Detailing 111: Wax Tech

by Connor Harrison

To many people, waxing is an annual hassle and the benefit is only temporarily appreciated.  It is treated as something that isn’t really necessary, and only needs to be done if we’re getting spiffy for a night out on the town.  Waxing once a year is simply not often enough (don’t believe what you see on TV)!  Your car is under attack every time you drive it; all the dirt, tar, bug guts, bird poop, hard water, and acid rain work to degrade the finish of your vehicle.  Your wax is your protection from these environmental offenders, and it wears away much sooner than you might think.

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Team America World Time Attack - ARK Design's BNR32 Skyline GT-R Part 5

Supposed to be by Eric Hsu but really again by Mike Kojima

Well it's getting closer to go time all the time and the Team America crew is working around the clock to get her done.  The deadline is nearly impossible but Eric and company are determined to make it.  Work on the car is progressing very fast.  The car might just get there but it may well be lacking a little in the cosmetics department.

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BNR32 Skyline GT-R Stage 1, Part 2

by Eric Hsu

The Stage 1 build of my personal BNR32 Skyline GT-R is a 500+whp, pump gas, street car designed for good throttle response and mid range torque for smokin cars on the street and track alike. Anyhow, this is part 2 of the Stage 1 build where I will break down in detail why I chose the parts I did.

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MR SST Transmission Kaput

by Eric Hsu

It's a good thing I have AAA Plus with 100 mile towing. After 22,000 super hard miles the SST transmission fails, but then again so would any other.

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These days I don't get to work on my own project cars or engines that often. My GT-R is parked at XS which is about 40 minutes away and my MA70 Supra ...

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My GS300

My GS300 is currently awaiting its conversion back to a stock body. In its heyday (I bought it new in 1999), it was what I thought to be the ideal street car. It was wide, low, big wheels (20x11.5 rear), turbo (420whp), big stereo (5500 watts rms) and was clean when it had new paint (BMW Brilliant Black). Power to keep up with a V8 M5, the chicks used to dig it, and it was comfortable. What's the difference between fiberglass aero parts and high maintenance girlfriends? Nothing: they both need constant attention, maintenance, and money to keep them happy. I hate taking care of my cars (outside of the mechanical realm) so...

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XS BNR32 GT-R Left Front Wheel in the Air

Sean the living GT-R database, posted a pic of the XS BNR32 lifting the front left wheel after I shifted into 2nd gear.

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Goodbye FD

 

This is, or was, my 6th rotary powered car and my 2nd red FD3S. While I eventually wanted to finish building it, I was just unable to find the time to do so. I was having a really difficult time getting a title for it. Learn from my lesson and avoid buying a car without a title. I got the run around from DMVs from 3 different states and the two previous owners. Eventually I said screw it and I just gave up. I would have hated to drop big $$$ into a race car only to learn that something was wrong with the title. So Pete and I cut the fucker up since I didn't want to burden the next guy. If anybody needs FD parts hit me up.

 

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Armada AEM BRUTE FORCE!!! Intake

About three weeks ago I walked up to my desk in the morning at Cosworth and there was this big ass red box sitting on my chair. I was thinking "who the hell sent me an Armada intake?" It didn't cross my mind at the time that I had just posted about using a K&N intake. So I put it aside and started my day. Later that day at lunch Tyler said, "Hey Greg is going to send you an intake. Would you run an AEM intake?" I said, "Yeah I'm down as long as its not an xxx." BTW, thanks for hooking up the BRUTE FORCE!!! intake, Greg. Sorry I haven't called to thank you, but it is non-stop super busy at work so I haven't had a...

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Lexus GS300 Valve Body

I have been way busy lately spending a lot of time putting my GS300 back to stock. Or at least that was the original plan. I was going to return the drivetrain back to stock and get the car ready to sell, but its a bit too difficult to return the car back to stock. So instead, Peter at XS is putting in a stock block (I had a Supra TT block before), stock head, with an Apexi 2.1mm metal headgasket for a 9.4:1 compression ratio, a fresh transmission (my old one is smoked), and a new higher stall speed torque converter. I wil...

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