the public to meet the homologation requirements for racing, with 60 used as competition cars. They were wildly successful in Japanese Touring Car Championship racing, winning 29 races in 29 tries and putting a lock on the series title from 1989 to 1993. More success was found in the Australian Touring Car Championship, which led to the Aussie press coining the nickname “Godzilla” for the R32 GT-R. NISMO models were visually distinct thanks to different aero bits and pieces, while the technical changes included the deletion of ABS and metal instead of ceramic turbine wheels for improved longevity in competition.

In 1991, upgraded safety equipment including door collision bars and an optional driver’s side airbag were added, and Nissan homologated a new variant with just under 120 cars produced for the Japanese N1 racing series, all with the company’s iconic white exterior. For 1993, the V-Spec model was added to follow changes in JTCC rules – previously, cars were limited to 16-inch wheels, but an increase of an inch of diameter led to new BBS “mesh” wheels in 17×8, plus a different method of clutch actuation, minor transmission improvements, and Brembo calipers gripping larger rotors to take advantage of the additional room inside the bigger wheels. A total of 1,453 R32 V-Spec cars were manufactured, and a mere 64 V-Spec N1s left the factory. Finally, in 1994 Nissan introduced the V-Spec II, which took the factory tire size from 225/50R17 to 245/45R17, with just over 1,300 cars built.

Making Dreams Come True

All told, between 1989 and 1994, there were something like 44,000 R32 Skyline GT-Rs made, including all the upgraded and racing variants. In America, the original Godzilla was the stuff of dreams for many enthusiasts, fueled by video games and a lust for anything legitimately JDM and off-limits to US drivers. For many years, the only way to get one on the road in the States was via sketchy grey market deals or working your way through ‘display and exhibition’ loopholes of questionable legality. Today, however, foreign-origin cars that were never offered for sale in the US that are more than 25 years old are finally legal to import and own almost everywhere (California and Hawaii impose their own rules) making the entire R32 GT-R production run available.

Is Godzilla something you’d like to have in your own garage? While the supply of US-legal R32 GT-Rs has certainly exploded, so has the pent-up demand for a car that so many of us salivated over in our youths, so a good, unmolested example can run in the $80,000+ range at auction. That’s a lot of money for a three-decade-old car, but it’s hard to put a price on living a dream, and for many of us an R32 Skyline gets our heart racing like no modern car in the same price range ever could.

Hakosuka Nissan Skyline GT-R

A Look Inside the Box

For ‘tuner car’ enthusiasts, the letters G, T, and R encode a lot of information in just three characters. In the modern era, they stand for engineering sophistication and high technology harnessed in the pursuit of speed, but the first Nissan Skyline GT-R to wear them was a performance car reduced to just the basics. It was as close to the “simplicate and add lightness” mantra as any factory vehicle to come from Japan’s classic period, and it had a humble nickname to match: “Box Skyline,” or Hakosuka (“Hako” for “box” and “Suka,” short for the Japanese pronunciation of the word “skyline,” which ends up being something like “sukairain”) in the native language’s portmanteau-speak.

The current GT-R, introduced in 2007 for the 2008 model year, started out as an engineering showpiece intended to incorporate every bit of advanced technology Nissan could bring to bear, not just in terms of the finished car itself but in design, materials, and manufacturing as well. Over the past decade, every new update to the GT-R has pushed bleeding-edge sophistication, from the DOHC twin-turbo V6 to the dual-clutch transmission and computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system. It’s a monster, quite deserving of the “Godzilla” nickname inherited from its immediate predecessors, but a better description would be “Gundam” or “Mecha” to reflect its distinctly technological focus. In short, it’s the closest thing to a spaceship on four wheels.

Product of a Simpler Time

It’s eye-opening, though, to compare today’s Nissan Skyline GT-R to the original Hakosuka, introduced a full fifty years ago. While the latest GT-R tips the scales at a grounded-to-the-ground 3,800 pounds and change, the Hakosuka is a mere wisp at just over 2,400. Instead of a 560+ horsepower VR38DETT, the Hako was motivated by a jewel-like S20 naturally-aspirated inline six with a full 400 fewer ponies. There’s no active torque split between the front and rear wheels in the seminal GT-R, just a limited slip differential in the rear. In fact, about the only numeric comparison the two end-points on the GT-R timeline have in common is a six-digit price tag – if you’re shopping for either the first GT-R or the latest these days, you better be ready to write a lot of zeros on that check.

One of the things that came along with Nissan’s merger with Prince Motor Company in 1966 was the Skyline nameplate; a line of sedans that debuted in 1957 and went through a number of generations that included a 1964 GT model for Japanese Grand Prix racing. For 1969, a new model was developed with the internal Nissan designation of PCG10. Dubbed the Skyline GT-R, this four-door sedan was first unveiled to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in late 1968, and was sold exclusively through the Nissan Prince Store dealership network.

As late as the early 2000s, Nissan maintained multiple retail chains in Japan, with vehicles exclusive to each. At the time of the introduction of the Hako, the Nissan Prince Store’s counterpart was the Nissan Bluebird Store: While Prince outlets received cars like the various generations of Skyline, and later the 180SX, the Bluebird Store retailed the Fairlady Z models and the Silvia. In 1999, the descendant of the original Prince Store, which had also been titled the Saito and Cherry Store throughout its history, became Nissan Red Stage, while the original Bluebird store’s successor became Nissan Blue Stage. As seen with the 180SX and Silvia, there was a certain degree of crossover between the two main sales channels, but much like Nissan and Infiniti in the US, the idea was to separate products by price point and market focus.

With a design penned by Shinichiro Sakurai, an engineer who had formerly worked for Prince before the merger (and who would go on to oversee future Skyline generations, the Nissan MID4 concept car project, and be inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame), the Hakosuka was intended as a performance flagship to emphasize Nissan’s racing expertise. Power was derived from the S20 inline-six, which could trace elements of its design to the GR8 competition mill utilized in Nissan’s mid-rear-engine R380 race car, which itself was derived from previous Prince G-series production engines.

Straight-Six Smoothness

The S20 displaced 1,990cc, making it nominally a 2-liter design, with a markedly ‘oversquare’ bore to stroke ratio – pistons were 82mm in diameter and a crank throw of just under 63mm. This was necessary to provide as much room as possible in the pent-roof combustion chambers for two exhaust and two intake valves per cylinder in a DOHC cross-flow cylinder head. Induction was via a trio of two-barrel sidedraft Mikuni-Solex carburetors. In production trim, the S20 was rated at 160 peak horsepower at 7,000 RPM, and 130 pound-feet of torque at 5,600 RPM, with a 7,500 RPM redline. The entire engine package weighed just shy of 440 pounds, about 18 percent of the entire empty weight of the GT-R. You could have any transmission you wanted on your Hako, as long as you wanted a 5-speed manual. Finally, a clutch-type limited slip differential in the rearend ensured power made its way effectively to the pavement.

Instead of a 560+ horsepower VR38DETT, the Hako was motivated by a jewel-like S20 naturally-aspirated inline six with a full 400 fewer ponies.

Suspension design was sophisticated for a small sedan by the standards of the era; MacPherson struts in front, and a semi-trailing-arm independent rear. The ubiquitous MacPherson strut, patented just after the end of WWII, had the advantage of being both simpler and lighter than a double wishbone or multilink suspension, and despite often being thought of as a design intended for economy car FWD applications, it has been used with great success in a huge number of high-performance RWD applications throughout its long history as well. The semi-trailing arm rear was an effective way to accurately control suspension geometry with a minimum of complexity, and the layout combined with the light curb weight made the Hako GT-R unusually precise and rewarding when driven hard.

Simplicity reigned with the rest of the running gear as well. Steering was via an unassisted recirculating ball setup, and the brakes were unboosted as well. Up front, single-piston calipers squeeze vented discs, and in back, humble drum brakes help scrub speed upon demand. While that might sound archaic by current standards, the factory suspension, steering, and brake components were perfectly capable of exploring the outer limits of late-60s-tech tire grip.

The Hakosuka’s interior, while not Spartan, is definitely not overburdened with luxury touches. The upholstery and dash trim are above-average quality, with a pair of bucket seats in front and a token back seat that would be considered somewhat cramped even by JDM standards of the era. A drilled aluminum throttle pedal and a three-spoke wheel connect the driver to the machine, and the binnacle features large speedometer and tachometer gauges front and center flanked by four smaller round instrument clusters. Every Hako is right-hand-drive, of course – they were never produced in numbers that would lead to export to foreign markets (more on that in a minute) and they feature the quirky fender-mounted side view mirrors mandated by Japanese motor vehicle regulations that required placing them in a location where they could be viewed through a portion of the windows covered by the defroster vents.

A Short but Sweet Run

The PGC10 four-door Skyline GT-R was joined in 1971 by a two-door model with the internal Nissan designation KPGC10, and production would continue through 1972. In the four years the Hakosuka was built, a mere 1,945 cars were produced (with the two-door being more common by a factor of 1.5), but the GT-R absolutely dominated the competition in Japanese touring car racing with 49 consecutive wins and 50 victories overall in a little under three years. For 1973, the Box was replaced with the KPGC110 “Kenmeri” Skyline GT-R, which gained its nickname from the fictional couple “Ken and Mary” used in Nissan advertising, but only 197 were produced. After that model year the GT-R nameplate would remain unused until 1989, but that’s a story for another time.

Today, the Hakosuka is a highly-sought-after classic, and when they trade hands at auction, prices for examples in perfect condition are in the quarter-million dollar range. That’s not too bad for a car that retailed back in the day for 1.5 million yen (about $4,200 in 1971 dollars, equivalent to the buying power of $27k today). While the Skyline GT-R nameplate took a radical turn toward technological prowess and complex engineering upon its return in 1989, the original remains one of the purest examples of a “driver’s car” from the first wave of Japanese performance automobiles

A Whole Lotta Supra:
The SEMA Edition

The new Toyota MKV Supra is a BMW Z4 with a different body.

If you walked the miles of aisles at the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas, you couldn’t help but notice the number of Toyota MKV Supra builds littering the show floor. Not only were they in the Toyota corporate display but they were in numerous booths of aftermarket speed merchants from Milestar to Yokohama.

Now, not a lot of people know this beyond the cognoscenti—the most serious enthusiasts—but the new Gen 5 Toyota GR Supra is really a BMW G29 Z4 wearing a Japanese suit. Indeed, the two cars are assembled side by side in Graz, Austria, by Magna Steyr.

It’s been more than two decades since the last Supra was available and this version was apparently seven years in the making. That said, we had a taste of what was coming when the concept FT-1 first appeared at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2014. McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens said, “The front nose is silly, but it does the upper window line to top of screen better than I have seen before and has sensuous surface through the door.”

So, if the MKV Supra which is a real, iconic enthusiast’s car, is a re-dressed BMW, how do those enthusiasts feel about that? StateofSpeed.com spoke to racer Stephen Papadakis about it. PapadakisRacing.com, is, of course, the winningest team in Formula Drift and earlier this year Steph’ attacked the in-line Bavarian B58 six in search of the magic 1,000 horsepower asking the question, “Is this a worthy successor to the 2JZ Toyota engine? Time will tell but so far, I’m pretty impressed.” Stephen actually reprised this build live at the SEMA Show.

