The Clipping Point™ ©

Another imitator...

2012-01-23T17:42:00.006+08:00

Here's another asshole who wants to be me... or maybe it's actually the same guy.

A fellow BNR34 owner kindly informed me that this dumbass has been posing as me. Not the first time. His profile is private so I can't even send this douchebag a message to take my shit off.

Zul Skyline Gtr

Anyone got any information on him? =) Perhaps with enough information, I can nuke the bastard. *laughs*

Previously... (The one with the imposter...)

Project "Kermit": New rear end...

2012-01-22T19:05:00.005+08:00

The new rear bumper has been fitted and painted.... well, sort of. It's a Duell Ag replica bumper with diffuser.

Because it was the festive seasons, and my painters didn't want to be keeping my car in their garage whilst everyone left for a weeks break, 'Kermit' paint job was a little rushed and returned to me for Chinese New Year.

The problem is, it's still incomplete!

The diffuser was accidentally painted Verde Ithaca. It will be painted matte black after the holidays. Bumper fitment is far from perfect. On both sides where the black plastic wheel arch trims meet the rear bumper, the gap and alignment is terrible! I hope the painters can do something about it. Other than that, just little touch-ups and probably a nice polish when everything is sorted. Oh, I need to weld my exhaust tips back too!

Also, I need to get this Alta 2% oversized lightened crank pulley intalled...

Can You Identify These Brands Without Seeing Their Names Or Logos?

2012-01-22T18:34:00.011+08:00

A new board game by Dutch designer Hendrik-Jan Grievink asks players to identify major brands based on visual clues alone. You'll be surprised by how easy it is.
Lots of people think that they’re beyond branding--that because they refuse to buy coffee at Starbucks, never shop at Lacoste, and couldn’t care less about Coca-Cola’s latest can snafu, they’re immune from the effects of an exhaustively branded world.

A new board game is here to prove them dead wrong. Brand Memory, by Hendrik-Jan Grievink for the Dutch publishing house BIS, has a simple premise: Identify major brands, from Apple and Ferrari to, yes, Starbucks and Lacoste, just by glancing at their visual components. No names, no logos.

Check out the sample problems below. You’ll be surprised by how easy they are, which, of course, says less about your brilliance at board gaming than about corporations’ power to seep into even the most impenetrable corners of culture, right down to the six inches between your ears.

Answers below.

[Images courtesy of Hendrik-Jan Grievink]
[By SUZANNE LABARRE]

Source Co.Design

Answers: 1. Absolut 2. Burger King 3. Ferrari 4. Jagermeister 5. KFC 6. Mars 7. Nike 8. Oreo 9. Penguin 10. Starbucks 11. Lacoste

18 series and counting...

2012-01-17T20:22:00.002+08:00

I can't wait! Series 18 starts January 29th!

Now you see me, now you dont...

2012-01-17T04:13:00.000+08:00

For richer or poorer...

2012-01-16T06:11:00.001+08:00

Such a powerful picture...

Parking like a boss...

2012-01-16T05:52:00.002+08:00

This R33 in Russia shows you how to parallel park like a boss.

Carbon Fiber Wing Blade...

2012-01-15T17:40:00.008+08:00

Nooo, I've not neglected her. It's just I haven't been doing anything to her lately so there has been no updates...

Not long after she got a second round of mapping at ST Wangan by Mr. Jun Furukawa, I realized that the gear lever was feeling a bit loose. Much like those old arcade Daytona machines where the gear lever has lot's of free play. A trip back to the garage and they told me my bushing has been worn out. I don't understand how this can happen as it's not like I use the car everyday and I don't shift hard. I mean, my friends who drive older GT-R's do not suffer from this.

Puzzled, I asked if they could replace it. I was suggested to have a bushing custom made in higher quality material as they didn't know where to find one. The damage to my wallet would set me back around RM150 bucks! All for a small bushing! Hell no...

So, I went searching online for it and bought an OEM bushing. Turns out they are the same for a range of Nissan models. It's part number 32861-H7301. I got it for a mere RM4. Yes, you read that right, RM4. Like, what the fuck right!

Installed it and now gear shifts are tight now. Feels like a brand new car.

Also, this was installed recently. A carbon fiber rear wing blade...

Thank you Mr Sushiman... ;)

Sushiman's Perfection...

2012-01-15T17:19:00.002+08:00

I know how much you're going to miss her Adrian Chin...

But not to worry, your 'new baby' will be here soon. ;)

Project "Kermit": Fucked from behind...

2012-01-14T20:50:00.005+08:00

A couple of days before Christmas last year, I was struck with a series of unfortunate events.

First my Bold 9900 fell into a bowl of soup. It was sent over to Singapore by Brightstar to be repaired, and currently I am still using a temporary one, a Bold 9790 which Jason so kindly lent to me. Thank you Jason, I really hope they can repair and return my 9900 soon...

