What started back in 2005 as a relatively small, cult gathering of vintage Japanese car enthusiasts in Southern California has now become one of, if not the greatest gatherings of classic Japanese vehicles outside of Japan itself. And today the Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) draws cars and spectators not just from California but from across the country and the world.

After showing up early to beat the inevitable traffic jams inside the parking lot at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, we arrived at JCCS to find the waterfront park filled to the brim with Japanese classics and a massive line of spectators waiting to take in the festivities.

With picture perfect California weather and an incredible array of cars that included everything from factory restorations and homebuilt hot rods to a fleet of imported Japanese market machinery, this year's event did not disappoint. And if there were any complaints to be had it would simply be that the show might be growing too large for its traditional home beside the historic Queen Mary. But it's certainly hard to beat the waterfront scenery.

With the coming of each show, the level of the cars seems to get higher and higher. This year's highlights included several authentic Japanese style shakotan builds, some radical engine-swapped street machines and an impressive display of historic machinery from the factory collections of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda.

We'll be back soon with some up-close looks at our favorite cars from this year's show, but for now enjoy this extensive gallery (above) from the fantastic experience that was the 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show.

Take a look back at some of our favorites from last year's JCCS Show.

If you’ve taken your share of the roads less traveled, you’re likely familiar with the most commonly used recovery tool in the automotive industry—the winch. As a one of the most trusted names in the winching, Warn has a reputation for fast and reliable winches. What you might not know is that the company doesn’t just manufacture winches.

Understanding that your Jeep or truck needs a place to mount a durable recovery tool, Warn offers a full line of winch bumpers for a wide variety of late-model 4x4s.

This was something we kept in mind when building out our 2017 Toyota Tacoma. From the factory, our TRD Off-Road edition came equipped with plenty of great off-road appointments. Beyond needing a slightly more aggressive set of treads (which we took care of via 265/75R16 Nitto Terra Grapplers) the truck’s stock bumpers don’t exactly lend themselves to rugged off-road use. To fix this, we installed a set of Ascent series bumpers from Warn. The plate-steel bumpers are designed not only to improve the ascetics of the truck, but offer secure tow points, spots for auxiliary lighting, and a home for a winch of course.

To install the bumpers, we took our truck to Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina. There, the crew was able to knock out the upgrade in a few hours. While the video above walks you through the install, we’re breaking down the details the article below.

Warn designed the Ascent series bumper to work with the 3rd gen Tacoma’s stock front bumper. You will need to trim out a section of the OE front bumper, along with the stock fog-light mounts, but it’s nothing a few minutes with an air-saw can’t handle.

The front bumper mounts are bolted to the Tacoma’s framerails and tied into the stock tie-down points on the front crossmember. Like the bumper, the brackets come powdercoated with a black texture finish.

The Tacoma-specific winch bumper is comprised primarily of 11-gauge steel, which keeps the overall weight down. Along with the necessary hardware, the Ascent bumper includes a spot for dual auxiliary lights.

Since it is a winch bumper, we opted to fit ours with one of Warn’s Zeon series winches. The 10-Smodel we selected has a 10,000-pound line pull rating, which is plenty for the ¼-ton Tacoma. The 216:1 gear ratio on the Zeon model makes for a speedy recovery and the cast-aluminum housing helps keep down the weight.

Adding some extra strength to our setup is Warn’s Epic Series winch hook, which is rated at 12,000 pounds for our application. The forged-steel hook is attached to 3/8-inch Spydura synthetic rope, which has proven to be durable and user-friendly on the trail.

It’s easy to bang up the front bumper on the trail- especially at the factory ride height. We’ve already gotten good use out of the new setup, and even found the D-ring shackle mounts handy for a quick trail recovery.

Since we wanted a more rugged rear bumper as well, we installed Warn’s Ascent Tacoma bumper out back. The bumper is entirely bolt-on and even allows you to re-use the Tacoma’s factory receiver.

Similar to the front, the rear bumper comes fit with a black textured powdercoat finish to protect the 11-gauge steel.

Along with appointments for the stock backup sensors, there’s allotments for 2-inch auxiliary lights. The bumper also has a step cutout on each side to make getting in and out of the bed much easier.

Looking for more builder tips? Check out these 10 Common 4x4 builders’ mistakes.

If you're a fan of Ultra4 Racing, you're likely familiar with one of the most dominant drivers in all of Ultra4 history — Loren Healy. The two-time King of the Hammers champion has been a force to reckon with for years. While talent behind the wheel has played a significant role in his success, so has his vehicle.

We’ll have a full feature break down on his Red Dragon coming soon, but for now, you can check out the highlights and hear from the Healy himself in the video above.

Check out how Healy preps for the Hammers.

Now that you've had a look through our event gallery from the 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, it's time to go into greater detail on five particular cars that stood out to us this year. From rare JDM machines to homebuilt heroes, these cars represent a perfect cross-section of the JCCS experience. Let's get started.

1. JDM Legends 1972 240Z

There aren't many shops in America more adept at classic Japanese cars than JDM Legends in Salt Lake City, and their showing at JCCS this year did not disappoint. Along with a Nissan Bluebird and an incredible Hakosuka Skyline, they brought out this perfect take on the iconic Datsun 240Z.

Rather going with a crazy engine swap of over-the-top styling, JDML took a back to the basics approach with this one. Under the hood sits the traditional naturally aspirated L28 inline six displacing fed by a set of 45 mm OER carbs.

The bodywork is subtle, with the only real changes being a front air dam, Z432 rear wing and a modest set of fender flares containing the 15-inch RAYS TE37Vs.

2. B-Swapped '78 Civic

You are guaranteed to see lots of amazing Datsun and Toyotas at JCCS each year, but vintage Honda builds are a bit more rare. That's what made Juan Salguero's 1978 Civic Hatchback stand out so much.

For starters, the cars was exceptionally clean both inside and out. But that was just the beginning.

A closer look would reveal upgraded parts that suggest this classic Honda isn't quite stock under the hood. Take these forged CCW wheels for example.

Then you take a look in the engine bay and see that it's powered by a B18C1 VTEC engine from an Acura Integra GSR. And it's not just the swap itself that impresses; it's the exceptionally clean presentation of it all.

It's hard to beat the combo of classic Honda styling and legendary VTEC power, and cars like Juan's show that a properly built old-school Honda can be every bit as cool as a Datsun or Toyota.

3. Bonneville-Spec Nissan Hardbody

OEMs are well represented at JCCS, and this year's Nissan display included this unusual piece of racing history from their factory collection: a 1994 D21 Hardbody pickup truck.

Powered by the same KA24 engine that came in the American 240SX, this Hardbody was specially prepared to compete in land speed racing at Bonneville and El Mirage and during the 1990s. 

Although the truck doesn't differ a ton from the street version, it has all of the necessary bits — including a roll cage, lowered stance for better aerodynamics and a set of the requisite Moon Discs providing that cool hot-rod look.

At the time it set speed records for a four-cylinder pickup with a 142.9 mph run on the salt flats at Bonneville. And that's actually a pretty impressive figure given the modest underpinnings of the minitruck.

