Words & Photography: Ginash George (Synth19 Photos)
Click here to discuss the pics/feature on the forums!
The thing that sucks about living in Chicago is that everything pretty much dies in the winter. I’m not just talking about cars, but life just seems to slow down. I mean, can you you blame us? With snow and freezing temps, all you want to do is stay indoors. Just when I thought I was done with most of my shoots for the year, Tan hit me up on JDMC. I spoke to Tan months ago when he first picked up this lovely set of Work Meister S1’s from my friend Jason. Unfortunately, he wasn’t really able to enjoy the wheels for too long due to an unfortunate “pot hole incident.” After speaking to several wheel repair shops who said they could not fix the wheel, Tan decided to send the wheels to the good guys at Rotiform. They stepped up to the plate and ordered a new rim and refinished the set. Originally fitted on an Acura TL, the 19×9-19×10 Work Meister S1’s were redrilled, and back pads shaved down for et: 27(f) and 32(r). Rotiform also refinished the lips to a brilliant chrome with a matte silver center.
As you can see from the above diptych, fitment is on point! Obviously this is achieved with a air bag suspension system. Tan went through various suspension setups, but settled on a full Airlift air ride system.
Here’s a nice side profile of Tan’s B6 S4 which highlights the amazing stance. Tan has had his S4 for a few years now, but it took him about three months to locate this beauty in Nebraska. You’ll notice some very subtle mods, which is not by chance. Tan has a very clean “modding style.” As a car that needs literally nothing, Tan went with that theme and chose modifications that only enhanced the original lines of the car.
Thanks Tan again for the opportunity to shoot you S4. Hopefully we’ll have another opportunity to shoot this car in the future and focus on the interior/motor/etc. See below for more high res pics. We’ll close out this small feature with a quick mod list:
Exterior:
Ecodes, curpa front lip, dth side skirts, custom rear valance, tinted side markers and tails, debadged, blacked out grills-trim, tinted windows, led license plate lights, and skid plate.
Interior:
Carbon fiber trim, audi rs4 pedals, kenwood touchscreen headunit, led dome lights, hard wired v1, custom trunk setup- alcantera covered trunk with sub and tank exposed(tank painted Nogaro blue)
Suspension/Wheels/Brakes:
Airlift full air ride, h&r sway bars(f&r), Adams rotors, akebono pads. Painted black calipers, b7 s4 caliper clips, 19×9-19×10 work Meister s1 on 225/35-235/35. Redrilled and back pads shaved down for et:27(f) and 32(r), Rotiform refinished to chrome lips and matte silver center.
Go Parts:
JHM tune, JHM intake manifold spacers, JHM crank pulley, JHM intake bypass, 034 intake pipe, powdercoated valve covers and intake manifold, JHM short shifter, custom downpipes and fast intentions b7 catback(quad tips)
-jdmchicago
Gallery (click for high res images):
Words & Photography: Ginash George (Synth19 Photos)
Click here to discuss the pics/feature on the forums!
Introduced by Toyota in 1966, the Corolla has become a household name with millions of sales to date. With various models and trims in its vast repertoire, one particular model stands out- the AE86. Many enthusiasts covet the fifth generation Corolla due to its RWD configuration and light-weight body. Perhaps the last Corolla with “soul,” the production was short-lived and lasted from 1983-1987. It’s down to diehard fans such as Luis Colon that still revere this car and keep its tradition alive.
As a youth, Luis became a connoisseur of the Corolla. I was shocked to hear that he started with a 1.8 3TC Corolla at the age of 13! He eventually moved on to several other Corolla models before obtaining the “Holy Grail” of Corollas in 2003. Luis was lucky in finding this particular AE86 in almost perfect condition. Having another project in the works, Luis did not rush the Hachi build.
In Japan, the AE86 was offered as the Corolla Levin (fixed light) or Sprinter Trueno (pop-ups). Luis converted his North American Corolla GT-S to as close as possible to its Japanese counterpart. You’ll notice the Trueno aero, as well as other small details that give this Corolla the proper JDM aesthetics.
As much as Luis wanted to keep the car original, he knew that the car could use a bit more pep. The original engine was replaced with the 4A-GE 20 valve motor imported from a 1992 Toyota Trueno. This “Silvertop” motor is a good choice. It has a reputation for being a solid engine with well designed individual throttle bodies. However, the original 42mm throttle bodies were swapped out for the 45mm variant from the “Blacktop” 4A-GE.
The front hood and rear hatch were replaced by light weight carbon fiber pieces. Wheels choice was the aggressive 15″ SSR MK II’s wrapped in Falken tires, with its stance achieved by Techno Toy Coilovers. Other notable modifications include a Supra LSD and an upgraded ACT extreme clutch.
Although Luis is fairly happy with his build, he plans on a few more things down the road. In the future, he plans on upgrading his brakes, suspension, and motor. That’s right- he is considering anther motor swap. The Altezza 3SGE Beams engine has been on his radar for a few years now. Coincidentally, Nobuaki Katayama (chief engineer behind the Toyota Alteeza), has roots with the AE86.
We’d like to thank Luis for the opportunity to showcase our first AE86! Luis really would like to thank his family and friends for supporting his Corolla obsession. He knows that building a classic can be frustrating at times, but offers some advice to his Toyota brothers- “Don’t ever give up with your passion. It’s easy to build a newer car, but if you stay patient and believe in yourself, you too can achieve your goals.”
