There are plenty of ways to give new life to a vehicle, particularly if it's a build that's meant for display at one of the world's most prominent shows, like the SEMA Show. But standing out is crucial; you go up against the best, and to be (or beat) the best, you come with your A-game from beginning to end. One strong start for import car builders the past few years has been a Rocket Bunny kit; get one when it's fresh to the market and your debut will pop off right. But at SEMA, you need to do more than add a kit. You gotta go all out. Sometimes that means foregoing what anyone else is building and go completely your own direction.

Take Jay Shieh, for example. The owner of Spec R had the right connections to a Rocket Bunny kit but didn't want to build another FR-S or BRZ like everyone was doing. With the FD RX-7 kit coming to light, he made the decision to go with the older platform even though he had only a limited time to complete the car before the big show. Taking on a 20-year old chassis will make your work cut out for you; there will be plenty of issues to sort out, unlike a car that's fresh off the factory assembly line. 

Built with the help of RavSpec and Speed Tek, the RX-7 was stripped down to a bare shell, then painted Vintage Red Tri Coat instead of kept the original Montego Blue Mica by WD Ultimate Custom. The Rocket Bunny aero was also grafted on at this point, and any part that could be saved and reused was restored as best as it could before being reinstalled. A set of Nitto INVO tires, sized 255/35R19 and 305/30R19, were mated to a set of 19" Work Emotion CR2P wheels.

Back at Speed Tek, the factory 13B-REW rotary engine was given new life with a rebuild and a larger street port to the rotor housings. A new exhaust manifold was fabricated to compliment a Garrett GT3582 turbo upgrade. Other bolt-ons include a GReddy intercooler, Xcessive lower intake manifold and a custom 3" exhaust kit (from the downpipe to the muffler). An APEXi Power FC is used to dial in this new setup properly and is said to produce somewhere in the neighborhood of 500+ (est.) horsepower. 

As you might have guessed: Jay's FD did exactly as was intentioned: caught the attention of the people, as well as ours. A job well done. But, did you know that Rocket Bunny has just debuted a Boss front end? Might be time for a switch up...

(Original story and photos: Richard Fong, DSPORT)

Plenty of people think of restoring a vintage car and perfecting it to today’s standards – but not many succeed. Shops like Icon have done it for the Bronco, D&Z Customs churn out perfectly hoonable American muscle, and Hollywood Hot Rods has a reputation for even older cars-turned-beasts. But when we saw this hot red 1967 Chevelle on steroids, we had to know the full story.

Here to tell it first hand is Sal Perez, the guy behind the build with American Muscle Cars. We’re impressed that these guys took such a rust-bucket and turned it into a pro-touring SEMA build, and all in record time. Here’s the story from Sal’s perspective:

The whole concept of the 1967 Chevelle came into play when American Muscle Cars was approached by Dan Woods from Chop Cut Rebuild to share a project with Auto Metal Direct, an aftermarket sheet metal manufacturer. The premise was AMD would purchase the worst 1967 Chevelle they could find and would have the AMD installation center re-body panel the car in Atlanta at their facility before shipping the car to American Muscle Cars for mock-up, bodywork, paint, and final assembly. After giving it plenty of thought, and also being provided with a long list of industry giants donating parts to the project, I saw an opportunity and decided to agree to the project. Immediately I forwarded some ideas to Kris Horton (Kars by Kris) who began the blueprints and rendering. After all parties agreed on design and color we began the journey of building a TV Car.

A 1967 Chevelle was finally located and purchased outside of Atlanta and the AMD installation center began its part of the build. I made several trips to Atlanta to check on the progress of the metal work, it was soon discovered the car was worse than anybody thought as far as metal panel replacements.  With that said, Craig Hopkins at the AMD Installation center still powered through it with expertise and excellent body panels provided by Auto Metal Directs facility. Once the metal work was completed the stock factory chassis was outfitted with new suspension provided by Tony G from ABC Performance Suspension. Because of the aggressive wheel and tire package and ride height we wanted to achieve with this Chevelle, Tony G also installed a wider rear wheel tub for fitment. Rear suspension was completed with a Currie 9”. After two months of heavy metal replacement and suspension the car finally arrived at American Muscle Cars.

By the time we got it, the amount of time left to build the car seemed unrealistic. Not to mention having Dan Woods and his crew filming it all for Chop Cut Rebuild.  We all knew we would be working 24/7 and got our heads in the game. We began by gapping the body panels in order to have a more consistent gap between all the panels. Next, we modified both front and rear bumper for a tighter fit to the car as well as removing mounting bolts for a smooth look. The next hurdle was to build the hood from the rendering; the modified Super Sport outfitted with a portion of a cowl hood was completed and flowed into a cowl panel where all the louvers were welded to continue that smooth look. Due to the aggressive ride height and wheel/tire size we demanded, the next step was to modify the front inner wheel wells, trunk floor, outer rear wheel housing, and mounting position of the rear suspension.

We were sure there would be one more modifications once the LS3 525 HP and Tremec 6 speed transmission was delivered; both are part of GM’s Connect and Cruise package. Once the motor and transmission were getting installed, that last needed modification was apparent; we would need to tunnel the car. After completing that we began to mock up phase pedal assemblies, brakes, fuel tank and all related plumbing. Because we choose to use a factory front bench seat with a manual transmission we modified a factory original manual shifter to our Tremec transmission. Our next task was to begin wiring, which included Vintage air, power windows, dash, exterior, and interior components. We secured a location for the engine management system and completed wiring in the motor then continued to mock the car up as we moved into the engine compartment. Once that was complete, the Chevelle was transported to Magnaflow for exhaust installation and then the majority of the mock up phase was finished.

From Magnaflow the car was delivered to Ron Mangus Hot Rod Interiors where Ron and his team began mocking up our vision for the interior. Once back at the shop, we installed the HushMat with the help of Tim McCarthy.  From that point we began to dis-assemble the vehicle for body and paint and so began the tedious work of fit and finish. Our process began with body working panels and included three men working around the clock due to our tight build schedule. The car was body worked and block sanded three times and then prepped for paint. Early in conception I wanted a non-metallic, blood red exterior finish and PPG was able to provide us with exactly what we wanted.