The aluminum block evidences racing heritage with a deep skirt, a built-in cast aluminum windage tray and a forged steel crank. Meanwhile, everything is modular and/or integrated. The plastic intake contains an integrated water-to-air intercooler. There’s direct coil-on-plug ignition and there is also an oil-to-water heat exchanger that uses radiator coolant to control the oil temp. Unusually, the engine has no dip stick and no traditional timing marks.

The biggest structural difference from most common engines is that the chain driven DOHC cam timing assembly is on the back of the block rather than the front. Other differences appear in the four-valve head that has motor-driven variable inlet cam timing and direct fuel injection into the combustion chamber. The head also contains an integrated six-into-two exhaust manifold.

“Is [the B58 engine] a worthy successor to the 2JZ Toyota [Supra] engine? Time will tell but so far, I’m pretty impressed.”Stephen Papadakis, PapadakisRacing.com

In his target-1,000 rebuild Steph’ used the stock crank and bearings but installed custom chrome moly Carrillo rods fitted with forged and coated 11:1 JE pistons with stock rings. Major work came in the cylinder head that was ported and flowed and fitted with valves, springs, retainers and keepers from SupertechPerformance.com. The head is secured by custom made ARP head studs. The gasket, however, is stock.

Two things Steph’ did ditch was the direct injection that will be changed out for six 2,000 cc port fuel injectors, one for each cylinder, and the motor-driven viable inlet cam timing that will be disabled and set to max. He also junked the Supra’s stock plastic intake and went for a 3D printed aluminum intake by Mountune, however, the stock throttle body was retained.

The other big change was to dump the stock Supra turbo, replacing it with a much larger Borg Warner EFR 9282 turbo fitted with a Full-Race.com turbo header and dual wastegates.

In stock configuration, the MKV Supra is good for 335 bhp and 369 lb-ft of torque as is the Beemer. Sixty mph comes in just 4.1 seconds and it tops out at a reasonable but electronically-limited 155 mph. Papadakis’ modifications unfortunately remain unresolved because the factory computer is not able to be re-programmed to work with his ‘old school’ modifications. Steph’ said, “The B58 is a really good engine but until we can go out there and make the power there is work to do with the fuel system and the ECM.”

The styling of the MKV Supra is soft and organic through the sides but very aggressive in the front and rear facias that are perhaps a little busy but then it is a Supra. Aftermarket body kits and wings can make it more so. One of the car’s distinctive features is the ‘double bubble’ roof that references the signature of the Italian styling house Zagato.

Ingress to the MKV Supra necessitates ducking your head but once in the seat the double bubble top affords good headroom. According to several reviewers, the interior looks like that of a BMW but now that we know it is a BMW perhaps that is to be expected. Soft -touch materials and BMW features, design cues and details give the interior a premium feel. However, one design feature that some find uncomfortable are the twin cup holders aft of the eight-speed shift lever. If you use them, the cups get in the way of your elbow. I don’t have an answer for this other than not to use them but then why are they there if you can’t use them? Another issue is the lack of trunk space and spare tire?

Overall, the Supra interior is snug, and I just don’t see two-meter tall (6ft 5in) Jeremy Clarkson having much room for him, his ego and a camera man.

So, when all is said and done, how do we feel about the new BMW Supra. My guess is it’s a bit of a compromise. It’s not a Beemer and it’s certainly not a Toyota but, it’s a great sport coupe that is going to please lots of enthusiasts even if it rolls off the floor at around $50K or more.

Innovative Turbo Engines You Should Know

Factory Turbo Engines Have a Deeper Back-Story Than You Might Think – Here’s a Short History Lesson on the History of Boost

Any gearhead can tell you anything you want to know about the RB26DETT from the Skyline GT-R, the MKIV Supra’s 2JZ-GTE, Mitsubishi’s 4G63 that held a starring role in the Eclipse and Evo (and the 4B11T that replaced it in the Evo X), and perhaps even the 13B-REW that propelled the Mazda FD. But if you want real bench-racing credibility, there are turbocharged engines that paved the way for every modern factory boosted powerplant, from WRX STI to Focus RS, and we are going to show you how previous generations suffered and triumphed in the name of boost. Here are the turbo engines that paved the way…

1962 Olds Jetfire / Chevy Corvair Monza Spyder

More than five decades ago, General Motors answered a question literally nobody was asking with the first two US domestic OEM turbocharged engines to hit the market. Keep in mind that in the 1962 model year, the world-beating Chevy small block V8 engine was less than 7 years old, and that the future de-facto standard 4-inch bore 350 cubic inch version had just been introduced.

…owners had to keep a small tank of Oldsmobile “Turbo-Rocket Fluid” (actually a 50/50 mix of water and methanol) topped up.

At the time, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac (known as “BOP” collectively) were still using their own engine architecture instead of shared “corporate” powerplants, and Oldsmobile took their little 215 cubic inch, all-aluminum V8 and boosted it to a nominal 5 PSI with a single Garrett T5 turbo. To combat detonation and increase the effective octane of the required premium fuel, owners had to keep a small tank of Oldsmobile “Turbo-Rocket Fluid” (actually a 50/50 mix of water and methanol) topped up.

Rated at 215 horsepower, the 1962 Olds Jetfire wasn’t a huge success, and the added hassle of having to keep the water/meth tank full meant many owners eventually just had their cars converted to natural aspiration, making original Jetfires very rare and collectable today.

The Chevy Corvair Monza Spyder, also a 1962 model, had a very different engine layout than the Olds – a horizontally-opposed 6 cylinder air cooled engine sat over the rear wheels, displacing just 145 cubic inches (later raised to 164 with a longer stroke in 1964 models) and topped by a single turbo that increased horsepower from 80-95 for the naturally aspirated engines to a rated 150.

Neither the Jetfire or the Spyder set the world on fire, and both had very short production runs. With low gasoline prices and the domestic horsepower wars centered around larger and larger naturally-aspirated V8 powerplants, these two seminal turbo cars were simply too far ahead of their time.

Porsche 930 (1975-1989)

If you’re starting to get mailers from AARP lately, chances are that during your formative years, the word “Turbo” had a single meaning – the Porsche 911T. Known by its internal 930 code, the 911 Turbo started out as a homologation special to meet minimum production numbers for FIA competition, but almost immediately became synonymous for over-the-top performance for street cars. The original 3.0 liter horizontally opposed, air-cooled flat 6 engine used a single KKK (an unfortunate brand name, but not offensive in this context) turbocharger to deliver 256 horsepower.

…those with average or below skill could find themselves going from power-on oversteer to understeer to lift-throttle oversteer in the time it took to ruin a pair of pants.

Between 1975 and 1977, just over 2,800 911 Turbos were produced, and for 1978, the engine was given a 10 percent bump in displacement, an air-to-air intercooler plus a larger ‘whale tail’ spoiler to house it, and an increase in rated horsepower, now listed at 296. While it remained the flagship of the Porsche lineup, the new front-engine V8 928 was intended to replace it as the top of the line, and in 1980 it was dropped from the US market to save the expense of making changes to the engine to meet emissions regulations.

The 928 proved to be a sales dud, and for 1986 the 911 Turbo was back in the US with a 278 horsepower, smog-compliant powerplant. It would remain available through the 1989 model year, when the 930 was succeeded by the 964. During its production run, the combination of a strong rear weight bias due to the engine position and power delivery that suffered from turbo lag gave the original 911T a fairly-well-deserved reputation as a car that was best known for activating rich doctors’ life insurance coverage. Driven well, it was stupid-fast, but those with average or below skill could find themselves going from power-on oversteer to understeer to lift-throttle oversteer in the time it took to ruin a pair of pants.

Future generations of the 911 would tame the Turbo’s bad habits and make it a car that was not only quicker but more accessible to non-professional drivers, but there will never be another car that embodied the word “Turbo” so perfectly.

Mitsubishi 4G6 Family

While Porsche was introducing the world to the term “turbo” as a synonym for superlative automotive performance, Mitsubishi was hard at work in what might best be described as their “boost all the things!” era. In the early 80’s other Asian manufacturers were focused on capturing market share by building reliable, economical, durable vehicles for the US export market; Mitsubishi decided to do all that, but then offer a turbo-powered performance variant of almost everything they made as well, from subcompact hatchbacks to family cars. As a result, the world ended up with things like turbocharged versions of the Colt, Galant, Sapporo, Cordia, Tredia, and of course the Starion. Their engine of choice was the inline four cylinder “Sirius” platform, known internally as the 4G6 family.

This engine would eventually become well-known to US enthusiasts thanks to its presence in the Eclipse and Lancer Evolution in 2-liter 4G63 form, but variants ranged from 1.6 liters to 2.4 over its long production history, and 135 horsepower to more than 270 for the factory turbocharged variants. It found its way into all sorts of chassis layouts, including transverse FWD, transverse AWD, and longitudinal RWD.

…Mitsubishi was hard at work in what might best be described as their “boost all the things!” era.

Though the platform had some specific issues (like the infamous “crank walk” familiar to anyone who’s built a high performance 4G63) when pushed beyond factory spec, the durable cast iron block with a ‘closed deck’ design that supports the cylinder bores at the top where they encounter the greatest stress proved to be a winning design, making the 4G6 family one of the most successful turbo engines of all time.

Chrysler Turbo I/II/III/IV

Determined not to be outdone by their rival and sometimes engineering partner Mitsubishi, the Chrysler corporation developed their own lineup of turbocharged inline four cylinder engines during the early 1980s based off of their 2.2 and 2.5 liter architecture. This was a time of both enormous creativity and innovation at Chrysler (“Let’s build a small, practical FWD van that drives like a car and absolutely kill the market for station wagons!”) and complete, shameless cost-cutting (“…and we’ll build it on the same miserable K-car chassis as everything else we are trying to sell!”)

While the bean counting was necessary to save money, and along with $1.5 billion in loan guarantees helped to pull the company from the brink of bankruptcy, there were still powertrain engineers looking to make lemonade out of the post-oil-crisis lemons they had been handed. The Turbo I design added a T03 turbo pushing a little over 7 pounds of boost to the 2.2 liter engine, taking it from the low-90-horsepower range to over 140. Upgrading the mechanical wastegate to a computer-controlled one for 1985 allowed temporary spikes to 9 PSI and another couple of horsepower “at the brochure,” though the real benefit was more power under the curve that made more of a difference in actual acceleration than peak numbers would suggest. The larger-displacement 2.5 liter Turbo I found a home in the iconic Caravan/Voyager minivans starting in the 1989 model year, with 150 horsepower on tap.

The Turbo II added an intercooler and some other tweaks to the 2.2 liter Turbo I for use in the Shelby GLH-S in 1986 by Shelby Automotive, and for 1987 the factory began doing the same thing, but with better engine internals. More Shelby-badged performance cars followed using the Turbo II powerplant, rated at 12 PSI and 175 horsepower, as well as the LeBaron GTS and GTC. A switch to a Lotus-sourced 16 valve dual overhead cam cylinder head (replacing the previous SOHC head came with the Turbo III; very few cars (perhaps less than 2,000 total) were equipped with this 224 horsepower engine, primarily 1991-1993 Dodge Spirit R/T and Daytona IROC R/T models.

“Let’s build a small, practical FWD van that drives like a car and absolutely kill the market for station wagons!”

