Towards the end of the year here on illmotion we like to take a look back at the features and highlights that we’ve showcased on this site one more time before we move on to another year! Without a doubt, 2012 was another good year for illmotion so it’s only right that we recognize the year that was 2012 with the cars/bikes that have graced this site!
Now, before we begin, we would just like to point out that a few of these cars may not be with the owners as they have moved on to new projects. With “the curse of the illmotion feature” becoming more evident as once an owner’s build gets a feature, the owner gets a new car. As bittersweet as it is, this only brings more builds for 2013, and we can’t wait to get shooting next year!
We hope you are all enjoying the holidays!
Let’s begin with part 1 of the Re-Up 2012!
Without a doubt one of the cleanest Jetta Coupes we’ve seen owned by illmotion’s West Coast Photographer, Taylor Smith.
Something that was new for illmotion at the beginning of the year, we featured Steve Plewe’s Numbskull Chopper. As different as this was for us to feature and showcase for you guys, it was definitely a build that we just had to share!
If there was one build that broke the mold of everything that was either “doing it right” or “doing it wrong” it’s Jason Close and his dubbed TRAKRAT, a 2008 supercharged BMW E90 M3.
An excerpt from his write up earlier this year best sums it up, ‘…thanks to an era where cleanliness matters, one Civic rises above all the ridicule and comes out getting the last laugh…’ Take a second look at Hoang Nguyen’s 2000 Honda Civic SiR.
Back in the day, there were a few categorizations of car. One of them was ‘Luxury’. A usually expensive name brand car with leather seats, a nice soft cushy ride, a large amount of sound deadening, and buttons to control a bunch of things in the car that weren’t really needed, but made you feel right at home. Another one of the categorizations was ‘sporty’. These were the cars that were quick, but at the same time were louder, with a harsh back breaking ride, and nothing but the essentials.
Nowadays, these lines are blurred. There are all kinds of car groups these days that have blended the lines. What was once a separated SUV and Sedan category has blended into crossovers. And in keeping with the theme, there are now also a bunch of luxury sport sedans. These cars come from high end manufacturers, with tons of power like their sport forefathers, but also comes with a whole host of luxury features.
One of those cars is the Lexus IS350. A mid level luxury sedan that rode very comfortably and sporty at the same time, with the power to back it up with a 3.5L V6 engine which was named in Ward’s 10 Best Engines list in 2007. With this in mind, Chuck opted to build upon this with this IS350 you see before you, which by the way, has seen a few transformations.
Taking the IS’s good looks a few steps further, a few choice parts were added to the mix. A Vertex front lip and side skirts, along with a custom ISF rear bumper conversion help make the bodywork come a little closer to the ground. Also on the back end are a Wald trunk spoiler and a Jun-TW roof spoiler. A few more subtle additions to add to the overall picture are JDM window visors, LX Mode front grille, VIP puddle lights, a custom painted black/gold pearl roof, and a 2012 ISF LED headlamp upgrade. More lighting changes come in the form of Garax 6000K low beams and fog lights, and VLEDs LED DRLs.
To improve in the handling department, a set of BC Racing coilovers were added to all 4 corners, complimented with a set F-Sport front and rear sway bars, and an LSD to keep the power to the ground. Braking duties to slow this beast down are provided by a set of Stoptech Drilled Rotors with the 4 pot calipers. To finish things off, a set of Work Varianza T1S wheels with a step lip in Machine Silver Polish were added to complete the look and compliment the pearl white paint beautifully.
Stepping into the office, you will find Junction Produce neck pads and pillows, an F-Sport carbon fiber shift knob, and white Lexus illuminating door sills. Sounds are provided by JL Audio in the form of a 1000/2 amplifier, full components and tweeters, and a W7 12″ subwoofer. Hardwired into the rear view mirror, you’ll find a Valentine One radar detector on duty to watch out for radar traps.
But what good is all that without the power to back it up? The biggest answer to that is the addition of an LMS Procharger intercooled supercharger. Adding to that is an HKS SSQV blow-off valve, PPE Jet Hot coated headers, a custom titanium mid pipe, and GReddy titanium quad exhaust. But you wouldn’t know it looking under the hood because most of it is covered up by a custom paint matched pearl white engine cover.