The next day, a silly disagreement with someone I was seeing regularly, resulted in that person leaving and disappearing, even before I got the chance to talk things out after work. I guess it was inevitable but I wasn't expecting things to end the way it did and prematurely. I was going to do it on my time and terms. Anyhow...

That same night, whilst on my way to catch a movie, it was drizzling. Roads were slippery. The cars in front of me suddenly came to a halt and fortunately, I managed to stop in time, despite 'Kermit' having very small brakes. Unfortunately, the Persona behind me couldn't stop in time and couldn't avoid me. The result was me getting rear ended...

Thankfully, the person behind has agreed to pay for the repairs. Damage has been contained to just the rear bumper and the fog light. I decided to try a different rear and not go for the same JCW bumper. Shall post some updates after I get that shit sorted out. Till then!

Going Green...

2012-01-14T20:11:00.003+08:00

Caught in Crossfire...

2012-01-14T20:01:00.003+08:00

Oooh, what's this...

25 year old Ferrari is still on my wish list...

2012-01-11T16:58:00.001+08:00

This would definitely be in my dream garage...

My younger brother is a lot bigger than me...

2012-01-10T02:49:00.001+08:00

Yes, my younger brother is a lot bigger than me...

My buddy's new ride...

2012-01-07T02:32:00.000+08:00

Pit-stopping in the middle of the night...

2012-01-06T02:45:00.000+08:00

Two of the cleanest BNR34's in town...

White Knights all lined up. Pick your poison for the night...

NISSAN GT-R | The Perfect Week By FORMAT67.NET

2011-12-28T02:41:00.000+08:00

Is your iPhone home button shit?

2011-12-27T10:54:00.004+08:00

My iPhone's home button has been giving me trouble for a while now. Most of the time it lags and it's unresponsive.

I found this video that teaches you how to re-calibrate your home button and hopefully resolve your troubles. It worked for me.

Step 1: Navigate to, and launch one of the stock applications on your iPhone. If you don’t already know, the stock apps are any apps that come as part of iOS.

Step 2: When the app is launched, press and hold the Power button located at the top of the device until the ‘Slide to power off’ appears.

Step 3: Press and hold the iPhone home button lightly. Keep the button depressed until the Slide to power off slider disappears and the application quits back to Springboard.

Step 4: That's it! Your home button is now re-calibrated and should be more responsive for you.

Porsche in the rally...

2011-12-27T10:43:00.001+08:00

This video is just simply awesome. Listen to those boxer engines and look at the jumps! Madness...

On Christmas Day...

2011-12-25T02:39:00.001+08:00

SuperSports 1 - SLS 0 ...

You don't see many Vette's around here...

2011-12-14T18:10:00.005+08:00

Spotted this American stalking the streets of KL...

Project "Kermit": Reversed CAI?!

2011-12-04T16:38:00.005+08:00

The folks over at MINI Owners Club Malaysia pointed out that the Pipercross Viper Carbon Induction Kit was not meant for the Cooper S but for the normal Cooper! On top of that, it seems that it has been installed the wrong way! It should have been installed the other way around!

So I was sold something I was lead to believe was meant for my car and got it installed the wrong way?! Would not have expected this coming from Fast Lane Automotive Sdn Bhd. I mean, they're a Mini specialist right? Terrible!

Upon removing the CAI, I noticed it's been dinged up pretty badly. The shiny chrome mouth looks as though it had been mutilated during the improper installation the first time. I'm quite disappointed.

Anyway, a quick clean and swapping around got the CAI fitted the right way.

Since the CAI now takes in air from the back, I found that the little front scoop that diverts air into the air filter box has now become redundant. It was getting in the way so, I just removed it.

Maybe when I have some time, I'll find a more useful way to route the front scoop to the back, since the Pipercross Viper Carbon Induction Kit came with a nice long extra hose.

GT-R or SLS

2011-12-03T16:46:00.000+08:00

Grrr... Pick your poison.

Shaken, not stirred.

2011-11-25T11:26:00.000+08:00

Whatcha starin' at...

2011-11-25T11:23:00.001+08:00

An Autobot and Decepticon arrived recently...

2011-11-23T14:53:00.004+08:00

Say hello to "Dino" (Mirage) from the Autobots...

Then there's Soundwave. This AMG alubeam silver color option costs £8,570!

These optional carbon fiber side mirrors are £1,025.

The rims are an additional £1,715. The ceramic brakes are £8,140.

Crazy stuff...

Brothers from another Mother - MINI x Lambo Spyder x GT3 RS by Tom Goh

2011-11-22T00:28:00.004+08:00

Finally! The shots from that night! Photos shot by Sherman Anion...

See the full post on ZeroToHundred.com!

Enjoy!

Project "Kermit": Breathe with me...

2011-11-21T17:10:00.014+08:00

So, I've gotten somewhat of a Union Jack done on the roof...

This was done by Remus Chang at Motorsport Playground.

Still thinking whether to get the bonnet stripes done or not.