Then there’s the Turbo IV. Despite the nomenclature, it was actually introduced before the Turbo III, making its first appearance in the 1989 Shelby CSX, then being offered in 1990 in Shadows, Daytonas, and LeBarons. This SOHC, 8-valve 2.2 liter engine was notable for the fact that it used a Garrett “Variable-Nozzle Turbo” – this technology, which has made its way into diesel turbo applications today, uses a ring of movable vanes that surround the turbine wheel that allow the engine management system to dynamically adjust the characteristics of the turbo to allow fast spool-up without choking performance at high RPM. While rated horsepower was still set at 175, once again the area “under the curve” on the horsepower graph was greatly improved, making for a much quicker car. A relative handful of Turbo IV cars were made, and today, ones with unmolested factory VNT setups demand a premium from collectors.

Chrysler’s 2.2 and 2.5 turbo family combined some interesting technological innovation along with mass-market production numbers (at least for the Turbo I/II) and the common K-car platform made modifications and swaps pretty straightforward. We know there’s at least one 9-second street-legal turbo Voyager minivan out there, and these cars make excellent sleepers with their durable, easily upgradable engines.

Volvo Redblock

“What is Volvo doing in here?” you ask, quite rightly. “They’re that company that made a bunch of boring cars that looked like they were built from LEGO bricks in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and now all they do is weird, expensive crossovers.” While this is mostly true, some of those bricks were turbo-powered, and just like capital-T Turbo is intertwined in the gearhead consciousness with Porsche, capital-I Intercooler belongs to Sweden’s homegrown brand (even if they are owned by China’s automotive super-conglomerate Geely these days.)

“They’re that company that made a bunch of boring cars that looked like they were built from LEGO bricks in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and now all they do is weird, expensive crossovers.”

The Volvo “Redblock” engine family came about as an overhead cam replacement for their tried and true pushrod inline-fours from the 1960s, debuting in the 200 series cars. 2.1 and 2.3 liter turbocharged versions made their way into models bound for the US market. Power was modest at first – 127 horsepower for the low-boost 6.5 PSI B21FT – but soon enough, Volvo dropped the “IBS” (Intercooler Boost System) B21FT on us, complete with 157 horsepower and a big “INTERCOOLER” badge on the trunklid, rising to 162 horsepower for mid-’80s turbo 240s.

Turbo Redblock engines made the transition from 200 to 700 series cars at the tail end of the ‘80s, picking up a 16-valve head in the process and another 40 or so horsepower, before eventually being replaced by the prolific and very successful Volvo Modular family in the 800 and 900 series of FWD/AWD cars. Even though they weren’t around for as long as some of the designs we’ve looked at here and weren’t exactly sports cars on the same plane as the 911T, they led to a long line of popular turbocharged Volvo vehicles and put the word “Intercooler” firmly into our vocabulary.

SEMA 2019: Impressions

SEMA 2019 is here and bringing the all-around automotive goodness we’ve come to expect. We don’t know if you’ve heard, but there were a lot of new A90 Toyota Supras out there. Despite this year being called “The Year of the Supra”, the show had an abundance of other fantastic builds that deserve some love.

Here are some of our Supra-free highlights from SEMA 2019.

IMPORTS

This Datsun 240z has a completely carbon fiber body and is powered by 5.3L Chevy V8 out of a Silverado. This truck powered beast is owned and raced by Shawn Bassett and is built to tear up the track at any time attack.

MUSCLE

Check out this ’72 Riviera by Gas Monkey Garage of Discovery Channel’s Fast n’ Loud. It’s powered by a Katech LT4 and boosted with a Magnuson Supercharger.

Koni showed off their heritage with a Shelby GT350 at their booth sporting the shocks they developed for the original release in the 60s.

OFFROAD

Milestar Tires displayed their newly released UTV/Side-by-Side specific Patagonia SXT tire.

CLASSICS/HOT RODS

The AMC Gremlin was once classified as one of the ugliest cars ever made, but that title definitely doesn’t fit this one. This custom Gremlin hot rod is built by Jacob Griffin and proves that these ugly little cars do have some potential.

EURO/EXOTICS

Eibach collaborated with Hot Wheels to present this clean BMW 2002 along with its miniature version at their booth. Some lucky attendants even got to take home their own Eibach x Hotwheels collectible 2002.

Future Classic:
The Nissan 240SX Story

If you sat down with a pen and paper in hand and made a list of all the qualities that define a “fun to drive” car, you’d probably come up with things like a stiff, light two-door coupe chassis, rear-wheel-drive with an independent suspension all the way around (and lots of aftermarket parts to tweak it with), and a slick-shifting manual transmission. You’d keep it simple to make it affordable, and most importantly, you’d give it a rev-happy engine, perhaps with a turbo.

Mazda got close to nailing that formula with the first-gen RX-7, but dropped the ball with a live axle rear end. The FC RX-7 cured that deficiency, but got a bunch heavier and more expensive in the process. They’d move back in the right direction with the NA Miata, but despite its basic goodness, it was a hard car to take seriously, and being available only as a convertible didn’t help. Porsche’s 924 and 944 checked all the boxes except for “simple and affordable,” and Toyota and Mitsubishi took a run at it with the original MR2 and the Starion, respectively, but between the MR2’s mid-rear engine layout and Mitsubishi’s trademark general ‘80s high-tech weirdness in the Starion, neither of that Japanese pair really hit the mark, either. 

Only one manufacturer managed to artfully combine all those elements into a single platform – in 1989, Nissan introduced the S13 to the world, and a legend was born. Previous generations of the S platform had been successful in their own right, dating all the way back to 1975’s S10, which was known in the US market as the Datsun 200SX. The S110 and S12 followed in 1979 and 1984, respectively, and while they sold well enough both in Japan and abroad, they would barely hint at how popular the next revision would turn out to be.

In the native Japanese market, Nissan was sure enough of success with the new S13 to produce and sell the car in two cosmetically different but mechanically identical models; the hatchback, hidden-headlight 180SX, and the notchback, exposed-headlight Silvia. The two models were sold through separate marketing channels, with the 180SX as the “little brother” to the Fairlady Z and the Silvia retailed alongside the Skyline. 

Pop the Hood

Power for the S13 was initially derived from the iron-block 1.8 liter CA18DE or CA18DET, with the former being naturally aspirated and rated at 131 horsepower, and the latter turbocharged to produce an advertised 166 horsepower. Silvia buyers could select either powerplant, but the 180SX wasn’t produced in a non-turbo version. The free-revving dual overhead cam engine was a good match for the S13’s light weight and balanced chassis, which featured one of Nissan’s first sophisticated multi-link independent rear suspension systems paired with the ubiquitous MacPherson strut setup in front.

At launch for the 1989 model year, Nissan also decided that the S13 would be a good addition to their US car lineup. Only the 180SX would make the trip across the Pacific, though, and to avoid the time and expense required to “Federalize” the CA18, a different engine already destined for Nissan’s American vehicle lineup took its place – the KA24.

This is the point in our story where many of you will hear a sad trombone briefly playing in your head.

While the KA24 did indeed pick up a significant amount of displacement over the CA18 (no points for guessing that it was a 2.4 liter engine), that was about the nicest thing anyone had to say about it at the time. The vast majority of KA engines in US models ended up under the hood of Hardbody trucks and Pathfinder SUVs where its torquey long-stroke design made perfect sense. Like so many engines of the era, the KA24 used a cast-iron block with an aluminum head, and the valvetrain was driven by a timing chain rather than a belt. The engine was significantly “under-square” with an 89mm cylinder bore and 96mm crankshaft stroke, optimized for bottom-end torque capacity rather than high-RPM horsepower potential. 1989-90 USDM 240SX models got the SOHC, 3-valve-per-cylinder KA24E, rated at a less-than-thrilling 140 horsepower, 26 ponies down from the CA18DET in the 1989 180SX. 

Coming to America

All US S13 models would be available in both hatchback and notchback body styles, and in the 1992 model year, a convertible based on the notch was introduced, with the drop-top modification performed by American Specialty Cars in California. They all shared the same 180SX-style hidden headlight nose, but as early cars entered the used car market and ended up with front end damage thanks to drivers with more enthusiasm than skill, it became fashionable to replace the hidden headlight front bumper, hood, and fenders with Silvia sheetmetal imported from Japan. While the “Sileighty” trend started in the S13’s home country (as it was usually cheaper in Japan to convert a crashed 180SX to a Silvia front clip than replace the stock parts), in the US its popularity was driven by cosmetic concerns as well as the fact that ditching the US-spec energy absorbing front bumper and the pop-up headlights typically saved 30-plus pounds on the nose of the car. 

For 1991, the 240SX got a cosmetic facelift that (among other changes) replaced the “pignose” front fascia with one that retained the hidden headlights but had more of an aerodynamic, rounded look. The 240SX also got four more exhaust valves and an extra camshaft with the DOHC KA24DE engine, picking up another 15 horsepower in the process to a total of 155. This engine would remain as the only available powerplant for the duration of the S-chassis’ run in the US market, while in-the-know Nissan fans gazed longingly at the turbocharged 202-horsepower SR20DET that was standard equipment for the 180SX in Japan and other markets, starting in 1991.

For the 1994 model year, Nissan comprehensively reworked the S-chassis and launched the S14 Silvia in the home market, while keeping the previous S13 180SX in production as well through 1998. The hatchback body style was gone for the S14, leaving only the coupe version, and the overall look of the car took on a much more rounded design language. Another minor restyling for the 1997 model year brought an angular and aggressive look to the S14, and spawned the terms “Zenki” and “Kouki” to distinguish the two variations – colloquially “before and after” in Japanese.

Production of the S14 ended in 1998, replaced by the S15 in other markets, but the 1999 model year 240SX was the end of the line in the US. While it was reasonably successful in America, the uninspiring engine, lack of interior room, and relatively poor fuel economy put the 240SX in the position of being too slow to be a standout sports car, and too thirsty and impractical to compete favorably with the many FWD alternatives on the market at the time. 

Second Wind

The real success of the Nissan 240SX in the United States happened not at the dealerships but when the cars began to hit the used market. As one of the few Japanese RWD imports (and certainly the most affordable, compared to cars like the MKIV Supra and Lexus IS/Altezza) it was perfectly suited to the rise of grassroots interest in drifting in America. It didn’t hurt that a huge amount of aftermarket support was also available from well-known Japanese tuners (and sketchy eBay knockoffs) for owners looking to upgrade the suspension and driveline. The primary hurdle, however, was that “truck engine” under the hood. 

The KA engine family never inspired much interest in performance modification outside the United States, meaning that homegrown solutions to increasing output tended to be the norm for those who didn’t want to pull the trigger on a full engine swap. KA-T turbocharged conversions of varying levels of sophistication and build quality were the go-to option, and Turbonetics actually offered a complete T3/T4 hybrid kit pushing 8 PSI for 1995-1998 models that bumped rated horsepower to 240 at the crank. Though the KA’s architecture was definitely overbuilt for how lightly-stressed it was in factory tune, that strength was a boon for anyone strapping on a turbo. It didn’t hurt that lightly-used takeout KA engines from both swapped 240s and a whole generation of pickups and Frontiers were cheaply available in salvage yards, either.

The primary hurdle, however, was that “truck engine” under the hood.

