DSM Fever.

Is it a faux pas to write about your own car? I've wanted to share my experience with some of the vehicles I've owned for some time. This is really about the one that almost got away, three times.


It started out in 1998, 14 years old looking at a shiny, White, mint 92 Plymouth Laser RS AWD, at a used car dealership in Medicine Hat. My first experience with a DSM, or a Diamond Star Motors vehicle, which was a joint venture among Mitsubishi and Chrysler during the nineties. I managed to persuade my Dad to get us a test drive, since I knew what these cars were all about. On the way back, he pulled over to the side of the road and let me drive. On the first stoplight I hit I brought the 195hp 4G63 Turbo up to five grand and proceeded to launch the car so hard the wipers came on. That day I cought DSM fever.

Fast forward two years later, I am 16 and looking for a shiny DSM to call my own. Enter a Blue 1991 Eagle Talon TSi AWD, with Silver Ground Effects that just happened to be for sale in Athabasca for five Grand. Now, I did not have that kind of money, but I managed to drive up and take a look at the car. Again DSM fever took over but I couldn't quench it.

My turbo travels took me through a few Chrysler Daytonas, but DSM fever still would not die. In 2004, An aquaintence of mine had a Black 92 Talon TSi AWD, and I had managed to convince him that a trade should be in order. Unfortunately for me, the deal fell through and I was once again left without my DSM.

 Now it's April 2010, and I'm looking for a new project to take on. I've already owned Fieros, Daytonas, a Cobalt SS Supercharged, An RX7. I wanted something that I haven't owned. I've never looked at the Second Generation DSM before, but one caught my eye. Maybe it was because It was priced to sell or it had the ugliest front bumper and wheels I've possibly seen on a Talon, but I finally gave in and decided to go for it.

The fever was cured, for the most part. I had purchased a factory replacement bumper, and factory wheels to bring the car back to respectability. New tires, 2.5 inch catback Exhaust and much needed maintenence came in along the way. The driving experience with AWD grip is just unbelieveable, carving through twisties with Lateral grip that would make your innards slosh around like a day old milkshake. DSM fever has broken. What could be next?

1997 EAGLE TALON TSi AWD SPECIFICATIONS (as per wikipedia)

Also called	Mitsubishi Eclipse
Production	1995-1999
Platform	PJ-body
Engine(s)	2.0 L 420A I4 2.0 L Mitsubishi 4G63T I4
Wheelbase	98.8 in (2510 mm)
Length	1995-96: 172.2 in (4374 mm) 1997-99: 174.8 in (4440 mm)
Width	1995-96: 68.7 in (1745 mm) 1997-99: 69.9 in (1775 mm) ESi: 68.3 in (1735 mm)
Height	49.8 in (1265 mm) AWD: 50.5 in (1283 mm)

Finally Falling in Love.

When the R35 GT-R was first released in 2007, I shook my head and "face palmed."

Why would they replace the RB power plant from the previous R-Chassis Skyline generations with a V6 instead of continuing the RB heritage? I also wasn't happy that they changed to an electronically driven transmission from the now "old school sports car" ways of stick shift. I didn't feel it deserved the badge of "GT-R".

All that I really needed was to see it up close and in person, drive beside it, and listen to it with my own ears ( I've seen a few around the city going opposite ways, but nothing I was ever able to examine) to change my mind. I needed to feel the "awe" of driving beside it, and having it blast by you. I needed to subject to the respect and attention it demands when it's parked in front of you on the street made me realize it that it had all the Skyline heritage it needed.

It still grabs your eye, it still hauls ass, and it still commands respect. What's changed? nothing. Nissan had just implemented evolution to allow it to maintain its predator status within the game.

Before shooting with Cody, I would have said that over the years I had warmed to the car, but still didn't feel that it was in my books as a Skyline predecessor. Sure it was twin turbo'd and sure it was fast, but there was something missing that I couldn't put my finger on. But now that I've I figured it, and realized it was just my own close minded-ness that was hiding it, I can truly accept it for what it is: A GT-R.

Plain and simply put: the R35 is what the GT-R's have always been: a car that grabs your eyes from your rear view mirror and forces you to follow it, as it feeds your mind with wonder while it rips by you on the highway, enticing you to watch it's rear end as it escapes off into the distance... and just as those R32's, R33's, and (track) R34's I have seen in the past, the R35's have got my straining to watch it as it disappears.