A few more things are on the way this year for this IS350 including a Wald carbon fiber rear diffuser and an HKS FCon VPro to help with the tuning. Is Chuck done with this car? Like the rest of us enthusiasts, not even close. From what I’ve heard it may go through another transformation. But I’m sure he’ll stay focused and will not stop unless it is where he’s happy with it. By from previous experiences with my own projects will tell me… never.
Here on illmotion, we’ve always been criticized of always publishing features of mainly just our friends and family in the scene and never searching for the greatest build ever that hides in the garage and never sees the light of day. As I come up with write ups for all these cars practically every week, this is always very discouraging to hear as coming into this, the only reason “illmotion” got together was because of one basic foundation: the enthusiasm that we all share for the love of cars. To get straight to the point, without this enthusiasm, “illmotion” wouldn’t be here today, and we wouldn’t be as big as we are without connecting with peers in this scene to not only showcase the best that Calgary (and other areas) has to offer, but to make the car community further expand in a positive and motivating manner. To put my ranting to an abrupt end, all the negativity that we do endure in end is absolutely negligible, as the support we’ve garnered from our ever growing friends and family pushes us to keep going.
For anyone who read all of that, you may wonder what this has to do with Adam Fulton and his Honda Civic EK Hatch. It’s quite simple in the fact of the matter that while Adam built his Civic based on his own taste and desires, none of it would be possible without the constant support of his friends and family, ultimately motivating him to make his Civic appear and function as you see it today.
Like most of us who started out in the game, finding a platform to work with was without a doubt one of the most stressful things ever as there are so many cars to choose from. Long story short for Adam, the EK Hatch was his weapon of choice. Sporting a USDM B16A2 under the hood, Adam started out with the basic engine mods giving the B16 more breath-ability with an AEM Short Ram Intake, Mugen Midpipe, T1R Test Pipe and a Spoon N1 Axle back.
Simplicity is key as the exterior of Adam’s showcases his outdoorsy nature complete with Yakima crossbars, bike rack, ski/snowboard rack, fairing and wind jammer. No matter what the weather is, Adam is guaranteed ready for whatever outdoor activity the weather permits. Also found on the exterior of Adam’s EK Civic is replica Spoon front lip and rear duckbill, DIY CTR Headlamps, 1999 Spec taillights, and a JDM SiR rear bumper.
The interior of Adam’s EK displays his desire for JDM goodness as JDM EK4 pieces are found throughout the car from the front seats, rear bench, the steering wheel all the way down to the interior door panels. A USDM SiR Cluster, JDM Civic Type-R shift boot and Skunk2 weighted shift knob can also be found in the interior of Adam’s EK Hatch.
With stance and wheel fitment being all the craze that all the cool kids are doing, it was only natural for Adam to play along and come correct with a set of CCW Race Version Classics sitting on Tein Superstreet coilovers. To further enhance the chassis and suspension upgrading experience, Adam opted for Skunk2 front and rear camber kits, a Civic Type-R strut tower bar, a Beaks lower tie bar and a Megan C-Pillar bar.
What’s really admirable about Adam and his Civic EK Hatch, is the fact that this car was not built overnight, and Adam continues to masterfully piece this car together slowly, but surely. Paying close attention to peers in the scene and doing things his own way, Adam’s work in progress continues to impress us, mostly because of the positive motivation he has from his own friends and family on a daily basis. For those who have met Adam, will know that he is probably one the most enthusiastic car geeks out there, and is surrounded by good friends who share the same mentality. The passion for the love of cars that Adam and his friends share, and the support they offer to each other, is exactly what we need more of in this scene, and something we should all take note of.
