from Higher Base Media: “This is some footage from round 9 and 10 of the AMA NATC Mototrials National Round in Duluth, Minnesota. This was held in conjunction with the Aerostich Very Boring Rally and made for an awesome weekend of motorcycles! This was my first time shooting strictly handheld with my DSLR and it turned out much better than I expected.” Filmed and Edited by Wyatt Gruben
Three times a winner of the event, Yamaha Factory Racing rider Rossi - at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC – had travelled to the iconic circuit on the outskirts of Milan to tackle nine asphalt stages. He would finish second only to Citroen World Rally Championship star Dani Sordo, with a 10.6-second margin between the duo.
“This is one of the highlights of the year,” Rossi said. “I get to race against my friends and there is very little pressure to perform. It is a shame that I didn't get the overall wins, but I'm proud of four stage wins which is incredible for me - and I get to see all of the fans from rally and MotoGP™, which is great. I’m coming back next year!”
Rossi, competing alongside Carlo Cassina who served as co-driver, also finished second to Spain’s Sordo in the Master Show knock-out tournament, while endurance driver Rinaldo ‘Dindo’ Capello completed the overall podium in a Citroen.
Vainqueur de l'évènement à trois reprises, Valentino Rossi a dû se contenter de la seconde place dimanche dernier lors de l'édition 2013 du Monza Rally Show. Au volant d'une Ford Fiesta RS WRC, le pilote du team Yamaha Factory Racing s'est incliné face à Dani Sordo, qui court avec le Citroën World Rally Team, avec 10.6s de retard sur l'Espagnol.
Epaulé par Carlo Cassina au poste de copilote, Rossi a aussi fini deuxième dans le tournoi Master's Show, derrière Sordo, tandis que le pilote d'endurance Rinaldo 'Dindo' Capello (Citroën) complétait le podium.
« C’est l’un des grands moments de l’année, » a déclaré Rossi. « Ici je peux courir contre mes amis et il y a très peu de pression. C’est dommage que nous n’ayons pas gagné mais je suis fier d’avoir remporté quatre étapes. J’ai aussi pu voir tous les fans de rallye et de MotoGP™, c’était génial, je reviendrai l’an prochain ! »
Belstaff presents For The Open Road featuring David Beckham, a documentation of five British bikers on a journey from the Goodwood estate in West Sussex to New Bond Street in the heart of London. http://www.belstaff.com
For The Open Road captures a thrilling journey through the passionate eyes of Belstaff's Modern Legends: dynamic riders with a daring sense of adventure. They explore the historic Goodwood Estate, ride through the countryside, and join 50 others to blaze down New Bond Street in a motorbike parade.
A nod to Belstaff's roots in motorsport, speed meets style as we explore the spirit of the open road and the camaraderie it forges.
La 16ème édition du SALON MOTO LEGENDE a accueilli, cette année encore, 25 000 visiteurs du 25 au 27 octobre au Parc Floral de Paris. Point de ralliement du grand public, l'engouement pour les machines mythiques, la moto de collection et le vintage ne faiblit pas. Retour sur les temps forts de ce week-end avec un invité d'honneur : John McGuinness qui est venu à la rencontre du public avec le soutien de notre partenaire MOTUL.
We all know those occasions where you see a modified vehicle that’s been so drastically changed that you can’t figure out what model it started as. You know, cars that are more fiberglass and body filler than they are metal.
That isn’t always the case though. There are those rare occurrences when a car can be so far removed from its original form that it takes on a completely new and completely awesome personality.
Sometimes it’s due to an incredible degree of craftsmanship, but in this particular case it’s due to an exquisite selection of rare parts from Japan.
Can you name the car you’re looking at here? Well if you’re reading Speedhunters, then I’d bet you’re sharp enough to identify that this is in fact a 1996 Mazda Miata. The general road-going public though, would see this car and wonder what the hell it is.
Joe Sixpack filling up his Camaro at the gas station will see this unique machine and wonder what he’s looking at, but those with a keen eye will not only recognize that this is a Miata, but a Miata that’s packing some of the rarest and most desirable aftermarket parts ever made.
The car belongs to Sean Shokouh, who runs an importation business in Northern California called JDMPalace. I spotted the car during the recent Slammed Society event at Sonoma Raceway and immediately I had my pick for the #FeatureThis winner.
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Of course it helps that I personally have a soft spot for Miatas, but really this car’s got an appeal that reaches far beyond Miata geeks. In fact, those who see Mazda’s little roadster as being too wimpy or feminine will probably change their mind when they see this car.