 During the heyday of import and sport compact racing in the US, circa the mid-2000s, far and away the most popular engine swap for stateside 240SXs was the SR20DET. As mentioned before, this powerplant was standard equipment in 1991 and later 180SX models. Originally developed with a transverse FWD layout for the JDM Nissan Bluebird, the SR came in many forms over its long history in factory S13/14/15 applications. The different specifications are broadly grouped into a few categories based on the factory paint applied to the valve cover or its shape, making for a quick visual reference. 

This only covers the S13/14/15 factory applications for the SR20DET; in transverse front wheel and all wheel drive configuration it found a home in many other platforms, including a WRC Group A homologation version of the Japanese market Pulsar. With so many variations, the SR spawned a good deal of interest in swaps for US S-series cars, and even supported shops and tuners who specialized in that market for a few glorious years. Despite the fact that the SR had never been used in any Nissan sold in the US market, shipping containers full of them made their way to the pier at Long Beach and into the hands of American enthusiasts, a phenomenon made economically viable by the odd Japanese vehicle tax and registration laws that encouraged owners of cars more than a few years old to scrap them rather than keep them on the road.

Reaching Classic Status

Today, the Nissan 240SX is reaching the same status as the Datsun 510 achieved in the 90’s – clean, unmolested examples have reached the bottom of their depreciation curve and are heading upward in price as they become harder to find and more sought-after as competitive drift cars and daily drivers. Perhaps the single greatest influence on the current popularity of the S13/14 in the US is the fact that so many different powerplants, including Gen III/IV GM small-block V8 engines, are an easy fit into the 240SX’s generously-sized engine bay, making a naturally-aspirated 350+ horsepower swap fairly straightforward. Companies like Holley’s Hooker brand even make specific swap components (cast manifolds and tubular headers, engine mounts, and more) for LS swaps into S-chassis cars. 

A look at the grid for any drift event will show the “sportsman” categories heavily favor S13 and S14 builds; while the pro categories tend to have newer cars better represented due to bigger budgets for parts development and chassis testing, the Silvia is still the standard against which all other modern drift platforms are compared. All the kinks have been worked out, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when building a competition car from an S13 or S14 – practically any component you can imagine, from coilovers, handbrakes, cages, and even all the way to full upgraded suspension setups are available off-the-shelf, and often from multiple manufacturers. 

The 240SX might not have been the perfect car straight off off US Nissan dealers’ showroom floors, but it was close enough to make it a highly-desirable future classic in stock or full-drift form, or anything in between.

updated July 22, 2021

The Toyota Supra Then and Now

When the fifth generation Toyota Supra was unveiled as a 2020 model at the 2019 North American Auto Show, many of the brand’s most loyal (and vocal) adherents had their worst fears realized. Months of rumors had been confirmed – the long-hoped-for successor to the totemic MKIV Supra was being built on a platform shared with the BMW Z4 as part of a collaboration between Toyota and the German automaker, extending right down to the turbocharged inline-six under the hood, and 8-speed ‘conventional’ torque converter automatic transmission.

While the new A90 would be significantly quicker than any factory-spec MKIV, and more advanced in every way that matters, there were those who saw it as a break with the Supra’s revered history and an unworthy successor. In reality, though, it brings the marque’s story full circle, taking it back to its roots in European sports car inspiration. Here’s a look at how the Supra became Toyota’s once and future performance flagship.

Wellspring of the Japanese Sports Car

In 1961, Jaguar introduced the E-Type; in a country that had finally shed the last of the rationing imposed in the Second World War just seven years earlier and was still struggling to rebuild its civilian manufacturing infrastructure, this sports car represented the very best of British engineering and design. As a historical fact, it was distilled, weapons-grade sex on wheels, and Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car ever made.”

Series 1 cars debuted with power from the XK6 inline-six, a silky-smooth powerplant that dated back to 1949 but proved so versatile and reliable that it would continue to be manufactured in various displacements and versions until 1992. If the small block Chevy is the engine that best represents American automotive engines through the years, Jag’s straight six is its refined, cultured equivalent on the Continent.

The E-Type’s production run spanned three distinct series between 1961 and 1975, but before it bowed out to be replaced by the aggressively-meh XJ-S, it inspired a whole generation of designers around the world. Its long hood/short cockpit coupé layout, necessitated by the front-mid placement of the long inline six behind the front axle, just looked “right,” and those responsible for penning new car concepts in Japan took notice.

[The first-gen RX-7] in typical Mazda weirdness used the incredibly compact 2-rotor Wankel 12A powerplant in an engine bay long enough to fit a straight-eight.

Japan was also emerging from its post-war struggle to rebuild, and carmakers were branching out from their utilitarian roots into ideas that would showcase their engineering and design chops as well as give them high-margin models for foreign (in other words, “North American”) markets. Nissan, still known as Datsun in the US, delivered their riff on the Jaguar sports car archetype with the 1970 240Z, which had similar long-hood/short-cabin proportions and an inline six under the hood. Mazda jumped in late in the game with the first-gen RX-7 in 1978, which was a visual homage to the 1968 Ferrari Daytona, but in typical Mazda weirdness used the incredibly compact 2-rotor Wankel 12A powerplant in an engine bay long enough to fit a straight-eight. Toyota’s hot take on the E-Type was the 1967 2000GT, which first appeared as a concept in 1965, but had an extremely short production run of a mere 351 cars. Priced at $6,800 in the US (the equivalent of almost $53,000 in 2019 buying power – a screaming deal in retrospect, but still higher than the contemporary Jag) it received rave reviews and could be considered Japan’s first ‘exotic.’

Power for the 2000GT came from a 2.0-liter DOHC inline six, rated at 148 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. While it was a world-beater in terms of style and the equal of its rivals in performance, the economics of production simply didn’t make sense for Toyota, and the company’s halo car came and went in the blink of an eye.

Humble Beginnings

By the dawn of the 1970s, Toyota had made decent inroads in the US domestic market, laying the foundation for an empire that would eventually make them the world’s largest automotive manufacturer worldwide. Their focus on sensible, well-built mainstream cars and trucks was a winning long-term strategy, but the itch that had led to the 2000GT still needed to be scratched.

The Celica, Toyota’s entry into the sporty 2+2 coupe market, had made its debut in 1970, and the first generation cars had the styling and performance to rival Datsun’s 510. With the change to a second-generation “A40” design, somebody had the bright idea to create a high performance model that replaced the variety of four-cylinder engines that had come before with the 4M inline-six engine. This was essentially a bored and stroked version of the 3M that had been featured in the 2000GT, and it had already been utilized in some of Toyota’s other, larger cars like the Corona, Cressida, and Crown.

This fuel-injected single overhead cam engine displaced a nominal 2.6 liters and delivered a rated 110 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. Because it was a longer engine than the inline fours powering the “normal” Celica, the new Celica Supra was stretched by just over five inches forward of the firewall to make room under the hood. It made its way to the US market in 1979, but by late 1980 the 4M had been replaced by the 2.8 liter 5M, which made an additional seven horsepower and nine pound feet “at the brochure.”

While a V-6 engine would have created a more compact powerplant (and eliminated the need for the extended chassis), the engineering advantages of the inline layout made it the darling of disco-era designers. Because of the firing order and position of the crank throws, an inline six has what is referred to as “perfect” primary balance, needing no additional balance shafts to offset inertial forces as the engine spins, making them unusually smooth in operation while still being simple. The only mechanical disadvantage compared to a “vee” engine with a similar cylinder count is the long crankshaft, which needs to be stronger than the very short and stiff ones found in V6 and inline four designs to prevent it from acting like a torsion spring. Though they would fall out of favor as the majority of automobile designs switched to front wheel drive layouts where transverse inline six engines weren’t very practical, they held on in sports car applications for the same reason the XK6 was the perfect engine for the E-Type: Refined power at any RPM.

Humble Beginnings: A New Celica Begets a New Supra

In 1981, both the Celica and Celica Supra received clean-sheet redesigns with the debut of the A60 chassis. The difference in overall length remained in order to fit the updated version of the 5M in the Supra, which ranged from 145 horsepower and 155 pound-feet all the way up to 178/169 in US trim between the 1982 and 1985 model years. Another significant change came in the form of a switch from a live axle to an independent semi-trailing arm rear suspension, offering improved handling potential.

Styling was also a clean break from the previous generation, with hidden headlights and an angular, almost “8-bit” design language that is still visually appealing today, while undoubtedly being a product of the 80s. In the US market, the Supra was offered in two main trims that shared the same basic running gear but differed in wheels, tires, and body cladding. The L-Type lacked the P-Type’s fender flares and came with a narrower wheel and tire package than the P-Type, and initially offered interiors that weren’t available in the P-Type.

Performance for the final A60 USDM Supras, while respectable for the era and a definite improvement on the mid-17-second dragstrip times of the previous generation, was nothing to write home about by modern standards – Car and Driver posted an 8.4 second 0-60 and 16.1 second quarter mile. Even so, these cars were perfect archetypes of the front engine/rear drive Japanese “sporty” car of the period, and helped build the Supra brand in the American market.

Clean Sheet

With the A60 chassis at the end of its production run, Toyota followed the same path as many of their peers by switching to a front-wheel-drive platform for the Celica that would be shared with the JDM Carina and Corona, but in a somewhat unusual move, split off the Supra as its own model for 1986, retaining rear-wheel-drive. The MKIII Supra was clearly an evolution of the MKII in both styling and performance, but for the first time a turbo option would be available in the US market. The A70 incorporated a lot of advanced (for the time) technology – while the 7M-GE and -GET’s DOHC 4-valve heads weren’t a revolution, the engines marked the first time Toyota had used distributorless ignition with a coil-per-plug design, and variable intake tract geometry was also introduced in the unboosted version of the 7M.

Power grew to 200 horses and 196 pound-feet for the naturally-aspirated inline-six in the US, while the 7M-GET delivered 232 horsepower and a whopping 254 pound-feet of torque from its nominal 3-liter displacement at a modest 5 pounds of boost. Car and Driver obtained a 6.4 second 0-60 time and a 15-flat at 91 MPH quarter mile timeslip for the turbo model – a significant improvement on the previous generation’s performance.

Through its 1986 – 1992 production run, the MKIII Supra attracted the attention of the growing Japanese domestic tuner market, which was just entering its golden age. The 7M-GET proved to be strong and reliable enough to tolerate upgrades like increased boost via wastegate controllers and turbo swaps, and while the Supra wasn’t quite as light as some of its contemporary rivals, it could certainly hold its own against other modified cars of the era. But with the next generation Supra, Toyota would once again wipe the slate clean and create a car that would come to encapsulate “tuner” culture like no other.

The Legend and the Reality

The A80, known by enthusiasts (though never referred to by Toyota) as the MKIV Supra, was another watershed change from the previous generation. Sharing the underpinnings of the USDM Lexus SC300/400 but more than a foot shorter overall, the new Supra embraced the softened, no-hard-creases design language that came to dominate mid-90s styling for both Japanese and US cars. While the MKIII had decent performance credentials, the 1993 MKIV Supra was intended to be Toyota’s flagship, and received upgrades everywhere on the spec sheet.