All in all it's a really cool piece of Nissan racing history. We especially dig the classic red, white and blue colors that it shares with so many of the brand's legendary race cars.

4. 1981 Honda City

One of the most enjoyable things about JCCS is seeing all of the cool and quirky JDM cars that were never sold in the United States. And this 1981 Honda City is a perfect example of that.

Combining stylish looks with a small size and excellent fuel economy, the City was a very influential car in Japan. It helped form the mold of the small, upright vehicles that would come to dominate the market.

This particular example is in all-original condition. It's also displayed alongside a Honda Motocompo, a small 50cc scooter that was designed to be folded up and stored in the City's rear cargo compartment.

Together, the two vehicles would become symbols of Japanese motoring culture during the '80s, and without the success of cars like the City, the history of the Japanese domestic auto market would be a whole lot different.

5. 1JZ-Swapped '78 Cressida

Last but not least we have a car that's equal parts form and function, with a big helping of uniqueness thrown in for good measure. Initially Joseph Haven's car just looks like a simple and clean MX32 Toyota Cressida, but as you get closer you realize there's a little more going on here.

Under the hood sits a 1JZ-GTE fitted with a single Garrett GT3076 turbocharger, and the engine bay itself is clean enough to eat off of. The transmission comes from a Nissan 350Z, and the whole setup is kept in check with an AEM Infinty ECU.

And while the engine swap is pretty serious, the rest of the car is true to the fun-loving style of Japan's kyusha scene. Check out the zebra-print bucket seats for example, which pair perfectly with the old school Pioneer audio equipment and woodgrain Nardi steering wheel.

Finally, tying things together are a set of classic SSR Mk.I wheels — and I'd guess that's the recipe for a whole lot of sideways fun once that big Garrett turbo gets spooling.

There you have it. Five very different but equally cool vehicles that made this year's edition of the Japanese Classic Car Show so great. With awesine cars like this, you shouldn't be surprised to hear that we are already counting down the days to next year's event.

For years, 6.4L Power Stroke owners have suffered from cooling system-related failures. At this point, it’s long been established that the factory radiator is prone to leaking where the plastic end tanks are crimped onto the aluminum core. Once the end tank(s) separates from the core or (in other cases, cracks), an annoying and persistent coolant leak ensues.

Rather than simply replacing the failed factory unit with an OEM replacement and hoping for better longevity, many folks invest in the all-aluminum version manufactured by Mishimoto. The company’s direct, drop-in radiator features aluminum end tanks TIG-welded to a 100 percent brazed aluminum core and comes with co-molded aluminum/rubber mounting pegs to reduce the amount of chassis flex imposed on it.

In addition to offering a more durable radiator, Mishimoto looked beyond the construction of the OEM unit itself to get to the bottom of the issue. The company’s findings pointed to a structurally weak radiator core support — and its engineers promptly got to work on a solution. After extensive R&D was poured into the project, Mishimoto released their upper support bar for the 6.4L Power Stroke. Its heavy-duty steel construction and cast-steel anchor points (among other features) add uncompromising rigidity to the upper radiator area, which further limits the amount of flex that occurs in this vital region.

Read on for a closer look at the ultimate fix for your 6.4L Power Stroke’s radiator woes.

Inferior Factory Part

As the chassis flexes on ’08-’10 Ford Super Dutys, increased stress and wear is placed on the components that are structurally obligated to the frame — one of which is the radiator. While investigating possible contributors to the leaking radiator problems that plague the 6.4L Power Stroke, the folks at Mishimoto discovered a severe lack of rigidity in the upper portion of the radiator core support assembly (arrow). While the excessive give of the factory upper radiator support can’t be singled out as the primary reason for this engine’s notorious radiator issues, it likely contributes greatly to the problem.

30 Minutes or Less

After removing the mounting bolts that secure the 6.4L’s intercooler to the upper radiator support and the fasteners that attach it to the truck itself, the factory support can be removed. Breaking the support free often requires the use of a pry bar on each end. The entire process of removing the old support and installing the new Mishimoto piece takes approximately 30 minutes.

Stock vs. Rock

The structural makeup of the factory upper support bar (top) is magnesium — a lightweight alloy. Full steel construction was selected for the Mishimoto unit (bottom), with thick, welded tubular steel being employed in the center section. Further speaking to the heavy-duty nature of the Mishimoto upper support bar, it weighs in at 18 pounds. The factory piece tips the scales at just 6 pounds.

Heavy-Duty End Plates

As for the mounting points, the Mishimoto support bar (bottom) utilizes cast anchor plates for maximized durability, whereas the factory unit is all one thin magnesium piece. The Mishimoto support bar also provides clearance for a larger cold side intercooler pipe (a common aftermarket upgrade). Customers that retain the stock upper support bar but who want a non-restrictive, larger diameter cold side intercooler pipe have no choice but to notch out a section in the factory support.

New Mounts and Hardware

In the photo above, you can see the mounting bracket area on the back passenger side of the Mishimoto upper support bar. Four bolts (two per side) attach the upper radiator mounting brackets to the upper radiator support bar. Both new brackets and new hardware come with the Mishimoto upper support bar.

28 Percent Less Flex

As mentioned, the primary purpose of the Mishimoto upper support bar is to reduce flex in the entire radiator area. It accomplishes this by isolating the front sheet steel from frame twist, which we’re told reduces flex by as much as 28 percent. Reduced pliability in the upper radiator support means less strain on the factory radiator end tanks — which results in a reduced chance of the plastic end tanks separating from the aluminum core.

Take Notes

The six bolts that secure the top of the support bar to the truck are reused. It’s important to note here that these fasteners (three per side) are of varying diameter. Long story short, it pays to mark them or make a mental note of where each bolt installs.

Compatible With Stock or Aftermarket Radiators

Mishimoto’s upper support bar is compatible with both the factory 6.4L radiator and its aftermarket version, making its appeal multifaceted. In the photo above you can see the upper support bar working in conjunction with both Mishimoto’s aluminum drop-in radiator (notice the precision TIG welds on the end tank) and its polished cold side intercooler pipe.

The Hood Latch Mechanism

During the install of Mishimoto’s upper support bar, the hood release cable and latch mechanism have to be swapped over. To ease the swap, Mishimoto supplies all-new hardware for remounting the hood latch mechanism. New bump stops and nuts (which lock the bump stops in place) are also included and usually require a few adjustments in order to get the hood to latch perfectly.

Better Functionality, Durability and Performance

The truck’s horn assembly (which mounts behind the fuel cooler on 6.4L-powered ’08-’10 Super Dutys) also has to be swapped onto the Mishimoto support bar (arrow). Once again, Mishimoto includes a new fastener for this remounting process. In addition to being equipped with Mishimoto’s aluminum radiator, upper support bar and 3-inch-diameter polished, cold-side intercooler pipe kit, this particular truck has also been graced with a Mishimoto intercooler. The company’s intercooler has proven capable of lowering exhaust gas temperatures by 150 degrees in 6.4L applications.

