iM Feature: P.Tan’s Nissan 240SX

When you are new to anything and everything about car modding, you start off with little things like wheels and tires and the addiction goes from there. Over time, you begin to develop a certain style of your own and do things your way. When you’re a “veteran”, if you will, in the car game, one thing will always remain the same. The one thing that every tuner has in common and yearns to achieve is a build that will leave a lasting impression on the car scene for generations to come, a timeless build that never gets old and will never go out of style. When it comes to having a prime example of a build that has timeless style and a car that will definitely leave it’s mark on the local car scene here in Calgary, one car comes to mind: A 1989 Nissan 240SX owned by Pat Tan.

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For Pat, the name of the game was simple: build a clean, proper and functional drift car. Having previously owned a formidable AE86 which he did compete with in drift competitions, Pat felt that his 86 was just too slow for drifting and decided it was time to move on and let it go. His replacement of choice, a Lavender Frost 1989 Nissan 240SX coupe.

To break away from the slow speed of his previous build, Pat first focused on the 240SX’s source of power. Keeping things in the Nissan family, Pat ditched the stock KA motor and replaced it with an SR20 engine, a popular motor swap among S-Chassis owners. Powered with a GT2870 Garrett Turbo, Pat’s 240 dynoed at an impressive 330whp. With the car naturally being the project drift car that Pat had originally intended it to be, major suspension upgrades such as Cusco front and rear sway bars, a Cusco Roll cage, and Stance AL+ coilovers were of course implemented to bring the noise when it came time to battle at drift comps.

After an unfortunate mishap while grabbing some lunch for his co-workers at Speedtech Racing Development, Pat’s 240 suffered some damage via a Honda CRV. Fortunately, Pat did not see this as the end and decided it was time to update the exterior of his Nissan with help from a full Origin Lab aero kit.

Fast forward to 7 years later, this is currently how Pat’s Nissan 240 sits: clean, proper and functional, which is exactly what Pat had envisioned from the very beginning. Having owned the car since 2007, Pat’s 240 has been one of the most infamous and popular builds in Calgary ever since.

Whether it be at drift competitions, track days or even flossing at various car shows, Pat’s unmistakable Lavender Frost 240 has definitely been one of the more timeless builds that has definitely made it’s mark in our local car scene. It’s cars like Pat’s 240 that inspire the rest of us to achieve that timeless style we’ve been longing for with our own projects. Have a closer look at the rest of the pictures, and you’ll see why we think so.

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ENGINE.&.DRIVETRAIN
SR20DET
Tomei Pon cams
Garrett gt2870 w/1 bar wastegate
Tomei turbo manifold w/ARP studs
Greddy turbo outlet
Greddy down pipe w/test pipe
Apex mid section w/dual Greddy tips
Greddy intake plenum
HKS fuel rail
SARD 550cc injectors
Sard 1 to 1 FPR w/ gauge
Braided earls fuel lines
Stance 8% water pump pulley
ATI crank pulley
Walbro 255 lph fuel pump
Samco hoses
Koyo radiator
Carbing 3pc cooling plate
Dual fal electric fans
Circuit sports aluminum coolant tank
Greddy fmic
ARC turbo intake
Greddy oil catch can
Synapse bov
Greddy oil pan
Splitfire coil packs
ARC wire cover
Power coated valve cover
Tomei oil cap
Apex power fc w/map sensor and PC software
Innovate wide band w/gauge
Boost gauge
OS Guiken lighted flywheel
ACT 6 pick clutch (unsprung)
HKS shift spring kit
Battery relocation kit

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INTERIOR
Nardi steering wheel
Momo hub
T1r titanium shift knob
Factory heads up display

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EXTERIOR
Full Origin-Lab kit
Origin roof wing
S14 trunk wing
Origin rear tail lights (clear)
Hid’s w/ headlight conversion kit
Circuit sports hood dampers
Full led lights

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WHEELS.&.SUSPENSION
Varrstoen 18×9.5
Work lug nuts
Brembo 4 piston brakes
5 lug conversion
Steel braided brake lines
Hawk pads
KVR and Powerslot slotted rotors
Stance AL+ mono tube coil overs
Techno toy tuning TC rods
Front RCA’s
power coated and reinforced FLCA’s
Peak performance inner and outer tie rods w/ spacers
Circuit sports aluminum steering column spacer
Suspension techniques front and rear sway bars
Energy suspension bushing kit rear subframe included
Powder coated front, rear subframes
Rear traction and tie adjustable arms
Cusco roll cage
Shakito plates
Brake master cylinder shield
Cusco front and rear strut bars
Circuit sports spin turn knob

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iM: The Re-Up 2013 (Part 4)