While the Chevelle was being painted, this allowed our fabricators to dis-assemble the chassis and suspension where it was sent out for powder coating and all detail work. Once these components were back in our possession it was re-assembled along with Wilwood brakes and related plumbing. At this time the motor and transmission were also installed onto the chassis. After paint, we began the color sanding process; the finish was sanded down with four different grits of sand paper and buffed to perfection. Finally the body and chassis were re-united; doors were then installed as well as fenders, trunk lid, and hood. Front and rear glass and exterior components were then also installed to the car before moving into the interior and assembling the dash and installing power windows with the side glass. The car was then transported back to Ron Mangus for final assembly of the interior. The last phase was to once again transport the Chevelle to Westech Performance for initial start-up and Dyno testing.

What we wanted to achieve with this Chevelle were subtle changes that would warrant a second look.  To stay true to the rendering and build a 1967 Chevelle as if the parts available today were accessible back in 1967… to build a 1967 Chevelle on steroids!!!

For the past eight years, every Saturday, weather permitting, a bunch of Seattle enthusiasts amass in what amounts to the largest weekend-morning car gathering north of Los Angeles. But this gathering has something that possibly no other similar event can boast: the greatest number of exotics. According to its promoters, the show draws, on average, more truly exceptional cars than the lamentably cancelled Cars and Coffee Irvine did. And it’s not like Seattleites to boast.

Exotics at Redmond Town Center exists largely as a means to coax some of the more noteworthy vehicles from the comfort of their climate-controlled garages. It began in 2008 when a few friends started an exotic gathering in Bellevue. Wouldn’t it be nice, they proposed, if they could talk their way into a more formal meeting point at an upscale mall a few blocks north?

The first gathering at the mall began in February 2009 with 30 cars. This year’s season-opening event drew 400.

As you can see, this isn’t your garden-variety coffee klatch. Some of the biggest corporate titans operate within a few-mile radius of the event: AT&T, Eddie Bauer, Expedia, Honeywell, Nintendo, T-Mobile, UPS, and, of course, Microsoft. Anyone who works for places like that can afford to live pretty much anywhere. The prospect of no commute means a bunch live in the area, making a morning expedition manageable. As it is, some of these cars aren’t exactly “low-drama,” so anything to make the trip easier improves the car count. So we really owe Redmond Town Center a debt of gratitude for letting a bunch of cars clutter the lanes and parking lots.

The event draws cars that most people will never see anywhere outside of magazines. At events past, an SSC Ultimate Aero—once the fastest production car in the world—showed up. Soon after came a Bugatti Veyron, the car that bumped the SSC from the top of that list. A modern Lamborghini doesn’t do much for me, but a few dozen in one spot certainly got my attention. And the Ferraris. Ohthe Ferraris. Yeah, a LaFerrari showed up (shrug). That’s the kind of jaded indifference one gets after seeing the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder slumming it in a satellite lot. Bear in mind this is a lot populated with cars like a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the Pantera that once belonged to Tom Tjaarda, the guy who designed the car’s iconic body. Take that to mean there’s not a bad seat in the house. Also take it to mean that the least assuming cars are often the biggest deal at the show.

By sheer numbers Southern California may have more exotics than Seattle has, but they’re spread far and wide among a population and space far greater than Seattle. And Seattleites are just fine with letting California have the quantity; by in large, they’d much rather have the quality instead.

The 2016NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals continued its series with the best of Ford drag racers duking it out at the famous Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania. Because of the rain, the 16th Annual WyoTech NMRA Ford Motorsport Nationals were cut a little short, but everyone can agree they were definitely sweet.

Check out the full gallery above and see more at NMRAdigital.com. Next up: the 13th Annual NMRA Ford Supernationals June 9-12 at National Trail Raceway in Ohio!

(All photos courtesy of Pro Media)

Japan, in the 1960s was a nation ready to stretch out and show the world what their re-built manufacturing might could accomplish. The harsh postwar era, where spiritual defeat and industrial destruction dominated every aspect of life, seemed to finally be behind them. The Land of the Rising Sun wanted to make it clear that they were capable of much more than tin toys and transistor radios.

The Swingin’ Sixties put a heavy focus on fun, and what was more fun than small two-seat sports cars. The British and the Italians were selling agile, lightweight roadsters as fast as they could bolt them together. This didn’t go unnoticed by the Japanese carmakers. Built for the Japanese market, the Cosmo was a right hand drive marvel of innovation.

Japanese car companies had been building small and efficient transportation throughout the ‘50s. Now manufacturers wanted to make a statement. Tokyo was to host the 1964 Olympics; something considered impossible only a decade before. Just weeks before the world would travel to Japan, Mazda stunned the car world with a fun-looking sports car powered by a ROTARY engine. Built in Hiroshima, no less, Mazda demonstrated that Japan had the balls to come up with something completely new – The Cosmo.

Rotary Power Made More Promising

The rotary engine concept had been patented in 1929 by Felix Wankel. In the ‘50s the German car company NSU developed the design into working engines that offered simplicity, light weight and small size, compared to piston engines generating equal power. Everything sounded good on paper, but in reality the Germans had trouble making the seals last and the fuel economy wasn’t great.

Mazda was one of several manufactures interested in the rotary and made a deal with NSU to develop the promising engine design further. After years of frustration, Mazda engineers finally solved the engine sealing problems. The small piston-less motor put out 110 horsepower, which was very good compared to its British and Italian contemporaries. A five-speed gearbox was also something that the Europeans could only dream about. No automobile had been put into production with a completely new type of engine since the earliest days of the horseless carriage. None of this was lost on the automotive world. Mazda would even use the rotary shape in their company logo.

Now they just needed a platform as unique as the powerplant.

Luxury Options to Usher in the Space Age

Where the British and Italian sports cars offered spartan comforts and decade-old technology, the Mazda engineers made sure that they packed luxury and innovation into their new flagship.  The Steering wheel and chrome-bezeled gauges were pure tradition, but air conditioning would be a factory option that was unheard of in the European sportscars.

The A/C exit vents were another unique styling feature, located at shoulder height between the seats. The dashboard was loaded with gauges and switches, again, in sharp contrast to its European competitors. Even the name, Cosmo, was chosen to suggest the high technology of the culturally important 1960’s space race.