While Adam’s Honda Civic EK Hatch is still a work in progress, we’re definitely excited to see what else Adam has up his sleeve for the future. For now though, let’s have a look at how far he’s come…
Engine
USDM B16A2
AEM Short Ram Intake
Mugen Midpipe
Spoon N1 Axle Back
T1R Test Pipe
Exterior
Rep Spoon Front Lip
DIY Civic Type-R Headlights
LaBra Hood Bra
Rep Spoon Duckbill
JDM SiR Rear Bumper
99 Spec Tail lights
Rear Wiper Delete
Yakima Crossbars
Yakima Fairing
Yakima Bike Rack
Yakima Ski/Board Rack
Yakima Wind Jammer
Interior
JDM EK4 SiR Front Seats
JDM EK4 SiR Rear Bench
JDM EK4 SiR Door Cards
JDM EK4 SiR Steering Wheel
USDM SiR Cluster
Skunk2 Short Shift
Circuit Hero 33mm Shift Extender
Skunk2 Weighted Shft Knob
JDM Civic Type-R Shift Boot
Suspension.&.Chassis
Tein Superstreet Coilovers
Beaks Lower Tiebar
Skunk2 Front Camber Kit
Skunk2 Rear Camber Kit
Civic Type-R Front Strut Bar
Megan C-Pillar Bar
Megan Rear Strut Bar
Wheels
16×8.5″ +15 CCW Race Version Classics
195/45/R16 All Around
For more pics of Adam’s Honda Civic EK Hatch, check out our Flickr page HERE
You’ve heard it over and over again, and anyone with a true project car will swear by it: a project car is never truly finished, it just continues to progress and get better over time. A lot of cars come and go, but it’s the ones that come out and continue to keep up with the times that truly stand out and set the tone for both newcomers and those already familiar to the scene. As repetitive as we may sound regarding project cars that are never done and maintain consistency, there’s a particular Integra Type-R that takes everything we’ve always been saying, and takes things to a completely different light. With a super extensive parts list that will make any Honda fan boy fall head over heels in amazement, this Integra Type-R is owned by none other than Terry Woo.
An exterior look of Terry’s Integra Type-R and “Subtle Aggression” immediately comes to mind. Featuring a full JDM DC2 front conversion, complete with OEM Type-R optional side and rear skirts, a DC2 Voltex wing and sporting Volk’s timeless classic TE37s to name a few, there’s no denying the super functional yet aggressive appearance of Terry’s immaculate build.
Moving onto the interior, and the attention to detail that Terry has implemented into his Integra definitely goes unnoticed. While the biggest highlight in the interior of this Integra are the Mugen S1R Bucket Seats complete with Mugen rails, the subtle things make a huge statement such as the full 2001 CDM Red and USDM Faux CF Interior. The Mugen FG360 steering wheel, OEM Checkered Floor mats and trunk mat, JDM airbag delete, JDM Red Stitch Shift Boot, and Spoon/Mugen Hybrid instrument cluster are just a few more of the attention to detail pieces that truly make Terry’s Type-R stand out.
To stiffen and ultimately upgrade the chassis/handling of his Type R, Terry pulls out all the right stops as his Integra sports Tein Flex coilovers with EDFC, a JDM Front Sway Bar, Mugen rear sway bar, a Carbing 3 Point Strut Tower Bar, J’s Roll Center Adjusters, and Miracle X-Bars complete with the optional strut bar. Just recently, Terry added new hardened front and rear trailing and control arm bushings with Hard Race end links.
As we mentioned earlier, real project cars continue to progress and get better over time. We can’t stress this enough when we see cars like Terry’s as the powerplant he has chosen keeps up with today’s technology. Underneath the hood of Terry’s Type-R is a fully built K20 Motor. For more power, Terry’s K20 is boosted with a GT35R Turbo set up and to give the engine less restriction, a custom 3″ Fujitsubo exhaust was implemented as well. Conservatively tuned with 91 Octane, Terry’s Boosted K20 is rated at 400whp/290tq @ 17psi. Not only putting down impressive power, Terry’s attention to detail continues in the engine bay with what seems like countless Mugen goodies as well to the engine and radiator cap, coil pack cover, all the way down to the bolts.
With what undeniably seems like the total package and a modification list that any Honda/Type-R enthusiast would only dream of having, it’s no wonder that Terry’s friends have given him the moniker “Dailo R”, which can also be found on his license plate. For those wondering the meaning of “Dailo”, in Chinese it translates to “Big Brother”, but is also used as a slang meaning “Boss”; which is quite fitting for the hard work and dedication that’s been put into Terry’s Integra. With what we’d like to call a true project car, it’s cars like Terry’s Type-R that continue to motivate and inspire the rest of us, always looking to keep up with the lifestyle of real function and true form.