Actually, Sean himself originally wasn’t a huge Miata nut, but he saw the opportunity to take the popular entry-level sports car and do something crazy with it – and that’s just what he’s done here.
As you look down the car’s spec sheet, it reads like an absolute dream list of rare parts from Japan – enough to make the drool flow from the mouth of any JDM Miata enthusiast.
The most drastic change on the car is easily its front end. Gone is the smiley face bumper and pop up headlights of the stock NA Miata and in its place is a full Pit Crew Racing front-end conversion from Japan.
When Mazda designed the original Miata, the idea was to call back to the great sports cars of the past – and the addition of the Pit Crew nose takes the retro vibe to another level with a look that is more 1960s than 1990s.
The retro treatment extends to the rear with a super low profile bumper from TRAP and a taillight conversion sourced from a Japanese market Mazda Porter pickup. The Pit Crew center-exit exhaust further helps throw people off.
Equally important is the car’s hardtop, which is even rarer than the now discontinued Pit Crew front end. It comes from a company in Japan called Zerbinino and even though I’m fairly familiar with the Mazda Roadster, I’d never seen one before. Apparently there were just a handful ever produced.
Other JDM treasures on the exterior include a Garage Vary hood, a Garage Hundred One flat trunk and Runabout S800 side mirrors. The Project G side diffusers meanwhile come from right here in California.
If the rare bodywork wasn’t enough, there’s also the fact that the car is running one of the most aggressive wheel and suspension set-ups we’ve ever seen on a Miata. Sean has used quality parts throughout, and the pebble-scraping ride height is achieved via a set of Endless Zeal coilovers.
The custom-built BBS RM wheels measure 15”x8.5 in the front and 15”x9.5 in the rear with satin black centers and gloss black lips. They also pass the Larry Chen ‘Benjamin Test’.
The tires are Toyo T1R 195/45/15 on each corner and let’s not forget the Endless six pot front and four pot rear brakes.
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As for the cockpit of the car, I could probably write an entire story about all the rare parts that Sean has installed but I’ll just outline some of the basics.
He started off by converting to an early model NA non-airbag dash and then added things like custom door panels, a vintage dash center and console from Nielex, and vintage panels and switches from RS Products.
The Fabulous steering wheel meanwhile brings a hint of VIP flavor, and the M-Speed vintage Skyline seats help to round out the retro feeling. Again, if you look around the interior there’s almost nothing to tell you you’re in a Mazda from the 1990s.
The Japanese Roadster scene is filled with small boutique companies that make high quality, retro-inspired parts for the Miata – and Sean’s car is surely one of the best models of this on American shores.
The engine is the least modified part of the car – and that’s because despite its unpractical ride height and valuable body parts, the little Miata has seen plenty of duty as Sean’s daily driver.
Right now the power modifications are limited to the aforementioned Pit Crew exhaust, an ARC intake crossover and a stainless steel header. The plan though, is to build a new motor with a set of individual throttle bodies to complete the vintage feeling.
Making something that’d be unrecognizable to 99% of the people that saw it was part of Sean’s mission when he started building the car, but what I like even more than that is the way the Miata seamlessly blends so many elements from different parts of the automotive world.
There’s the look and feel of a 1960s sports car, the wheel and tire fitment of a modern day stance machine, and even a little touch of VIP luxury. All together, the result is something that I think is easily one of the most unique street-going Miatas on the planet.
Jaguar has used the LA Motor Show to showcase the coupé version of the F-type, whose variants will include a 542bhp ‘R’ derivative – the most powerful F-type yet…
Largely unchanged from the be-roofed C-X16 concept of 2011, the Coupé will follow its convertible sibling to market in 2014 with a choice of V6, V6 ‘S’ or V8 ‘R’ flavours. The latter, 542bhp variant will remain exclusive to the Coupé, a marketing decision no doubt guided by the increased torsional rigidity it holds over the convertible. In fact, the F-type Coupé is the stiffest road car the company has ever made.
Touring capabilities
Two main (of notably few) complaints about the convertible have been addressed: it's lighter, and there’s now luggage space which can actually accommodate luggage. Sun-worshippers who see this as reason enough to switch from the roadster will be pleased to know that a panoramic roof can be specified on the Coupé.
In August we drove our MissionManx from Berlin to the Isle of Man...and we caught it on tape. For our friends...here comes a preview for the following roadmovie. Stay tuned!
Ducati used to build simple air-cooled V-twins in pretty trellis frames that people wanted to customize. In the 1970s, the Bologna marque established an almost definitive look: Long, contoured tanks and deeply sculpted race seats.