- Kevin Stachniak

  
Specs ( as per Wikipedia):

Assembly	Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan
Predecessor	Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
Class	Sports car
Body style(s)	2-door coupé
Layout	Front engine, all-wheel drive
Platform	Premium Midship
Engine(s)	3.8L VR38DETT twin-turbo V6
Transmission(s)	6-speed semi-automatic dual clutch transmission[2]
Wheelbase	2,780 mm (109.4 in)
Length	4,655 mm (183.3 in)
Width	1,895 mm (74.6 in)
Height	1,370 mm (53.9 in)
Curb weight	1,740 kg (3,800 lb)
Designer	Shirō Nakamura

Bad To The Bone

Without a doubt, the Legacy of American Muscle will never die. It's good to know that owners like Cody La Riviere here stay true to the Muscle Car oath: All motor, no additives. This amazing horsepower machine is a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, the last of the GM F-Body. A True Canadian car, the last generation Camaro was built in the GM assembly plant located in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec.

During this shoot, I got to know Cody a bit and discovered he's a down to earth fellow who appreciates what he has and takes nothing for granted. He has spent countless hours creating a masterpiece of a Z28 into his own. Without a doubt, blood, sweat and tears, maybe not so much tears, has been put into this car and it definitely shows.

The reason as to why Cody picked a Camaro Z28 as opposed to an import, was that the V8 " sounds pissed off ". There is a more personal side, with the muscle car scene dying a slow death around the turn of the century, He also wanted to " grab the last of the true F-body, the tail end of American Muscle Cars".

Here are some specs on the car:

Engine:
It boasts an all aluminum 346 Cubic Inch (cu) 5.7L LS1. This is not a stroker, it is a precisely built LS1. It has around 450+ Rear Wheel Horsepower (RWHP). For engine modifications, this LS1 has a K&N Cold Air Intake, a Edelbrock 90mm Victor Throttle Body, a F.A.S.T. 90mm intake manifold, F.A.S.T 36 lb/hr injectors Texas Speed and Performance Stage 1 LS6 heads, Thunder Racing "Trex" camshaft, ARP connecting rod bolts, ported oil pump, and lastly a Manley double roller timing chain.

Exhaust:
Which high performance car would be complete without an exhaust system? This Camaro has 1 3/4 " long Hooker tubes with 3" collectors ending before the rear axle.

Suspension:
Cody figures, if he wants to keep his car on the road, why not use it's weight to do so? He has installed a front sway bar, a G2 adjustable lower control arm front and back, custom made weld in subframe connectors, joined by a BMR brace/driveshaft safety loop, BMR transmission cross member/torque arm, BMR torque arm, Eibach lowering Springs that sit on custom valved Bilstein Shocks in the front, stiffer performance Eibach lowering springs and Koni Adjustable shocks in rear.

Shoes:
Just like humans, cars need proper footwear in order to move. What enables this Camaro to stick to the pavement are a set of Detroit Wheels C4 ZR1 replica 9.5"X17" in the front and 11"X17" in the back, shrouded around Toyo Proxes T1-S 275/40R17 are in the front and Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials 315/35R17 in the rear to put the power down.

I am fortunate enough to have had the chance to shoot this Camaro, and it was indeed a great pleasure. It is truly a great example of how the 20th century produced simplicity and fun in North American motoring. A big thank you to Cody for all the info and his time, and Leafy32 for giving me this opportunity. Keep shooting my friends. Ciao.

-MoroccanSpicePhotos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moroccanspice/

DUBL-STUFD

I recently had the opportunity to shoot a E30 BMW 318is that's far from stock. Unfortunately the owner of the car wasn't the builder, but that doesn't take any of the enjoyment away when you've got a second E30 that you did build yourself. Joel Buchsdrucker is the proud owner of two E30s, and this one in particular is quite unique. I took the time to ask him some questions and learn why he appreciates this 318is so much.

I asked Joel why he purchased the car, and this is what he had to say. “ I've been wanting a swapped E30 for years. The used engine market in Edmonton is terrible and after of not finding anything for a long time I settled on a turbo build up for my daily driver E30. Shortly before I began gathering parts together for that, I heard about this car for sale 3 hours south and my heart jumped a little. I knew I had to have it.”

