Test Mule: Project G35, '06 Infiniti G35 Sports Coupe
Test driver: David Pratte, columnist and contributor for Modified
Test track: Streets and highways (winter), Toronto Motorsports Park (summer) Test condition: Varied, cold, wet and/or partially snow covered (winter); dry and warm, 71 degrees Fahrenheit at the track (summer)inline_mediumwraptextright25656542/tech/modp-0912-goodyear-eagle-f1-all-season-tire-reviewmodp_0912_02_o+goodyear_eagle_f1_all_season_tire_review+on_snow.jpgTrue

Rolling into K&N's dyno compound the day of the Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge, I was a bit nervous about the whole event. I really shouldn't have been, though. I wasn't driving, nor was I really competing, but with the magazine's name on the line and the fact that we won last year's Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge had me sweating a bit.inline_mediumwraptextright25629347/tech/modp-0911-2004-mitsubishi-evolution-viiimodp_0911_02_o+2004_mitsubishi_evolution_viii+top_car_challenge_logo.jpgTrue

Specifications & Details
'09 Nissan GT-Rinline_mediumwraptextright30986400/tech/modp-0911-2009-nissan-gt-r-titek-innovations-exhaustmodp_0911_01_o+2009_nissan_gt-r+on_dyno.jpgTrue

Test Mule: '00 Acura Integra Type-R
Test Driver: Andrew Wojteczko, Touring Car Racing driver and regular contributor to Modified
Test Track: Shannonville Motorsports Park and country roads
Test condition: Dryinline_mediumwraptextright25628165/tech/modp-0911-hankook-ventus-rs3-tire-reviewmodp_0911_01_o+hankook_ventus_rs3_tire_review+2000_acura_integra_type_r.jpgTrue

Real racers all know the value of gearing. It's what comes next when you've reached your power limit, whether regulated or not. The same applies to our NSX project. We don't have the money for a supercharger or turbo kit, nor want to deal the associated headaches. Instead, we're going to change gears-more specifically, the final drive ratio-which will give us better acceleration and torque at street speeds and is a welcome service after 120,000 miles of wear.inline_mediumwraptextright30972288/tech/modp-0911-project-acura-nsx-final-drive-installmodp_0911_02_o+project_acura_nsx_final_drive_install+removed_engine.jpgTrue

When I was just getting involved in the whole import "tuner" scene, machines like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mitsubishi Evolution and Subaru Impreza STI were as legendary as they were unobtainable. But Japan has been much more willing to share its best cars with the American market in recent years-from the R35 GT-R to the Evolution X and Impreza STI. In many ways these are the golden years of Japanese performance car ownership in America, but what if you want to drive something with more passenger and cargo capacity while flying a little (OK, a lot) lower under the radar than any of these angry-looking, all-wheeldrive monsters? In Japan you could opt for a Subaru Forester STI, perhaps the ultimate utilitarian wolf in sheep's clothing, but unfortunately for us Yanks, this hot version wagon never made an appearance at the local Subie dealership.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe second-generation Subaru Forester included a STI version in Japan, which can serve as both inspiration and parts donor when converting a USDM '04-08 XT to STI status.30886347/tech/modp-0911-building-your-own-subaru-forester-stimodp_0911_01_o+building_your_own_subaru_forester_sti+front_view.jpgTrue

Mahle
K24 Power Pak Pistons
Mahle's new piston assembly kit for the Acura K24 engine provides 9.0:1 compression in an all-forged 4032 aluminum-alloy piston kit that gets the job done with less hassle. Designed as a power-generating, race-ready kit, the Power Pak comes complete with 1.2mm, 2.8mm steel nitrated rings; 22mm (103g) high-quality steel wrist pins; and round wire locks.
www.mahlemotorsports.com inline_mediumwraptextright30961425/tech/modp-0911-november-2009-mod-gearmodp_0911_02_o+november_2009_mod_gear+mahle_k24_power_pak_pistons.jpgTrue

The end result was actually very surprising. I expected orange peel city, but seriously, there wasn't any sign of it. I did find two tiny runs, but hey, you can't be perfect. When some friends saw the car, they couldn't believe it looked that good considering I had spray canned it. In all honesty, I was more than happy with the outcome, but I didn't expect much going into it. I think with proper prep and masking you could paint an entire car to acceptable standards.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe finished product. Looks remarkably good.Integra Paint Job - Finished Product26660491/tech/modp-0911-project-dc2-integra-paint-jobmodp_0911_08_o+integra_paint_job+finished.jpgTrue

So far in our flag discussions, we've covered two of the more commonly seen flags during a race: the green and the yellow. There are many situations that can arise on track, though, and there seems to be a flag for just about any of them. This month we'll look at the black flag.inline_mediumwraptextright30767919/tech/modp-0911-black-racing-flag-driver-trainingmodp_0911_01_o+black_racing_flag_driver_training+mike_speck.jpgTrue

