With both a large track day and car meet going on at the same time, there was a lot to see at the recent NorCal vs. SoCal Euro event at Buttonwillow Raceway. The variety of styles and types of European cars on hand made it difficult to pick favorites—but here are four BMWs and a pair of classic Volkswagens that caught our eye. From show cars to purpose-built track machines, prepare for Euro overload.

1. BMW E28 535is

First up we have a lovely machine spotted in the vendor area—an E28 chassis BMW 535is that was dripping 1980s perfection. There’s been a lot more interest in BMWs from this period lately, and after looking at this car it’s easy to see why.

Both the exterior and interior were immaculate, and the only big changes from stock were the more aggressive ride height and a period-appropriate set of BBS RS mesh wheels.

One of our favorite little details on the car were the headlight wipers—something you wouldn’t dream of seeing on a modern BMW but perfectly suited to the classic round headlights on the E28.

No, this vintage 5 Series wasn’t heavily modified like some the other cars on display, but with great lines and a presentation this clean, it didn’t need to be.

2. Simple & Pure E30 M3

Staying in a similar era, we head over to the track day paddock where we found this wonderful E30 M3 that came out to do more than just park and look pretty.

While certainly not a dedicated race car, the E30 was sporting a few track-appropriate modifications, like this set of lightweight Kosei K1 wheels mounted with Nitto NT01 rubber.

Elsewhere, the M3 was clean enough to make you mistake it for a garage queen, with a beautiful tan interior complimented by a Momo steering wheel and a pair of racing harnesses for the driver and passenger.

With the value of E30 M3s continuing to skyrocket at the hands of collectors, it’s going to become rarer and rarer to see them at the race track. Hats off to this enthusiast for using the car the way BMW intended.

3. How to Do an E36 M3

Now we move to the next generation of M3, the E36. While these cars aren’t nearly as valuable as their older counterparts, they are becoming more sought after, and super clean examples like this one are becoming harder to find—especially at the race track.

With some effective modifications, this car takes everything that was great about the E36 platform from the factory and improves upon it in a functional way.

Exterior wise the car has just the right amount of upgrades, with bits like the lightweight wheels and the carbon fiber intake duct that replaces the driver side headlight.

With great looks and the sweet sound of its inline six climbing to the redline as it lapped the track, it was easy to see why so many people have the E36 M3 pegged as a future classic to buy now before the prices jump.

4. German Body, American Heart

Next up we have another E36 M3, but one built in a much different style. This is Moton Suspension USA’s demo car, and there’s a bit more to it than meets the eye.

With a stripped out cockpit, full cage, fender flares and giant Voltex GT wing in the rear, this is a serious track machine, but the BMW purists might want to look away when the hood gets popped.

That’s because the factory straight six has been swapped out in favor of an GM LS V8 swap. It’s part Bimmer and part Corvette—and we can’t help but love it.

With a stout chassis and a lots of aftermarket support, the E36 is a perfect platform for an LS swap, and with its fantastic looks and track performance that speaks for itself, this has to be one of the coolest (and fastest) GM-powered BMWs around.

5 & 6. Scirocco & Corrado Duo

Last but not least we get to a pair of Volkswagens that were on display in the show and shine area, which was heavy on watercooled machines.

Mention the words "classic Volkswagen" and you might first think of something aircooled, but when it comes to the watercooled era the Scirocco and Corrado have an appeal all their own.

Whether you dig the uniquely '80s styling of the Scirocco or the equally cool '90s lines of the Corrado, both of these cars represent a very different era in VW's history, and it was really cool to see them both parked side by side.

The fact that both of these classic VWs were rocking choice sets of BBS RS wheels made them that much cooler, and a perfect way to complete this selection of Euro goodness.

Here's hoping there will be more of these NorCal vs. SoCal car meets in the future, because it's always cool to see enthusiasts from both sides of the Golden State get together for a day of fun like this.

To see more Euro goodness from NorCal vs. SoCal, check out our full gallery!

It’s ridiculed and hated by diesel enthusiasts the world over—but we’re big fans of it. It’s called HEUI and it stands for hydraulically activated electronically controlled unit injector. An interesting yet complicated injection system that functions by using pressurized engine oil to fire its fuel injectors, HEUI is the perpetual underdog in diesel performance. However, over the years we’ve come to appreciate this unconventional system’s means of kick-starting combustion in both the 7.3L and 6.0L Power Stroke V-8s used in Ford trucks.

What the neglectful often forget is that HEUI has a host of advantages. For instance, engines fitted with HEUI can’t be run out of oil. Excessive oil consumption will never result in super-heated internals or catastrophic seizure, but rather an engine that simply stops running. HEUI components also enjoy long service lives when properly maintained. On top of that—and contrary to popular belief—big horsepower can be achieved with HEUI. Still don’t believe us? Take a long, hard look at the talking points below. We just might change your mind.

1. Caterpillar Roots

HEUI was a joint venture between Caterpillar and Navistar (i.e. International) and was introduced in 1993. Thanks to being electronically controlled via a computer, it was the first system whereby fuel pressurization and injection timing could be varied independently from engine speed. The technology debuted in the Navistar-built 7.3L Power Stroke for ’94.5 model year Ford trucks, as well as the T444E (a Power Stroke variant) and the DT466E used in International’s medium duty truck line. Although HEUI would still technically be employed in later engines (the 6.0L Power Stroke, Navistar VT365 and MaxxForce DT), due to these engines using injection system components from Sturman Industries (and Caterpillar owning the term HEUI), you’ll find that the HEUI acronym doesn’t exist in any engine literature. Instead, Navistar used the term “electro-hydraulic” unit injection from 2003-on.

2. Maintain a Strict Maintenance Regimen

Because a HEUI injector requires both oil and diesel to follow intricate internal paths in order to operate, keeping both fluids as clean and fresh as possible is vital. Per the book, the 7.3L Power Stroke’s oil drain interval is 5,000 miles, but due to the immense pressure the oil is exposed to causing the oil to shear, many owners change their oil every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. In the 6.0L Power Stroke’s case, observe the “Special Operating Conditions” oil change interval of 5,000 miles (or 200 hours) rather than the 7,500-mile interval recommended under normal operating conditions. By adhering to a heavy equipment-like fuel filter change interval of every other oil change, you’re virtually guaranteed to never experience any fuel-related injector problems. Officially, Ford recommends both the 7.3L’s fuel filter and the 6.0L’s fuel filters (yes, there are two) be replaced every 15,000 miles.

3. Run a Quality Oil

The oil in a HEUI injection system works harder than any other engine oil in the world. Not only is it pressurized between 500 psi and 3,600 psi in the high-pressure circuit, but it is additionally responsible for lubricating and cooling the rest of the engine. On earlier HEUI systems (namely the 7.3L Power Stroke, T444E and DT466E), a conventional 15W-40 oil will suffice so long as a reasonable drain interval is observed. However, with tighter tolerances, stiction issues and contamination present thanks to the exhaust gas recirculation system, the second generation HEUI system (i.e. 6.0L Power Stroke, VT365 and MaxxForce DT) is better off operating on a lower weight, full synthetic, low ash engine oil.

4. You Can’t Run Them Out of Oil

In addition to its ability to meet emissions standards and make sufficient power, we think HEUI was Caterpillar’s built-in insurance policy to guard against catastrophic engine failure. Because the injection system relies on engine oil to activate the fuel injectors, the injectors will fail to fire once oil supply drops below a specific threshold. In the 7.3L Power Stroke’s case, this threshold is seven quarts (the engine holds 14). This built-in fail-safe is ideal in situations where operators neglect to check engine oil levels, or when regular maintenance isn’t being conducted. We’re sure it helped CAT’s bottom line.

5. Reduced Camshaft Wear (vs. Mechanical Unit Injection Systems)

Unlike the mechanical unit injection systems that preceded it, HEUI isn’t reliant on a fixed geometry camshaft profile (and engine speed) to pressurize fuel. This saves on camshaft lobe wear and allows the cam to serve the sole purpose of actuating the intake and exhaust valves. Additionally, HEUI was light-years ahead of gear-driven, mechanical injection technology, which also depended on engine speed in order to pressurize fuel.

6. HEUI Injectors Last

Although it’s widely believed that HEUI components don’t last as long as the parts used in conventional injection systems, nothing could be further from the truth. With proper maintenance, a HEUI injector can last just as long as a mechanical unit, and many HEUI injectors outlast the newfangled common-rail injectors found in the latest diesel engines on the market. As a general rule of thumb, a 7.3L injector will last 200,000 miles without skipping a beat, although we’ve seen them go 250,000 to 350,000 before an overhaul was typically necessary. Even though the 6.0L is notorious for injector problems, a properly maintained set can last at least 150,000 miles.

7. Engine Components Wear the Same as in Conventional Systems

Despite the fact that HEUI is an unconventional injection system, it has no effect on the performance or longevity of other engine parts. Take Navistar’s DT466-based engine for instance. It utilized mechanical injection from the 1970s to the early 1990s before the same overall platform was adorned with the HEUI system. After the switch, there was no change in hard-part durability. Also, thanks to the precise control of the injection event that HEUI provides, fuel-in-oil contamination (often referred to as percent fuel content) is just as low in a HEUI engine as what you’ll find with today’s high-pressure common-rail systems.

8. High-Pressure Oil Leaks Happen

Just as fuel leaks can occur in conventional injection systems, the HEUI system isn’t immune to suffering an occasional leak. Typically, it’s a high-pressure oil leak you’re chasing, and it’s much more common in second-generation HEUI systems (i.e. the 6.0L Power Stroke) than on the earlier systems. High-pressure oil leaks are usually detected via compressed air using a valve and hose installed in the injection control pressure (ICP), engine oil temperature (EOT) or engine oil pressure (EOP) sensor port.

9. Single Shot Injection Events (With a Few Exceptions)

With cutting edge electronic controls, present-day common-rail injectors can carry out as many as seven injections per combustion event. A HEUI injector, however, was never intended to perform multiple injections per combustion cycle. This means no excess fuel is used to quiet the injection event (via pilot injection) or build excess in-cylinder heat for emissions purposes (i.e. post injection). You get one “main” injection event per cycle—a single shot. Needless to say, HEUI engines are a bit loud. We’ll note that a mechanical pilot injection event was introduced on ’99 model year 7.3L Power Stroke engines, but when pilot injection was attempted, electronically, on the 6.0L Power Stroke, it was wrought with issues and quickly abandoned.

10. HEUI Can Make Considerable Horsepower

While it might’ve taken a while for the aftermarket to figure out how to squeeze more power out of the HEUI system, the days struggling to add an extra 50hp are long gone. In the diesel pickup segment, there are countless 7.3L owners driving around with 500, 600 and even 700rwhp on tap. Things are even peachier for the 6.0L camp, where the higher-pressure HEUI system and more efficient overall engine package can be combined to make a 600, 700, even 800rwhp Super Duty a reality. Most recently, annual UCC competitor Jesse Warren has made clearing 1,700rwhp the norm with his fire-breathing 6.0L. Not bad for a sub-400 cubic inch engine!

11. HEUI Is Similar to New-Age Common-Rail Systems

In many ways, HEUI is very similar to modern, common-rail systems. After all, both rely on high-pressure fuel or oil and a corresponding fuel or oil rail(s) to store the fluid that’s about to be used by the injectors. As such, added capacity by way of adding a second high-pressure pump (a high-pressure oil pump in HEUI’s case, a high-pressure fuel pump in common-rail’s case) is usually in store when enthusiasts are pursuing big horsepower. When it comes right down to it, HEUI was the original high-pressure common-rail system, but that wasn’t the name it was given.

