MCMmag Issue6

jdm cars of the 20th century!
Issue 06 $2.99
Feature cars from 70s 80s and 90s!
battle of the bytes

Car games on PC or Console,
whats in it for you.
moog confessions
Comes clean about his Jeep
ownership... no thats not a joke.
car electrics
We look into multimeters and the do and
donts of automotive electrics
MX5
Madness
Find out what made this MX5 all sorts of maaaad
INSIDE Delorean at Topgear Martys Trip to the UK Car Club Communities ALPHAMAMA X MOOG & Heaps More
For Maximum Digital magazine awesomeness, be sure to set your PDF

reader to 'two up' with Show cover page during two-up selected.
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ISSUE
SIX >
MIGHTYCARMODS MAGAZINE
ISSUE 06
ISSUE06. FEATURES
\16
Battle of the Bytes

ARE YOU AN XBOX, PLAYSTATION OR PC GAMER? WE PUT RACING GAMES
FROM EACH OF THESE PLATORMS HEAD TO HEAD
Jara Stojanovic & Robert Read
\58
20th Century Classics

TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH THREE JAPANESE CULT CARS
FROM THE FINAL THREE DECADES OF LAST CENTURY!
Nicholas Ramalho / Daniel Irwin / Fatpat
\80
MX5 Madness
WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WENT INTO MAKING A TWO-HOURS-OF-REGOREMAINING RUST BUCKET INTO THE MAD RIDE IT IS TODAY
Marty
\100
Auto Electrickery
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING ON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICS
AND THE TOOLS USED FOR THEM.
Myles Askwith
\126
Heaven and Hell

OUR MAN IN JAPAN STEVE KING TAKES US THROUGH THE WORST OF
JAPANESE FOOD IN THE FINAL PART OF THIS TWO PART SERIES
Steve King
ISSUE06. LIFESTYLE
ISSUE06. TECH
8
12
14
15
24
32
44
52
107
108
116
120
124
134
15
94
96
100
102
106
MOOG: WRANGLING WITH A WRANGLER

MARTY: GET HANDS ON
YOUR SAY
CAR NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
THE WHITE HELL
ROLLIN IN THE U.K.
LIFE AS AN MCM EVENT ORGANISER
CAR COMMUNITIES
WTF
PRO PHOTO: CHRIS PRESTIGE
MCM MUSIC: ALPHAMAMA
GEOFF THOMPSON: COATTAIL CAPTIALISM
SCOTT BAKER INTERVIEW
IRONGAV: THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD
QUICK CAR PROFILE: DAIHATSU CHARADE

SEMI SLICKS
HOW TO: USE A MULTIMETER
HOW TO: SURVIVE CAR ELECTRONICS
DELOREAN DUTIES
WHAT A TOOL: DISC BRAKE SPREADER
ISSUE 06
Issue 05
MIGHTY
CAR
MODS
T h e
M a g a z i n e
ISSUE06. STAFF
NICHOLAS RAMALHO / BLADE888
Editor
Nicks love of cars, driving and mechanical skills, came from his father,
a Touring Car driver in the 1970s. When not tinkering with IT Tech, or
instructing a Cadet Squadron in aviation, you will find him in his car or
under it. On a cruise, a race track or a driveway, hell be having good times
with mates helping out where he can and enjoying the company.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Rusty Golf, the amount of attention
a Euro car got at a JDM meet was amazing to see.
JARA STOJANOVIC / MILKCHICKEN

Writer
Owner of the title too many cars to remember, Jara is happy to lend a
helping hand to those who demand. However, dont let her kind exterior
fool you, she has no problem putting the boys in their place when it
comes to Honda tuning.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? Expect me to say the Civic? No..
Actually its the TRDLZR. Why? Because it was all kinds of awesome in one
single car.
Cover Photo
Ross Waldron
info@rosswaldron.com
Advertising Enquiries
magazine@mightycarmods.com
Mighty Car Mods
Post Office Box 812
Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
mightycarmods.com
Mighty Car Mods Magazine is published
six times a year exclusively through digital
distribution by Mighty Car Mods Pty Ltd. All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part
without prior written permission is strictly
prohibited. All prices correct at time of press but
are subject to change.
The publisher, editors, contributors and related
parties are not responsible in any way for
the actions, results or consequences taken
by any person, organisation or party on the
basis of reading the information, stories or
contributions in this publication. The advices
offered within this publication are opinions
only and it is recommended that consultation
with a Certified Engineer is carried out before
undertaking any vehicular modifications. The
publisher, editors, contributors, and related
parties disclaim any and all liability and
responsibility to any person or party, be they a
purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of
this publication.
BEN NEAL / MECHANICAL STIG

Writer
Ben is a self confessed Subaru nut whose garage is a revolving door for
Subarus in need of some love. His 9-5 is as a trade mechanic and import
parts specialist for a Sydney-based importer.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Mighty Mira show car - its where
it really all started
VINCENT TANNAHIL / MAUSWERKS

Writer
Vincent is a photographer, former aircraft mechanic, mechatronics

engineering student, and an electric car nut. His first project car was a 1988
Audi 80 Quattro and hes been a lover of european imports ever since. His
current car is a 1992 BMW 318is which he plans to convert to run on batteries.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The rusted VW Golf, for sure. I was
apprehensive at first, but it came out great! Too much fun!
STEVE KING
Writer
Steve is a rather tall Yorkshireman who left his native England 15 years
ago to visit Japan for a year or so, and ended up never going back. A
self-confessed workaholic, when hes not translating obscure technical
Japanese he may be found in the dojo or steering around wild deer in his
modified Golf GTI on the mountain roads of Hokkaido.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? Moogs Forester because its practical
and stealth, yet flies like a rocket when you stand on the accelerator.
DANIEL IRWIN / FACEPLANT

Writer
Daniel is MCMs resident drift nut as well as a mechanic by trade. His

pride and joy is a 1984 AE86 which consumes most of his free time. He
can often be found working well into to night, which is how he earned the
title The Midnight Mechanic.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Civic, due to the huge amount of
people that it fooled. We had so much fun building it and driving it around
the streets.
GARTH IVERS
Art Direction & Design

Meticulous designer, obsessive music addict & AE86 die-hard pretty
much defines our one-man art department. If not at his desk buried
in pixels, Garth can normally be found under the hood of his AE86
hachiroku Trueno or through digging stacks of vinyl records. He also
runs the AE86/ZN6 community, Hachiroku.com.au
Whats your favourite MCM Car? Has to be the Red Cuore. Never forget
your roots.
ISSUE06
MIGHTY CAR MODS IS..

MARTY
Moddius Expertus Presentusius

Martys favourite shirt reads no
tofu but despite this, he and
Moog still manage to stay great
friends while creating the hit show
Mighty Car Mods. Since he was
a teenager hes been modifying
anything that moves, and some
things that dont. He feels most
at home in a spare parts shop or
wreckers yard scouring for parts
to put to use on the driveway and
believes that a mod worth doing, is
a mod worth doing yourself.
Whats your favourite MCM Car?
My old Micra. It helped launch
MCM, got me learning about cars
and showed what makes small
cheap cars, so good.... Until slid off
a dirt road into a ditch and a tree.
MOOG
Undercover Soccer Mum

Moog is host, and co-creator of
the hit YouTube series Mighty Car
Mods which started in 2008. He
has owned many cars ranging
from his Mini, VL Commodore and
three-wheeled Camira, through to a
range of S13s, modified Golf GTIs
and his defeated JDM S15. He has
filmed over 100 episodes of Mighty
Car Mods in locations including
USA, Japan and Hong Kong. He
dislikes eggplant immensely.
Whats your favourite MCM
Car? My favourite MCM was the
TRDLZR. It was exciting to drive,
but not for the normal reasons
youd find a modded car exciting.
ISSUE06. REGULAR COLUMNISTS

IRONGAV
www.irongav.com
Despite having a degree in industrial design, Gavins real interest in cars really only came after he was able to afford
to buy them - never settling for anything average, this took quite a bit of time working his way up from intern slave
through to feature film art department and then finally head designer of his own and other companies involved with
film / video production. Decidedly biased towards anything made in Germany he is currently trying to find a pair
of long pants that fit like his shorts you will see him in 365 days a year.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Blue Porsche 911 with the tyre pressure monitors in it. There isnt a thing it
doesnt do, a true juggernaut.
GEOFF THOMPSON
www.geoffthompson.com
Geoff Thompson is recognised as one of the best self-defence instructors in the world. After a decade working on
the doors of some of the roughest clubs on the planet, he is now a BAFTA winning author of 40 books, including his
autobiography Watch My Back which was adapted into a major motion film Clubbed
ISSUE 06
ISSUE06. CONTRIBUTORS
MYLES ASKWITH / MEELS
Writer and Photographer on How to: Survive Car Electronics on Page 98

Myles has been installing automotive electronics for the past 10 years. What originally was a hobby and passion
of his, unfolded to become a full time job. According to Myles: If its got wires and holds a current Ive probably
installed it in to a car, boat, bike, truck or tractor. After many years experience, Myles wants to offer valuable insight
for those looking into doing their own electrical work in their cars.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Blue Turd. It is DIY in all its glory, its worth more in man hours then dollars.
PETER JAMES
Writer and Photographer on The White Hell on Page 22

Sydney local who has spent a fair amount of his time under broken subarus and driving long distances for track
days and hunting great driving roads. Currently driving a GF8 WRX track hack and an MX-5 as my backup track
car probably indicates I will never grow out of this.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? Turbo MX-5 for sure. Purists say the car doesnt need a turbo, anyone reading
this mag knows all cars need at least one extra turbo!
ROBERT READ / BEAST260
Co-Writer on Battle of the Bytes on Page 16

Fitter and turner by trade and all around car nut, Robert is known as the Car MacGyver among the MCM Melbourne
members. Has been working on cars since he was 9, from the age of 13 has owned 30+ cars and still counting
ranging from a 76 Datsun 200B coupe right up to his 06 Ford XR8 Ute. In his spare time, he likes to arrange car
meets and cruises for many of the MCM fans in the Melbourne area.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Mighty Mira, because it was paid for by the fans, for the fans
MARK TUOHY / TOOZA
Writer and Photograper on Life as an MCM Event Organiser on Page 42

Mark has been living in Brisbane for the last ten years and recently started organising Mighty Car Mods meets there.
He has a great love of cars particularly his imported 1988 MK3 GA70 Supra. Married with children, Marks hobbies
include taking his 2 sons along to the MCM meets he organises to meet with friends and fellow car enthusiasts.
Whats your favourite MCM Car? The Blue Turd, because it was so much turd for such a little car, and because Marty
let me drive it :)
Do you have a story for MCM Magazine?

Got some crazy car stories from your end of the globe? Wed love to hear from you.
Get in touch with the magazine team at magazine@mightycarmods.com
ISSUE 06
WRANGLING WITH A WRANGLER
WORDS: MOOG
Wrangling
with a
Wrangler
LETS JUST COME RIGHT OUT WITH IT. I USED TO OWN A JEEP.
IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY CONVENIENT IF THIS WAS A JOKE, BUT SADLY IT IS NOT.
SO LETS PUT THE RUMOURS TO REST AND ALL HAVE A GOOD LAUGH AT THE GUY WITH THE BEANIE
IN THE STUPID CAR THAT USES TOO MUCH FUEL.
NOW THAT THE LAUGHTER HAS ALMOST DIED DOWN, LET ME TELL YOU THE STORY.
ISSUE 06
FOR
a short period of time I couldnt think of anything

else except for owning a Jeep. I didnt want a
Nissan, Subaru or a turbo VW, I wanted a Jeep. Plain and simple.
I imagined exciting weekends away, exploring long lost lands
and a world of adventure opening up right before my eyes.
Camping gear packed in the back with friends, music on and
driving up a coastal highway on my way to some exciting
destination with cool, fresh air filling my lungs. A beautiful
beach would extend out to my right, and the warm sun on my
left would be creating a gentle hue of orange in the sky before
fading into deep blues and purples. It would be awesome, but
this was more than just a dream, this was emotion.
up, he said $16,000 was his lowest price, I replied that $15,999
was my highest price. We were talking the difference of $1 but
he would not budge no matter what. So I reluctantly paid him
his $16,000 feeling like Id been ripped off by a full dollar.
I got in the car and put the soft top down. 2 hours later I was
ready to go and drove out towards the M4 to go back into the
city. At this point I realised that I had no money at all in my wallet
which meant I couldnt pay the toll. Heading towards the road
cameras I was grasping around inside all of the compartments
when I pulled open the ash tray, and there before my eyes was
the most exciting thing I may have ever seen. $4 worth of coins,
$15996 sucker!! I got my discount after all.
A Jeep can get past any obstacle in its way,

except for a petrol station.
I was overseas on a holiday and for some reason there was
just nothing I could imagine that was even close to being as
exciting and exhilarating as buying a black Jeep Wrangler the
moment I got home. So thats exactly what I did. I had a look
through the classifieds and eventually found one that was
all black and looked the business. The owner even said he
would drive it over to my work so that I could check it out and
test drive it.
So I drove around for a while and tried to get used to driving

around in something that had the refinement of a house
brick. Somewhat surprisingly, it was fast. But in a just used
half a tank of fuel in one set of lights kind of way or, in a roll
a log down a hill kind of way. In fact a Jeep can get past
any obstacle in its way, except for a petrol station, and this is
not an exaggeration. You could almost watch the fuel needle
dipping down in shame right in front of your eyes.
I remember when he arrived and I saw it. I was like Whoa.

OK this thing is awesome. I knew nothing about four wheel
driving, Jeeps and really nothing at all, other than I really
wanted it, even before I saw it or drove it. He wanted $17,000
for it and I said Id give him $15,000 for it, he said wed
negotiate the price once I actually picked it up. A day or so
later I got public transport out to where he worked to pick it
One weekend I was heading up the coast, so I packed my

bags, put the roof down and picked up a couple of friends.
I put some tunes on and then we made our way towards
the highway heading north. As I headed down the on-ramp
to the highway, I suddenly had this realisation that this was
what I had been dreaming about all this time. Finally it was
happening for real.
ISSUE 06
Well, OK lets be honest, it was so far from what Id imagined,

it may as well have been like getting a spoon full of what you
thought was honey and then it actually tastes like a goats
scrotum once its in your mouth (Editor Are we actually going
to print this?!).
With the soft top down, the thing smashed its way through
the air at 110km/hour with all the grace of a drunken Yak in a
leotard. It felt like a WW2 tank but without the excitement or
ability to blow something up or ram through your local KFC.
The air buffeted everyone around so much that at one stage I
saw one of the girls in the back seat throw up, and have all her
vomit return to her own face in the wind. Her hair now covered
in vomit whipped her in the eyes and she tried to pull it back
as she started crying. The tyre noise at that speed was enough
to drive one person to shout out to ask if I carried earplugs
ideal version of how I would be if I bought a Jeep, carefree

and adventurous. I was an advertising victim through and
through. Im sure a lot of fun can be had in a Jeep on the
weekends in the mud, but driving it around the city? With
my precious musical gear in it for gigs, with a soft top? This
is the stupidest car Ive ever owned.
Whenever Im considering buying a car these days, I dont
think of the best day of owning the car. I try and think of the
worst. Then, if Im still excited after imaging how bad it can
get, I know Im going to love the car for a long time. Id had the
Jeep for a total of 6 weeks. Summer had arrived and they were
in demand so I decided to sell it. I sold it for $17,000. Pretty
much broke even after rego transfer and other bits and pieces.
Emotionally scarred by how far my imagination was conflicted
with reality, I decided to jump off the car range pendulum, all
the way down the other end of the spectrum.
Whenever Im considering buying a car these

days, I dont think of the best day of owning the
car. I try and think of the worst. Then, if Im still
excited after imaging how bad it can get, I know
Im going to love the car for a long time.
with me for guests. The sunny coastal road Id imagined was
in fact a stinky highway covered in trucks and smog with the
beach of my mind replaced with the bush smoke of bush fire
preventative back burning. In addition to the questionable nasal
flavours, was the distinct smell of cow crap literally floating into
our car from one of the cattle trucks ahead of us.
10
I wanted a small car. Something that would use no fuel.

Something that was cheap and cheerful. Something that
would get me around until I really worked out what the hell I
wanted. Then I found it, the perfect little car, it was red and
cheap. It was called a Daihatsu Cuore
The rubbish audio system did nothing to comfort the sensation

of blasting along in a metal box on wheels that should never
be going this fast. Along with all the road noise, smell of vomit,
cow crap and bleeding ear holes, I realised that I hated this car.
It used too much petrol, was slow, but wait hang on... Didnt I
just say it was fast? No it was slow, cumbersome, redundant,
useless, noisy and totally impractical. It was the worst car ever
invented and was the car that crushed my dreams.
Id recently met this guy at a recording studio called Marty.

