Maxxd.com

Tag: Cars

  • BAGGED AUDI R8: PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

    Exotic, rapid, and mind-warpingly creative, Jordan Clarke’s bagged Audi R8 Mk1 is smokin’ hot…

    Fast Car. Words: Joe Partridge. Photos: Harry Hartland

    The Pineapple Express is a jet stream that flows from the Hawaiian Islands across to the Pacific coast of the United States, its fusion of warm rain and low ground temperatures resulting in some pretty freaky weather. It’s also the name of a weapons-grade strain of sticky hyper-ganj that lent its moniker to a slacker movie about mind-altering infumations; a movie which contains possibly the only Hollywood line to make a Daewoo sound cool or edgy: “You just got killed by a Daewoo Lanos, motherf*cker!”.

    If we smoosh together the key elements of this admittedly quite esoteric introduction, it starts to resemble something akin to a bright green Audi R8: jet streams, unexpected conditions, mind-warping visuals… and, somewhat improbably, even the Lanos is instrumental. How so? Well, we’d better ask Jordan Clarke – he’s the man holding the keys to the story as well as to the bagged Audi R8.

    “My first car was a Daewoo Lanos,” he admits, as the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle begin to tumble into place. “I’ll be honest, my previous car history isn’t great. After a couple of weeks with the Daewoo, I wrapped it around a tree…”

    Bagged Audi R8

    Best thing for it, probably. But things didn’t get much better in the immediate aftermath: “I bought a Mk3 Golf next – that broke,” he continues, totally poker-faced. “Then it was a Mk4 Golf which I absolutely loved… but then sold. Next up was my absolute dream Fiat Punto Grande, an Abarth replica that was all blacked out, and that blew up after two days resulting in me losing all my money. Due to the skintness caused by that, it was back to a £300 burgundy Toyota Corolla that I ‘drifted’ in the snow, ripped off the rear bumper and bent the rear wheel so was running a spacer-saver – a really good look. I then moved onto my EP2 Civic, my first ever properly modded ride, and the car I subsequently started SlammedUK with.”

    That’s right, we’re looking at a mighty oak that’s grown and blossomed from a slightly crap little acorn. Following a relentlessly shaky start, Jordan’s superlative business acumen got the better of his wonky automotive luck; spying a prime niche within the UK automotive crowd, he founded a lifestyle brand focused on cool apparel and accessories as well as popular meets and shows. SlammedUK has grown into a scene colossus, by virtue of the fact that it’s run by true petrolheads – there’s no cynical marketing here, it’s all about people living the lifestyle. And as Jordan began to take the new endeavour really seriously, it was necessary to sell his beloved Civic to fund the genesis of this quirky brand – but you know what they say about karma, it always comes back around. Before too long, he was able to pick up a Mk2 MX-5 (“my favourite car ever, I love MX-5s!”) and give it the proper modding treatment. In time, the Gravity show was founded – another scene linchpin that’s grown into something massively popular and successful – and a project van was built for merch and suchlike, the ‘Slamsit’. So the next logical step was, obviously, an Audi R8.

    Bagged Audi R8

    Yep, it’s perhaps an unexpected move, but there are two principal reasons why a first-gen V8 R8 with a manual ’box is the perfect demo car for a brand like SlammedUK and a show like Gravity: first of all, it’s something desirable and aspirational that modding enthusiasts can look up to and be inspired by. And secondly, well, Jordan just really wanted one. That’s the best reason, really.

    It’s a magnificent head-and-heart choice, there’s no denying that. The R8 enjoys all of the creds of a bona fide supercar: gorgeous design that’s as much desktop wallpaper fodder as it is automobile; insane powerplant; stunning performance figures. But at the same time it’s an Audi, which means it’ll always start on cold mornings, it won’t overheat in summer jams, it’ll be faultlessly reliable, the clutch won’t catch fire if you drive it in inner-city stop-start traffic. It’s got uniform panel gaps and decent interior plastics. It genuinely is an everyday supercar. And with the launch model packing 414bhp from its 4.2-litre V8, this really is a car that ticks pretty much every conceivable box. (Unless you want to carry passengers, of course. But what would you rather have sitting behind you – a couple of ungrateful mates kicking your seat and whining about the music choices, or a dirty great V8? Exactly.)

