Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Fast Car

How’s it going readers? Have you dug out your woolly hats, gloves and scarfs, put the heating on and started drinking hot chocolate again? Nope, me neither. I’m holding on to summer for a few more weeks yet! Anyway, before we think about the cold, let’s warm your cockles (what the hell are cockles anyway? – Midge. In this instance they are ventricles of your heart, but they’re also a small, edible, saltwater clam – Jules) with this killer issue of the magazine. Firstly, we have our usual flavour of modified rides, including a spanking juiced Del Sol, a bagged Cayman S and a styled Corsa C. However, this month we’ve also taken the time to do a Wheels and Heels bonus section, looking at the very best of female…

When Vauxhall launched the Astra VXR in 2005, it delivered the most power of any of its peers and Griffin enthusiasts fell for the VXR hard. With aggressive styling and an equally aggressive power delivery there’s no denying the VXR is a hoot to drive and a capable car on almost any road. In terms of bang for buck, the Vauxhall VXR is up there with the best of them considering the amount of power the 2ltr engine supplies, plus with standard equipment like 18in alloys, Recaro seats and ESP (or 19in wheels, Sat Nav, leather upholstery and xenon headlights if the previous owner ticked those option boxes), there’s not much more you need from a standard car. But if you do it’s fair to say that Vauxhall is one…

Set at the one of the oldest motorsport venues in the world, Shelsley Walsh, Retro Rides Gathering returned for another day full of old-school goodness. From no-expense spared, purpose-built race cars, to slammed rat-rods and all the unusual and, normally, unloved choices of cars to modify in between, there was definitely something for everyone to lust over. Despite the changeable weather from dry to absolute monsoon-like rain, the turn out for the day was fantastic. Spirits were high (after a nice bacon sarnie and a cup of tea) and everyone was raring to see the famous hill-climb event in the RWYB competition. And with guest cars such as John Miskimmin’s V8 E21 BMW, Brad O’Nien’s triple-rotor drift-spec FC RX-7 and David Beatty’s Honda Prelude Thundersaloon, along with some hardcore track…

This could be the last ever girl special we do! It’s no time to be sad though dear reader, as this is a time for celebration. Once upon a time a female modifier was a rare and mysterious beast but these days less so. It’s normal to see females and their modified motors at shows up and down the country, so doing a special in the future would be like a chemist shouting about selling aspirin; it’s a bona fide given! Girl modifiers might still be in the minority but they are a massive part of modern day car culture. Girl power, baby!…

The Toyota Starlet Glanza has never been the most obvious of hot hatch choices, at least as far as the UK is concerned. We’ve always plumped for offerings from closer to home; Polos, Saxos, Minis and, if we’re counting the fact that they’re built in sunny Swindon, the Honda Civic Type R. It can’t have helped that the Glanza was never officially sold in this country, Toyota instead opting to push their more prosaic and practical offerings. All of this is a massive shame, as the Starlet Glanza truly was a late ’90s powerhouse of car – a hot hatch with massive attitude, aggressive looks and decent firepower from a 1.3 4E-FTE turbocharged four-pot. 130bhp, in factory guise, was good power for a hot hatch 20 years ago. Little wonder…

You love stanced cars, we love stanced cars so we are all going to love Ultimate Stance on Sunday 1st November. Returning for its second year at the Telford International Centre, the show will bring together the very best slammed show cars. There’ll also be the Wheel Whores Showcase within one of the halls, featuring even more great vehicles, attractions, and their awesome WW merchandise. See you there! Advanced tickets are available at: www.ultimate-stance.co.uk Top Show Features Demo VehiclesClub StandsDetailing & Vehicle WrappingDemonstrationsLive Lowrider DisplayRC DriftingBMX Displays…

There are any number of ways to go about tuning a car and it’s no exaggeration to say that this little tuning world of ours really does have something for everyone. Car modification can take pretty much any form you want, and it’s nothing if not a broad and varied spectrum. At one end you have OEM+ owners making ultra subtle, carefully considered tweaks, while at the other you have balls-out Bosozoku creations with six-foot exhausts and ankle-maiming side skirts. Of course, you are somewhat limited by your choice of base car (woe betide anyone who fancies bolting some character to their Kia Rio, for example) and it’s only natural that certain cars have attracted large fan bases. This sheer popularity helps explain why certain cars have come to be…

