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 Flashback: Aldrich’s (Old) 2006 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner

I was diggin’ through a bunch of my pictures from a few years back, and ran across pics of my old X-Runner. I figured I’d share a few pics I have from 2008 since I miss her from time to time. But I’m glad I don’t have her at this point, she ate through gas like crazy. She looked good doing it though with the 2″ drop and 18 x 9.5 +15 wheels. Enjoy the pics!





iM Flashback: ZR Auto Track Day

We all miss the summer, I know everyone thats reading this does. Can’t wait for it to get nice out again and put the WRX back into summer mode. As much as I love blasting through the snow with her in winter mode, I love how she looks in summer mode.

Which got me thinking… how do drivers of exotics do it? I don’t know if I could wait a whole winter to drive my expensive ass car again. It spends most of its life hidden in a garage somewhere or stored.

I started digging back in my pics to look at exotics, and I came across the pics I took at the ZR Auto Track Day back in October. Corey posted some awesome pics of the cars on the track that day, but I figured I’d post a few of the ones I got since I was looking at them and wanted to share.

Check out Corey’s post -> iM Event Coverage: ZR Auto Track Day

Everybody loves exotics, and in reality, who doesn’t? But you know who loves them more? People that can afford them. So how do you live when you know you’ve gotta put your car away for over 6 months? I guess this is how they get it out of their system… by beating on them and using them to their full potential on the track before they have to put them away.

And then we thought that was it. It was late in the day, people were all starting to leave. Zahir (of ZR Auto) had taken the black Ferrari F40 home, so that was that. A few of us stuck around since we had nothing better to do. And then we heard what sounded like an monster, and tried to figure out what would make such a menacing noise. Looks like Zahir had another trick up his sleeve, and came back an hour later, and pulled up into the pits:

See that kid on the left of the picture looking at me funny? Its cause he just finished seeing me jump four feet back because Zahir fired up the Enzo a moment before I took the shot (Prashant can verify the distance of my jump). Seriously, when I was setting up this shot, the car was full frame:

As much as the F40 is my favorite Ferrari of all time, the Enzo is a sight to see and hear on the track:

Hope to see these cars again back on the track this year, and be sure that we will be there to capture them for you guys again.

iM: Flashback

Since it’s winter and January is halfway over, those of us that are sitting in the snow are wishing for summer and nice weather to be here. I don’t know about you guys but having a dirty car 10 seconds after I wash it is annoying. So, here are a few pics of whips rolling in nice weather. Makes me want blue skies right now.

iM: Flashback

Thought I’d give some of you sitting around wandering back and forth between sites wondering what the hell to do or need something to look at.

I’ve gone through some of my pictures over the last few years and compiled just a small collection of group shots that I’ve taken either randomly, at car shows, meets or group shoots. You may remember some of the cars as they were and only know how they are now. One that might stand out to most of you is the feature we recently had of Reggie’s Integra or even Punit’s Integra. Check it out.

iM Flashback: JC Tenchavez’s Toyota Echo RS Hatchback (Vitz…

Going through some old photos on my PC (Which I can’t believe is still running after I abandoned it for a Macbook Pro) I stumbled upon some photos of my Echo RS Hatchback. After High School, I’m sure a lot of young adults wanted a fast car or a car that reflected “Social Status”. I was not one of those young adults.

When I graduated the car I wanted to own was a Toyota Echo RS Hatchback. Family and friends were a bit confused with my car of choice, that is until they saw the vision I had for the little Echo…

In my house, you’re bound to find a car tuning magazine on the coffee table; whether it be as American as Import Tuner to Super Street or as “JDM” as Option Magazine. Being exposed to Option Magazine when I was younger I noticed that Japan had a variety of unique vehicles that were not found here in North America.

At the time one of those vehicles was the Toyota Vitz RS. When I first saw a modified Vitz in one of the Option magazines this was a car I definitely wished I could own.

In 2003 Toyota Canada granted my wish and released the Vitz under it’s North American name the Echo Hatchback. When I found out the news I knew this was the car I wanted to build and I immediately asked my parents if they could help me get this car. But being in the household I’m in you have to work to get what you want.

In 2004 I eventually got what I wanted, and after countless overtime hours and 3 jobs (I was even in Post Secondary school too) my vision was finally brought to life.

Although I no longer own this car, I do plan on finding another white Echo RS Hatch in the future. Looking at these pictures though, I kinda wish I never got rid of it in the first place and continued with the build. LOL!

But hey who knows what I’ll have up my sleeve with the XRS… ;D

Exterior & Lighting
-JDM Toyota Vitz Rear Emblem
-JDM Toyota Vitz Hood Bonnet
-JDM Toyota Vitz OEM Style Front Lip
-JDM Toyota Vitz OEM Color Matched Side Mirrors
-Honda S2000 Antenna
-Helios 6000k HID Kit

Engine
-Engine: 1NZ-FE
-Displacement: 1.5L
-Blitz SUS Power Air Intake
-TRD Japan Oil Filler Cap
-Greddy Radiator Cap
-Apex’i WS2 Exhaust

Suspension
-Tein S.Tech Coil Springs
-KYB GR2 Gas Shock Absorbers
-Greddy/Trust Front Strut Tower Bar
-Tanabe Front Underbrace
-Tanabe Rear Underbrace

Wheels & Tires
-Work Nezart Spoke 2 15×7 +32 (Gloss Black/Polished Lip)
-Kumho Ecsta 712 195/50R15
-NKB Cup 16×7 +30 (Front), 16×9 +35 (Rear) (Silver/Polished Lip)
-Falken Ziex ZE-512 195/55/16 (Stretched)
(The NKB Cup wheels never fit properly on my car =/)

I.C.E.
-Alpine GlideTouch HeadUnit
-Alpine 6″ Type-S Speakers (2)
-Alpine 4.5″ Type-S Speakers (2)
-Kenwood 10″ Bass Tube