Front and center was the new 2JZ inline six; this three-liter engine developed a respectable 220 horsepower in naturally-aspirated GE form, but the real star of the show was the twin-turbo 2JZ-GTE, rated at 321 horsepower and 315 pound-feet for US-spec Supra Turbos. As a technological showcase, the 2JZ-GTE incorporated 90s cutting-edge technology – instead of using a single, medium-size turbocharger like the 7M-GET, the new powerplant was fed by two smaller turbos that were activated sequentially in order to reduce lag while still operating efficiently at high engine RPM and load. 

There was also significant effort placed into reducing the weight of the MKIV; unlike most cars that become heavier and heavier as the years went on, through extensive use of aluminum, magnesium, and composite materials, the A80 was actually more than 200 pounds lighter than the car it replaced. The end result of all the extra power, reduced weight, increased technological sophistication, and other improvements was a car that in Turbo form could do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, run a 13.1-at-109 quarter mile, and pull 0.95g on the skidpad.

Unfortunately, the mid-90s was a bad time to be exporting (relatively) expensive sports cars from Japan, thanks to an unfavorable exchange rate and tightening safety and emissions regulations in the US. The MKIV only graced American Toyota showrooms from the 1993 model year introduction to 1998, though it would continue to be produced through 2002 for the Japanese domestic market. With no replacement on the drawing board, the Toyota Supra’s history was seemingly at its end. Until…

The “Hero Car”

Much like Scarface glamorized cocaine and the lifestyle of drug lords, and Pirates of the Caribbean idolized eye patches and crippling alcoholism, The Fast and the Furious pushed the gaudy extremes of import car fandom into the consciousness of the movie-going public.

You didn’t really think we were going to go all the way through this without mentioning The Fast and the Furious, did you?

Before it became just another action movie franchise, 2001’s TFatF was a love letter to the romanticized idea of the “tuner culture.” Much like Scarface glamorized cocaine and the lifestyle of drug lords, and Pirates of the Carribean idolized eye patches and crippling alcoholism, The Fast and the Furious pushed the gaudy extremes of import car fandom into the consciousness of the movie-going public. In the aftermath, many a naturally-aspirated FWD Mitsubishi Eclipse was subsequently molested by fans of the film, but the real hero car of the movie was the trashed MKIV Supra that Dominic and Brian restore and modify together.

It’s hard to separate the popularity of the Supra between its Hollywood halo and the inherent attributes of the platform, but even if the MKIV wasn’t desirable enough on merit alone to warrant the attention that has been paid to it in the last 20 years, that movie fame certainly added quite a bit to the legend. So when Toyota began to hint that there would be a new Supra after a two decade gap, expectations were high, but many were prepared for disappointment. Although the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 was well-received, that car was more of an homage to the nimble, cheap RWD Japanese coupes of the 70s and 80s, instead of a direct successor to a legendary performance car with a rabid fan-base.

The 2020 A90 Supra is shorter, wider, and over 100 pounds lighter than the MKIV. Output from the BMW-sourced single-turbo 3-liter inline-six is similar at 335 horsepower, but in terms of torque the B5830M1 stomps the stock 2JZ-GTE at 365 pound-feet. 0-60 happens in 3.8 seconds and the quarter mile flashes by in 12.3 seconds with a 113 MPH trap speed. Many fans won’t be happy that the only transmission choice is an 8-speed ZF automatic, but on the plus side, there’s that 1.07g skidpad number.

So the question remains – is the A90 a “real” Supra, worthy of the heritage of its hallowed MKIV ancestor, or is it just a badge-engineered BMW? On a practical level, the people who are going to be able to afford its $51,000 base price aren’t necessarily going to care too much about its street cred, compared to a 20-year-old car. They’ll cross shop it against its BMW Z4 step-sibling, the more expensive (and significantly quicker) Camaro ZL1 and Mustang Shelby GT350, and perhaps the base Porsche 718 Cayman.

The 2020 Supra beats the MKIV in every objective measure of performance, making the answer to that question easy for those who base their decisions on lap times and timeslips. But it’s also not a “real” Toyota, which will disqualify it for purists. So in the Sudden Death Overtime Round, you might ask yourself whether it embodies the spirit of the European sports car that kicked this whole thing off nearly 60 years ago – the E-Type. That’s a question only time can answer, but we’d say that the A90 has the right ingredients, even if the recipe isn’t quite the same one handed down from one generation to the next.

How It’s Made: Cast, Forged, and Flow Formed Wheels

A Look At Modern Wheel Manufacturing Methods

Let’s face it, when it comes time to select custom wheels for our vehicles, most of us only care about price, and style. While the right set of wheels can enhance the looks, and performance of your vehicle, having the wrong wheels can be downright dangerous. Anytime you increase the outside diameter of your wheels/tires, you put more demands on your brakes, and steering. It also affects your acceleration. A larger overall diameter can strain your driveline components to the point of failure. Manufacturing processes like flow form, forging, and casting is another thing to consider. With a little research, you can select a wheel that not only looks great, but actually enhances your vehicle.

Materials

Aftermarket wheels were originally made from magnesium, hence the name “Mag” wheels. Currently they are made from several materials including steel, aluminum, exotic alloys, carbon fiber; even plastic. We will focus on aluminum as most aftermarket wheels are made from aluminum alloy. During your selection process, do some research into the weight rating of the wheels you like, and how they are made. If you are racing on pavement, you probably want the lightest wheels possible. Light is easy, but strong and light takes more effort, and you will pay for the extra care and materials involved. You might be tempted by a big heavy wheel that is cheap. It may seem to be safe, but that’s not always true.

Standards

Cheap, heavy wheels made with inferior practices or to nonexistent standards, can be less expensive, but are no bargain. Properly constructed wheels will perform much better. The processes used, and the attention to detail may increase costs, but are crucial to a quality final product. Look for wheels that are tested to accepted benchmarks, and have been certified for quality. SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), TÜV (German regulatory agency), ISO (International Standards Organization), and JWL (Japan Light Alloy Wheel Standard) all have standards for aftermarket wheels. You want the strength of your wheels confirmed in the lab, not on a public road or challenging trail.   

Techniques

Aluminum wheels can be made by several different techniques. The most prevalent are casting, forging, and flow forming. Casting and forging are unique. Flow forming uses a combination of both. Cast wheels have somewhat of a bad reputation for ultimate strength, but that reputation was earned by poor quality wheels from substandard suppliers. Cast wheels can be plenty strong as long as quality materials, and proper manufacturing techniques are followed.

In order to make a cast wheel, the aluminum alloy is brought up to a high enough temperature to melt it into a liquid. The liquid aluminum is then poured, injected, or drawn by a vacuum into a mold. One benefit of casting is that each part is an exact copy of the mold. Tight tolerances and uniformity is maintained. The cast part will have extra material (called flash) that still needs to be removed, but overall, the surface is smooth. The finished wheel can be polished or left as is. Due to the casting process, the aluminum material has a random grain structure. 

Forging

The forging process for aluminum wheels uses heat and pressure to form the part. Unlike the cast part, the surface can be irregular, and require a machining process to get it smooth. Hot forging is common on larger, thicker parts that require more movement of the material. Forging a complex part may require multiple operations with progressive dies to achieve the desired shape. Each additional step adds to the cost of manufacturing. The hot forging process begins with an aluminum slug that is heated until it becomes pliable. The slug is then placed into the forging press and it is either struck (mechanical press) or compressed (hydraulic press) into a formed die.

The part emerges looking like the shape of the die. These forging presses create incredible forces in order to move the material, and are huge in scale. Mechanical presses can be three stories tall with over half of the press underground. The building has to be built around the press. The big advantage of forged parts is the grain structure it produces. Since the material is formed, the grain structure is long, and continuous. A forged part is stronger, so the part can be made thinner, and therefore lighter.

“[Flow Forming] uses less material but is stronger, and lighter; all at a lower cost.”Sean Kleinschuster, Engineering Manager, Method Race Wheels

Flow Forming

Flow forming has benefits of both the casting, and forging processes. The wheel begins to take shape as a casting. The wheel face is cast, taking on the smooth finish that makes a casting precise, and cost effective. The casting is then heated and put on a turning die. While the part spins, hydraulically controlled tooling puts pressure on the part to draw the material out into the barrel shape. It allows the rim section to be thin for light weight, while having the strength of a forging.

“The public is more educated than ever about flow forming so they ask for it,” says Sean Kleinschuster, Engineering Manager for Method Race Wheels. “It uses less material but is stronger, and lighter; all at a lower cost. We use a proprietary heat treatment to our wheels that is higher than industry standards. We are getting material properties out of cast materials that are approaching that of a forging. Not only do we use computer generated finite element analysis, but we do extensive testing in race conditions. Our company started out in racing, and that’s where we validate some of our ideas. It’s good marketing, but we also use it for R&D. The technology we develop with rally racers and the top Trophy Truck racers goes into the same wheels you can buy off the shelf. We don’t have a separate race wheel department. We use the same materials and processes on every wheel we make.”

Because of the latest manufacturing technology, you can have a set of wheels that perform as great as they look. With flow forming, you can have race quality strength, and light weight, at an off the shelf price.

What Is A Turbocharger?

State of Speed Basics – The Manly Art of Automotive Knowledge

Ah, the noble turbocharger… Is there a more hallowed, or more misunderstood piece of high-performance hardware? It is the very definition of simplicity with only a single moving part, but it’s also incredibly complex in design and engineering that requires a mastery of aerodynamics, physics, materials science, and advanced manufacturing. Of course, nothing has catalyzed more keyboard warrior bench racing conflicts, with the possible exception of “NOS.” Today, we will separate fact from fiction, dispel some myths, and provide a solid education on the history, technical aspects, and practical use of turbocharging as it applies to high-performance engines. Strap in, because it might get a little bumpy.

Air Apparent

First, let’s define what a turbocharger does. When turbos were first being seriously developed during the period between the First and Second World War, they were referred to as “turbo-superchargers” which is a pretty good encapsulation of what they do. Turbos are part of the larger family of superchargers, which are defined as devices that provide air to an engine at a higher volume and pressure than the ambient atmosphere; but turbos are distinguished by the fact that they are powered by a turbine that is spun by exhaust gas, instead of a direct mechanical connection to the crankshaft. How much power an engine can deliver is based on how much fuel it can burn, and how much fuel it can burn is determined by how much air is available to mix with that fuel. You’ll often hear people talk about engines being “air pumps,” and to a certain extent, that analogy can help you understand the dynamics involved, even though it’s not perfect. The term “volumetric efficiency” sums up the breathing ability of a particular engine, and how much it can breathe directly affects how much fuel can be burned (and ultimately turned into power at the wheels.) An engine that operates at 100% volumetric efficiency takes in every bit of air that will physically fit in its displacement in every complete intake cycle. For instance, a 2-liter, 4-stroke engine at 100% VE will swallow exactly 2 liters of ambient air for each intake/compression/combustion/exhaust cycle across all its cylinders. In a naturally-aspirated engine, most of the time it will be operating at less than 100% VE thanks to the inherent inefficiency of the intake tract, valvetrain, and other restrictions. It’s possible to actually get that theoretical 2-liter engine to gulp down more than 2 liters per cycle in narrow operating ranges, thanks to clever camshaft lobe profiles and tuned intake and exhaust manifold design. But even the absolute best naturally aspirated engine will be lucky to get a few extra percentage points above 100% VE—there’s only so much that can be done with atmospheric pressure pushing air into the cylinders.

