Roberto Minosa reporting live from Intex Osaka. Brought to you by Custom Pinoy Rides and Team A Motorsports.
The moment we stepped off the tram, we knew we were going some place epic. It was practically a car show along the road. It felt like every car nut in Osaka was going to the Motor Show.
A bone-stock NSX was in line for the parking area of Intex Osaka.
An S2000 was also in line. All-stock performance cars like these are becoming a rarity even here in Japan.
I am Roberto Minosa, fellow Filipino automotive enthusiast currently based in Osaka, Japan. I’ve been here for almost five months as of this writing.
I like being a grease monkey. Back home, I spend the most of my time in the garage; picking up random parts to make something utterly useless (well, it’s a lot of fun to do!). I used to own and modify 2-stroke scooters, which were a riot. I also stay in the garage because I’m trying to restore my grandfather’s old Lancer. I even find staring at the car very entertaining. It’s my place of zen, the place to think deeply about automotive life. There’s a load of things that I could do with that car, so I always think of ways to make imagination into practice.
Garage Shot
I’m also a bit of a photography buff, something I picked up from my granddad and dad. I’m a no-frills photographer, no fancy PS on my work. People used to live on 36 shots per roll back in the old days. I should too, because it’s hard to pick five or ten frame-worthy shots out of 10,000 crappy ones shot using a gatling gun.
They say that everything that happens in the past makes you who you are today…
Looking back, 2011 had been a SMASHING year for us! We’ve gained 5,000 Likes on our Facebook Page, more than doubled our readership from 2010, and have grown a lot in terms of bringing you some badass cars and taking some of the sickest photos of them.
I’m very grateful to have met a lot of awesome new friends, groups, and companies in 2011, and am very grateful that a lot of them have chosen to work with us on a professional level (that officially makes us professional photographers) through car photography services as well as website sponsorship.
Of course, Custom Pinoy Rides would not be what it is today if not for you, yes you, dear readers and loyal followers. And I promise to give you more awesome cars and photos in 2012. Oh, and how would you like a “Reader’s Rides” series we can show off your very own Custom Pinoy Rides? Would you like that? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Meanwhile, here’s a round-up of the Best of Custom Pinoy Rides Photos that we’ve personally captured in 2011 using our continuously improving photographic talents. Pilipinas Got Talent yo! Check these out…
On the photo, model Legendair Baluyot shows off her figure while peering into the magical engine bay of this Lancer Evolution VIII.
Photographed by one of my partners in crime during our Car Photography ventures – Philip Aragones.
Original article: LanEVO Club Philippines
The Subaru Impreza WRX is known as one of the most desired tuner cars from the land of the rising sun – Japan. With a 2.5L turbocharged engine in a compact body the size of your grandma’s Honda Civic, to the uninitiated, it’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing… a ninja amongst a mass of humans.
Just like a Ninja, this WRX is equipped with a plethora of concealed weapons used to conquer the track. Sure, it show a handsome, well groomed persona on the outside (thanks in part to the spectacular Rota G-Force wheels), but on the inside, it’s a different story. This car has been modified where it counts.
We were lucky to have photographed Aurick’s Impreza just after he gave it a thorough workout during the 2012 PornFest, before it sped off into the darkness to reign terror through the night. And we have the red apocalyptic sunset in the background for effect.
Read on to find out what modifications have been done to Aurick Go‘s Subaru Impreza WRX, turning it into the Ninja Impreza that it is today…
The Chaser was a luxurious mid-size sedan produced by Toyota since 1977. The first generation Chaser, same as our featured car for today, was famous for being one of the quietest cars on the road during its time.
But the car you see on today’s feature is no longer the same as when it first rolled out of Toyota’s assembly plant. It looks similar, somewhat, but its attitude is no longer the same. Gone is the goody-two-shoes daddy-o aura of the original car. It now sits lower to the ground, with aftermarket wheels, and awesome fitment. Totally Shakotan!
It also sports one of those passenger train grab handles or tsurikawa dangling below the rear bumper, reminiscent of rebellious Japanese culture where they used to illegally take those grab handles from local trains and hang them under the rear bumpers to show-off their bad boy attitude.
Shakotan is a car tuning culture in Japan that has been around since the 1970′s. Shako means “ground clearance” and Tan means “short“. So Shakotan cars are those which have short ground clearance. Just like the Toyota Chaser you see here today. Sometimes, Shakotan cars can be seen with overfenders and sometimes even huge spoilers. Though this car doesn’t sport that, who cares. It’s neat, stylish, and slammed. The tsurikawa is there to show and accentuate the ride height.
So seeing this old school classic luxury car rolling on today’s streets, Shakotan style, is a sight to behold.
Check out the rear view below…
Rounding up the stanced cars together before closing off the PornFest. Close up photos of these cars coming soon!
Note: I’m not very good at introductions.
Hi, I’m Michael KALBO, a proud Pinoy photographer currently based in the Midwest, the land of the free and home of the brave USA.
I love cars,
JDMs
Euros
Exotics
American Muscle…
I also love, palabok, caldareta, royal tru-orange, yakult, Filipino movies (got to believe in magic, my amnesia girl), Bourne identity movies, hanging from the back of jeepneys, winding mountain roads, a proper manual transmission (non of that flappy paddle stuff) and AWD cars.