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We’ve all heard it before: a friend buys a car and says “this will be my responsible daily driver,” which quickly devolves into “I’m just lowering it and getting new wheels,” before the inevitable slide into full-on customization appears seemingly overnight. There’s no doubt the aftermarket economy is a huge pillar of the automotive landscape—just ask anyone who has visited SEMA—but how do straight-off-the-showroom-floor cars stack up when customized cars are all you’ve ever driven? Mazda graciously allowed me behind the wheel of one of their 2017.5 Mazda6 Grand Tourings for an entire week to find out what I’ve been missing in the OEM world, and spoiler alert, it didn’t disappoint.

Being a tall person, one of the first things to cross my mind when discussing a car is whether or not I fit in it. I'm happy to say the Mazda6 excels in this area. The fully adjustable and heated seat actually moves too far away from the steering wheel and pedals at it’s furthest setting—incredible for my 6-foot 5-inch frame—and the light leather pops with the dark stitching and Machine Grey Metallic paint. As functional as racing bucket seats are, there’s no real way they compare in the comfort or adjustability departments.

The technology of the Mazda6 was another surprising aspect, especially for someone who has owned multiple cars that didn’t even have working cruise control. The heads up display, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings all work together seamlessly to keep the car between the lines and other cars on the road, even with the most distracted drivers. The Active Driving Display was a particularly great aspect of the tech package, enabling the driver to see the speed limit, current speed, cruise control settings and much more without ever looking away from the road. If I'm being honest, the last HUD I got to use was in an S13, so Mazda’s implementation is a step forward to say the least.

Finally, the exterior styling of the car is stunning. Within a week, I had two separate instances of people telling me they loved the car, and a fellow Mazda6 driver give me a head nod and wave, which is more than I can say for my current Honda Fit. The Mazda KODO design philosophy has really shown it’s worth in making even a midsize sedan into something worth taking a second look at in traffic. The front grille lighting accent was also a surprisingly welcome touch, allowing the instantly recognizable front fascia to maintain its geometry, even when the sun dropped behind the horizon. While styling is completely subjective, it’s definitely not bad to start with such a great looking base for modifications.

Overall, the Mazda6 has opened my eyes to how comfortable and convenient a completely stock car can be, while not being too pedestrian or boring. Driving around with minimal road noise, no exhaust drone, comfortable seats and the Bose sound system playing music was almost enough to get me into a Mazda6 of my own, but let’s be real: I’d probably be eyeing air suspension setups before the bumper-to-bumper warranty was up. After all, no matter how great a car is rolling off the showroom floor, it could always be rolling lower.

To see more Mazda performance, check out how they did at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona!

Every country song knows the best medicine for the blues is hopping in your old truck and hitting the road. Nothing cures the pain of a broken heart like a V8 in a pickup. So when an adorable herd of baby goats in a field out near Malibu, California straight up refused to come to the fence for petting, it’s a good thing that Classic Car Studio’s 1953 Ford F100 was right behind me, warmed up and ready to goat. I mean, go.

CCS is a St. Louis-based custom shop featured on the Velocity show, “Speed Is the New Black.” In Episode 8, shop owner Noah Alexander and his team took a 1953 F250 from rusty farm find to low and sporty, and before the owner puts it into regular rotation as a summer cruiser, Classic Car Studio brought it out to California so a few of us could have a go behind the wheel—and in my case, drown my goat-related sorrows.

You know, country music is on to something. A few minutes down the road and I wasn’t thinking of anything except how incredible the truck was. Where were the old car rattles and farm-truck springs? 1950s-era trucks usually manage to be both stiff and sloppy at the same time, but my ride was cushioned and precise, even over railroad tracks and at a ride height that would normally lead you to believe that you were sitting somewhere below where the bumpstops should be.

The mystery was solved with a look at the spec sheet. The style may be mid-century, but the RideTech-equipped TCI chassis is all modern times. Classic Car Studio took the F250 cab and set it on a modern chassis, then built an F100 around it using fenders and a bed from LMC Truck. The resulting vehicle has the look of a classic, but it rides like a luxury car.

From inside the cab, the world is a panorama for your enjoyment. The big domed hood, one of the only body panels reused from the original truck, flickers from black to emerald green as you slip through the shadows along the highway. The interior is a crème brulee of soft diamond-stitched leather with bronze accents.

In front of the bench seat, an Excalibur of a Hurst shifter rises out of the floor. Do you dare grasp it? Can you rule this kingdom? You can.

The carbureted Ford Racing 302ci small block takes a second to warm up, but once it does it’s crisp and responsive, happy with each snick-snick of the Husrt stick.

The Centerforce clutch is stiff but not unpleasantly so. The truck sounds brutal, really ill-behaved and snorty, but driving it is the complete opposite. It’s tight and responsive, no stumbles or hiccups.

The steering is perfect, and the Wilwood disc brakes bring it to a stop so quick you better check your rear mirror. The Ford 9-inch in the back is packed with a 3.50 posi, and the combo is so long-legged that if it were my truck, I’d probably tuck into a lower gearset. You’d need to be going 90 mph to even bother with fifth gear here. Below that at 2500 rpm, you can practically hear the engine rolling its eyes at you. “Come on, let’s go, I’m bored!”

As a driver there’s no chance of getting bored. Even if you tired of that engine grumble—impossible—there’s always a Bluetooth Kicker audio system for listening to podcasts about trucks or country music. Pull over for a photo shoot by the Pacific Ocean and wave to the surfers eyeing your ride with fantasies of throwing their boards in the back and becoming an Instagram cliché.

One of the best things about owning a classic truck is the response it gets. No supercar jealousy. Everyone knows what a truck is, and why it’s cool, so when you roar by, everyone has a moment of friendly desire to be in the passenger seat, windows down, world rolling away beneath your tires.

It doesn’t hurt when the truck is this pretty either. Noah’s team really did a stellar job on the paint and body. The paint choice is stunning. It’s a BASF Glasurit green that is modern in its small flake over dark base coat, but still recalls old-school customs in how it flares over the curves and in the light. Personally, I think all vehicles should be green, so I’m all for the color.

It’s kept from getting muddy by the bright caramel interior, which mirrors the bronze exterior trim and 20-inch Hot Rods by Boyd wheels.

The bed is a dark-stained oak with satin accents and a center-mounted gas cap.

The truck’s owner said he wanted a build with presence, something that announced itself. “Loud and low,” he told Noah. Classic Car Studio delivered, and then some. The green machine is loud and low, but also clean, sleek and a pleasure to drive. It’s a sure cure for the blues.

Check out more photos of this beautiful truck in the gallery below, and subscribe to our newsletter to have more articles sent straight to your inbox!

We’re fans of annual traditions, and our yearly trek to Moab, Utah, for the Easter Jeep Safari is one of our favorites. With off-road enthusiasts from across the globe converging on the ‘wheeling Mecca for one week every spring, it’s not hard to find a trail ride to jump in with. Last year, we had a blast running the Top of the World trail with the EVO Manufacturing and KMC Wheels hosted ride. This year, the two industry mega houses teamed up again to lead a group along what’s known as the trail trifecta.

The trail trifecta is a full day commitment as it takes you on a journey over Poison Spider Mesa, Golden Spike and Gold Bar Rim. Along the way, you’ll intercept some of Moab’s most famous obstacles, such as Double Whammy and the rig-twisting Golden Crack. We’ve highlighted some of the trail action in the video above and will have a killer photo gallery coming your way soon as well.

Looking for a shorter trail ride? Be sure to check out this video of the Mashed Potato trail.

With nearly three years going by since the sixth generation Chevy Camaro was introduced for the 2016 model year, it was time for GM to give the car a refresh, and this week they officially showed off the updated 2019 Camaro with a new look and new options.

The biggest cosmetic change comes up front where the car gets new fascia designs to differentiate between the LS/LT, RS and SS models. The SS model in particular gets what Chevy calls a “flowtie” grille emblem along with its own unique LED taillights.

Mechanically, the 2019 Camaro SS gets a new 10-speed automatic transmission similar to the one offered in the ZL1, and thanks to its launch control system and line lock, it should become the model of choice among serious drag racers.

Perhaps the biggest news for 2019 is the addition of the popular 1LE package for the entry-level Camaro with the 2.0L turbo engine. While the horsepower rating remains 275, the Turbo 1LE model will include unique dampers and bushings, larger anti-roll bars, Brembo brakes and a drive selector with a track-ready competition mode.

While the turbo is down on power when compared to the V6 and V8 1LE models, its lighter weight gives the car better weight distribution, and it should prove to be a popular package for autocross competitors and track day junkies.

The 1LE Turbo should be priced under the existing 1LE V6, which should make it an appealing choice for those in the market for a fun rear-drive coupe that doesn't break the bank. Pricing info for the full line should be released later this year before the new models hit dealerships.

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Formula Drift recently kicked off their fifteenth season on the famed Streets of Long Beach street course. This world-renowned track has previously hosted Indycar, CART, ALMS, World Challenge, Formula E, Stadium Super Trucks and since 2006, the first stop of the Formula Drift Black Magic Pro Championship.

As the first round of the season, it served as a shakedown for several drivers who were debuting new cars, including Matt Field’s C6 Chevy Corvette and Fredric Aasbo’s 2019 Toyota Corolla.

Simultaneously, international competitors Kazuya Taguchi (Japan) and Federico Sceriffo (Italy) made their Formula Drift debuts, driving a Nissan R35 and Ferrari 599 GTB (which we featured on our site late last week), respectively.

Four Pro 2 graduates also made their Pro debut at Long Beach, with mumblings of several more launching their seasons in Orlando in a few weeks. While the initial weather report for the weekend had a strong chance of precipitation, Mother Nature cooperated and provided a weekend of clear skies and 70 degree temperatures to the satisfaction of the nearly 20,000 fans who came out to watch the event.

Long Beach Course Layout

The course at Long Beach is largely determined by the layout used for the Grand Prix the following weekend, which converts just under 2 miles of actual city streets into a world-renowned racing circuit. Formula Drift uses turns 9, 10, and 11 from the traditional Grand Prix layout, while using the back straight as the run up to initiation to hit nearly 80 mph prior to getting the car sideways.

After the drivers initiate into the 90-degree right hander, they are asked to push their cars all the way to the outside wall between turns 9 and 10 before transitioning back across the traditional racing line to brush the wall under the passenger bridge midway through the two turns. Keeping the throttle pinned, the natural drifting line pushes the cars to the outside wall again in front of turn 10 for a clipping zone in front of the judges' stand before drivers slow down and transition back to the left to position their cars on the right line for the tight hairpin around turn 11.

A clipping point at the peninsula of turn 11 is marked by an oversized Black Magic tire shine can, and drivers are allowed to nudge this clipping point slightly while in tandem but must avoid center-punching the car clip. As the cars naturally flow onto the front straightaway of the conventional racing circuit, their momentum will push them towards the outside wall one last time, and drivers are asked to keep the car sideways across the finish line in front of the general admission grandstands.

While only three turns on the track, the temporary nature of the course means actual traction levels can vary widely, and the tight nature of the solid concrete walls and catch fencing leaves no room for errors or mistakes. Most drivers have a love/hate relationship that is often tightly correlated to their own level of risk avoidance: Drivers who risk their cars by brushing the walls at every opportunity will be rewarded with high points from the judges, but exceeding the limits will end your weekend very quickly.