    Bagged Audi R8

    “I have owned the car for two years now,” says Jordan. “I’ve done around 30,000 miles, and have just paid a huge maintenance bill to fit a new clutch and flywheel as well as a major service, coil packs, master cylinder, slave cylinder, plugs, filters, exhaust heat-wrap, and a few other bits by my good friend Raj at Supercar Service, totalling around £8.5k. Saying that, the car hadn’t cost me anything other than fuel, service and tyres in those 30,000 miles.”

    See? Practical. You don’t get that sort of good behaviour with a Ferrari (probably). However, as you’ve no doubt spotted from the photos, this isn’t a story about a man buying a stock R8 and driving it about a bit. This isn’t that sort of mag. Jordan’s done stuff. Cool stuff. In fact, this is probably the lairiest and most eye-catching R8 in the UK today.

    “The car was bought and designed as a marketing tool, mainly for my Gravity show,” he reasons, and if you’ve seen the kind of awesome modded cars that are on display at Gravity every year, the treatment this Audi has received will make perfect sense. First and foremost, you can’t really miss that wrap. Designed and fitted by Identity Wraps, it’s a custom flavour in TeckWrap Gloss Metallic Acid Lime, and it’s just about as in-your-face as it’s possible to get. To make the styling even more extreme, Jordan’s added a set of Prior Design sideskirts along with a splitter and spoiler from Maxton Design. Bystanders can’t really overlook the fact that those sideskirts are sitting on the ground either, as he’s done that most magnificently sacri-licious thing anyone with a sense of cheekiness can do to a supercar – he’s bagged it. Purists be damned, this is a mind-blowingly awesome setup, the modding superheroes at Intermotiv crafting a full bespoke air-ride setup for the R8, running Air Lift Performance 3P management and brutally airing out over a set of custom 20-inch OZ Futuras. These rims were fully reimagined by Wheel Unique, with staggered widths, gloss black barrels, metallic silver faces and all new hardware. The guts of this system aren’t hidden away, but instead proudly displayed in a clever three-tier boot build which features oodles of custom work involving tanks, hardlines and nifty Perspex to create something truly alluring. As a complete aesthetic package, this R8 acts like a sledgehammer to the temple.

    Now, absolutely nobody has ever climbed out of an Audi R8 and said ‘hmm, it’s not really quick enough,’ but of course more is more and these things can always be improved. With this in mind, Jordan’s seen fit to have SS Autowerks knock up a custom 3-inch straight-pipe exhaust system; the motor’s also running a Revo Stage 1 map, which elevates the peak to an amusing 440bhp.

    “As someone who drives a lot, and has driven a lot of cars, I honestly can’t fault it,” Jordan grins. “It’s the most fun and most driver-focused car that I’ve driven. Two years and 30,000 miles later it still puts a smile on my face every single time I drive it; that even surprises me as there are a lot of other cars I want to own, but I’m just not sure I’ll ever be able to get rid of this.” Well, it’s certainly a step up from a Daewoo Lanos. The mind-altering properties of the Pineapple Express have blazed up their magic once again. Who knows what freaky mysteries they’ll spirit into being next?

    Bagged Audi R8

    Tech Spec: Bagged Audi R8

    Styling:

    TeckWrap Gloss Metallic Acid Lime custom wrap designed and fitted by Identity Wraps, Prior Design sideskirts, Maxton Design splitter, Maxton Design spoiler

    Tuning:

    4.2-litre FSI V8, 6-speed manual, Revo Stage 1 map, custom SS Autowerks 3-inch straight-pipe exhaust system, 440bhp

    Chassis:

    8.5×20-inch (front) and 10×20-inch (rear) OZ Futura wheels rebuilt by Wheel Unique – with polished lips, metallic silver faces, gloss black barrels and new hardware, 12mm (front) and 25mm (rear) spacers, custom Intermotiv air suspension with Air Lift Performance 3P management