But then Ducati changed tack. The visual flat line running parallel to the road disappeared, replaced by sloping tanks and seats meeting in a V-shape between the wheels. It’s sound engineering, but less easy on the eye. And it makes it hard to give a modern Ducati retro looks.
Thanks to designer Pierre Terblanche, we had a brief five-year respite, when Ducati launched the SportClassic—a bike with bevel-head looks, reliable twin-spark power and an up-to-date chassis. It was all over by 2010, but Steve Hillary of the UK’s Red Max Speed Shop wasn’t taking that lying down.
Being the owner of a Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE, Steve knew he’d be onto a winner if he could create a SportClassic/Imola-style tank that would fit the Ducati Monster. There were a few similar things going on in Italy, but nothing in the UK.
Steve’s plan to build a run of tanks quickly turned into a complete bike commission for a customer called Buck—and the stunning orange “Ducafe” we’re looking at here was born.
The donor bike is a 900cc Monster with the rear subframe modified to fit a Red Max Café Racer seat. It complements the Red Max Sport Classic tank perfectly, but it’s the addition of the blunt-nosed fairing that really makes this bike stand out. The frenched-in stacked headlamps were donated from a Ducati 999, and the style is matched at the rear with lighting neatly embedded into the seat unit.
Another standout addition is the single-sided trellis swingarm, which comes from an S2R. Lightweight five spoke wheels are attached via Öhlins forks and a 916SP rear shock. Pure quality, courtesy of eBay.
The engine has been treated to a top-end rebuild, with fuelling now handled by a set of bell-mouthed FCR Keihins. And then there’s that exhaust … stainless steel robot-welded pipes snake under the engine and swingarm, finishing with two GP-style shortie exit pipes. Apparently it sounds as good as it looks.
Neat touches are everywhere you look, but you can’t escape the metallic orange paint scheme. The color is from the Lamborghini color chart: It’s a three-stage paint designed for the Diablo, and it stands out even more against the pale grey of the trellis frame and swinger.
But for Steve, it’s not just about the build—it’s about the ride. “She doesn’t disappoint,” he says. “Hard, fast and loud, as a Duc should be.”
Just what we wanted to hear.
Images by Greg Moss. Red Max thanks Pitlane in Winchester for the paint, and Stuey at Accutek for the wiring and “intelligent relay technology.”
Porsche has taken the wraps off the latest addition to its ever-expanding family, the Macan SUV…
According to Porsche, the Macan is “the first compact SUV that is also a sportscar.” A little ambitious maybe, there’s no doubt about its positioning within the range: it’ll play little brother to the Cayenne, and most likely enjoy the same degree of sales success. Perhaps that success would be increased had Porsche adopted the much-rumoured and spicily relevant ‘Cajun’ (Cayenne Junior?), rather than the chosen, has-no-ring-to-it-at-all name –apparently relating to some sort of Indonesian Tiger.
A trio of V6 engines will allow the Macan to hunt down Evoques and the like – and will later be joined by more frugal four-cylinders. The company claims “the sporty DNA of the Macan is immediately recognisable in the design, with several elements taken from other Porsche sportscars and then enhanced for the Macan.”
Photos: Porsche
Whatever your desired flavour of Porsche, you can find it in the Classic Driver Market.
When I first met Brennan Lewellen, I only knew him as the cool guy who worked at the local parts store and actually knew his stuff (unlike most knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing parts store goons who clearly hate their jobs.) I worked at the competing parts store a couple buildings over, so we'd call each other every once in a while to check competitor prices or bat unhappy customers back and forth. Whenever I'd see his Beetle parked outside, I'd go in to shoot the breeze from time to time. Eventually we got to the point where we'd end up hanging out on the weekends, talking engine and suspension setups, until one day he invited me to his grandfather's shop where he did most of the work to his car.
Being the curious one I am, I came across a boat in the back of the shop. Brennan pulled back the cover to reveal a gorgeous piece of woodworking art - all made by hand. Oak, birch, and mahogany, perfectly curved and intertwined together under a glossy lacquer finish. Three generations of Lewellens, Brennan included, had built it from scratch. I was completely impressed. I continued poking around the garage to find countless model airplanes hanging from the walls. "Yeah I built those. They're pretty fun. Me and my dad have an experimental plane we built at the airport too." I thought that was kind of strange, keeping a model plane at an airport. "Oh no, it's real... like you can get in it and fly around in the sky." Yes, that's correct: he built an airplane. And yes, it flies.