-jdmchicago
Gallery (click for high res images):
Words: Ginash George
Photos: Ginash George (Synth19 Photo), Patrick Sayaphoum, and Nickolas Dela Rosa
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Last weekend we met up with Ming from Fizz Autosports to shoot his Infiniti M35x. If you guys remember, Ming’s Nissan S15 was one of our first shoots back in 2009 when we first started this site/blog. It’s only fitting that one of our last shoots of 2011 is this spectacular Fuga conversion. Ming has had this car for several years now and it’s probably one of the nicest VIP builds in Chicago. Stripped of its original Infiniti tags, this Y50 Fuga turned dozens of heads as we drove around the city for this shoot.
This rear shot by Nick shows off some recent pin striping work, a nice VIP detail. You’ll also notice some 5-Zigen cans which give the subtle Junction Produce kit an aggressive finish. Fuga and Junction Produce badges add a touch of personalization.
Can Ming really drive this low? Yep! We drove around the city at this ride height, only needing to raise the car when confronted by pot holes, speed bumps, and other obstructions. This adjustability is possible compliments of Air Runner, arguably the finest plug and play air ride systems on the market. Weds Vishunu 20×10 +12 all around are tucked under perfectly pulled front/rear fenders.
I really like the shot above because you can really see the aggressiveness of the front camber. The Nissan front grill is a necessary add-on to complete the Fuga conversion. The front fog lamps are supplied by Junction Produce.
The finish on the wheels flow nicely with the Junction Produce stainless pillars. If you’re noticing a theme here, you’re right! I think every possible product from Junction Produce was purchased for this car. See below for the mod list if you don’t believe me.
One item neglected by many of the VIP builds are the brakes. Ming did some fancy work by exchanging the factory brakes with the Brembo kit from an Evo X. Overall, this build is simple and clean. Nothing really over the top, but planned carefully from the get-go. Ming doesn’t have too many future plans but you may see some new wheels as well as custom interior and audio work for 2012. Thanks for checking out this post and be sure to scroll down for more pics!
Mod List:
Junction Produce 3 piece aero kit
Junction Produce 3 piece rear spoiler
Junction Produce roof spoiler
Junction Produce bonnet spoiler
Junction Produce Eye line
Junction Produce Grill eye line garnish
Junction Produce Exclusive Fog lamp
Junction Produce Stainless VIP Pillar
Custom wide body front and rear 2.5in out
Junction Produce VIP Curtains
Junction Produce Neck pads
Junction Produce hip pads
Junction Produce leather pillows
Junction Produce Tsuna
Junction Produce Fusa
JDM Nissan Rain visor
JDM Nissan front grill w/ rear emblem
Bellezza rear head rest screens
Bellezza Sun visor screens
Air Runner Suspension
HKS intake
Weds Vishunu 20×10 +12 all around
5-Zigen Muffler
Custom Evo X Brembo front & rear
Gallery:
Our good friends Mike and Brad collaborated on a pretty rad photoshoot and video. Although I have yet to meet the owner of this fine machine, it has definitely been on my radar. We love supporting two dudes who have been great collaborators to JDMC, so it was a no-brainer to post this here and give them some love. Check out the new fresh vid below, and also don’t forget to check out the new Photomotive site re-launch for a write-up of the car, and tons of great pics!
UMG x Photomotive: ‘Project X’ 370Z from Unscene Media on Vimeo.
Pics & Words: Ginash George (Synth19 photo)
About a month ago or so I was contacted by Zack from Wisconsin who wanted me to shoot his car before he stored it for the winter. It seems like everyone is a photographer these days, so I don’t take it for granted when people ask me to shoot their cars. One cool thing about automotive photography is learning about the owner, and also about why the particular platform and mods were chosen. After all, we are auto enthusiasts first.
Here’s a rear shot that really demonstrates how clean Zack’s car is. I tried to really get some nice light on the wheels here- TC105N 17×9” +25 wheel from WedSport. An OEM A-Spec kit flows perfectly with this Type- S, stanced with Buddy Club N+ Coilovers.
I called this pic “Run from the Sun” on my FLICKR. Thought the lighting came out cool as Zack entered a viaduct on 290. It’s the small details that makes a good build, a GREAT one- JDM Type R badges, a PasswordJDM front tow hook, pulled fenders, as well as a Top One splitter with connecting rods. You may also notice a Noribilt Aftercooler Core sheepishly hidden between the JDM Type-R Yellow Fog Lights.
Zack has had his 2005 DC5 for only three years. In the short time he’s had the car, he’s modded it like no tomorrow. An unfortunate incident resulted in the death of the original K20Z1. With his back against a corner, Zack looked at the positive side of things and knew that this would be a good opportunity to upgrade. A 2005 K24A2 was chosen to replace the original motor, and later a Jackson Racing Supercharger was installed. Unfortunately an improper tune resulting in yet another motor replacement. This time Zack went with a 2007 K24A2 as pictured above. The torque on this beast is something amazing- She makes 243 ft-lbs at 2700 rpms.
A side profile shot, simply clean!
Zack decided to go with a full ITR interior with the red Recaros, doors, carpet, center console, and pedals. He also has a rare AUDM Type-S cluster only found in Australia. After two years of searching and waiting, he finally got his hands on one. The interior is also fitted with a harness bar, Cusco B pillars, C-pillar, mid bar, and a rear strut bar. I literally had to crawl through the trunk and fit myself between the rear harness bar to take this shot. Good thing I’m flexible.
One last shot for you to preview, more in the gallery below. Thanks again for checking out this feature and thanks again to Zack for the opportunity!
Gallery (click for high res images):
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