He said he liked working on cars. I said I like cars too and
had a camera. This new internet site had just launched
called YouTube where you could upload videos. We said
lets meet up on Saturday and fix up the little Daihatsu. Well
film it and upload the video so we can send it to our friends.
From there weve been meeting up on Saturday mornings
every week since for almost seven years, making videos to
send to our friends.
So seriously what the hell happened? Like a lot of people,

I fell in the love with an idea. In fact not just an idea but an
ideal. The ideal version of how I wanted a car to be, but then,
its not about the car is it. Its about me. I fell in love with an
So for all the noise, fuel and faults. Jeep - thank you, because
without you I would never have known how much I disliked
you, and would have never found the Daihatsu that would
literally change my life forever.
ISSUE 06
GET HANDS ON
WORDS: MARTY
GET
HAND
ON
12
ISSUE 06
DS
AS THE
connected world becomes more and

more part of our lives, we sometimes
find ourselves so busy maintaining all our responsibilities
(and hobbies) in the virtual world - that we miss out on
opportunities in the real world.
A perfect example of this is working on cars. It often baffles
me how some people are able to find so much time to spend
online on Online Forums, Facebook or in comments sections
talking about cars. Often they have quite wide car knowledge,
and sometimes are experts - but I think there is a real limit
to what you can learn from reading and watching, there is a
point where you just have to do.
I put myself squarely in the middle of this equation. Ive learnt
a lot of what I know from reading, partly because online video
didnt exist, and partly because I didnt know many people
who were car experts. I learned quite a bit of what I know
about tools and how to use them from friends who were in
aviation. They had tools and techniques that were of a pretty
high standard, so I learned to appreciate good tools and
learned that so much practical knowledge is about tricks.
How many times have you heard someone say, The trick to it
is or, Ill show you a trick? I hear those words quite a lot
when Im spending time with Mechanical Stig. I try to visit him
at least once a week for a good dose of real world car talking,
working, and assisting. Ben is one of the best teachers out
there, completely willing to share what he knows, hes not
bothered if you dont know what youre doing as long as
youre prepared to have a go.
The only thing I ever get teased for (and anyone who has
been to a mechanics workshop knows there is a plenty of
good natured teasing) is being crap at cracking bolts. Hes
right, and its probably my musician past presenting itself!
Point is, day in, day out it is real world working on cars. Im
always really grateful when career mechanics and engineers
find the time to give their knowledge and share experiences
online. Our forum has been lucky enough to have a good
share of these kinds of people on there. Sure, sometimes
they get hit with the same questions over and over again
from people who havent done their research, but the ideas
and opinions they are willing to share are invaluable to those
trying to under take the same jobs themselves.
As an enthusiast or hobbyist who spends time online, its
important to find a balance. Its all too easy to get lost in
the massive amount of information (and where forums are
involved, opinion..) and lose your way from the actual goal
- which is progress on a project or modification. Mighty Car
Mods has always been about having fun, having a go with
whatever tools and knowledge you have to improve your
car. Through that, meeting people, experiencing things and
bettering your own skills are all part of the end result. This
magazine is an attempt at a written embodiment of all that,
and we love creating it!
Remember just how important it is to get out there, and get
your hands dirty. Improve something you have, and then
enjoy the experience of driving, looking at, taking photos of,
racing or parking it or whatever youre into.
ISSUE 06
13
YOUR SAY
WORDS: MCM
Your Say
TWO WEEK YOUTUBE BINGE
Hey Marty and Moog! Im a massive fan
and I would really appreciate a reply!
Im Oscar and Im 13! I love Cars as
Cycling! I found u guys on YouTube
about 2 weeks ago and have already
watched 80% of your videos and have
also just signed up for your website!
You guys are hilarious and your how to
videos have thought me a lot and your
other videos are just so interesting to
watch!
I would love a letter back
Thanks guys :)
RAKE LOVES IT!
Oscar
Thanks Oscar. Were glad youre loving

the show. Not only are you getting a letter
back, youve made it into the magazine!!
BALLSY BRZ
I just bought a Subaru BRZ and did a
full MY11 Subaru WRX transplant (AWD
instead of RWD). Im in need of a DynoTune, what type of ECU do I need (like
e-z flash etc.)?
Arjuna
We had great results with the Chiptorque

unit. Get in touch with them and see what
they can offer.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Im just wondering if you guys would
come up here to Darwin for a cruise as
Ive seen plenty of vids of you guys all
around Australia.
Cameron Hunter
Were keen to do some meets all over the

country, keep an eye on the forum and
Facebook page for updates!
JUST WANNA GO FASTER

Hey guys. Just got my first car. Its a
prelude and wanting to know what
things I can do to make it quicker?
Ananymous
Youre in luck. Check out issue #4 which

has 69 ways of making your car go
faster. Then jump on the MCM forum and
you can get some more specific info about
your model.
SLOPPY HOLDEN SUSPENSION

Sick show guys, could you guys do a
video about changing Holden Ute front
end bushes etc?
Tim Renggli
Well be covering bushings in an upcoming

episode. Its slightly different for every
car so check out some forums specific to
your car or even better, a service manual.
ANTIGUAN APPRECIATION
Im sending a photo from a car show
we had recently, maybe you guys can
come to Antigua sometime. Mighty
Car Mods episodes show all the time
over here.
Stefan Mason, Antigua
Wow, so many ladies we can barely see

the car itself! If we do come to Antigua,
we better make sure Cheryl doesnt get
jealous!
14
ISSUE 06
MCM Fans from all over the world have their say.
Feel free to contact us at:
MOOGS MUSIC MATTERS

I make my own YouTube videos and
wondering if I can use some of MOOGs
music?
Anonymous
As long as they are your own personal

videos, they are not offensive in any way
and you have bought a legitimate copy
then you can use them. We also ask that
you put the iTunes and MCM links in the
description.
SELF SATISFACTION
I have a BMW320D e46 2005 and I am
considering converting it to a M3 or
some other petrol engine and make a
drift car... I think this would be a great
project for your channel and if you want
I will give you the car to convert ;D As
long as I get it back ;D
Of course its only a concept
Jack Coughlan
Better yet, watch the videos then try some

of them on your own car! Way more
satisfying having done it yourself
NEW COMMODORE FOR 2016
Holden fans are buzzing with the news that there

is a new model Commodore to be released in
2016. The question is though, will it be able to beat
whatever rubbish car Marty owns at the time? We
think the answer will be a resounding, yes.
KINETIC ENERGY RECOVERY... SUSPENSION?
QUICK CAR
PROFILE
EACH ISSUE WE PROFILE A CAR THAT IS QUICK!
In what has been touted as a world first, ZF

who are suspension and drivetrain specialists,
have developed suspension that can regenerate
power based on the movement of the suspension
system. For Hybrid or electric vehicles, this means
the energy converted into power can be fed back
into the power supply. Pretty freaking cool if you
ask us.
HALF A MILLION
In MCM news, the boys have recently welcomed

their 500,000th YouTube subscriber. The show
continues to be the #1 Automotive YouTube show
in Australia and the #1 DIY car show in the world.
Half a million subscribers is nothing to sneeze
at, but Marty and Moog tell us that there will be
a lot of choo choo noises coming in upcoming
episodes...
PISSED OFF
A man in Sydneys west has been ordered to pull his

pants up after urinating on his own car. The confused
Ford Falcon owner had seen the MCM episode
of cleaning headlights with urine and assumed he
could do his whole car. Neighbours had assumed he
either really disliked his car or was trying to mark his
territory to scare away local alley cats that had been
a nuisance. With nothing more than a step ladder, a
bag of avocados and a case of beer, Police found
him on the top step of his ladder letting loose all over
the roof of the car. The owner was stated in an email
regarding his neighbours interference that he was
a little pissed off but I dont really give a sh*t.
We hope he doesnt mean that literally? Actually we
hope he does.
CAR
NEWS
FROM
AROUND
THE
PLANET
MARTY AND MOOG ATTEMPT TO SUPERCHARGE THEIR CHARADE

WITH A PAIR OF LEAF BLOWERS.
1990 DAIHATSU CHARADE

Dont be fooled for a second that Quick Car Profile
means anything other than short. Because the car
featured in this issue is anything but quick.
What is quick, is the amount of time that passes
when saving up for one of these bad boys You
can get yourself into a properly JDM hatch back for
less than a thousand dollars. They come up for sale
regularly and many a granny has had one of these
bad boys in their car ports since new - so dont write
them off!
There are a few hot versions of the Charade, such
as the GTti and the GTxx - but they can be a little
hard to come across in good condition. They have
withstood the test of time and proven to be reliable.
Parts are cheap and they can be a LOT of fun to
drive and a great car to learn to spanner on. Its high
on our list of cars to diy.
FAST FACTS
Engine
Output
Drive
Chassis
0-100
Price
RATINGS
Parts Availability
Fun Factor
Fuel Economy
Safety
Potential to win Autosalon
1L 3cyl or 1.3L 4cyl

~55kw
Front
Hatchback
Eternity
$300 - $1000
7/10
5/10
9/10
2/10
10/10
ISSUE 06
15
THE BATTLE OF THE BYTES
WORDS: JARA STOJANOVIC / MILKCHICKEN & ROBERT READ / BEAST260
The
battle
of the
bytes
WHETHER YOU PLAY ON A PC OR A CONSOLE, THERE ARE ALWAYS GAMES OUT THERE
THAT CAN HELP WITH KEEPING ANY CAR OBSESSED GAMER HAPPY. SO TO LOOK AT WHATS
AVAILABLE WE TAKE FOUR OF THE MORE POPULAR SINGLE PLATFORM GAMES, AS WELL AS
A NEW MULTI PLATFORM GAME FOR A TEST DRIVE.
16
ISSUE 06
The
Console
Console games are great for plug and play. There are no compatibility lists, no operating system preferences and no optimal
settings to worry about. So everything works out of the box, as long as you buy the game for the correct console system of
course.
With single platform and multi platform games available, sometimes the hardest choice is what console to play on. Online play
is a breeze with all servers hosted specifically for the console. No worrying about being in the wrong area or remembering IP
addresses to connect to, its all simple and easy.
The downside however is with multi platform games, if you have a game on one console and your friend has it on the other,
you may not be able to connect and play against each other, making coordination essential even before buying any game.
CONSOLE GAMING
Gran Turismo 5
For the gamer who wants realism, you cant go past Gran Turismo. Being the oldest
of the games for the console, Gran Turismo may be lacking in graphics compared to
its more recent counterparts, but where it lacks it makes up for in other ways. With
realistic feeling physics, Gran Turismo will make any car nut happy.
A wide selection of street and race cars makes the game a joy to play, however
minimal vehicle modifications can be a little bit of a downer. The ability to race in
night or raining conditions is a great change from the typical perfect racing weather
you experience in the other console games, making the game feel less predictable.
ISSUE 06
17
CONSOLE GAMING
Forza Motorsport 4
The simulator for everyone. Forza 4 ticks all the boxes for the gamer who wants an
alternative for Gran Turismo but with more forgiving physics. The graphics are fairly
good as expected, being a more recent game than Gran Turismo.
The sounds however are where I feel Forza takes the cake. With V8s sounding more
meatier and turbo squeals being more pronounced its a joy to pump the stereo with
this game. Modifications are wonderful and help make a standard car more personal
including custom graphic designs being made by some very talented people.
CONSOLE GAMING
GRID 2
With Grid 2 being available on Xbox, PS3 and PC, this game appeals to those who
cant make up their mind as to what they want to play on. Being the newest of our
games, Grid 2 has a lot to live up to, but in a lot of ways I felt it missed the mark.
The graphics are quite good as well as the sounds being one of the best things I
can say about the game.
Typically its like any other racing game but with a few different race types to keep it
from melting into the simulator pot. The physics are more arcade than simulator so
getting your head around handling when coming from more strict simulators takes
a lot of getting use to. This can cause some issues with car control as well as the
occasional rage quit. Making the game less enjoyable in my opinion.
18
ISSUE 06
The
PC
PC games have been the base point for most hardcore gamers. With PC specific games having better graphics due to no
hardware restrictions, having the most support from developers as well as the modding community and as long as your
computer is fairly new, you should be able to play almost anything that comes out.
PC GAMING
iRacing
Well lets start it off with iRacing. If you are one of those guys on Gran Turismo or
Forza who like to ram everyone off the road or bounce off walls, stay clear of this
game. The cleaner you race the more you are rewarded.
You can race in Nascar, V8 Supercars, F1 and many other racing series and
disciplines. The physics of the game are pretty close to the real thing and they
are continuously updating and improving the game to make it more realistic. The
graphics however are nothing to write home about, they are kind of dated but that
really doesnt take away from the fun of it.
Now here is the bad part about iRacing, sadly it has a monthly subscription and the
further you go up in the ranks, the more content you have to buy in order to race.
However they do have a rewards system that if you partake in a number of races
per season, you will be rewarded with credits to use to buy more content or to pay
for your monthly subscription.
If you want more info on iRacing, head to www.iRacing.com
ISSUE 06
19
PC GAMING
rFactor 2
Rfactor 2 is a far improvement from the original with better graphics and a new
physics engine that is a lot more realistic while being easier to control. The AI racers
know how to race and will avoid hitting you if you spin out, but are not afraid to
bump you back in return if you give them a little racing rub. It also has a nice variety
of race cars ranging from 60s F1 cars to modern C6 Corvettes.
Rfactor 2 also has a lot of free downloadable mods to add new tracks and cars
making things more interesting. It has a very large online community base making
famous race cars and race tracks in extreme detail such as Initial Ds AE86 and a
few real life mountain pass roads in Japan.
This is a good sim to start off with before making your way to iRacing as you do not
get penalised for going off the track or hitting other cars.
To buy or download the demo, head to www.rfactor.net
20
ISSUE 06
PC GAMING
GRID 2
Now lets go to the other end of the scale, Grid 2 is one of the latest racing games
out and had a lot to live up to from the original Grid. Sadly in my opinion it really
hasnt delivered, as the game play is a bit repetitive, handling of the cars is too
inconsistent and the best part about Grid (which was the drifting) is not until half
way through the game AND is absolutely rubbish in this version.
The graphics however are pretty stunning and the damage models are pretty well
detailed as well as the real world detail but that alone is not enough for me to
recommend buying the game unless its in the cheap bin at your local games store.
In short, you want Grid? Buy the original.
The
Verdict?
No matter what you decide to play on, there is almost always going to be a racing game to keep you happy. Even though
weve only reviewed 5 games in this article, there is a sea of games out there, that even we here at MCM couldnt imagine
going through.
PC gaming ticks a lot of boxes that console gaming in its current generation cannot, but PC also has its downfalls that
consoles are able to tick without fault. If graphics and simulation are for you, then maybe PC is the best choice with some of
the best full on simulators based on PC, but if youre worried about compatibility want plug and play, then consoles may be
a better solution.
Either way, your inner car nut will be happy with whichever direction you choose to take!
ISSUE 06
21
Make every drive

a better drive with
new music by
MOOG
Fill your ear holes with these
banging new tracks
as featured on the show
Available from iTunes

and as a direct download from
mightycarmods.com
THE WHITE HELL
24
ISSUE06
WORDS: PETER JAMES
IMAGES: PETER JAMES
THE
white
hell
EVER WISHED YOU COULD TRAVEL TO GERMANY
JUST TO HAVE THE CHANCE AT A LAP OR TWO ON
THE (IN)FAMOUS NURBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE?
SO DID PETER JAMES AND HE SET OUT TO DO JUST
THAT, HOWEVER THINGS DIDNT TURN OUT THE
WAY HE HOPED.
MIGHTYCARMODS MAGAZINE 25
ISSUE 06
IN LATE 2012,
I was well overdue for

a holiday and wanted
to make it something extraordinary. Rather than a 2-week
trip to the states or Bali (Helpful Hint: you can buy Bintang
singlets from anywhere in Australia now, no need to travel!)
I saved up and planned a 6-week round the world holiday,
spanning 10 countries.
As soon as I had agreed Europe to be my set destination,
my mind went to one place and stayed there. Keep in mind
Id never seen Big Ben, New York, Rome or anything that
normal people check off on their first big holiday. No my mind
went to 20.8kms of public road in Germanys south east: The
North Loop or Nurburgring Nordschleife . The thought of
being able to drive on this road was more exciting than the
rest of the trip combined and all other holiday decisions paled
in significance. All I wanted to focus on now was when Id be
there, how long I could stay and what car Id drive.
26
ISSUE06
The first challenge I experienced was that the Nurburgring

and the companies that rely on it basically close it for the
European winter until early March. They are also notoriously
late in putting up their schedule for next year, so if you are
ever to go, my advice would be to go sometime between
April and September.
There are two ways to drive the Northern Loop; via a public
drive day or through an organised track day. According to
most reports, both involve a significant amount of carnage,
so expect to see wrecked exotics by the end of your day and
often in front of you.
Generally you get less track time at the public days, but you
can also choose how long you wish to be on the track, from
one lap or the entire day you pay accordingly. Once youve
decided which option to choose, you can start to think about
the car and getting there.
THE THOUGHT OF
BEING ABLE TO DRIVE
ON THIS ROAD WAS
MORE EXCITING THAN
THE REST OF THE TRIP
COMBINED
As the itinerary for the rest of my holiday firmed up, I

allocated roughly a one week period to Germany, during
which I could find some track time. Back in the day, youd
take anything you could out on the Nurburgring, and drive
it to its capabilities. This even includes regular hire cars.
However as the popularity of the ring soared and GPS
devices got cheaper, hire companies have been known to
write exclusions for the ring into their hire contracts and
enforce it with GPS logs. Also bringing a Hyundai Getz
back with bald tyres and no brake pads from a 2-day hire is
slightly suspicious.
With this in mind, I decided to go with a company that
actually prepped and hired cars out for the purpose of
driving them on the Nurburgring. One of the key points they
all made was to avoid a high powered car for your first few
laps (despite this being the land of high powered BMW and
Mercedes cars).
ISSUE 06
However I also didnt want to drive a Suzuki swift. I decided

to email the companies to see what else was around, and
my decision was made with the first reply, Would you be
interested in a BRZ?
Perfect. Id almost bought one of these last year before
my passion for hairdressing lured me away, and loved the
way they drove. RWD, not too much power, and a Subaru!
Even better, the car came with R888 semi slicks, upgraded
exhaust, and Ohlins coilovers. I decided a half day would be
quite enough (Thats still only 4-6 laps of this amazing circuit,
depending on traffic) and waited for the list of available dates
to come through from the hire company.
While I waited, I set myself to studying the various guides
to my first lap of the green hell. These all basically say the
same thing; its unlike any track youve ever driven on. You
will get passed at high speed and it should be 50 laps before
28
ISSUE 06
you even start thinking about times. One surprising piece of

information I noticed was that using racing simulators proved
to be quite useful before you actually drove the track.
There are several features of the Nurburgring that make it a
challenge, even for those familiar with circuit racing. Set in
the Bavarian forests, around the ruins of a castle that is at
least 1000 years old, the circuit is 6 times longer than most
tracks in Australia. Australian tracks have 10-15 corners
each, designed by someone who wanted to promote a good
mix of top speeds and racing large taxis around a circuit with
overtaking opportunities.
The Nurburgring was not designed anywhere near similarly. First
off, it was designed in the 1920s to stop people racing on public
roads but the architects wanted to keep the feeling of road
racing alive in the course, rather than making it like a regular
racetrack with things like safety barriers and run offs.
IT WAS INTERESTING
TO SEE A CHEVY BADGE
ON A BARINA OR A
VOLT, RATHER THAN
ON A COMMODORE
STATION WAGON.
The result was drastic elevation changes (sometimes mid

corner) and snaking around the hills and large trees of the
area. This brings the number of corners up to a staggering 74
(official number, this is disputed) some of which are taken at
over 200km/h.
So getting in some serious time on a simulator gets you to
the point where you should have an idea of the ordering of
the corners and the places where the course is particularly
unforgiving. After a lot of practice, I got an email in early
February that my track day was confirmed and they had a date
that suited my schedule.
The easiest way to get to the Nurburgring is via road the nearest
Airport or major train station is Cologne, over 70km away. I set off
from Cologne in a Mini Countryman Diesel. On the Autobahn we
were passed by a multitude of Porsches, BMWs and Mercedes
sedans as if we were standing still (actually doing 150km/h).
ISSUE 06
Until this time I was reasonably impressed by the torque and

speed of the little diesel (Its all relative I guess.) There were
also a small amount of Korean and USDM cars on the road
as well. It was interesting to see a Chevy badge on a Barina
or a Volt, rather than on a commodore station wagon.
As we approached Nurburg we were greeted with a lot of
snow around the road, but the roads themselves were still
clear. Any hope I had left would soon vanish; a thick fog
descended on the track dropping visibility to dangerous
levels in a car park, let alone on the racetrack. No luck for
racing on this trip but I managed to walk around and stay in
a motorsport themed hotel. The view would have been great
had there been anyone racing!
I bought my consolation prize of a cap and a lap card and
headed back to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the holiday. The
supposed highlight of my trip ended up being a mediocre
one, and despite my disappointment, I still wouldnt have
changed the trip.
30
ISSUE06
ROLLIN IN THE U.K.
32
ISSUE 06
WORDS & IMAGES: MARTY
WRXS AND DRIFTING,