Piloting his custom Jimmy’s 4x4-built Ultra4 Ford Bronco race car dubbed "Brocky," Vaughn Gittin Jr. continues to set his sights on being a competitive name beyond the asphalt. Racing in the Dirt Riot National Rampage at the RAM Offroad Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Nitto Tire driver would battle through the pack in both the 4400 and 4500 classes.

When the dirt settled, he found himself raising the 1st place trophy in the 4500 class, as well as landing a respectable 3rd in the extremely competitive 4400 bracket.

There were plenty of opportunities for Vaughn to air out his 37x12.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers, and he did just that. Despite the abuse, the Ford-powered rig and its occupants finished out the race weekend unscathed. 

We look forward to seeing more of Vaughn in the dirt as it’s rumored he’ll likely be taking another shot at the most difficult one-day off-road race there is: King of The Hammers.

Until then, you can see more of his race weekend in the gallery below.

Next month marks the biannual Tokyo Motor Show in Japan, and if rumors are to believed, Nissan may have a very exciting car to reveal this year. According to "inside information" from Response, a Japanese auto news site, Nissan could be debuting an all-new Silvia at the Tokyo Show, some 15 years after production was ended on the S15 model in 2002.

Even more interesting is that the car is rumored to be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that will feature the VC-T variable compression technology that Infiniti first showed last year.

With an aging 370Z and the pricey GT-R, Nissan's lineup is in dire need of a fresh new performance car. A rebirth of the beloved Silvia would certainly be welcomed by enthusiasts across the world.

As with any scoop like this, you have to take things with a certain grain of salt, and we'll have to wait for the show to find out if the rumors are true. But with that said, the timing feels right for Nissan to bring back one of its most iconic vehicles.

Do you think the rumors are true? Share this article with friends to see what they think!

When Derek West showed up to Windrock Park in Oliver Springs, Tennessee, there was no doubt he was the odd man out. The talented Ultra4 driver would be pitting his 4400 series car against some of the top rock bouncers in the country on their home turf. With over $100K up for grabs at the Pro Rock Racing Rags 2 Riches event, West decided to pit his 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers against 50 of the most insanely powerful hillclimbing monsters. At the end of the day, it would be West that would take home 1st place, along with a brand new Can Am X3.

To see what it took to get it done, be sure to watch West put down his winning runs in the video above.

Hidden underneath the Mazda USA research and development facility in Irvine, California, is the mother lode of all things Mazda. Motorsport relics, production icons and one-off concepts grace the floors of an underground basement — essentially a magical garage filled with Mazda treasures from the past and present.

The basement itself doesn't try to look like a museum, and it doesn't need to. Its modest, raw "garage" appearance is completely authentic. Various body panels, packaged bucket seats, plastic-wrapped wheels and wooden pallets litter the floor, reminding you that actual work, actual R&D, is conducted here. Every single vehicle sitting in the Mazda Basement is maintenanced regularly and kept in driving condition — something you won't find at many auto brand museums, if any. Visitors don't need a manicured, controlled environment to enjoy the basement. Mazda lets the cars do the talking, and man, do those things leave you speechless.

Speaking of speechless... when outside, there are many times when all speech must pause as you wait for the deafening roar of the commercial airplane screaming directly overhead to pass. When I say directly overhead, I mean it's really damn close, as in that giant plane literally lifted off from the John Wayne Airport runway just seconds earlier. There's a reason I'm telling you this. The fact that Mazda's R&D facility sits a mere mile or two from the Orange County airport is no coincidence. It's situated directly underneath federally protected airspace, so there won't be any random helicopters or drones trying to get spyshots of whatever top secret project Mazda is working on... So. Cool.

Take a look at the photo gallery at the top to see what other treasures the Mazda Basement is hiding.

Special thanks to Justin Pagtalunan of Mazda USA for hooking us up with this awesome tour!

While we often glamorize the powertrains behind the most successful trucks in the sled pulling world (and rightfully so), it takes more than simply amassing gobs of horsepower to dig your way to the front. In the dirt, a winning machine is a well-oiled one. Not only is a copious amount of horsepower required, but the ability to make and sustain that power during the perfect rpm window, harness the frame-twisting torque that comes with it and also effectively distribute that power to the ground are just as important as producing it. This makes having the right transmission, axles, suspension and tires extremely vital in the overall scheme of things.

After competing with a Duramax for nearly 10 years, veteran puller Ryan Dedolph formulated and executed a plan to convert his ’02 Chevy Silverado HD to Cummins power for the ’17 season. In addition to re-powering his Bow Tie with a Cummins, Ryan livened up the truck’s look with a ’17 body. Thanks to help from Skyline Diesel, Hart’s Diesel, Prairie Performance and being able to piece together the rest at his own shop (Rock Diesel of Milton), Ryan’s Bow Tie was a runner right out of the gate. And while there are plenty of chassis and suspension tweaks yet to be worked out, the limited action the truck saw in 2017 yielded a handful of top five finishes as well a First Place qualification at the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza.

Check out 9 of the exotic components that makes Ryan’s one-of-kind Limited Pro Stock rig tick:

1. 6.7L Cummins

With mechanically injected Cummins mills being a step ahead of the game in diesel truck pulling (vs. common-rail systems), Ryan decided to go with the most proven engine platform available today: A P-pumped, 6.7L-based Cummins equipped with cylinder sleeves, a deck plate and a competition-ready 12-valve cylinder head. Bottom end reinforcements consist of a girdle, concrete-filled block and billet rods—while a Hart’s Diesel 76 mm (3.0-inch inducer) smooth bore turbocharger produces 60 psi of boost for the engine to ingest. On the engine dyno at Empire Performance Engineering, horsepower checked in near the 1,300 hp mark.

2. 13 mm P-Pump

At the heart of the injection system sits a radicalized version of the Bosch P7100. Built by Prairie Performance, the P-pump benefits from 13 mm plungers and barrels and is fed 70 psi worth of fuel supply pressure. The 13 mm P7100 routes pressurized diesel to a set of Hart’s Diesel triple-feed fuel injectors equipped with five-hole nozzles.

3. SCS Transmission and Transfer Case

Like many truck pullers, Ryan relies on SCS Gearbox for his transmission and transfer case needs. Horsepower’s trip from the engine to the wheels begins with a four-disc Molinari clutch, followed by an SCS reverser transmission. Once through the one-speed gearbox, an SCS quick change transfer case routes power to the front and rear axles.

4. Rockwell 20-145 and Beefed Up Dana 60

A massive Rockwell 20-145 rear axle with a fabricated differential housing resides out back. To achieve his target final drive ratio, Ryan equipped the 20-145 with a 4.56 ring and pinion. A spool was also added to keep all rear wheels digging and SCS’s aluminum hubs were installed for a little bit of weight savings. Up front, Ryan prepped the Dana 60 (derived from an ’02 Dodge) for battle by way of a Detroit Truetrac and 38-spline axleshafts. The Dana 60 also houses a 4.56 ring and pinion.