Qualifying

While 34 drivers were initially registered for the first round, only 31 made it to the track for race weekend, as some last minute complications left three drivers looking to Orlando for their season debut. Defending champion James Deane laid down the mark to beat after the first qualifying run with a score of 96, but his Worthouse Drift teammate Piotr Wiecek would tie his mark on the second run and earn the top qualifier position by virtue of a tiebreaker.

Forrest Wang marked his return to the series after a one-year hiatus by qualifying third with a score of 93. Justin Pawlak scored a 93 as well, but fell to fourth due to a lower tiebreaking mark. 

All four Pro 2 graduates (Dirk Stratton—Q14, Austin Meeks—Q25, Kevin Lawrence—Q27, Matt VanKirk—Q29) qualified in their inaugural event in the Pro class, which is definitely noteworthy.

For the Nitto Tire team, Chelsea Denofa (Q11), Vaughn Gittin Jr. (Q19), Alex Heilbrunn (Q21) and Federico Sceriffo (Q22) all earned scores that would slot them into the tandem ladder for Saturday, but all were looking to improve their results by winning a few tandem battles.

Unfortunately, Dean Kearney would have mechanical issues during practice and was unable to make a qualifying pass, which meant the tandem ladder would have 30 drivers slotted into it. With Wiecek and Deane earning the top two qualifying positions, they had a bye into the Top 16 round.

Tandem Battles

While Friday’s qualifying session has championship implications due to the points available to higher qualifying drivers, glory is earned during Saturday’s battles. As is often the case with the first event of the season, the veterans who had several years of experience on the course saw success early in the day.

In the first round of tandem eliminations, all six rookie drivers lost to the more-experienced counterparts. Additionally, the higher qualifying driver won every tandem battle except for one, where Vaughn Gittin Jr. defeated higher-qualified Dirk Stratton, due to Stratton crashing while leading the tandem battle.

In one of the scariest tandem battles of the Top 32 round, Nitto Tire driver Federico Sceriffo collided with teammate Chelsea Denofa on their first run. It may have looked dramatic when Denofa was pushed into the tire barrier, but most of the damage to his car was cosmetic. Due to Sceriffo causing the collision, he was not allowed to look over his car between runs without taking his competition timeout, which he declined to do.

Denofa appeared back at the starting line missing both fenders, his front bumper, and the hood of his Mustang, but looked ready to battle. As both drivers left the starting line, it appeared to be just another tandem battle, right until Sceriffo’s Ferrari failed to initiate and slid off course into the runoff area past the first turn. His car burst into flames, and while Sceriffo was able to evacuate safely, it took several moments for fire safety team to arrive and extinguish the blaze.

In assessing the aftermath, the prevailing theory is that a suspension component on Sceriffo’s car cracked in the initial collision, and the stresses of attempting to initiate drift on the second run caused the part to fail, which punctured a fluid line that caused the fire. Thankfully, the damage appears to be mostly cosmetic, and Sceriffo is expecting to have the car fully repaired by Orlando.

In the Top 16, the trend of higher qualifying drivers earning the tandem victory continued, as Wiecek (Q1), Tuerck (Q8), Pawlak (Q4), Aasbo (Q5), Deane (Q2), Wang (Q3), and Forsberg (Q6) all earned victories. The lone upset came when Alec Hohnadell, as the 10^th qualified driver, took out Matt Field (Q7) due to a small mistake in chase from Field.

For both Nitto Tire teammates Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Chelsea Denofa, their days ended in the Top 16 when they spun on their lead runs, happening in the big sweeper in front of the judges stand for Gittin Jr. and near the hairpin for Denofa. It was an unfortunate early exit for both drivers, who have both won at the Long Beach track before, but would watch this year’s Top 8 from the sidelines.

The Top 8 featured several great battles, but again, the higher qualified drivers held the advantage, as Wiecek defeated Tuerck, Deane defeated Hohnadell and Wang defeated Forsberg, putting the top three qualifiers into the Final 4. Fredric Aasbo was able to end Justin Pawlak’s day and prevent the fourth place qualifier from making a clean sweep, although it took a “One More Time” round before Aasbo earned the win.

One of the oddest battles in the Top 8 round happened in the tandem battle between Deane and Hohnadell. Deane laid down an awesome lead run in his Worthouse Drift Nissan S15, with Honadell pretty close behind him in his Permatex Nissan S14. When the drivers switched positions, Hohnadell tapped the wall after initiation and drove straight between Turn 9 and Turn 10, which lead to him earning an "incomplete run" from the judges.

In an unrelated issue, James Deane experienced some sort of suspension failure, causing him to lose drift behind Hohnadell, and he was unable to complete the run as well. With both drivers being scored as "incomplete" on the second run, the first run was judged independently, and Deane was given the win, despite being towed off course by a tow truck when the announcement was made.

The Final 4

The Final 4 was setting up to be an epic battle between four drivers who had laid down some of the best runs of the day, but the tandem battles ended up being decided before the judges had the chance to evaluate the runs.

In the first battle between Europeans, Wiecek got too aggressive closing the gap to Aasbo before the peninsula clip and washed out, allowing Aasbo to earn the votes from all three judges. Wiecek likely had the advantage after the first run, and was laying down one of the best chase runs of the day prior to the washout. However, the mistake had to be punished, so Aasbo progressed to the final.

The battle of Nissan S15s that was scheduled to happen between Wang and Deane didn’t come to fruition, as the damage to Deane’s S15 from his battle with Hohnadell was too much to repair within the time allotted, and Deane was forced to retire. Wang made a solo pass into the final and guaranteed himself a career-best finish, as his best finish had been third up to that point.

Luckily, the final battle made up for the lack of suspense in the Final 4. Aasbo and Wang's battle was one for the ages. Oddly enough, a huge bank of fog rolled into the Long Beach venue in between the conclusion of Wang’s solo run and the battle between Wang and Aasbo, which drastically dropped temperatures at the track.

Both drivers handled the change well and laid down a pair of amazing runs, prompting the crowd to chant for a “One More Time” battle. The judges agreed and sent the drivers back to the starting line for a second pair of runs.

Again, the drivers answered the call from the judges and seemed to push their cars deeper into the clipping zones, with both runs looking nearly identical to the naked eye. While many fans felt that the drivers should be sent for a second “One More Time” round, the judges had seen enough to make a decision.

Aasbo was announced as the winner, his 11^th career victory. Wang humbly accepted second place, a career-best finish for him in his return to the series after a year hiatus. Due to qualifying position, Wiecek took the final position on the podium, with Deane accepting fourth place.

Next up, the series migrates to Orlando, Florida for Round 2 of the championship, although several drivers will make an appearance at the annual Motegi Super Drift invitational in conjunction with the Long Beach Grand Prix. We will have full coverage of the entire Formula Drift season here on DrivingLine, so stay tuned!

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Whether you like it or not, what you drive can say a lot about who you are. Certain types of vehicles go with certain lifestyles, such as minivans and soccer moms, Jeeps and outdoor-lovers or electric cars and environmentalists. But what does your ride say about you on a deeper level? Out editorial team has compiled a list of 26 makes and models and the most common stereotypes attributed to their owners. More importantly, in case you own one of these vehicles, we've provided you with tips on on how to avoid being just another one in the herd.

1. Subaru WRX owners all vape

At the very least, keep the windows rolled up so it doesn't look like your wannabe rally car is overheating. Or try sunflower seeds.

2. PT Cruiser owners wear Teva sandals and a hot-rod themed shirt

We're not saying Ross and Marshall's gives exclusive loyalty cards to their PT Cruiser customers. We're saying maybe they should. 

3. C5 Corvette owners all dress like dorky dads

Denim shorts, long white socks, a tucked in T-shirt and an optional visor. This is the final form of any C5 owner at the local Cars & Coffee. Just put on some pants and you can avoid this entirely.

4. Cummins owners are huge fans of themselves

Look...we get it. That 3 foot tall "C" on the back window doesn't stand for "creative." Why not go for the subtle look and impress them when the light goes green instead?

5. Prius drivers are speed demons...as long as their phone isn't in their hand

This one couldn't be more true. You're more concerned with saving gas money and the environment than your own livelihood. Ease up, get a hands-free device and enjoy hypermiling. 

6. Nissan S-chassis drivers are always cold

Dude, what's with the sweaters? It's August in Phoenix but your S13 hatch just doesn't look cool if you climb out dressed appropriately for the weather. It's ironic, bro.

7. Ford 7.3L Power Stroke owners actually brag about their high mileage

"410,000 miles, just breaking in. This is the million mile motor," said every 7.3 owner, ever. Look, your 250hp dinosaur of a truck doesn't make enough power to hurt itself. Just be happy you've gotten this far.

8. Porsche drivers are all dentists

Don't believe us? Go drive by your dentist's office and check the parking lot. Hey doc, maybe try something comparable but not as obvious. Like a Tesla.

9. Miata owners are the experts in vehicle weight ratios

Now, this isn't really a bad thing, but it does get annoying sometimes. Quit giving away the secrets of the trade. Go pass that Mustang around the corner!

10. All baby-blue V6 Mustang convertibles are rental cars

Avoid these at all costs. The driver is usually looking at anything but the road, has no clue where they are and has a general disregard for the well-being of the car. 

11. Salvage titles don't scare FD RX-7 owners one bit

After all, LS-swaps aren't cheap, so talk down the price as far as you can. Just check to see if it's a flood car before you purchase it.

12. A Super Duty driver's favorite two words are "Coors Light"

We haven't been able to nail down exactly why this is true, but our editorial team loves Super Duties and Coors Light. We're not going to argue this one at all.

13. Audi owners can't stop talking about Quattro or Bitcoin

OMG enough already. Just because you blindly traded a few hundred dollars for a $34.50 return on your investment while driving through a snowstorm doesn't make you better than us.

14. Subaru Forester owners care more about the environment than their own cars

Guys, just wash the car once a year. The bird poop covered roof and tree-sap on the hood isn't appealing, and it's probably devaluing the property in your neighborhood.

15. Volvo drivers still carry around Thomas Guides

Call them old-fashioned, call them obsolete, call them anything you want. But they'll get wherever they're going, and get there safely. That said, GPS units are cheap these days, so maybe check them out.

16. BMW drivers have no idea what a turn signal is

If you ever feel like your life has no purpose, remember that there are teams of people in Germany who are tasked with installing blinker systems on these cars.

17. Range Rover owners aren't the least bit outdoorsy, and they know it

But for some reason, the dealership salesman STILL insists on taking you for a test drive on their wannabe rock-crawler obstacle course to show you how impressive it is in an environment you will never enter.

18. Chrysler 300 owners are still saving up for a Bentley

Fake it 'til you make it? At least you won't have the maintenance headaches of a Bentley. Actually, the new ones are kinda cool lookin'.

19. Nissan GTR owners have to tell you they could have bought a Porsche

"It's the car for real drivers," according to any GTR owner, who's probably not a dentist.

20. You have to be 55 or older to purchase a Buick

The exciting days of the GNX are long gone, and we're pretty sure their cars come with a complimentary 1-year membership to AARP.

21. MK4 Volkswagen Jetta owners used to be the "hot girl" in high school

Admit it, your senior crush drove one of these. It's too bad they all smell like melted crayons inside.

22. Saab owners are always upset

You would be too if your car manufacturer built you an unreliable lemon then decided to cease all production and skip town. Maybe the Volvo was a better option, Daniel.

23. International Scout owners wish they had Bronco money

It's the red-headed step-child of the 4x4 SUV craze of the '60s and '70s. Scout owners are usually good with their hands, since nobody else wants to make parts for them.

24. Duramax owners will use their Allison Transmissions to end every argument

You know what, we'll just say it. A transmission is not the end-all to a truck that's riddled with dozens of other issues, no matter how indestructible you claim it is.