Gonna wrap things up in the features/highlights side of things as we roll ahead with Part 4 of 2013 Re-Up series! Definitely stay tuned for Part 5 & 6 as we take a look back at Driven 2013 and Sunday School 2013! Let’s get right to it…

There’s no denying the fact that the FR-S has definitely made it’s imprint on the automotive scene this past year but it’s awesome to see the new school “86” owners linking up with the old school “86” owners like we have here featuring Beniot’s FR-S and Spencer’s AE86. Peep the old school and new school love.


iM Feature: Beniot’s Scion FR-S & Spencer’s Toyota AE86

When the Honda Fit is brought up amongst car enthusiasts, one thing comes to mind: ‘it’s a daily driver’. Be that as it may, the Honda Fit as many of us may not know has a very strong tuning culture in Japan. A look at Gangster D’s daily driven Honda Fit and one will you can get a pretty good idea of what can be done to Honda’s beloved subcompact car.


iM Feature: Daniel’s 2007 Honda Fit

An S14 with a 1JZ power plant?! For Noel, this build in the works is definitely worth it…and we can’t wait to see what Noel has up his sleeve for this coming season!


iM Highlight: Noel’s S14 Nissan 240SX

Undeniably a big part of car history, the Shelby Mustang lives on in today’s car society and it’s owners like Rob who don’t let anyone forget about Ford’s prized pony.


iM Highlight: Rob’s 2007 Ford Shelby GT500

illmotion’s videographer Corey O’Hara, hits us with another one of his masterpieces this time showcasing Terry’s immaculate 1998 Acura Integra Type-R. We definitely can’t wait to see more videos like this from Corey this year!


iM Film: Terry’s 1998 Acura Integra Type-R

Wrapping up 2013 was an update on Ricky’s Volkswagen GTI. With that perfect fusion of Japanese and German performance Ricky definitely goes the distance to making his GTI stand out from typical European fashion.


iM Update: Ricky Luu’s Volkswagen GTI

iM Highlight: Noel’s Nissan 240SX S14

When you put so much time and effort into something, there’s always that one question that will creep up in the back of your mind: ‘Is it worth it?’. The answer usually leaves you with two options, you will either stop what you are doing, quit and move on OR you will step up to the plate and continue to put in the work and time necessary to finish what you started. For Noel and his custom 1JZ equipped Nissan 240SX, “quitting” was definitely not an option.

A quick look at the exterior of Noel’s 240SX and what is immediately noticed is the aggressive URAS Type 4 aero and wide front (custom made) and rear fenders fitted with a wide set of Work Meister S1Rs. Noel, who came out to the shoot hood-less, rolled up to the location showing off his custom swapped toyota 1JZ-GTE power plant complete with more custom work done in the engine bay. One thing that we can’t help but commend Noel on is all the custom work done to his build to make it how you see it here.

With more plans under way (and under wraps) for Noel’s 240, we can’t wait to see what else Noel has planned for this project. So when you put so much time and effort into something, is it worth it? In Noel’s case, “Hell Yeah F*cking Right!” it’s worth it! On to the pics…

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ENGINE.&.DRIVETRAIN
1JZ-GTE Motor Swap
Holset HX40
R154 Transmission
Custom 280 Degree Cams
Power FC with Commander
AEM Water temp, Air/Fuel, Tru boost gauges
Clutch Masters 4 puck Unsprung Clutch
Custom “Home Built” Driveshaft
Be Cool Radiator
Black Magic 15″ Fan
Custom DIY Tubs
Custom 3″ Exhaust Dual 4″ with Black Chrome Exhaust Tips

INTERIOR
Personal Steering Wheel
Nismo Horn Button
Diamond Shift Knob with “Custom Wifey Built” Jack Daniels Shift Boot

EXTERIOR
URAS Type 4 Body Kit
Version Select 25mm Rear Over Fenders
Custom DIY Front Fenders
D-Max Roof Wing

WHEELS.&.SUSPENSION
Work Meister S1R
-Front: 18×10.5
-Rear: 18×11
Megan Track Coilovers
Circuit Sports Arms

iM Event Coverage: Driftwest Round 3 @ Stratotech Park

Saturday July 20th marked approximately 5 years since my last drift event (seriously; circa 2008, DMCC days).

I can’t really offer a good reason why, other than life happened. I got busy with work and eventually kind of fell out of love with photography for awhile, putting me on a bit of a hiatus over the last couple years as a photographer…but after Saturday’s event, I’m not quite sure how I managed to stay away.

Being out at Stratotech brought a rush of good vibes and great memories. From seeing friends I don’t see nearly enough, to admiring the evolution and fruition of the effort of those that pour their heart and soul into making their cars and the scene better, I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday.

So if you haven’t been to an event before, hopefully the following photos will convinced you to attend one in the near future( seriously, you should).