Engine.&.Drivetrain
Fully Built K20 Motor
Portflow Head
GT35R Turbo
Tail Wastegate
Tial Blowoff Valve
1000CC ID Injectors
Competition Stage 4 Clutch
Quaife LSD
AEM Fuel Rail
RBC Intake Manifold
K-Tuned Thermostat Housing
Hasport Mounts With Custom Stainless Steel Brackets
Karcepts Shifter Mount
karcepts Throttle Body Adapter
Aluminum shifter Cable Bushings
Bosch Fuel Pump with Custom Fuel Lines
Hondata K Pro
Hondata Boost Controller
Fujitsubo 3″ Exhaust (Custom)
Greddy Oil Relocate Kit with Oil Cooler
Carbing Oil Catch Can
Stainless Steel clutch Line
Stainless steel Brake Lines
Tein Hood Dampers
Hondata Intake Manifold Gasket
70MM Throttle Body
Koyo Radiator with Slim Fan
Jdm DC5 Red Valve Cover
CF Intake Manifold Cover with Turbo Badge
Jdm Black Dip Stick
Beat Rush Cooling Plate
Odyssey Battery
Power Steering Cooler
Hella horns
Baller Bolts (10)
Mugen Bolts (30)
Mugen Oil Cap
Mugen Radiator Cap
Mugen Coil Pack Cover
Mugen CF Rad Stay Brackets
Suspension
Function 7 Rear Lower Control Arms
Mugen rear sway
JDM Front Sway Bar
Carbing 3 Point Strut Bar
Comptech Rear Tie Bar
Miracle X Bar with Lower Optional Strut Bar
Ingalls F+R Camber Kit
Tein flex with EDFC (Electronic Damping Force Controller)
J’s Racing Roll Center Adjusters
JDM 36MM Hubs
DSS Axles 2.9
Front/Rear Hardened Control/Trailing Arm Bushings with Hard Race End Links
Without a doubt, this is one of the key elements required when bringing a plan or project to life. Combine this with time and passion and eventually, that plan/project that one commits him/herself to pieces itself together nicely, and the outcome almost always leaves one with an incredible feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. We say ‘almost always’, because it can also however, leave one with the hunger for more, ultimately pushing an individual to bring that original plan or project to another level; all of course driven by dedication. A prime example of utilizing true dedication is Daniel Kowall, and the outcome his BMW M3 GTR.
The story begins with Daniel as a child, always into the BMW brand and could not wait until the day he could drive and start to modify one of his own. His very first car in fact was a 1995 BMW 525, which he says ‘was riced out with a body kit, lowering springs and wheels’. Moving along, Daniel’s second car was a 1999 BMW 540i. Being in an automotive business program at the time in Ontario, Daniel was surrounded by peers who were all into cars and the car modifying lifestyle. A major step up from his “riced out” 525, Daniel’s 540i had everything a euro tuner could appreciate from a full Hamann body kit, coilovers, wheels, intake, exhaust, the list goes on. While in Ontario, Daniel also took up Auto Crossing as a hobby in the summer, which ultimately pushed his hunger for a car more focused for the track.
What car could Daniel possibly take advantage of and push to its absolute limits on the track? Enter the E46 BMW M3.
Found on an internet forum based out of Long Island, New York, Daniel sold his 540i and acquired an E46 M3 which he picked up and drove back to Ontario. Getting a little more serious with the sport of Auto Cross, Daniel quickly went to work on his M3 focusing on the suspension and chassis dynamics of the vehicle. Daniel immediately got the car aligned and corner balanced for the track and took his car to various Auto Cross events around Toronto such as the Mosport, Cayuga and Shannonville race tracks. Daniel even went on to take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies at various race events in Cayuga. With a few trophies under his belt from Canadian Sport Compact Series events, Daniel was inspired to continue to build upon the M3, making it his dedicated track car.
Fast forwarding a little bit, Daniel finished school in Ontario and brought the M3 GTR to Calgary. With the M3 now in Calgary, Daniel’s dedication continued as he joined the Calgary Sports Car Club (CSCC), and participated in Time Attacks for two seasons at Race City in Calgary and Stratotech Raceway in Edmonton. Putting the M3 through these rigorous time attacks, Daniel realized that the M3 needed more power. With the M3 GTR looking aggressive as ever, adding the Active Autowerke supercharger kit was the next step for Daniel. Completing the Supercharger kit just last winter, this is how Daniel’s M3 currently sits-and it won’t stop there.
Based on the true facts of anyone with a dedicated project car, Daniel knows that his race inspired M3 is still a work in progress. With plans on adding a fully welded roll cage, a custom rear diffuser, and a new pulley and fuel system projected to make even more power, we could only hope that Calgary gets another track in the future so we can see, and feel, exactly what Daniel’s M3 GTR is capable of.