    Interior:

    Custom perforated hexagonal Alcantara/leather seat covers by SeatSkinz, custom fascia and Kenwood headunit by Car Audio Security, custom three-tier boot build with four tanks, custom painted hardlines and embossed Gravity logo Perspex floor, custom SlammedUK Audi R8 floor mats by REEFined, custom forged carbon steering wheel with colour-coded stitching by ControlCustoms

    Source

  • MODIFIED FOCUS ST MK3: DEEP IMPACT

    Some people like a show car, some like a track car, and some just want to go fast while looking good – here’s why Tom’s modified Focus ST Mk3 hits the spot.

    From Fast Ford. Photos: Mike Crawat.

    How our passion for cars began is always an interesting question. For Tom Phillips, his passion for fast cars was inherited from his father. But it was his godfather, Bob Berridge, that would ultimately strike the fire for him, having raced in Formula 3, Le Mans and Group C championships right up until 2011.

    Naturally for Tom, speed was a key element, and has taken a firm grip on his modified Focus ST Mk3.

    “I wanted to buy something new from Ford that suited my needs as well as passion,” says Tom, who struck up a love-at-first-sight relationship with his Focus ST Mk3. “I had heard about its potential and the Mk3 RS was not out yet. Walking into the showroom, I saw the Deep Impact Blue Focus ST and ended up buying that exact one.”

    The idea with this build was to create a car that looked the part but also had the performance to back up the bark when the going got tough. So, naturally, the engine needed a lot of work to get it to the right level.

    Modified Focus ST Mk3

    First came the common modifications: exhaust, intake and various hoses. Not satisfied with a mediocre jump in power, the car then went to Devil Developments for fully-forged internals to be able to handle much more. A Garrett 3071R Gen II turbo came next to hike up boost levels and subsequent torque and power. The fantastic and addictive noises of the HKS Supersequential blow-off valve are a happy by-product of the bigger blower too.

    An AEM meth injection system works in harmony with the new turbo to help keep temperatures down (and increases octane levels) so boost levels can be wound up safely. The final piece to the engine puzzle is a Cobb V3 Accessport with custom tuning by Stratified. Power now sits at a healthy 495bhp.

    In order to continue putting the power down, the obvious upgrade to the differential was the popular Quaife LSD. Other upgrades to the transmission include a US-spec uprated Mountune clutch and flywheel to help deal with the added torque.

    Thankfully this isn’t just an exercise in straight lines; the suspension has been uprated to ST-X Performance coilovers, alongside a full XR poly-bush setup. To further stiffen the body and reduce roll, a Steeda torque mount and firmer engine mounts were added to accompany the Summit upper front strut brace and anti-roll bars.

    As we mentioned, Tom likes his cars fast, but he wants to look good while doing so. The ST looks softer than an RS to the unassuming onlooker, but add in a wide-arch kit and lairy wrap, and suddenly you have a car that’s as shouty to see as it is to hear. At the front is the bumper from an RS to give it that angular, purposeful look, while the rear retains the ST bumper with central exhaust, but alongside a diffuser. Up top is the spoiler from an RS, and the front and rear lights both got a tint.

    Now to fill those arches – and fill them Tom did. All round sit Govad forged wheels, which measure a whopping 10.5x19in. To put that into perspective, the 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo uses 10in wheels… Tom’s tyre sizes are 275/30×19, which help get the power down and also look the part.

    To complete the package, Tom turned his attention to the interior, where he created an all-round show-winner. Out came the Ford infotainment system; in went a Pioneer head unit connected to an 18in sub, B2 four-channel amp and B2 mono amp. A custom boot build was created and installed by Harwood Acoustics.

    Tom isn’t done yet, though. He plans to remove the back seats and stick in a roll cage, but sadly it has gone past the stage where this car will be used on track.

    Would he have done anything differently? “In honesty I would have preferred the RS running gear, so perhaps I should have waited 18 months for its release. However, the challenge to create the power and look I have has been rewarding,” says Tom.

