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!).
To “officially” kick start the 2013 season, Driven made it’s way to the Olympic Oval in Calgary. A little earlier than the previous year, this certainly did not stop everybody from getting their cars ready, some even just MINUTES before the end of roll-in and set up. With over 250 cars coming together under one roof, Driven continues to get better every year as owners/enthusiasts just know that it is the perfect opportunity to showcase what he/she has been hiding over the course of the winter. With that, the quality factor continues to improve as well as participants step it up and come correct every year.
Congratulations to all those who were awarded this year including Devon Mori (RHD EG6), Noel Eggers (S14), Randy Chau (Honda S600), Duncan Yu (Sleeper Civic), Philip Tan (AE86), Derrek Poyntz (Best Engine Dress Up – Integra) and Tommy Daraseng (E92 M3) who represented with illmotion.
We here at illmotion would also like to take this time to thank the beautiful Melyssa Grace for kicking it with us. It was definitely an honor to have you in our booth and we really hope you enjoyed the show as much we did!
Also a big shout out to our own Aldrich Evangelista for providing the beats and DJing for almost 8 hours straight! Amazing work Rich!
Finally, we would like to thank all of you because in all actuality, there would be no “Driven” without the support of you guys as we encourage each other, and practically push each other to get our cars ready to roll for shows like this. Thank you guys for making Driven 2013 a success yet again for our scene! It was definitely awesome seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones, which is exactly what it’s all about; and what a perfect way to re-introduce the season we call Summer!
Moving on, we do have intense coverage of Driven which will be separated into parts over the next few days, so let’s kick things off with Part 1 of our iM Event Coverage: Driven 2013 Calgary…
As lucky as we are here in Canada to have the opportunity to bring in some of the most sought after vehicles from Japan and register them as a regular means of transportation, we have to admit that it is in fact a rare sight to see some of these right hand drive vehicles being driven throughout the seasons. And for the ones that we do see being driven every day of the year, well, they usually are not in the greatest condition by the time summer rolls around. To steer away from all of that though, there are some RHD owners out there who go the extra mile to maintain their vehicles and keep them running and looking proper no matter what the weather condition. One person who comes to mind when it comes to keeping it fresh is Andy Huynh and his “Porsche Mint Green” Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R.
Andy’s goal was quite simple, build a daily driven Skyline GT-R R32 that expresses his individuality and ultimately captures the attention of anyone who lays their eyes upon it. While the engine and interior of this GT-R R32 mostly remain untouched and true to the way Nissan would want it to be, the beauty of Andy’s build is definitely the fact that most of the work was performed by Andy himself, including the bodywork and paint job.
The look of Andy’s GT-R is unmistakeable, a Porsche Mint Green paint job sitting super low on vibrant white Varrstoen wheels, accessorized with a custom fitted Yakima roof rack and a roof box. While some may wonder why this particular Skyline has a roof rack/roof box combo, Andy finds it quite practical as he carries two spare wheels in case of an emergency (complete with a floor jack loaded in the trunk).
Aside from the fact that he did his own paint job, what makes Andy’s GT-R R32 so admirable is the raw simplicity of it. With a unique color combination and set up done to a platform that is usually seen in the high performance sports segment, Andy switches things up and does it his way, with no regrets whatsoever. By maintaining his RHD GT-R through the winter/summer seasons and adding his own simple yet effective style to it, we gotta hand it to Andy for giving the term “Daily Driver” a new meaning…
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
And for my buddy Aldo, I know where you hide your snacks now… in your bumper.
Make sure to come on down and hang out the next meet at Chinook on May 1st, 2013.
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
Make sure to check out the next meet at Chinook on April 18, 2013.
Another feature courtesy of our homie Galen Wan (aka GAWA Photo), we have Yau’s R32 GTR coming out of Toronto, Ontario. Yau’s BNR32 takes it a step further from his peers by wrapping the whole car in Carbon Fiber Vinyl Wrap. What also stands out on Yau’s GT-R are the authentic Nismo N1 pieces such as the front bumper, side skirts and wing lip. Adding to the exterior appeal of this R32 are a set of green Volk TE-37s rocking an amazing 18×10.5 with a +15 offset all around.