The slick body owes something to the Pininfarina- styled Alfa Romeo Spyders but is also unique in its many styling details. Racing-style plex-covered headlights, side vents and forward mounted mirrors all suggest a high-end automobile. The large taillights especially, with their above and below the real bumper positioning, are something only seen on the Cosmo. As a total package, the Cosmo was way ahead of its competition.

About 80 pre-production test cars were built in 1965, followed by about 1500 first-generation Cosmos built between 1967 and 1972 and all of them were for the Japanese market. They were essentially hand-built at the rate of about one per day. Their rarity has made them valuable collectors items.

This car, one of about three in the U.S., is a part of the Galpin Collection. Mazda parked it in their display at the 2015 L.A. Auto Show. Most weekend attendees walked right past it, looking for the latest custom or high-tech concept. The few who recognized it for what it was and the important place it holds in the automotive landscape could hardly believe their luck in being able to examine a Mazda Cosmo up close.

The Cosmo wasn’t built in large enough numbers to be a true world-beater. Soon after it’s debut, Toyota would uncover it’s incredible new and even more exclusive Porsche-killing 2000GT supercar. But in it’s own way the Cosmo was a cannon shot from Japan shouting to the world that Japanese industry and innovation had been reborn. And it wouldn’t be long before it was once again, a major force to be reckoned with.

Photos by Tim Sutton.

May 14^th was the 9^th Annual Go Topless Day hosted by All Things Jeep. Although the flagship event is held in New England every year, many Jeep clubs across the country hold local events to celebrate the warm weather of spring by taking their tops off and having fun in their Jeeps with trail rides, picnics, and charity events.

This year, we attended the Go Topless event hosted by the Misfits Offroad Club. The full day of fun was held at the 4Wheel Parts in Temecula, California. While there was a Jeep Jamboree taking place not far away in Big Bear, the Misfits event had a fantastic turnout and good support from vendors. 4Wheel Parts even had a great setup for the event with plenty of parking, vehicle display areas, a large vendor row, and plenty of fun for Jeep owners.

The Misfits hosted a raffle with some great prizes like a 50-inch light bar, a Gatekeeper by Excessive Industries, gift cards and a drone. The raffle proceeds benefitted COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors), an organization that provides support to the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

The highlight of the event was the Car Crush. If you’ve never seen a Car Crush before, it is exactly what it sounds like – several old cars are chained together and secured so Jeeps can drive over top of them, crushing in the roofs and breaking the windows. We don’t envy whoever had to clean up the mess.

4Wheel Parts had four cars set up for the Car Crush. This Unlimited JK on Nitto Trail Grapplers made it look easy.

Others learned the hard way that bigger isn’t always better. This Ford F-250 Super Duty got stuck and had to be carefully towed off of the pile. The previously unscathed truck had some nice battle scars after that.

The women were showing off their skills behind the wheel too.

Not to be outdone by the guys, one woman drove over the car crush both forward and backwards, and made it look like a walk in the park.

At the far end of the Car Crush, there was an RTI ramp for more bragging rights.

Don’t forget to disconnect your sway bar before trying this at home! A quick reaction from the guys who jumped on to add weight to the high side averted the potential disaster.

We spotted Nitto team driver Bailey Cole relaxing and checking out the action from the top of his Ultra4 spec car.

Attendees enjoyed free tacos when they weren’t crushing cars, and the local radio station DJ kept the party going with more fun and games. Many participants enjoyed playing rock paper scissors to win prizes.

There was a salute to all military veterans with free raffle tickets provided for them.

Of course, there were plenty of highly modified rigs to check out, and not just topless Jeeps.

Check out the amazing paint job on Hendo’s Scout It’s a 1973 International Scout II owned by Dan Henderson and customized by Black Ops 4x4.

Black Ops 4x4 showed up with some of its big Jeeps.

Near the end of the event there was a pile on to see how many Jeeps could fit on top of the crushed cars. Six Jeeps and two trucks managed to get at least a tire on the pile of wreckage.

Thanks to the Misfits Offroad Club and 4Wheel Parts in Temecula for a great day of fun!

Did you attend a local Go Topless Event? Tell us about it in the comments!

At the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, DAMD Styling Effect revealed their kit that turned the Toyota 86 into a LFA look-alike, dubbing it the LFT-86. Fast forward to 2015 where they came back with the 86 Vantage kit that took styling cues from an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The Scion FR-S (soon to be Toyota 86) is one of the most popular sports compact vehicles in the US, especially amongst the tuner community, but you’ve probably never seen this kit outside of Instagram. That is until now.

Sandy Lirag, founder of OEM Audio+ and an 86 enthusiast, came back from a recent trip to Japan with one thing in mind, be the first to bring the kit stateside and build an 86 Vantage for himself.

Dreaming of becoming a secret agent just got a little more affordable. It will cost you around $100,000 less than a real Aston Martin V8 Vantage, but it will still make you do a double-take. DAMD gave the 86 a complete makeover inside and out, the front bumper has a signature Aston Martin-inspired grill that helps give this JDM car a more British feel.

The spoiler is another big change as the kit covers the entire surface of the trunk. It actually reminds me more of a hardtop Spoon Sports Honda S2000 hardtop, but either way, it subtly changes the silhouette of the 86.

The kit also includes a new rear bumper, fender garnishes and even DAMD emblems, including an “86 Vantage” name badge, so no one gets confused. There is an option to paint match all of the aero parts, but Sandy simply had to take it to Doug Starbuck of Star Side Design, the same man he trusts to paint the custom OEM Audio+ subwoofer enclosures.

In true MI6 fashion, Sandy installed BlackVue cameras in the front, rear and door mirrors so that he can always keep an eye on it. The DAMD BLLED heated mirrors have some sneaky upgrades on their own with turn signal indicators and blue tint to reduce glare.

With it all coming together Sandy already has one of the most unique 86s in the US, but he isn’t satisfied with just the kit. H&R Springs Street Performance Coilovers and Gram Lights 57FXX give it a stance James Bond would be proud of. The stock lights are swapped out with the more elegant Spyder headlights and Helix Depo K Shade taillights.

