Street Racers

People have different hobbies, and such hobbies will obviously reflect their respective lifestyles and interest. Sedate introverts collect stamps and will also rummage about in dusty old bookstores looking for dusty old books. Homely do-it-yourself outdoors type of people will raise vegetables at the backyard garden and will perhaps do some sort of carpentry and home repair jobs.

People with petrol in their veins will no doubt gravitate to converting anything with wheels into something that goes really fast and have dreams of being a legendary race car god driving for and backed up by an obscenely wealthy racing team. However, not every speed freak will have the very rare privilege and luck of driving an F1 racing car nor will they have even an ounce of the talent and charisma of Michael Schumacher and be well known not only in the racing world but also to the unwashed masses as a popular endorser of expensive sport watches. But what is in the blood will fuel one’s interest and hence from this breed of human being will arise those who will undoubtedly make whatever car they may have in the garage as a street racer.

A street racer, in simple terms, is a car which is street legal and converted, modified or tuned into something which is a fast, better-handling and sportier version of what it used to be. No form of medieval alchemy is required to do this, but instead talented car tuners will bolt on the right performance parts on the chassis, engine, suspension, and brakes and make the tame everyday driver into a mean street racing machine.

These performance parts will no doubt include only the finest things which could be added to a car, like from brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini, strut brace, Techart, and Tein coilovers. These will cost a pretty penny, but that’s the reason why speed freaks also have day jobs to support their passion and the sheer joy of driving like mad in a well tuned automobile is like nothing else on earth.

Faster than the Speed of Light

Driving cross country at night on a lonely strip of asphalt in some country back road is just one of those things which are unlike anything else one can experience. When going about it with a group of buddies, it’s called a road trip. Company means less boredom, an extra pair of hands on the wheel and tons more of chilled dogs, garbage and what not plus the aroma of body odor will fill the air in the car.

Going at it solo is a completely different story. With no one to trade spit with or crack a few jokes, the road seems to go on forever.  No cops around with their doughnuts and speed guns, so going more than 60 would be okay. This is one of those rare chances to go really fast and suspend belief for a few hours and pretend one is a  race car driver at that famed Le mans 24 hour racing thing which they hold somewhere in France.

Then, it starts to rain. Good thing the car was properly set up with performance parts like brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini, strut brace, Techart, and Tein coilovers, otherwise it would be pure insanity to drive almost 100 miles per hour in a desolate country back road under the pouring rain. All this is fine then the fuel meter edges really close to empty.

It’s been like 50 miles and not a single gasoline station or motel in sight. Anyway, that’s how it is in these abandoned Midwestern ghost towns and the stretches of road between them. All trees at both sides of the road, and almost no other vehicles in both lanes. And then the start realization sinks it that the trusty map is gone, and that the gas is running dangerously low and for some weird reason there is this axe wielding guy running after you …….

Then, you wake up. No more horror movies at the drive in before going cross country.

Style and Passion

Time and time again, Italian cars have been described with cliché phrases that always have the words “style and passion”. No one could blame the automotive writers and car critics, though. Look at any Italian car, be it an Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lamborghini or a Ferrari, and these cars do exude style and passion.

Not just the recent models, but even examples of these cars which date back from half a century ago still look astonishing to this very day. The Ferrari 246 (although most of those snobbish smug Ferraris will adamantly refuse to call it a full-blooded Ferrari because of its V-6 engine) is perhaps one of the loveliest cars ever created.

But only until recently have these Italian dream cars gained a newly hard earned reputation for reliability. Most Italian cars of the early 1990’s and those before it were a little short on reliability. Some broke down easily, and it was such a shame. A pretty car with a nasty problem of unreliability was not one wanted parked in his or her garage. And despite all the hype, most of those cars then had only average performance compared to today’s everyday automobile.

Today’s automobiles are a lot more reliable and are built a lot better, despite the fact that most look like soulless melted bars of soap. And fitted with the right performance parts like brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford  camshafts, Larini, strut brace, Techart wheels, Tein coilovers, even a Japanese 2 door hatchback will destroy a 1980 Ferrari 308 around a race track.

But which would one rather own? Hands down, most would choose a sexy Ferrari 308 despite its idiosyncrasies. Yes, it breaks down a lot and it is damn fragile but it has what most of today’s cars don’t; it has STYLE. So it is no wonder that most people will spend tons of money to have their cars fitted with body kits and other performance modifications. A car may be reliable, but without style and performance then it is just a piece of furniture.

Right on Track

There are more than a hundred million cars on the face of the earth right now, and while some have more than one in their garage while others have none and must therefore resort to the cramped mass transport system which include   busses and trains.

Depending on which side of the planet one is currently located, these forms of commuter transports are either elegant yet functional coaches for the masses like Japan’s fabled Bullet Trains or London’s Fairly efficient double Decker busses or most likely some refurbished smoke belching death trap, like those most commonly found in third world countries.

As a commuter, there is little can one do to improve these vehicles with regard to safety and performance. However, one can do something about the car sitting in the garage. Ownership bestows the right to do anything with it, so one may do as he or she pleases with what one owns, and this includes possessions like one’s car.