On the performance side of things, Yau’s GT-R sports a Jun Tuned RB26DETT, with HKS adjustable cam gears and a tomei header. This is one R32 that goes unnoticed as an HKS 3.5″ full exhaust roars past anyone who tries to get in it’s way. As for balance, this car stays planted with Buddyclub coilovers and a Cusco front & rear camber kit, Cusco strut tower bar, and a Cusco mid pillar bar.
With an overall impressive package inside and out, this is definitely one of the more stunning R32s coming out of the East. Just have a look for yourself.
Fresh off the heels of Giuseppe’s Nissan Skyline feature, we would like to share with you all a little video we worked on featuring Giuseppe’s RHD Monster! Enjoy!
Around 2004-05, Canadians were allowed to bring in vehicles from Japan and have them registered to drive on Canadian soil. When Canadians were given such an opportunity, cars that were once unheard of or simply dreamed about slowly started making their way from Japan. With more and more RHD vehicles being brought into Canada, cars like the Toyota Chaser and Nissan Siliva started becoming household names. One of the more popular platforms brought over from Japan definitely had to be the Nissan Skyline.
With a crazy surge of RHD Japanese vehicles being brought in from Japan, what once was a dream for many, slowly started becoming a nightmare for enthusiasts and even RHD owners. Parts were simply unobtainable for a few vehicles, while other enthusiasts were bothered by the ignorance of some RHD owners on the road.
Forward to the present, Japanese RHD vehicles are certainly still around, but not as popular as they once were. There are certain RHD vehicles that do stand out however, and these are the ones that everyone can have appreciation for.
As most will agree, a car can only be appreciated, if it is in the hands of the right owner. Have a look at Giuseppe’s RHD Nissan Skyline, and you will find a true testament to this statement.
The exterior appearance of Giuseppe’s car showcases his ambition towards making this Skyline unlike the others seen on Canadian streets. With a fresh Shadow Grey finish, Version Select V.1 Kit, Carbon Fiber Accents (Hood, Trunk, Mirrors, Canards) and a nicely stanced set of Work XD9s complimenting each other on the exterior, one look under the hood and this ambition goes a step further.
Giuseppe’s Skyline is powered by an RB25DET with power assistance from a Garrett GT30R Turbo, “Godzilla’s roar” can be heard through the A’PEXi Exhaust. Should this Skyline need to be brought to a sudden halt, a GT-R brake conversion answers the call.
A look at the interior of the vehicle, and you will find that whoever is in the driver’s seat, is given first priority. A Bride Seat and Takata Harness provide the driver with a better feel and more focus for the road.
Since the Skyline’s RWD platform is a favorite amongst drifters, you better believe that Giuseppe’s Skyline has it’s suspension game on lock. With suspension goodies from Tein, Whiteline, JIC, and Megan to name a few, there’s no doubting this Skyline’s grip & drift abilities.
Displaying an overall impressive package, we gotta give it up to Guiseppe for having one hell of a Skyline that we can all appreciate. As common as it may be for Skylines and other RHD vehicles to be on the roads in Canada, it is uncommon to find ones that are well thought out, and orchestrated in the right hands.
Another nice weather Wednesday equals another 403 Honda/Beyond.ca Chinook meet. Hopefully the weather keeps getting better. If you try to make it out, then we promise try our best to get out there each week to take pics. Who knows, maybe we’ll find cars that are worthy to be featured on the site!
So yesterday evening was my first time attending the Drift Practices that is held every other Wednesday down at Race City. You guys might remember Chad Gibson’s coverage of some of the drifting from a few weeks back. I thought it’d be a good idea to head down there and see what it was all about.
Enough of the babble.. I got quite a few pics. I apologize in advance to anybody who was out last night that didn’t get a shot. I did have shots of everybody, but some just didn’t turn out. I’ll get you guys next time.
It was my first time to shoot drifting so I’m not gonna lie – I did have some struggles finding the right spots and such. It’s different because it’s an entirely new set of faces. While I am personally into the show and grip scene, it’s a nice change to see these guys pushing their cars and not really caring.
Congratulations to Steve Poyntz for taking 1st in the little pylon tapping competition!
Thanks to Eric and Aaron that let me sit shotgun for some ride alongs – Now I want to drift and great job to everybody that was out there! Looking forward to shooting some more practices this summer.