Sandy also went with a DC Sports exhaust system, just so you know he’s coming before you even see him.

Speaking of 007, DAMD also offers an interior package to complete the classy British motif. To match the sleek steel exterior, Sandy went with the tan leather seats and armrests with dark brown for the dash, boots and rest of the trim.

The final touch to Sandy's 86 was outfitting the sound system to make it sounds like he’s listening to the orchestra during his commute. Soon to be releasing FR-S / BRZ sound deadening kit by HushMat is treated in the doors and headliner to quiet any road noises to allow their trademark Reference 450Q to shine. The way their plug and play sound system replaces factory components and tucks away nicely flows with the clean and elegant status the 86 Vantage kit upholds.

This project officially debuted at the 2016 All Toyotafest in Long Beach, CA, and definitely made an impression.

Check out its feature in our 21st All Toyotafest – Top 21 list, and browse the gallery below for even more insider photos!

As activities go, car building has some of the most latitude. It’s entirely driven by the prospect that you can have pretty much whatever you can afford to dream; focus groups and government oversight be damned. For the most part there are few constraints, the only person to please is yourself.

But there ARE a few unspoken commandments. Primary among them: Thou shalt not mix American and Japanese style.

That alone is enough to scare off the average enthusiast. But Jon Mannila is far from average. His shop, Metalworks Classics in Eugene, Oregon, turns out some damn respectable stuff; hot rods and restorations alike.

Of course he doesn’t do it alone. He relies on a diverse group of craftsmen, among them Tim Bridges. Bridges has a thing for 510s. Drives a snappy pale yellow one in fact. It’s tough to see a righteous car regularly and not harbor some sort of aspirations to build one of your own. But more than see a cool car, Mannila says he saw an opportunity to do something different.

Mannila drew partly upon the body of work developed by Pete Brock, a veteran sports-car racer who prepped 510s well before this supposed non-hybridization rule existed. Among other things Brock built cars for the Mexican 1000, precursor to the legendary Baja 1000. And there’s hardly anything more ’Murrican than racing down Mexico’s peninsula.

The car Mannila set out to build reflects Brock’s more conventional (and accessible and certainly more familiar) sports cars, in fact copying the Brock hallmark, the red-and-white paint scheme. It’s risky and largely unnecessary to alter the proportions of an icon so Mannila followed time-honored hot-rod practice by shaving the unnecessary badges and side lights. But don’t take that as fear of ruffling feathers; he also shaved the sail-panel vents, something that strikes directly at 510 purists’ sensibilities.

The body may be slightly hot rod but the chassis is all track. The front rides on a set of T3 coil-over strut housings with adjustable camber plates. The 510 and the 280 it inspired suffer a bump steer, a dynamic caused by a misalignment between the control-arm and tie-rod centerlines. MD Machine spacers minimize the misalignment and restore the roll center upset by lowering the nose. Datsun steering boxes also deflect, a consequence of mounting to basically sheet metal; however, a steering-box brace gives the box a better foundation. 

Lowering a 510 wreaks havoc with rear-wheel camber and toe. Kelvin Dietz’ penultimate slotted rear crossmember kits restores the alignment and tunes out a bothersome oversteer issue. The rear of the car rides on a set of Dodge D50 pickup front coils, springs with an uncannily ideal rate once trimmed. KYB Gas-A-Just dampers and Suspension Techniques anti-roll bars further control the wheel motion.

In a sea of later engine swaps and electronic retrofits, this car’s carbureted L18 stands out as an old-school landmark. It’s built by Rebello Racing specs and even wears one of the company’s ported heads. An aggressive mechanical-bucket cam and 45mm Weber DCOE carburetors unlock the L-series engine’s high-speed potential even if at the cost of low-speed grunt.

A hybridized drivetrain begins with a five-speed 280Z transmission. As odd as it seems, Datsuns and Subarus share some components; the consequence of Datsun/Nissan’s part ownership of Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company. A limited-slip WRX-STI gear carrier gives both rear tires nearly equal bite, a requirement for respectable lateral acceleration…not to mention the ability to set the car up in a tasty drift. Bearing this punishment are 195/50R15 hides on Rota RB wheels, near carbon copies of the eight-spoke Panasports that defined early 510 racers.

It has a full cage which is fairly universal, but the remainder of the interior is pure hot-rod Americana: cream leather trim; Billet Specialties wheel, handles, and cranks; Hurst shift knob; Dakota Digital gauges in a fabricated dash; and German square-weave carpet. Nothing rolls out of Metalworks Classics shop without the potential to deafen someone. In this case it’s a Rockford Fosgate system from the marine head unit through P400-1 and -2 amplifiers, a 5 1/4” component set, and a single eight-inch sub in the console.

Though compelling, this multi-cultural mix-up is nothing original. In fact Datsun borrowed heavily from German design for the 510—call it a beggar’s Bimmer if you will. But like a good old glass of beer, this particular car finds common ground in three radically diverse cultures.

More recently this car found a new home in Kevin Winn’s garage. A Datsun nut for nearly 40 years, he understands the blend of Japanese, American, and German flavors; a combination he celebrates with his right toe planted firmly against the firewall.

At an enthusiast event recently, I was checking out the amazing carbon fiber interior details of an Ariel Atom. Behind me, two guys started talking...

Guy 1: “Dude, is that one of those Slingshots?”

Guy 2: “Yeah it is. Did you see Shaq pimp his one on West Coast Customs?”

Guy 1: “Yeah, man, that was cool.”

And they were right. Yet, also terribly wrong. Shaq’s Slingshot on West Coast Customs is cool. But one could watch Shaquille O’Neill play a wish-granting genie that pops out of a boom box and it would be cool. (If you ever watched the 1996 film “Kazaam,” you know exactly what I’m talking about.) In case you missed that cinematic masterpiece, don’t fret. The point is, Shaq makes lots of things awesome. But what isn’t awesome is confusing a somewhat sluggish reverse-trike for one of the most exciting production vehicles of all time.

So first, let’s lay the groundwork for knowing the difference between an Ariel Atom and Polaris Slingshot...