I asked what has been done to the car. “Well first and foremost the engine is an S38B36 3.6L I6 from a 1991 BMW M5. The differential and transmission is the 5 speed from the M5. The suspension consists of a 5-lug swap with E36 M3 front end and E36/8 M Coupe rear end all sitting on adjustable Ground Control springs and camber plates and Koni shocks. The front brakes are E36 M3 and rear brakes are from an E46 330i. Supersprint exhaust, JimC chip, Style 73 BMW wheels from a 330xi and complete Hartge late model body kit.”

I found out a bit about how rare the swap is. “The S38 is infamous for being expensive and high maintenance. Most E30 engine swaps today are M50/2 or S50/2 engines from the E36 which can be done fairly easily with little modification or fabrication. The S38, however, is physically larger and heavier and requires more ingenuity to swap. The car was built by a shop in Toronto 6 years ago and was the owners personal ride. Cooling is an issue, but it has been uniquely solved by moving the radiator 6 inches forward, preserving the mechanical fan and adding an electric fan. The overall result is a very clean, functional swap.”

To Finish this i wanted to know how the car made him feel, and this is what he had to say. “In one word; excited. The sound of the 3.6L I6 engine with the ITB's is beautiful, people have compared it to air-cooled 911's and old Ferrari's. It's pretty fast and it can get a little scary at times, but that's part of the fun, right?”

Some stats on the car from his own knowledge. “I honestly don't have any firm stats, but with the chip and factory ratings the engine should be good for about 325hp and 290lb/ft. Overall car weight should be around 2700lbs. Top speed is unknown but I predict it would be around 260-270kph, and 0-60 in 5 seconds.”

Josh, Signing Off!

Link to Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshualegault/

BMW 318is SPECIFICATIONS (as per wikipedia including M5 swap)
Manufacturer BMW
Production 1982–1994
Body style 2-door coupe
Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine 3.6 L S38B36 I6
Transmission 5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2,570 mm (101.2 in)
Length 1988-89 Sedan, Wagon & Coupe: 4,450 mm (175.2 in)
1988-89 Convertible: 4,460 mm (175.6 in)
1990-91 Sedan, Wagon & Coupe: 4,326 mm (170.3 in)
1990-93 Convertible: 4,323 mm (170.2 in)
Width Sedan & Wagon: 1,646 mm (64.8 in)
Coupe: 1,661 mm (65.4 in)
Height Sedan & Wagon: 1,379 mm (54.3 in) Convertible: 1,369 mm (53.9 in)
Coupe: 1,400 mm (55.1 in)
Curb weight 1,070–1,368 kg (2,359–3,016 lb)

ST205 GT4: Whiteout!

The Four Headlights are a reminder of the headlight design on the original Celica

 There are some brands that have been synonymous with rally racing. While Subaru and Mitsubishi were arguably the most dominant Japanese brands in the past 20 years competing in rally, The Toyota Celica started competing in 1972, reaching legendary status by the time the sixth generation, ST205 Celica GT4 rolled out of the factory.

Toyota Racing Development

With a newly revised 3S-GTE delivering an astounding 251 Horsepower for 1994, The All Wheel Drive GT-4 was a rally fan's dream car. Simon Haddad of Fredericton, New Brunswick was one of those dreamers too, being indocrinated into rallying at a young age by his father. The Celica always stood out to him as something unique, and since the 6th Generation GT4 was not offered in Canada, he would own a car that was relatively exlusive. And one of the most badass rallying derived cars ever to rock the gravel.

The rear wing, Hood Scoops and OZ Racing wheels show that this isn't an ordinary Celica.

The White O.Z. racing wheels, multiscooped hood and GT4 Rally wing set the car apart, making sure you know that this isn't your average Celica. Simon has added a few of his own modifications including full three inch exhaust, custom intake and HKS boost controller.

Right Hand Drive: This GT4 wasn't offered in Canada.

The Interior is augmented with a Momo steering wheel, VDO and Apexi Gauges and an HKS turbo timer. He hopes that adding methanol injection and a tune will get him into the 350 wheel Horsepower range, but says that without changing the turbo it could be a long shot.

Simon says it all when he states the reason he chose the Celica GT-4 was because the Combination of Styling, power and fun in every weather condition were hard to beat in anything else. We think he probably couldn't have brought the car to a better place.