25. FRS/BRZ owners' favorite two words are "group buy"

Ballin' on a budget is a familiar phrase to these guys. At least they're fun to drive.

26. Jaguar owners don't do research before buying products

Sure, the commercials are cool and all...but what are you really getting for that much coin, other than future electrical headaches followed a possible four recalls?

We hope you enjoyed this list. We're confident there are many more car owner stereotypes out there, so if we missed one, drop it in the comments section! 

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What do you do when you’ve married the girl of your dreams, realized your career goals, built a successful business, taken typical leisure sports to impressive extremes and even grown bored with more "extreme" well-to-do pastimes? Simple: You get into drifting.

Meet Don Boline. At 52 years of age, he’s possibly the oldest, most experienced and most accomplished rookie in the history of competitive drifting, and he’s the owner of this supercharged Z33 Nissan 350Z Top Drift machine.

Don is living proof that age sometimes really is just a number. To talk with him and uncover all he’s accomplished, you might be surprised that Don's only 52, if not for his young demeanor, and humble and inquisitive approach to learning new things...like controlling a car going sideways at speed.

Life Before Drift

To better understand Don’s intent with drifting, it’s important to look back on his prior accomplishments. He originally got into cars at a young age, but turned his meticulous nature and mechanical inclination toward woodworking after realizing how much more money there was to be made in construction, carpentry and real-estate renovation.

That was 35 years ago, and nine years later he founded Concept Builders, a high-end remodeling firm serving primarily the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. “At the time, and still today, there were just too many people taking customers’ hard-earned money and returning sub-par work,” Don explains. “I saw a real market for high-quality materials, detailed work and expert craftsmanship.”

For 35 years Don’s survived and thrived as an entrepreneur by a small set of rules, among them: “Be the best at what you do, arrive five minutes early, work your ass off and leave five minutes late.” With his business running on its own (during the times he’s been able to fight the urge to “Donify” everything himself—his term), he and his wife applied that conviction to golf, to the point where they “got pretty good and pissed a lot of people off.” After that it was onto skeet shooting and action pistol competitions, and then cooking, where at least one online authority credits Don as a master chef.

A Legendary Teacher

In each endeavor, Don’s fundamental approach has been the same: Go all the way. Learn from the best, use the best parts and ingredients and take the learning process as far as you can go—otherwise, what’s the point? His approach to drifting was much the same. When a Google search for “drift lessons” turned up Naoki Kobayashi and his Drift 101 initiative, Don had found his next starting point.

You could call Naoki-san the godfather of drifting in the U.S., and you wouldn’t be wrong. His involvement with organizations like Drift Day predate Formula Drift in the U.S. and was crucial in the beginning of competitive drifting here. These days he helms Drift 101, the country’s premier drifting instruction organization, headquartered at Willow Springs in Southern California.

Designed for beginners, Drift 101 provides professional instruction, rental drift cars (from an assortment of S13 and S14 240SXs, Z33 350Zs and more), tires, safety equipment—everything needed to start from ground zero in the drifting world. This is exactly where Don started two years ago, on his 50th birthday.

“I’m not really sure what attracted me to it,” Don begins, about drifting. “It just looked fun. And I knew I wanted to learn from the best.” Naoki-san got Don behind the wheel of one of his S13 rentals for a few sessions, then into an S14, then into his Z33 250Z. “That’s when it clicked,” recalls Don. “I knew I had to find one of these for myself.”

Building the Right Car

Luckily for Don this is Southern California, and finding a Nissan 350Z that had been at least partially prepped for drifting took him just a few towns over to Riverside, where he found this then black and slightly neglected gem. It came with a Vortech supercharger, hydraulic hand brake, some basic suspension mods, a partially constructed roll cage and was battered just enough to have a low price and still remain largely functional. But it also came with some surprises, namely a chassis wiring harness that had been chewed to bits by mice, which fried two ECUs during Don’s early practice sessions before it was discovered. A refresh was needed.

Don once again placed his trust in Naoki-san, handing him and R-Spec Auto in Van Nuys the keys to to tie up all the loose ends, bring the cage up to Formula D competition-spec, replace the half-eaten chassis wiring harness, add Feal coilovers and a Power by Max steering angle kit to all four corners and employ the use of a venerable ACT clutch kit for those oh-so-important traction-breaking clutch kicks. Which, with the Nitto Tire NT05 rubber on Don’s 350Z front and rear (courtesy of Huntington Tire and Auto), is no easy feat.

Naoki-san and the R-Spec team got to work on the inside as well, fitting the cabin with Sparco Seats and Schroth harnesses, a Momo wheel, custom hydraulic handbrake and all the necessary bits to be safe and compliant.

The exterior was left largely untouched, save for a complete vinyl wrap by G2 Graphics, and while it all might not look as radical as some other pro-am cars out there, Naoki and Don both feel it has everything it needs for this stage of Don’s plan.

Don's Goals for Top Drift

We caught up with Don at this year’s Round 1 of the 2018 Top Drift competition season, where despite laying down some truly impressive rookie runs in practice sessions, Don and the team were still battling some mechanical gremlins that kept them out of competition. “I’m writing 2018 off as a learning year,” explains Don. “I want to get a feel for the tracks, the competition, learn what I need to improve, and look at 2019 and 2020 as the years where I’ll make my moves.” His ultimate goal? “For now, it’s just to earn a Pro 2 license,” he tells. “Then, re-evaluate.”  

Spend some time hanging out among drifters, or even watching a pro competition over a live stream, and you’ll realize just how tricky it can be to wage a successful campaign. But does it really need to be? Work with the best people, add in the best parts and craftsmanship and get in plenty of seat time. It’s a recipe that’s worked wonders for Naoki and his students, and Don in his many previous endeavors. It might just prove once again what’s possible when building on a strong foundation—no matter when you decide to do it!  

If you liked Don's 350Z, check out some of the other cars we loved at Top Drift!

TUNING MENU

Z33 Nissan 350Z

There is no denying the rise in popularity of diesel rat rods in recent years. Reality TV (“Vegas Rat Rods”), industry trade shows, magazines and various social media outlets have certainly done their part to get these unique creatures in front of the masses. As a result of the exposure, oil-burning rat rod projects have popped up all over the country—and countless vintage trucks, coupes and sedans have been rescued from scrapyards. Old iron from the 1920s on through the 1960s is regularly being resurrected and repurposed in a very inventive way.

Thanks to the “anything goes” nature of most rat rod builds, you can always find an abundance of creativity and originality built into these one-off machines. From sedans to wagons and pickups to semis, no vehicle platform is off the table, either. As far as the almighty dollar is concerned, we’ve seen diesel rat rods pieced together on shoestring budgets, while others were built with no expense spared. In the article that follows, we’ll showcase both types of builds: a 1950s Ford with just a few thousand bucks invested, and a high-dollar ’46 Dodge with the book thrown at it.

Hungry for more? Look for additional diesel rat rod features in the months ahead.

“The Rust Bucket”

As the owner of RTC Performance Diesel in Dandridge, Tennessee, Adam Doan comes across his fair share of second-hand vehicles, engines and body panels. So after a good friend suggested they build a rat rod, he took stock of what he had at the time, as well as what he could get at an affordable price. Starting with a ’79 Ford F-100 chassis, Adam dropped a 7.3L Power Stroke into the engine bay, along with a ZF-6 six-speed manual transmission. The rear fenders would be sourced from a ’56 F-100.

Take-Out Engine

Around the same time the 7.3L blew up, Adam had a core 6.0L Power Stroke in his possession, which had been plucked from an ’03 Super Duty. Rather than find another 7.3L, he opted to install the 6.0L and its corresponding 5R110 automatic in place of the 7.3L/ZF-6 combo. A wire harness from an ’05 E-350 van was used to seamlessly integrate the engine and transmission into the old Ford. The 6.0L itself has been treated to ARP head studs, a set of 250cc injectors with 100-percent larger nozzles and custom tuning from Tyrant Diesel. After this combination (which still makes use of the factory Garrett VGT) hurt the stock TorqShift transmission, Adam had it rebuilt and reinforced by Eli Myers of Rocky Top Transmissions.

F-600 & F-100 Parts

If you’re wondering why the front clip is so wide, it’s because it’s off a ’55 F-600. The cab, on the other hand, came off of a ’52 F-100. Pulling the project off on an ultra-tight budget meant that Adam had to make use of what he could source locally and build what he couldn’t find by hand. “We built it with whatever we could get our hands on,” he told us. “I have maybe $1,000 in all the body panels, if that.”

Chevy Bed

In keeping with the “whatever we can make work” build strategy, Adam didn’t let brand loyalty get in the way, as the bed was garnered from a ’49 Chevy. Upon peering into the bed, you’ll discover a 15-pound nitrous bottle and the spot where the battery was relocated—along with a steel fuel cell that’s butted up against the back of the cab. Beneath the bed, you’ll find a 10.25-inch Sterling out of a ’93 F-350. Across the scales, The Rust Bucket checks in at a slim 4,450 lbs (with driver).

The Office

A bare bones interior provides room for two occupants and that’s about it. Just two gauges exist inside the cab (two externally): one to keep an eye on oil pressure and the other a pyrometer, to watch exhaust gas temperature. That’s the extent of the truck’s in-cab instrumentation. Who needs a speedometer, anyway? The time slip will tell you how fast you were going!

Quick & Competitive

But is it fast? For the amount of money invested and a very favorable power-to-weight ratio, it’s pretty darn quick in our book. With Adam’s good friend, Kendall, in the driver seat, the Rust Bucket has turned in a best eighth-mile of 7.28 seconds so far. That translates into an 11.40 in the quarter-mile. The truck has also proven to be dead-on in both 7.70 Index and bracket racing. In fact, Adam finished eighth place in the Outlaw Diesel Super Series’ E.T. Bracket category in 2017—a class that’s made up of more than 140 competitors. 

The “Six Pack”

For a high-end example of a diesel rat rod, look no further than Premier Performance Products’ ’46 Dodge. With half a dozen Nitrous Express bottles mounted in the bed, it’s fittingly named “Six-Pack.” As a major wholesale auto parts distributor that caters heavily to the diesel industry, Premier Performance could’ve built any type of project vehicle they wanted to, but settled on a rat rod for one key reason: It was different. Premier employee Bobby Barney was quoted as saying: “We wanted to do something different and out of the box—and we thought this would bring a lot of attention to our product lines.” Well it worked. This thing draws a sizeable crowd wherever it goes.

Race-Ready 12-Valve

Leaving nothing to chance, the 5.9L Cummins that was sourced from a ’94 Dodge Ram 2500 donor was sent directly to Industrial Injection for a full competition build. The 12-valve inline-six was fitted with battle-tested hard parts such as Carrillo rods, Mahle forged-aluminum pistons and one of Industrial’s gorilla girdle kits. Big fuel comes in the form of a 13mm P7100 Dragon Flow injection pump, capable of flowing 1,100cc of diesel. The big P-pump sends fuel (through oversize lines) to a set of dual-feed, 5x0.028 injectors.

Dodge, GM and Off-the-Shelf Parts

The Six Pack makes use of a 1946 2-ton Dodge body that had been abandoned in a farmer’s field, while the chassis is based off of a ’94 Dodge ¾-ton. The frame has been back-halved, half a roll cage has been added and some of the wood from the original bed was repurposed to serve as the mounting pad for the truck’s NX nitrous bottles. An AAM 1150 rear axle derived from a Duramax application has been shored up thanks to a Grizzly locker and 30-spline axle shafts from Yukon Gear & Axle. Air ride suspension is employed front and rear, along with Icon Vehicle Dynamics’ 2.5 series remote reservoir shocks.