HOW LONG? Give yourself a full day DIFFICULTY? 6/10 If there’s one thing that’s essential throughout the whole modding universe, it has to be lowering your car. But it’s not just about looks – get it right and you’ll transform the handling too. It’s not just us saying it because we love a slammed motor either. Any scientific engineering fella with a white coat and PhD will tell you that dropping your car’s centre of gravity will reap a marked improvement in cornering. Stiffer suspension will reduce body roll too, and that’s why many special editions and sports models often come with a 10-15mm drop, straight from the factory. The thing is though, manufacturers have to play it a little safe with the ride heights of the vehicles they build…

Features • Up to 1,000CCA Max Load• 0-16-Volt Range• 0.9kg Weight The design of lead-acid car batteries hasn’t really changed for the last 50 years or so, which is more than can be said for the cars we drive. Nowadays there’s all sorts of electrical gubbins that rely on your battery and charging system working effectively – and I’m not just taking about your iPhone charger either. Most specialists recommend you replace your battery every four years or so. But not many people do this as a matter of course. Most of us just wait until the car won’t start and get the next bus to Halfords, usually being mighty annoyed at ourselves for not having the battery properly checked in the first place. The thing about batteries is they degrade over time.…

It may come as something of a surprise to men and women alike, but I’ve been round the block a couple of times and in all that time I actually managed to get a girlfriend along the way. More than once. Unbelievable I know. Now obviously, I can only speak from the male point of view here, but I’m guessing this goes for the lady tuners too. When you spend your life around modified cars, when you truly live and breathe the scene, there seems to be only two types of life-partner you’ll find – those who love their cars as much as you do, or those who just don’t get it. To be honest, I’m not sure which is worse. You either get the classic, “You love that car…

It’s maybe something that’s hard for our younger readers to grasp and fully appreciate, but there was a period not so long ago that Mercedes well and truly dropped the ball. Decades spent building up a reputation for engineering excellence, understated style and tank like reliability were very nearly undone with the launch of the W210 E-Class, a car that exposed Merc’s newfound love for penny-pinching and built in obsolesce for all the world to see. Not only did these cars like to fall apart at the turn of a key, they also liked to rust in a manner that would’ve made a Morris Marina owner gasp. It’s no exaggeration to say that these cars damn near broke the pointed star’s reputation and almost undid decades of hard work but,…

MATT PARKER’S 206 GTI 180 FC Says : This 206 is on its 3rd transformation in as many years as owner Matt, seeks his perfect Pug. He’s planning to lose the rear seats, bolt in a roll cage and add some performance over the winter. So if you see this GTi in your rear view mirror next Spring get ready to move out the way! TECHSPEC PUG 206 GTI TOP MODS: K&N Typhoon induction kit; Janspeed exhaust system; OMP strutbrace; Cadbury’s purple colour coding; MOMO Team 280mm steering wheel; black Alcantara and purple stitched speedo cover; hydro dipped carbon effect trim; SP arch extensions; Team Heko wind defl ectors; colour coded SP alloy fuel cap; SEAT Leon Cupra splitter; smoothed tailgate; Morette headlight conversion; AP coilovers; 17-inch 207 GTi Pitlane…

FEATURE CARS: Awesome A1 and MINI Static 350Z Sexy Scirocco Slick Ek Saloon Low IQ (see what we did there?) SPECIAL FEATURES: WINTER DETAILING GUIDE Protect your car against the evil winter elements SHOWS: PLAYERS 9.0 Everyone’s favourite multi-marque, mash-up returns to North Weald and it was a pure stonker FORGE ACTION DAY We head to Castle Combe for the show that does exactly what it says on the tin PLUS: Product tests, Fast Projects, and loads more. Quite frankly, you’d be mad not to buy it *Subject to change, because that’s how we roll.…