With the Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge only two weeks away, Martin Musial's Evolution VIII street car was in need of some major tuning to be a legit contender. We've heard that the Mustang guys are bringing a serious pony car and are confident about beating the rest of the "imports." That means we needed to ensure we brought a well-sorted and properly set up car. After all, there's no doubt all of the competition will be ready.inline_mediumwraptextright25685755/tech/modp-0910-2003-mitsubishi-evolution-viiimodp_0910_04_o+2003_mitsubishi_evolution_viii+castrol_syntec_top_car_challenge.jpgTrue

Back in 2005 when I first swapped a K20A2 RSX Type-S engine into my EG Civic race car, one of the first mods I made to it was a set of Skunk2 Stage 1 camshafts. The idea was to keep the engine build fairly mild given the stress one-hour Touring Car races put on a motor. With these cams and the usual bolt-ons and a Hondata K-Pro for engine management, the otherwise stock K20 pumped out a very respectable 222 horses at the front wheels, enough to win all six Touring Car races I did that year.re.inline_mediumwraptextrightHonda's K-Series timing chain tensioner works very well on unmodified engines, but as I found out the hard way it doesn't always withstand the higher stresses placed upon it by aftermarket camshafts.24774262/tech/modp-0910-hybrid-racing-honda-k-series-chain-tensionermodp_0910_02_o+hybrid_racing_honda_k_series_chain_tensioner+chain_tensioner.jpgFalse

KW Suspensions
Toyota Supra V3 Coilovers
KW suspensions has just released the Variant 3 stainless steel constructed coilover for the '93-02 Toyota Supra (turbo and non-turbo models). The KW suspensions coilover for the Toyota Supra enables owners to lower their vehicles 0-35mm on the front axles and 0-40mm on the rear axles and retains enough travel to handle maximum load and dynamic loads during driving. Adjustable (and independent reacting) rebound and compression damping allows a truly individual performance driving setup for those technically demanding drivers.
www.kwsuspensions.cominline_mediumwraptextright25722829/tech/modp-0910-october-2009-mod-gearmodp_0910_01_o+october_2009_mod_gear+kw_suspension_toyota_supra_v3_coilovers.jpgTrue

Last month we covered the green flag and what it means in racing. This month, we come to quite possibly the most commonly thrown flag during a race: the yellow or caution flag. Clearly obvious in their meaning, yellow flags signify some type of incident on track and as such suggest that speeds be reduced, but the reduction is somewhat ambiguous and changes dramatically as you move up the racing ladder. Finally, yellow flags often present some of the most strategic situations in the sport and can be played to great advantage, or they can cost a team an apparently well-earned victory.inline_mediumwraptextright24858401/tech/modp-0910-yellow-racing-flag-driver-trainingmodp_0910_01_o+yellow_racing_flag_driver_training+mike_speck.jpgTrue

OS Giken
Z33 Clutch And LSD
OS Giken announces its high-performance, ultra-durable and completely streetable clutch kits and limited-slip differentials for the Nissan 350Z (Z33). Engineered and manufactured to the highest standards, OS Giken parts have been proven time and again to provide the best performance and reliability in competitive motorsports.
www.osgiken.netinline_mediumwraptextright24758149/tech/modp-0909-september-2009-mod-gearmodp_0909_01_o+september_2009_mod_gear+os_giken_z33_clutch_and_lsd.jpgTrue

Description
So what do you do when you've built your motor, strapped on the biggest turbo you can tolerate and basically tuned your forced-induction car to the teeth-but you still want more power? More boost would just blow hot air, and race gas is just is too expensive. One recently popular solution is water/methanol injections systems. Ironically, this is old-school tech that trickled down from supercharged piston aircraft during World War II.inline_mediumwraptextright24743713/tech/modp-0909-aem-water-methanol-injection-kitmodp_0909_03_o+aem_water_methanol_injection_kit+aem_kit.jpgTrue

The trickiest part of making a car both track- and street-worthy is the suspension. This is the double-edged sword because you want something soft enough to be comfortable and offer sufficient suspension travel on the street, while being stiff enough to handle all the loads generated on the track. We want to be competitive with a dual-purpose car, so we're going all out with Project Z's new suspension. Although the Nismo S-tune suspension the car came on was quite good on the street, it won't give us the competitive edge needed at the track because the spring rates are just too soft to support loads from such a heavy car and the grip generated by the Nitto NT05 tires we've mounted.inline_mediumwraptextright24835403/tech/modp-0909-project-350z-suspension-installmodp_0909_02_o+project_350z_suspension_install+moton_clubsport_external_reservoir_monotube_system.jpgTrue

The JDM Honda Integra front-end conversion is nothing new to the Honda crowd; in fact, some consider it a played-out swap that now lacks originality. If you look at how long it has been around and the countless Integra's running the conversion, then that statement could ring true.inline_mediumwraptextright29584308/tech/modp-0909-project-dc2-integra-jdm-front-installationmodp_0909_02_o+project_dc2_integra_jdm_front_installation+stock_front_end.jpgTrue

My car makes 295 hp on a Dynojet, but I lose about 20 hp on a Mustang." How many times have we heard this one? Do you really think horses are falling off your power curve as you drive to the Mustang dyno? The engine is making the same power, no matter the dyno, but the different dynos just read the power differently.