Triple-Digit Boost, Four-Digit Horsepower

A compound turbo arrangement incorporates an Aurora 8000 (95mm) and an Aurora 5000 (71mm) from ATS Diesel, along with miscellaneous clamps, hoses and piping from Vibrant Performance. The healthy, two-stage turbo configuration sends 120 psi of boost through a ZZ Custom Fabrication side-draft intake manifold before cramming it all into the cylinder head. Right out of the gate—with no fine-tuning of the wastegate or P-pump—the Six Pack made 965hp on fuel while aboard the chassis dyno. Then with a couple bottles turned on, power jumped to 1,100hp. After more testing and some minor adjustments, the folks at Premier think the truck’s fuel-only horsepower numbers will be 1,300-plus, along with 1,500-plus on spray.

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The 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL has only been out for a few months, but that hasn’t stopped the aftermarket from rolling out a host of new components for it. One company in particular that seems to have the edge up on the competition in the suspension department is EVO Manufacturing. While EVO has offered a 2.5-inch suspension system since the first JL rolled off of the assembly line, it picked Easter Jeep Safari to unveil its new bolt-on coilover kit and high-clearance long arm. We got a chance to catch up EVO’s CEO Mel Wade and chatted a little about the kit (which you can check out in the video above).

The full production kit offers a jaw-dropping 15.5 inches of suspension travel at all four corners. This is thanks to EVO-spec King coilovers and a long-arm system that stays neatly tucked by the framerails. On EVO’s 2018 Rubicon Unlimited JL, it’s setup for 3.5 inches of lift. Despite the low lift height, it easily clears (and cycles) the 37x12.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers.  

To ensure the kit meets EVO standards, EVO used Moab, Utah, as its proving ground for the system. This also gave the company a chance to try out its JL bolt-on rocker guards as well.

EVO also installed its Pro Series JL front bumper and high-clearance rear fascia. Aside from the EVO upgrades, the Rubicon was mostly stock (i.e. factory axles, driveshafts and so on). While the JL is still in its infancy, it’s off to an incredible start. We can’t wait to see what’s in store later this year as we attend the first annual JL Experience!

(Additional photos courtesy of Will Griffin.)

Want to see more Jeep action? Be sure to watch as we tackle Moab’s Trail Trifecta!

In recent years the Ford Motor Company has become one of the most enthusiast-friendly car brands in the world, and it’s hard not to be impressed by their lineup of performance cars and enthusiast-oriented vehicles.

Whether it's hot hatchbacks, the off-road legend Ford Raptor, hopped up SUVs or the stunning Ford GT supercar, there aren’t many areas where the Ford Performance brand isn’t active.

That’s before you get to the impressive Mustang lineup, which includes everything from the budget-friendly EcoBoost model to the upcoming Shelby GT500 and it’s 700-plus horsepower of fun.

There is one area, however, where Ford’s lineup has almost always been empty—the rear-wheel drive sport sedan, and given how competitive their other cars are, it’s hard not to salivate at the idea of Ford getting into the game.

Now it should be said that with the big shift toward SUVs and Crossovers lately, the demand for traditional family sedans isn’t what it used to be, but cars like the Kia Stinger and Alfa Romeo Giulia have shown there is still plenty of interest in enthusiast-oriented sport sedans.

Ford Has a Platform

While developing new models from scratch is never easy or cheap, one would think that the S550 Mustang platform could be used for more than just a two-door pony car. It certainly seems to check all the boxes for a good sport sedan platform.

Rear-wheel drive? Check. Independent rear suspension? Check. Designed to accommodate a wide variety of engine types? Check. High quality interior? Check. Good driving dynamics? Check.

While an actual four-door Mustang would generate a lot of controversy, the car wouldn’t need to use that name. It could be badged as something entirely new, or perhaps Ford could revive a nameplate from the past. Falcon anyone?

A Version for Every Driver

With so many variants of the Mustang available aimed at different types of buyers, this hypothetical sport sedan could be offered with a similar range of models aimed at buyers with different budgets.

There could be a base version with the EcoBoost four cylinder priced in the low $30,000 range and a variety of versions that go up from there. EcoBoost V6? Coyote V8? Maybe something powered by the GT350’s Voodoo engine that’s designed to be an M3 competitor? How awesome would that be?

The same way platform could also be used by Lincoln to help it get into the luxury sport sedan market—it’d be the perfect thing to compliment the new Continental and its lineup of luxury SUVs. As Lincoln works to build a new brand identity, a high performance, luxurious sport sedan with good driving dynamics would be a great way to lure new buyers to the brand, especially the ones that might typically be buying BMWs and Audis.

It's Been Done Before

For an example of how this could be done, look no further than GM, who uses the same rear-wheel drive Alpha platform to underpin both the Cadillac ATS and CTS as well as the Chevrolet Camaro, each with different engine options.

Though it’s much older in design, Chrysler does the same thing with its venerable LX platform, which is used to underpin both the Challenger coupe and the Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans.

The S550 chassis is every bit as capable as those from GM and Chrysler, and in this age of platform sharing and globalization, it’s interesting that Ford developed a brand new, modern rear-drive platform to underpin just one model. Speaking of the global market, one place that would welcome a rear-drive Ford sedan would be Australia, which had its own, much beloved Falcon for decades prior to its demise a few years back.

For whatever reasons, Ford hasn’t shown much interest in entering the sport sedan market, and I’m sure there are plenty of challenges that would come with the endeavor. With that said, it certainly seems doable, given Ford’s great efforts in other segments.

If a brand like Kia can release an exciting new rear-drive sport sedan to go up against the traditional players in the market, there’s no reason that Ford and/or Lincoln shouldn’t be able to do the same. With the proven modern Mustang platform and some great engines, they could have a nice head start.

Time will tell if this idea could ever become a reality, but for car enthusiasts it's exciting to think about the idea of Ford shaking up things in the exciting and highly competitive global sport sedan market.

Want more Mustang? Check out the latest news on the new California Special!

With the rise of virtual reality and racing simulators, the world's greatest courses are more readily available than ever before. With an internet connection and gaming rig of choice, a driver can lap Nürburgring, take on the Long Beach Grand Prix and hit the drift jump at Ebisu's Minami course within an afternoon. The difficulties of shipping cars, travel reservations and different languages—not to mention the financial hurdles—fall away, but the physicality of driving does as well. What if there was a way to get a feel for driving a course in your own car but without worrying about missing flights or emptying the bank? This dream has become reality thanks to some hard work, great planning and GPS technology.

Place Your Bets

If you can't make it to some special track, maybe someone can bring the track to you. The latest result of this track replica movement is a 1:1 recreation of Tamada Sportsland, complete with the signature high speed front straight entry. While the original may be a go-kart track situated in the woods of Hiroshima, the swaying palms and rows of seating from Las Vegas Motor Speedway give this edition a distinctly American feel. That being said, each turn was faithfully recreated down to mere feet by the Vegas Drift staff, with K-Rails taking the place of the small rumble strips and tire walls of Tamada.

Going All In

Drivers from all over the southwest came to test their might throughout the course, with skill levels ranging from intermediate to Formula Drift Pro. Although the day was initially set up with four run groups, the drivers eventually mixed and mingled to take full advantage of the hot lapping setup for maximum seat time.

As the weekend continued, drivers got progressively more comfortable, upping the ante with increasingly longer trains and slamming together tight tandems through the technical turns with ease. Luckily, nobody completely cashed in their chips before shredding through Day 2 of the event—paint scuffs, a couple lost bumpers and some totaled tires were all Tamada claimed. Let's be honest, a trip to Vegas usually costs a lot more!

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos in the gallery above, and subscribe to our newsletter to have more stories sent straight to your inbox.

Eleven years into the 6.7L Cummins’ production run, the benefits of the 5.9L’s descendant are crystal clear: its block is stronger, it makes more torque and (thanks to its displacement advantage) it can drive a fairly large turbocharger with virtually zero negative side effects. While compound turbo systems were extremely common—and virtually a requirement—on a highly modified, street-going 5.9L Cummins, adding a big single charger is standard operating procedure for daily driven 6.7L Cummins mills making similar power. In particular, most ’07.5-present Ram owners install a fixed geometry, S400-based BorgWarner turbo in place of the factory variable geometry unit.

Why Scrap the VGT?

Although the variable geometry Holset HE351VE that comes standard on the 6.7L Cummins provides instant response and a highly-effective exhaust brake function, its complex design doesn’t lend itself to long-term durability. The vanes used to vary exhaust flow across the turbine wheel in the turbine housing often stick due to excessive soot and carbon buildup, and the electronic VGT actuator is notorious for doing the same. Add to that the fact that it produces excessive drive pressure and doesn’t support more than 500rwhp very well and you have all the justification you need for scrapping it.

Added Performance AND Reliability

Not only does a fixed geometry, S400-based turbo add more reliability to the equation (fewer moving parts to fail and less drive pressure making life easier on the head gasket), but it can also support considerably more horsepower than the stock VGT. In fact, depending on how it’s sized, an easy 600rwhp to a very streetable 800rwhp can be had. So what’s it take to get an S400 bolted to your 6.7L Cummins? The most feasible option is to purchase a complete Second-Gen turbo swap kit. These all-inclusive systems are designed around the use of a ’94-’02 style 5.9L Cummins exhaust manifold (hence the term Second-Gen), which—due to mounting the turbo in the center of a divided manifold—provides equal, more efficient exhaust gas flow for each cylinder.

Below, you’ll find 11 of the most popular second-gen turbo swap kits available in the aftermarket. While the price, featured components and fit and finish varies from system to system, each one aims to achieve the same end goal: make your 6.7L Cummins more reliable and powerful.

1. Stainless Diesel

Features:

• Stainless Diesel 24-valve exhaust manifold
• Your choice of S400, from a cast wheel S463 to a billet, 5-blade S475 with a race cover
• 5-inch high flow cold air intake kit with IAT and MAF sensor bungs, S&B filter
• 3-inch diameter, bead-rolled intercooler pipe
• 4-inch diameter aluminized downpipe and V-band clamp
• High-torque T-bolt clamps
• All oil supply and feed lines/fittings (including -6 AN braided stainless supply line)
• All gaskets, mounting bolts and studs
• Optional polished exhaust manifold

Price: From $2,425 (’07.5-’12, S463 turbo included)

*Piping-only kits are also available

2. Fleece Performance Engineering

Features:

• Optional ATS Diesel or Steed Speed T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of a cast wheel S463 (63/83/.90), cast S467 (67/83/.90) or billet S468 (68/87/.90)
• Fleece Performance Engineering 5-inch ManTake intake with IAT and MAF sensor bungs, air filter included
• S400 90-degree cast-aluminum discharge adapter
• Hot-side intercooler pipe, boots and clamps
• Stainless steel downpipe
• VGT coolant delete plugs (16mm and 18mm included)
• Oil feed line kit
• Oil drain line kit
• T4 turbine flange studs and gasket
• OEM Cummins exhaust manifold gaskets

Price: From $2,358.83 (’07.5-’09, cast S463 turbo included)

*Piping-only kits are also available

3. BD Diesel Performance

Features:

• BD T4 Race exhaust manifold with provision for wastegate
• S467.7 with forged milled wheel (FMW) compressor (67.7/83/1.10)
• BD-exclusive 90-degree compressor housing discharge
• BD hot-side intercooler pipe
• Turbine housing blanket included
• 5-inch cold air intake with 8-inch (od) air filter
• BD composite intake tube with IAT and MAF sensor bungs
• 4-inch downpipe
• Automatic transmission dipstick tube relocation bracket
• Oil feed line kit
• Oil drain line kit
• All required boots, clamps, mounting bolts and studs
• Exhaust manifold gaskets