5. Custom Four-Link

Giving the front end no other choice but to keep digging is a four-link suspension system. The setup, pieced together at Ryan’s shop (Rock Diesel of Milton), makes use of spherical rod ends, burly DOM tubing and some pretty stout brackets. Without a doubt, this four-link is a big reason why the truck bites so hard yet rarely becomes unsettled.

6. Dual Adjustable Shocks

Two QA1 Precision Products adjustable shocks are incorporated in the four-link system and reside on each end of the Dana 60. The fully adjustable units allow Ryan to tweak the front suspension to his liking, per the track he’s competing on. As he continues to figure out what the new suspension configuration likes and doesn’t like, Ryan told us he changes the shock spring rates between each and every hook.

7. Mud Grapplers

Running one of the most aggressive DOT mud tires on the market, Ryan relies on six Nitto Mud Grapplers to dig his Chevy past the 300-foot mark. He cited their consistency as the primary reason for campaigning them:

“They always seem to hook well up here in Wisconsin.” He then added that the ability to run a reverser transmission, drop box transfer case and bigger rear axle in the class he competes in prompted his decision to run the rugged tread pattern.

“We saw a lot of 3.6 [Pro Stock] trucks go to Mud Grapplers because they had open drivelines, so once our class [Limited Pro Stock] became open driveline we knew we could be more aggressive with tires.”

Falling in line with the general consensus surrounding the use of Mud Grapplers in diesel truck pulling, Ryan believes they perform best on looser tracks rather than tighter ones.

“They work great on a good biting track that has some looseness to it,” he told us. “All terrains thrive when the track is hard-packed like concrete.”

8. 2,000 Pounds Out Front

As is the goal of any truck puller, Ryan tries to position as much weight forward of the front axle as possible. Thanks to the weight box, weights, ice box and dry sump oil system components, he’s done a good job of it and disclosed that at least 2,000 pounds of the truck’s 8,000-pound overall heft is focused here.

9. No Frills Interior

A Computech Data Maxx data acquisition system is one of the more vital components in the stripped down ’17 cab. Each trip down the track entails a full record of key engine parameters, including each cylinder’s exhaust gas temperature, the engine’s intake air temperature, oil pressure and oil temperature. In competitive truck pulling, a high-dollar data logging system is necessary to track the effects of your changes between hooks, to analyze all monitored parameters (temperatures, pressures and speeds) to ensure they’re staying in check and also to investigate what went wrong during an unsuccessful hook or part failure.

Success is Looming

Other than earning a number one qualifier position at this year’s Scheid Diesel Extravaganza, wins haven’t been numerous yet—but they usually aren’t when campaigning a new driveline, powertrain and chassis setup. In his haste to get back onto the pulling track (75% through the season), Ryan cut his engine dyno session short, which he believes left a considerable amount of horsepower on the table. With winter plans that entail a lot more dyno time, we wouldn’t be surprised if his Cummins-powered Silverado leads the field in 2018.

Finding a secure place to haul extra gear can be a pain, no matter if you are getting ready for a weekend on the trail or trying to haul tools to the jobsite. This is especially true if your vehicle of choice has a limited cargo hold. We recently got a chance to check out a fairly simple and clever invention meant to make hauling extra gear a snap for anyone with an externally mounted spare tire. That’s right- all you need is a securely mounted spare tire that’s between 31 to 42 inches in diameter.

It’s called the Bugout Rack. It’s a gear rack that secures to your spare tire via a 2-inch and a 1-inch ratchet strap. The kit includes both straps, a 10-gage steel rack with a 15-inch-long x 11.5-inch-wide rack surface, and all necessary hardware.

The rack’s arched mounting surface gives it plenty of area to rest on the tire. In our case, we secured it to our Tacoma’s 285/75R17 Nitto Trail Grappler. Depending on the tire size and placement, it’s possible to run multiple Bugout Racks on a single tire.

Once you have the rack placed where you like it, you’ll use the main 2-inch circumference strap to set it in place. Next, you’ll run the 1-inch strap through the wheel opening and through the rack for additional support.

Each rack is rated for 50 pounds, so they can easily handle something as heavy as spare fuel and water containers. We’ll be using it to secure our X-treme Series Hi-Lift jack along with a fuel caddy.

The biggest benefit of this product for us is that we can use it on a variety of vehicles. This is especially handy for when we want to haul extra fuel around, but don’t want it inside the cab or bed. For those with limited cargo space, or simply do not want to bolt on another heavy fixture to your daily driver, the easily removable Bugout Rack is an excellent gear hauling option.

Learn more about how to pack overland essentials.

What do the folks at Kerma TDI do when they’re not helping thousands of diesel VW owners improve the performance of their cars? Well, one of the company’s recent extra-curricular activities has entailed providing support for the Adler brothers’ streamliner named Double Eagle. Sponsored by AG Autowerks, Apex Performance Turbos, Fratelli Bosio and Kerma TDI, the high-speed missile on wheels was built to set land speed records and on September 17th all of the team’s hard work paid off at Bonneville Speedway in northwest Utah. The Volkswagen diesel-powered streamliner would achieve an exit speed of 237.015 mph during its multi-mile run, effectively making it the fastest Volkswagen racer in the world.

One of the more impressive aspects of the streamliner is what it’s propelled by. Remember the 5.0L V-10 TDI Volkswagen offered in its Touareg SUV? Well, a version of the V-10 oil burner with a completely untouched 147,000-mile long block is employed in Double Eagle. That means no overhauls, head gaskets, or even head work—the factory seal has never been broken. A set of Bosio 783 Pumpe Duse DLC race nozzles were added to the factory Bosch unit injectors, replacement fixed geometry twin turbochargers from Apex Performance Turbos provide the engine’s required airflow and Kerma TDI’s custom ECM calibrating ties everything together. Scroll down for a closer look at this record-setting, gravity-bound projectile.

Double Eagle

With long, slender bodies, streamliners resemble spaceships more than race vehicles, but that’s the nature of the beast. In order to overcome the immense wind resistance encountered at speeds greater than 200 mph, aerodynamics play as much a role as horsepower in reaching the vehicle’s target speed. As you can see, the Double Eagle streamliner is not an exception to the rule. And, if you look even closer, you can see the VW badge up front.

Twin Turbos

From the rear three-quarter of the streamliner, you can see the encased engine compartment and dual exhaust. Why does the Double Eagle sport dual exhaust? For those that don’t know, the 5.0L V-10 TDI came equipped with twin turbos from the factory. Of a true “twin” (parallel) configuration, one turbo feeds each bank of the engine. For this high performance application, the factory variable geometry Garrett turbos were replaced with less restrictive, fixed geometry units. Both chargers are based on the BorgWarner K16 and were built by Apex Performance Turbos. Each turbo features a billet Titanium compressor wheel with a 44mm inducer and a 55mm (inducer) x 46mm (exducer) turbine wheel. Both exhaust stacks are cloaked in exhaust wrap and attach to their respective turbine housing via V-band clamp.