    When you’re in the middle of a build, it can often seem like a long way until you reach the end result, and it can leave you asking why you started in the first place.

    But if, like Tom, you see it through, you’ll end up with a car that not only goes like the clappers and looks great at any show in the UK, it has your creativity nestled into it too.

    Modified Focus ST Mk3

    Tech Spec: Modified Focus ST Mk3

    Engine:

    2.0-litre EcoBoost, Devil Developments fully-forged internals, 1000cc injectors, Garrett 3071R Gen II turbo, AEM methanol injection system, various charge pipes and aluminium replacements, HKS Supersequential blow-off valve, Cobb V3 Accessport running Stratified custom tune, custom 3.5in turbo-back valved exhaust system, Boomba manifold spacer, Boomba sound symposer delete, Mishimoto oil catch can, Pro Hoses ancillary hoses

    Power:

    495bhp (owner’s estimate)

    Transmission:

    Focus ST six-speed Getrag MMT6 gearbox, US-spec uprated Mountune clutch and uprated flywheel, Quaife LSD, Mountune quickshift with custom shifter/arm

    Suspension:

    ST-X coilovers, full XR poly-bushes throughout, Steeda torque mount and various engine mounts, Summit upper front strut brace and anti-roll bars

    Brakes:

    Front: Mk3 Focus RS four-pot Brembo callipers and 350mm ventilated discs, Ferodo pads
    Rear: Mk3 Focus RS discs and callipers, Ferodo pads

    Wheels & tyres:

    Govad G47 Street forged wheels in 10.5x19in, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 275/30R19 tyres

    Exterior:

    Fortune Flares wide-arch kit (RS front/ST rear), FRSH Customs wrap in custom Stox Autosport design,  RS front-end conversion, SS Tuning front splitter and rear diffuser, RS spoiler, tinted front and rear lights, fog light bar, Zunsport grille, Hella horns

    Interior:

    Pioneer double-DIN head unit, 18in sub and custom boot install, Harwood Acoustics custom design boot build, B2 four-channel amp and B2 mono amp, uprated Zen X battery, Sparco gearknob and gaiter, F34 Design fire extinguisher bracket, interior light upgrades

    Source

  • B18 MINI CLUBMAN: A TRIBUTE ACT

    After his equally Mini-mad brother passed away part-way through their latest project, Alec Harris decided to finish what they started and make a monster B18 Mini Clubman that would do his brother proud.

    Modifying cars is a great bonding experience. Be it with mates, your kids or another family member, having a laugh while wielding a spanner is a pastime that’s tough to beat. Alec Harris is a man who knows all about the benefits of modifying when it comes to creating quality time to remember, as he and his brother Keith spent many a happy day up to their elbows in grease whilst working on their various Mini projects over the years, including this Honda-powered B18 Mini Clubman Estate.

    “My brother Keith and I had been into Minis for a long time,” says Alec. “And I originally bought this one for us to have some fun with back in 2010.”

    The B18 Mini Clubman was completely standard back then, but has evolved significantly over the last decade into the fire-breathing monster it is today.

    B18 Mini Clubman

    But, as fun as it’s been, the journey hasn’t been an easy one for Alec, as part way through the build, Keith passed away. Hence there’s a tribute to him in the rear window. “We were using the Mini to take him back and forward to hospital for treatment,” Alec remembers. “It took me quite a while to get back into the build after we lost him.”

    The brothers were no strangers to Mini tuning, having explored the extremes of A-series turbo projects many times before.

    “Originally we were going to keep it A-series, but the cost of parts to make it reliable would’ve been astronomical,” reckons Alec. “So after a bit of man maths, we reasoned that a swap to Honda power was the best way forward.” Luckily, Alec managed to find a complete Honda Civic VTi-S with a powerful B18C VTEC engine for reasonable money, stripped it of the parts they would need and went from there.

    B18 Mini Clubman

    Work started on the Clubman with minor repairs and the panelling of the rear quarter windows, but not because they wanted a van. “It’s a spaceframe in the back and we didn’t want the frame to be visible, plus I’m quite tall so it meant I could put the seat right back, as there’s no rear seat.”