The Koni FSD's were way too soft for our roads. I did not feel comfortable with them. Eventually, I decided to give them up and go back to the stock dampers with some Tein H-Tech springs. Picked them up from Exotic Mods. These springs drop the car's height about half an inch. It doesn't seem much but when the springs settle, it looks pretty low. I now occasionally scrape bumps that are too high or dips that are too steep. Looks good though...

I've also went ahead and installed a CAI (Cold Air Intake). Got a nice Pipercross Viper Carbon Induction Kit and Alta Silicone intake hose. Can't say I feel much difference in terms of power, but there is a nice deep suction sound now when you floor it. The super charger whine is more distinct now too! Never fails to put a smile on my face.

Now, the easiest way to get some more power, is to of course, up the boost! With the R53 Mini Cooper S, the way to do it is to reduce the size of your super charger pulley. Most people go for this, the ALTA V2.0 Supercharger Pulley with 15% reduction. Can't wait to get it fitted.

I'm also waiting to get this header I picked up from Eurotuner installed. This should help with "breathing".

I might pick up a Works Engineering lightened crank pulley too to help with response too. Till the next update!

She sleeps...

2011-10-28T01:54:00.004+08:00

It's been a while since we've seen her. I haven't done anything to her lately except for a remap as my plugs kept fouling as it was running a little too rich. A little more wheel HP but nothing to shout about. All I'll say is, it's a very comfortable street setup. Mind you, she only has cams and slightly bigger blowers on a stock engine.

I've got a couple more things in mind... mostly cosmetic... but that will have to wait...

Project "Kermit": limping, one ball...

2011-10-06T07:09:00.008+08:00

So, originally, I was set on lowering the car to give it a more aggressive stance. I had managed to find a good deal of some Hamann lowering springs...

Unfortunately, the front didn't fit! The rear wasn't a problem but the front needed the mounts that should have came with it.
So, for a short time, while I was trying to figure out if it was worth going through the trouble to get it to fit, I was driving around with just the rears that was lowered. This turned out to be a bad, bad idea...

Because the dampers were already fairly old, they gave way from the extra load from the lowering springs and the unbalanced ride height.

This also killed all my bushings. Fortunately, I managed to source some Koni FSD's with springs. These retain the stock height though...

My old gear knob was starting to get icky to hold. The rubber on top was turning yellow and sticky. So, replaced it with the JCW one. It's carbon fiber with alcantara. Much, much better.

While we're at it, I also changed the hand brake grip and added some sport pedals too...

Many have been dissing the beer can tail pipes lately. They all say I need an after market exhaust or at least get the exhaust tips changed. Problem is, they cost a lot! I didn't want to spend a fortune on them so I opted for the "One-Ball" mod and some local exhaust tips...

If you're wondering what a "One-Ball" mod is, basically Mini Cooper S has two muffler balls that work in series. The modification is to cut off the first ball, the resonator and just go direct to the muffler. It makes it louder, saves weight and increases power ever so slightly. Here's a picture to illustrate what I mean...

Bang for buck mod. It slightly raises the exhaust note but it's not so intrusive like an aftermarket exhaust. It's barely noticeable.

Next was to ditch my old "Beer Can" exhaust tips...

With some nicer ones!

Got up a wee bit too early this morning. The roads were clear so I decided to do an ECU reset now that it has a slightly less restrictive exhaust. Took "Kermit" and opened up the revs after that. Quite happy with the mod. ^_^
Will be heading to Motorsport Playground later to get some decals done. I have to sort out the bushings soon too... Till then!

Project "Kermit", cosmetic upgrades done!

2011-09-21T04:13:00.004+08:00

"Kermit" is back!

The front daytime running lights have been fitted and they are looking pretty good. They aren't bright during the day though. Took the liberty of changing the signal light bulbs from the very orange bulbs to these chrome ones as well. They still light up orange.

The passenger side headlight has been touched up and the 'Joey' mod is looking excellent!

The LED tail lights are quite a sight. They really give the car a very 'refreshed' look. Also, I noticed that the 'S' on the 'Cooper S' badge wasn't stuck on properly so I corrected it.

The original JCW lower grill arrived too. Looks a lot better with it instead of the cheap looking 'chicken mesh' grill.

Now it's time to add a couple of decals! Shall I put the signature mini cooper stripes on the bonnet? Thinking of putting the outline of the black jack on the roof to match the signal lamps I have. What do you think?

Silhouette of a Mirage

2011-09-18T19:05:00.002+08:00

Unit #003 on our very own shores... Such a rare ride indeed...

"Sport, Leicht, Rennsport"

2011-09-18T18:53:00.001+08:00

Yes, that is what the "SLR" in Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren stands for. "Sport, Leicht, Rennsport" or "Sport, Light, Racing".

Redline

2011-09-09T03:42:00.005+08:00

I just watched this and it is dope!

No, not this crap.

If you love anime, automobiles, racing, stylized pop art... You gotta check this out.

Here's a dubbed trailer.

Project "Kermit", after raya touch up's...