They’re both low flung, they’re both open frame. They both have roughly the same pointed front end and wide footprint. However, that’s just about where the similarities stop.

The Slingshot is, as we’ve established, a reverse-trike – one wheel in front and two in back and, according to the manufacturer, is designed to be “a 3-wheeled motorcycle.” Like a motorcycle, it has no roof, doors or windows. But unlike a motorcycle, it doesn’t lean, and the Slingshot uses a gear stick, brake pedals, clutch pedals and the throttle is, you guessed it, a pedal. Unlike a motorcycle it weighs 1,743 pounds, which is twice the weight of a Harley and about the same weight of a SmartCar and is powered by a GM Ecotec engine.

Sounds good right?

Well, that’s the engine from the Pontiac Solstice, which is only cool if you’re a die hard Breaking Bad fan. The Slingshot is manufactured by Polaris who also makes ATVs, snowmobiles, Victory motorcycles and, as of 2011, the new Indian motorcycles. So cruising bikes are something they understand and do well. Polaris doesn’t officially state the Slingshot’s 0-60mph stats, but Car and Driver estimates the acceleration time at “probably less than 5 seconds” which is impressive. But shouldn’t an ultralight vehicle or even a 3-wheeled motorcycle be able to beat a Volvo? The V60 Polestar’s 0-60 is 5 seconds, so that means that basically every soccer mom can pass you on the freeway. But passing screaming kids on the highway isn’t the Polaris’ intent. That job is reserved for the Atom.

The Ariel Atom is a high performance street-legal vehicle made by Ariel Motor Company in England. What started as a school project by a kid named Niki Smart, the original version was called the LSC (Lightweight Sports Car) and debuted at the British Motor Show in 1996. Within 10 years, a modified version became the Ariel Atom and became the third fastest accelerating production car in the world behind the Bugatti Veyron and the Ultima GTR. It got that title in 2005, and by 2011 the Ariel Atom outdid itself by setting a lap record at the Top Gear test track. James May said, “Driving the V8 Atom is one of the great motoring experiences of my life.” And perhaps you’ve heard, that guy has done some time behind the wheel.

Here in the States, the Atom is manufactured exclusively in Virginia by TMI Auto Tech at the Virginia International Raceway. Like the Slingshot, the vehicles have no doors, no roof and no windows. But unlike the Polaris model, each Atom is built to order. Available options include carbon fiber body panels and wings, aluminum radiator and a quick-release steering wheel. With this speed, customization and pedigree comes at distinctly non-Polaris price, the Atom 3 starts at $64,500, which is roughly three times the price of the Slingshot.

Is one better than the other? Well, one certainly would smoke the other around a track. And one would make a significantly larger dent in your kid’s college fund. Other than that, they’re exactly the same. Not really. They couldn’t be more different. So please don’t mix them up at a car show. Thanks.

If you want to do some heavy-duty So Cal ‘off-roading, Gold Mountain in Big Bear is a must-run. Trail 3N69 is about four-miles long and one of those gems that works for a lot of vehicles. Since there are bypasses along the trail and room to move around larger obstacles, the trail is as hard as you want to make it. The trail’s challenges are spread out, so that even on the busiest days, the traffic jams aren’t all in the same section.

Trail character varies from knife-edged rock steps (often called “waterfalls”), heavily worked ledges, conglomerate rock-dirt steeps, and boulder-style scree fields of granite, so hard it literally sings beneath your tires. Gold Mountain’s terrain changes from week to week and weather to weather, too. Our run in February found snow and mud on the leeward side of the mountain, and the exposed southern side was well filled. By May, the southern side was chewed up, and the northern side, previously snowed over and almost easy, had become a ledge-fest through dense mountain pines.

Way back when, this uphill artery was used for all sorts of mining and workmanlike transport (though the poorly named Gold Mountain’s hyped riches never panned out). Nowadays, going up is rich with “Try this!” and steel bits.

A gen-three 4Runner, LS1-powered 1970 FJ-40 and 1983 CJ-7 with a carbureted 327ci engine assembled just past dawn on the road leading from camp in Holcomb Valley. With a Jeepers Jamboreeing in Big Bear, hitting the trail early was the only option.

Less than a mile up Gold Mountain, the trail gets crunchy. We cannot stress enough the need to be right with your spotter. This CJ’s owner, put his Jeep into a few rinse/repeats he could have one-shotted by reconnoitering.

Spotter says “Slow”, driver says “Go”, and suddenly your Jeep’s a foot in the air. Small block and a five-speed can make a CJ do that. Throttle control is a plus at strange angles.

Since its last time on Gold Mountain, Mikey from ICON had swapped the six-leaf springs on this FJ for re-arched BDS five-leafs. The improvement was noteworthy, as articulation on 33’s was greatly improved.

Fit with Old Man Emu 891s and Dodge 2500 front shocks, this third-gen 4Runner’s rear suspension worked well to twist the SUV over the rocky climb.

The FJ’s new springs worked with its six-speed small-block to make the slow crawl uphill compliant and drivable. Meanwhile, watch that tree – it has teeth.

Returning the favor, the Renegade gets a spot from FJ guy. Short-wheelbase rigs are more common on these trails, so their footfalls are dug out, making repeated use of the same line more difficult. Rock stacking was not optional here.

While the 4Runner’s wanderlust rear axle drooped with aplomb, its length proved problematic in this feature: the required left-hand cut gave that rare Biting Scrub Pine a shot at its tailgate. Note: the number of people who gather to watch you is inversely proportional to the expectation of action. Less drama means fewer onlookers.

Because Mikey was bored, he R&R’d a power-steering line. Seriously, during a ten-minute break on-trail (letting the Colorado Jeepers by), he replaced a high-pressure line off the pump. He later commented that he’d been worried about it popping and he had the parts.

It wasn’t just Jeepers from Colorado on Gold Mountain that day. A large contingent with the 24^th Big Bear Jeep Jamboree were on the hill; probably more than 100. These folks were fun and friendly once we got the prerequisite Jeep jokes out of our system.

Gold Mountain is popular enough that you’re going to see a broad selection of capable rigs, Jamboree or no. And, while at Power Steering Bar, an entertaining assortment of other ones sauntered by. These ‘90s Range Rovers are V8-powered and quite capable on-trail (once the OE axles are limbered up, and if you can afford to repair them). Apparently, you can stash an entire winch behind the grille.

