Imports

[Keef]

Notice the light diffusion? It's too crisp to be a light painting.

The only reason I wouldn't call it real light is because of how sharply it meets at the panel gaps. Chip Foose and the like spend tens of thousands of dollars with their custom body work and finishes to get reflections that perfect, and they do. But it's just not gonna happen on a Miata.

 

[speed junkie]

I know right.

Change my quote to what best suits you and then agree with it, clever argument

 

[Slicks]

I just thought I'd post it again...
Because it's awesome.

[What wheels are those?]

 

[~Sp33~]

Change my quote to what best suits you and then agree with it, clever argument

I'm not going to argue with you, if that's your idea of a women by all means. Go for gold.

 

[a112]

[What wheels are those?]

Originals are SSR MK III,but Konig makes replica's called Konig Bomb.

 

[speed junkie]

I'm not going to argue with you, if that's your idea of a women by all means. Go for gold.

I don't think I ever stated that she was top notch. As a matter of fact I made no comment at all about the woman which wasn't the point of the photo by any stretch of the imagination. And I also failed to state that she was my ideal woman. All I ever said is that she doesn't look like a man.

Anyways, lets move on shall we?

 

[homeforsummer]

Call me a phillistine, but I've never understood the appeal of the R34. Undoubtably a great car, but it's quite an ungainly looking thing and doesn't appeal to me any more however much people modify them. Ditto the R33. The R32 and R35 are much more my sort of thing, the R32 because it's small and has a nice, simple design, and the R35 because it re-writes the rulebook so much and looks so much more distinctive.

I think in general though I'm just not much of a Nissan person. Their cars don't really move me for some reason and I can't put my finger on it.

 

[Keef]

Call me a phillistine, but I've never understood the appeal of the R34. Undoubtably a great car, but it's quite an ungainly looking thing and doesn't appeal to me any more however much people modify them. Ditto the R33. The R32 and R35 are much more my sort of thing, the R32 because it's small and has a nice, simple design, and the R35 because it re-writes the rulebook so much and looks so much more distinctive.

I think in general though I'm just not much of a Nissan person. Their cars don't really move me for some reason and I can't put my finger on it.

Driving enthusiasts don't typically care what it looks like, they just want to drive the thing. That's why we think people who buy performance cars, make them ugly, fast, and then sit next to them in a chair are goofballs.

I'm also not a Nissan guy. The brand doesn't excite me. I can't think up many things that are unique about the brand, and even Toyota has a more sporting image to me than Nissan despite a glaring lack of sporty cars at the moment. Honda and Mazda are the two Japanese companies that really get me going (no bias in that one lol).

 

[speed junkie]

I love the R34. I may like other cars more but the R34 GTR has been my dream car since the beginning of my gt2 days in the 6th grade. A monster machine capable of some impressive performance along with the menacing looks. Make me chose between an exige and an R34 and I'll probably go with the Lotus but the GTR still remains my "dream car" as childish as it may sound Maybe because I associate it with the "golden era" in my automotive life.

 

[-Fred-]

 

[Keef]

Sweet picture, ugly car.

That's more like it.

Actually this is probably my favorite fitment I've seen...

EDIT: That guy JoeCrappa got some new wheels. He's got to do a few modifications to make them fit...

Lmao. That was back in December. I put his thread in my favorites.

Funnily enough I saw Bwag's car on HF today. And then I'm scrolling through Joe's thread and see Bwag illustrating his offset and fenders. Another guy I know RX7Drift is in there, he's got a red FC with silver RPF1s last time I saw it.

 

[sennarose88]

That should be modified by a hobo that won a RX-7 from a lottery.

 

[homeforsummer]

Driving enthusiasts don't typically care what it looks like, they just want to drive the thing. That's why we think people who buy performance cars, make them ugly, fast, and then sit next to them in a chair are goofballs.

I'm also not a Nissan guy. The brand doesn't excite me. I can't think up many things that are unique about the brand, and even Toyota has a more sporting image to me than Nissan despite a glaring lack of sporty cars at the moment. Honda and Mazda are the two Japanese companies that really get me going (no bias in that one lol).

Yeah, I understand the attitude about buying a car to drive it rather than look at it (though I can understand people who like looking at cars too). I do think styling is important though. I went through a phase in my mid teens when the R34 came out where I thought it was awesome, but the appeal quickly wore off. I actually have an original R34 brochure that the one and only importer in the UK at the time sent me. They barely ever appear for sale on ebay and when they do they invariably go for £30+. It's a keeper.

I'd also say I'm mainly a Honda/Mazda guy. They strike me as being enthusiast marques that happen to do normal cars, rather than normal marques that occasionally make an enthusiast car.

Anyway, pics.

And some Hondas...

I particularly like this one...

 

[Time_Attack]

I don't see how you can come to think that. 90% of the cars they make are front wheel drive. Honda is the last company I think of when I think about sports cars. In fact the only company I dislike more is volkswagen.