With Daniel’s BMW M3 GTR not only looking like, but performing like the complete race car, Daniel’s time, patience, passion and commitment definitely exemplify the dedication that anyone looking to build their current or next project car should utilize. So what are you waiting for?
…get dedicated!
Engine.&.Drivetrain
HKS GTS8550 Supercharger
Active Autowerke Intake Manifold w/ Dual By Pass Valve
Active Autowerke RAM AIR intake
Active Autowerke Front Mount Air to Air Intercooler
Active Autowerke Methanol Injection System
Supercharger Oil Cooler
High Performance AA Spec Green Filter
Active Autowerke High Performance Software
HPF Oil Cooler
HPF Engine Cover
Auto Solutions Short Shift
BMW Motorsport Fan Clutch
Agency Power Catless Headers
Unobtainium Welding 3″ Catback Exhaust
Suspension
Ground Control Race Suspension with Advance Design 2 way Adjustable Shocks and Swift springs
Ground Control Race Sway Bars
Ground Control RTABs and FCABs
Ground Control Camber Plates
Turner Motorsport Rear Control Arms
Turner Motorsport Subframe Reinforcement Kit with added custom reinforcement steel plates
Rogue Engineering Race Brace
Active Autowerke Rear Strut Bar
Interior
ATI E-Pod Gauge Pod
AEM Air/Fuel and Boost Gauges
Jaffster Shift Knob
Recaro Pole Position Seats
Raven Motorsports Half Cage
Schroth driver and passenger 6 point harnesses
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
For more pictures of Eric’s 1JZ Powered 240SX check out our flickr page HERE
For those of you who frequent our site you may recognize the name ‘Gawa’, as Galen Wan has been a long time contributor to illmotion. He has graciously sent pictures our way of all the major events out of eastern Canada, the most well done cars from his car family (and one of the hottest car crews out there), Level One, and even hooked us up with Tokyo Auto Salon 2012 coverage from his trip to Japan. Since Galen’s been running around snapping all these pictures and providing nothing but quality content, it makes you wonder what Galen himself drives.
Being exposed to the craziest builds that this automotive culture has ever seen, Galen undeniably has taken the best of the best that the aftermarket world has to offer, and showcases it all on what we find is one of the most underrated platforms out there, the Honda Fit. Galen has owned his Honda Fit for several years and just as expected from anyone who’s owned a modified vehicle for a long period of time, it has been through many stages. The Fit as featured, is Galen’s latest and without a doubt, the best his sub compact Honda has ever looked.
Immediately after purchasing the car, Galen felt the need for more power as the stock 1.5L just wasn’t cutting it. His resolution, enter a Greddy turbo kit to provide that much needed boost that Galen was looking for. Exhaust gasses are sent through a J’s Racing test pipe and mid-pipe before exiting the car, via a Greddy axle back exhaust.
With the Engine and Exhaust modifications ultimately under control, Galen’s next step was the interior of his Fit. By combining VIP elements found in the rear bench, and race spec bucket seats up front (uber rare Zeal buckets by the way), this is one Honda Fit that takes two different tuning styles, and puts itself on a level all on it’s own, just the way Galen wanted it. He is also able to keep a close eye on his engine vitals care of DEFI and the triple gauge cluster nested in the dash. Rounding out the interior is a Vertex King steering wheel, custom in car entertainment and a plethora of JDM Honda Fit parts.
The exterior of Galen’s Fit is complimented with a Kenstyle kit (lips, skirts and wing) which came off the Tjin Edition Honda Fit demo car, a fully vinyl wrapped body (including a crocodile skin vinyl roof) and a J’s Racing grille. The car’s stance is achieved by T1R and KW V2 coilovers in the front and rear respectively, J’s Racing chassis bars all over the car and 17″ SSR Competition rollers with Yokohama tires. Peaking out from behind the SSR wheels is the always coveted Endless 4 pot big brake kit.
As mentioned earlier, Galen has managed to combine the styles of VIP Tuning and functional performance, and pieces it all together nicely on what’s truly, a one of a kind Honda Fit. In a society where styles are segregated, and cars are deemed to only be “one thing or the other”, it’s people like Galen who come out and break this mold, that bring some much needed innovation and ingenuity to this car culture that we all live for. Believe us when we say that this indeed is not an easy task, yet Galen makes it look so effortless.
As we’ve done in the past on our collaborative posts, be sure to check out our friends at S&P! for their take on Galen’s Fit (with more pictures for your viewing pleasure) HERE.