EVOS AND SLOW TRACK TIMES,
ED BURNOUTS
COMMODORES AND TWO WHEEL
SENSE.
SOME THINGS JUST DONT MAKE
ISSUE 06
I FIND
myself boarding a
Qantas flight bound
for the United Kingdom. Land of the
scone, river punt, tea, good manners
and as it turns out - many, many car
enthusiasts.
Im heading to Britain as I have been
told there are two car shows that are
not to be missed. Ive heard this
a lot over the years of MCM. One
such example was SEMA, visited in
late 2012 and revisited in issue 5 of
this very magazine. I was pleasantly
surprised by the scale of the show
and the quality of the cars. Set in
a bright neon glowing metropolis
of Las Vegas it represented the
furious pace of the US automotive
aftermarket industry.
Both these shows promised to be
something totally different. I found
out about them by both word of
mouth and fans asking if wed be
going along! While were far from
being able to attend every car
show worldwide I think its always
worth checking out a car show
once as it gives you a first hand
experience of what that particular
scene is all about. We can sit
reading car blogs all day long but
its nothing like getting out there into
the big bad world and checking it
out for yourself.
Not long after landing in the UK I
headed to USC - or Ultimate Street
Car, promising to be Europes Biggest
Modified Car Event. It is hosted at Santa
Pod Raceway which is a few hours
north of London. Its worth mentioning
here that everything in the UK is a few
hours drive away I would soon discover
this was just one of the reasons USC is
as big as it is.
A late model turbo diesel MINI was my
method of transport and while I can
never get used to the power band on
those oil burning things that Europe loves
so much, it had no problem dealing with
the twisty country roads and smooth
(and fast!) highways.
As the road snaked its way through
the little villages and towns I soon
arrived at Santa Pod Raceway. I
was greeted at the main gate by
a huge line of cars that made no
apologies for being loud,
34
ISSUE06
being low and

covered in stickers. Bypassing
the Camping Entry I grabbed a pass that
would get me close to the track action and
found a safe parking spot behind race control.
Santa Pod is one of Englands most well
known Drag Strips. While drag racing is not
as hugely popular in the UK as it is in the
USA, the attendees at this particular event
had no problem sending everything hurting
down the strip. From their mums hand me
down hatchback to brand new Lamborghinis
every kind of car was fair game.
Its worth mentioning here that although this
technically is a race meet, theres much more to
it than that. Instead of parking, there are camp
grounds. The idea being that you roll up with a
car full of mates, a boot full of your favorite brew
and tents to house said mates and brew.
Theres also all kinds of food vans, drink tents,
market stalls and even a caravan offering Lap
Dances!
I
sTARTED
TO GET THE
ImPReSSIoN
ThAT USC WaS
LESS ABOUT
CARS AND MORE
ABOUT ThE
PeoPLE YOU
ExPERIeNcE THE
eVENT WITH.
After grabbing a new hat from one of the

market stalls to protect myself from the
harsh English sunshine. (Im absolutely
sure it was a genuine product, AlpoonStar is
a brand, right?) I set out to find some show
goers to interview and ask them about Ultimate
Street Car.
This is where things get interesting. Theres a
whole lot of dialog that goes on before the camera
starts rolling. Firstly you have to introduce yourself
to the person youd like to interview, hope they
have something to say and arent too camera shy.
You then need to try and carry a conversation with
someone youve only just met, try and get some
interesting answers out of them and not give them
too much stick about the kind of car they drive. Its a
delicate balancing act but USC delivered - in the form
of some awesome UK MCM fans and a few random
revelers who couldnt resist the chance of being on
camera. I got some great explanations of what attracts
people, cars, birds, booze, mates and banter.
I attempted to find out from the locals why

USC is such a must-do on the UK car scene. Having
recently been to Japfest a few months earlier I was
keen to find out the difference between a static car
show such as Japfest and an all-encompassing car
enthusiast Festival such as the one I now found
myself at.
Japfest had a massive range of cars, and
many examples of those cars. Youd see
a whole row of 20 white EVO 9s or 2 Door
Impreza Rs, it was well organized and set
out like your typical static car show.
I started to get the impression that USC was
less about cars and more about the people you
experience the event with. Its a spectacle that
European countries seem to do so differently
to Australia, the warm and long summer nights
are short lived, also they are few and far between
the rainy weather. So it makes it all the better to
be outdoors with a beer in hand, and the cars
running down the drag strip!
The festival runs over three days from Friday
through to Sunday with general weekend passes.
You pay extra to camp but theres plenty to keep
you occupied throughout the festival. Theres rocket
powered drag cars and pole dancing spectacles but
the one that caught my eye was RWYB or Run What
You Brung
I was lucky enough to catch a few solid hours of
these shenanigans where the super keen racers had
brought out all sorts of cars to run down the quarter
mile. It wasnt uncommon to see a 17 second pass
by a kid with L plates in a Corsa. (Barina is the
equivalent in Australia)
There were also Evos and WRXs pulling
consistent low 12s and high 11s along with
the odd purpose built drag
car running into the

8 and 9 second bracket. The variety of cars was
great to see considering UK car owners are
taxed considerably to own their cars. Add
expensive fuel and insurance and running
your car at a drag strip can become a costly
exercise.
After a full day of hearing all kinds of tortured
1.2 litre 4 cylinder Renaults fly down the drag strip
I looked up directions to Salisbury, in the south of
England - and jumped back into the dinosaur oil
powered turbo MINI.
THe VARIeTY OF CARS

WAS GREAT TO SEe CONSIDERInG
UK CAR OWNERS ARE TAXED
CONSIDERABLY TO OWN TheIR CARS.
Rollin in
the U.K.
Wilton Super Car Classic
AFTER
a
hundred
miles
of
highway I drove down a back road
to find a very familiar formation of
rocks. Stonehenge sat right beside
the main road as a sea of cars
slowed to check out the ancient
structure. There was a certain buzz
in the air because every now and
then you would pass (or more likely
be passed by) some kind of rare or
exotic supercar. It was too regular
to be by chance, and it meant there
was a pilgrimage going on. I pressed
on towards Salisbury and soon after
I arrived at Wilton House.
Dotted all over the UK are hundreds
if not thousands of stately homes.
The big old mansions you see in
movies and TV shows sit amongst
acres of gardens and farm land,
walled in with giant gates preventing
the common folk from entering,
unless they pay the entry fee or a
donation.
There is a problem however. Due
to all sorts of laws and regulations
many of these properties fall into
disrepair or ruin as families struggle
to pay the taxes and levies required
of them. Often huge sums of money,
including a tax if you die and want
to hand it down to a family member
which can run into the millions of
dollars.
Its quite an achievement to keep
one of these homes operating, so
many end up being taken over by
charities or the state and preserved
as part of the history of the country.
If youre in the UK and want to visit
one, just follow the Brown signs to
anything that says house on the
end of it. (The first word will almost
always sound extremely English)
Happily, Wilton House has not fallen
into disrepair! Its owned by the 18th
Earl of Pembroke named William
Herbert, and has been in the family
for many years. It also happens that
this particular Earl has quite a taste
for classic cars and supercars and
so the Wilton Super Car Classic
was born.
Started in 2011 this was an event
to bring all kinds of exotic and
rare supercars into a setting to be
appreciated by both owners and
the general public alike. As word
It also happens that this particular Earl has quite a

taste for classic cars and supercars and so the Wilton
Super Car Classic was born.
has gotten out the event has grown

in size and spectacle to the point
where the Royal Navy stalls and
flips helicopters in the car park at
the end of the show.
The main highlight is the supercar
parade that occurs at the middle
of the day as the owners arrive and
park up in allocated (and roped off)
parking. Its quite a spectacle to see
so many well-known supercars in
one place at one time. The owners
are usually more than happy to
bounce off the rev limiter to the
delight of many of the gathered
crowd.
Brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini,
Aston Martin and Lotus (to name
a few) are represented, with some
of the latest, greatest and most
expensive cars money can buy.
Its a world that many aspire to be
a part of and if you manage to join
the club, this event is like your 5th
birthday party with all your friends
and maybe a clown if youre
lucky.
Along with the late model supercars
were a collection of classic cars
littered around the expansive gardens
of Wilton House. This was a highlight
of the show as many of them had
been perfectly preserved or restored
to concourse condition. There were a
handful of E type Jaguars which are
especially popular with the British car
enthusiasts. A blue Ferrari 365 GTC
drew a lot of attention while parked
alongside original 20s and 30s era
Bugattis, Bentlys and Rolls Royce
cars. Much like SEMA, it was the
overall quality of the cars that really
set this apart from many other car
shows.
The Wilton SuperCar Classic was
a great way to spend a day in the
English summer. Surrounded by car
enthusiasts of all types. It couldnt
have been more different to Ultimate
Street Car and incredible just how
different the two events were while
being only a few hundred miles
away. It got me wondering how
many of the young guys driving their
mums Corsa may one day end up
with a supercar or a classic car. Who
knows, maybe the Wilton Supercar
Classic of 2030 will have those same
Corsas in a row only no doubt
with electric engine conversions.
Its a world that many aspire to be a part of and if

you manage to join the club, this event is like your 5th
birthday party with all your friends and maybe a
clown if youre lucky.
BUYING A CAR CAN LEAD TO GOOD MATES AND GREAT COMMUNITIES
WORDS: MARK TUOHY/TOOZA
IMAGES: KELLY ETHER/1KDRIFTER, JAMES HAMILTON/JAMESKI, BRIAHNA NOONAN, DUANE VANERY, JASON IB
LIFEASan
EVENTOR
BRAHIM, JACOB IBRAHIM
n MCM
RGANISER
Hi, my names Tooza. I first

got involved with Mighty Car
Mods in back in November
2012. Being a newbie to the
forum, I immediately went
to the Meets and Events
section to discover if anything
was happening where I live in
Brisbane.
To my sorrow not much
was being planned and
previous attempts to get
meets happening seemed
to flounder and not find
"I thought
that if I
didn't show
enough
tenacity
that the
whole thing
would die
and the MCM
community
in Brisbane
would
never see
the light of
day."
any consistency. I was

disappointed that I couldnt
meet up with my fellow
MCM brothers and sisters.
Watching MCM videos of
meets in the other states
of Victoria and New South
Wales filled me with jealousy.
Why couldnt we have MCM
meets in Brisbane?
My jealousy drove me
to action and I decided
something needed and had
to be done!
I really had no idea what to

expect but judging from the
responses from other attempts
to start meets, I didnt expect
too much. I hit the forum with
as much enthusiasm as I could
muster. I thought that if I didnt
show enough tenacity that the
whole thing would die and the
MCM community in Brisbane
would never see the light of day. I
organized a planning meet to test
the water. If a planning meet failed
and no one turned up I knew my
plan for a real meet was doomed.
On the day of the first planning

meet I was nervous. I had no way
of telling what kind of people would
be turning up.
How could I recognize them and
would they recognize me? It was
a gamble, but one that I was
prepared to make. 4 people came
and it was then I knew we had a
shot at bigger things.
I realized that in order for me to
get meets happening, people had
to be involved in the planning
and organizing. Those 4 people

became co-organizers that day and
soon after they became my friends.
Our Queensland MCM community
was officially born.
We all kept in contact and our
inspiration was spurred on by
a phone call I received from
MOOG prior to the planning
meet. My original post on the
forum about the Brisbane meet
received support from MOOG,
which sparked the interest of the
Queensland MCM fans.
This was to be the foundation

which I was starting to build
our plans on. I had planned
to hold another planning meet
in early January, but after
reading all the responses to
my initial post on the forum,
I decided to launch a proper
meet.
It was a tough call as we only
had 5 days to organize and
get the word out. The team of
co-organizers jumped right
on to the task of drumming
"What was
to follow
was
awesome
to watch,
as I would
soon see
all my
preconceived
expectations
smashed."
up attention on the forum and

were quick to engage any
and all of those interested in
coming. We talked it up and
let our enthusiasm shine on
the forum. Secretly, I had my
concerns that no one would
turn up and was worried that
our first meet would be a
disappointment.
Not wanting anyone to see
my worry I didnt let my
enthusiasm slide and had to
believe that our meet would
be a success, so I put it out there

and posted to the forum again.
I responded to a comment that
mentioned 20 cars at our meet
would be a success, so trying to
keep spirits high I stated that 40
cars would be a better number to
hope for, even though internal fear
found it difficult to believe we could
get 20 let alone 40! However I was
determined to remain optimistic,
not speak my fears and trust that
positive thinking and community
spirit would prevail. What was to
follow was awesome to watch, as I
would soon see all my preconceived

expectations smashed.
The day had arrived for our first
Brisbane meet. It was scheduled
for 2pm and the hour was
approaching fast with anticipation
and excitement grew amongst
the organizing crew.
I arrived
30 minutes early to be met by a
loyal MCM fan, who had already
been waiting 30 minutes prior to
my arrival. His immaculate Audi
glistened in the sun as I pulled
into the car park. As soon as I had
parked we introduced ourselves

and the first Brisbane Mighty Car
Mods Meet had begun!
Within the next 20 minutes, as we
were waiting, we heard the rumble
of modified engines approaching
in the distance. The resonance
of high performance exhaust
systems fuelled our excitement as
we watched cars starting to pull
into the car park. 1, 2, 3 drivers
at a time parked their rides and
within a few minutes we had 10
cars.
The
roar
of
engines
kept
approaching from the distance as
more cars kept piling in and next
thing were up to 20, then 30!!!
Theres nothing like hearing the
sound of cars turning up to a meet!
A few of the co-organizers had
arrived and jaws dropped in
disbelief at the turn out. By this
stage it was 2:15 and we had
trouble counting cars as people
kept driving in. We couldnt believe
our eyes as only 45 minutes earlier
the car park had 2 cars! Now it was
awash with so many different cars!

Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Mazda,
Honda, Abarth, Audi, Volkswagen
just to name a few, and there were
even 2 Hyundais ;)
The atmosphere was enthralling!
People were wandering around
admiring cars, stopping to chat
and laughing. It was everything
that a car meet should be. But
this wasnt any old car meet, it
belonged totally and completely to
the Mighty Car Mods community
and it was our day in the sun. It was
our day to appreciate Marty and

MOOG for bringing us together.
Our expectation for the anticipated
numbers turning up had been
smashed along with any doubts that
there wasnt a MCM community to
be had in Queensland! My fears
were totally and utterly proven
wrong! In total we could estimate
that over 70 cars turned up.
I look back on that day and see
that something special happened.
Facebook and the MCM forum was
buzzing with activity for hours after
the meet with new bonds and

friendships being formed as
an internet community rallied
together as one family.
MOOG congratulated me
on Facebook as photos
and videos hit the fans
pages and on the forum. It
was an outstanding effort
by everyone involved. We
had succeeded, not just
as individuals but as a
community which is alive
and healthy. It is a privilege
"our
expectation
for the
anticipated
numbers
turning up
had been
smashed
along with
any doubts
that there
wasn't a MCM
community
to be had
in
Queensland!"
to be a part of it. Not only

was it the first car meet that
Ive ever organized but it was
the first car meet that Ive
ever been to and it was an
amazing day which Ill never
forget.
Its been 5 months now since
our first Queensland MCM
meet and were experienced
massive growth in number at
our meets. Our last Brisbane
meet in early April 2013 had
close to 500 cars turn up.
BUYING A CAR CAN LEAD TO GOOD MATES AND GREAT COMMUNITIES
WORDS & IMAGES: NICHOLAS RAMALHO/BLADE888
Buying a
Car Can
Lead to
Good
Mates
and Great
Communit
ties
FROM THE DAYS AT SCHOOL WHEN YOU WOULD DO SHOW AND TELL TO THE DAYS
WHERE YOU WOULD JOIN A CLUB OVER A COMMON INTEREST.
ITS ALWAYS INTERESTING TO LOOK BACK AND FIND THAT A HUMBLE MATERIAL
OBJECT PURCHASED, COULD LEAD YOU TO BEING PART OF SOMETHING LARGER
THAT HAS A PROFOUND INFLUENCE IN THE SOCIAL LIFE YOU LEAD.
BACK IN
late 2008, I had a long checklist

of what I wanted in my next
car. Small hatch with the ability to fit a mountain bike
inside the car for convenience and security (over an
external bike rack), low total cost of ownership (TOC),
best fuel consumption per kilowatt ratio, 5 star ANCAP,
reliability, and so on. From this I compiled a to look
at list, consisting of cars like the Mazda 2, Volvo C30,
Honda Civic Type R, etc..
Slowly I worked through the list; test driving, kicking
tyres, visiting dealerships, measuring up and seeing
how I could live with the car for the foreseeable future.
Disappointingly, each one had a serious game over
failing that I couldnt ignore or live with - overpriced
for its segment and size; intolerable road noise; boot
space was large on paper, but too long and too narrow
to be practical; lack of low end torque; and one had a
torsion bar rear suspension which I personally was not
a fan of.
Defeated and disappointed, I was sitting at home

seriously contemplating my options. I was going to go
with the car that annoyed me the least which is sad,
as at the end of the day, any car buyer should say they
went with the car impressed me the most. None of
the cars Id look at had met my needs without some
major failing. It would seem I had fallen into a crack in
the car market.
A few weeks later, my Dad came around one evening
bearing a newspaper clipping for a new release car
- the Mitsubishi Lancer. I said, No they dont come
in hatches Dad, but he smiled and handed me the
clipping, saying Actually, Son, they do now!
The very next day, we went to the dealership and
checked out the CJ Lancer Sportback. It ticked all my
boxes and didnt have any game over failings. It even
had features such as rain sensing wipers and dusk
sensing headlights, which Iwouldnthave dreamed of
The club had

a wealth of
knowledge,
was heavily
sponsored and
had regular
meet ups.
having in a car I would call my own. All for a price which

was less than the rest and offered so much more! The
5 year whole car and 10 year drive train warranty was
great for peace of mind, and the dealership sweetened
the deal by throwing in a bunch of extra options and
accessories for free. I ordered and purchased one that
very day and I havent regretted it.
After almost a year of owning my Lightning Blue CJ
Lancer Sportback, Id saved a bit of cash and wanted
to perfect the car, eliminating or reducing some of its
minor failings such as hot engine bay, the nose picking
up at high speeds, heavy mag wheels, tyres that were
wearing really quickly etc.
Doing my research online (as any good car enthusiast
always does), I came across an online forum community
called ClubCJ.net, which is dedicated to this specific
CJ generation of Lancers, from the base model ES all
the way up to the top of the line EvoX MR. The club
had a wealth of knowledge, was heavily sponsored and

supported and had regular meet ups.
The CJ Lancer community had great demographic of
members, the majority of which shared similar reasons
and preferences for choosing and modding their rides
- clean looking mods that looked like they came from
factory. These mods were conservative, yet effective,
and didnt void that golden 5/10 year warranty from
Mitsubishi, as long as its proven the mod wasnt the
direct cause of the failure.
One of the sponsors, Prestons Motors Racing
Mitsubishi, gave really helpful guidance as to what to
do and what not to do when it came to modding our
cars to preserve the warranty.
Even those who werent worried about the warranty
were also catered for, with advice for track and drag
cars etc.. Everyone respected each others choices,
and a common sentiment was Each to their own.