– Kevin

P.S. : If you want to see more, feel free to visit the gallery on Flickr, or the gallery on Facebook for more images (and maybe even some in colour!).

iM Event Coverage: Weekly 403 Honda/Beyond.ca Meet – April…

It was a gorgeous night out for the last 403 Honda/Beyond.ca at Chinook, and that meant a really awesome turnout, the best turnout we’ve seen all season. Hopefully the meets stay as busy as they have been, if not busier!

Here’s a few of the many shots I took. To see the rest, check out the set on our Flickr stream: HERE

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And for my buddy Aldo, I know where you hide your snacks now… in your bumper.
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Make sure to come on down and hang out the next meet at Chinook on May 1st, 2013.

iM Event Coverage: Weekly 403 Honda/Beyond.ca Meet – April…

Another week has gone by, and that means another edition of the weekly 403 Honda/Beyond.ca Meet! Its nice to see these meets getting busier and busier as the weeks go by and the weather starts cooperating. Its nice to see cars that come every week, and see how they progress as the season goes by. Its also been great in the fact that the cars are getting more and more diverse.

Here’s a quick taste of some of the cars that were out this week, for lots more shots, check out the set on our Flickr stream: HERE

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Make sure to check out the next meet at Chinook on April 18, 2013.

iM Feature: Eric Zapata’s 1989 Nissan 240SX

Driven with a purpose.

The car scene certainly has a sort of hilarity to it. If we sit back and think about it, we are all guilty of buying what is considered “baller parts” and we floss the shit out of them to our peers in the community and even our friends, but for what? To simply hard park and have our cars look good on our driveways, inside our garages, and sit pretty the local car meet or even at the grocery store? Sure, there are many of us who have taken our cars to the track and have even built our cars purely for the circuit, but how many of us can really say that we’ve pushed our cars to their absolute limits and have REALLY driven them? One look at HOTBOYZ ambassador Eric Zapata and his drift machine Sahara Tan Nissan 240SX, and you might want to rethink your answer.

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A basic overview of Eric’s 240 and what is immediately noticed is the battle damage that this car has endured throughout it’s many trials and endeavors in the drift circuit. Sporting zip ties to piece together what’s left of the BN Sports Type II aero kit on the front and rear, it’s these exact battle scars that are found throughout the car, that truly give Eric’s 240SX so much character. While the rest of us are so damn busy trying to keep our cars painstakingly clean and free from any damage whatsoever, here’s Eric putting his car to work day in, day out, driven by the passion he has for the art that is drifting.

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With the exterior being elegantly “used and abused” if you will, the belly of the beast has an even greater story to tell. Pop the hood of Eric’s drifter and low and behold sits Toyota’s 1JZ power plant, paired with a Borg Warnger s200sx Turbo. Complimenting the hybrid swap is a 3″ straight pipe and a custom down pipe; getting this 240 sideways is no problem at all for Eric. Whether he’s rolling on his daily Work Ryvers or drifting with his SSR Gartmaier/Rays Gramlight drift spares, “beautiful” is the an understatement when Eric’s 240 is in motion, on the street or track.

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The interior is nothing short of a drifter’s dream as Eric sits comfortably in a Bride Vios 3 seat (also found in the passenger seat) with a CNC Hydraulic e-brake by his side, while the chassis is suspended by a Cusco 6-point roll cage. Ease of steering is complimented by a Sparco R215 350mm steering wheel. A long story short, everything inside the car is in the car for good reason, and serves great purpose when Eric is out there doing his thing.

To get his 240 to achieve that perfect balance on the drift course, the suspension components powered by MAX Ruca, and Max Comp coilovers ultimately enable Eric to maintain contact with the road ahead of him. Also found in the suspension department are Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars, Limit Factory Max angle knuckles, Kazama front tension rods and ISIS rear toe rods. Being in the sport that he’s in, it’s only right that Eric uses the parts that he feels are up to the task.

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Sporting nothing but quality parts for his build and utilizing every single part to perform it’s drifting duties, we gotta hand it to Eric for keeping that passion for doing what he loves to do, and showcasing it all on his Nissan 240SX. There is no doubt in our minds that every single scar and battle damage found on his 240 has a story of it’s own to tell, and it’s for this very reason that Eric’s Nissan is truly one of those vehicles that is driven, with a purpose.

So next time you get that little door ding or minor dent on the hood of your precious hard parker, just think about what drifters like Eric have put their cars through, and the damage they receive putting themselves and their cars constantly at risk on the track, all for the love of driving.

…HOTBOYZ!!!