A car, first and foremost, is a mode of transport. If it gets one from point A to point B, then  that’s just what it was meant to do. But is that all?  People spend a lot of time commuting and going from one place to another, so being inside a car takes a considerable slice out of one’s free time.

So instead of making one’s life boring by being cooped inside an automotive piece of furniture, why not make it exciting? Think of it this way. If Dr. Ferdinand Porsche was satisfied with creating just a simple People’s Car, then there wouldn’t be a Porsche 911 today.

Take the same logic and apply it to the daily commuter. Tune it up with a with a few performance parts like brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini, strut brace, Techart, Tein coilovers. Then, enjoy the difference of riding a sleeping pill on 4 wheels and a street fighter car. That’s how to get right on track.

Kit Cars

For some, taking something out of a box and assembling it is fun. Model car enthusiasts and their Tamiya 1/18 scale model kits will attest to this. Now, imagine buying a kit and assembling it and this time it’s a real live car which can be driven everyday.

A Kit car, as some would call it.  Despite the snide remarks about a Volkswagen Beetle masquerading as a Ferrari 246 knock off ( or any other car design ) and sane concerns about the safety of these “ home made “ cars, kit cars are for some an interesting substitute for a car that cost thousands of bucks more or are no longer in production. Obviously, kit cars are not for everyone.

And before any one else even says another word about lousy performance, take note that the fabled Lotus 7 ( or now properly called by some as a Caterham 7 ) which can be bought as a kit and assembled at home. Anyone worth his salt as a car buff will know that these cars are legendary for their superb handling and performance. Coupled with the proper modification and performance parts with  brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelfort camshafts, Larini, strut brace, Techart wheels, and Tein coilovers, a well-built Kit car can perform most if not all cars out there, unless it was built in Stuttgart , Maranello or by the boys over at Nissan in Japan.

However, this does not apply to a Volkswagen chassis-based kit car, but anyone can dream. Kit cars are like dream cars for the masses, and depending on the degree of mechanical proficiency and aptitude ( for the lack of a better set of words ), these can be assembled in less than a day or perhaps an entire weekend. A word from the wise,  though.

Always have a seasoned mechanic to make sure everything nut and bolt in the car falls into place, as well as the myriad of electrical wire and other hoses and cables. A poorly assembled Kit car can and will disintegrate faster than 0-60 in 5 seconds flat if it is not properly assembled.

JAZZING UP A HONDA JAZZ

There it is, a brand new spanking Honda jazz sitting at the garage. Just the kind of car for these times, a nice fuel efficient little car with enough zip to go about town. Yes, many women own a Honda Jazz but so what? Even women in Beverly Hills drive Corvettes and even a Porsche Boxster, but these aren’t called chick cars.

The Volkswagen convertible rabbit was a chick car, but that didn’t stop construction foremen and bar room bouncers from owning one. A Jazz is not a chick car, it’s everyone’s car. But that’s where the problem starts. Soon, after getting the Jazz off the drive way, a sea of Honda Jazzes can be seen roaming about town or cruising down the boulevard. Then, not surprisingly, someone’s great aunt probably drives a Jazz, too. Ouch. For every problem, there is a solution. And here are a few tips to make a Jazz different from the other guy or gal’s Jazz. First, make it distinct and make it stand out. A few add on body kits will do the trick, and so will a nice pain job. Secondly, outrun and out handle every other Jazz on the street. Beef it up with aftermarket parts and accessories like HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini strut braces, Techart wheels, and  Tein coilovers. A basic tenet in owning a car is if it looks good, it ought to run good so adding these parts ought to do a trick. These parts are often reasonably priced and may take a toll on one’s wallet, but standing out from the pack and outrunning them is a good enough reason to blow a few bucks. Third, make the Jazz loud. A nifty audio system with the right set subwoofers will do just fine. After all these modifications, no one will mistake that Honda jazz in the garage for grandma’s Honda.

HOW TO OUTRUN AND OUTGUN A MASERATI MERAK.

Ah, the Maserati Merak. Perhaps one of the prettiest cars ever made, the Maserati Merak is an iconic supercar of the 70’s. Italian flair and passion combined with a French engineering ( yes, it has  a V-6 Citroen engine ), the Merak was one of the most sought after exotic cars in the 70’s and up to this day, avid Maserati collectors will gladly trade their immortal souls to own one.

From the time it started production in 1976 to up to 1982 when the last one rolled out of the production line, only 652 were made. Nowadays, a used one with a rather sketchy past and one which was perhaps poorly maintained will fetch around 30 thousand dollars that is if one can be found. But if there is one in a pristine and well-maintained condition around town which is dying to meet a match at the stoplight, is it possible to outrun it? Yes, it is. With a 2 liter Japanese hatchback, a Masearti Merak is nothing more than minced meat. All that is needed is a few performance parts under the hood, the proper suspension, tires and brake kits, it’s easy. Set the Japanese hatchback up with aftermarket parts like HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini strut braces, Techart wheels, and Tein coilovers.  Now, is there tangible proof that a souped up hatchback will demolish a 1970’s supercar on a racetrack? Again, yes there is. A few years back, there was this episode of a massively popular British TV show (ten guesses as to what it is) that pitted a Maserati Merak and two other 70’s Italian supercars against a soccer mom daily driver. Guess who won? Perhaps the question should be how did that happen? Well, modern cars perform a lot better than old carbureted supercars, and age has sapped out the performance of the once-fabled supercars. In short, a new well-prepped and modified car will outrun most if not all of the 70’s supercars.

