So if anyone remembers, a while back I posted that Riceboy TV + Antonio from Speedhunters had stopped by to interview Yoshioka. I didn’t want to leak any info at the time since I didn’t want to spoil it, but Riceboy TV just dropped their interview, story, and pics for Yoshioka and his win at Formula D Las Vegas. Antonio from Speedhunters did an awesome job interviewing him (and he also took the pictures in the same section), and it was cool to see everything come together (since I had been watching everything filmed from the background). Check it out here, for those who don’t know Yoshioka might think he’s a serious race driver, but he’s super funny and laid back! Thanks to Riceboy TV + Antonio, check the video here.
As a supplement to my previous post, here’s a short post about wheel offsets.
So without further ado, let’s beat that dead horse, shall we?
If you look at a wheel along its barrel (width wise), zero (0) offset would be the imaginary line that is dead center between barrel end to end. The imaginary line is determined by where the backpad of the wheel sits. Keep in mind that this tutorial is based on MULTIPIECE WHEELS (which is what my previous how to determine lip post was referring to). Cast wheels follow the same idea, but the drawings I made are for multipiece wheels (since it shows lip size changing). If the backpad moves towards the outside of the wheel, then the offsets increase in positive numbers (in increments of mm). If the backpad moves towards the inside of the wheel, the the offsets increase in negative numbers (in increments of mm).
Rule of thumb: the lower the offset, the further the wheel moved OUTWARD of the fender, and vice versa. As you can see, the orange line demonstrates the fender position, and the blue line demonstrates the hub/rotor where the wheel mounts to. For general purposes, let’s say this wheel is a 18×9.5+0 (images are not drawn to scale). As you can see, the outer position is “flush” (even) with the outer fender imaginary line (shown in orange). Also take note of the size of the outer lip of the wheel. Let see what happens if we raise the offset of the wheel…
So instead of a 18×9.5+0, let’s try to run a 18×9.5+22 and see what happens. As you can see, if you change the offset of a wheel from a +0 to a +22, the overall position of the wheel is going to move INWARD 22mm. As you can see by the area shown in green, that is the 22mm that the wheel backpad moved between the two sizes. Since the wheels shown are multipiece, the face of the wheel moves inside the barrel to change offsets, rather than adding more material to the wheel backpad. In addition, notice that the lip size decreased when the offset increase. Generally speaking, one can assume that the lip size decreases when the offset increases, but sometimes it might not be the case (depending on face design, but that’s gonna get confusing).
So what have we learned? For those who don’t like reading, here’s the takeaway:
- Lowering the offset: the more it moves outward from the fender (”more flush”) - Raising the offset: the more it moves inward inside the fender (”more sunk”)
I get this question a lot, and while I don’t mind explaining to each customer how to do it, I know a lot of you guys are shy and don’t want to holla at a playa on the phone. So here goes, how to read a wheel sizing chart:
1. “Free Range” Offsets: These are sizing charts that allow you to choose from a “range” of offsets, rather than a preset number. Before all that though, you read the chart like any other table. As demonstrated by the purple arrow, this wheel is offered in an 18 inch (diameter) by 10 inch (width). If you look at the top of the chart, there are the following column headings: Taper Low Disk / Flat Low Disk / Flat High Disk. Each brand has a different name for its face choices, but for the most part, it will either go lowest to highest, or vice versa (obviously if it has “low” in the name, then you know it has LESS brake clearance in comparison to a “high” disk). Brake clearance and face choice is a whole other blog though. Let’s just take “Taper Low Disk,” which usually will be a rear wheel. As shown by the green arrow, you can get any offset -13 through +53. This means you can get any whole number offset, i.e -12, -11, +0, +1, and so on. The circled lip size I will be referring to is in light blue, i.e 77mm. Also, PCD = bolt pattern.
Lazy reader notes: - Purple arrow: Wheel size - diameter (18″) by width (10″) - Green arrow: Face choice + respective columns of available offsets - Magenta square: PCD = bolt pattern of wheel - Blue circle: “77″ is the wheel lip size in mm that is associated to +53 offset - Taper Low Disk = least brake clearance (ideal for rear) - Flat Low Disk = standard brake clearance (will clear most standard size front calipers) - Flat High Disk = maximum brake clearance (ideal for BBK or big caliper)
2. “Preset” Offsets: These are sizing charts that allow you to choose from a “preset” offset, given to you by the sizing chart for that specific wheel. In this case, the 18×11.5 is offered in +5, -8, -16, and so on down the row. Each column represents the wheel faces that are offered, i.e “SL, NR, MD, HP.” Their respective meanings are color coded and shown below the chart. Again, it (SL, NR, MD, HP) goes from least amount of brake clearance (Super Low Disk) to maximum amount of brake clearance (Hyper Disk). At the top of the column, the 135mm refers to the lip size, and is the lip size for the 4 columns below it (i.e +5, -8, -16, and -26 all have 135mm lip size). Lip size is easy with presets, since you just figure out what diameter x width x offset you are running, and look at the column above. For example, an 18×11.5-26 (HP Face) has a 135mm lip, as well as an 18×11-14 (NR Face). An 18×12-1 (SL) has a 148mm lip, etc. Got it?