5 Liters of Fury

As spec’d for U.S. Touareg models, Volkswagen’s 5.0L V-10 TDI was rated for 310 hp at 3,750 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Displacing 300 cubic inches, the 90-degree engine featured a cast-iron block, forged-steel crankshaft, two-valve aluminum cylinder heads, a single overhead cam and maintenance-free hydraulic lifters. A unit injection system provided as much as 29,700 psi worth of in-cylinder injection pressure.

The 5.0L V-10 was particularly interesting at the time of its release due to it forgoing the use of external drive belts or a mechanical fan. Instead, accessories were gear driven off of the crankshaft (just below the driver side exhaust manifold).

Mild Engine Mods

Believe it or not, the V-10 TDI in the Double Eagle streamliner isn’t much different from the factory version. Plucked from a 147,000-mile Touareg, the long block is 100-percent stock. The only modifications performed beneath the valve covers entailed fitting the injectors with Bosio 783 Pumpe Duse DLC race nozzles, which provide a 163-percent increase in flow over stock. The aforementioned variable geometry OEM turbochargers were scrapped in favor of higher flowing, BorgWarner K16-based units from Apex Performance Turbos, along with a water-to-air intercooler to keep intake air and exhaust gas temps safe. Last but not least, the factory Bosch EDC-16 ECM was uploaded with tuning from Kerma TDI. Sitting on top of the radiator in the photo above, a Kerma TDI Q Pro tuner is plugged into the factory ECM wiring harness. The wiring harness itself had to be folded over on itself due to its length and it was also wrapped in a heat shielding material to protect it. The six-speed Aisin transmission that backs up the engine is also a completely untouched, factory component.

Custom Tuning Go-Between

Kerma TDI’s Q Pro flash programmer serves as the catalyst for uploading custom tuning files onto the 5.0L engine’s ECM. As a calibrator, Kerma TDI’s job was to tie all of the engine’s modifications together. Thanks to Kerma TDI’s custom tuning, the V10 diesel not only cranks out enough horsepower to achieve 237 mph, but it does it by keeping temperatures in check and the engine from coming apart. The folks at Kerma TDI told us exhaust gas temperature (EGT) never exceeded 1,400 degrees (Fahrenheit) and that combined boost peaked at a fairly conservative 24 psi on the streamliner’s record-setting pass. In layman terms, that means there is a lot of power left on the table.

Aerodynamic Lines

Typical of streamliners, all of Double Eagle’s wheels are enclosed by contoured body panels. The aforementioned powertrain package was put together (and the chassis tweaked) by A&G Autowerks of Ventura, California and Adler Landspeed. Brothers Davidson and Doug Adler have been campaigning the Double Eagle for the past six years.

1 Weekend, 2 Records

Driver Davidson Adler prepares to turn the Double Eagle loose on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He was the one in the driver seat when the streamliner earned the fastest Volkswagen racer record. That same weekend, the team would also lay claim to the Diesel 5.0L-and-under world record, as sanctioned by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA).

Proof in Numbers

Notice the 237 mph exit speed at the bottom of the slip, which earned the streamliner the fastest Volkswagen racer designation at the 31st World of Speed event in Bonneville. Not bad for a Volkswagen TDI!

What’s Next?

Future plans for the Double Eagle endeavor include pursuing the overall fastest diesel record. This will require another 82 mph, but it’s a challenge that all parties involved are looking forward to.

Photography provided by Kale Siess, Barry Burly Burlile and Terry Wolfe

For the third time in as many years, the Street Driven Tour rolled into Saint Louis, MO’s Gateway Motorsports Park and brought with it one of the coolest opportunities for Midwest drifters and fans to attack the Gateway infield, ride with the pros, and enjoy a day of all things drifting.

Gateway Motorsports Park’s 1.25-mile speedway oval and ¼-mile Top Fuel drag strip has for many years remained a hub of automotive enthusiasm in the Midwest, and its 1.6-mile, eight-turn infield has more recently become the unofficial proving grounds for Midwest drifters worth their rubber. But aside from the lone Midwest Drift Union (MDU) pro-am drifting competition, it’s generally cost-prohibitive to drifters and thus sits idly by as an object of their adoration. Enter Street Driven Tour, whose mission to bring pro and pro-am bash-style drifting to the masses in each region of the U.S. has for three years united Midwest drifters on the hallowed Gateway grounds like few events before it.

Pros Geoff Stoneback and Steve Angerman mixed rubber and occasionally traded paint with talented area pro-ams and enthusiasts like Kaz Johnson (#24 Nissan S14 240SX), Brett McNamara (#28 Infiniti G35), Joseph Lampe (#27 Lexus SC300), Mike Feiock (World-Challenge-car-turned-drift-machine Mazda RX-8), Gus Buzas (white E46 BMW M3), and lots more. Area showgoers took to the infield parking lot as the drifters terrorized the tarmac, and all were invited to partake in Street Driven Tour’s signature Drift Soccer, Hard Park Challenge, and Tire Massacre.

Get the whole picture in our gallery above, for everything from Street Driven’s third-annual Midwest round at Gateway Motorsports Park.

You may recall last year’s Annual Empire Hill Climb coverage and the one-off vehicles that made an appearance, such as Cody Loveland’s purpose-built Enviate, and Mikko Kataja’s eargasm-inducing Toyota Starlet. This year brought an even wider variety of vehicles, partly due to the adoption of SCCA HillClimb rules imposing less restrictions. This means four-point roll bars are now allowed, a racing license is not required, and as always, the race is opened to the public for registration with approved safety equipment for drivers and their vehicles.

Nearly 30 competitors arrived to the small historic town of Empire, Michigan to challenge themselves and their vehicles by racing up the roughly half-mile long tunnel of trees on Storm Hill. The mixed batch of racecars included almost every major auto producing country, and the eclectic setups ranged from drift cars to nostalgic 1950s classics. Enough jibber-jabber, bring on the magnificent machines!

1951 Packard

Not only does this '51 Packard have nostalgic good looks, it also has over 60 years of racing history under its wheels. It was driven in the Carrera Panamericana II, which is a dangerous border-to-border race spanning the entire length of Mexico. During a race in November '51, this car and its driver, Jean Trevoux, came in fifth overall. A restoration was completed in '95, but by that time Treveaux did not pass the medical exam required to race.

The Packard was then brought to America’s Packard Museum in Daytona, OH and remains in race-ready condition. Lucky for us, it was brought to Empire, MI, to get some exercise. The car may lack the agility of the smaller lightweight cars, but it makes up for it with raw torque. Dan Badger, who drove the Packard for this year’s Empire Hill Climb, agrees.

1964 Porsche 356SC

Dave Burton has been racing with the SCCA since '99 and has been driving his #20 '64 Porsche 356SC Coupe since he purchased it from Vic Skirmants in 2001. He has raced, placed and won vintage races at Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America, Mid-Ohio, VIR Raceway, Lime Rock Park, Road Atlanta, Grattan and Gingerman. It was an honor to see him piloting his Porsche through the shady tree line up Storm Hill.