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Engine.Bay
Toyota 1JZ
Borg Warnger s200sx Turbo
Driftmotion t4 twinscroll manifold
Tial MVR 44mm wastegate
JDM 2JZ 440cc Injectors
Custom Downpipe
3″ straight pipe
Apexi neoSAFC
Chase Bays Powersteering Reservoir
Chase Bays Coolant overflow
Mishimoto Radiator
Mishimoto Intercooler

Suspension
Max Comp Coilovers
Limit Factory Max angle knuckles
Kazama Front tension rods
Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars
Powered by Max RUCA
ISIS rear toe rods

Exterior
Sahara Tan Paint
BN Sports Type II Aero
Dmax 20mm front over fender
Unknown 30mm rear over fender
326 Power Manriki Wing
Kouki s13 Tail lights

Interior
Bride Vios3 Red Driver and Passenger
Cusco 6 Point Roll cage
Weld in Driver door bar
Sparco R215 350mm wheel
Greddy Grex shift knob
CNC Hydraulic Ebrake
Schroth Racing Harness
AEM Truboost
AEM Uego

Wheels
Daily Rollers// Work Ryver
-Front: 18×9 +8
-Rear:18×10 +3

Drift Spares//
SSR Gartmaier
18×10 -12
Rays Gramlight
18×9 -20

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For more pictures of Eric’s 1JZ Powered 240SX check out our flickr page HERE

iM Flashback: Driven 2010 Recap

With Driven 2012 coming up quickly, we thought it’d be a good idea to look back and see what everyone had to offer in 2010 and what we can look forward to for this year. Since Driven was skipped for us in 2011 – there has been a significant amount of time for everybody to get their whips refreshed. From new cars, to new parts, complete overhauls or tweaks to an already existing minty car, we think this will be the best Driven yet. We have a handful of fresh new faces joining us this year and it’s only a matter of time before we all gather at the Olympic Oval once again.

Looking back – many cars are now gone and have been passed on to new owners and some remain alive and well and will be joining us once again. Let’s take a look…

Dal’s K20 Type R – this was a long-time build for Dal and it was pristine. Reggie now has possession of it and stripped it apart with new plans. From what I’ve seen, he’s doing a great job and going from the ground up with new parts left right and center. It should be at the show this year, so look forward to that!

Alan’s JDM conversion CSX Type-S. So clean and one of the first (and probably still only) to do the conversion with legit OEM parts and tastefully IMO. This is out of his possession now.

Jackie’s infamous S2000. Jackie has some plans for the upcoming year and he won’t be showing in Driven, but he’ll be coming out for our show & shine with new toys to boot.

Hoang’s K20 Civic. One of the most unique and cleanest builds I got to see in 2010. Everything from the J’s wing to the custom splitter and canards and his I.C.E. set up. Not to mention the K20 under the hood.

Steve Poyntz’s 2JZ swap Cressida on 350Z wheels. Super simple and clean build with a whole lotta power.

Chris’s Triumph TR7. Funny story with Chris and his placement in our booth. We had just finished setting everyone up and cleaning our cars and we were just about to leave the place when we were told that there was one more guy in our group. None of us knew of anyone extra and we had placed everyone on our list. We agreed to see the car and the first thing we said was “fuck yeah, we’ll take it”. Chris and his triumph are one of his kind – nothing you’d ever really see on the streets and it’s powered by an SR20. Definitely a keeper.

JC’s Corolla. This is also going through a nice change for 2012 and I’m looking forward to see it. It’s gone from simple and conservative to… well… you’ll have to see. :)

Jamie’s S2000 – this thing is beat on the track like no tomorrow. Jamie drives it hard and rightfully so. He had got his wheels powdercoated that day or the day before the show too so they were clean as hell.

Punit’s Integra. I remember this was the year that he did the K24 swap and it took weeks on end to get it done. One problem would come up after another and the show came up super quick. Luckily he got it running and entered. Wait till you guys see what he has in store this year.

Gopesh’s GTI – this is also going through a nice overhaul for this year as well.

Terence Wah’s S2000. Another S2000 that saw the track often and built with function in mind. Also another that is no longer in Terence’s possession. He now has a new toy…

Derrek Poyntz’s recently finished Integra RS. This was finished hours before roll-in and ready to go. All the graffiti on this was done by hand! The Calgary skyline is also on the valve cover.

Terence Ng’s Merc. More plans for this later on as well…

iM Event Coverage: Spec D’s ‘Sunday Funday’

I got a chance to attend Spec D’s ‘Sunday Funday’ on October 3rd. Although the clouds were covering the sun, it was still fairly warm out, and a great time was had by all. I believe it was Spec D’s last event of the year considering the snow can descend upon us at any time.

Special thanks goes out to Spec D for organizing the event, and letting us in to get coverage on the event. Get out and support these guys next year by attending their events, they do not disappoint.