Thanks again to Galen for everything he’s shared with us, alongside our friends at Stretch and Poke! Onto the feature…
Exterior
Kenstyle front lip (molded onto OEM bumper)
Kenstyle side skirts
Kenstyle rear lip (molded onto OEM bumper)
Kenstyle rear wing
J’s Racing front grill
Hexis Lapis Blue vinyl wrap
Gator/Croc skin black roof
ASM short antenna
JDM Honda clear-red LED tail lights
6000k H4 HID
6000k H11 HID
Interior
Vertex shift knob
Vertex King 330mm steering wheel
J’s Racing quick release
Daikei hub
Baller Bolts titanium steering wheel bolts
Garage Defend shift extender
Endless Zeal bucket seats
Bride RO seat rail + side mounts (driver)
Nagisa auto super low rail (passenger)
Clazzio quilting type seat covers (white w/ red stitch)
Defi Control Unit II
Defi BF white oil temp gauge
Defi BF white oil pressure gauge
Defi BF white water temp gauge
Blitz boost gauge
AEM UEGO a/f gauge
Spoon convex rear view mirror
SRP Racing aluminum pedals
T1R leather/suede e-brake boot (red stitch)
OEM Honda Civic SI shift boot
JDM Honda passenger side sunvisor
JDM Honda hazard switch
JDM Honda rear head rests
Pioneer AVH-P4000DVD headunit
MTX amp
Kenwood 10” sub
Beech wood flooring in trunk
Wrapped headliner
Suspension & Wheels
T1R basic coilovers / KW V2 coilovers
T1R stainless steel brake lines
J’s Racing front strut bar
J’s Racing front lower arm bar
J’s Racing rear strut bar
J’s Racing c pillar bar
Endless 4 pot BBK
Endless 282mm rotors
Endless CC-X pads
Endless valve stem caps
Ingalls camber bolts
Project Mu Super Lock Nut 7 wheel nuts
SSR Competitions 17×7.5 +42
Yokohama S.Drive 205/40R17
Engine
Greddy turbo kit
Greddy Emanage Ultimate
Turbo XS BOV
Greddy Evo2 axle back
J’s Racing mid pipe
J’s Racing test pipe
J’s Racing oil cap
J’s Racing rad cap
T1R short shifter
Strut King shifter hard mount bushings
Spoon magnetic oil drain plug
Spoon magnetic transmission drain plug
Spoon reservoir cover
Half of you are probably thinking that this is another old MKII GTI, and that I should just cut to the chase and get onto the photos. While the other half of you may have jumped to the conclusion that the ‘VR5’ in the title is a typo and I really meant ‘VR6’. To make a long story short, this is one MKII GTI that packs a punch, which is something you rarely see in any MKIIs that are still out there, alive and well.
Alex is like most of you, strives to continue to modify and perfect his own car over the years of ownership. While many work hard to afford modifications for their cars, this beautiful GTI was home built, on a budget. Prior to the initial build, Alex found himself practically on the verge of losing his job. While that can be very devastating to some, Alex took it another way, and found himself inspired to take the time to build his car.
The next 83 days soon after, Alex found himself outside in the back of his house working in a car tent non-stop, night and day. On a random craigslist find, Alex stumbled upon a 2.3L VR5 engine imported from Europe. From there, Alex’s deep interest in the VR5 led to hours upon hours of research, just to see if it was possible to swap into a MKII chassis. While finding no information at all, Alex took the plunge and bought the engine anyway, with no real knowledge of how difficult the task would be to perform the swap. After running into constant issues, Alex finally smoothed everything out and found himself to be at peace, and complete with his MKII GTI VR5 project.
This VR5 MKII is said to be the only VR5 MKII in North America. The only other known VR5 on this continent, is supposedly a 20 Valve VR5 as opposed to Alex’s 10 Valve VR5. It is also said that this is the only VR5 MKII that is turbocharged in the world.
To date, Alex’s VR5 MKII has been primarily untouched over the last few years, other than a few minor aesthetic changes such as the wheels and seats. With the completion of this MKII project, Alex has already found inspiration for his next project car. While I do not want to ruin the surprise, rumor has it that there is an E30 drivetrain sitting somewhere in his garage.