1996 Caterham 7 Supersprint

Aric Streeter raced up the hill in his “Bruces 7”, a '96 Caterham 7 Supersprint with a 1.8-liter dual overhead cam K-series engine. Aric admittedly said that the car has way more power to put down, and by refining his skills, we believe that he has full potential to come out on top. Acceleration in 1st and 2nd gears caused a fair amount of wheel spin but the car handles the bumpy road extremely well. The fastest run was his last at 22.528 seconds.

The Beastie Hatch

Cody Loveland brought the befittingly named "Beastie," a '93 Honda Civic (or what’s left of it) to the competition. Its 377-hp J-swap engine features a Garrett Turbo leftover from a previous phase of Loveland’s well-traveled Enviate. Also taken from a later version of the Enviate are the HRE wheels, allowing him to cram super-wide 335 tires under all four fenders. Now that he has the traction to more-than-handle 330 ft.-lbs. of torque, the next step in the build is incorporating insane aerodynamics, the stuff that LoveFab, Inc. is made of.

1973 AMC Gremlin

Owned by Ian Dawkins, caged by Ben Klienfelter, and driven by a fool (also Ian Dawkins)—this '73 AMC Gremlin was the Vintage Class winner, out-pedaling the Porsche 356C (above) and a ’61 Austin-Healey, among others. Dawkins' late father once beat a race-prepped Ferrari by driving a Gremlin in the early 70s up the same hill, and he helped Dawkins design the driveline in this car. The 401 engine came out of a mid-70s Jeep J20. It was punched to a 409, and the bottom end forged and balanced. SK Speed from the East Coast built the BW T10 transmission. Underneath is a '92 Ford Explorer 8.8 rear axle with 4.10 gears and a limited slip differential.

2002 Chevrolet Corvette

Daniel Milewski was crowned king of the hill during this year’s race, and his chariot was a Chevrolet Corvette. The mostly stock 2002 Z06 is prepped for SCCA T1 wheel-to-wheel racing. Special features include a GM T1 suspension package as well as a DeWitts radiator. According to Milewski, with the safety items and restrictor, it weighs 3,225-lbs. and should be making about 400-hp. Power, paired with skill, shot him into the 20-second club with an official time of 20.912. He is the first driver at the Empire Hill Climb to break the 20-second barrier! Perhaps next year Mikko Kataja will come back to defend his previous 21.222-second record time, hopefully with his screaming yellow and white Toyota Starlet.

There's a lot more cars where these came from! Check out the photo gallery below to get a taste of racing at Empire Hill Climb.

Although the Jeep Wrangler can trace its roots back to the World War II era Willys MB and Jeep CJ, the Wrangler model wasn't actually introduced until February '86 at the Chicago Auto Show. Envisioned and executed as a purpose-built off-roader for the streets, the Wrangler has since become an icon for exploration. Owners, as varied as the terrain this vehicle covers, have embraced this 4x4 as well—either modifying it to push the limits of off-road function or to break the necks of casual drivers in the city. With a strong aftermarket support, owners are empowered to build 'em any way they'd like.

A Step Up With Jeep Tech's Mild JK

Focusing on increasing the already capable Wrangler's off-road capabilities, this JK model, created by Atlanta-based GA Jeep Tech, features a Crawler Conceptz full armor wrap, Metalcloak Game-Changer 2.5" suspension, Ultimate Dana 44 front axle, and Eaton E-Lockers. All of that function gets transferred to the ground via a set of 37" Nitto Tire Ridge Grapplers, making this Jeep ready for the trail and the street.

Wild Monster Custom 6x6 Jeep Wrangler

Although the Jeep Tech Wrangler may not be a traditional "mild" build, this custom 6x6 Wrangler, built by Monster Customs for former Atlanta Braves player Andruw Jones, shows off the "wild" that's possible with this platform. Featuring six 37" Nitto Tire Ridge Grapplers, this Jeep has been fitted with a custom front grill, bumpers, and LED lighting. The interior features black leather seats with "baseball-style" red stitching. It drew such a constant crowd at Caffeine and Octane that it was a chore getting the enormity of it in one picture!

Catch more pictures of these two incredible Jeeps in the gallery below!

The Off Road Expo in Pomona, California is an annual event that brings vendors and enthusiasts within the off-road industry together for a weekend full of deals, demonstrations, and new product releases. It’s the definitive source for what’s new in the off-road world, showcasing never before seen builds and products.

Hundreds of exhibitors lined the fairgrounds and halls, ranging from vehicle customization shops such as Off Road Evolution, suspension manufacturers like Icon Vehicle Dynamics, and advocacy organizations such as California’s Off-Road Voice for Access (CORVA), dedicated to promoting, protecting and preserving off-road recreation and access to public lands.

Once inside, we were caught by Nitto Tire’s booth, featuring an array of impressive builds including the Lobster Wagon, a classic 1972 Bronco, a white-on-white Ram Mega Cab, and a Bulletproof Tundra.

Throughout the Off Road Expo, we saw a few more familiar builds. Loren Healy’s Red Dragon Ultra 4 race car was there, along with the UAE1, recently featured on the cover of the latest issue of Driving Line.

A wide range of off-road builds could be seen throughout the show—everything from Jeeps on full-width axles and 40-inch Trail Grapplers, to go-fast prerunners and new renditions of overland vehicles.

Whatever kind of off-roading you’re into–rock crawling, shredding sand dunes, or long overland trips—the Off Road Expo is sure to have something to spark the adventure bug and take your rig further.

See more from Off Road Expo in the gallery above, and look out for more here on Driving Line.

Last Fall, Porsche opened up a very special facility right near the junction of the 405 and 110 freeways in the city of Carson, California. Costing some $60M to build and spanning approximately 50 acres, the state of the art Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles is part showroom, part museum, part driving course, workshop and more.

Joining the existing Porsche Experience Centers in Atlanta and in Europe, it's a place unlike any other in the region. We recently stopped by to have a look at the new place and came away convinced this was one of SoCal's best new automotive destinations. Here are five reasons why.

1. Location, Location, Location

With the high cost of land, urban sprawl and strict zoning laws, it's no surprise that most of Southern California's race tracks and test facilities are located out in the desert or in other outlying areas—but Porsche's Experience Center is right in the heart of the LA metro area, making it great for both locals and visitors alike.

With a location that's easily accessible from LAX, downtown Los Angeles and Orange County, one doesn't need to drive two hours into the desert to enjoy a day ton the track.

Not only does it's location, directly beside the 405 freeway, make it easy to access, it also makes for an interesting contrast as high-powered 911s speed down the straight-away directly parallel to the often-jammed freeway.

2. The Workshop

In addition to being the home of the massive driving facility, the LA PEC is also the new home of Porsche Motorsport North America—the outfit responsible for the sale, maintenance and repair of factory Porsche race cars and parts.

Rather than being hidden away in the back, the spotless workshop is viewable to every visitor through massive windows that line the lobby, making it a great part of the overall experience.

In addition to brand new race cars, the shop also handles restoration and maintenance on vintage Porsche race cars—so you never know what kind of historic machinery will be sitting in the garage. Which brings me to my next point...

3. The Classics

Porsche is a brand that has a history equaled by few automakers, and this heritage is a big part of the LA Experience Center. At any given time you are likely to find some genuine racing legends from the Porsche Museum collection available for an up-close look.