On the Rovers heels was a well-executed Toyota pickup doing its best gen-one 4Runner impression (second-row seats included). Bobbed with an exo ‘cage and solid-axle conversion, the mountain posed no real challenge. The driver kindly apologized for photo-bombing a Jeep event just as we thanked them for the same.

The boulder field, a steep rock garden with countless avenues for trail play, presents a day’s worth of options. Despite hoping to spend time here, our group’s CJ had a few issues, so we made it through quickly.

With only one obstacle left before a comparatively relaxed descent, Mr. Renegade took a knife to the power-steering belt and soldiered up the last boulder-dirt-vertical obstacle on tough-guy steering.

The northern end of Gold Mountain Trail is much more approachable. It’s common to find groups of unmodified vehicles at the peak that traversed Gold Mountain Trail from the leeward side. This 4Runner was descending in a group with a Tundra, two GXs, and Toyota pickups.

A generational moment for you (the GX running 4Runner wheels, too). Ironically, a GX has won an “Of The Year” competition or two in its day. Something not many other SUVs with rear heated seats can say.

Creativity, experience, and a serious fabrication skillset are the keys to building a vehicle tough enough to survive the hardest Ultra4 Race there is- King of the Hammers. With an extremely high attrition rate, just finishing KOH is no small feat. For 2016, Erik Miller took to the throne for the second time. While luck and talent both take a role in capturing the crown, having the right machine for the job also plays a major role. As one of only a handful of top-tier competitors running a solid-front axle race machine, Erik’s Miller Motorsports Pro Chassis continues to prove that an independent front end isn’t the only way to be fast in the desert.

We were interested to see how the battle-proven rig held up after such a brutal race. So, we peeled back the layers on this intricate machine for a closer look.

Once you remove the .040-inch aluminum panels, you’re left with a stunning array of strategically placed tubing. The Miller Motorsports Pro Series chassis takes cues from an assortment of off-road racing disciplines. Given the brutal racing conditions it often endures, the chassis is comprised largely of 1.75, 0.120-wall 4130 chromoly tubing. For the sub-frame, and more impact-prone areas, 1.75, 0.188-wall chromoly was used. For added strength, the sub-frame is reinforced with 7075-T6 solid aluminum.

Powering the 5,200-pound race car is a John Bouchard LS7 engine that’s pumping out 700 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. The 428ci V-8 has a 12:1 compression ratio, Wiseco small dome pistons, Trick Flow GenX 260 heads, custom Comp Cam, PAC-1207X valve springs, Ti-17 retainers, PAC rocker and trunnion kit. The FAST LSXR intake manifold helps channel the air, while a custom set of headers feed the DynoMax race bullet mufflers. The electrical system gets its charge from a Mechman alternator and dual Total Power 1500 series batteries.

Miller uses a double-ended hydraulic steering ram from Howe Steering. The fact that hydraulic steering is easy to package and doesn’t inhibit the 16 inches of vertical wheel travel makes it a go-to for many Ultra4 drivers. Miller’s Howe setup is custom built for his rig and works excellent with the Spidertrax 3.5 Pro Series axlehousing.

A four-link front suspension with heat-treaded 4130 chromoly links and massive 1.25 FK spherical rod ends keeps the axle in place. Since the upper arms are triangulated, there’s no need for a track bar. Getting its marching orders from the JE Reel front driveshaft is a Gear Works big bearing HP10 third member. Inside, the high-pinion differential uses 5.43:1 gears and a spool to move the Spidertrax 40-spline 300M Pro Series axleshafts. A Canton pan and Accusump accumulator make sure the engine doesn’t starve for oil.

Channeling the power from the Miller Pro Spec TH400 transmission is an Advance Adapters race-spec Atlas II. The two-speed gear-driven transfer case was built with a 3.0:1 low-range ratio, which is plenty gear reduction for blasting through the rocky sections on the trail and track. As is the case up front, a JE Reel 0.250-wall driveshaft fit with 1350 U-joints keeps things turning.

Out back, you’ll find a Spidertrax 4-inch Pro Series ‘housing that’s stuffed with a Gear Works big bearing LP10 differential. The 40-spline Gear Works spool feeds 300M Spidertrax axleshafts. Similar to the front, the upper control arms are triangulated to isolate the rear axle.

Ensuring Miller has enough stopping power in the dirt are Wilwood DynaPro six-piston calipers at all four corners. These performance clampers are used to sandwich Spidertrax HT Pro Series brake rotors. To makes sure that the car can handle a constant beating, Spidertrax Ultimate unit bearings and 300M studs were used.

Miller spends an incredible amount of time dialing in his car’s suspension. Up front, 14-inch-travel Fox 2.0 coilovers work with four-tube 2.5 Fox bypass shocks. Depending on the race, Miller will rotate in different spring rates of his PAC Racing Springs. To provide a more controlled final stage of up travel, Fox 2.0 bumpstops are used, while limit straps make sure the setup doesn’t over extend. Another tool used to fine tune the suspension is the 28-spline PAC Racing Tomahawk sway bar.

One area that Miller’s setup has evolved since his first King of the Hammers win, is the rear suspension. Specifically, he’s moved the shocks from the rear axle, to a more desert oriented trailing arm configuration. The move nets him greater suspension travel, which is critical in keeping up a competitive pace. Attached to the 4130 heat-treated lower links are Fox 2.0 coilovers and Fox 2.5 five-tube bypass shocks. PAC Racing Springs support the rig and work to modulate the 20 inches of vertical wheel travel.

Inside, the two-seater is all business. Sparco Pro 2000 seats are matched with Hooker Harnesses, while a quick-release Sparco P270 steering wheel makes getting in and out a bit easier. Instrumentation comes from a RacePack digital dash, which works with a harness and computer from Pacific Fabrication. Missing from the GPS mount is a Lowrance 10-inch HDS, which is incredibly helpful in races such as King of the Hammers. All communication needs are handled by Rugged Race Radios.