Members would research the ADR laws for their state
and ensure that the work done was 100% street legal,
promoting a good awareness of respecting road rules.
As a result the vast majority of CJ owners had tastefully
done modifications that improved safety, handling and
power, while at the same time conserving fuel and
making the cars look the part with no hassles from any
authorities.
Many enjoyable weekends were spent by members
organising group buys to lower costs of mods,
spending time with mates on driveways installing newly
purchased parts - great times and learning for all!
Even through the ups and downs (as all car communities
have at some point with online trolls in a social
media controlled society these days) Ive enjoyed my
experience over all. 5 years later, even though some
Spending time
with mates
on driveways
installing newly
purchased parts
- great times and
learning for all!
mates have moved onto other cars, we still have that

friendship and spend time together on track days,
driveway mods, and cruises to pie shops enjoying the
roads.
We all still share our common interests, our knowledge
and experiences, and help each other out. Thats what
a true car community is all about.
What I realised is that buying my humble CJ Lancer
Sportbackdidntjust give me a mode of transport that
ticked all my boxes, and itdidntjust give me a hobby to
mod or make my car unique to me that I could be proud
to own. It gave me lifelong friendships, knowledge,
experiences, and a community to be part of.
Car modding isnt just making your car better, its a
way of life to be shared and enjoyed with all fellow car
enthusiasts.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
WORDS: NICHOLAS RAMALHO / BLADE888
IMAGES: VINCENT TANNAHILL / MAUSWERKZ
Blast From
the Past
58
ISSUE06
PEOPLE IN THE JDM CAR SCENE USE THE TERM BACK IN THE DAY REFERRING TO EARLY TO MID-90S CARS, WHICH ALSO
REFLECTS THE AGE DEMOGRAPHIC.
ACTUALLY, IT ALL STARTED IN THE 70S, WHERE THE RAPID RISE OF THE JAPANESE CAR INDUSTRY GAVE BIRTH TO THE
GENESIS SERIES OF CARS WE DRIVE TODAY - THE NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R COUPE, HONDA CIVIC, TOYOTA COROLLA,
DATSUN 240Z, AND FEATURED HERE, THE TOYOTA CELICA.
ISSUE 06
AMIDST
a booming Japanese car market,

Datsun had turned to European
influences when designing the 240Z, but Toyota
looked to the American car market for inspiration, and
successfully so.
Also referred to as the Japanese Mustang or Mini
Mustang, the Toyota Celica was Japans answer to
creating a sleek 2 door coupe like the Americans, but
smaller. Beautiful styling fused with low cost Japanese
reliability was a winning combination, which the lured
the owner of this Celica GT TA22 to it, but not before
owning a host of other Celicas, and this is where the
story begins.
60
ISSUE06
After Anthony had sold his fire breathing Valiant Charger,

he initially purchased a 1977 Celica LT2000 Liftback
(RA28) and fell in love with it. He quickly got bored with
the stock engine and dropped in an 18-RG Twin Cam
with a pair of Mikuni twin throat side draft carburettors.
The noise of the engine was inspiring and addictive,
which led to many more crazy Celicas to follow.
His next car was a Celica RA28 which was fitted out with
a 1G-GTE Turbo 6 Cylinder. Obviously a lot of power in
such a small car, but it ran smooth as silk. Soon after
this, Anthony purchased another Celica, the ST205 GT4,
a purpose built race car from Toyota and was his focus
for motoring for quite some time.
So for those who

appreciate a long list
of mods and features,
also respect the
listing of what is still
factory with a
car like this!
A 2JZ Supra may put out more power, but the ST205
GT4 would have the edge on race tracks. Anthony would
have many memories with that car, including days out on
the actual Nrburgring! Unfortunately owning a rare car
like a GT4 would be frustrating for parts.
Thus leading to Anthonys acquisition of another classic
- the Celica GT Hardtop (TA22) featured here. Its now
Anthonys daily drive, and it puts a grin on his face every
time he drives it. Hes done a lot of work to it, and its now
sporting a 4A-GE engine from a JDM AE86, breathing in
through a VN intake/airbox and blasting out through a 2
inch exhaust to create 73kw - very angry killer wasps!
The resonating sound never gets old.
ISSUE 06
61
Also the fact that its an iconic engine from the famous
Japanese Anime Initial D makes one appreciate it even
more. The interior and bodywork is all fully restored, with the
paintwork being done a few times to get the shade of white
on every panel exact and matching, unlike some modern
cars today which, from factory, vary widely between plastic
bumper and metal quarter panels. Every part of it - inside
and out - shines and glistens, and it looks like it rolled out of
the 1970s factory yesterday. It really is a blast from the past.
Getting it through the twisty bends are TA22 Struts, HSD
Coilover sleeve kit, HSD S13 Strut tops and Koni Yello
shocks on the front, with King Springs, Koni Red shocks,
and SuperPro bushes on the rear. All of these riding on
some beautiful 70s era chosen Pasco-Fame Bilbo 14x7
62
ISSUE06
wheels wrapped in Yokohama S drives on the front and

Kumho KU31s on the rear. The whole package makes for a
wonderful and nicely tuned driving experience which wont
disqualify you from donating your kidneys afterwards.
The car was hand built to a theme, and looks like Anthonys
nailed it. It turns heads, gets the street cred and something
to be proud of. More so than the average JDM tuners car, as
its not only heavily modified, but its beautifully restored and
cared for with its super clean paint, panels and trim. So for
those who appreciate a long list of mods and features, also
respect the listing of what is still factory with a car like this!
Future plans for the car include getting rid of the old 80s tape
deck and a refresh on the 4A-GE engine. However Anthony
Also the fact that

its an iconic engine
from the famous
Japanese Anime
Initial D makes one
appreciate it even
more.
currently owns 2 other TA22s just like this one which need
some restoration work, so this car will stay as it is for a while.
Displaying his car at Toyotafest, Anthony first encountered
Mighty Car Mods while we were covering the event and
thought to check us out further. He was impressed and
totally agrees with the can-do attitude, and with proving to
the new generation car community that cars dont need to
cost a fortune to mod and maintain.
He says that it can all be done on a driveway on a lazy
weekend learning by experience, and if the job gets hard,
call a mate and bribe him with a cold drink. We couldnt
agree more, especially looking at the end result which
produced this epic classic JDM car.
ISSUE 06
SPECIFICATIONS
OWNER
Anthony Grant
TRANSMISSION
T50 5-Speed Manual
VEHICLE
Toyota Celica TA22
SUSPENSION
TA22 Front Struts
HSD Coilover sleeve kit
HSD S13 strut tops
Koni Yello shocks
King Springs Rear
Koni Red Shocks Rear
SuperPro Bushes Rear
ENGINE
4A-GE Bigport / Bluetop (JDM
AE86 Ver.)
2 inch exhaust
VN Commodore intake/airbox
64
ISSUE06
BRAKES
Factory callipers
Slotted RDA rotors
Lucas pads
Rear Factory Drum and Shoes
INTERIOR
Factory black 73 seats
Factory black 75 door cards
MOMO steering wheel and TRD
shifter
Soon to be gone tape deck
EXTERIOR
Original White
TA22 GT stripes
GT bonnet vents
71 JDM TA22 GT tail lights
JDM fender mirrors
TOSCO (TRD) reproduction
Front and rear spoilers
The whole package

makes for a wonderful
and nicely tuned driving
experience which wont
disqualify you from
donating your kidneys
afterwards.
ISSUE 06
KING OF THE MOUNTAIN
66
ISSUE 06
WORDS: DANIEL IRWIN / FACEPLANT
IMAGES: ASH TONE PHOTOGRAPHY & NICHOLAS RAMALHO / BLADE888
KING
OF
THE
downhill
WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH DANIEL FACEPLANT IRWIN AND HIS
SECOND AE86 AT THE MCM MEET AND GREET 5 IN SYDNEY RECENTLY, WAS
GREAT SEEING THE COMPLETED CAR WITH ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS AND DIY
HARD WORK ON HIS SECOND AE86 PROJECT CAR. HERE, WE GOT FACEPLANT
TO CHAT A BIT ABOUT HIS SECOND AE86 EXPERIENCE.
ISSUE 06
68
ISSUE 06
YOU
may know me from

helping out with MCM
over the last few years, Ive helped out
with a few episodes here and there
(Mighty Mira Show Car build, Honda
Civic build, and How to Paint your
Rocker Cover). The rest of the MCM
guys are a great bunch to hang out with
and you know its always going to be a
mad day spending time with them!
What you see here is my second
AE86. Theres something special about
the AE86, it seems to me that nearly
Between the two AE86s Ive had, my

favourite would be my current one. It
is much more of how I see this car in
the future, more than how the old red
one could have been. However the
most memorable is my old red one, as
getting out on track and learning to drift
in the old AE86 was loads of fun.
While building the new black AE86,
some of the harder mods to do was the
suspension and ECU tuning.
With the suspension, trying to work out
whats a good set up for what I want
Wiring up a car from a whole bunch

of labelled wires, then hoping that it
starts when you turn the key was a
huge step for me.
everyone likes them, the amount of
people that give me the thumbs up
when Im out and about is just unreal.
My current AE86 is more of an upgrade
than having a totally new car. This one
is a JDM body with less rust than the
previous.
I guess my plans are to just keep
building the car better and better until
its at a stage where Im happy with it
and if that includes re-shelling into a
better body, then thats what Ill do.
the car to do was a bit of a challenge, I

looked into what other people run and
worked out what was best for me in the
end. Its probably a little too stiff for the
average road but once its smooth it
handles like a dream.
The ECU however is the hardest part to
deal with. Wiring up a car from a whole
bunch of labelled wires, then hoping
that it starts when you turn the key was
a huge step for me. Wiring is evil and I
hate it, but with the hard part out of the
way it has been smooth sailing since.
ISSUE 06
Once the car was roadworthy, Ive

enjoyed every moment of driving it
around. My work and my effort made
this car go. The furthest Ive travelled
in it has been to Tamworth and back
to Sydney, it was quite the drive and
the car handled it surprisingly well. It
cruises on the highway nicely but on
the twisty mountain roads is where it
really shines. I havent had a chance to
take this car out on the track yet but I
plan to get out for the Power Cruise 1
Day Power Play in Sydney.
something that you see in an everyday

car. You may see aftermarket tachos
all the time in modified cars, but the
majority of them are just cheap monster
tachos and they look out of place. I felt
when you look at this one, you actually
get the feeling that it is what the car is
capable of, and that its not just there
for the looks.
In the near future, an engine rebuild
is definitely on the To Do List. More
power and higher RPM is the goal, that
It goes around corners pretty

well, but I'm not sure how to get an
accurate measurement from a face
sticking to the passenger side window.
Currently the engine makes 95.8kW
and 150.2Nm at the wheels. This is a
fair bit shy of what I had expected to
make, but I have since worked out the
problem and an engine rebuild will be
the way to fix it.It goes around corners
pretty well, but Im not sure how to get
an accurate measurement from a face
sticking to the passenger side window.
With some new technology I have
in the car now Ill be recording what
happens when Im out on track.
My favourite mod on the car is probably
the smiths 12,000RPM tacho. Its not
70
ISSUE 06
way I can start to make good use of

my 12,000RPM Tacho. A fair amount
of body work will also be done, nothing
too major, just prep for its final paint job
(Yes it will be Panda white and black)
also fixing some of the rust thats
beginning to come through.
I know a lot of people would be saying
no dont do the Panda black and white
paint job, it but it has been part of my
plans for the car for so long, I cant just
give up on it now.
Thats just the AE86 life!
ISSUE 06
71
SPECIFICATIONS
OWNER
Daniel Irwin
VEHICLE
Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86
ENGINE
4A-GE Silvertop Twincam
20-valve
Hypertune Intake Plenum
Toda Camshafts - 264 duration
w/ 9mm lift
Toda Valve Springs
Belfab H-Beam Rods
Porting and valve work in the
head
Microtech LTX12 ECU
Bosch individual ignition coils
TRANSMISSION & DRIVE LINE

Standard JDM T50 with TRD
short shift kit.
T series Diff with TRD 2 way
LSD
Weir 4.3:1 Crown wheel and
pinion
72
ISSUE 06
WHEELS
Watanabe Type R 15X8 -6 with
195/50R15 Kumho KU31 tyres.
SUSPENSION
Custom made coil overs
8Kg front springs & 7Kg rear
springs
Front and rear height adjustable,
Rear damper adjustable
Cusco camber tops.
Whiteline sway bars front and
rear
Front strut brace
Rear harness bar
BRAKES
Front 4 pot Hilux big brake
upgrade with Peugeot rotors
S13 rear rotor upgrade with
AJPS adapter brackets and
locator rings
QFM A1RM and QFM HPX
pads
INTERIOR
Sprayed black interior
Recaro SR3 driver seat
JDM Zenki passenger seat
Nardi deep corn 350mm
steering wheel
Smiths 12,000Rpm tacho
AEM wideband Air Fuel ratio
gauge
VDO oil pressure and water
temp gauges.
EXTERIOR
Zenki Trueno front
OEM front lip
OEM copy side skirts
JDM weather shields
J-Blood fiberglass front guards
Rear Fiberglass molded on bolt
on flares
AUDIO
JVC head unit, alpine 6 splits in
the front
Fusion 4.5 splits in the rear
Boston audio 10 sub with
Alpine mono block amp.
SILVIA IN THE ROUGH
WORDS: FATPAT
IMAGES: VINNIE BOTTON AT PASTESTUDIOS.COM
SILVIA
IN THE
ROUGH
WHEN LOOKING FOR A SECOND HAND CAR, YOU DONT HAVE
BUY A GEM IN THE ROUGH. BUYING A SLIGHTLY NEGLECTED CAR
AT A FAR CHEAPER PRICE CAN OPEN A WORLD OF EXPERIENCE
AND LEARNING BY FIXING AND MODDING IT UP YOURSELF.
MAKING IT YOUR OWN RIDE WITH YOUR OWN CASH, TIME, AND
EFFORT IS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT.
74
ISSUE 06
ISSUE 06
I BOUGHT
the car as soon

as I saved the
money for it and got off my non turbo green
provisional license during my second year at
university.
Not great with my purchasing skills, I vividly
remember seeing it for the first time in the
sellers driveway and instantly lusting after it.
It was low, black and with excessively garish
Tempe tyres 18 inch rims.
I remember the smell of plumbers sweat
and dodgy handling when I test drove it and
acknowledging it was okay it even though it
didnt have air conditioning. I still bought it in at
the end of the day and I was in awe of its beast
mode status.
First up was swapping the wheels with the SSR
Mesh wheels when they were found at the right
price, meaning they were well used. They were
mad and had a more sane size of 15 inches.
The stereo head deck was then upgraded to a
subtle Fusion deck when the previous stereo
deck which lit up like Christmas tree, got stolen
by a couple of junkies from my fishing spot.
I put seats from a Silvia S15 in because I thought
the car and I deserved them for the ride, followed
by new interior carpet purchased from eBay
because I was tired of dealing with the hole the
previous owner left with his plumber heel.
A NEW STAGE
FOR THE SILVIA
MADE ME UP
MY GAME
WITH SERVICE
INTERVALS
AND ENSURED
EMPTY
WEEKENDS
ARE FILLED
WITH
EMPHATIC
CAR WORK.
76
ISSUE 06
ISSUE 06
Then, after too many nights of spirited driving

through national parks the trusty SR20DET
Redtop decided it had enough. I blew my
engine. The worst day of my life. The crankshaft
had decided to spit a chunk through the block.
I was devastated.
Not one to be down in the dumps for too long,
I phoned around a couple of wreckers to find
a worthy replacement. Enter the SR20DET
Blacktop from a Nissan 180SX Type X. A new
stage for the Silvia made me up my game with
service intervals and ensured empty weekends
are filled with emphatic car work.
The healthier car warranted some new brakes
and I already had a pair of slotted DBA discs I
bought for a bargain a while ago. Foresight is
far more beautiful than hindsight in this case.
These brakes went on with new sticky brake
pads, and that brings us to right around now.
Three years later and Im enjoying every step
of this slow-ass daily/track car build. The Silvia
might vibrate a little too much and it might need
slightly more attention than a newer car, but I
still dig it as much as when I bought it. Nothing
beats working on your own sick car.
THE SILVIA
MIGHT VIBRATE
A LITTLE TOO
MUCH AND IT
MIGHT NEED
SLIGHTLY
MORE
ATTENTION
THAN A NEWER
CAR, BUT I
STILL DIG IT
AS MUCH AS
WHEN I FIRST
BOUGHT IT.
78
ISSUE 06
SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE
Nissan Silvia K S13
ENGINE
SR20DET Blacktop
2.0L Inline 4 Cylinder Turbo
ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN MODS
Aluminium Radiator
Aluminium Front Mount Intercooler
T28 S15 Turbo With Boost T
Custom Turbo Back 3 Stainless
Exhaust With Magnaflow Tip.
SUSPENSION
JIC Magic Coil Overs
BRAKES
DBA Slotted Discs
EXTERIOR
15 Ssr Mesh Wheels
Pirelli P6S (Front Wheels)
Kumho Ecstas (Rear Wheels)
INTERIOR
S15 Navy Blue Suede Seats
New Carpet
Glove Box Mounted Boost Gauge
Momo Leather Steering Wheel
HKS Turbo Timer
ISSUE 06
FIXING A FIVE
WORDS: MARTY
IMAGES: MARTY
fixing
a
five
ONE PHOTO. THATS ALL I GOT.