2011-09-08T23:58:00.008+08:00

A couple of quick updates...

So, 'Kermit' has been sent in again to get some touch ups done. Some little details that needed to be addressed. Anyway, these arrived in the mail...

The blacked out side signals in LED. These have the 'black jack' theme on them. I might replicate this theme on the roof of the car.

They look pretty good...

Also, the rear fog light came.

Pre-Facelift R53's had their reverse lights here. Changing this to the fog light completes the the whole facelift look.

Today, this came in the mail! All the way from Deutschland!

These are the front daytime running lights as well as the signal lights.

They're suppose to give the whole 'angel eye' effect. When fitted, they look like this...

They don't look too bad, but when I turn them over, I somehow feel cheated... Made in Taiwan?!

All that's left is to get rid of the current chicken mesh lower grill on the bumper and replace it with a proper JCW one. I've ordered one already so it should be arriving any day now... Can't wait for the mini to be back soon.

Little Green Rascals and their Monster counterparts... Teaser

2011-08-30T14:20:00.008+08:00

Met up with Tom and Bryan on Saturday night and they were looking for a venue to shoot Bryan's Sunkist Supra.
I'm like, "Hey, why don't you come shoot at my place. We can do a shoot of the little green rascals too, plus a special surprise...".

Last night, after shooting Bryan's Sunkist Supra, the little green rascals made their appearance...

This little fella decided to join us too...

After a while, we brought out their monster counterparts...

Can't wait to see more pictures from Tom and Sherman at ZeroToHundred.Com.

Bull- Frog

2011-08-29T02:48:00.007+08:00

Green Menaces! Special appearance by Tom!

Project "Kermit", a little more...

2011-08-23T21:11:00.009+08:00

A couple of updates...

The head lights have been fitted back in and they are looking good!

The lower grill has had the insides painted black as well as the fog light surrounds on the bumper.

Check out the carbon surrounds! Here's what it looks like off...

Lights on!

The only problem is, the passenger side didn't get coated evenly with the special chemical that allows the chrome to be painted on. Will sort that out soon.

The tail lights have had the chrome blacked out too!

Here's a cute accessory. My Go-Badge arrived. I got the one that looks like a power button.

Fit's on the front grill.

Now "Kermit" has a power button up front. *laughs*

The door handles have been blacked out.

Then fitted the carbon fiber cover over it. Looks pretty good I must say.

It's almost done, but not quite!

Cooper S badge has been blacked out too.

The bottom grill area on the rear bumper has been blacked out too...

The Death of another F40

2011-08-23T02:08:00.007+08:00

Last week there was news of a Ferrari F40 that crashed in Houston.

This week, it is said that it was the result of a mechanic's spin that went horribly wrong.

It's really sad to see another fine machine biting the dust. On top of that, it wasn't event the owners mistake. If I was in his shoes, I would be utterly devastated.

We all know that a similar incident happened here in Malaysia in 2001, where a mechanic took an F40 ~~out for a spin~~ for a test run and crashed it.

It was so bad, the impact of the driver actually bent the steering wheels. If I'm not mistaken, he ended up in a coma.

Source Jalopnik and Nazri Pandak.

Switzer Performance R1K in our very own backyard

2011-08-22T16:36:00.009+08:00

Yes, we have a Switzer Performance R1K GT-R in our very own backyard. It's located in Miri, Sarawak which is East Malaysia. It's in our country nonetheless.

What's a Switzer Performance R1K GT-R? It's a 1000HP tuning package offered by Switzer Performance, a garage that builds some of the worlds craziest GT-R's and Porsche's.

What started out as a Solid Red CBA-R35

Moved on with a Tommy Kaira Ebbrezza-R Aero Kit fitted...

Then the madness began, it was shipped off to have its power mods done.

Here's a short clip...

Source: ZeroToHundred and LowYat forums.

Project "Kermit", little bits...

2011-08-19T00:06:00.006+08:00

The Mini badges have been sprayed black! Unfortunately, because they were old, they cracked! 0_0'

I've got some spares lying around but they have the 'Carbon Fiber' look. I might sand these down and spray them black to replace the worn out ones.

The head light surround has been color coded black, including the round HID projector surround.

Usually, when Mini owners want to black out the chrome beltline (the chrome strip that runs around the car right where the windows transition into the body panels), they use a vinyl sticker method. There are kits sold out there which offers a black film that covers the stock chrome trim. The problem with this is that with frequent amount of car washes added on top of our weather situation, they might peel off. So instead, I just painted the whole beltline. =P

Also swapped out the old worn out key shell with the new one...

Ken Block's Gymkhana 4 : The Hollywood Megamercial

2011-08-17T13:45:00.003+08:00

Ken Block is back! This time tearing up the Universal Studios Backlot.

Check out his previous videos...
Ken Block Gymkhana Practice
Ken Block Gymkhana Practice Two
Ken Block's Informercials are back with Gymkhana THREE Part 1: The Music Video Infomercial!
Ken Block Gymkhana THREE Part 2: Ultimate Playground (l'Autodrome, France)

A little bird told me...