Lazy reader notes: - Navy Blue square: Wheel size - diameter (18″) by width (11.5″) and corresponding offset choices - Orange square: Lip sizing in mm, refers to the 4 columns of offset choices listed below it - Magenta square: “HP” refers to the wheel face choice (i.e determines level of brake clearance), and offsets for that face choice are listed below it - Lime green square: Usually where special notes are, in this case there are different color choices (which also can mean different prices). PCD = bolt pattern of wheel, and in this case, there are more bolt patterns possible, i.e you might be able to do a 5×120, 5×112, etc - SL, NR, MD, HP: listed in order from least to most brake clearance
3. How to calculate lip size: First of all, you have to figure out what size wheel you want to go with. So if you take a look at the top most chart, let’s say you want a 18×10 with a +15 offset with a Taper Low Disk for your rear wheel. I had circled the number “77″ in blue, which is the lip size for an 18×10+53 Taper Low Disk wheel (this does not go for all 18×10 multipiece wheels, lip size is specific to EACH brand and model of wheel, so check the sizing chart always). So a +53 gives you 77mm of lip, which tells you that if you go to a +15, you will be getting MORE LIP (rule of thumb: lower the offset, the more the wheel sticks outward from the fender, and bigger the lip gets). So a (+53) minus (+15) = 38mm. Add 77mm + 38mm and you get 115mm, which is the lip size of a 18×10+15 Taper Low Disk.
“Logan you sound like the Charlie Brown teacher” Notes: - Lower the offset, the more the wheel sticks outward from the fender - Lower the offset, the lip size increases on a multipiece wheel - 18×10+53 Taper Low Disk gives you 77mm lip - 18×10+15 (if that’s the sizing you were trying to determine) gives you a 115mm lip - You figure that out by subtracting 53-15, which equals 38. Add that to 77mm (because you are INCREASING LIP SIZE remember) and it gives you 115, which is the lip size in mm. - For you Americans you can convert mm to inches with an online calculator.
4. Extra credit: let’s do one more: Let’s try doing another one. Again, top most chart: how about 18×9.5 offset -1 with a Flat High Disk. If you look at the chart, a -20 is equivalent to a 125mm lip. So this time it’s backward, but same idea. The offset -20 is a 19mm difference from -1. Yet if we use the rule of thumb (lower the offset, bigger the lip), you’ll then realize that a -20 has a bigger lip than a -1. So you have to subtract 19mm from 125mm, and you get a 106mm lip. So a 18×9.5-1 with a Flat High Disk has a 106mm lip.
“Logan I have no idea why you put a Nike shoe there” Notes: - Lower the offset, the lip size increases on a multipiece wheel - Even though an offset goes negative, the lower the offset rule of thumb still applies - 18×9.5-20 Flat High Disk has a 125mm lip. - 18×9.5-1 (if that’s the sizing you were trying to determine) gives you a 106mm lip - You figure that out by subtracting (-20) minus (-1), which equals 19. SUBTRACT that from 125mm (because you are DECREASING LIP SIZE remember) and it gives you 106, which is the lip size in mm. - For you Americans you can convert mm to inches with an online calculator.
Final note: This may be common knowledge to some of you (especially industry folk), so my apologies if this is redundant info, but hopefully this helps those that were unclear about how to read and calculate wheel charts (I once had no clue either). Keep in mind that each wheel chart is different, so be aware when you go from brand to brand. Some companies don’t even give offsets or lip sizes (which I think is weak), but definitely do your research, since “offset is everything” (Hellaflush™ lol!)
P.S: I suck at math, and typing a long entry I might have made errors. So caveat emptor, but change the Latin to “let the reader beware.” LOL
11. Nobuteru Taniguchi: So this morning I was surfing and came across this pic posted on a forum I frequent (which is actually originally from Dino’s “J Style” blog). This completely floored me since I can’t believe I forgot to add Nobuteru Taniguchi and his original S15 in my top 10 list. For sake of an even number, I’d like to keep it at 10, but I remember drooling as a NOOB over his S15. Most people would be familiar with his full raced version with the Super Advan Ver. II’s, but I prefer his clean version with the Advan T6’s better. Classy and sexy, which is typical for any car that is Vertex equipped.