Price: $2,925 (’07.5-’16, turbo included)

*Piping-only kits are also available

4. Wehrli Custom Fabrication

Features:

• Optional ATS Diesel 3-piece or Steed Speed exhaust manifold (T4 flange)
• Your choice of 14 different turbos, from a cast wheel S463 (63/83/.90) to a billet S475 (75/87/1.0)
• 5-inch intake with S&B dry filter, IAT and MAF sensor bungs
• One-piece, 3-inch diameter hot-side intercooler pipe
• 3.5- or 4-inch downpipe (diameter depends on model year)
• -6 AN stainless oil feed line and fitting
• -10 AN stainless oil drain line and fittings
• Coolant lines and fittings
• T-bolt clamps
• Silicone boots
• All necessary hardware

Price: From $2,125 (’07.5-’09, cast S463 turbo included)

*Piping-only kits are also available

5. Industrial Injection

Features:

• 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of various S400s (S464, S467.7, S471, S475)
• One-piece, 3-inch diameter hot-side intercooler pipe
• Composite intake tube with IAT and MAF sensor bungs
• 4-inch downpipe
• Grid heater drop bracket
• Coolant plug kit
• Automatic transmission dipstick tube relocation bracket
• Oil feed line kit
• Oil drain line kit
• All required boots, clamps, fittings and hardware

Price: From $2,474 (’07.5-’09, S464 turbo included)

6. Maryland Performance Diesel

Features:

• BD Diesel 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of S464 or S467.7
• MPD hot-side intercooler pipe with crush-proof ends
• Stainless steel intake tube with IAT and MAF sensor bungs, air filter
• Downpipe adapter allows for reuse of factory downpipe
• All required boots, clamps, gaskets, fittings and hardware
• Automatic transmission dipstick tube relocation bracket

Price: From $2,799

7. G&R Diesel

Features:

• 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• One-piece, 3-inch diameter hot-side intercooler pipe
• 5-inch welded aluminum intake with IAT and MAF sensor bungs, air filter
• 4-inch downpipe with flat V-band clamp
• Braided stainless oil supply and oil drain lines
• All required boots, clamps, gaskets, fittings and hardware
• Billet-aluminum fitting and coolant lines for EGR coolant riser

Price: From $1,699 (’10-’12, turbo not included)

8.  Deviant Race Parts

Features:

• ATS Diesel 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of S464 or S467.7
• 5-inch powder coated intake with oiled/reusable filter, pre-molded intake boot, IAT and MAF sensor bungs
• 3-inch powder coated hot-side intercooler pipe
• HX40 style 4-inch downpipe
• Oil supply and drain lines
• Exhaust manifold gaskets
• Exhaust manifold bolt kit
• All required boots, clamps, plugs, fittings and hardware

Price: From $2,300 (’07.5-’09, S464 included)

9. Source Automotive

Features:

• 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold standard, 1-piece stainless manifold optional
• S463 turbo (63/83/.90)
• 6-inch mandrel bent intake with S&B filter
• Custom bent hot-side intercooler pipe
• S400 90-degree cast-aluminum elbow or 90-degree Nomex/silicone elbow
• Custom 4-inch downpipe with stainless V-band clamp and exhaust hanger
• MLS exhaust manifold gaskets
• Nomex intercooler boots
• Stainless steel T-bolt clamps
• All required plugs, fittings, gaskets and installation hardware

Price: From $2,400 (’07.5-’12, turbo included)

10. Smeding Diesel

Features:

• 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of cast or billet wheel S464, S467.7, or optional S472R or S475R
• 5-inch intake with S&B filter
• Bead-rolled, hot-side intercooler pipe
• 4-inch downpipe
• Exhaust manifold gaskets
• Braided stainless oil supply and drain lines
• Coolant plugs
• All required boots, clamps, fittings and hardware

Price: From $1,995 (’07.5-’12, cast S464 turbo included)

11. Black Market Performance

Features:

• 3-piece T4 flange exhaust manifold
• Your choice of a cast S464, FMW S467.7, S472 or S475
• 5-inch intake with oiled/reusable filter
• Hot-side intercooler pipe
• S400 90-degree cast-aluminum elbow
• 4-inch downpipe
• Oil supply/drain lines, adapters and fittings
• Coolant plugs
• All required boots, clamps and hardware

Price: From $2,300 (’07.5-’12, cast S464 turbo included)

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It’s like an infectious disease. A black cloud, swallowing up millennials from all walks of life, with promises of fame, notoriety and fortune. It projects relentlessly into your newsfeed, a glossy facade of happy, adventurous, hip, young people living the sort of life you’ve always wanted. But beware…they are not like us. They are a different breed of people adventuring off-road, and they have the audacity to call themselves “overlanders.”

No, these are not the overlanders you’ve always known. They aren’t the quiet, resourceful, lightly-treading, self-sufficient, experienced off-roaders that we have tons of respect for. This is a newly-formed, vain culture, who use Instagram filters to simulate depth of field when showing off that new microbrew IPA they found at Whole Foods. They were born in the deepest depths of the internet and are the latest embarrassment to the off-road way of life.

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not your typical 28-year-old, modern off-road enthusiast. My truck is as old as I am, I work on it myself and the bank doesn’t own it. I’ve wheeled in six different states, owned over a dozen different trucks in the last six years, and I spend more of my money and time on this hobby than any single other thing in my life.

While I try to use the best parts available to me, I don’t have all the latest gear on the market, and truthfully, most of the parts and accessories I’ve acquired over the years were obtained from Craigslist and the like. Most of my wheeling buddies are the same way. We've honed our skills over years of learning on the trail. We've helped each recover from some dire situations, miles from the nearest cell-phone signal and we give help more often than receive it.

You might call us “old school,” or maybe even obsolete. But the fact is that I belong to a core group of off-road enthusiasts who are absolutely obsessed with escaping our day-to-day lives and finding adventure in the great wide-open.

"Overlanding" Has Changed

With that being said, over the years I’ve noticed a trend developing within our community. The advent of social media, while proven to be crucial to the growth of the off-road industry, has not arrived without its drawbacks. One of them being the birth of a new kind of off-road enthusiast that I find it difficult to hold a conversation with, much less assimilate into.

These self-proclaimed “overlanders” largely do not come from enthusiast beginnings. They have no desire to do any major wrenching of their own nor do they truly try to learn the ins-and-outs of recovery and 'wheeling. Instead, they’ve found a way to buy-in to the community, with hopes of impressing the masses on social media with their fully-built overlanding rigs made for the purpose of fame and notoriety.

In case there's any ambiguity of what I'm describing, let me give you two extreme hypothetical examples to provide some distinction:

The Enthusiast

Bill grew up with a love for cars and trucks. Since the day he got his first old truck, he’s enjoyed spending his weekends tinkering and wrenching on it, improving its off-road performance all the time. Bill now has years of trail experience with several vehicles he’s owned and modified, spending most of his free time in the outdoors with his buddies, breaking things, fixing them, breaking them again, then figuring out how to make it stronger, all by method of trial and error.

Bill learns from experiences and researching solutions from other enthusiasts like him. He takes photos and videos of his outings as keepsakes, and also posts them on his social media channels for his off-road buddies to see. Bill has no care for follower counts, likes, views or any of his content going viral. As long as he’s out enjoying his hobby, life is good.

The Social Media Kid

Mark was never interested in cars as a kid. He had other hobbies growing up, such as baseball, video games and traveling to tropical vacation destinations with his parents. In his 20s, Mark still has little automotive knowledge, perhaps enough to change a flat tire or check his oil. He's always liked the idea of being outdoorsy, following various camping and adventure pages on social media, all the while idolizing individuals who get lots of online attention from their outings.

He notices many of them have off-road vehicles, ready to take on all kinds of terrain, allowing them to get to remote destinations and take these amazing photos and videos of their adventures. He envies their fame and free-spirited way of living.

Mark starts following more overland pages, to the point of deciding it’s time to trade in his frugal and trusty Prius for a brand new (and financed) Toyota 4Runner. He pays a shop to install all the latest and greatest parts on his new rig, and before long, he has a fully-built overland vehicle, complete with a roof-top tent, snorkel, limb risers, traction pads, commemorative patches and California compliant plastic fuel cans. He joins communities of other overlanders and receives a special badge with a member number on it.

It's Not All Bad

While there's nothing inherently wrong with either of these beginnings, where I draw the line between a real enthusiast and somebody who merely wants to portray one takes place after the rig is built and the tires are back on the ground. It doesn't matter how much money you did or didn't spend on your rig, whether you built it yourself or supported a local shop to do the build for you. What matters is how you conduct yourself once you're out on the trails as one of the people of the overlanding community.

Back in 2005, Scott Brady, CEO of Overland International, started an online forum called Expedition Portal. It has since become the largest community of overland off-roaders, and has been the source of countless achievements and improvements in the off-road industry.

His goal was to create a space for like-minded folks who enjoy adventure traveling to share experiences, inventions, solutions, reviews and other resources between each other, no matter how simple or advanced their vehicles and level of experience may be. I am a member of Expedition Portal, and have found it quite useful on my trips for years.

The members of this community were the pioneers of overlanding, and they operate on a set of core values that are both important to off-roading as a hobby, and to the conservation of our wildlife and public lands. Our industry simply would not be where it is without them.

Overlanding Means Something Different

However, this recent influx of young people on Instagram posting photos and videos in the name of overlanding could not be further from the above. Frankly, many of them are posers in my book, who take their fully capable vehicles to a nearby patch of dirt, only to take 200 photos with their roof-top tents and gear laid out, then pack it up the next day and go home. Those photos show up on their social media accounts, attached to numerous hashtags cleverly designed to promote their page and get them what they crave most… more followers and likes.

It's not exactly “overlanding” in the sense of how it was once seen. It’s rare to see these individuals embark on a journey that challenges their capabilities and the capabilities of their vehicles. Staying within their “comfort-zone” and coming up with inspirational taglines to impress people online seems much easier than risking their $60,000 brand new rig for the passions and thrills of adventure.

At this point, you might be thinking to yourself, "Matt…I think you’re getting a bit too worked up over this stuff.” You’re probably right, but I’m not the only one who’s starting to get annoyed by these snorkel-touting wannabes. The grassroots members of the off-road community are starting to notice a difference between those who are really passionate about this hobby, and those who simply want to reap the rewards without putting in the work or taking on any of the risk. Are they as upset about it as I am? Again, probably not, but I’ve been around long enough to have a good gauge on what advances this industry and what brings it down.

Like the Ricers

One reason I'm so concerned is it seems very similar to what happened with tuner cars in the early 2000s. When “The Fast and the Furious” franchise first came to theaters, it shined a bright light on a once small and grassroots community of auto enthusiasts who were serious about performance. That light quickly gave way to hordes of imposters who simply wanted to look the part, but had little performance work done to their cars and no racing skill either. This group became infamously known as “ricers” within the car enthusiast community. Unfortunately, these so-called “overlanders” are headed in that same direction.

So is there anything we can do to mitigate or stop this trend from becoming synonymous with off-roading in the public eye? In the near-future, I do not believe so. The community of real, passionate off-roaders will continue to do what they’ve always done alongside this new breed of mall-crawlers until enough ridicule and judgement is passed to make a clear and defined distinction between the two… just like what happened to the ricers. As a traditional off-roader, whose biggest passion in life is to travel to unseen, remote destinations on this beautiful planet, all the while risking life, limb and mechanical failure, I can only hope that this fad of internet off-roading follows suit. And soon. 