PLUS A MESSAGE THAT SAID :
Hell take $1500 and its got 2 hours of rego left,

Let me know in 10 minutes
80
ISSUE 06
ISSUE 06
81
ONE OF
the
most
asked
questions on the MCM
forums is Where do you guys find your cars
so cheap?
A good friend of mine was once a Subaru guy.

He had a built 2.5 litre Subaru Outback wagon
that was stupidly fast.
The answer is; every single day Moog and

I look on classifieds, ebay and car forums to
keep an eye on whats out there.
He spent hours putting the thing together, then

took it to race tracks all over Australia. Also
in true Subaru style, it could transport 200kg
gearboxes interstate with out any dramas
whatsoever.
It gives you a great idea of what something is

worth when you can compare a car to the last
10 you saw for sale. Thats a total of 4 eyeballs.
However, the ultimate weapon of car buying
prowess, is some good mates!
But everything changed. Pete sold his Outback,

bought a WRX track car he keeps on a trailer
and. an MX5.
PETES OUTBACK IN FINE GEARBOX-HAULIN FORM
82
ISSUE 06
A year later, it was that one rusty picture and

message from Pete that would change my car
modding life forever.
car so I had no idea what it looked like, but it

didnt matter it was this rust that was going to
decide the fate of the car.
After studying the picture of the inner guard

that Pete had snapped for me, I went through
the usual internal battle of Do I, dont I.
I was either buying the bargain of the century

or a rust bucket that was about as useful as a
VW Polo on a road.
I looked up current prices for MX5s and they

were well over $5,000 for decent ones. Pete
hadnt sent me a photo of the outside of the
They say pictures tell a thousand words so

this series of photos shows the fate of the
MX5...
A GIFT FROM A FELLOW MX5 OWNER
THE FRONT END CAME STRAIGHT OFF SO RUST COULD BE REMOVED
THE MX5 LOOKING A LITTLE BARE
THE CAR HAD LIVED OUTSIDE UNDER A TREE FOR MANY YEARS
I went through the usual internal

battle of Do I, dont I...
THE INTERIOR WAS DIRTY BUT IN DECENT CONDITION
THE WINDSCREEN HAD TO COME OUT TO GRIND OFF THE RUST
BOTH SIDES OF THE WINDSCREEN NEEDED NEW METAL
THE WINDSCREEN SURROUND WAS HIGH FILLED

ISSUE 06
84
THEN A CUSTOM RENAULT BLACK BASECOAT APPLIED
A GOOD FACE MASK IS A MUST
PLASTIC DROP SHEETS PREVENT OVERSPRAY STICKING TO THE CAR
THE BASECOAT IS LEFT TO FLASH
THEN A FEW COATS OF CLEAR SEAL IT
THEN MAKE IT SHINE!
NEXT THE DAMAGED SOFT TOP NEEDED TO BE REMOVED
IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR SO WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED
NEW MATERIAL WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME LATER ON
THERE ISNT MUCH ROOM FOR TALL PEOPLE IN A CAR THIS SMALL!
ISSUE06
THE BRAKE FLUID WAS OLD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED
IT TOOK TWO FULL BOTTLES TO COMPLETELY FLUSH THE SYSTEM
AN OLD ALARM SYSTEM WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY
MYLES FROM FLUX ELECTRONICS HELPED EXTRACT THE MESS
I was either buying the bargain

of the century or a rust bucket
THE FACTORY WIRES WERE RE-SOLDERED ONCE THE ALARM WAS EXTRACTED
WEIGHT REDUCTION IN PRACTICE!
WITH THE PAINTING DONE, THE DOORS COULD BE FITTED
ALONG WITH THE GUARDS

ISSUE 06
SOME WD40 IS APPLIED TO THE HINGES
NO MORE LEAVES IN THESE GUARDS!
ITS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A CAR AGAIN
BETTER WHEELS AND RUBBER WERE REQUIRED
It looks like were setting up for four

wheel driving at the current ride height
86
SO THE FACTORY WHEELS WERE REMOVED
OUR UP GARAGE SAPPORO WHEELS WERE FITTED!
THE OFFSET WAS PERFECT, NO SCRUBBING!
THE RUST WAS CAUSED BY LEAVES AND MOISTURE, SO WE GOT THIS STUFF!
ISSUE 06
A FEW DOLLARS AT THE HARDWARE SHOP LATER, WE HAD A SOLUTION!
METAL MESH ON THE ENDS AND PLASTIC GUTTER GUARD IN THE MIDDLE
PANELS WERE THEN GIVEN SOME LOVE WITH CUTTING COMPOUND AND A BUFFER
IF THE GEAR BOOT WEARS OUT YOU GET BLASTED WITH HEAT FROM UNDER THE CAR
SOME 3IN1 LUBRICANT IS USED TO HELP SLIP ON A BRAND NEW BOOT
WE USED OUR LESSONS LEARNED FROM OUR TINTING EPISODE
TINTED THE WINDOWS USING JOHNSON 20% FILM
THE HARD TOP CAME WITH THE CAR, SO THAT GOT TINTED TOO
THE OLD LEATHER GEAR LEVER BOOT WAS ALSO WORN
REPLACEMENTS ARE JUST A FEW DOLLARS FROM EBAY UK

ISSUE 06
88
WHITE STITCHING TO MATCH THE CAR!
THE NEW BOOT CLIPS IN EASILY TO THE FACTORY POSITION
THEN CONSOLE IS PUT BACK ON
IT LOOKS LIKE WERE SETTING UP FOR FOUR WHEEL DRIVING AT THE CURRENT HEIGHT
SO A SET OF BILSTEIN SUSPENSION AND SPRINGS WERE PURCHASED FOR $200
THEY BOLT EASILY INTO THE FACTORY SHOCK POSITIONS
WE INSTANTLY DROP 3CM OFF THE FRONT
WEVE GOT REGO AND READY TO TAKE THE CAR OUT FOR ITS FIRST DRIVE
NOT THE BEST CAR FOR TALL PEOPLE, BUT I JUST FIT!
FIRST MX5 LESSON, ALWAYS PACK SUNSCREEN!
ISSUE06
UNTIL YOU DRIVE ONE, YOU WONT UNDERSTAND JUST HOW AWESOME THIS IS!
Until you drive one, you wont

understand how awesome this is
INITIAL RESTORE MISSION COMPLETE, BUT WAIT THERES MORE!

ISSUE 06
MX5: THE
IMPORTANCE OF
A GOOD WHEEL
ALIGNMENT
A WHEEL ALIGNMENT IS THE LAST IMPORTANT OPERATION OF A VEHICLES SET UP. IF YOU HAVE JUST
SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING, ITS A GOOD IDEA TO FINISH THE JOB
PROPERLY AND HAVE A WHEEL ALIGNMENT.
WE
visited Pedders at Silverwater who

use Beissbarth Wheel Alignment
machines, and they have found them accurate
and reliable.
Sensors are placed on all 4 wheels and using
lasers and gyros so the machine can accurately
figure out the position of each wheel and its
corresponding suspension components.
Wheel alignments can assist in the setting up
a car to Over Steer or Under Steer. If the
driver has a feel for the car he/she can give
information to the wheel alignment technician
and he can alter the settings to suit the car
and the driver. (Providing the car has wheel
alignment adjustability).
In our case the MX5 has quite a lot of suspension
adjustment both front and rear from the factory.
The MX5 is a weekend car rather than a daily
driver, so tyre wear is sacrificed a little in order
to get maximum grip and tyre performance.
This means a little more negative camber for
good grip while cornering and the toe adjusted
for stability and good turn in.
The alignment proved itself less than 24 hours
later when the MX5 was taken around Marulan
Driver Centres track for over 50 laps. The car
ran out of power before it ran out of grip.
To see how we solved the lack of power issue,
check out the 3 part How to Turbo Your Car
episodes live on YouTube Now.
90
ISSUE 06
Final Words
The MX5 has been a great project to keep working away on. Since the initial restoration and then
subsequent mods outlined in this feature weve changed wheels (again!), updated our suspension,
turbocharged it, painted the hard top, added direct fire coil pack ignition to our Haltech management
system and have boxes and boxes of parts still to go onto the car.
Its a real treat working on a car with so many options out there to increase performance and
enjoyment. There are a handful of videos currently in production covering everything above, so this
project is FAR from over weve only just begun.
EVER CHANGING BEAST
BLAAAACK TOP MAAADNESS
ISSUE 06
91

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Wev
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ISSUE06
ISSUE 06
FOREVER SEMI-SEMIS
WORDS & PHOTOS: MARTY
FOREVER
SEMI-SEMIS
IT TOOK US A WHILE, BUT I THINK WEVE FINALLY CRACKED THE SECRET TO GOING FAST
YES
thats right, over a decade of modifying cars and all

it took a phone call from a certain tyre manufacturer
to change things forever. The words were something along the
lines of weve got a new tyre you might like to try. A few weeks
later i took some old 17 wheels I had spare down to the tyre
shop and installed onto them were some Advan Neova AD08s.
Tyre terms can be a little confusing, R Compound, Street, Slick,
Semi, Silica etc. If youre into any kind of Motorsport youve
probably heard the importance people put on tyres. Theres a
good reason many motor racing codes have to use the same
tyre (usually called a control tyre) - its to even up the playing field!
But what does this mean for your usual DIY car modifier? If you
want to go fast - a LOT!
If you own an all out race car, taken to race meets on a trailer on
a regular basis, then congratulations your accounting degree has
served you well. If youre like most people who track their street
cars (with the run what you brung philosophy) then chances are
youre balancing mods versus money and time, often with a very
fine line between them all.
If your car is a weekend only type deal, or transport to a local

station, then there is a good in between and that is something
like the AD08s we mentioned earlier. Theyll take the heat and
abuse of the track, while wearing better for daily duties than an all
out racecar semi slick.
Youll hear every tyre salesman under the sun say Tyres are
whats keeping you on the road. And although this is usually to
try and sell you the tyre with the biggest profit margin for them,
there is an element of truth to it. A well setup car will grip with just
about any tyre, and a good tyre can often mask other issues with
handling, meaning the car probably has MUCH more potential
to go fast.
Our AD08s did a full weekend of car related shenanigans without

any issues whatsoever. A more basic road tyre will go off once
the material heats up too much resulting in much less grip and
lots of tyre wear. Our Neovas started out at the racetrack doing
over 80 laps of the track, then 300km of fast country backroads
finding the road with the most twists in it! We followed that up
with 7 passes at the drag strip. The only fault we could find was
that we actually had too much grip at the drags so wed bog the
car down getting it off the line.
So if you get both right? youre going to go faster - a LOT faster.

Which at a track day, translates into much more fun. Instead of
constantly fighting lack of grip and traction, you can drive the
car it its full potential, and if theres similarly equipped cars at the
track meet - even be competitive.
There are however, some downsides to running super sticky all
out race tyres on the street and the biggest, is wear. A soft,
grippy R compound semi slick is going to get worn quite fast
doing a daily commute and isnt the best decision financially if
youre car is doing daily duties. A separate set of wheels is one
good way to get around this, and many seasoned weekend track
fanatics will talk of their track rims as the first thing they pack in
the boot when they head to the track.
94
WE STARTED OUT
AT THE RACETRACK
DOING OVER 80
LAPS OF THE TRACK,
THEN 300KM OF
FAST COUNTRY
BACKROADS.
ISSUE 06
We could never justify top of the line semi slicks for our cars. Even
on a separate set of wheels, the expense was just too great to be
used every few months on a car setup for the street. If we had
race cars (and accounting degrees) then it would be a different
story. Having the opportunity to try a top line road tyre and put it
through its paces in a variety of conditions and shown us that its
possible to get just about as-good-as semi slick performance,
without spending huge dollars to do so.
The Neovas will live on a separate set of rims, ready to be bolted
onto the car for track duties, or if we feel like finding the squigglyest road on the map and heading for it.
ISSUE 06
HOW TO: USE A MULTIMETER
WORDS & IMAGES: VINCENT TANNAHILL / MAUSWERKZ
HOW TO:
USE A MULTIMETER
YOU GET IN YOUR CAR, PUT THE KEY IN, AND TURN THE KEY TO START. THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT REFUSES TO RUN. THIS
RELATIVELY COMMON SITUATION CAN BE CAUSED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF CAUSES.
ANY
mechanic or helpful forum members first piece of

advice will be to check for spark and fuel. Spark is
easy on most cars, pull the sparkplug boot off, stick a screwdriver
in it, set it down, crank the car and watch for a spark from the
screwdriver shaft to the valve cover. Diligently, you follow this
procedure and find that your car is indeed missing its spark. Upon
divulgence of this information, the friendly forum members will
now start listing off possible causes. Youll be given a shopping
list of things to look for or replace. The culprits range from crank
position sensors to ignition coils to fuses. If youre lucky, youll be
able to check fault codes to find out where to start.
This time, youre not so lucky. The ECU shows no fault codes. The
fuses are all intact. All the relevant sensors seem to be plugged in
and undamaged. What next?
96
ISSUE 06
THE ECU SHOWS

NO FAULT CODES.
THE FUSES ARE
ALL INTACT. ALL
THE RELEVANT
SENSORS SEEM TO
BE PLUGGED IN AND
UNDAMAGED.
WHAT NEXT?
By now the average car owner would have had it towed to a

mechanic (bringing their wallet with them). However youve
gone to the next step, sought advice, and attempted to find
obvious faults. But this hasnt led you to a solution and you
may feel like youre in over your head. If youre still asking
around online, youre probably being pointed toward the
workshop manual or reading words like ohms, volts or
continuity. Learning what these words mean, and how to
measure them, can save you hundreds of dollars and open
up the possibility of many exciting mods in the future. If you
have dreams of doing engine swaps or upgrading your ECU
to a programmable one, you wont get there without either
some basic electrical skills or a healthy bank account.
But for now, you just want your car to start. So hop on your
pushbike, ride down to the local auto parts or electronics
store, and pick yourself up a multimeter. It doesnt need to
be anything special. The $10 cheapo one will do the job, but
if you spring for one with an Auto range feature, itll make
learning to use it much easier.
So youre back home with your brand new multimeter,
standing in front of your non-starting car, and scratching your
head. Where do you start?
The car has no spark, so lets start there. If you checked for
spark at more than one plug, you can probably rule out the
ignition cables as the source of the problem (though you can
use a multimeter to check these). Following the line up from
there, you end up at a coil. If you have a car with electronic
ignition, theres probably a few wires coming off the coil,
and the multimeter is your friend here. With the key in the
on position, at least one of those wires should have some
voltage on it. The workshop manuals wiring diagrams can
tell you which one, but if you dont have that, its okay to just
poke around to find what youre looking for.
1. CHECKING FOR VOLTAGE

The first thing to learn with a multimeter is how to use it to
check for voltage. I wont go in to the theory about what
voltage is except to say that without a difference in voltage
on the power lines of a device, it wont do anything. In a
car, youll nearly always have either 0 volts (0v) or 12v.
Note that if you have an old car with a two-terminal coil,

this method wont work because of the way the coil is
triggered. It should work on cars with electronic ignition
though. There are big differences from one car to another,
so this example is not generic.
Lets do a quick exercise on the car battery. Plug the red

wire that came with your meter in to the V socket, and
the black wire in to the COM socket. Set the meter to
DCV, sometimes indicated with horizontal flat lines. If
you didnt get an autoranging multimeter, set the range to
20. We set it to 20 because were expecting 12v.
In general, if you cant find a voltage where there should

be one, look for a blown fuse or broken wire. If you cant
find a ground where there should be one, look for lose or
rusty connections where ground wires attach to the cars
body, or broken wires.
Choose the range by picking the lowest number which is

larger than the voltage youre expecting. Now go to the
battery. Touch the red probe tip to the (+) terminal, and the
black probe tip to the (-) terminal. The meter should show
somewhere around 12 to 14 volts. If it has a negative sign,
then you either have the probes plugged in to the wrong
sockets, or are touching them to the wrong terminals.
The number shown on the meter is the difference in
voltage between the two probes. The black probe is at 0v
(we call this ground), and the red probe is at whatever is
displayed. You can take measurements like this between
any wire and any point on the car. Hint: any metal part
on the car is 0v. Be careful though, as some screws may
be screwed in to plastic and cant be used for measuring
voltage. You also cant measure voltage through paint.
So we go back to our coil and measure between some
bare metal part on the engine and each of the pins. We
find battery voltage on one of the pins. Thats good! But
thats only half the story. We need to make sure the coil
has a good ground too. So leaving the red probe on the
live pin, check each of the remaining pins until you read a
good solid battery voltage reading on the meter.
MULTIMETER SHOWING LEADS

PLUGGED IN TO COM AND V.
ISSUE 06
2. MEASURING RESISTANCE
Resistance is a measurement of the opposition to current
flow. In some places, you want as little resistance as
possible. In other places, resistance is used to measure
temperatures, pressures, or even air flow.
Lets say you have the workshop manual and it suggests
that you check the crank angle sensor. It tells you what
values of resistance you should find when checking
between different pins on the sensor socket.
On most multimeters, resistance is measured with the
wires connected to the same sockets as they were
when you measured voltage. Set the meter to measure
resistance (usually labeled with the ohm symbol ). Set
the range the same way you would with voltage. To test
that you have the settings right, touch the two probe tips
together and the meter should read zero (or a very small
number, depending on the range selected). Touch the
probes to the pins specified in the manual and compare
your reading to the expected readings. If theyre too low,
the sensor has an internal short. If theyre too high (or
the meter shows OL or nothing at all), the sensor has a
broken wire inside.
You can also use the resistance mode to check for
continuity. This just means making sure wires are not
broken and plugs are connected. If the wiring diagram
tells you that there should be ground on a certain pin, for
example, you can check the resistance between that pin
and a metal part on the car. You should get a low number
or 0 if everything is intact.
Lets say that you did this test on the example problem we
started with and found that the meter shows a resistance
of 30 when measuring between what should be the coil
ground and a metal part of the engine. Youd then go
looking for a rusted connector or a bad joint where the
wire ends in a crimped connector.
By following the advice of your forum friends and
the workshop manual, you can test each sensor and
connection and hopefully find your problem.
IN SOME PLACES,
YOU WANT AS
LITTLE RESISTANCE
AS POSSIBLE.
IN OTHER PLACES,
RESISTANCE IS
USED TO MEASURE
TEMPERATURES,
PRESSURES, OR
EVEN AIR FLOW.
MULTIMETERS CAN RANGE FROM LESS THAN $10 TO MORE THAN $500. THEY ALL PERFORM THE SAME BASIC FUNCTIONS.
98
ISSUE 06
3. MEASURING CURRENT
Current is the amount of electricity thats flowing in a
conductor (such as a wire). Its what provides the power
that makes electrical parts work.
Lets say that your cars battery goes flat if you leave
your car parked for more than a couple of days. Your first
thought would be that the battery has gone bad. You can
get it tested at most places that sell car batteries. So you
get your battery tested, they tell you that its borderline
and sell you a new one.
Everything is fine until you go away for a few days and
come back to flat battery once again. In this situation, its
likely that there is a load on the battery when the car is
turned off.
Its normal to have some drain on the battery with the key
out of the ignition. Components such as your clock, your
stereos headunit, the ECU, and various other parts of
the cars electrical system will always draw some current
all the time. The problem comes if one of those devices
is drawing more than its supposed to. Some common
culprits are listed below.