WRC RALLY CAR FOR THE MASSES

So every rally car fanatic on the face of the earth wants one so badly they would gladly give their eternal souls just to own one and drive it around town. Yes, a real live World Rally Championship race car for the street. But the problem is; only a handful is built for every race, and most end up in a really bad shape. Those that do get sold end up in the hands of a very rich car nut somewhere in Dubai, where it kept in garage along with a Bugatti or a Ferrari Enzo. And if some mere mortal gets lucky enough to own one, it isn’t going anywhere other than the garage because these rally cars are not street legal. So, there goes the dream of owning a WRC rally car .But wait. There is hope. A copy or a “faithfully reproduced” version to pay homage to that WRC Subaru car exists, and can be driven on the streets, and is perfectly street legal. How? Welcome to the world of car tuning and modifying.

First, let’s start with bare bones Subaru Impreza. Yes, any WRC fanatic knows what a Subaru Impreza is and how many rallies it has won and who drove it in what event. Now, that Subaru Impreza needs the proper look mean rally racing look, so this is where the body kits come in. Any tuner worth his salt will customize the car by placing the proper body kit parts, like those wicked rear wings, airdams and the like. These add on parts are not only meant to make the car look fancy, but will greatly increase the car’s aerodynamics and handling. No, those were not placed on a car to make them look fancy, but are there for a reason; a winning edge over the competition. Now that the car looks like a rally car, it has to GO like a race car. The engine, suspension system and brakes are the  beefed up with aftermarket accessories like brake kits, HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini strut braces, Techart wheels, and  Tein coilovers. It would be an utter waste of money to dress up a car and not make it handle like a real race car, so these parts MUST be installed.

All this modifying and tuning a car will cost about as much as the car itself, but bear in mind that a rally car is worth almost half a  million dollars, so it should be a bargain.

WEIGHT AND PERFORMANCE

When car nuts get their heads together and start talking about cars, it’s all about speed, speed and more speed. Their conversation, if it could actually be called one, will go something like this – “Like, which is faster, a Bugatti or a Pagani Zonda or a Ferrari Enzo? Who will it be this year at the winner’s podium at the Formula 1 race? Ofcourse, the fastest guy on the track……..Hey, what about that WRC thing? Subaru again this year or Renault?” Then these car guys will start talking about performance parts like HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini strut braces, Techart wheels, and Tein coilovers. Which will make a nice street car turn into a nice and fast street car? But they hardly talk about mundane things like weight. Topics like these, to an insane car nut who has never actually driven a car above the legal speed limit, is like talking about a trip to grandma’s house or a visit to the orthodontist or getting dumped by that cute waitress at that French restaurant. But in the real world, weight is very important in saving fuel and, here it comes, making a car go FAST.

Everyone knows that something heavier accelerates much slower than something lighter, considering the engine displacement is equal. And since the engine works harder, it uses up more fuel. So what has this got to do with speed? Less weight in a car will make it go faster. Ever seen what a Ferrari F40 looks like inside? No stereo, no carpeting, nothing inside, really barebones. So, matched with a monster twin turbo engine, a feather weight F40 with a light composite body has god-like acceleration and speed. Now, why someone would pay that much money for a car with no stereo or carpeting is beside the point.  Bottom line? If a car nut wants to make his car go fast and save gas, he should make his fat car buddies lose a few pounds and lay off the fries before letting them in for a ride.

PERFORMANCE CARS ON A BUDGET

Almost every car nut fervently wants to own a supercar like a Porsche Carrera or a Pagani Zonda, but only a blessed few on earth will ever get to drive one, and much fewer still will be destined to actually own one. Just like that Lamborghini Reventon ad says, only 1 in about half a billion people will actually have it registered to his or her name  for an unfair and insane reason that only a measly 20 were ever made. There is a reason why these cars are called dream cars, and that’s just it. For the rest of humanity to just dream about it. But for those upon whom reason, practicality and common sense prevail, a regular automobile modified for optimum performance and can still be driven everyday is a much better option.

Despite all that blabber about a Ferrari 430 being a reliable car which can be driven on a daily basis, would you actually drive it to the corner grocery store to buy a six pack? Maybe, if you lived in Abu Dhabi. But a reliable car made better by adding performance parts on the engine, suspension, wheels and brakes with aftermarket parts like HRE rims, K&N Intakes, Kelford camshafts, Larini strut braces, Techart wheels, and  Tein coilovers is more realistic and affordable. Maybe not everyone could own an Aston Martin, but anyone with a car and car-fanatic genes running through their veins can make his or her own ride go almost as fast as one and look even cooler.

The bottom line? Many of us will never own an exotic automobile. But, with a modest budget and with the right performance parts, anyone can make his or her car almost go as fast and handle as well as most performance cars available on the market.