2011-08-17T02:11:00.006+08:00

I've recently been made aware of some interesting news...

We all know how the genuine Z-Tune comes with a complete carbon fiber front end. The fenders, bonnet, bumper and diffuser made from carbon fiber are exclusive to genuine Z-Tune's.

Previously, non Z-Tune owners could only purchase the bonnet in carbon fiber but the fenders and bumper were only sold in FRP.

A friend of mine recently told me that you can now purchase them in carbon fiber for a limited time. The complete front in carbon fiber would set you about RM75k! Madness! One little fender bender and it will all go down the drain!

OUCH!

Now, you're probably thinking, no one is gonna spend that kind of money on it. You'd be very surprised. My buddy mentioned to me that there has already been two orders. Both have had half of the value of the kits taken as deposits. NUTS! One of them, he said was an Uncle from Ipoh, and you know what, he bought it for his son!

Another actually purchased a complete Top Secret front for his ride but is now letting it go to make way for this purchase. A complete Top Secret front, consisting of a bumper, carbon fiber diffuser and carbon fiber bonnet would set you back RM12k...

Just wow...

Project "Kermit", almost done...

2011-08-15T23:14:00.008+08:00

Quick updates on Project "Kermit"...

So far it's coming along pretty well.

Door handles, the badges will have to be blacked out as well. I was supposed to fit the carbon fiber door handles, gas cap and head light surrounds but right now, looks like many of the parts do not fit well so I am not taking the risk. Might as well black everything out first and see what fits over it later.

The Cooper S grills have been blacked out too, leaving the S chrome to stand out. Will be getting some black out side signals and LED's to compliment it.

The BBS RK's have been blacked out too. I've taken the liberty of getting the calipers done in red.

The new face lifted head lights have been blacked out too. They call this the "Joey Mod". I want to black out the round bit surrounding the projector ballast at the top as well. What do you think?

The tail lights are face lifted items as well. Some re-wiring needed to be done as the reverse lights are now built into these. The fog light will now be relocated to the bumper. These are LED items as well. Will have to black out that chrome surrounding bit too...

Got the blacked out third brake light fitted. It's a full LED bit too.

It's really, really bright!

The whole rear really lights up now! Wait till I install the fog light in the bumper. Perhaps I can try to custome an LED one as well? We shall see...

Still some work to be done, but it's turning out quite nicely I must say.

Any other suggestions? ^_^

BEAST

2011-08-15T05:07:00.001+08:00

Fitting Rigid Collars To The GT-R by Dino Dalle Carbonare

2011-08-06T13:51:00.011+08:00

Now I'm thinking of getting a set... What do you think?

Ok this will probably have most of you guys scratching your heads, but yes that's a GT-R driving out of the Spoon Sport's Type-One workshop in Tokyo. It's actually my R34, and the reason I brought it over to Ichishima-san was to have it fitted with something that has intrigued me ever since I heard about it a little over a year ago, the Rigid Collar. The constant pursuit of perfection is something every enthusiasts tries to achieve with his prized possession, and when it comes to my car I'm extremely picky with what I fit it with. I think Ichishima is exactly the same, that's why Spoon Sports has made such a name for itself and when he came up with the Rigid Collar he knew it would benefit pretty much every single car out there, therefore decided not to limit himself on providing it only for the Honda community.

And that is indeed a very good move, as these little aluminum 2-piece collars have been attracting all sorts of cars to the Type-One workshop as the application list continues to grow. "Sometimes we get up to 12 cars in one day," as Yamada-san, the person in charge of fitting the collars to the Skyline, tells me. "We get anything from Porsches and BMWs to Subarus and Toyotas." And it seems everyone is so happy with the result, which makes me even more excited about getting these things onto my car. The concept is very simple, basically the Rigid Collars act as guides for the bolts that hold the chassis and subframes together, so that there is perfect alignment between the two holes the bolts are passed through. These holes, to ease assembly, are usually much larger than they should be, which over time allows the subframes to misalign throwing the car's geometry out the window. But enough with the theory part, let's take a look at how they are fitted, pictures will tell the story far better than words can.

So first thing was to place the GT-R on the lift, remove the wheels and lift it up.

The R34 is fitted from factory with a front diffuser, which helps generate front downforce and smooth airflow over the front portion of the car. It looks cool and very racecar-like but it requires to be removed pretty much every time you need to do anything on the car, which is why I have gown to hate this damn part! On top of this it's actually made pretty badly and a few unavoidable scrapes here and there (check out the opening picture to see what I mean!) it will eventually split open along the seam where it has been fused or glued together. I'm currently on my third one, and they aren't cheap!! But enough moaning.

So with the diffuser off, Yamada-san and the Type-One mechanics got to work in undoing the four big bolts that hold the front subframe to the chassis.

Removing the diffuser revealed a greasy mess around the passenger side drive shaft caused by pretty large split in the rubber CV boot. This is currently getting fixed up over at Pentroof.