Part of a component going bad internally, such as

capacitors in an ECU.
A bad switch. Maybe the light in your boot is on all

the time.
Water where it shouldnt be.
Improperly installed or low quality accessories such

as car alarms or keyless entry.
Some of these things are easy to spot, such as the boot

light example. Others might be more difficult to track
down. Once again, your multimeter comes in handy.
To check the loads on a battery, first follow the steps

below to connect the multimeter.
1. Make sure the key is not in the ignition at any point
during this test.
2. Disconnect the battery negative terminal.
3. Connect the probe wires to the multimeter as
described above.
4. Set the multimeter to measure DCA.
5. If you dont have an auto ranging multimeter, set the
range to 2A.
6. Make sure all the doors are closed or that the
interior lighting fuse is removed (we dont want the
dome light messing up our readings).
7. Touch the red probe tip to the disconnected battery
lead or any bare metal part.
8. Touch the black probe tip to the negative terminal of
the battery.
The number on the multimeter should be less than 0.2A.
A constant current draw of 0.2A will drain the average car
battery in about 2 weeks.
If the current draw is more than this, then the next step
is to start disconnecting individual components to see
which one is drawing the bulk of the current. This can
be done by removing fuses for specific components one
at a time. Watch the meter as you remove and replace
each fuse and make note of how much the reading drops
for each one. This can help you find out which device is
draining your battery.
NOTE: Its important that you dont attempt to start the car
or turn on the ignition while the multimeter is connected
like this. If you try to draw more than a few amps, the
multimeter fuse will blow.
To measure current, the multimeter needs to be set up a

bit differently to before. The black lead stays plugged in
to the COM socket, but the red lead plugs in to the A
socket.
The A stands for amps, which are the units used to
measure current. Another difference is that you need to
disconnect the circuit to test current.
NOTE: If you just touch the probes of your meter to a
voltage source (such as your battery) when its connected
for current, youll blow the internal fuse.
DIAL OF A NON-AUTORANGING
MULTIMETER SET TO 10A.
MULTIMETER WITH LEADS SET

UP FOR MEASURING CURRENT.
Knowing how to use a multimeter is an important skill to develop for anyone who plans to work on or modify their own car.
As with anything, the more you practice, the better youll get at it. Just because its not spanners and ratchets doesnt mean
you cant DIY.
ISSUE 06
HOW TO: SURVIVE CAR ELECTRONICS
WORDS & IMAGES: MYLES ASKWITH / MEELS
HOW TO: SURVIVE

CAR ELECTRONICS
HAVE YOU EVER PURCHASED SOMETHING FOR YOUR CAR THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS A SIMPLE DO IT YOURSELF JOB BUT
ENDED UP FEELING LIKE YOU NEEDED A DEGREE IN ROCKET SCIENCE TO FINISH? WEVE ALL BEEN THERE.
HAVE
more of your car lying on your front lawn than

actually in the car? Stressed about getting it
back together before the sun sets? Or maybe youre even trying
to get your mums Mazda 3 back together before she gets home.
Well Im going to share some of my adventures and some helpful
tips to keep your cars guts intact and working!
I CANNOT STRESS
ENOUGH THAT TAKING
YOUR TIME WILL SAVE
YOU MONEY IN THE
LONG RUN.
Along with installing new products, my job also consists of repairing improperly installed products that had originally been
installed by people who didnt know what they were doing.
The three pieces of advice I offer to you are...
1. DONT RUSH
THE JOB.
As soon as you start to rush youre bound to mess up, scratch
something, break something or even blow up some vital part
of your cars electronic system. For example, if a technician
rushes through a job, he might forget to put back a 50 hose
clamp on the cooling system. Seems minor but it can result
in an engine overheating and blowing even on a car with less
than 100kms on the clock. Imagine if this was your own car
and how you would feel.
In the best-case scenario you and your mates could maybe
head down to the wreckers and grab a new engine and install
it in a weekend if you were lucky. However at what cost? You
could be out thousands of dollars and for what? Youd be at
the same place you started at a few days prior. The same goes
for a car with next to no mileage except this time it causes
grief for the customer waiting on his new car to be delivered
and to the company that has to fork up $17,000 in parts and
labour for a car only worth $20,000. I cannot stress enough
that taking your time will save you money in the long run.
100
ISSUE 06
2. RESEARCH
WHAT YOURE
ATTEMPTING
THROUGHLY.
Dont attempt any project blindly, especially if youre
inexperienced. Find out as much information about the car
youre working on and the installation that youre going to do.
It also doesnt hurt to find out about some of the drawbacks
and issues people have with the install as well. The information
is readily available and always there for you to see on the
internet, however your best bet is to check your car specific
forum or information in video form on YouTube.
Worst-case scenario if you cannot find it is to ask Flurpy if
you need to, theres no shame in asking a Blue Nissan loving
unicorn for help.
3. HAVE THE
CORRECT
TOOLS FOR
THE JOB
Electrical work is all about testing before actually putting the
entire system in motion. Your two best friends when installing
electronics are a multimeter and an LED computer safe test
light, so if you dont have them definitely pick them up.
When I was younger I didnt always have the proper tools.
On one occasion I hadnt researched a particular car I was
working on and as a result I damaged a Nissan (dont tell
Flurpy) using a test light that wasnt computer safe.
I had been searching for wires while installing an alarm then I
heard a loud bang. I thought someone had dropped a toolbox
behind me, as I was in a workshop and thought nothing of
it. After looking up inside the car there was smoke

everywhere. I hadnt known I had caused it nor did I
smell anything burning.
After a quick look around the cab I had noticed the
drivers side seat belt was so tight you could play a
tune on it. I had set off the explosive in the drivers
side seatbelt.
At a cool $500 for a new seat belt, lets just say I
worked for free that day. Had I used the proper tools
this could have been easily avoided so make sure
you are always prepared with the correct tools!
So dont forget take your time, research what youre doing and always have the correct equipment and youll be on your way!
Best of luck with your mods!

ISSUE 06
DELOREAN DUTIES
DELOREAN
DUTIES
MOVIE BUFF, OLD-CAR AFICIONADO, 80'S METAL LOVER - WHOMEVER THEY ARE, PEOPLE SEEM TO LOVE DELOREANS. WE
HAD SOME SPACE TO SHOW ONE OFF, BUT IT NEEDED SOME LOVE FIRST!
EARLIER
this year we were invited to the Top

Gear Festival in Sydney. We had
our Daihatsu Show car that had been further modified by
its new owner on one side of our stand, and on the other the DeLorean from our How to Time Travel in a DeLorean
episode from Season 1.
Its always been hugely popular with fans and the general
public alike so we thought before showing it off, we should
give it a bit of a tidy up. Here is what is possible with a day or
two of time, some paint and some elbow grease.
THE WINDOWS
Both the drivers and passenger windows are electric, but
were intermittent at best, and would just refuse to work at the
worst possible times (like when its raining!)
We repaired the broken window motor in the passenger
door by pulling the entire mechanism apart, re-lubricating
the motor plus the cable assembly and putting it all back
together. They now work but the switches are still not 100%.
The contacts may just be worn and could probably be
replaced, so off to the DeLorean parts bin we go! Umm, no
chance of finding any of these at your local wreckers!
102
ISSUE 06
THE DELOREAN
FROM OUR HOW TO
TIME TRAVEL IN A
DELOREAN EPISODE
FROM SEASON 1
THE BUMPER
The rear plastic bumper was quite faded and needed some
paint. Its near impossible to find DeLorean grey on paint
books, but many US DeLorean owners have had theirs
colour matched and it closely represents a Jeep colour, we
had that colour mixed up in 2 pack base coat with a hardener
and clear coat then sprayed it on. No more faded bumper.
But now.
THE REAR LOUVRES

...the rear louvres were looking a little faded also! The coating
had faded right through and was turning white, with all the
residue sanded off we were able to re-coat it in a specific
satin black that would look as original as possible.

ISSUE 06
THE WINDSCREEN METAL TRIM

The painted black metal trim along the top of the
windscreen was also sun damaged, recently we were
given some 3M 1080 Metal Vinyl wrap by MotorActive to
test out, so we used it on this panel as the vinyl is easy to
apply and also completely removable.
Its actually a brushed texture just like the metal panels
so it matches really well! It supposed to last 7 years. You
can see it in the photo of Blade cleaning the car at the Top
Gear Festival.
THE RADIATOR HOSE

The top radiator hose was rubbing on the air conditioning
drive belt which has caused a slow coolant leak. I noticed
coolant smell when I first got in it but couldnt pin point it.
Luckily the Mechanical Stig had a solution, we used the
original radiator hose and inserted an aluminium joiner which
now runs across the spot where the hole was forming. Again
you cant just walk into a store and buy a radiator hose late at
night, so this was the only solution!
104
ISSUE 06
AT THE SHOW
The DeLorean was a HUGE hit at the Top Gear Festival,
thousands of photos taken of it and lots of fans coming over
to say hi and talk about it. An Irish gentleman stopped by
and explained that he used to build them back in Ireland 30
years ago! It was a treat talking to him about the car. He also
outlined some of the possible faults that may arise (rust in the
roof box section, repairable - but a big job!)
AS IT STANDS NOW
Weve lost count of how many friends have dropped by while
its been in the garage to take a photo and see the car in the
flesh, and with a couple of DIY repairs and mods, the car is
looking better than ever!
THE DELOREAN WAS A

HUGE HIT AT THE TOP
GEAR FESTIVAL

ISSUE 06
WHAT A TOOL: DISC BRAKE SPREADER
what
a
tool
Disc Brake Spreader
HERE
we have one tool with only one use.

Where a hammer is a perfect example
of the exact opposite of this, as they can do lots of things.
From building houses to smashing macadamia nuts on
Christmas Eve, they have versatility. Some tools however
have one purpose and do it brilliantly, such as this one.
This particular tool is known usually as a Disc Brake
Spreader. It works best on brake calipers that have
pistons on one side only (usually single and 2 pot brakes).
Its job is to push the brake piston back into the calliper so
that pads with more material can be installed.
This tool is not as useful on higher end calipers with 4 or
more pistons that have them on both sides as found in
more expensive or sporty cars.
Other methods for pushing pistons back into the caliper
often involve screw drivers and other tools that dont exert
106
ISSUE 06
an even force on the piston. Its important that the piston

is pushed back square on and not at an angle which can
damage the rubber seals.
Its also extremely cheap, less than $10 at most parts
shops, and if it saves you damaging a brake caliper its
completely worth the money.
The large metal plate is seated against the side of the
caliper without the piston and the rod inserted into the
piston or often better, against the old pad that is being
removed. It is then tightened which pushes the piston
back into the bore.
Remember that by doing this you are pushing brake fluid
back up into the master cylinder so there is a possibility
it may overflow, always remove some fluid first if youre
going to be changing the pads on all 4 wheels!
WTF!
W
T
F
ISSUE 06
PRO PHOTO: CHRIS PRESTIGE
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ISSUE06
WORDS: MCM
EVERY ISSUE OF MCM MAGAZINE WE CATCH UP WITH AN EXCITING, AND

PROFESSIONAL WORKING PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THIS ISSUE IS NO EXCEPTION.
TODAY WERE CATCHING UP WITH AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER CHRIS PRESTIGE
WHOS NATURAL AND EVOCATIVE IMAGES HAVE EARNED HIM ACCLAIM, AND
PHOTOGRAPHY WORK FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
HIS AIM IS TO CAPTURE THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND ENERGY OF THE SEA, AS WELL
AS CELEBRATE THE LIFESTYLE WHICH SURROUNDS THE SEA. MOST PHOTOGRAPHS
CAPTURE THE SHIFTING MOOD OF DUSK, WHERE LIGHT AND ATMOSPHERE HAVE A
CERTAIN MAGIC.
MCM=Mighty Car Mods / CP= Chris Prestige

ISSUE 06
110
ISSUE 06
MCM: So tell us, who is Chris Prestige?

CP: Im a 35 year old photographer
based in Bondi Beach. I grew up in
Sydney, moved to London on my own
in 1999 after selling everything I owned
and deciding I needed to put myself out
of my comfort zone. I learned a lot but
had a lingering feeling to return home
only two years later.
MCM: How
photography?
did
you
get
into
CP: My father has owned sail boats my

entire life and my earliest memories are
being strapped on the side of a yacht
somewhere at sea. I soon got hold of a
camera and started documenting these
moments. It started out as an escape
and then became the need to express
myself visually. The rest as they say is
history.
MCM: Whats the best thing about
being a professional photographer?
CP: Meeting new people and bringing
out their best in any given moment.

ISSUE 06
NAME
Chris Prestidge
AGE
35
CAMERA BODY
Canon 5D Mark 3
FAVOURITE LENS
35mm 1.4
FAVOURITE SUBJECT
People & Seascapes

WEBSITE
atdusk.com.au
112
ISSUE 06
MCM: Whats the worst thing?

CP: I do get stuck working a lot of
weekends when other people are
relaxing and having fun - the flip side
though is a lovely quiet Monday at the
beach.
MCM: Do you have a particular style
and is that an important aspect as a
professional photographer?
CP: Its probably using high end prime
lenses and shooting them wide open.
This means my images have a really
shallow depth of field to them, which I
believe gives an image with a lot more
punch, tells a story and really captures
the moment at hand.
MCM: How did you meet the guys
from MCM?
CP: It was through a mutual friend,
they were filming something and I
thought it was unique that they were
engrossed in video when I was so
engrossed in still photography. It put
me onto having a lot of admiration for
video and the work the guys do.

ISSUE 06
114
ISSUE 06
MCM: If you could only have one lens what would it be?
CP: Oh man, one lens? Wow.. A real
tricky question... It would be my down
to my 85mm 1.2 or my 35mm 1.4, but
for versatility Id have to go with my
Canon 35mm 1.4.
MCM: Can you take us through how
this photo (top left) was taken?
CP: Long exposure seascapes at either
sunrise or sunset are a favourite of mine,
especially when the weather, lighting
and tides all come together.
This image was taken with a Canon 5D
Mark 2 and a 24mm 1.4 lens. Shot at F9
so that most the frame is in focus and
on a tripod at 30 second exposure so
the movement of the water is witnessed
in the image. The important part is to
have the shutter open long enough to
show the moment of the time but not
too long that it detracts from telling the
story and end up just a blur.
MCM: Any advice for
photographers out there?
budding
Invest in your gear, you will have no

regrets, then get out there and dont
be afraid to approach any field that
interests you, do jobs for free, show
the client some cracking images, and
before you know it youll be called up.
Dont fear failure!
MCM: When Im not taking photos I...
CP: Am either surfing or standing on
the shoreline gazing out to sea.

ISSUE 06
116
ISSUE 06
MOOG RECENTLY WROTE A NEW TRACK FEATURED ON THE

SYDNEY MCM MEET VIDEO. NOT ONLY DID HE RECORD A
GROUP VOCAL OF 500 PEOPLE THERE ON THE DAY, HE ALSO
WORKED WITH SUPER TALENTED VOCALIST ALPHAMAMA WHO
LAID DOWN THE BEAUTIFUL VOCALS IN THE SONG WHICH IS
TITLED I WILL FIND YOU.
IN THIS ISSUE OF MCM MAGAZINE, WE CATCH UP WITH THE
WOMAN HERSELF, TO TALK ABOUT MUSIC, RECORDING, AND
SOPPY LOVE SONGS.
MCM=Mighty Car Mods / AM= ALPHAMAMA

ISSUE 06
118
ISSUE 06
MCM: Thanks for joining us today

ALPHAMAMA. Tell us a little bit
about your music.
AM: My music is independent,
brave and sits somewhere
under the soul/urban umbrella.
My first album Truth, Trips and
Revelations is out, through
Creative Vibes (iTunes and JB Hifi).
Its a jumble of funk, reggae, hip
hop and soul. Some have called
it feminist but I highly doubt it
is, considering how much I sing
about boys.
It does kind of have a girl power
feel, like imagine all the spice girls
rolled into one super spice girl that
can actually sing. I like words a
lot so I mess around with rhyme
and flow, though I dont call myself
a rapper, I experiment with and
without melodies.
I hate being put in a box so Im
always pushing to give songs
their own life, personality and
individuality. I never want my
music to sound the same.
The sound on this album ended
up being a good balance between
a live and produced sound. That
was the plan definitely, to keep a
rawness there but present in a way
that sill sounded semi-slick.
My philosophy for music is just
to challenge myself to be able
to communicate with people in
heaps of different ways because
its fun. I dont expect everyone to
get me or even like me but I love
music and I want people to feel like
they can share my experiences.
At the moment Im writing with
heaps of different producers
and musicians and I have no
restrictions!
MCM: You recently did a track
with Moog which got over 100,000
views on YouTube in the first few
days. How did that come about?
AM: I did a commercial vocal

session with Moog. I thought
he was super chill and easy to
work with and we just kinda
verbal diarrhoea-ed all over each
other about what we were doing
musically and artistically.
So next time I was in he slyly
asked me to throw some vocals
down on a crazy dance track he
was working on.
The recording process was quick
and painless, the total opposite of
MY
PHILOSOPHY
FOR MUSIC
IS JUST TO
CHALLENGE
MYSELF TO
BE ABLE
TO COMMMUNICATE
WITH PEOPLE
IN HEAPS OF
DIFFERENT
WAYS
BECAUSE ITS
FUN.
I recently went through a break

up and I listened to Smooth FM
everyday for a while. Id literally
sit in my car bawling to Michael
Bolton and Celine Dion. Pretty
lame!
MCM: Whats the first song you
remember that really made an
impact on you musically?
AM: I remember being absolutely
in love with Paul Simons song
Call me Al Every time I heard it
I would just jump around and go
nuts. I was like 3 and it was better
than ice cream.
MCM: What advice would you
have for budding song writers and
singers who would be looking up
to people like you for advice?
AM: My advice is reach out and ask
for help. Collaborate with people,
share your resources and ideas,
dont be precious about your stuff
and support other artists.
Were in this under populated
country at the bottom of the music
food chain and the only way were
gonna get our art heard and seen
is if we build a boat together and
row it upstream. Apart from that, a
quick check to see if you actually
have talent would probably help.
You can check out the new single I
Will Find You by Moog featuring
ALPHAMAMA on the MCM site and
on iTunes.
a Brazilian wax. I really loved the

track and it was cool for me to do
something completely different to
what I normally do. Ive actually
been thinking about doing some
dance stuff so it was a good first
attempt!!
MCM: What kind of music do you
love but would never admit to
publicly?
AM: Theres not much I wont
admit in public but Im a huge
sucker for old soppy love songs..
www.facebook.com/
ALPHAMAMAMUSIC