Welcome to what is in all probability the UK’s most expensive cruise. It’s a meet where every single motor is a supercar and they get to take over a whole town for a day. The Wilmslow Motor Show is popular, too. Since 2012 it’s attracted over 30,000 of us mere mortals from all over the UK to check out the mad selection of exotica. It’s a heady mixture of petrol heads, old ladies, posh people and some of the most desirable motors on the planet. It’s also one of the most random things you’re ever likely to see – how many places do you know that get shut down legally all in the pursuit of car culture? The leafy, upmarket town of Wilmslow is the venue, situated right in the…

Picture the scene. You’re flicking through the car mags at your local Shell garage after filling up your pride and joy, only to spot your very own car staring back at you from the Readers’ Rides section of one of the publications, with someone you don’t know called ‘Bruce’ claiming it to be theirs... What would you do? This is the exact situation Leigh Cornish found himself in a few months back, when he spotted his, frankly jaw-droppingly tasty, Honda CR-X Del Sol gracing the pages of this very magazine under an imposter owner’s name. Thankfully, after making FC Towers aware of this somewhat bizarre predicament, we’re now about to give Leigh’s comprehensive car build story the justice it deserves. Who’s laughing now, ‘Bruce’?! The first thing you’ll notice about…

If your idea of heaven is a midnight dash through the most involving and challenging of country lanes, then forget the size of your engine or the ferocity of your brakes. The smart money is spent out front, illuminating the way. When it comes to cerebral performance enhancements, the future is most definitely bright, my friends! When you stop to analyse it, Petrolheads spend their modifying budget on the most eclectic mix of upgrades – stickier tyres, lighter seats, faster remaps, stiffer suspension. The list is literally endless. Every penny spent intended to maximise performance, enhance the driving experience and improve looks. Occasionally, you even find the holy grail and tick all three boxes at the same time! The only problem, once you have created this fire-breathing, pub-figure boasting behemoth,…

Japfest 2 has always had a huge club following and this year’s event was no different, with the core of the show based around a huge gathering of club cars that filled Rockingham’s outfield. The quality and variety on display is unrivalled in the Japanese show scene and the incredible turnout featured everything from stripped-out track Evolutions to the very latest Civic Type Rs. Headline sponsor Adrian Flux, had a job to pick the Best Club Stand winner, but with a diverse mixture of well-modified cars they opted for Fitment Junkies. One of the highlights of the show was the Show and Shine competition. Twenty cars were handpicked to take part in this year’s display and the standard was higher than ever, making it a challenge, but still very much…

SILVERLINE EXPERT MULTIMETER, £15 You don’t need to be tooling around in a half-charged Nissan Leaf to know there’s a shed-load of electrical shenanigans going on in your motor, all just waiting to bugger you up at the wrong moment. That, dear reader, is why a decent multimeter is an absolutely essential addition to any modern toolbox – even if you only ever use it to test your battery. What’s amazing about this Expert item from Silverline though, apart from the fact it’s only 15 quid, is that it’ll not only test all the normal stuff like voltage (AC/DC), resistance and current, but it’ll also measure temperature up to 1,000°C. I can’t say I’ve ever seen one do that before, certainly not at this money! www.silverlinetools.com…

Someone down in Munich knew precisely what they were doing when they came up with the E21. They must have got out of bed on the right side after a very, very good night beforehand! Those stunning lines and neat, precise styling looked utterly amazing in the early 1970s, particularly when compared to more prosaic offerings from the likes of Ford, Opel and Fiat. The E21 looked great when they could be found lining the streets of Europe and most of the world. But they look even better now that the majority of cars on our roads are curved, heavy and pretty similar in appearance. That iconic shark-nose snout looks every bit as imposing as it did back when Ronald Reagan was the most powerful man in the Western world.…

There’s something empowering about driving a van, especially a big white one. I’ve lost count of the times we’ve hired a massive long wheelbase Sprinter, a Tranny or a Transporter to run the FC stand around to various shows, and every one of ‘em makes you feel exactly the same – like the last action hero, a real street fighter; the king of the road. They’re also an essential tool for business. When you think about it it’s obvious that the humble van is what keeps our industry from dying a sudden death. Chances are every mod on your motor has been in the back of one at some point and that’s because, if you’ve got to shift anything bigger than your average bacon sandwich, a van is the only…