In the mean time, let’s focus on what Alex has already accomplished…
Engine
Shaved Engine Bay
2.3L VR5
Custom Built T04BE/.48 AR T3 Turbo
Kinetic FMIC
1.8t Diverter Valve
38mm Wastegate
Custom Built Turbo Manifold
O2A Hydro Clutch
Mk3 Rad Fans
Footwork
FK Silverline Coileys
11″ Corrado Front Brake Conversion
Rear Disc Conversion
G60 Sway Bar
Prothane Bushings
VR6 Upper Strut Mounts
Wheels
ARE Wheels
Two Piece
16×7
Exterior
G60 Flairs
Stubby Antenna
Smoked Aero Ecodes
Shaved Banana’s
Audi Door Handles
Rear Wiper Delete
Since the Toyota Corolla’s inception in 1966, it has always been known for its reliability, dependability, and most importantly for its incredible gas mileage. What it is not known for however (Aside from the AE86), is being a formidable player in the automotive scene, nor is it a car that exactly gets heads turning.
That leaves us dying to ask this burning question, what was illmotion’s own JC Tenchavez thinking upon the purchase of his 2009 Toyota Corolla? While the answer may not be clear to JC himself, perhaps a look at his 10th Generation Corolla XRS can provide somewhat of a resolution.
From the time of JC’s acquisition in late 2008, his Corolla had gone through its phases, all of which have been conservative. With the XRS marketed as the “sportier” trim level, it was only fitting that his Corolla was modified in the same tune. Fast forward to the present, and JC finally decided it was time for the Corolla to steer away from its consistent, conservative and “safe” looks, and go in a completely different direction, that of which was inspired by the way that Corollas (known as the Altis) in Asia were modified. With VIP tuning being all the craze in places such as Thailand and Malaysia, the Altis believe it or not, is a platform that is considered quite popular to use among enthusiasts overseas (Along with its big brother, the Toyota Camry).
With very little support from the aftermarket in North America, JC did his research and looked to forums based out of Thailand to get an idea of the direction that he wanted his XRS to go in. While the language barrier was certainly there, the images that JC managed to find did help him a lot during his search. The most notable pieces that can be found on his Corolla are the OEM Altis LED Taillights, and the OEM Altis radiator grille, which he managed to acquire with assistance from his family abroad.
The next step for JC was to remove the Tein S.Tech springs and OEM shocks combo, which he originally installed not even a week after he first bought the vehicle. The replacement, a set of BC Racing BR Type Coilovers to get his Corolla even closer to the ground. Continuing in the suspension department, a TRD Rear Sway Bar was also added to stiffen the lack luster performance of the rear torsion beam found on 10th Generation Corollas. For breathability, JC modified the OEM air intake box and also installed an A’PEXi World Sport 2 Exhaust, complete with custom welding and piping.
A quick glance at the interior of JC’s Corolla and what is almost immediately noticed is the SRR 300mm Bubble Shift Knob, along with some interior accessories from Junction Produce.
To complete the “Miniature VIP” direction that this Corolla was going in, the most important feature was down to the wheels. With help from Bobby & Mark from Tunerworks Calgary, JC acquired what is considered a ‘Luxury Sports’ wheel, an 18″ set of Work’s ever so popular 3 Piece Modular wheel, the VS-XX in Gold finish. As this Corolla was pretty much new to the scene of wheel fitment, getting these wheels to cooperate with the rear torsion beam suspension set up did require quite a few trials of rolling, cutting, and pulling of the rear quarters to get them to fit nicely. After a little patience and time on the rear quarters, this is how it finally sits.
The saying goes, ‘a car is an extension of one’s personality’, and with that in mind there is no denying the impeccable taste that JC has when it comes to modifying his economical compact car. Being that this is also the vehicle he drives during the winter and summer seasons (as these are really only two seasons that Calgary gets), the constant maintenance involved for JC to keep this daily driver in tip-top shape through every season is definitely something we can really appreciate.
While JC’s daily driver may not appeal to everybody out there, the styling and direction that his Corolla has gone in definitely maintains Toyota’s sense of subtlety, while at the same time showcasing a modest sense of style, simplicity and finesse that is prominently found in luxury/VIP cars. By doing so, JC managed to take one of the automotive scene’s most often overlooked, ordinary and economical cars, and turn it into quite a head turner. For a vehicle with hardly any aftermarket support, it’s the little things that JC has done that truly make his Corolla stand out from the crowd.