Under Pressure

This is the point where superchargers come in. Once you have a way to artificially push more air into the engine beyond what the ambient atmosphere can provide, the sky is (literally) the limit when it comes to volumetric efficiency. Superchargers (and turbo-superchargers) found their first high-performance application in aircraft engines; as altitude increases, the air available decreases, and at high altitude, naturally-aspirated engines can only produce a small fraction of the power they do at sea level.

Initial experiments centered around using supercharging to “normalize” available power and keep it constant as an airplane gained altitude, since engine output was acceptable at ground level, and the designs of the day weren’t able to cope with high boost and extreme dynamic compression. That would change in World War II as improved metallurgy, better engine designs, and high octane fuel all came together to allow more and more boost over a wider range of conditions without damaging the powerplant.

Once you have a way to artificially push more air into the engine beyond what the ambient atmosphere can provide, the sky is (literally) the limit when it comes to volumetric efficiency.

While many aircraft engines employed superchargers that were mechanically driven off of the crankshaft (often with multiple compressor stages and two-speed transmissions), other designs employed turbo-superchargers that were driven by the pressure of exhaust gas. The advantages of a turbo over a mechanical supercharger were numerous; they didn’t need to be directly coupled to the engine (in fact, the turbocharger in the Republic P-47 fighter was a full thirty feet behind the engine, tucked away aft of the pilot in the rear fuselage).

It was easy to control boost with a wastegate instead of a complex mechanical transmission (more on that in a moment), and best of all, instead of taking power away from the crankshaft to spin the compressor, a turbine provided that power for “free” by using the energy of the exhaust gas instead. 

While they made an appearance on cars in the inter-war years, in the post-war period saw both mechanical superchargers and turbo-superchargers gain in popularity with factory applications and hot rodders of all stripes—the appreciation of the power of boost had become mainstream, and there was no turning back.

How a Turbocharger Works

Part of the subtle beauty of the turbocharger is how simple it is, mechanically speaking. At its core, a turbo is simply a turbine wheel, a compressor wheel, and a shaft that connects the two. On the “hot” side of the turbo, an exhaust manifold sends spent gasses into the turbine housing and to the outside of the vanes of a turbine wheel, causing it to spin. The shaft transmits that rotation to the “cold” side of the turbo, where the compressor wheel ingests air in the center, then slings it out around the diameter of the wheel into the compressor housing. Automotive turbochargers almost exclusively use this sort of ‘centrifugal compressor’ to produce boost—rather than moving air like a desk fan, it works more like a playground merry-go-round, using the small but still significant mass of the air itself to create increased pressure as it is forced from the center of the wheel to the edge, where it is collected by the compressor housing and sent on to the engine.

The fact that a centrifugal compressor doesn’t really care whether it is spun by a turbine or by a mechanical drivetrain has caused many a noob to misidentify a ProCharger or Vortech supercharger as a “turbo,” since they also use a centrifugal compressor, paired with a belt or crankshaft-driven gearbox to provide power instead of a turbine.

Though they look the same at first glance, a quick peek behind the compressor housing will tell you if it’s being powered by the crank, or by exhaust gas. 

As was mentioned before, one of the advantages of a turbocharger is that it doesn’t place any parasitic drag on the crankshaft in order to produce boost. The energy required to spin the compressor comes entirely from the flow of exhaust gasses, effectively recovering power that would otherwise be lost.

…rather than moving air like a desk fan, it works more like a playground merry-go-round…

In order to control boost and keep it at the desired level, a device called a wastegate is used on the “hot” side of the system, ahead of the turbine wheel. Using a combination of spring pressure and a pneumatic actuator, the wastegate is a valve that can open to allow some of the exhaust flow to bypass the turbine to regulate how fast it spins the compressor on the “cold” side of the turbocharger. In factory turbo applications, the wastegate is often built into the turbine housing inlet as an “integral” design and uses a regulated pressure source connected through a computer-controlled solenoid valve to the intake manifold to open or close itself, based on how much boost the engine management system is requesting at that moment. Turbocharger systems for racing or aftermarket systems for street use often use a separate stand-alone wastegate to allow more precise control or to provide a greater bypass capacity than an integral wastegate.

On the “cold” side, you’ll often find a device that looks very similar to a wastegate, but that performs a very different function. Whether it’s called a “blow-off valve” or a “compressor relief valve,” it’s not there to regulate boost. This component provides another vital function—because air has mass and inertia, and so does the spinning compressor wheel, whenever there is a rapid change in throttle position there will be a sudden surge in pressure inside the intake tract. A good example is during an upshift when the throttle is momentarily closed between gears. Air that has been rushing toward the throttle body suddenly meets a restriction, and a pressure wave bounces off of it and is reflected back towards the turbo. This wave tries to slow the rotation of the compressor since it’s moving in the wrong direction, and if it’s strong enough, it can damage the shaft or even cause it to snap.

A compressor relief valve uses an actuator that compares the pressure in the intake tract between the turbo and the throttle body against the pressure inside the intake manifold on the far side of the throttle blade, and when there’s a significant difference (indicating that the throttle is shut), it opens to release the trapped pressure and prevent compressor surge. If the valve is open to the atmosphere, this is the source of the characteristic “Psssh” sound so many tuner cars produce, but most factory turbo setups will quietly recirculate this air via plumbing that sends the pressure around the turbo and back to the inlet.

Details, Details, Details…

At its most basic, a turbocharger setup just contains the key components listed above—a turbocharger unit itself that contains a turbine and compressor linked by a shaft, a wastegate to regulate boost and prevent the pressure on the intake side from exceeding desired levels, and perhaps a compressor relief valve to help keep the turbo spooled between gears and reduce surge loads. Like anything else related to high performance, though, things can get as complicated as you can possibly imagine.

Starting with the center section of the turbocharger, the shaft, which turns at tens of thousands of RPM at full-tilt, needs to be supported by a bearing to let it spin with as little friction as possible. Most turbochargers use a plain bearing, which works like the main and rod bearings on the crankshaft, using oil pressure to provide a cushion. A step up from there in sophistication are ball-bearing center sections, which don’t require the same high volume of oil to do the job as a plain bearing and offer less friction (and a little advantage in how quickly the turbo spools up). Ceramic ball-bearing center sections offer lighter rotating components and even less friction, with a commensurate increase in price. Finally, turbocharger center sections are often water-cooled via a connection to the engine’s coolant system in order to thwart heat from making its way from the “hot” to the “cold” side and to prevent extreme temperatures from turning the lubricating oil into carbon deposits inside the bearings. The size of the turbocharger has a big impact on engine performance; the larger in diameter the components are, the more airflow they can provide (and the more horsepower they can support), but this comes at the expense of slower response to changes in throttle position because of the increased inertia of the rotating assembly. Large single turbochargers are popular for drag racing where lag isn’t an issue, but for other forms of racing or street applications, twin turbo setups are popular, especially for V-type engines where each cylinder bank can have its own turbo. Some factory twin-turbo systems (I’m looking at you, MKIV Supra!) used two different sized sequential turbos, with the smaller unit providing boost at low load/RPM and transitioning to the larger one under full-boogie demand.

There’s Always More To Learn About Turbochargers

While we’ve looked at the basics of turbocharging, In the space we have available here, it’s impossible to cover all the important technical aspects of turbo system design and operation, and we’ve intentionally left out subjects like compressor housing A/R ratios, how to read a compressor map, the effect of intercooling, water injection, and cool-burning fuels like methanol, and dozens of others. Nevertheless, we’ve laid a foundation for further study, should you be interested in learning more. Remember, nobody is born knowing all this, and the only dumb question is the one that you never ask.

Mooneyes Over Yokohama

Anybody who has been around the motorsports industry knows the name Moon or at least the Mooneyes logo, which is one of the world’s most recognized logos. The company was founded right after World War II by Dean Moon who ran moonshine as a teenager and bussed tables in Pop Moon’s Café among the oil rigs of Santa Fe Springs, California.

Like all kids back then, Dean was enamored by automobiles and after a stint in the Air Force as a photographer he opened his own shop and began making parts for the hot rod fraternity. His first products included fuel distribution blocks for multi-carb assemblies, aluminum fuel tanks, gas pedals in the shape of feet and Moon discs that found their way onto racecars from Bonneville to the Indy Brickyard.

Back then, Dean was all about the industry.

The discs, made of spun aluminum and held on with Dzus buttons, or screws, are an aerodynamic aid that actually works—I’ve tested them in a wind tunnel—and they are still the wheel cover choice for land speed racers.

Back then, Dean was all about the industry. The very first Shelby Cobra was built in his shop in 1962. He was one of the founders of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and in 1964, became its second president. He was also instrumental in helping establish European drag racing when he sent his Mooneyes dragster to compete in England in 1963.

Dean passed away in 1987 and the company languished until Japanese enthusiasts Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama purchased it in 1992. Shige and Chico have been exemplary custodians of the Moon brand restoring the original facility in Santa Fe Springs, putting all the original product back into production, developing thousands of new products and hosting some of the best car shows on the calendar.

Now, almost 30 years old, their one-day, yes, one-day Hot Rod & Custom Show in Yokohama’s Pacifico Exhibit Hall is Japan’s largest indoor car show attracting car builders from around the world including Indonesia, Korea, and the U.S.

“There are no lines to divide us or define us, simply a great appreciation for the custom culture of any time and place.”Bobby Green, Old Crow Speed Shop

At the most recent event celebrities included bike builders Roland Sands, Shinya Kimura, Ryan Gossman, Hawke Lawshe, ‘Dynamite’ Joe Kerivan and many others. Car builders included Bobby Green of Old Crow Speed Shop, Victor ‘Reno’ Sevilla, Coby Gewertz, and Jack Fields and Edgar Hernandez of Starlite Rod & Kustom.

As you would expect, besides a huge array of cars and motorcycles there’s a wide range of entertainment from live bands such as the El Caminos, The Minnesota Voodoomen and Jackie and the Cedrics. New this time was a Pinup Girl contest that proved very popular along with the annual pinstripe extravaganza where artists were asked to decorate frying pans. It’s a little different from a skateboard and therefore all the more challenging.

There are parties galore from welcoming parties to the farewell “Thank You” bar-b-que. And I’ve never met anybody who went who didn’t have a great time. Indeed, Bobby Green said, “The Mooneyes Hot Rod & Custom Show is so much more than its name implies. There are no lines to divide us or define us, simply a great appreciation for the custom culture of any time and place.”

Besides the big, one-day bash in Yokohama, Mooneyes also host a lot of other shows both in Japan and the U.S. For more information on the Japanese shows visit: https://www.mooneyes.co.jp

For information about the U.S. Shows such as their Xmas party at Irwindale Speedway visit: www.mooneyesusa.com

On a Dime: Brake Tech – Brake Rotors

Brake Rotors

“Come on,” you’re probably thinking, “those break rotors are just big slugs of metal cut to fit my car.” Nope, break rotors are another very complicated part of your brake system. However, there is a huge misconception on how they should be designed. Those cross-drilled rotors you have are pretty much junk.

How Are Break Rotors Made?

Rotors are typically made of cast iron known as grey iron—a type of cast iron with graphite in the mixture and sometimes other compounds such as copper, silicon, or other materials that bond with iron. Early front disc brakes and many rear brakes today are a solid disc. However, these discs can have trouble with dissipating heat fast enough. This is where the invention of the vented disc brake came in to fix that issue.