    This Mini is clearly an impressive custom build and must’ve been fun to do alongside the day job… Alec owns South Coast Vehicle Restoration in Southampton. “We do pretty much everything in-house: paint, bodywork, wiring, suspension, general mechanics, we do it all. We don’t just do restorations though; we work on new cars too, such as paint repair. We’re quite unique. I’m more into the modified stuff though, things that are unusual and a bit crazy.”

    To allow the Mini to sit low over the 7x13in Supalight alloys and sticky Nankang Sportnex AR-1 tyres, the rear arches are tubbed and the mounting points sleeved to take centrally-mounted coilovers. And there are equally complex modifications up front: “The bulkhead is modified and strengthened, and the rollcage picks up on every point of the subframe so there is no twist.” Alec says. The single-piece back ‘door’, which Alec fabricated in steel using two original Mini door frames, is bolted closed from the inside. The nearside external hinges remain but have had their external nuts removed, which is a great touch.

    B18 Mini Clubman

    When Keith passed away, the project naturally halted, as Alec took some time out of the build. However, feeling that Keith would’ve wanted to see the Mini complete, Alec eventually gained the strength to pick up the tools again and make the Mini into the kind of car that he and Keith had always dreamed of.

    “The naturally-aspirated Honda engine was great, but I needed more power,” Alec chuckles. The engine retains its standard internals but now has ID 420cc injectors, Audi R8 coil packs and a Mamba GTX28 ball-bearing turbocharger fitted to a ‘ram’s horn’ exhaust manifold. The list goes on with a TurboSmart Ultra-Gate 38 external wastegate and dump valve, intercooler and AEM water/ethanol injection and launch control, both of which are controlled by a Link G4X ECU. “A lot of people supercharge these engines, but I think turbocharging is more fun,” grins Alec. The TurboSmart external wastegate also allows the engine to run a ‘screamer’ pipe, where excess boost is vented to the unsuspecting public through an un-muffled pipe which exits the car through the nearside front wing instead of into the exhaust pipe. “I did have a cheap one but changed to the TurboSmart, which is actually quite quiet. In fact the whole car is remarkably quiet, except for the Bosch fuel pumps.”

    The exhaust is a bespoke, single back box, stainless steel 3in system that Alec fabricated himself. Both the exhaust and turbo ‘screamer’ pipe have protective plates to shield the paintwork against the pyrotechnics. Sometimes you have to compromise, and he admits the intercooler’s positioning isn’t the most efficient. “It’s the only place I had,” he laughs. The Clubman’s normally cavernous engine bay could only afford room at the front for a Honda Integra radiator and oil cooler. So to keep the charged air cool, the Clubman is fitted with water/ethanol injection. “It’s controlled by engine temperature, with the ECU initialising the pump and a control switch on the pipe, so it primes it and then injects it.” The water/ethanol bottle is mounted on the complex cage, just behind the front Cobra Imola Pro bucket seats and four-point harnesses.

    The seats themselves have been mounted to suit his height, which meant Alec also needed to make changes to the steering. “The wheel position is over toward the driver by 2in, and 6in closer, as my seat is positioned on the floor and tight back, to fit me.” The OMP steering wheel also has a B-G Racing quick-release boss. But as stripped out and racy as the Mini’s interior looks, Alec has allowed himself some creature comforts in the form of a later Mini heater and electric windows, which mount behind the aluminium door cards. “The only thing that remains original Mini is the wiper motor and the rear lights. The loom is one of the things that can really let Minis down, so pretty much all the wiring is now Honda, and is mounted behind the custom dashboard.”

    A Honda binnacle shows the basics, with the rest of the information from the Link ECU displayed on a tablet mounted above the steering wheel.

    The Honda gear lever is mounted further back in the cabin for comfort, while the tunnel is also raised and squared off; the only bit of floor that’s been changed. Other internal changes include a hybrid pedal box which is late Mini linked to a Honda master cylinder.