During our visit, we were able to see an example of the iconic 911 GT1. A car which left a huge mark on sports car racing during the mid- to late-90s.

Sitting directly behind the welcome desk was a "Baby" Porsche 935 colored in the iconic Martini Racing livery. The opportunity to see this sort of a car alone makes the place well worth the visit.

4. Eat and Shop

If the vintage cars, racing simulators and sprawling track weren't enough, the PEC also includes places to both eat and shop. On the first floor is a cafe to grab a pastry or cup of coffee while taking a break from the driving experience.

And directly beside the cafe is the store which features all manner of officially licensed Porsche products, from diecast collectables and apparel to the 2,704 piece LEGO 911 GT3 RS.

Finally, if you head upstairs to the second floor you'll find Restaurant 917, which not only offers food and drinks, but an expansive view of the driving course itself.

5. The Ultimate Test Drive

Of course, the crown jewel of the facility is the massive driving course—spanning four-miles of track with varying surfaces and elevation changes. There's also areas featuring wet surfaces and off-road challenges for Porsche's SUV lineup.

It's at this playground where visitors can hop behind the wheel of the entire Porsche lineup through a variety of programs with seasoned instructors and driving coaches. For some it could be the kind of test drive you could never get from a normal dealer, for others it's a way to hone driving skills, and for most of us it's simply a 90-minute adrenaline rush.

The sessions typically last 1.5-hours and range in price from $240 to over $1,000, depending on which particular model you'd like to drive and what kind of driving you'd like to do. Based on your budget and time, you could spend days here experiencing the Porsche lineup from top to bottom.

There you have it! Just five of the many reasons you should definitely stop by the Porsche Experience Center the next time you find yourself in or around Los Angeles. There is no charge for visitors–and even if you don't partake in driving courses, most gearheads should find a lot to enjoy here. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Instagram is a crazy place. What started off as a small app for people to share cool photos has become a juggernaut of a media platform. It’s given birth to an entirely new way to share and view cool automotive content and connect with likeminded enthusiasts. One of the most interesting aspects of Instagram is the fact that many popular pages are not run by companies, but rather individuals that simply enjoy sharing and posting content. One of those individuals is an enlisted member of the U.S. Coast Guard, named Chance Pugh.

A few years ago, Pugh started a page called Grappaholics. As a fan of Nitto Tire’s Grappler line of Light Truck Tires, Pugh tossed up the Instagram page to showcase his truck, along with other vehicles equipped with Grappler treads (Mud | Trail | EXO | Dune | Ridge | Dura | Terra). Before long, his page got real traction. In fact, Grappaholics now has over 60K followers! So, what does all of this have to do with the lifted F-250 you see here?

As one can imagine, Pugh is a truck enthusiast himself. Recently, he was finally in a spot to take his 2011 Ford F-250 to the heights he always wanted it (literally). Rounding up a premium 8-inch coilover conversion from BDS Suspension, along with massive 40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers, and 24-inch Moto Metal MO401 forged wheels—the first wave of the truck’s upgrades were meant to have this diesel machine ridding high. To check out the progress, we stopped by Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the work was being completed.

While the video above offers a look into the lift process, we get into even more details in the article below.

Prepping the F-250 for BDS' coilover 8-inch-lift kit

While BDS offers a coil version of its 8-inch-lift, Pugh was looking for the ultimate ride quality (and adjustability), so he opted for the coilover version of the kit. Doing so meant that the stock coil towers had to be removed from the framerails. This required all of the rivets to be removed. 

BDS uses the existing holes left by the rivets to bolt the upper shock tower to the framerails. Each bracket is fit with a black powdercoat finish to ensure longevity under the truck.

Inside the BDS lift kit

An 8-inch-travel Fox 2.5 factory series remote-reservoir coilover handles the bulk of the lifting duties. To increase dampening forces on the heavyweight diesel, BDS pairs the coilover with a 2.0 Fox performance series shock. Also included are stainless steel braided brake lines.

BDS understands that not all trucks are alike, so the company uses Fox coilovers with DSC (dual speed compression) adjusters. The two twist knobs allow the owner to adjust the high and low speed compression dampening on the shock. This is extremely helpful when dialing in the ride quality and adjusting for additional equipment such as a winch front bumper.

To free up some articulation and ride quality that radius arms often limit, BDS replaces the stock control arms with a four-link configuration. Aside from the aforementioned ride-quality improvements the 0.250-wall DOM control arms offer, the arms offer a strength advantage as well.

To convert to the four-link configuration, the stock control-arm mount rivets and bracket must be removed to make room for the new link bracket at the frame. Once in place, the new control arms mount to the stock location at the axle.

Ensuring your front end geometry doesn't get out of whack, BDS provides a track bar drop that bolts in place of the OE mount. Working with it is a new drop pitman arm. The bracket just forward of the track bar mount is for your sway bar, which is kept intact.

Fine tuning the axle placement is an adjustable track bar. This heavy-duty piece can be adjusted on the vehicle, making it quick and easy to dial in.

Finishing off the front end is a set of dual Fox steering stabilizers. There's even a place for the stock stabilizer to remain connected to the draglink, making for a tight steering feel.

Out back, new replacement leaf spring packs work with the OE lift blocks. The five-leaf pack includes an overload, which helps increase the ride without sacrificing load carrying potential. Dampening the system are Fox 2.0 Performance series shocks.

An F-250 That's Reached New Heights

Post lift, Low Range 4x4 set the truck up on its Hunter alignment machine to ensure the truck would drive as good as it looked.

Pugh wanted some serious rubber and large wheels, so he opted for Moto Metals MO401 forged series wheels. Wrapped around the 24x14 deep-dish wheels are Nitto Tire's 40x15.50R24 Trail Grappler tires. As one of the few companies that offer a mud-terrain radial in this size, Nitto has created a tire that fits the needs of those looking for an aggressive tire, with proper road manners and load ratings.

Not finished yet... here comes a 6.7L Power Stroke

Just before the lift install, Pugh was hit with some bad luck. A broken glow plug caused an internal chain reaction, which ultimately led to him putting in a new 6.7L Power Stroke diesel. The new engine is running a Borg Warner S3000SX-E 64.5mm turbo along with a Maryland Performance diesel piping kit. Other upgrades include an EZ LYNK Auto Agent from PPEI and 5-inch Flo-Pro exhaust.

Despite having the bumper extension kit from BDS, the post lift shakedown revealed that the tires rubbed a little on the front fenders and bumper valence. All problems easily fixed.

To check our more mods to the truck and see what's next for Pugh's F-250, be sure to give him a like and follow @grappaholics . Of course, we're at @drivingline.

See more detailed shots of the suspension and truck in the photo gallery below.  

Are you craving a good car movie? Do you wonder what’s gonna tide you over until the next "Fast & Furious" flick?  Well, Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, the writers of 2 Fast 2 Furious think they have the answer with their upcoming feature Overdrive. Filled with sexy shots, plenty of action and some exceptional classic car sightings, Overdrive is a fun ride. However, if you’re into cars you'll want to manage your expectations before you watch it—because some of the automotive details just miss the mark.