Both types of discs are molded, but vented discs are done in a procedure known as sand casting. The veins of the vented rotor are made of a separate sand core. It’s placed between the cope (top portion of a mold) and drag (bottom portion of the mold) and the metal flows into the mold.

Those cross-drilled rotors you have are pretty much junk.

Once the metal cools, the core is removed by hammering it out, using air, or various other methods of removal depending on how the sand cast was made and bound. After that, the rotor is then machined for vehicle fitment before final surface finishing and coating—if a coating is being applied, that is. Drums are usually made in a very similar way with molds.

Rotor Faces

Rotor faces come in four distinct types: solid, slotted, cross-drilled, or slotted and drilled. How does each of those work and what are the advantages of each? We answer that in this rotor article.

Solid Face Rotors

A solid face rotor will be the most rigid and can dissipate heat very well. It can take a little more abuse and can also be resurfaced easily from “warping”. It’s the simplest design that all OEs take advantage of because it doesn’t require extra machining or complex work to build or mold it. While it’s simple, it’s still very effective in most high-performance brake systems where pad gassing and debris clearing isn’t an issue.

Slotted Face Rotors

A slotted faced rotor is designed to keep some of the rigidity and heat dissipation of the solid rotor but create a space for gasses and incandescent materials to be wiped away from the friction lining. Gasses come from the natural breakdown of the adhesive that holds the brake friction to the brake pad as it heats up from use. This gassing creates a bearing surface, like how an air gap works, and creates a form of brake fade because the gasses can’t be compressed. The slots transfer those gasses away from the friction and rotor surface along with the incandescent materials to improve braking performance in high-performance applications. A street car normally won’t see this, but if you track yours then you will and is why a slotted rotor is an excellent choice.

Cross-Drilled Rotors

A cross drilled rotor has holes drilled straight across each rotor face that also feature chamfered edges to reduce hot spots at those drill points. This design is for maximum degassing as the venting of the rotor helps pull those gasses away from the rotor surface. The problem you start to encounter with a cross drilled rotor is the reduction of surface area for cooling. This can cause heat stress cracks at the drill points and a loss of rigidity overall for the rotor.

With modern adhesives and pad construction, the requirement of a cross drilled rotor has been reduced to the point that they aren’t used that often. This includes professional motorsports. The exception is environments where having high rotor surface temperatures are needed for brake pad friction effectiveness or where the rotating material just needs to be removed. In other words, you don’t need a cross drilled rotor on your daily driver. The brake temperatures won’t be high enough for pad degassing and the pads you are using don’t need that much temperature to operate.

Slotted and Drilled Rotors

The combination of slotted and drilled seeks to gain the advantages of both: the maximum degassing of a cross drilled rotor and the wiping of the friction surface of the slotted rotor while also retaining some of the rigidity from the slotted rotor design. However, if you’re not experiencing any degassing issues with solid rotors, you’re not gaining much in terms of performance from switching to either version. You’ll also lose surface area that helps with cooling your brake rotors.

…if you’re thinking about getting those drilled or slotted rotors, you may want to reconsider.

Both a slotted and cross drilled rotor will be slightly lighter, but only by a few grams at best. Unless you’re in a Formula Car or maximized the reduction of the weight of your tires and wheels, losing weight at the rotor isn’t going to be of much use to you. It can be detrimental if you don’t buy a high-quality slotted or drilled rotor.

Losing Weight with a Two-Piece Rotor

However, if you want the maximum rigidity but want to reduce weight, you should consider a two-piece rotor with an aluminum hat, as you see here. The aluminum hat reduces the weight of the rotor significantly since that large mass of metal is of a lighter material. You also gain the ability to change rotor faces and material without changing the rotor hats and this type of hat can allow you to work with a custom design by just changing the hat instead of the whole rotor. This does come at a price increase over a solid hat and rotor but if you’re going for maximum lightness, the price usually isn’t a concern at that point.

How a Rotor Cools

Again, rotors come in solid disc or vented disc, with most front rotors being vented. The venting design is a centrifugal (radial) fan type, where—in the simplest terms—the blades create a low-pressure area on the outside of the rotor as it rotates. The high-pressure area between the blades flows in to fill in that low-pressure area, which then creates a low-pressure area behind that to pull in more air. Again, that’s oversimplifying it. Changing the angle of the blades can increase efficacy but will make the rotors directional. There are also multi-blade designs that direct airflow for better hot spot cooling.

So, if you’re thinking about getting those drilled or slotted rotors, you may want to reconsider. If you’re simply going for the looks, we can’t argue against it. If you’re going for performance, consider staying with a solid face rotor and finding other ways to either reduce rotational weight or brake cooling.

Choosing the Right Tire

Let’s face it, the weather out on the West Coast is awesome. The conditions are more or less predictable, the climate is almost always in the ’70s and sunny, and it’s generally easy to prepare for changes in conditions if, say, you travel up to Tahoe for some skiing.

But for those of us that live virtually anywhere else, Mother Nature chooses to be comparatively more cruel with her distribution of weather conditions. Those of us residing in the Midwest and on the East Coast, as surely you already know, experience seasons; actual changes in temperature and conditions from winter to summer and vice-versa.

Whether you’re an automotive novice or expert, you know that tires are your vehicle’s direct line of contact to the road. Aside from monitoring your vehicle’s tire pressure, treadwear, etc., it’s essential that you also choose the right tire for the season and conditions you’re driving in. The circumferential grooves, tread blocks, lateral grooves, and even whether or not a tire is siped can have an impact on how a vehicle handles and brakes in both the wet and the dry.

Every kind of tire from all-season to all-terrain has specific conditions in which they excel, and this article will help you decide on what kind of tire to use when.

All-Seasons, Not All-Conditions

These are the most common kind of tire found on standard passenger vehicles and SUVs. As their category name suggests, all-seasons can be used in virtually any weather condition. Most vehicles that are equipped with these kinds of tires are used for commuting, not racing, have tread patterns with wider circumferential grooves (for removing water), more basic lateral grooves and tread blocks, have lower speed ratings (S- or T-speed), and longer-lasting rubber compounds.

For vehicles that are more performance-oriented, a performance or ultra-high performance tire isn’t necessarily more appropriate but will compliment your vehicle’s handling and braking abilities in dry conditions, while maintaining wider circumferential grooves to disperse water. These tires have a more intricate, aggressive tread pattern from the outboard to inboard shoulders, higher speed rating (H- or V-speed), and a softer compound, which tends to wear quicker than regular all-seasons.

The Milestar MS932 Sport and MS932 XP+ tires are great examples of this. Both are high-performance tires that feature optimized tread patterns along with wide circumferential ribs and grooves for improved grip and water dispersion. Compared to the MS70, which has both vertical and variable siping for inclement weather, the Sport features lateral siping while the XP+ features 3D, zig-zag siping, which are geared more for a performance grip. The XP+ has the addition of wider shoulder tread blocks for better handling and cornering.

When it comes to colder and wetter conditions though, the performance-oriented all-season tires aren’t as great. Their rubber compounds aren’t made for colder temperatures and the more aggressive tread patterns mentioned limit the vehicle’s ability to not only grip the road but also disperse precipitation when there is water or snow on the road.

…tires are your vehicle’s direct line of contact to the road.

In extreme cases, this could result in hydroplaning, which is essentially when water cannot effectively pass through a tire’s circumferential grooves causing the tire to ultimately lose contact with the road.

Condition Specific Tires: Winter And All-Terrain 

When temperatures drop below 40 degrees or the terrain becomes rough, rocky, or muddy, an all-season tire isn’t going to cut it. Lower temperatures demand tires with specialized, temperature-specific rubber compounds for better grip, while inclement weather conditions and rougher terrain demand specialized tread patterns for better grip. That’s why winter and all-terrain tires exist.

A tire which has met the required performance criteria in snow testing (like the situations mentioned above) will be branded with a three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMS or 3PMSF) symbol on its sidewall. Traditionally, this designation was used only on winter-specific tires, but as of late, more all-seasons have been receiving the certification as well.

Both winter and all-terrain tires have wider, deeper circumferential grooves for maximum water dispersion along with siping. This is where siping, tiny straight or zig-zagged grooves within the tread blocks, really comes in handy. As the sipes come into contact with a surface, they aid the tread blocks with better grip.

In more extreme cases, adding studs to or wrapping them in chains might be necessary. These studs are small pieces of metal that can literally be installed into the tire’s tread and help the tire dig into ice and snow.

When temperatures drop below 40 degrees or the terrain becomes rough, rocky, or muddy, an all-season tire isn’t going to cut it.

Milestar’s Patagonia A/T W is an excellent example of a studdable tire, which has small indents throughout the tread for stud installation and is supplemented with segmented wishbone tread blocks and silica compound for better overall grip.

Similarly, wrapping a tire in specialized tire chains also helps a tire dig to ice and snow, but can be harmful to the pavement when ice or snow isn’t present. Consulting both your car’s user manual as well as with a tire shop is highly recommended if you choose to go for either of these options.

When it comes to all-terrain tires, their inboard and outboard shoulders are typically comprised of lugs—extra large “chunks” of tread—in addition to most standard tire components. The Milestar Patagonia M/T is a great visual example of this. It features high void, lugged tread for maximum traction on rough terrain.

With All That Being Said…

No matter which brand of tire you decide to purchase for your vehicle, it’s essential to choose the right one for it as it could potentially have a huge financial impact. Driving on a winter tire year-round, for example, will yield much quicker tread wear along with poor overall gas mileage. On the flip side, driving on an ultra-high performance tire in inclement weather puts you at a much higher risk of hydroplaning and even crashing.

“The choice is yours, and yours alone. Good luck!”

On a Dime: Brake Tech – Theory and Warping

Theory and Warping

Your brakes are possibly one of the most important parts of your car or truck. However, it’s probably one of the least well known after the shocks. Let’s talk about the basic theory of your brakes and discuss what “warping” really is.

You need to stop or slow down for that next corner but letting off the gas won’t slow you enough in many cases. In those cases, you need to get on the binders. When you hit your brake pedal, fluid is sent from the brake master cylinder to your calipers and/or drum wheel cylinder to move a set of pads or shoes against a rotating surface.

Those pads and shoes are fitted with a friction material that clamps down on that surface to take kinetic energy, in our case that is wheel rotation. That then turns that kinetic energy into thermal energy from the friction between the friction material and the rotor or drum surface. This friction causes the wheel to slow until it is stopped.

Well, they don’t warp like a wet piece of board does.

While your tire’s traction will determine how effective your braking is, the coefficient of friction of the brake liner will determine how much bite the pads or shoes will have on the rotors or drums. That thermal energy is then radiated away by airflow over the surface area of the rotor or drum.

Discs or rotors of the disc brake system do an equal amount of the hot work of the brake system, but they also do more than just transfer heat. Their face designs help the pads do their job, but what about the issue of rotors “warping?” Well, they don’t warp like a wet piece of board does. What’s happening is that the pads are leaving some of their friction material on the rotor surface under harsh braking.

Notice that “warping” is in quotation marks here. Your rotors do not warp in the sense that wood warps when it gets wet. Instead, what’s happening is that the brake friction material is transferring unequally to the rotor face. This can happen because of unequal temperatures on the surface of the rotor, a hotter spot on the rotor will transfer more friction material onto the rotor surface than the colder spot.