Engine.&.Drivetrain
Modified OEM Air Intake Box
A’PEXi World Sport 2 Exhaust with custom piping
TRD Performance Air Filter
TRD Radiator Cap
TRD Engine Oil Filler Cap
Interior
Junction Produce Kintuna
Junction Produce “Missions” Neck Pads
Super Road Race 300mm Clear Bubble Shift Knob
T1-R LED Dome Light
Eurolite LED Vanity Interior Lights
Boo The Dog Plush Toy =p
Exterior
OEM Toyota Corolla Altis Radiator Grille
OEM Toyota Corolla Altis LED Taillights
OEM Toyota Window Visors
GT HID 4300K HID Kit
Nokya 2500k “JDM Yellow” Fog Lights
Euroline 3000k DRLs
Eurolite LED License Plate Lights
“Iron” Vinyl Wrapped Headlamps, Tailights & Foglamps
Matte Black Front & Rear Emblems
Wheels.&.Suspension
BC Racing BR Type Coilovers
TRD Rear Sway Bar
SPC Rear Camber Shim Kit
18″ Work VS-XX 18×8.5 +26 in Gold (GLD) Finish
215/40R18 Falken Ziex ZE-912
A blast from the past, here is the very first car I featured for Illmotion a few years ago, and ever since then I have wanted to re-shoot, and re-write a feature article as the car has progressed. Gabes build quality is truly extraordinary, and the best part is 95% of the build took place in his own shop. Known to many Nanaimoites as the man to go to for work on their cars. Gabe has progressed not only with his car over the last 5 years of ownership, but also with the tools, shop, and resources to build/work on some amazing cars. While Gabes phasing out of this beautiful EF hatch, he plans to put it on the market in the next few weeks. It leaves myself and others to imagine what he has in store for us next.
While the exterior of the car has not changed since the last feature, the motor has been the primary subject of change. Previous the car featured a log manifold with a Garret T3 turbo, 38mm Tial Wastegate, and a stock valve train. Gabe has taken the time to build the head with mainly Crower parts, mean while he also upgraded the turbo manifold to a Blueridge Motor Sport Top-mount to accommodate the new Precision 6262 turbo.
Engine
B18b
9.0:1 Forged CP pistons 81.5mm
Eagle rods
Acl rod bearings
Acl main bearings
Mahle rings
Supertech block guard
Arp head studs
Oem Honda water pump
Oem Honda oil pump
Greddy timing belt
Crower stage 2 boost cams
Crower stainless valves std size
Crower double valve springs
Crower titanium retainers and keepers
Cometic head gasket
Fadanza billet cam gears
Hondata intake manifold heat shield gasket an throttle body gasket
Skunk2 cam seal
Billet under drive crank pulley
Skunk2 pro series intake manifold
Blox 68mm throttle body
AEM fuel rail
Aeromotive fpr
Blueridge Motorsport custom B series Ef top mount
Blueridge Motorsport 3″ down pipe
46mm precision Waste-gate
-4an oil feed line
-8an return line
Fluidyne aluminum half rad
2 12″ electric fans
Innovative billet engine mounts
Innovative B series shift linkage with poly bushings.
8 lb fidanza flywheel
Act 4 puck riveted hub clutch disc
Act high pressure pressure plate
Autoworks front mount
Autoworks intercooler piping
Hks bov
Blox vacuum manifold
2 Autoworks catch cans
Rear block breather -12 lines to breather
Valve cover breather -10 lines to breather
Hondata s300
Hondata map sensor
Obd0 to obd1 jumper harness
RC 750cc injectors
Walbro 255 fuel pump
AEM wide band
AEM oil pressure gauge
AEM true boost gauge and controller
Innovative turbo timer
3″ exhaust turbo back
3″ Megan stainless turbo muffler N1 style
Suspension
Password jdm rear strut brace
Skunk2 pro c
Blox gold rear lower control arms
Skunk2 rear upper control arms
Etd front traction bar kit
Integra rear disc swap
Russel stainless brake lines
Power slot rotors
Interior
Bride Zeta II seats
Personal black suede steering wheel
NRG quick release hub
Harness bar with 4 point harnesses
Auto meter 4″ tach
Carbon fiber fuel sender cover
Skunk2 short shifter and shift knob
Broadway mirror
NRG floor mats
8000k hids
3000 high beams halogen
Exterior
Jdm Sir front lip
Jdm Ef side markers
Amber corners
Benen toe hook
VIS carbon fiber hood
Password jdm hood spacers