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It's the car we all grew up admiring, the one on the poster in our bedrooms. We built it up to be so much in our heads, but how good was it really? It turns out, pretty darn great, especially when some modifications are added. Scott Dukeshire upped the ante on his ride, adding coilover shocks and GT2 turbos, along with converting it to rear-wheel drive. It pumps out around 500hp, tearing up the track on a pair of Nitto NT01s, but did Scott have what it took to beat a Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R? Watch the battle to find out, and check out the video above to see everything that makes this Porsche so special.

If you liked this ride, check out all of the other cars we've featured!

Earlier this year we took a second look at Gran Turismo Sport, the latest entry in the legendary racing game franchise that launched on the PlayStation 4 in the fall of 2017.

While the game showed promise at launch, many players found it light on content. For that reason, we were happy to find that developer Polyphony Digital had taken some big steps to improve the game and make it a deeper experience for both casual and serious racers alike.

With updates coming at least once per month, the game has continued to evolve and grow in 2018. We recently jumped back in and were quite happy with what we found. Here are five highlights.

1. An Improved Online Experience

Despite the addition of a single player campaign mode that rewards both prize money and experience points, the core of GT Sport is still in its online racing features, and these have been greatly improved upon with recent updates.

Along with the selection of daily races, there are ongoing test seasons in preparation for the full launch, FIA-sanctioned online championships. With points acquiring during every “season,” the matchmaking system does its best to pit similarly skilled drivers against each other.

While it might not be perfect, half a year later GT Sport has definitely delivered on its promise of bringing a new way of online racing to the world of consoles, and racking up championship points and prize money online can become quite addicting.

2. More JDM

In our last story on GT Sport we mentioned that Polyphony had started working on the game’s lack of Japanese sports cars from that fantastic ‘80s and ‘90s era, and in subsequent updates even more JDM machinery has been added to to the mix. Recent additions include the R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R, which completes the trio of ‘90s era GT-Rs alongside the R32 and R33 models that had already been added in previous updates.

Equally important for JDM fanatics is the addition of the Supra (not just the brand new concept version that is scheduled to be added soon, but the iconic JZA80 model, added in January).

Soon after the JZA80 was added to the mix, Polyphony also added a third generation Supra—the 1988 3.0 GT Turbo A model to be exact.

Not to be left out is the addition of the SW20 Toyota MR-2, and stepping even further back in time to the 1960s, the historic Toyota 2000GT can also be driven in the game.

For fans of rotary Mazdas, the FC3S RX-7 has been added as well, a perfect compliment to the FD3S that had been previously added to the game’s roster. It’s a joy to slide around the track, complete with its shift buzzer going off as you near redline.

3. More Classic Cars

Elsewhere there have been plenty of other great additions to the car roster, including an array of vehicles representing different eras of automotive history. At launch GT Sport’s car list was populated almost exclusively by late model vehicles, but now it includes all sorts of of historic machines like the Ford GT40 from 1966.

Polyphony has also given some love to some “modern” classics as well, with the BMW E30 M3 making its debut in the most recent March update.

The great era of 1990s supercars is also represented with additions like the Lamborghini Diablo GT and the McLaren F1—either of which would be a worthy purchase with your in game winnings.

Fans of American muscle cars aren’t left out either. The February update included the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T and the 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1—as well as the Italian-bodied, American-powered DeTomaso Pantera.

Naturally, all of the cars are up to GT Sport’s incredibly high standards of detail, and their sound effects are much improved over past iterations of the franchise.

4. Tsukuba!

Not only have dozens of new cars been added to GT Sport since launch, but new places to race as well. There are a handful of new layouts based on the courses included at launch, along with the legendary track at Monza.

The addition we are most excited about came last month when Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit was added to the track roster—a welcome addition for anyone who follows Japan’s Motorsport and tuning scene.

Tsukuba is ground zero for Japan’s time attack scene, regularly hosts drift events and, of course, was the familiar proving ground for new cars in countless Best Motoring battles over the years.

The last time Tsukuba Circuit was featured in a game was GT6 back in 2013, and to see it rendered in full next gen detail with GT Sport’s powerful graphics engine is a welcome addition. It’s the perfect place to test out the new Super GT race cars that have been added, the JDM classics or any other of GT Sport’s vehicles.

5. It’s All Free!

Perhaps the best thing about all of this new content is that it’s free to anyone who owns the game. There is no season pass to buy or a la carte DLC to pay for.

The cars will still cost you in-game credits to buy, and while the more exotic machinery will take some saving, many of the new additions are priced quite reasonably and can also be won as prize vehicles.

Whether you bought the game at launch and then stepped away or have yet to try it out, this might be a good time to get into it. No, GT Sport still doesn’t have as many cars or tracks as its rivals, but all of the new content has continued to improve the game and make it a much deeper, more enjoyable experience than it was at launch. We can’t wait to see what’s next in the ever expanding world of Gran Turismo Sport.

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The more time that passes, the more I’m amazed by just how immune to it the styling and technology of our favorite mid-’90s import cars remain. Twenty-five years is the difference between a 1959 Chevy Impala—with its 211 inches of garage-defying length, esoteric fins and curvaceous greenhouse—and a thoroughly neutered 1984 Cavalier. It’s also the amount of time between John Cruz’s 1993 Honda Civic CX and anything new today. It still looks right at home on today's roads and racetracks, alike. 

Like any clean, performance-modified EG, John’s Civic looks as if it might be a recently completed build, just getting ready for its second life. But here's the real shocker: It really hasn’t changed much at all in almost a quarter century.

The Original EG

John’s Civic was known in the late ‘90s as “Goldy” from SoCal’s FF Squad and is one of the earliest custom-painted, engine swapped, junkyard-reclaimed EGs we’re aware of. Its original builder, Dylan Huig, discovered this car back in 1995 at a salvage yard. It was a clean, yet bare-as-can-be theft recovery just begging for a second chance. Dylan bought the car, sourced used parts to piece it back together, added aftermarket upgrades and imported JDM components as he was able to. Then he painted the whole thing Cashmere Beige from a mid-'90s BMW.

Almost immediately after reaching some stability in its build, Dylan, his biological brother Erik and their car brothers in the FF squad became hooked on track driving and racing, inspired by the very same late-'90s JDM videos many of us still ogle over today. You can see some of the FF Squad players recall their glory days in a couple of short videos of their own by searching “FF Squad” on YouTube.

In the two videos, reminiscent of Bones Brigade’s The Search for Animal Chin (on purpose?), Dylan, his brother Erik and crew co-founder “Katman” talk about their passion for performance, track driving and how it influenced them to break from the flashy, superfluous trends in import tuning back then and develop a cleaner style, one where form follows function and performance is paramount. One that, nearly a quarter-century later, remains the standard of today’s most highly regarded builds.

In a 2009 interview, Dylan mentioned that he’d owned 27 FWD Hondas to that point, and through it all he’d held onto his Goldy. He even sold it to a friend who used the car to develop a lot of parts still in circulation today, only to buy it back a short time later when the parting proved too sweet a sorrow.

Further revisions were made and good times enjoyed, and after a while, the Civic just sat, and sat…and sat, while attention was paid to other projects. When a killer deal came up on an Integra Type R and Dylan had to clear some space to take it on, he parted with Goldy one final time.

Allow us to re-introduce John Cruz.  

A New Life

Like Dylan, John has also owned too many cars to count, buying, restoring and flipping them for a living and occasionally getting to build one for performance and enjoyment along the way. He had just taken on a B-swapped EK hatch as a personal project when he caught an Instagram post by Dylan putting Goldy up for sale. Sight unseen (but familiar with the car’s owner and their rich history together), John bought the car and swapped much of the EK’s componentry over to Goldy, such as the suspension, engine and transmission, gauge cluster and more.

Dylan sold Goldy to John with little more than a set of Integra brakes at each corner, but John was able to buy back many of the car’s original parts from Dylan.

Understated Yet Effective Upgrades

Today the car has a mix of new and yesterday’s proven parts. Hard Race front and SPC rear lower control arms meet the tried-and-true combination of Koni yellow dampers and Ground Control coilovers on the suspension. A Neuspeed strut bar compliments an ASR subframe brace and hollow 32mm sway bar at the rear. Inside, a Momo steering wheel and Boss hub look right at home with a Fast Line shifter and Battlecraft teardrop knob, and the Willans five-point harnesses perfectly compliment the Recaro front seats.

In true FF Squad spirit, things outside are functionally tasteful. The car’s original gold re-spray from 1995 remains unchanged today, but John added a few more modern upgrades to reduce weight and drag, provide a modicum of downforce and freshen up the appearance, as well as some OEM and JDM bits for added spice.   

Under the hood, things get really fun, beginning with the engine. It’s a GR-S B18C1 mated to a JDM Integra Type R 4.7 final-drive transmission, that’s built for high-compression, naturally aspirated duty, but that’s about all John knows. Just exactly how high the compression is, or what pistons/rods are responsible for setting it, or who handled the machining or assembly, is all a mystery.

The same goes for the individual throttle bodies, which appear to be "Todas…or maybe they’re made by OBX?" All John knows is that it was once tuned on 91-octane pump gas supplied by a Walbro 255L/hr fuel pump through 370cc/min RC injectors (and a truly vintage Summit Racing fuel-pressure regulator). It made enough reliable power and torque for his needs.

It might seem like a modest build, but John and Goldy clocked an unusually fast 1:26.1 on ultra-sticky Nitto Tire NT01 tires at Streets of Willow during this year’s first round of VTEC Club competition, knocking off a grip of S2000s and more radical FWDs to take the Group A2 class win. In the intermittent rain. Crazy.

From its inception nearly a quarter-century ago, this Civic was meant to do exactly what it’s still doing today: hang with the best at the track and look at home with the rest on the street. It was never intended to morph into some sort of Unlimited-class time-attack monster or shaved/stanced show queen. Its owners didn’t plan on using it as a stepping stone to professional racing. They’re just a couple of enthusiasts who share a passion for driving, and have discovered—and rediscovered—a timeless recipe for making it happen.

To see more from VTEC Club, check out our coverage of Round 1!

TUNING MENU

1993 Honda Civic CX

15 seconds. Pause what you are doing and count to 15. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

After 3 solid hours of hardcore racing in the twisted, wooded, rocky terrain of central Pennsylvania, Josh Blyler beat out Eric Miller by 15 seconds to win the Ultra4 Racing Rock Krawler Showdown in Shamokin. Team Nitto swept the podium in the 4400 series with Josh Blyler taking the top spot, two-time King Erik Miller in second and Disco Derek West rounding out the leaders. Team Nitto drivers also took the top spots in the 4800 Legends class, with another victory by Casey Gilbert, as well as the 4500 Modified class, as the multi-talented Vaughn Gittin Jr. powered his way through the woods to victory.

2018 marked Ultra4’s return to the East Coast in several years, and the AOAA park did not disappoint! Large crowds, a challenging course and a top notch venue only elevated the competition. The AOAA facility is tucked away deep in coal country, and the timing of the race couldn’t have been better. On Wednesday of race week, it snowed. The day after the race, it rained. On race day? A perfect, sunny day and 70 degree weather. The course sported tight wooded racing, a hard uphill rock climb, tight downhill turns, high speed fire roads, always surprising creek crossings…and of course, trees, trees, trees. Ultra4 is committed to finding the most challenging, most diverse courses for the series. After the austere, vast, wide open stage of Johnson Valley and the 2018 King of the Hammers, Shamokin offered the exact opposite to test these off-road warriors and their equipment.