 

[Keef]

I don't know either, but I do.

My dad bought a new Corolla. I told him if he'd bought a Golf I'd have burned the house down.

 

[Time_Attack]

as boring and awful as the new corollas are I'd have had the same reaction.

 

[a112]

I don't see how you can come to think that. 90% of the cars they make are front wheel drive. Honda is the last company I think of when I think about sports cars. In fact the only company I dislike more is volkswagen.

FWD race prepared cars with same power are faster on circuit tracks than AWD cars with matching specifications.

 

[Time_Attack]

when they drive in reverse maybe.

 

[a112]

Hahaha you're excellent.
Think about just one thing for start,transmission losses.
Of course,i wasn't referring to million BHP cars,but circuit cars about 200-300hp like WTCC or similar.

 

[Time_Attack]

take the transverse mounted engine from the front and place it behind the seats and in front of the rear axle.

Perfection.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Of course,i wasn't referring to million BHP cars,but circuit cars about 200-300hp like WTCC or similar.

Yeah, I think that's enough to say that FWD cars are faster than AWD with the same specifications...


:waits for someone to bring up an exception like the FWD Scion TC:

 

[Joey D]

Stumbled upon more pictures of that awesome Cooper S

The stance is just perfect on the car, seeing stuff like this really makes me want to get coil overs.

 

[Keef]

:waits for someone to bring up an exception like the FWD Scion TC:

That car isn't an exception, it's just an extremely highly built car. A minivan can be fast as lightning if you build it specifically for a purpose.

As for front drivers being faster than AWDers with spec rules on circuits:

Nice Mini, Joey. But it's missing that little bit. The front needs to be that tiny bit lower, and it needs the same camber angle as the rear. Then it would look like its in one piece.



EDIT:

I don't see how you can come to think that. 90% of the cars they make are front wheel drive. Honda is the last company I think of when I think about sports cars. In fact the only company I dislike more is volkswagen.

I remembered a reason I don't like Nissan, and that's because they don't know how to make brake pads. I just happened to read the NISMO 370Z's section of Car and Driver's Lightning Lap session...and they crashed it. Catastrophic brake fade, Nissan says it was the pads. I recall they had the same issue with a track-driven Infiniti FX in the past, and the mags have always complained about 350Z brakes as well. So apparently they're awful, and they still haven't figured it out.

 

[homeforsummer]

I don't see how you can come to think that. 90% of the cars they make are front wheel drive. Honda is the last company I think of when I think about sports cars. In fact the only company I dislike more is volkswagen.

Note I said enthusiast cars, not sports cars.

Plus, you wear your allegiance on your sleeve. I'd hardly expect you to agree with me without some sort of massive bias.

As for front drivers being faster than AWDers with spec rules on circuits:

Actually, the FWDs were quicker than the Audis, even in the season that Frank Biela won it (1996, I think). Frank was just more consistant and there were enough rainy races that season for AWD to gain an advantage (and remember, this is the UK. It rains. A lot. And that isn't even a stereotype).

 

[Time_Attack]

I'd hardly call brake pads a reason to dislike a company. The next time I buy brake pads I guarantee you they wont be made by Toyota. When it comes to simple things like that there are a ton of better alternatives in the aftermarket especially when it comes to track pads.

Plus, you wear your allegiance on your sleeve. I'd hardly expect you to agree with me without some sort of massive bias.

I've owned more Hondas that I have toyotas actually. The problem with hondas is that the NSX/S2000 make up such a small minority of their actual product line. Most people that own hondas don't own them for sporty reasons. I have met a few cool people at autoxs that are into hondas but again they are the minority.

 

[homeforsummer]

I've owned more Hondas that I have toyotas actually. The problem with hondas is that the NSX/S2000 make up such a small minority of their actual product line. Most people that own hondas don't own them for sporty reasons. I have met a few cool people at autoxs that are into hondas but again they are the minority.

Probably not, but then the same can be said for Toyotas too, and Nissans, and Mazdas, and even things like BMWs.

The massive Honda enthusiast scene (note I'm still saying enthusiast, rather than "sports") would disagree with you though.

I'd also say that noting only the NSX and S2K as Honda's enthusiast models is a bit limiting. You forget, or maybe choose not to recognise, that Honda as a company have also been in and out of Formula 1 since the 60s, and have been in competitive motorcycling non-stop since the late 50s. With regard to road cars, the S2K and NSX are just the tip of the iceberg. Old sports cars like the S600/800, the Beat, any Type R model, most of the DOCH VTEC models, and whole model lines like the CRX and Prelude are all what I'd call enthusiast cars too.

The FWD comment you made earlier is completely irrelevant, incidentally.

I still stand by my earlier comment. Honda and Mazda, IMO, seem to be more enthusiast-focused than Nissan and Toyota. Both Honda and Mazda have less of an image of making automotive white goods and there seems to be a bit more "passion" there, as much as that term can be applied to Japanese car companies, anyway.

