WHAT’S INSIDE THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE

28 October 2024

Take a look at the featured highlights from Issue 311!

THE COVER STAR! – FORGED RB26-FUELLED ROCKET BUNNY S15

Ah, an S15 with a Rocket Bunny kit — it’s a JDM classic appearance these days. But usually, they’re built for looks. This S15 is a modern-day performance car Venus Fly Trap — tempting at the lights, but deadly when they turn green! 

There are some JDM appearances that simply just work, time and time again, with the appearance never getting old. TE37s on literally anything? Nismo wheels on any GT-R? A GoPro on the back bumper of an EG Civic? Or, in this case, a Rocket Bunny kit on an S-chassis — a tried and true combination set to spark the interest of any passing performance car enthusiast. 

A SPARK OF SLIDEWAYS – AE86 CAGED TRACK WEAPON

Toyota’s AE86 and its cult following is almost a synonym for car culture as a whole. The snappy little chassis is renowned for big fun, with many different interpretations throughout the decade. For Luke Minot, the fabled ‘eight-six’ represents his ultimate analogue driving experience, sparking plenty of grins, both in the garage and on the tar seal 
 

Luke’s carved a pretty solid reputation as a damn good wrangler of volts, amps, and all that invisible stuff electra-magicians channel into our lives to keep them, well, functioning. But we’re not here to talk about the current carrying capability of a length of 16mm neutral screen cable, instead we’re here to spin a yarn about Luke’ 1600ccs of 4A-GE goodness, and the oh-so-clean rakish lines that wrap around it.

LIVING STREETSIDE – CANDY-COATED S14 STREETER

What started as a humble, non-turbo, automatic high-school ride and Hell Pizza delivery car has, after eight years of hard work and dedication, morphed into one of New Zealand’s wildest Silvias. 

Meet Kaidyn Clark, a 25-year-old based in the Tron and the proud owner of this 1997 Nissan Silvia S14. An icon in the scene, Kaidyn’s S14 is well-known for its transformation from humble beginnings to a gnarly street weapon. 

RETRO ROCKET – ECO-BOOST POWERED FORD ESCORT 1600 SPORT

Born at Rocket Speed Equipment, Dan Tyler’s Ecoboost-powered Ford Escort 1600 Sport is a turbocharged fusion of ’80s JDM style, custom fabrication, and serious performance under the hood 

For many Kiwis, car culture is more than just a hobby — it’s a passion that starts young and lasts a lifetime. Hamilton-based mechanic Dan Tyler, aged 46, is a perfect example of this, having spent nearly two years turning a neglected 1980 Ford Escort 1600 Sport into a stunning and unique Ecoboost-powered machine. 

ONE PERFECT LAP 2024 – WORLD TIME ATTACK CHALLENGE 2024

NZPC checks out the world’s premier time attack event at Sydney Motorsport Park  

 Held at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP), this once-a-year event is truly a calendar anchor for teams and fans, with the expression of interest entries generally selling out on the day they are released and drawing more than 28,000 fans through the gates to witness man versus machine.

CLUB CIRCUIT CHAOS! – DRIFT WARS
ROUND 2

Paint swaps to engine swaps: Driftwars R2 delivers…  

After the roaring success of round 1, Driftwars returned to Taupo Motorsport Park for round 2, this time taking over the more intimate and close-knit Club Circuit. Those who have been to Taupo on a track day on the Club Circuit know the cosy atmosphere gives a real local drift event feel.

BLAST FROM THE PAST – SEX-SPEC
CIVIC SHOWCAR 

Sam List’s EG9 hails from a time of late nights, hard work and creativity, and after a decade in hiding, it’s now back doing what it does best! 

If ever there was an example of teamwork making the dream work, and the Kiwi willingness to give anything a go, it was the early 2000s show car scene. If you’re in or nearing your 40s, you’ll probably look back on the time with fond memories of long nights in the shed dreaming up and completing mods in the nick of time before the next show rolled around. With Auto Salon — the premier show series — having a focus on the cars changing between each event, you never knew what the competition would show up with next. Timaru’s Sam ‘Listy’ List was one of countless people swept up in that motion, and he’s managed to hold on to his 1993 EG9 SiR in the years that have passed since. 

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Get the NZPC 311 November/December issue here.


NZ Performance Car is the authority on the modified import scene. Each issue we bring you the inside knowledge with in-depth coverage of the best street and race scene in the world.

From grass-roots interaction with the very best of New Zealand’s modified import car community featuring exhaustive car profiles and event reports, through to industry news and columnists reporting from the Japanese and world tuning scenes, NZ Performance Car has it covered.

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