Depending on the race course, Miller has a few options for protecting the back of his rig. Since tire failure is extremely rare for his Nitto-adorned racer, and many of the races can come down to seconds, Miller doesn’t run a spare tire. Mounted vertically behind the cabin is the 38x19-inch Ron Davis radiator, which keeps the rig cool with the help of dual 16-inch Spal electric fans.

Feeding the engine is a Miller Pro Spec Fuel Safe 40 gallon cell that’s fit with dual 044 Bosch fuel pumps and All-Tech baffles. Aeromotive fuel filters and regulator moderate the race fuel, while Fragola -8 lines carry it where it needs to go.

For times when driving up the obstacle simply isn’t an option, a Warn Zeon 10-s winch is there to help. Nighttime driving is aided by ARB Intensity series LED lights.

A winning combination for Miller has been his 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers. The Grapplers have proven time and time again to be extremely durable in the most extreme off-road conditions. To make sure the Nitto’s stay put on race day, a set of Method 201 Forged beadlock wheels are used to clamp the heavy-duty rubber in place.

Specs At A Glance

Wheelbase (in): 113

Width (in): 85

Belly height (in): 15

Appx weight (lbs): 5,200

Hear what the king has to say about his car in this video here!

It's true. Everything's bigger in Texas, from the BBQ to pickup trucks, and now you can add Auto Enthusiast Day to the list. With its second outing at Globe Life Park, it wasn't only bigger trucks, Duallys and Jeeps that came to participate; attendance was also crushed as the number of spectators more than doubled from last year's successful event.

With fingers gripping onto the chain-link fence, all eyes were on Team Nitto Tire as they performed thrilling drifting and off-road driving demonstrations throughout the day. Fan favorite Matt Powers and last year's Formula D PRO2 champion Alex Heilbrunn was joined with Formula D's most winningest driver, Samuel Hübinette. Raising the stakes, Currie Enterprise brought out a ramp for Cody Currie and the father-son duo of Shannon and Wayland Campbell to play around with.

When the track area wasn't lit, the party was happening at either the car show area or vendor row, where spectators had the opportunity to take home plenty of goodies. If you happened to get a BBQ-stain on your white T-shirt, we hope you were able to stop by the Driving Line booth to get yourself an exclusive Shannon Campbell or Loren Healy T-shirt. Sho'nuff, by the end of the day there was only one more thing people were waiting for: the awards ceremony. It was all smiles for CJ "The Joker" Dunlap, who took home the coveted King of Texas award with his Ford F-350 Dually.

(Photos: Jonathan Wong)

What was your favorite part of the event? Browse through the gallery and check back in at Driving Line soon for more coverage and features!

Formula Drift’s entry-level professional series is back for a second year, and in contrast to last year’s first round held at Orlando Speedworld, this year put its Pro 2 drifters to the test at the much faster, much more precise Road Atlanta round — a decision many are calling “hasty” in hindsight.

What’s important to remember is that Pro 2 competitors have earned their licenses by winning or earning a podium spot for season championship points in a Pro-Am series, like Top Drift, Southwest Drift or Midwest Drift Union. They know how to drift. But the jump from Pro-Am competition to Pro 2 requires much more from its competitors today than ever before.

Formula D's Pro class all but requires 1,000+hp, loads of grip, a fully-built chassis and consistently close, precise tandem abilities for drivers to remain competitive. While its veteran pros have been able to enjoy the series’ gradual evolution to that point, Pro-Ams are graduating from a world where half as much power in mildly modified street cars and inconsistent tandem battles are the norm, and need to prepare for the big leagues in just one off-season.

And as we saw this time around, that’s not the easiest feat to pull off. Over a dozen talented ams filled the Pro 2 starting grid in Atlanta, and most fell victim to mechanical failures in their brand-new cars or had an understandably tough time maintaining close proximity to each other (or even staying on course) throughout Road Atlanta’s fast entry and uphill/downhill tandem section. It’s not surprising that top four finishers were drivers who had either Pro or a previous year of Pro 2 competition under their belts.

Standing atop the Pro 2 podium once the cars were towed back to the pits, oil was cleaned up and ultimately some copious amounts of tire smoke had cleared was FD veteran, Jeff Jones (who also competed in Pro competition for the weekend — don’t ask us how), after his rather impressive battle with Second-place finisher and fellow FD vet Ryan Litteral. Taking Third was Marc Landreville, also a driver with FD Pro-level experience, who after a “one more time” battle narrowly edged out crowd favorite "Rad" Dan Burkett and his Supra, who's returned for his second year of Pro 2 competition.

Look for all these guys to improve on their standings throughout the season, and also Top Drift alums (Pro 2 rookies) Trent Beechum and Matt Madrigali to surpass their technical woes and make a dent on the season standings. Next up: Orlando Speed World in less than a month.

We had some fun with our recent black and white photo shoot feature we did on Erik Miller’s 2016 King of the Hammers winning car (you can read the article here). We figured some of you may want to see the rig in all of its glorious color detail, so we put together a gallery for your viewing pleasure.

To get the full rundown of the Miller Motorsports car direct from the King’s mount, click here!

There are cars so obvious of their likelihood of appreciating in value that whittling them down into any sort of list doesn’t do anybody a whole lot of good. What’s that, Captain Obvious? Acura’s Integra Type R is worth more now than it was brand new back in 1997? You don’t say.

Japanese supercars, 1970s and 1980s classics that already fetch more than what they initially did, and anything Type R withstanding, here are seven wild guesses contenders for cars that, in a few short years, you might wish you would’ve bought. Call them future classics if you want, but none of ’em will make your rich, and your financial advisor will never by okay with you paying six-grand for a 1988 hatchback, and absolutely none of that matters.

Any Honda S2000: All signs point to Honda releasing a new roadster before the decade’s over with. Whether or not the company bungles it up like it has with the Civic or hits a home run like it’s presumed to do with the all-new NSX, you’ve got justification for wanting the 240hp roadster that doesn’t beckon the company’s original S600 roadster but represents one of the brand’s most exciting periods for enthusiasts.