DEFI
Advance CR Series
Defi has just released the new Advance CR series of 52mm and 60mm meters in the U.S. Available in metric units (kPa, Bar, and Celsius), the gauges have an illuminated amber red outer ring on both white- and black-face meters. The self diagnostic system and micro controller calibrates up to a 270-degree angle to provide precise and accurate information.
www.tein.cominline_mediumwraptextright29494626/tech/modp-0909-gauges-and-wideband-buyers-guidemodp_0909_01_o+gauges_and_widebands_buyers_guide+defi_advance_cr_series.jpgTrue

In case you missed it, Hyundai recently released an all-new front-engine, rear-wheel-drive platform named the Genesis Coupe. Just to bring you up to speed, we like it, and tuners around the world are hard at work developing parts for both the naturally aspirated V-6 and turbocharged inline-four cylinder engines. All indications show that big numbers are coming soon. But horsepower is only one part of a vehicle's performance arsenal. We wanted to find out how the rest of the chassis responded to modifications. To do that we headed out to Willow Springs Raceway with a bone-stock car, a truck load of parts, Rhys Millen, and his talented pit crew.

Size: 275/30ZR19 (f), 275/35ZR19 (r)
Type: Ultra-high-performance sport summer tire
UTQG: 220 AA A
inline_mediumwraptextrightTest Mule: '03 Infiniti G35 Coupe
Test driver: Andrew Wojteczko, touring car driver and a regular contributor to Modified
Test track: Country roads
Test condition: Dry and wet29148393/tech/modp-0909-michelin-pilot-sport-ps2-tire-reviewmodp_0909_01_o+michelin_pilot_sport_ps2_tire_review+2003_infiniti_g35_coupe.jpgTrue

The importance of a well-designed and fully functioning braking system has never been more apparent to me than during my last visit to the racetrack. I was driving my dad's '06 C6 Corvette in a local time attack event-a hobby we've shared for about a decade now-when on what would have been my last lap of the day the OEM brake line on the front driver-side caliper failed. The flexible rubber line that crimps into a banjo bolt fitting that connects to the caliper separated at the crimped joint, leaving me with virtually zero stopping power as I entered a high-speed braking zone. As a result, when I hit the slow pedal at my usual braking point, the pedal went to the floor and stayed there while the Corvette and I continued at full speed off the track and into the weeds. Luckily for me (and the car), the trajectory of the run-off didn't carry me into the nearby wall, and the soft, loose dirt helped slow the car without rolling it. Part of the outcome was dumb luck, part was having enough experience to know to go straight off and keep the steering wheel centered so that the car doesn't pitch sideways too violently, which can lead to a rollover.inline_mediumwraptextrightLucky for me, the run-off area was soft grass and dirt rather than a concrete wall when the rubber brake hose to the front left caliper failed on the C6 Corvette I was driving.29117673/tech/modp-0909-brake-lines-upgrademodp_0909_01_o+brake_lines_upgrade+off_roading_corvette.jpgTrue

It's funny how things in life evolve, especially when you don't really notice the evolution, and particularly when someone new to your scenario has to point it out. Case in point would be my little slice of heaven here in the Modified world, where, as of the last couple of years, I've been driving some of the coolest modded cars around my local Phoenix community and then offering my opinions on those machines. For those of you who have been reading this column long enough and to those detail-oriented folks who have noticed the title of my column and recently written in wondering how things relate, we are going to start adding a fewer more tips to the content of the prose under the "driving tips" label. Don't fret, though, we will still continue to offer more driver evaluations in the months to come.inline_mediumwraptextright24298507/tech/modp-0909-green-racing-flag-driver-trainingmodp_0909_01_o+green_racing_flag_driver_training+mike_speck.jpgTrue

Verocious Motorsports
Intake Fabrication Components
For the DIY enthusiast, Verocious offers air filters, aluminum tubing, silicone couplers, clamps, vacuum lines and myriad hard-to-find fabrication pieces.
www.verociousmotorsports.com

inline_mediumwraptextright22086233/tech/modp-0908-bolt-on-performance-parts-buyers-guidemodp_0908_31_o+bolt_on_performance_parts_buyers_guide+verocious_motorsports_intake_fabrication_components.jpgTrue

Tech The alloy steel rollcage that was almost complete in the last segment of Project S2K is now done and includes beautiful sheetmetal gusseting at the door bars, roof and rear X-brace, integrated mounts for the Spoon roof and a formed harness bar to give maximum seat travel. A well-designed rollcage like this one serves to substantially increase the bending and torsional rigidity of the chassis, allowing the vehicle’s handling balance to be tuned even with the use of stiff springs and antiroll bars. This is imperative to being able to get the most from the vehicle, and having a well-fitted and properly welded rollcage also provides the insurance of knowing—should something go horribly wrong on track—it will offer the driver the best possible protection. Now it’s time to continue with all of the welding and fabrication that needs to be completed before paint, which brings us to the air jacks.inline_mediumwraptextrightIt may look like a maze of tubing, but this rollcage is built for safety and increased chassis rigidity.25820892/tech/modp-0908-project-honda-s2000modp_0908_02_o+project_honda_s2000+roll_cage.jpgTrue