Qualifying

Ultra4 combined forces with the Line Mountain club (who was hosting a race on Sunday), so qualifying consisted of just over 150 vehicles from both races powering their way through an abbreviated, 1.2 mile qualifying course. Elevation changes, tight two-track lines, trees and a speed section helped set the qualifying order for both races both days. In true biblical fashion, the last shall be first. Two-time King, local hero and Team Nitto driver Erik Miller was the last to run and qualified first for the main event on Saturday.

The race would break into three segments on Saturday: 4900 UTV race in the early morning, Underclassmen (Stock, Modified, and Legends) would run just after lunch, with the 4400 Unlimited class launching at 3:30 in the afternoon. 4900 and 4400 were seated according to class, but the Underclassmen were seated according to time. Clean air makes a difference, and with different classes only racing each other, the qualifying order has significant advantages in avoiding traffic jams and having clean air. The Showdown in Shamokin was an elapsed time race (similar to KOH) instead of a Grand Prix finish. Adjusted time would have an impact in the results.

The pole position for the 4400 main race was taken by Erik Miller, followed by Josh Blyler, and then Derek West (are you seeing a theme here?). The Underclassmen pole was won by Team Nitto driver and 2018 EMC winner Casey Gilbert in his PAC Springs racing machine (also in a Miller Motorsport Pro Chassis), with Miller Motorsports’ Scott Decker taking the pole for the UTV race. Friday night ended at sunset and the teams went back to their onsite pit areas to prep for the big race on Saturday. 

Race Day

Race day broke bright and clear with a magnificent blue sky and slight breeze. Locals were amazed since there was snow on the ground only two days earlier. The West Coast drivers (and Ultra4) tried to take credit for the good weather. Race director and All American Bad Ass J.T. Taylor kicked the day off with a driver’s meeting—outlining race rules and any course changes (such as a bypass for the UTV race and the 4600 stock class in the upper rocks), and reiterating the spirit and guidelines of sportsmanship, safety and good, clean competition.

Cars were backed up out of the park and half a mile down the highway as spectators waited to get in to see the Ultra4 racing action! The AOAA facility had ample parking, great restrooms and other facilities you don’t often find at an off-road race, and the friendly staff really made the spectator experience outstanding. It was safe to say that everyone was excited to see Ultra4 back on the East coast.

The Morning Race (4900 UTV)

The green flag dropped on the UTV race, and race day was off and going. The race course was a 13 mile lap with the UTVs having a 3 lap/2 hour race, whichever came first. Three miles into the course was a spectator area that allowed fans (and photographers) great access to the lower rocks section, and with a little bit of a hike, to some of the most challenging and beautiful sections of the course.

Despite the sunshine, the course was still wet enough and muddy enough that after the first lap, every car was the same color of brown. Creek crossings, muddy turns, slick rocks and the ever present trees wreaked havoc on the field while also creating some outstanding race moments as teams raced and passed each other in the rocks in a desperate attempt to gain a position before the tight two track sections began again. The start finish line was a stop check to ensure proper race numbers were recorded, then racers were off into the woods once again.

East Coast racers have been making the trek west for the last few years to stay competitive, so there was a huge turnout for regional favorites like Scott Decker, who was in a Miller Motorsports UTV and tearing up the course in a fevered bid for first. Fans lined the raceway and cheered on their favorite drivers. Young fans were happy for the sound and fury of cars ripping up rocks and through trees in a spectacle they had rarely witnessed. When the mud had stopped flying, Sean Haluch was standing on the top spot, followed by Scott Decker, and Dustin Robbins.

The Afternoon Race (The Underclassmen: 4600 Stock, 4500 Modified, 4800 Legends)

With the course good and slick, the Underclassmen lined to make the course really nasty for the Unlimited guys. With Stock, Modified and Legends cars typically being closer to a production vehicle, this class was particularly well suited for the narrow racing and tight turns that some of the larger cars would find challenging. Casey Gilbert screamed off the line, and frankly, never looked back. The Underclassmen race was also 4 laps or 2 hours, whichever came first, and Casey dominated the Legends class from flag to flag. Team Nitto and Jimmy’s 4x4 was well represented on the podium with second place going to the 2017 Nationals Champion Cade Rodd. Cade overcame a brake issue and an unscheduled pitstop to power his way back to the podium. Bob Wimmer rounded out the top three in 4800 Legends class.

Top qualifier for the 4500 Legends class, in his Jimmy’s 4x4 IFS car “Brocky,” was drift legend Vaughn Gittin Jr. Having taken the pole in class, many spectators were curious how this pavement experienced driver would fare in a wide IFS car. Vaughn had a strategy to not take a pit stop and drive a fast, steady race. He did not disappoint. Vaughn also led flag to flag in the 4500 class.

Here’s what Vaughn had to say after the race, "What a grueling race with some gnarly terrain to conquer. The balance of running hard and conserving at the right places on the course is what earned us the win out here. We ran into some challenges on course, mud clogging coolers, we lost reverse on a very, very tight course that needed it in some instances but we overcame each challenge and stayed focused on the goal! The all-important strategy, physical and mental challenges in Ultra4 racing is why I think it is such a cool sport and from my perspective the ultimate challenge when it comes to racing off-road. Huge thanks to all the fans that were on the course cheering us on. That energy was needed on the last lap!"

With the best hair on course, Mr. Matt Howell brought his Tribe machine across the line in second, never quite being able to make up time on Vaughn. Third place went to recently sheared and always popular Jimmy Jack, who put together a complete race, landing him the third position on the podium.

The 4600 Stock class was full of true heroes who strapped themselves into Wranglers and Cherokees to brave the course. With a 35-inch tire rule and limitations on engine, shocks and body modifications, these racers are the most identifiable with the Everyman and were cheered on at every stage of the game. East Coast racers (and King of the Hammers movie famous) Hack Shack racing took the top spot, followed by Albert Contreras (making the 2500+ mile trip from California) and Michael Justo in third. 

The Main Event (4400 Unlimited Class Race)

Ready! Set! Go! The whole day of racing did nothing but amp the crowd up to see these Unlimited monsters rip through the woods and bounce up rocks. For all intents and purposes, this could be considered a home race for Erik Miller and Josh Blyler. Both had huge crowds of friends and family at the event, and Miller Motorsports gear was seen everywhere you look. A bit of a local hero, Erik represents Ultra4 with grace and class. His Miller Motorsports bodies are the “go to” chassis for tight course racing, and winning the King of the Hammers twice (and being competitive every year) doesn’t hurt.  Much of the field—including Josh Blyler and Big B Motorsports—were sporting Miller Motorsports Pro Chassis and the excitement in the air a palatable. After the second lap, you could only tell the cars apart by their headlight configuration.

Within the first lap, a group of four—Erik Miller, Josh Blyler, Derek West and Lucas Murphy—broke away from the pack and started putting distance on the rest of the drivers. The main event was a 6 lap/3 hrs endurance test of mud, rocks, trees and fire roads. Towards the end, Lucas developed transmission issues and the front group—still running in starting order—were neck and neck through the woods. On the fifth lap was when things got interesting. Derek West, who only needed to keep Josh and Erik in sight to win on corrected time, overheated and had to let his vehicle cool down. Muddy creek water did the trick, but not after losing 20 minutes of course time and falling well behind the leaders.

That left Josh and Erik setup for an epic finish. In almost identically matched cars, the two whipped through the woods and up the rocks as Josh fought to keep Erik in sight. Erik, for his part, had to not only run a clean race, but needed to put at least 31 seconds on Josh to keep the flag to flag victory going. Erik never lost physical first, although he tagged a tree towards the end, and he ripped across the finish line in physical first place. Then all heads turned towards the final corner, where the cars emerged from the woods, to see how far back Josh was. Every spectator and pit crew could hear his car coming up through the woods…but would it be enough.

Josh crossed the line and rolled into the hot pit area to wait with everyone else. After the official scorekeeping team to checked, double checked, and then triple checked, it was announced that Josh Blyler had won his first Ultra4 race by 15 seconds on adjusted time! Congratulations, Josh! Derek West crossed the line in third place, solidifying an all Team Nitto podium!

After the Race

If there is one word that sums up Ultra4 racing (and off-roading in general), it is family. In this case, with a “local boy” winning the race, Josh was met with hugs from his Mom, his Dad (and fellow racer), his wife and a host of friends and family. The first to congratulate him was actually Erik Miller. This family is especially significant to all of us at this moment as the Ultra4 family lost one of their own several weeks ago. Shon Wilson, mastermind behind the setup of Hammertown and the “consigliere” to Ultra4 founder Dave Cole, passed away recently. Josh’s victory and the family atmosphere between racers, friends, and staff are part of what make our sport unique. I asked you to take 15 seconds earlier in this race report; now I’m going to ask you to take 15 more seconds and remember Shon. We lost a good one.

Next Up

Next up for Ultra4 Racing is the MetalCloak Stampede in Prairie City, CA. This West Coast favorite is a powerhouse of a short course and promises tremendous action with Loren Healy, the Campbell family and other western series drivers powering up for the start of the West series. The park in Prairie City is also one of the most spectator friendly locations for Ultra4 and is a great venue to check out Ultra4 for the first time.

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For many, each spring serves as the unofficial kickoff for the Jeeping season. It’s finally warm enough to pull the doors, drop the top and get that open air ‘wheeling experience that has made the Jeep brand the icon that it is. As one of the busiest vacation destinations in the southeast, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, plays host to major car and motorcycle events throughout the year. For 2018, it officially added Jeeps to that mix as well.

It’s called the Myrtle Beach Jeep Jam, a three day event that combines a show-and-shine, obstacle course and vendor show all in one. With major companies such as 4Wheel Parts sponsoring the obstacle course and aftermarket giants like Rigid Industries in attendance, there were plenty of avenues to keep Jeep enthusiasts entertained. We stopped by Saturday to take a peek at the inaugural event, which you can watch highlights from in the video above.

Overall, we were extremely impressed with how organized and large the first year event was, and look forward to seeing it grow.

The biggest attraction for us was the 4Wheel Parts sponsored obstacle course. The bevy of manmade challenges were enough to keep the drivers' attention glued to the path ahead. Chris King made it look easy with his low-and-wide Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. His LJ is sporting G2 Dana 44 JK series axles along with 37x12.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers. Be sure to look for a future feature on King’s Wrangler coming soon.

If you were looking to sling a little mud, the pit gave you plenty of opportunity to make a splash. It definitely got a few people soaked in the process, but we saw nothing but smiles as they exited the muddy climb.

Car crushing anyone? If you ever wanted to know what it was like to crush a car, there were plenty of chances to do so on the obstacle course.

For those just looking to show off their build, there was a Jeep show area that grouped the seven-slot grilles by generation. From the 1950s to the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL, Jeeps of all makes and years were well represented.

Even the parking lots became an impromptu Jeep show with amazing rigs rolling in from states away. Robert Parmer’s cleanly built two-door grabbed our attention immediately. In a sea of four-door JKs, a stretched two-door on coilovers is always a pleasant surprise.

The one thing you can’t do in Myrtle Beach is drive on the sand. However, if you want to experience what that’s like, you can drive a touch over an hour north and check that off your bucket list at Carolina Beach, North Carolina. There, you can either drive out on Freeman Park at the northern end of the island or take your chances on the softer sand at Fort Fisher. 

Want to see more photos from the event? Be sure to check out our gallery below, and to see more Jeeps in action, check out our coverage of Easter Jeep Safari.