1992-1995 Honda Civic hatchback: Honda’s Civic has retained its value better than nearly anything else on the road. Find yourself a second-generation CRX in reasonable condition anyplace the cheap side of five-grand and consider yourself lucky. But you won’t find a second-generation CRX for that price that hasn’t escaped an engine swap gone wrong or without some sort of military-derived body kit. Which is exactly what’ll lead you to the fourth-generation Civic hatchback instead, a car that's as iconic and with a handful of worthy specimens still on hand.

1990-1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX: It’s the non-Honda co-founder of the sport compact performance car movement that you forgot all about and that, as soon as you remember how durable its already-turbocharged cast-iron block is and how incredibly simple its ultra-stout all-wheel-drive drivetrain is, you’ll want one.

2000-2006 Honda Insight: It turns out that going slow and achieving stellar gas mileage is as much of a commodity as a 12-second quarter mile. The first-generation Insight is also a fantastic candidate for a 200hp K-series engine swap. And nobody ever didn’t like a 200hp K-series engine swap.

1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R: Brand-new the third-generation Sentra looked dated and it didn’t matter. That’s mostly because of the SE-R, a car that was sold with the twin-cam, 140hp SR20DE engine but that you knew could easily be updated with overseas turbo versions.

Lexus SC300: Toyota’s MKIV Supra is among the few cars that never really depreciated in value. Which means you won’t be buying one anytime soon. You can stuff the MKIV’s turbocharged 2JZ-GTE underneath the hood of a mid-’90s SC300 for a few grand, though, and with very little effort, and that’s almost as good as the real thing. Strapped for cash? You can do a 1JZ swap instead and create a nice missile package for next to nothing.

1991-1995 Toyota MR2: That Craigslist says a turbocharged, second-gen MR2 can be yours for a little over $5,000 doesn’t seem right. It made 200hp a couple of decades before the FR-S did, even JGTC Supras made use of its 3S-GTE engine, and it represents 1990s Japanese-car performance better than anything else.

Here's a bonus wildcard:

Scion anything (but more than likely the FR-S): Give it some time and somebody’ll get teary-eyed over Toyota’s youth-oriented sub-brand no longer being around. Which might possibly lead them to wanting to relive post-pubescence in the back seat of an xB but’ll more than likely manifest itself in wanting an FR-S.

The surroundings at Hotsprings ORV Park bring a different twist to the Ultra4 National Championships with its heavily wooded area common to Arkansas. Woods racing is often difficult to spectate due to the tight trails and limited opportunities for seeing the action; but thankfully with all of the Johnson Valley-like rock sections there were plenty of places to get in on the action at 2016 Ultra4 Hotsprings. The fourth year of racing in this location, I’ve been able to attend each one, and this year held one of the most exciting races so far!

At the start, the first three 4400 driver’s off the line were Jason Scherer #76, Derek West #20, and last year’s Hotsprings winner, Clay Gilstrap #26.

Approximately 3 miles into the 7 mile course, I waited for the first round to come through at the punishing rock section called “Ingrid’s Revenge.” Due to the tight wooded section through the area, I expected to see the first three drivers come through in their starting order and was surprised to see that Derek West had already made two passes and came through first to tackle Ingrid’s Revenge.

For Derek, who’s from Missouri, woods racing is home. When he got to the top of Ingrid’s Revenge, Derek opted to take the optional route; an extra course area each racer would have to pass through once during the five-lap race.

Positions would change many more times throughout the race with finishers coming through after about 2 ½ hours of racing. True to Hotsprings reputation, mud and water plagued part of the course despite the days’ 70 degree weather and beautiful blue skis.

The race was hard fought - and for some the course fought back. Levi Shirley #81 had a great race until the last lap when he grazed a tree. The tree pushed him back where his back left tire made direct contact with another tree and created some serious race-ending damage to the car. But then again, it wouldn’t be Ultra4 if the course and obstacles didn’t threaten to wreck the racer’s vehicles – this is the toughest off-road racing out there!

The Campbell kids were the only Campbell’s racing this race as dad, Shannon, sat this one out. Both Bailey #35 and Wayland #3 kept it together and finished well. Arkansas proved to be a great tire testing ground due to the slick rocks, mud, dirt, and the vast quantity of sharp rocks which threaten to puncture sidewalls. Both the Campbell’s made it through the race without issue on their Nitto Trail Grapplers.

At the finish line, it was Clay Gilstrap who managed to wrangle in a first place win for the second year in a row at Ultra4 Hotsprings! Derek West came in second after some pit mis-communications caused him to drop back a couple places and Wayland Campbell rounded out the podium in third.

Many of the finishers were able to qualify for their spot in the 2017 Nitto King of The Hammers race held in Johnson Valley, CA this coming February.

Click here to view the FULL GALLERY!

This race was a great way to start the 2016 Ultra4 Eastern Series! The next Ultra4 race will be on the West Coast at Glen Helen, CA June 10-11^th. It’s followed by the next Eastern Series race is in Attica Indiana at the Badlands Off-Road Park on June 24-25th. See you there!

Click here to read FULL RECAP!

**2016 Ultra4 @ Hotsprings Finisher Results**

1. Clay Gilstrap #26
2. Derek West #20
3. Wayland Campbell #3
4. Jeff Caudill #513
5. Chris May #725
6. Ben Swain #36
7. Bailey Campbell #35
8. Jason Scherer #76
9. Jonathan Dawes #6148
10. Jason Shipman #4414
11. Chris Sommer #678
12. Michael Heston #630
13. Chad Hundt #456

By now very nearly everyone in the car world has heard of the tour de force that is Hoonigan. Regardless of your automotive scene, you’ve probably seen one of the Gymkhana videos featuring Head Hoonigan in Charge - Ken Block, drooled over Brian Scotto’s Napalm Nova and pearl white on red Rauh Welt 911, or watched one of their many burnout compilation videos.

When Hoonigan moved their “Doughnut Shop” from Downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach, they opened up the property to clubs looking to host meets and rip some burnouts before heading home afterwards. This weekend was Currie Enterprises’ Jeep Meet and it didn’t disappoint. Due to the blocky shape and similar dimensions of the Jeeps in attendance, they were stacked (sometimes quite literally) into the lot in front of the shop and sat gleaming in the Saturday sun. Even the Long Beach Fire Department couldn’t help but check out what was going on, so take a look for yourself!