…what’s happening is that the brake friction material is transferring unequally to the rotor face.

This creates an uneven surface that transfers into the brake calipers and creates the judder and vibrations associated with “brake warping.” When a technician resurfaces the rotor, they are removing that access material along with the rotor surface to create an even face again.

That’s not to say a brake rotor can’t warp, but if it does there’s a whole host of other problems going on and usually, the rotor will crack and break before that warping happens.

Now that we’ve covered that, how about those rotors or brake pads?

Bias Ply vs. Radial Ply Tires: What Is the Difference?

When it comes to your standard driving tires, bias ply hasn’t been a term used in decades to describe the latest and greatest tires coming out on high-performance cars. In the racing, trailer, and even motorcycle worlds we still see bias ply but, even then, it’s quickly being displaced by radial tires. So, what is a bias ply and why has it been replaced by radial ply tires?

What’s being referenced when you talk about bias ply and radial ply are how the cords that make up the carcass of the tire are run from bead to bead. You’ll never see it until you wear the tread beyond its rubber layer. The term “bias” and “radial” are describing how the patterns of the ply are done.

A bias ply tire has its plies in a crisscross pattern as they overlap each other. So, one ply will lay in one diagonal (between 30- and 40-degrees from the direction of travel) while the other will lay in the opposite direction and would make an “X” if you were able to see through them. You can have multiple plies in a bias ply tire, too, usually in 4, 6, 8, or even 10 plies.

Most will be 4 plies, though. Bias ply tires also use far more rubber to create both the sidewall and tread as well as being supported by the plies. This was how tires were done from the 1930s all the way into the 1970s, with the last few cars coming with a bias ply in or around 1974.

A bias ply tire is far more flexible, so they can make for great off-road tires and drag radials where sidewall flex is beneficial. They also exhibit better traction at low speeds and in straight-line travel.

[Bias ply] treads wear faster and exhibit more rolling resistance, so you go through more money as you use up the tires and your gas far more often.

Because so much rubber is used, they are far more resistant to cuts and punctures. However, because they use so much rubber and are more flexible, they lose traction in cornering because they tend to roll-over on to the sidewall.

The treads wear faster and exhibit more rolling resistance, so you go through more money as you use up the tires and your gas far more often. This also means you’ll get flat spots if you allow a bias ply tire to sit on the vehicle’s weight for too long. You’ll also feel like your wandering due to cracks, ruts, and bad driving surfaces as these tires tend to follow those deformations.

While the tread isn’t directional, the way you rotate bias ply tires for maintenance is specific to them. You’ll take a left rear tire and move it to the left front, left front to the right rear, right rear to the right front, and right front to the left rear. Well, unless you have five tires (where you can use the spare as a normal driving tire) and then the left front becomes the spare and the spare moves to the right rear.

A radial tire, however, has its plies in a 90-degree pattern from the direction of travel from bead to bead (or radially from the center of the tire and where they get their name from). They have been around longer than most people realize, with tire patents dating back to 1915 by Arthur Savage in San Diego, California (the patents expired in 1949).

In France, Michelin designed, developed, patented, and commercialized a radial design by their researcher, Marius Mignol, in 1946 and Michelin X radial tires were installed as a factory standard tire for the 1948 Citroen 2CV.

…[Radial ply tires] have been around longer than most people realize…

The first factory standard radial tire for the US is credited to the 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III after the August 1968 issue of “Consumer Reports” showed that they had better tread life, better steering characteristics, and less rolling resistance.

What makes the radial superior to bias ply tires (outside of high-load capacity) is that those radial cords allow better flex. It makes a tire act more like a spring and improve riding comfort even as load capacity rating increases. This also increased tire life as the flexing required was easier than bias ply, which would resist and begin to overheat the tire. Because of its radial pattern and using less rubber, you’re able to run a much wider and flatter tire footprint.

These tires will also have a rigid set of belts to reinforce the tread, usually made of steel, Kevlar, polyester, Twaron, or sometimes even a combination of them. That means that your sidewall and tread function as two independent part of the tire instead of one like a bias ply.

These belts can also be added between plies to meet specific design goals like reinforcing the sidewall for puncture resistance, increasing load capacity, and many other objectives.

Because of that and the expansion of rubber compounds using silica, we’re starting to see more and more applications that use radial tires over bias ply. In racing, many tires are now radial over bias because of the advantages of feel and character of the radial.

Much like the carburetor, the bias ply won’t go away but it will be only around for the niche.

Even drag radials are offering more straight-line grip and sidewall flex needed for powerful launches on the strip with the added benefit of not needing inner tubes.

For off-road, radial tires offer better flex and more grip on the rocks and sand. Trailer tires have even begun to make the switch to radial, even in higher load capacities typically reserved for bias plies. If you’re trying to look period correct, there are even radial tires for you.

The short story is that the areas where bias ply dominated are no longer solely for them. Radials have become an acceptable replacement in those areas. As ply and rubber technology continues to improve, the need for any type of bias ply will be left for those who are just in it for numbers-matching correct restoration. Much like the carburetor, the bias ply won’t go away but it will be only around for the niche.

Is There an Ultra High Performance Tire Right for You?

You build your car and have made it look like something straight off the race track. However, you don’t plan on driving it on the track all that often. Should you really have a set of Ultra-High Performance tires (or commonly known as UHP tires) on something you don’t track?

Someone who builds a cool looking car that’s low and functional doesn’t always end up on the race tracks across the world. There’s nothing wrong with that and people have been doing that since the early days of hot rodding. Even if they do track their cars, many drivers assume they need UHP Summer or “R-compound” tires for their car when, in reality, they don’t need them for daily driving. They quickly realize they are starting to waste a lot of money on those rubber donuts.

This type of UHP tire is typically designed to be used in environments that are warm and dry enough that they provide the right amount of traction to drive fast. The tread itself is very thin, usually no more than 5/32-inch deep with few sipes and grooves.

They quickly realize they are starting to waste a lot of money on those rubber donuts.

This means the ultra-high performance tread pattern is focused on providing maximum grip to a “clean” driving surface and their tread blocks will have very few voids and channels for water evacuation. Their rubber compound will also be softer to provide more mechanical grip at the limit.

This also equates to a tire that can take some time to learn to drive on the limit with. Many times, they don’t make enough noise or even breakaway slowly. When you go over their limits, it characteristically happens fast and without any audible warnings like you get from your typical street tire. It’s why many track day teachers will tell you not to drive on a UHP tire on your first few events until you get used to your car and how to drive by feel rather than sound.

It’s these characteristics that also make a UHP Summer tire wear faster than a standard street tire and doesn’t work in all seasons. If you drive your car where it rains often or you must drive through even light snow, these tires won’t work. They just aren’t designed to evacuate precipitation that hits the ground and you’ll begin to hydroplane.

UHP Summer and even Winter tires aren’t meant for daily, yearlong driving…

While having a softer compound is great for cold climates—where normal street rubber would become harder and not grip—that compound will also wear much, much faster. Ultra-High Performance Summer and even Winter tires aren’t meant for daily, yearlong driving because they wear much faster in warmer weather.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a UHP tire you can’t take advantage of. You should look at the UHP All-Season tire for your daily driving needs. These tires have the tread pattern to allow for water and even snow evacuation so you have grip in the wet. The tread is usually between 8/32- and 11/32-inch deep but their tread siping is also designed to support their neighboring tread blocks using interlocking sipes. This means, as you corner in a high-G load, the tread blocks support each other and prevent them from bending too much during cornering, decreasing heat that leads to tire tread chunking and degradation.

They also have a specific tread compound that works in both warm and cold environments as they contain more silica in the compound. The black color your tires have comes from carbon black. This carbon black also helps determine the softness of the rubber compound, so the more carbon black, the softer the compound is.

…UHP All-Season tires really can let you have your cake and eat it, too.

Tire manufacturers have begun to use silica (also known as silicon dioxide), a type of compound that many try to describe as sand. Silica is only a part of sand, however, as this compound is also found in quartz and even living organisms.

What makes silica amazing, and why it’s being used in UHP tires more often, is that it provides a lower rolling resistance while also improving the grip of rubber tires and results in a more elastic and flexible compound at lower temperatures versus similar tires with more carbon black. According to Rubber World, “The use of silica can result in a reduction in rolling resistance of 20% and can also improve wet skid performance by as much as 15%, substantially improving braking distances at the same time.”

So, UHP All-Season tires really can let you have your cake and eat it, too. However, if you are participating in a track day and have some experience under your belt, you should be using a set of UHP Summer tires then. If you’re just trying to look the part, you can stick with the UHP All-Seasons all year long. That way, you get the benefits of more grip without the headaches of spending money on constantly replacing worn tires and worrying about hydroplaning in the wet.

RADWood World Tour Invades the Petersen Museum

Showcasing the Best Automotive Collection of the ’80s and ’90s

Car critics often described the cars of the ’80s and ’90s as uncharacteristic vehicles that were often flashy, overdone, and lacking in horsepower. If we could voice our opinion, we’d have to disagree, knowing a number of iconic vehicles such as the Toyota Supra (MK3 and MK4), Porsche 959, BMW M3 (E30), Mazda RX-7, and Ferrari 550 Maranello, to name a few, continue to be in high demand today.

In celebrating cars in the ’80s and ’90s era, the first RADwood event was held in San Francisco back in ’17. The event’s name was derived from the popular Goodwood Revival Festival overseas. Brad Brownell, one of the show’s co-founders, teamed up with his friends to introduce this unique event while bringing back the lost era of cars.

The first event brought about 150 vehicles and received such positive feedback that the crew decided to continue the tradition and followed up with their second event, this time around in Los Angeles.

…the event felt like Marty McFly jumping into his DeLorean and taking a time warp back in time.

That was more than a year ago as this final year’s world tour show was held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles with over 400 vehicles in the display.

RADwood’s popularity has quickly gone viral as onlookers and event followers have pleaded for the show to come to their hometown. RADwood spokesmen had informed us that there have been talks of expanding the event with additional dates including events in the UK and Japan next year.

From vintage muscle cars, commuter cars with custom pinstripes, to high-end supercars, the event felt like Marty McFly jumping into his DeLorean and taking a time warp back in time. Fashionistas were also on hand wearing bright colors clothing and women teasing their hairs with Aqua Net hairspray while wearing tight leggings.

A number of rare vehicles including a Vector W8 Twin Turbo were drawing crowds throughout the day. While the exterior of the vehicles look vintage by today’s standards, the 6.0-liter V8 sourced from General Motors performance was nothing to sneeze about, delivering 650-horsepower and 650-lb. ft. of torque.

Another vehicle you rarely see was this ’90s manufactured Bugatti EB110 with a 60-valve quad-turbocharged V12 engine that delivered over 560-hp with a top speed of 213-mph.

CMS Motorsports and Restorations brought out their Mercedes 500 SEC with custom gullwing doors. Sitting on top of their car was a briefcase with faux 100 dollar bills and a classic Motorola “brick” cell phone to complement their ’80s-themed car.

Sitting on top of their car was a briefcase with faux 100 dollar bills and a classic Motorola “brick” cell phone…

We’re not even going to ask what was going on with this Mustang and his jungle-themed murals!

If you’re looking to see some cool cars and have a groovy time, be sure to check out their website for upcoming tour schedules across the US and vehicle registration at: RADwood.co