Anyways, I hope to bring you guys/gals some awesome cars, state side and also some from the Philippines.
Here are a few samples of my work.
Photo by Philip Aragones
The Mazda RX-7 FD is considered to be a legend not only amongst other JDM vehicles, but also compared to all other sports cars in the world. It is considered to be one of the finest handling and best balanced cars of all time, thanks to its low center of gravity and 50:50 weight distribution.
It has received tons of accolades from motoring journalists all over the world. Wikipedia says:
The FD RX-7 was Motor Trend‘s Import Car of the Year. When Playboy magazine first reviewed the FD RX-7 in 1993, they tested it in the same issue as the [then] new Dodge Viper. In that issue, Playboy declared the RX-7 to be the better of the two cars. It went on to win Playboy‘s Car of the Year for 1993. The FD RX-7 also made Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1993 through 1995, for every year in which it was sold state-side. June, 2007 Road&Track magazine proclaimed “The ace in Mazda’s sleeve is the RX-7, a car once touted as the purest, most exhilarating sports car in the world.
Because of this, owners of Mazda RX-7 FD’s consider their cars to be keepers.
Chepe Feliciano is one of those lucky FD owners. He took this white Mazda RX-7 FD3S and turned into an even more competent machine best suited for what he loves doing – going on togue runs, and long trips. Hence, the car has been setup to be used as a togue car and a touring car for out of town trips.
We met up with Chepe over the weekend during the 2012 PornFest, where he brought his RX-7 with him for some gymkhana action. After giving the car a workout, it was ready give us a sexy pose in front of our camera just upon sundown.
Read on to see the full specs and mods that Chepe has done to turn his RX-7 into the togue and touring car machine that it is today…
Photos from BenSopra.com
Judging from the massive number of pageviews we received from the GReddy 35RX Nissan GT-R cracks 333kph Fuji Speedway Top Speed Challenge video posted yesterday, it seems there was a good amount of interest about the said vehicle. On the video, we talked about what the folks at GReddy had done to make the car go quick as hell. Now, we’ll talk about the body kit and aerodynamics built around the car.
See, if the F1 cars managed to reach 310kph on Fuji Speedway, while the GReddy 35RX Nissan GT-R managed 333kph, then there must be something about the aerodynamics of the car that made it possible. Yes, the Ben Sopra Nissan GT-R Widebody Aero Kit isn’t just for show. A lot of research, development, and testing was done to the body kit to allow the car to run beyond the speeds it was meant for.
DSport Magazine caught up with Tarzan Yamada during one of the previous testing sessions of the prototype versions of the Ben Sopra body kit. Here’s what they had to say:
“The previous aero parts caused instability above 200MPH. With the boost set to 1.8 bar, Tarzan managed a best of 327KPH (203MPH). Gone was the shuddering and instability from the previous aero but drag had also increased. The result was shy of the 330+ KPH realized before. However, the data would be useful in optimizing the aero before the boost is raised to 2.0 bar (which delivers an additional 100 horsepower) for its future record-setting attempt.”
Now, it seems they have already perfected the design, as it was already officially launched in the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon held last January 13, 2012.
Let us take you through a tour around the Ben Sopra Nissan R35 GT-R Widebody Aero Kit as we show you the nitty-gritty details and the science behind the body kit. Check it out…
In the quest to build the best Nissan GT-R on the planet, Japanese aftermarket tuning company TRUST / GReddy seem to have created their own holy grail – the GReddy 35RX GT-R, an extremely modified Nissan R35 GT-R. In short, Godzilla on steroids.
Where us mere mortals form beads of sweat on our foreheads going at 250kph along SCTEX, driving with full concentration knowing that one sudden twitch of the steering wheel could lead to disaster, for Japanese professional driver Tarzan Yamada, taking the GReddy 35RX GT-R to speeds of up to 333kph along Fuji Speedway is just another day at work.
Wait… 333kph!? Let me put some perspective into this. Yes, Fuji Speedway is known to have one of the longest straights amongst the other motorsports tracks, at 1.5km in length. But the top speed achieved by F1 cars in the last Japanese GP held at Fuji Speedway in 2008 was 310kph! Those are friggin’ Formula 1 cars! So for a mere Nissan GT-R to beat that, well, the folks at GReddy get some serious bragging rights.
Here’s what they did to achieve that: First, the 3.8L VR38DETT engine had been stroked to 4.3L. Second, they replaced the stock twin turbos with TD06-20G units. Third, they replaced the intake manifold and exhaust with their own GReddy versions. Next, they replaced the stock intercooler with a Type-29 unit, and the stock oil cooler and pan with DCT units. Total power is now a whopping 1250hp! Lastly, to keep the car from taking off while going at speeds beyond what it was designed to go, a BenSopra wide-body aero kit was installed. The exterior was then topped off with graphics and livery from Art Factory for more eye-popping visual appeal.
I’m sure this car would inspire Nissan GT-R fans and tuners in the Philippines to take their cars to the next level in terms of looks and performance. Who could resist seeing the mighty Nissan GT-R beat the pants off of even the most expensive exotics in the country?
Check out the video below showing Tarzan Yamada taking the GReddy 35RX GT-R to Fuji Speedway for a high speed test, cracking 333kph! Must see! Check it out…