As all four bolts were loosened up...

...it was time to hold the subframe in place with an hydraulic transmission lift...

...before the bolts began to be loosened further.

This picture perfectly shows the problem the Rigid Collars address. You can see how the subframe has moved around and the bolt is far from centered, not to mention the offset bolt marks left on the subframe.

This is what the rigid collars look like. They can be very different in appearance depending on application or whether they are made for the front or rear subframe.

These are the ones that were to be used on the front. As you can see they are cut down the center and can be split by hand. This is so they can be fitted without removing the subframes from the car, making the fitting procedure far simpler and quicker.

A little copper grease is placed on each half of the collars...

...before they are carefully placed on each side of the exposed threads.

And there you go, all four halves in position on one side of the subframe.

Using the hydraulic gearbox lift the subframe is carefully lifted up into place while checking the collars snap into place.

There you go, perfect alignment obtained. Next step is to fit the bolts back on, tighten them and torque them to factory settings. The washer part of the collar will squash and deform to form a perfect, even and flat seal between the surfaces of the chassis and subframe. If you watch this video you can see this further explained by a few diagrams and animations.

With the front done it was over to the rear, and like the front the rear undercover had to be removed to expose the rear subframe.

Again first step is loosening the bolts...

...which, after 12 years, were pretty tight!

With rubber bushings being used on the rear mounts of the rear subframe the Rigid Collars required are slightly different...

...one regular thin one on the upper part to seal and align the top cup to the chassis...

...and a second bigger one underneath.

The Rigid Collar in place around one of the front rear subframe mounting points.

With the collars in place, all bolts torque checked and front and rear undercovers back on it was time to fit wheels.

I had them rotated to keep front and rear wear as equal as possible. Those Bridgestone RE-11s do wear down quite quickly!

One of the mechanics took the car out for a quick drive to check everything was ok...

...and found the steering needed to be re-centered now that the subframe was aligned properly with the chassis. Even driving the car around you can instantly feel an improvement in the car's dynamics. The first manhole cover I went over I instantly noticed the suspension felt far more compliant when dealing with bumps and steering feel definitely improved off center, where it had always felt a little vague. On the limit is where the changes can really be felt, with the alignment now perfectly squared up, the car feels far more precise and planted through corners while direction changes are more progressive when tire grip eventually begins to let go.

As soon as my car was done this Mazda Axela MPS was lifted up ready to be fitted with the Rigid Collars. Feeling the car come alive and more communicative is extremely rewarding and I am very happy I decided to go for this upgrade. Now the question is, what's next because as we all know this tuning bug never http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifeally ends does it!!
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Rigid Collar

Spoon Sports

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

Source - SpeedHunters.com

Rowan Atkinson crashes his Mclaren F1

2011-08-06T08:00:00.006+08:00

Despite some reports indicating that it was so bad till it caught fire, Rowan Atkinson escaped with just a shoulder injury, probably from whip lash.

Evening Star
BBC News

Here are a compilation of some pictures taken...

I didn't think it was that bad, till I saw this picture...

OUCH!

Here's a picture of his accident in 1999.

Project "Kermit", some carbon stuff

2011-07-28T07:39:00.002+08:00

Gotta love the feeling you get when packages arrive...

Got a new key shell for the remote. The old one was worn out.

What else arrived?

Some carbon stuff like the side mirror covers, door handles, petrol cap cover, tailgate handle cover...

Pocket Rockets

2011-07-28T07:36:00.001+08:00

Mini Madness...

The R's

Pagani Huayra on the road by Evo magazine

2011-07-28T05:26:00.001+08:00

Oh whoa...
Listen to the spooling!

Nico Rosberg & David Coulthard round the Nürburgring in a SLS AMG

2011-07-27T09:43:00.004+08:00

More Golf R by Darren Chang

2011-07-24T17:23:00.002+08:00

By Darren Chang of AutoDetailer...

R8 V10 Spyder by Darren Chang

2011-07-20T20:27:00.002+08:00

Teaser shots by Darren Chang of AutoDetailer...

Black Spyder...

2011-07-19T17:16:00.002+08:00

Along came a Spyder...

Jay Leno picks up his MP4-12C

2011-07-18T15:03:00.002+08:00

It's one of my favorite factories too...

Vader and Stormtroopers

2011-07-17T10:43:00.002+08:00

The Audi R8 V10 Manual...

Stormtrooopppaaaahhhhh lego!

2011-07-14T05:13:00.002+08:00

Thank you for the new keychain Jason Chan!

Scirocco R

2011-07-14T05:03:00.004+08:00

Anyone interested in the Scirocco R or the Golf R?

Golf R by Darren Chang

2011-07-13T15:51:00.003+08:00

Teaser shots by Darren Chang of AutoDetailer...

Project "Kermit", the paint job almost done...

2011-07-09T20:10:00.003+08:00

Can you say, Verde Ithaca?

