About

Background Story:

1999 – Autocross Meet at Fentress Airfield in Chesapeake, VA

This isn’t exactly where it all began, but attending an autocross event so many years ago did help solidify my enthusiasm for motorsports and late-model imports. Oddly enough, I wasn’t into being the fastest driver or having the quickest car; I was more thrilled with the evolving sophistication of the mechanisms and electronics.

At that time I was a year into my enlistment with the Army and I owned a base model EF 1991 Honda Civic. It had a 4-speed manual transmission, one injector, one side view mirror, no power steering, vinyl seats, and no AC. Summers were miserable, especially if stuck in traffic or had the Sun glaring down on the driver’s side. Luck had run out on this econo-engine as the timing belt snapped and left me stranded. Limited on funds at that time, I decided to do some research on “affordable” engine replacements. And then I found this site:

Hybrid Honda Performance

The site as of 2018 is mostly untouched since its heyday in the early 2000s, but it and other resources changed my mind on the possibilities of this econo-car. My focus went from “affordable” to “how-much-can-I-do-for-2K”? A lot actually: ZC motor, SI tranny, CV axles, new engine mounts, headers, GReddy cat-back, rear disc brakes from ’90 Integra, and an ECU reflash from an SI donor courtesy of ZDYNE.

Because Econo-Cars do not Come with Cupholders or Tachs…

A couple of years later, I got orders to serve in Germany. Before I left for my new duty station, I bought a 2002 WRX. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun to drive while there.

I personally didn’t cough up the roughly 20 Euros to drive one lap on the Nürburgring, but it was fun to watch and hang out at Car-Mecca

After coming back to the States, I wanted to get back into motorsports, or at least continue the thrill of going fast (like traveling the Autobahn or the winding traverses of the Bundestraβe )

Autocross event at Nashville Superspeedway with me behind the wheel, clipping a cone

Many years have passed. The Subaru has been through multiple coilover setups, several engines, a couple of turbos, and its second ECU setup. But I still have this passion for automotive technology. In that time, I had the opportunity to speak with many smart individuals [and a few smug ones] about their concepts, techniques, and references.

Overall, I am a car enthusiast who is turning the passion into a full-time occupation.

Okay… What About the Company and this Site?

Not all of us are DIYers or have the time to invest in a “resto-mod.” My establishment is primarily engaged in the customization service of repairing automotive bodies, interiors, and engines or in customizing automobiles, trucks, or vans on a bespoke basis.

To be as straightforward as possible: The company will build/restore late-model cars to sell in collaboration with a few specialists in their area of expertise. There will be documentation for the project vehicle, from OEM/stock figures to the end product. The goal would be to create a “supplemental” Owner’s manual upon completion. And of course, test-drive it like… a bandit in a getaway scene.

Along the way, I will find items that may need some attention and will post an evaluation. Some of these items I may sell as well.  Somewhere between “Consumer Reports”, that forum you like to visit, and where “Project Car” and “Turbo & Hi-Performance” magazines left off, but more emphasis on how some things work and electronics whenever possible. Most importantly, there will be as many references as possible. It is not necessarily a full-blown, collegiate bibliography, but it is enough to cross-check.