TOYOTA CELICA GT4 ST205 FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS (As per Wikipedia)

Production Oct 1993–Jun 1999
Assembly Tahara, Aichi, Japan
Body style 3-door liftback
Layout Front engine, 4WD
Platform T200
Engine 2.0 L turbo 3S-GTE I4
Transmission 5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2,535 mm (99.8 in)
Length 174.2 in (4425 mm)
Width 68.9 in (1750 mm)
Height 50.8 in (1290 mm)

Struck by lighting! Porsche GT3 RS!

Here's a car that doesn't need no introduction.

But just in case you don't know, this is the brand new Porsche 997.2 GT3 RS that I did a shoot of.

Even though I didn't drive it, I did ride shotty in it. The beauty of this GT3 RS is how alive it makes you feel, even just prowling around the city streets. This is a pin-sharp car, but there's comfort now, a new respect for your fillings and spine. Don't for a moment think the RS can't be driven every day, just takes more nerves and energy then your usual car.

There are lots of fast cars out there, lots of stripped-back racers. But what Porsche have managed to do is save weight, still keep a smattering of luxury and make people feel like driving gods. It might be an expensive way to feel like you're The Stig... but it's [flick hair] so worth it.

After the ride/photoshoot of this GT3 RS, it really made me think the regular GT3 looks tame compared to this.

Till next time,
Jeff :)

Skyline GTS-t: A long way from home

Not many times back in 1989 did we ever think of cars such as the then New R32 Skyline hitting our North American shores. Back then if you sought performance American muscle was still king with High volume sales going to the Camaro and Mustang variety for the best bang for your buck, sports car experience. Japan was beginning to reach common ground with 1990 around the corner and start really competing in the sports coupe market, with the likes of a redesigned, 300 horse, Twin Turbo 300ZX, Mitsubishi 3000GT and in 93 Toyota’s Supra Twin Turbo. All these cars using sophisticated, smaller displacement, 24 Valve 6 Cylinder powerplants augmented with Turbochargers instead of the Larger, Cast Iron, 16 Valve American pushrod v8’s that dated back into the 1960s.

The need for speed is the same all over the world.

 It wasn’t until 2004, whereas in Canada importation laws allow for a Vehicle fifteen years or older to be imported for use on our roads, where we saw the first R32 Nissan Skyline here in our country. The car had long since been a history maker in Japan, competing and dominating the Japanese Touring car championship with the Legendary GTR model, winning 29 of 29 starts in first year competition. Much to the chagrin of motoring enthusiasts here in North America, Nissan kept it’s Godzilla holed up on home soil.

Aftermath:  tire smoke in classic RB form.

What also made the Skyline such a commodity was the wide variety of models available in the lineup. No matter who you were, there was surely an R32 to fit your budget and personality. Andrew K just so happens to own a 1990 Skyline GTS-t Type M, sporting the 2.0 Litre, Single Ceramic turbocharged version of Nissan’s famed RB series engines (RB20DET) which produced 212 horsepower and 194 pounds feet of torque in factory form.

Handling feedback is fantastic thanks to an independent front and rear suspension, featuring a Four wheel steering system called HICAS (Coined by Nissan as High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension) which reduces understeer by allowing the rear wheels to assist in steering capacity, and helps the driver maintain control under moderate to extreme cornering.

Striking in Stillness: The Advans Setting the car off.

   Imported and purchased in Alberta, sporting 3 inch Exhaust and 17 inch Super Advan racing wheels from Japan, Andrew has driven the car across our country to Ontario, with the only maintenance required being a new fuel pump. He has since upgraded the car adding a larger front mount intercooler setup, Manual Boost Controller, and supporting modifications for fuel.
 

The car now enjoys frequent beach cruises on the shores of Lake Huron, a far departure from the busy streets of Tokyo, is home that far away for this car now? I'll let the smile on the owner's face do the talking.

NISSAN SKYLINE GTS-t SPECIFICATIONS (as per Wikipedia)
Production 1989-1994
N1-228 Assembly Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan
Body style 2-door coupe
Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine : 2.0 L RB20DET I6
Transmission 5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2,615 mm (103.0 in)
Length 4,580 mm (180.3 in) (sedan)
Width 1,695 mm (66.7 in)
Height 1,340 mm (52.8 in) (sedan)
Curb weight 1,280 kg (2,821.9 lb) (type-m)