Manual R8 V10 Spyder

2011-07-09T20:08:00.001+08:00

You don't see this very often...

Big Kitty...

2011-07-09T20:07:00.000+08:00

Meowwww...

DRIFTING THE GAUNTLET : Gardella Racing

2011-07-06T16:36:00.002+08:00

A short film by Stephen Brooks, "Drifting The Gauntlet" is all about the Formula Drift event which took place in New Jersey and portrays what its like to be at a Formula D event. Awesome stuff...

Designing and Building the Aventador

2011-07-06T15:55:00.001+08:00

Sick!

599 GTO track mishap...

2011-07-06T15:41:00.001+08:00

OUCH!

"Mike Spinelli — The owner of this $450,000 Ferrari 599 GTO was reportedly going 155 mph when he lost control at the end of a straight. The tragedia della macchina happened at this past weekend's Ferrari Club Italia Troféo at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome."

Superchargeddddd!!!

2011-07-06T11:46:00.000+08:00

Project "Kermit", the paint job...

2011-07-05T05:07:00.003+08:00

Stripped... Quite painful to see it in this state. Can't wait to see the results.

This is how you want your F430 to sound like...

2011-07-04T17:42:00.005+08:00

Turn up the volume and bask in the melodies of the 4.3L V8 engine!

Unfortunately, it's a doctored video...

This is the original video of a Ferrari 430 Scuderia NovitecRosso by Option Auto

GT-R VS GTR?

2011-07-04T05:09:00.001+08:00

Priceless!

Big Booty...

2011-07-04T00:44:00.000+08:00

Fat ass...

Is Black Back?

2011-07-03T07:37:00.000+08:00

Ghost! Aaahhhh!

2011-07-02T17:56:00.002+08:00

They see me Rollin', they hatin', tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty...

Golf R

2011-07-02T17:29:00.002+08:00

Sneak peek at the Golf R that just arrived...

Black 599 GTB

2011-07-01T17:39:00.001+08:00

This still sounds so badass with the stock pipes...

A short clip of her starting up...

The Orange Monster

2011-06-30T04:16:00.007+08:00

This orange colored beast is packing 700hp to the rear wheels. It has a snail in the engine bay the size of your head...

No, I am not talking about Bryan Chin's Orange Widebody JZA80 Toyota Supra MK IV. The beast I am referring to is this...

700WHP E92 M3 with custom G Power Supercharger!

Everything you see on this E92 has been redone, rebuilt, reupholstered... You name it.

Here's a short clip of it being revved till 4k RPM...

Pinched a couple more pictures from Amy Fay. Thanks Amy!

So, I've been missing lately...

2011-06-28T01:49:00.004+08:00

Yes, I know. I've not been updating the blog much lately. I do apologize. After my trip to cherating, I flew to Russia. Not long after that, I flew to Bangkok...

Bangkok was awesome. So refreshing, having just two hot clubs in KL, Rootz and Zouk, it's getting a little dull. Upon landing, checked in the hotel, changed up and that night, we hit 5 clubs in a row. Awesome stuff.

Girls in KL are really so spoilt. The ratio of girls is higher to the guys in Bangkok and man it really shows. I got approached in the club numerous times. They're friendly and engaging. They chatted me up, asked me where I was heading after that, took me to another club, arranged for a table, bought the bottles... I felt like I was the chick! *laughs*

Girls in KL really have to up their game. Unfriendly, unapproachable, unattractive. To be popular in KL, you need to have a reputation otherwise no one will second look you. In Bangkok, it's not important. Character pulls the ladies.

I've got some mates who jet set around Asia just to party because it's so damn dull here in KL. Bangkok, Jakarta, Taipei, Manila... Man, maybe I should try that too. Maybe every fortnight or every 3 weeks. Too often and I'd probably get bored too and blow a nice big hole in my pocket.

So, when is the next trip... Next up Taipei? Jakarta? ^_^

Project "Kermit" Underway...

2011-06-28T01:23:00.004+08:00

So the Mini Cooper S R53 is looking a little dated. Thought it could use a 'refresh'. Enter project "Kermit the Frog"...

Stay tuned for updates on the project...

LP550-2 Valentino Balboni

2011-06-27T01:39:00.000+08:00

A mate from down south rolled up in one of these today... It's a Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni.

The 'Emotion Control Unit'

2011-06-26T01:37:00.000+08:00

Another F430 GT3...

2011-06-25T01:31:00.000+08:00

There is not one, but two F430 GT3's in town...

'RR'rrrr....

2011-06-24T01:31:00.000+08:00

Super GT 2011

2011-06-23T00:33:00.000+08:00

Thank you Evelyn for the lovely shot.

Hell'a lotta cars that morning...

Traffic jam in SIC...

Left around 3 something in the afternoon. Stoormtroopers reunite.