Anyway, given that the idea of this thread is pics... anything and everything

(For Eirik!)

 

[Time_Attack]

Type Rs aren't sporty. Its a good engine stuffed in an overworked econobox. I refuse to see how any front wheel drive car can be a true enthusiast car. The layout is a total compromise with no redeeming qualities.

I am fully aware of Hondas involvement in F1. I'm also aware of Toyotas involvement in the WRC and lemans. I was always a fan of the Honda GP team ever since they were still BAR.

Honda motorcycles have nothing to do with their cars and are irrelevant to the discussion.

The Honda enthusiast "scene" is all about how low you can get your car and how much worthless JDM crap you can toss at it. That is exactly why I got out of hondas and into toyotas. Toyota has made far more sporty cars in their history. Aside from later model corollas and celicas they were mostly rwd or awd. They even built cars with turbochargers something which Honda still refuses to do.

I will fully admit that new toyotas are boring. I'm not even that excited about the new toyobaru thing.

 

[Jetboy.]

Type Rs aren't sporty. Its a good engine stuffed in an overworked econobox. I refuse to see how any front wheel drive car can be a true enthusiast car. The layout is a total compromise with no redeeming qualities.

Hahaha... What? I'll admit maybe the Accord Euro R with its pointlessly thin V-Tec band, but the rest of it is real-deal. Opinion does not equal fact.

The Honda enthusiast "scene" is all about how low you can get your car and how much worthless JDM crap you can toss at it. That is exactly why I got out of hondas and into toyotas. Toyota has made far more sporty cars in their history. Aside from later model corollas and celicas they were mostly rwd or awd. They even built cars with turbochargers something which Honda still refuses to do.

Once again, this is opinion. Locally to me is a very large enthusiast group who eat sleep and crap Honda and do everything in their power to make their cars better at the track.

Meanwhile, the turbo comment can be waived, evidence presented as the City Turbo model, but that's off the point. Honda's performance cars are about squeezing the best performance out of every crevice of their engines. Ever see this video?


That Civic fed crow to everything there, despite the FWD disadvantage or "hopped-up econobox" heritage.

Defense rests.
Jetboy

 

[homeforsummer]

Type Rs aren't sporty. Its a good engine stuffed in an overworked econobox. I refuse to see how any front wheel drive car can be a true enthusiast car. The layout is a total compromise with no redeeming qualities.

"Not this s*** again"

That you "refuse" to see is clearly your problem more than it is anyone elses. It's ignorance, basically.

I am fully aware of Hondas involvement in F1. I'm also aware of Toyotas involvement in the WRC and lemans. I was always a fan of the Honda GP team ever since they were still BAR.

Honda motorcycles have nothing to do with their cars and are irrelevant to the discussion.

I was argueing the case for Honda as more of an enthusiast's company. In such a discussion, their long, illustrious motorcycle history is relevant. I called Honda an enthusiast company that happens to make normal cars. That point still stands and is corroborated by their motorcycle division.

The Honda enthusiast "scene" is all about how low you can get your car and how much worthless JDM crap you can toss at it. That is exactly why I got out of hondas and into toyotas. Toyota has made far more sporty cars in their history. Aside from later model corollas and celicas they were mostly rwd or awd. They even built cars with turbochargers something which Honda still refuses to do.

Turbochargers (again, judging by your avatar you're biased towards them, so I feel my comments will probably fall on deaf ears) aren't the be-all and end-all of performance. I personally prefer the high-technology route of variable valve and cam timing to the rather oafish route of slapping a turbocharger on something to extract performance. When everyone else in the 1980s was slapping turbochargers onto otherwise un-developed engines, Honda invested in a different and much more advanced method.

That VVTL and other acronyms for the same thing have been adapted by virtually all other manufacturers, it seems fairly clear that it wasn't such a bad move.

Regarding the scene, you're making the assumption that there aren't thousands of people out there doing exactly the same hardparking stuff with Toyotas. Personally, I've no problem with it. At the end of the day they're car enthusiasts and they're driving and modifying enthusiasts cars...

 

[Time_Attack]

There will always be hardparkers. It just seems there are more of them in hondas. I used to spend a lot of time on honda-tech and thats 95% of what I saw. I've already said how I've met some cool honda guys at autocross. They are usually really cool people. I just dont run into that type of person as much.

Anything can be made to go fast if you build it right. I can't help but think the average civic would be quicker if it were not being pulled along by the front wheels. I'm not trying to say honda doesn't make decent engines. This was never my point.

I do like turbos a lot. I own an MR2 turbo. There is a lot that can be done with them and the feeling of driving a turbo car is second to none. My AW11 is still NA though and will remain NA. I like NA engines too. High revving fours are fun.

If you really wanted to talk about the companies broader applications it must be mentioned that Toyota also owns Subaru and Yamaha.