    Alec has achieved what he’d intended by moving away from A-series power, with the current configuration producing a reliable 350bhp+ at the front wheels. He doesn’t have any rolling road figures as he’s found live mapping to be more effective for this turbo system.

    As yet, Alec hasn’t had the Mini down the quarter mile, but he has taken it around Goodwood circuit and was really happy with how the car performed. But it’s not all about the go as, to slow things down, a set of Mini Sport billet four-pot alloy calipers and vented and grooved discs have been squeezed behind the front wheels and provide prodigious stopping power.

    The B18 Mini Clubman has not just provided a fitting tribute to his late brother, but has also given Alec a great showcase for his skills, not least his talent with a spray gun. The latest orangey-red colour, which looks amazing in direct sunlight, uses a three-stage process. “I fancied changing the colour from the previous green. The paint is a water-based MIPA three-stage with a red base and a gold Xirallic tinter which is the next one up from pearl. A lot of the new black paints have Xirallic in them.” The paint really is as vibrant as the photos show but it was not just a case of rubbing the car down and slapping on some paint, as all of the logos in the bodywork are also painted and prep-work is key. “I’d just gone over to MIPA paint for my business and it was during a training day that I decided on the Mini’s colour. It’s not one of their ‘off the shelf’ colours. A lot of reds bleed through, so I used a high-build white primer, flatted that, and then laid down the red base with the Xirallic over the top, then clear over that.”

    He then flatted the shell and painted the graphics before re-lacquering. “With three-stage, the paint is OK to match if you have a small repair, if you know what you’re doing,” he says proudly.

    Alex is considering whether to re-paint the Mini back to its earlier stealthy black look, but this vibrant colour certainly catches people’s attention and showcases his skills nicely, and after all, there’s only so much stealth you can have with that huge turbo hanging out the front! But either way, he’s sure to continue enjoying his cool Clubman. “It’s a car I use quite a lot,” he says. “In my opinion, cars are to be used and not just left in the garage to look at. In fact, I was driving it home the other night and it tried to kill me! I like cars like that wake you up, and Keith did too.” We’re sure Keith would be very proud of what his brother has achieved and Alec can be proud that he’s finally fulfilled their vision. And what better way to honour loved ones lost than a turbocharged tearaway tribute drenched in eye-popping orange? We can’t think of one!

    B18 Mini Clubman

    Tech Spec: B18 Mini Clubman

    Engine:

    1.8-litre, 40cyl, 16v Honda B18C engine, ID 420cc injectors, Audi R8 coil packs, K&N cone air filter, Mamba GTX28 ball-bearing turbocharger, ‘ram’s horn’ exhaust manifold, TurboSmart Ultra-Gate 38 external wastegate with screamer pipe, TurboSmart  blow-off valve, top-mounted intercooler and AEM water/ethanol injection Link G4X ECU, Bosch fuel pumps, bespoke, single back box, stainless steel 3in exhaust system, Honda Integra radiator and oil cooler

    Performance:

    350bhp+

    Transmission: 5-speed Honda SB9 manual gearbox with Kaaz plated-tyre LSD

    Suspension:

    Custom coilover suspension all round with custom rose-jointed suspension arms

    Brakes:

    Mini Sport billet four-pot alloy calipers and vented and grooved discs

    Wheels & Tyres:

    7x13in Supalight alloys with175/50/13 Nankang Sportnex AR-1 tyres

    Exterior:

    Rear windows removed and replaced with panels to convert to a van, wide arches, alloy fuel filler cap, one-piece rear door, F1-style mirrors, custom front bumper with turbo cut-out, gloss black grille, roof and vented bonnet, full respray in MIPA three-stage red base with gold Xirallic tinter

    Interior:

    Stripped interior, custom rollcage, Cobra Imola bucket seats with blue harnesses, custom aluminium dashboard with Honda instrument binnacle, aluminium door cards, electric windows, later-sepc Mini heater system, tablet displaying ECU parameters.

    From Fast Car. Words & Photos: Jim Jupp

    Source