I was also fortunate enough to get to know Amy Fay who has been the talk of the Super GT and splashed all over Facebook after her visit here. Who's Amy Fay? She's appeared on the cover of Import Tuner Magazine.
She came over to shoot with the Stormtrooper. She loves the R8. So sexayyy...
My Stormtrooper'ed Blackberry caught her attention and she wanted to get hers done up as well. Brought her to Eric Soong to get her Blackberry pimp'ed.

Oh Shi...

2011-06-22T22:35:00.002+08:00

Here's a clip of a steering wheel breaking off during a drag race. So funny how he's still trying to look for it after it breaks off and then realizes it's time to fucking pull the brakes!

Darth Vader goes to Disneyland

2011-06-07T16:19:00.002+08:00

*laughS*

Flash Floods in Singapore

2011-06-07T07:57:00.006+08:00

The torrential downpour brought on flash floods in Singapore.

The Tanglin Mall was submerged.

Gone are the exotics parked in the basement of the St Regis Residences at Tanglin Road...

So you're telling me you already do drifting right?

2011-06-06T07:27:00.002+08:00

Why you shouldn't lie to a fellow drifter... *laughs*

Oh yes, it's been a while my queen...

2011-06-04T21:56:00.003+08:00

Met up with the usuals for the Cinema Online Movie Carnival.

Took a contest winner for a ride in the Nur...

It has been a while my Snow White Queen...

Tom's Mini snuggled up by the entrance.

Who?

2011-06-03T21:52:00.000+08:00

Well hello there...

Cherating

2011-05-18T21:23:00.000+08:00

Sorry for the long absence. I had a trip to Cherating and a day later, made my way to Russia... but more on that later.

Cherating was the much needed beach break.

Bliss...

Different pace of life... No hustle and bustle of the city.

F430 GT3

2011-05-14T21:12:00.003+08:00

How often do you get to sit in one of these...

A Ferrari F430 GT3!

It's crazy loud! Check out the clip below and turn up your volumes!

Chinese Girls and the Art of Make-Up

2011-05-12T07:07:00.000+08:00

I made a post before (Women these days can be very deceiving) about make-up completely changing the appearance of a woman.

Check out these pictures of the before and after. Some of them are actually not bad before but the rest are like... 0_0'
Imagine thinking you got lucky, snagging a hot one into bed one night, only to wake up the next morning completely shocked! *laughs*

Source : TrafficTetris

Bye Bye LP 570-4 Superleggera...

2011-05-09T16:19:00.012+08:00

I have a feeling this is the same car ;
'More of the LP 570-4 Superleggera...'
'The LP 570-4 Superleggera'
'No, actually... THIS is Guinevere 2.0...'

Not my pictures but... Ouch!

Happened on Jalan Tun Razak apparently and sent to Singapore for repairs.. Also, according to the owner, the accident happened because he was avoiding a community of mat rempits which caused him the accident.

However, according to eye witnesses, he was chasing a Porsche.

So so sad...

Polestar Volvo C30

2011-05-09T13:10:00.003+08:00

Not long ago, my dad was telling me how he thinks the Volvo C30 T5 is quite an interesting car. I seriously thought he was going to pick one up and I really wondered why.

Then, I saw this...

The Polestar Volvo C30 concept.

The Volvo C30 Polestar Concept, a 400bhp, all-wheel-drive mini-monster built by Poletar, Volvo's official Swedish tuning arm. Polestar says the C30 rockets 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds... and that was taking it easy. They reckon it would it would go close to four seconds flat and lap Volvo's test track quicker than an Evo X.

Wow... already nicknamed GT-R Jr..
Pity they're not putting this in to prodution. I want one. I want one so bad, I would lick it. *laugS*

Check out the clips below.

German and Italian Mad doggin' each other...

2011-05-08T22:01:00.000+08:00

Rawrrrr! Whatcha lookin' at...

Beer + Pool on the 25th floor

2011-05-08T17:58:00.001+08:00

It's been scorching lately. Nothing like a nice cold bier by the pool on the 25th floor. Bliss...

Stormy Skies

2011-05-05T17:37:00.001+08:00

Weather has been very weird lately...

Last couple of weeks it was always pouring.

Leng Yein's new look...

2011-05-04T17:48:00.000+08:00

Whoa, who's lovely long locks are these?!

Sneak peek at Leng Yein's new look.

I hope she's still going to use her personalized, hand crafted Acca Kappa hair brush...

Vapor Pro Black Ops iPhone Case

2011-05-04T13:32:00.000+08:00

Jason Chan got himself one of these...

The Vapor Pro Black Ops iPhone Case.

The Ultimate Guess Malaysia Party 2010

2011-05-04T11:39:00.004+08:00

Stumbled across of some old pictures and some clips of Shontelle performing at The Ultimate Guess Malaysia Party I attended last December.

Two really caught my eye, the blonde far left and the one in the middle with the hat. They're gorgeous.

Hong Kong beauty queen-turned actress Kate Tsui is looking mighty fine too.

Couple of clips of Shontelle, the highlight of the night...

Chasing, chasing...

2011-05-03T10:39:00.000+08:00

Trying to keep up with my dad.