Don't get me wrong, it was an enjoyable movie, but the following 7 things sure had me rolling my eyes...

The basic storyline is fine—Scott Eastwood and his half-brother, played by Freddie Thorp, are professional car thieves.  They roll into the South of France with their sights set high—a '37 Bugatti Type 57SC which has recently sold at auction for north of $40M. In a strange turn of events, they end up collaborating with the Bugatti’s owner to steal a '62 Ferrari GTO from what turns out to be, you guessed it, a really scary guy. But along the way, they just can’t seem to get it right and lose people like us because of stuff like this:

1. Nobody Leaves The Keys In The Ignition

The opening scene features the brothers doing some impressive maneuvering in an M3 in an attempt to hijack a trailer carrying the Bugatti. They finally gain access to the multi-million dollar car and proceed to (spoiler alert) jump in and start it up, just like that. Now, I dunno about you, but if I was transporting $40M worth of anything, I’d hide those keys in my underpants. Call me paranoid.  

2. No Car Person Points A Gun At Their Own Ride

There are plenty of tense confrontations in this film, during which you almost worry that the gorgeous leads may just get their faces blown off. However, I counted two such stand-offs where the villain points a gun at a guy standing in front of the $40M Bugatti and a pristine Jaguar XK120. While every collection is worth defending, no collector in his right mind would point a gun anywhere near his cars. He'd move around to look for a less damaging angle, or at least bring some blow darts or have some other booby trap waiting. Come on!

3. They Keep Leaning

If you’ve ever been to a car meet up, car museum, even a car dealership, there’s one pretty major rule of thumb: you just don’t lean on anything, ever. Sure, if it’s your Porsche Speedster or '67 Mustang, you can do whatever you want. But the minute some stranger leans his dusty butt onto it, surely you’d intercept him.  But in Overdrive, they just keep leaning. It's downright nerve-racking. 

4. No Enthusiast Introduces Themselves As An "Enthusiast"

During another tense moment, the brothers and their pal gain access to the said villain’s fortress and walk past his garage. Then the friend says this line, “I’m a bit of a car enthusiast, could I see your garage?” Ouch! That’s basically the equivalent of RuPaul saying “I’m a bit of a drag queen, could I see your gowns?” It’s just painful.

5. Everybody Knows It's An E-Type

Upon seeing each of these massive collections, both Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp spout off the names of each of the cars, which is always fun. However, Thorp makes a fatal error when he sees a Jaguar E-Type and calls it... wait for it... a "Jaguar Type E". Sorry pal, that’s just not what it’s called. You’re English, so you should definitely know better. Shame on you!

6. The E-Type Runs

In another incongruous act of automotive amazement, the final car chase features no less then a dozen incredible, vintage rides. As these gorgeous, pristine vehicles race through the French mountain passes, one thing sticks out... nobody breaks down. Sure, it is logical that the ’67 Mustang, the C1 Corvette and Alfa 158 make it through, but the E-Type?  Every car person knows that while the E-Type is a gorgeous piece of machinery, it’s also a mechanical piece of sh... "stuff" that doesn’t run for long without a fix.

Finally, beware, this is a big SPOILER...

7. The Bugatti Gets Away

The aforementioned final chase is a joy to watch because of the setting, the cars and the action. But, the worst offender of all is the final chase between a Maserati Quattroporte and the Bugatti. Of course, it's understandable that they need to build up the dramatic tension, but surely the Bugatti can't outrun a Quattroporte.  The Bugatti may be gorgeous, but it was produced in '37 and has an estimated horsepower of 170. The Maserati, even in its lowest trim, has a hp of 400. So it’s probably safe to say that even if the driver is an Eastwood, it's not much of a getaway car. Sorry, Overdrive, but I could probably catch that Bugatti on a Segway.

This doesn’t mean that Overdrive is a bad film. The car spotting is magnificent, the roads are gorgeous, and oh, there’s even two hot French girls who are into cars too, here’s one:

(All photos courtesy of Overdrive Productions)

So go see it. Have fun. Enjoy. Just don't start fact checking, because you'll lose your mind.

It’s early on a crisp, cool autumn morning at Northern California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The air is abuzz with the sound waves of a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ford GT, and McLaren 675LT roaring to life in the bays surrounding yours, as you transfer your suit and helmet from the Mercedes S550 you drove to the track, to the Ferrari 458 Challenge race machine you’ll be driving around it soon. “Morning, Rob,” you greet the McLaren driver. “Mind if I drive yours for a few laps?” “Sure,” he responds. “Why don’t we just trade straight-out?” You both agree, and just like that, you’re the McLaren’s new owner... for the day.

The truth is, neither you nor Rob own either car. Just as you don’t own that Benz, and most of the other drivers surrounding you don’t own their vehicles, either.

And that’s fine, because unlike Joe at the other end of the track with the leased Lamborghini Huracán that he doesn’t technically own either, you don’t have to worry about replacing brake pads or tires, changing oil, or even refilling the fuel tank on any of the cars you’re driving. You’re a member of the exclusive Fast Toys Club, and your obligations are simply to show up at the track and enjoy the day.

The brainchild of French entrepreneur and racing/automotive enthusiast Chris Carel, Fast Toys is the modern dose of disruption the high-end automotive community has been looking for. The way it works is genius. Let’s say you lease a Lambo Huracán at a So Cal dealership—by Chris’ estimates, the cost of registration, insurance, monthly lease payment and of course a generous down payment, could net as much as $60-70K annually. That's just for the 2,500 allotted miles per year.

Or, you can join his Fast Toys Club at the median “Gold” membership level, for a cool $30K annual fee, and receive access to any of the Club’s wide range of road cars (all of those we mentioned earlier) for 3,500 miles annually, totally free from concern about fuel, maintenance, insurance, parking—even pickup and drop-off.

Another option for those who already own a high-end luxury/sports car or exotic, is to contribute it to the Club in exchange for credits that can be put toward renting any of the Club’s other eligible rides. And then, of course, there are the racing benefits.

Fast Toys hosts monthly track days in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, and on the weekend we met up with the Club at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca—the Club’s Ferrari 458 Challenge car, Pescarolo Le Mans Prototype, Caterham CT03 Formula 1, and caged Boss 302 Ford Mustang were all engaged by members in other events. But as Chris explained, as with most other cars in the pool, they’re all available for Club members to enjoy on the track—provided they can demonstrate to an instructor their ability to drive them safely.

Fast Toys’ Laguna Seca track day also fell just one day before a meeting of the Porsche Owners Club (POC), and Club members offered POC drivers some practice time on their schedule, we think partly out of sportsmanship, and partly because the prospect of so many high-dollar and high-performance cars running together on one of the greatest and most picturesque racing facilities in the world was just too good not to indulge.

In closing, should you find yourself with the means and motivation to own a high-end luxury/sports car or exotic, but aren’t too keen on the responsibilities and limitations attached therein, consider joining Fast Toys Club. And then be sure to say "hi" to Joe and us at their next track day.