Soon, Brennan was a part of the local Stanceworks family and regularly came to spend time with the group. Even after knowing him for a while, he would still surprise everyone with some crazy, off the wall experiences or facts about himself. He's a pilot. He knows how to make moonshine. He plays guitar. He's sailed yachts across the ocean and has been to numerous foreign countries. He's a wealth of random knowledge about anything music related. He seemingly knows at least a little bit about everything, and everyone around town seems to know him. Any time we go anywhere, a total stranger will greet him like an old friend. All this while still remaining completely humble: the kind of guy who is always willing to help a friend in need. He's literally the most interesting person I've ever met, and his '73 Super Beetle, or "The Boog," as we like to call it, is no different.
Photos can show you a beautiful example of an aircooled VW, but they can't tell of all the blood, sweat and hours of work it took to get it there. Brennan's father purchased the Beetle when Brennan was just a toddler, but it has had no easy life. It was formerly a purpose-built drag car, and later became a full Baja Bug, which involved seriously hacking up the bodywork for the off-road appearance. Brennan first got his hands on the car at just 13 years old, when he tore it down to do a full body-off restoration. From that point on, he did basically all of the work himself. Over the years, the trimmed fenders and valances were replaced with factory parts. Any necessary bodywork was performed in his own garage to bring back the stock look, but with a few changes. The typical Super Beetle grille vents and front turn signals were shaved for a more sleek look. The bumpers were deleted and replaced with T-bars, and the body was painted black by Brennan himself. He put in a fresh black interior and drove it that way all through high school.
Years later, unhappy with his previous paintwork, Brennan chemically stripped the entire body back down to bare metal. Any rust was repaired, and all the bodywork was redone. A higher quality, two-stage black paint was laid over the painstakingly prepared shell. It was then wet sanded and buffed until he reached the mirror finish you see now. To top things off, quite literally, an OEM roof rack was added with hand-made mahogany slats. It was at this point that he really started to play with the suspension and wheel setup.
The first thing you might notice about the bug's fitment is that the wheels sit flush with the fenders instead of the more traditional narrowed-beam, sunken look. That's because Brennan's Beetle is a Super, and it's one of the lowest out there. The Super Beetle was designed with Macpherson struts rather than the previous torsion beam front end. Stock-for-stock, Supers offered better handling and ride characteristics, but the slammed aircooled crowd typically avoids them because they don't go as low. Brennan overcame the design obstacles and built his own custom coilovers to sit the car down at a nice, low ride height. The control arm and steering box now reside just close enough to each other to be crazy, but just far enough away to call it safe. The rear suspension sits the exhaust just fractions of an inch from the ground while allowing the necessary camber to fit the wheels tight against the the factory fenders. A disc brake conversion and 4x100 hub swap allow the 15x7 ATS Cups to sit perfectly within the arches.
At this point, these credentials alone would make for a personality-packed, seriously impressive build, but the outrageous turbo setup really sets it apart. The rebuilt 1200 expels spent gasses through a custom exhaust manifold we all affectionately refer to as "rust spaghetti" to spin a T3 turbo from an 80's Peugeot 505 that sits well outside of the engine compartment. Compressed air is then pushed through the modified 30 PICT-1 carburetor. This and a couple other performance goodies up the output from a meager factory-rated 36 hp to a butt-dyno confirmed "absolute blast to cruise around in." The Boog also makes some pretty great noises, mimicking its own name with its exhaust note. Just say "boooooooooog" out loud to yourself. You'll get the picture. It's a car you can't help but love, admire and enjoy.
Riding around in the Boog made for some of my most fun memories of H2Oi. As Brennan pulled into one of the many side meets that took place along the strip, he rolled by an orange Lamborghini Murcielago, completely stealing the attention of an entire crowd that had gathered around it. One particularly enthusiastic show attender could be heard yelling, "Oh shit look at this guy in the bug! He deserves a round of applause!" and the crowd was all smiles as they clapped and cheered. Watching oncoming drivers' reactions on two lane roads was my favorite part. They would smile as The Boog approached, maybe give a thumbs-up or a wave, then do a triple neck-break "O" face to try to catch a better glimpse of the turbo dangling above the motor.
It is only fitting for such an interesting car to belong to such an interesting builder. Brennan's Boog is probably the most joy-inspiring car I've ever come in contact with, and it fits his personality perfectly. His thorough attention to detail really shows with the restoration, and his wild side couldn't be more evidenced by his choice of modifications. Brennan says a that whole revamp is in order for the winter, with a wilder wheel setup and even crazier engine. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. Stay thirsty, my friends.