ISSUE 06
REAL LIFE: COATTAIL CAPITALISM
WORDS: GEOFF THOMPSON
a
t
t
a
o
a
t
i
ap
I HAVE
heard it a
million times
and a million times it has been a lie.
Its who you know!
Success in film is all about who you
know. Becoming a publisher writer
is about who you know. The top job,
the big break, the inside track; its all
about who you know.
People contact those in the know,
believing that by knowing them, they
are assured success.
All the self help books recommend
that you do this, but all the self help
books are wrong.
The aspirational go to networking
parties in order to network, to get to
120
ISSUE 06
know complete strangers with big

connections. Because apparently
who you know makes all the
difference. It is not nice to see people
the coattail capitalists hovering
around rooms of influence looking for
the most important person to speak
to and ignoring those that they deem
less worthy.
When he/she speaks to this very
important person, they put on their
best mask and they deliver their best
speech, and they flutter their very
best eye-lashes. Then they do their
utmost to intercourse with business
cards in the hope that the link will
be the catalyst to their illusive break.
Networking parties dont work for
me. They are too contrived. They
tell you from the off that someone is
out for what they can get, and they
are looking for the most important

person in the room to help them get
it. Which also tells you something
else; they are judging who they think
is the most important person in the
room, the most powerful.
Anyone that knows anything will
tell you that no one knows who the
most important person in the room
is. And the very act of looking for
the top guy is the very thing that will
insure you dont find him. The most
important person is usually the one
that seems least important, and he
will be introduced to you not by the
party host but by a serendipity that
is so precise and so detailed that
you will only be able to make sense
of it afterwards when you join the
dots. Carl Jung called this beautiful
orchestration synchronicity; when
ail
.
m
$
i
IN THE WORLD.
CE INSTRUCTORS
EN
EF
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NE OF THE BEST
IS NOW
COGNISED AS O
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IS
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THE PLANET, HE
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GEOFF TH
CL
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DOORS OF SOM
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AFTER A DECADE
OR OF 40 BOOKS
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CLUBBED.
A BAFTA
OR MOTION FILM
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IN THIS ISSUE O
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HA
THAN W
E ROOM.
T PERSON IN TH
MOST IMPORTAN
your intent is certain the universe

conspires to bring the right people
together at the right time and under
the most perfect of conditions.
A good example is how I won a
BAFTA award:
I did a book signing in Manchester
some years ago. It was well attended
and there were many wealthy and (so
called) powerful people in the room.
I could have swapped cards, I could
have networked, and I could have
schmoozed the night away.
I didnt.
What I did do, what I always do on
occasions such as this, is I kept my
intuition on high alert: I was looking
for the person I was there to serve.
I believe that when Im placed in

front of people, there is always one
soul there that I am meant to meet
and help. And in return (though it will
never usually be obvious how, when
or even why) they will help me. And
they are usually the most unlikely
person in the room.
This is what I like to call divine
networking.
If I am vigilant the universe will nudge
me, it will direct me towards the one
and only person that I am meant
to meet at that hour on that day in
that city or country. And where it
leads is always miraculous. On this
occasion surrounded by the names
and the faces of Manchester I was
approached by a lovely, slightly shy
young man called Ben Carlish.
I BELIEVE
THAT WHEN
IM PLACED
IN FRONT
OF PEOPLE,
THERE IS
ALWAYS ONE
SOUL THERE
THAT I AM
MEANT TO
MEET AND
HELP.
ISSUE 06
He was stacking shelves at

Waterstones to subsidise his life whilst
trying to make it as a professional
writer. He asked me whether I
would meet him after the talk for an
interview, which he intended to write
up and sell, hopefully to the Big Issue
magazine. At the time I was on a 32
city tour promoting my latest book,
visiting some 60 shops all around
the UK, so I was buried up to my
receding hair-line in busy. I felt the
need to meet him. I could not really
articulate why, only that the intuition
was strong. I really felt something
with this lad, and as difficult as it
was I had to find time to meet him
and help.
Eventually, within about two weeks, I
arranged to meet Ben in neighbouring
Huddersfield, where I was doing
another signing. I thought it would
be nice to dove-tail his interview with
my event; I was sure I could find an
hour before or after the talk to do an
interview. As it turned out I ended
up spending the afternoon with Ben
and we had a great time (and he
eventually did sell the interview to
the Big Issue). After the meeting we
said goodbye and didnt think about
it again. Not even for a second.
This is a very important aspect of
divine networking; you never try and
second guess why your intuition is
directing you to a certain person,
and you never deliberately try to
manipulate the occasion to your own
ends. You first ask yourself what it is
you can do for this person, with no
thoughts of recompense or reward.
And you discipline yourself never
to think whats in this for me? The
moment you place your own interests
before the needs of the person you
have been divinely introduced to, you
change the dynamic. It is not longer
divine, it is contrived.
Two weeks after doing the interview
with Ben I received a surprise phone
call from a lady called Natasha
Carlish. Bens sister. She introduced
herself as a film producer, specialising
in documentary. She was delighted
that I had looked after her brother
and wondered if Id like to meet for a
122
ISSUE 06
coffee and a chat.

I met her the following week in
Birmingham, with her director friend
Michael and they said theyd love
to make a documentary about my
life. As it turned out they never did
sell the documentary idea, but I did
write a short film for them. They were
just getting into drama themselves
and wanted to collaborate with me.
The film was called Bouncer and
it starred Ray Winston. It was very
successful; it won lots of awards
(including a BAFTA nomination) and
was screened in 32 international
festivals.
We followed Bouncer with a second
short called Brown Paper Bag,
which went on to win the BAFTA the
following year. That one film enabled
me to get a feature made (Clubbed
West End premier, BIFFA nominated)
and has led the way to all the other
features and shorts that I currently
working on.
All from an hour spent with a shelf
stacker at Waterstones who needed
my help.
That is divine networking at its best. It
would have been impossible for me
to know walking into Waterstones
that the most important person in
the room, the most powerful person
in the world on that night was the kid
staking shelves, a young man who
had no idea he was important or
powerful. In conventional networking
Ben would likely have been bypassed for someone with a posh
business card. In the divine economy
the profit (or prophet) is always
hidden in the meek.
I personally love people of all races
and from every class. I have dined
with kings and queens and drank
builders tea with the common man.
I have seen God in the eyes of the
underclass, and I have watched rich
men and women lock themselves in
palatial prisons, and call themselves
free. I love cultural diversity; most
of my poetry is inspired by the light
spilling out of the fractured and the
violent. So I find divine networking
easy. But many people I meet are so
busy looking for powerful influence

that they miss a dozen opportunities
every day of their life to divinely
connect.
I have trained myself to listen to
intuition (the voice of God) and then
act on that intuition using my finely
honed will (the hand of God). Twenty
years ago a stranger emailed me
from Australia to say how much he
liked my book (Watch My Back). His
name was John B Will. I didnt know
at the time (neither did he) that he was
destined to become one of the most
influential martial artists in the world.
I didnt know either that hed be the
man who, many years later, would
introduce my work to the legendary
Chuck Norris, who subsequently
invited me to Las Vegas USA to teach
for him. Chuck Norris put me on the
world stage with his invitation. But his
invitation would not have happened if
Id not written back to a stranger from
down under. Even better than that, I
later became firm friends with John,
he has enriched my life, and we now
meet thrice yearly in coomb Abby
Coventry to walk and talk.
CHUCK
NORRIS
PUT ME ON
THE WORLD
STAGE. BUT
IT WOULD
NOT HAVE
HAPPENED
IF ID NOT
WRITTEN
BACK TO A
STRANGER
FROM DOWN
UNDER.
It is not who you know that counts.

It is who you are.
It is what you do.
And who you are/what you do
determines who you know.
In my early career I stood on coattails,
thinking this was the way. I mingled
with the great and the good, believing
that my success relied up on it. And I
often sold, if not my soul, certainly my
integrity, to mould myself (chameleon
like) to the industry mores. I always
came away feeling imprisoned and
cheap. My wife (sage that she is)
advised me not to try and meet
with people of influence, rather she
suggested that I produce work that
is so startling and so beautiful and so
affecting that the people of influence
would beat a path to my door, or the
universe would contrive to place us in
the same room at the same time for a
divine collaboration. This method has
been supremely successful for me.
By being the right person (the only
person I can authentically be, myself)
I meet the right people, in the right
place and at the right time. When you
are not yourself and you meet people
of influence, at some level they know
that you are wearing a mask, and so
the collaboration is destined to fail.
It is the feelings that I look for. It is the
feelings that are true.
Another example (one of many):
Last year I met two men on one of
my walk events (Jon and Eddie).
There was something about them
that really stuck with me. Even
though I knew very little about them,
I knew that wed end up working
together, although I was not sure
when or how or on what project. My
prophecy came true sooner that I
imagined. This year Jon and Eddie
financed and produced my latest film
(Counting Backwards), and I have
become partners in a film production
company with them.
Some years ago I was contacted by
two young lads (the Shammasian
brothers). They were new to the film
industry, they had no money but
they wanted to meet me and make

a documentary about my philosophy
(Know Fear). When we met I felt the
same intuition. There was something
special about them that I could not
quite articulate, and I had no idea
where it would go only that I had the
feeling and decided to follow it.
They were ambitious but broke, they
were thinking very big (Hollywood
and beyond) even though they did
not (at the time) have any work to
back up their ambitions. I stayed with
the feelings and some years later we
worked together; I wrote a film for
them (Romans 12:20) that went on to
win international acclaim; the film was
so successful that the Shammasians
got a Hollywood agent off the back
of it.
We are now working on two optioned
feature films together. All my best
introductions happen this way. And
always, without exception it was the
people that seemed least influential
that held the most sway. Usually,
when you meet the right people,
even they dont know how much
they are about to affect your life. And
that is why it is so powerful.
So I rarely go out and hunt for powerful
people, I just open my intuition and
await the divine introduction.
This doesnt mean that you should
not reach out to the people you want
to work with, it doesnt mean that you
should never attend a networking
party in and off themselves these
things are fine. But they will not make
the difference if it is not ordained.
Who you know means nothing at all,
it is who you are that is important.
I have people around me right now
that I love, but I cant help them move
forward in their careers because they
have not yet made themselves ready.
When they have made themselves
ready, they wont need me, there will
be so many influential people trying
to help them, theyll be beating them
off with a stick.
It is what you do, it is who you are
that will change your world, not who

you know.
When we made Brown Paper Bag,
we had no money and no influence,
all we had was an amazing script and
an amazing team and a will to make
the film. We eventually put the film
together on a shoe-string; 3400 to
be precise. And we were competing
with films that had 100,000 to play
with and the backing of Film4 and the
Film Council. We still swept the board
at the festivals. And film companies
were eager to meet us all.
I was recently at a meeting with
Film4 about a project I was working
on and they told me that theyd just
commissioned a feature film by a
new director on the strength of a two
minute short hed shot on his iPhone.
It was not money that got him the
job, neither was it who he knew (he
knew no one). Rather it was what he
did. It was who he was.
The problem with waiting for influence
and relying on contacts is that you put
all your power in the hands of other
people. You become emasculated
as an artist. If however you take the
power back, and rely on yourself, on
your will, on your developing ability,
you are much more likely to meet the
people you need to meet, when you
need to meet them.
If things havent tipped for you yet it
is not because you do not have the
money or the contacts, it is because
you need to do a little more work,
stretch a tad further, take the risks
that others are not taking. Forget
about who you need to know and
concentrate solely on who you need
to be.
Dont be yet another coattail
capitalist, relying on the momentum
and influence of others. When you
coattail you always end up being
taken in the wrong direction. Instead,
get busy making yourself and your
work irresistible.
When you become who you need to
become, you will automatically know
who you need to know. Be well.

ISSUE 06
REAL POWER COMES FROM KNOWLEDGE
WORDS: MCM
SCOTT BAKER SPENT HIS EARLY FILM CAREER WORKING

WITH MOOG, AND GRAPHICS GURU IRONGAV - TRAVELING
THE COUNTRY DOING VIDEOS ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM
TROUT FARMS TO TRAMS.
WHILE MARTY AND MOOG WERE USING A HANDY CAM ON
THE DRIVEWAY, SCOTT WENT ON TO WORK ON HOLLYWOOD
FILMS SUCH AS THE HOBBIT. (YEAH RUB IT IN WHY DONT
YOU)
HAVING NOW DIRECTED HIS CREATIVE JUICES INTO
WRITING, SCOTT IS RELEASING HIS DEBUT NOVEL, THE
RULE OF KNOWLEDGE. IN THIS ISSUE WE CATCH UP WITH
THE AUTHOR AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIS BOOK, PLUS
GET SOME TIPS ON WHATS INVOLVED IN WRITING AND
RELEASING A BOOK - YOU KNOW A REAL ONE WITH PAGES
AND EVERYTHING.
MCM=Mighty Car Mods / SB= Scott Baker

124
ISSUE 06
MCM: OK before we even begin, please dont tell us youre

still driving an Excel?
SB: When people ask for my address, I often give them my

rego - I live in my car. I travel between Canberra and Sydney
weekly and use my trusty Hyundai Excel to do it! Its not the
sexiest beast on the road, but its reliable and its lack of power
steering keeps me in shape!
MCM: So your new book,The Rule of Knowledge, whats it

all about?
SB: The Rule of Knowledge is like a high octane rally ride with a few boosts of NOS in there! The book travels fast from
page one, and the line Shaun Strickland was breaking the
speed limit, and not just by a little, nearly double - the pace
doesnt let up. I like to keep people reading, keep it moving. I
say its like a rally because it takes a little brainpower with the
navigation - it keeps you thinking, guessing and moving into
unseen territory.
MCM: Who or what keeps the plot moving so fastin The

Rule of Knowledge?
SB: The plot takes off with a car accident. Something surges
from the bushes and Shaun Stricklands SUV slams hard into
it. The something turns out to be a someone - and theyre
carrying an ancient diary, written in perfect English, which
predicts the exact moment at which Shaun found it. From
this moment, a non-stop action thrill ride forces Shaun to
uncover the secret of the diary before he is killed by those
who want the secret for themselves.
Shaun learns about the life of Saul the gladiator, and the covert
mission he must undertake to save the modern world as we
know it. The lives of millions hang in the balance as Shaun
struggles to stay alive long enough to solve a mystery that
leads to a mind-bending revelation. The Rule of Knowledge
examines the nature of free will and will challenge the notion
of cause and effect. Its like a cross between Indiana Jones
and Back to the Future.
MCM: What was the best thing about writingThe Rule of

Knowledge?
SB: The best thing about writing The Rule of Knowledge

was watching the movie in my head - living every moment
as it played out. Seriously, it was like an action film that was
there every time I closed my eyes! Also, taking revenge on
every one who has ever screwed me over with not-so-subtle
character references. Just joking. Or am I?..
MCM: Youve worked on several Hollywood feature films,

most recently The Hobbit. How has this background
influenced the way you wroteThe Rule of Knowledge?
SB: I have just come back from a year working on THE

HOBBIT trilogy in New Zealand. It was an amazing experience
- I had a lot of the dwarves reading early versions of the book!
I think the experience of working on film sets has influence
how I created the action in my book. It is all very plausible, but
very cinematic. The thing I hear most often from my readers is
Its like a movie. Its an awesome complement.
MCM: How soon can we expect to see The Rule of

Knowledgein cinemas?
SB: HA! I cant wait! Im making a cinema trailer for the book
so it looks like theres a film at the very least. Youll see the
movie as soon as someone wants to give me some money to
make it or buy the option to the book!
MCM: Tell us about some of the unusual aspects about this

book? Weve heard there are secret chapters?
SB: Yes! The book is very fast paced - but I wanted to

add something more - some more detail and some extra
information to some of the passageslike how time travel
works. I didnt want to slow the pace of the book down
though, so I opted to have bonus chapters on the website,
so people who wanted to read them could, but people who
wanted to keep the ride going, could just keep going!
MCM: What advice would you offer to aspiring authors?
SB: Make sure you get good at what you do - then exercise
persistence most authors I know get rejected a hundred
(yes a real hundred) times before they get a yes! And then
some. So keep going. Even when they tell you that youre
crazy to do it. Its the persistence that gets you over the line.
MCM: Finish this sentence: The road to literary success

is
SB: .full of sign posts that point the wrong way, make you
do a U-turn, and put you in the path of oncoming traffic - but
if you just keep driving, you end up at your destination!
MCM: If your book,The Rule of Knowledgewas a car, what

sort of car would it be?
SB: Well, a 1983 DMC Delorean of course! Hitting 88 mph!

To pick up a copy of Scotts book, visit:
www.ruleofknowledge.com

ISSUE 06
heave
hell
HEAVEN & HELL: THE GOOD, BAD AND DOWNRIGHT DREADFUL OF JAPANESE CUISINE
WORDS: STEVE KING / FUNSTER440
PHOTOS: STEVE KING / YUKA KING / YOHSUKE HAGIYA
The good, bad and downright
126
ISSUE06
en &
dreadful of Japanese cuisine.
IN THE LAST PART OF THIS
ARTICLE I TOOK YOU ON A
SIMPLE
YET
DELECTABLE
JOURNEY TO THE CULINARY
HEAVEN
THAT
CAN
BE
JAPANESE FOOD.
BUT JUST AS T IS ALWAYS
AN EVIL ARCH NEMESIS TO
THE HERO OF ANY MOVIE, SO
THERE IS A DARK, DOWNRIGHT
REVOLTING SIDE TO THE
WORLD OF JAPANESE FOOD.

ISSUE 06
culinary
hell
BEING
here for some 16-odd years, Ive had a

pretty good chance, often unwillingly,
to sample some of the weirder areas of Japanese cuisine.
Sickly sweet bean pastes, pickled plums, fish gonads
and even turtles blood are just a few of the weird and
bizarre dishes I have been offered by cheekily grinning
Japanese friends.
culinary hell
uni (Sea urchin)

Actually quite a common sushi topping,
sea urchin is definitely an acquired
taste. Sea urchins are the small, brown
spikey things that stick to rocks in the
sea, and in my opinion, thats where
they should be left.
Im sure it wouldnt be too pleasant to
stand on one with bare feet, but neither
is it pleasant to dine on one either. Im
too sure which bit the of the urchin is
actually slopped onto the top of sushi
rice to make this delicacy, but again,
anything that has the same color as
feces, well, you have to wonder
The only time I have actually tried
sea urchin was when I first arrived in
Japan. My boss had taken me out
to his favourite local Izakaya, where I
was politely trying to nibble food that
I could at least identify, avoid getting
completely plastered too soon on
the crackingly good sake he was
pouring, and desperately trying to hold
a conversation by feverishly flicking
128
ISSUE 06
through my rapidly wearing English/

Japanese dictionary.
I dont remember the flavour of the sea
urchin he had me try as much as I do
my panicked expression, the sudden
cold sweat on the back of my neck and
my rebellious throat muscles suddenly
contracting as if to say like hell thats
gonna make it to your stomach!.
I had the choice of either bolting to
the Gents to eject the said item into
whatever receptacle was free at that
moment, or attempt to swallow it
and risk a far larger and more public
rejection a few moments later. I chose
the former, much to the shock of my
boss and the restaurant owner. I was
devastated to later find out that sea
urchin was actually one of the local
delicacies, and the Izakaya owner took
great pride in his sea urchin, claiming
it to be best in the area. Oops. Sorry
mate.
I DONT
REMEMBER
THE FLAVOUR
OF THE SEA
URCHIN HE
HAD ME TRY,
AS MUCH
AS I DO MY
PANICKED
EXPRESSION,
THE SUDDEN
COLD SWEAT
ON THE BACK
OF MY NECK
AND MY
REBELLIOUS
THROAT
MUSCLES
SUDDENLY
CONTRACTING
AS IF TO
SAY LIKE
HELL THATS
GONNA MAKE
IT TO YOUR
STOMACH!.
Even after all this time, Japanese peoples attitudes

to food remains somewhat of a mystery to me to be
honest. On the one hand they are capable of the most
spectacular presentation, a real feast for the eyes, and
an attention to detail and delicacy in texture and flavour
that a French cuisine chef could only dream of. Yet the
same race of people will gladly chow down on things
that could quite honestly give me nightmares.
At the end of the day I suppose food is all about personal

taste, but for me the following selection of Japanese
foods almost put me off eating for good.

ISSUE 06
culinary hell
natto
Imagine, if you will, a food that
is the same colour as poo, smells
rather a lot like poo, and generates
long sticky strings of stinky gooiness
when mixed and picked up using
chopsticks. Welcome to the dreadful
world of healthy natto.
A firm staple of the Japanese diet, natto
is simply fermented soybeans that
are often eaten with rice for breakfast,
or rolled in a simple natto sushi roll.
Japanese people simply love to rattle
on about how wonderful and healthy
natto is, how it helps your morning
movements and is packed full of
various types of vitamins, etc. But
considering the way this stuff looks
and smells, I think you should just cut
out the middleman and lob it straight
down the toilet.
Its quite a common trick of friendly
Japanese people to order some of
130
ISSUE06
this stuff in Izakayas and watch in

glee as the western visitor squirms
over even the thought of eating this
stuff. I myself actually considered
getting a bowl for Marty and Moog to
try on one of their shoots in Japan,
but I just couldnt bring myself to put
them through it. Maybe Im getting
soft in my old age.
CONSIDERING
THE WAY THIS
STUFF LOOKS
AND SMELLS,
I THINK YOU
SHOULD JUST
CUT OUT THE
MIDDLEMAN
AND LOB IT
STRAIGHT
DOWN THE
TOILET.
culinary hell
Shiokara (Squid Offal)

Shiokara simply means salty in
English. Hmm. An interesting name
you might think? Not when you actually
see what this stuff is. Looks-wise,
well, imagine a bowl full of fat, soggy
earthworms delectably sauted in milk.
Commonly lumped on top of rice and
eaten for breakfast, Shiokara is by far
one of the aesthetically worst foods.
Ever.
In the history of food.
Quite simply, the guts of a squid that
have been fermented for a while in salt,
malted rice, and probably the sweat
from a sumo wrestlers bum crack, this
is one of those challenges that one
should never even consider rising to.
Not even if a million (s)quid is at stake.
QUITE SIMPLY,
THE GUTS OF
A SQUID THAT
HAVE BEEN
FERMENTED
FOR A WHILE IN
SALT, MALTED
RICE, AND
PROBABLY
THE SWEAT
FROM A SUMO
WRESTLERS
BUM CRACK
ISSUE 06
culinary hell
whale
I realise there is a big uproar in the media
now about Japanese whaling, with all
kinds of media attention and political
activism never far from the TV screen.
But I never really understood why the
Japanese would be so adamant in
continuing to whale. After all, as far as
food is concerned, whale meat is about
the worst kind of meat you could ever
had.
I have only ever had the utter misfortune
of eating whale once, and it was
certainly not by choice. When I first
arrived in Japan I lived in a tiny fishing
village at the far east of Hokkaido
called Rausu. A small fishing town
of just 7000 people, it was my job to
travel to the four elementary and junior
high schools in the immediate area to
teach the kids English and help in the
internationalization of the schools.
So every day it was part of my job to sit
and eat the school lunch with the kids.
There is no choice for school lunches
in Japan, you get what you are given,
and both teachers and families have a
very strong sense of teaching children
that nothing should be wasted and
its wrong to have likes and dislikes for
food.
On one fateful day, for some bizarre
reason the school chef had decided
that for a special treat, we would be
dining on whale for lunch. The tasty
morsels of whale meat had been
stewed, presumably for a few months
or so by the looks of things, and kind
of resembled what I could only imagine
pickled cat turds to look like as they were
slopped onto a plastic white elementary
132
ISSUE 06
school luncheon tray, accompanied by

a bowl of white rice, a couple of pieces
of broccoli and a seafood soup that
I discovered later contained a large
amount of sliced jellyfish (but thats a
story for another day).
Now, the word blubber is often used
in conjunction with whales, and I can
now understand why. If youve ever
accidentally sliced off the gristly, fatty
part of a steak and spent the next ten
minutes trying to chew it as opposed
to spit it out in front of polite company,
then youll probably have some idea of
the general texture of whale meat. But
unfortunately whale meat doesnt have
the saving graces of the flavour of a
good steak to help it go down. No. It
has a really thick, overpowering fatty
flavour and odour that has all the grace
and delicacy of a fart under the duvet
on a cold winters night.
I knew I was risking shaking the very
foundations of Japanese tradition and
education by daring to go against the
grain and eject a piece of the offending
whale into a tissue, but sometimes
you have to draw the line and play the
Englishman abroad card for the same
of sanity, and digestion. My portion
didnt go to waste though, I hear it came
in particularly handy that evening by the
kids in the squash club when someone
forgot to bring the squash balls.
BUT UN
FORTUNATELY
WHALE MEAT
DOESNT
HAVE THE
SAVING
GRACES OF
THE FLAVOUR
OF A GOOD
STEAK TO
HELP IT GO
DOWN.
NO.
IT HAS A
REALLY
THICK, OVER
-POWERING
FATTY
FLAVOUR AND
ODOUR THAT
HAS ALL THE
GRACE AND
DELICACY OF
A FART
UNDER THE
DUVET ON
A COLD
WINTERS
NIGHT.

ISSUE 06
THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD
WORDS: IRONGAV
IT IS
referred to as the Natural Order of things,

cream rises to the top, only the strongest
will survive and the alpha predator has a smorgasbord of
lesser creatures to feast on. Its natural to progressively sort
through the options presented to us and put some to the
top and send some to the bottom. So, its wholly natural
that when we think about cars, you cant help but abide by
the natural order of things and try to decipher which car is
indeed the best. However, with something as diverse and
personal as the car, something has changed and evolved
over many years, and its seeped into many niche styles
and uses, isnt so easy to classify.
On a purely top trumps level, we can compare the numbers
to establish which car is best; most expensive, fastest top
speed, fastest 0-100 km/hr acceleration, most horsepower,
best power to weight ratio, etc. Easy right? Well, from a
purely numbers perspective, I think wed be able to name
an F1 car the best car, but its not, is it? Why? Well, you
need a whole team of engineers just to get it started, and
you basically have to keep the thing going really really fast in
order for it to have enough down force to stick to the road.
IF YOU HAD NO RESTRICTIONS,

NO LIMITS OF FINANCE, AND
UNLIMITED RESIDENCES WITH
ACCESS TO ANY ROAD IN THE
WORLD, WHAT IS THE BEST CAR
YOU CAN GET?
These couple of things kind of negate it as what you would

term, an every day car (unless of course your every day
is trying to win F1 races) but I think the main point is, whilst
an F1 car will top all the numbers categories, it would really
only be THE BEST car for a handful of people who happen
to drive for, or manage F1 teams. Therefore the general
consensus would be AGAINST the car that wins most of
the numbers game as being the best car. So, from this it is
quite clear that the numbers do in fact lie, that THE BEST
car is in fact made up of other more emotional factors. This
tends to lean towards more personal tastes, and because
of this, the task of picking THE BEST car just got a whole
lot more difficult, as it seems that it will now come down
to trying to average out everyones personal tastes, not an
easy thing to do.
My personal experience in trying to get THE BEST car
happened quite recently. I had always quested for a
Porsche 911 with its the iconic shape, the racing pedigree,
the utter German-ness of it, the metaphorical middle finger
it stuck up at so called superiors at work who had car
spaces when I didnt (parking disrespect cuts deep). I
had an Audi S3 at the time I was trying to magically move a
bunch of numbers around in order to fool Porsche finance
that I was one of the elite allowed to own one of their cars.
Too many people thought the Audi S3 was the best car, it
was just like their VW Golfs only a hell of a lot faster with
nicer air vents and stuff.
However the 911 was always going to be better in every
way; the looks, the drive, the quality and the speed. It
is here that I have to bring the financial factor into the
equation. The only category the S3 was better than the
911 in was the amount of cash that disappeared from my
account each month.
Now purely from the perspective of taking out the financial
factor, it is a much clearer picture as to which car is best.
However yes, the argument of Its too expensive so I cant
buy it, therefore it doesnt count is fairly sound, but lets
face it, how many multi-millionaires are off to collect their
134
ISSUE 06
new Toyota Yaris as I write this? These high net worth

individuals have a choice of any car(s) on the planet,
so naturally they tend to have a go of a lot of cars and
determine for themselves which one is best, and well yeah,
it usually tends to be something over $200,000 worth...
ANYWAY I digress.
I had a 911 and it was awesome, but thoughts in my
head, the natural order of things started getting bored
with the 911s awesomeness and started whispering in my
ear, things like, Well, this 911 is great, you know, if youre
happy to be pretty good, but its not THE BEST 911 is it,
you know its not.. Dont you? You big poser.
According to a number of factors, this little voice was right,
there was indeed a better 911 that my one, the GT3, the
ultimate drivers car which is just like my car, if it turned
into a psychotic monster. The GT3 was faster, looked better
and was more expensive, it was also more exclusive
meaning that you wouldnt see another one on the road
whenever you wanted to tail one, so youd be frustratingly
stuck behind all lesser forms of transport.
As someone who does indeed cringe at the vast amount
of neutered 911s out there with their automatic PDK
transmission boxes driven by silver foxes (side note: my
stance on Porsches has always been PDK is great for lap
times, something not overly important on public roads,
but a manual lets you properly drive the thing which is
what separates it from other cars, thus I feel the auto box
neuters the 911 somewhat) the GT3 is the most extreme
manifestation of that attitude, its the Porsche that other
Porsche drivers bow down to, because you know, theyre
not hard core enough to handle its awesomeness. The
GT3 in my opinion was THE BEST car.
4 months later and I was starting to change my mind. The
GT3 was the BEST CAR ever at accelerating from first to
second gears, the noise and pace was phenomenal For
the whole 2 seconds you could legally use it. The other
99% of time spent on the road was spent sitting behind
lesser cars watching the petrol gauge needle move faster
than the speed counter needle, and then cringing at every
speed bump and/or pot hole that would rip into the bercool, low riding body kit.
The GT3 was best at going really, really fast, looking cool
and getting some amazed stares from people around the
place. It was terrible at being comfortable, practical, fuel
efficient and possibly most importantly, feeling like it was
worth the retail price of $310,000 new when you were
sitting in it.
In order to excel to such extremes in the first categories,
it had to let the other categories slide, categories that are
only really missed once theyre gone. My supposed BEST
CAR had turned out to be nothing of the sort, and with a
determined mindset, I drove the GT3 into the dealership
and flat out committed Porsche blasphemy by swapping
Porsches ultimate drivers car, for a diesel 4WD. I now have
a Cayenne S turbo diesel for about half the price of the
GT3, and yes, whilst it doesnt offer the driving precision
or ridiculous acceleration of the GT3, nor does it have that
special kind of kudos you get by owning something as

obscene and expensive as the stripped out racing monster
(but that kudos still didnt get me a parking spot at work,
so what good was it anyway!?), it smashes it in every other
category and heck, its still not slow thats for sure! I can
fit 5 people, I have ALL the options and I can go 890 kms
on one tank of fuel. It feels like a million bucks when youre
sitting in traffic, which when youre in Sydney, is a lot of
the time. I even got the red callipers AND seat belts for
an extra 35 KW. My natural order voice was telling me Id
made a huge mistake, but every other voice was saying
well played sir, well played.
Cars are one of the more uniquely personal things we
acquire through our collection of stuff. Whilst there can
be an argument that the best things in life are free and
non-material, the same can be said that owning a sweet
ride can be a rewarding and gratifying experience none the
less. However, because of the natural order, does owning
a Mitsubishi Evo put you higher in the packing order
than someone with a Subaru WRX? If the car you drive
is a personal choice of yours, and someone has chosen
a better car, does that make them better than you? I
personally think that the story and relevance is everything
when it comes to possessions, and especially cars. So
someone may have a wonderful brand new expensive car,
but their story to get there was; I had a lot of money, so I
got this car because it cost a lot whilst someone else may
have a story behind their car that; They travelled 4000kms
and bought it off a guy who was mining opals and then on
the drive back they met a hot German backpacker and
lived happily ever after. The second car in those examples
will hold so much more relevance to its owner than the
emotionless purchase of the first example, and therefore it
will fulfil its function and purpose to its owner better than
the expensive car with no real back story and context.
Cars can be thought of from the perspective of just another
thing to buy, a materialistic status symbol, an instant
genital enlargement accessory or a flashy sign that you
earn more and therefore have a greater value to society
than your fellow citizens. Yes, a car can be thought of in
those terms, but there are other perspectives to consider.
Consider the designer who has been waiting his whole
career to finally design a car, the chance arises and the car
is designed and produced from the designers perspective.
The car produced shows a progression of their lifes story,
a meaningful event that has moved them through life from
one point in time to another.
How about something like the TRD Laser? It was potentially
the WORST car ever, but its function was to bring the MCM
crew together and enjoy the creation of that monstrosity,
a function that it performed wonderfully. So it seems that
there may not be an overall penultimate BEST CAR that
can universally be hailed as such. The BEST CAR it seems
is the car that is individually meaningful and ultimately
functional to your unique and individual requirements, the
car that ticks the most boxes for you and your individual
circumstances, and then has the emotional and relevant
back story to make it especially yours. Moog probably said
it best when he said Your car is your story, so dont let
someone else write it for you - so why wouldnt you write
that your own car is the BEST. IN THE WORLD.
ISSUE 06

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jdm cars of the 20th century!

Feature cars from 70s 80s and 90s!

battle of the bytes

For Maximum Digital magazine awesomeness, be sure to set your PDF

Battle of the Bytes

20th Century Classics

Heaven and Hell

MOOG: WRANGLING WITH A WRANGLER

QUICK CAR PROFILE: DAIHATSU CHARADE

JARA STOJANOVIC / MILKCHICKEN

BEN NEAL / MECHANICAL STIG

VINCENT TANNAHIL / MAUSWERKS

Vincent is a photographer, former aircraft mechanic, mechatronics

DANIEL IRWIN / FACEPLANT

Daniel is MCMs resident drift nut as well as a mechanic by trade. His

Art Direction & Design

MIGHTY CAR MODS IS..

Moddius Expertus Presentusius

Undercover Soccer Mum

ISSUE06. REGULAR COLUMNISTS

Writer and Photographer on How to: Survive Car Electronics on Page 98

Writer and Photographer on The White Hell on Page 22

ROBERT READ / BEAST260

Co-Writer on Battle of the Bytes on Page 16

MARK TUOHY / TOOZA

Writer and Photograper on Life as an MCM Event Organiser on Page 42

Do you have a story for MCM Magazine?

WRANGLING WITH A WRANGLER

a short period of time I couldnt think of anything

A Jeep can get past any obstacle in its way,

So I drove around for a while and tried to get used to driving

I remember when he arrived and I saw it. I was like Whoa.

One weekend I was heading up the coast, so I packed my

Well, OK lets be honest, it was so far from what Id imagined,

ideal version of how I would be if I bought a Jeep, carefree

Whenever Im considering buying a car these

I wanted a small car. Something that would use no fuel.

The rubbish audio system did nothing to comfort the sensation

Id recently met this guy at a recording studio called Marty.

So seriously what the hell happened? Like a lot of people,

connected world becomes more and

Thanks Oscar. Were glad youre loving

We had great results with the Chiptorque

Were keen to do some meets all over the

JUST WANNA GO FASTER

Youre in luck. Check out issue #4 which

SLOPPY HOLDEN SUSPENSION

Well be covering bushings in an upcoming

Wow, so many ladies we can barely see

MOOGS MUSIC MATTERS

As long as they are your own personal

Better yet, watch the videos then try some

NEW COMMODORE FOR 2016

Holden fans are buzzing with the news that there

KINETIC ENERGY RECOVERY... SUSPENSION?

In what has been touted as a world first, ZF

In MCM news, the boys have recently welcomed

A man in Sydneys west has been ordered to pull his

MARTY AND MOOG ATTEMPT TO SUPERCHARGE THEIR CHARADE

1990 DAIHATSU CHARADE

1L 3cyl or 1.3L 4cyl

THE BATTLE OF THE BYTES

WORDS: JARA STOJANOVIC / MILKCHICKEN & ROBERT READ / BEAST260