I also came across an online article by Super Street about Taniguchi and his cars. Makes me jealous, I’d probably take the EXACT same picture if I had a S13, S14, and S15 all color matched and meticulously done. Still one of the best S15’s I think that has been done, period.
Again, my apologies if I have forgotten anyone, but this was just off the top of the dome, and influencial to ME. I know there are many other very important cars and people that were instrumental in the drifting scene in the USA, but I had to narrow it down to what affected me specifically.
So over the weekend it was my brother’s birthday, and for lunch we went to Los Compadres in Long Beach, which was based on the fact that it has a consistent 4.5 stars on Yelp.com (which my brother swears by). I hate eating things I’ve had before, so I chose a dish they have called the Molcajete Mixto. “Molcajete,” essentially the Mexican version of a mortar and pestle, is used to grind up spices and such (i.e making salsas, guacamole, and in this case this dish. It was pretty spicy, but a good type of spice with a nice kick. You can’t tell by the picture, but it had cactus, chicken, carne asada, shrimp, green onion, and an awesome piece of (fried?) cheese. They also make homemade tortillas, and allow you to choose half and half (i.e corn and flour tortillas). I’m going to have to go back to this place, there was so much more on the menu I wanted to try.
As if eating at a Mexican food restaurant wasn’t enough, my brother asked my sister in law to pick him up his favorite burrito on their way from Los Angeles (for him to eat later). The Manuel Special, named after the owner of El Tepeyac Cafe in Los Angeles, is beyond words. I had my brother put his arm in the picture just for reference. If I remember correctly its about $11 bucks or so, and man its so worth it just based on portion. I remember going there from time to time in college, and on many occasion, me and 2 of my homies would try to finish it (and mind you we were big boys), but couldn’t. If you’re ever near East Los (off the 10 + 5), you need to go peep it. Besides going just to get shocked by the size of the burritos, they’ve also got other great stuff on the menu.
So there was a post over by the boys at Speedhunters which got me thinking about what MY list would look like.
Here is my TOP 10 list of most influential drift cars/people, but here is the CRITERIA:
CRITERIA + NOTES: - Influential TO ME. Not to you, ME, and me only. My personal opinion, you are more than welcome to make your own. - Top 10 off the top of the dome, this is not an end all list, but just what I came up with at the current moment. - Influential in regards to drifting specifically. - Influential meaning EARLY influences, whether it be before I got into drifting, or during the early stages when I got into it. - Has no bearing on what is currently influential. Again, EARLY influences. - I’m aware that I am overlooking certain cars and people, but for sake of making it a neat and quick 10 I did it this way. - I came in the game in the year 2002 when I bought my first 240sx (which was actually relative “late” by my standards). - “Top 10 Cars” and “Top 10 INFLUENTIAL Cars” means something different to me. These are top in influence only, not in how much HP it makes, what specs it has, etc.
And without further ado…
1. Yoshinori Koguchi: I’m obviously biased to the 180sx, but ever since I stood behind that concrete wall at Drift Showoff in 2003 and saw Koguchi coming INCHES to the wall (and media having to take a step back in fear), I was never the same. Obviously his later versions of the chassis are dope as hell, but if you’re talking INFLUENCE, then the red 180sx shown to the left is king. In addition, anyone whose ever watched a video of drifting has had to have seen the black 180sx with the Blitz wheels. Oh man, I’d still kill for a Hotroad 180sx front bumper.
2. Mitsuru Haraguchi: Forget No One Better (N.O.B), you should call this dude N.O.L (No One Lower)! Haraguchi’s 326Power x BN Sports FC is insane in every category. It looks like a caricature and looks undriveable, but he somehow was able to pull it all off. He’d just whip this thing, super aggressive driving style, crazy angle, super early intiation, super hardcore. He’s since been driving different cars for Formula D and such, but it really isn’t the same. I want to see him back in a FC, furreal.
3. Signal Auto Drifter X (Komatsu): Just like Koguchi’s 180sx at Drift Showoff, I also got a chance to first see the capabilities of Signal Auto and their car “Drifter X.” Back around that time, Signal Auto was SUPER involved in the USA drift scene, and their cars were always fan favorites. I think I read a comment that this was “the only time a S13.5 was cool,” and although I’m at risk to hurt some feelings, I sorta agree.
4. Sexy Knights 180sx: This picture is older than the internet, and is the supreme reason why one of my dream wheels has been the Panasport G7-C5C2’s. The owner of the car is also a funny guy (Sexy Knights are pretty wild dudes), from what I’ve seen in interviews.
5. Sexy Knights Onevia: Most people will say that S13 coupes are best with a Silvia front end, and while I’d agree, I’m always a big fan when someone can pull of a clean onevia (”One”80sx front end + Sil”via” chassis, i.e S13 coupe with pop up headlights). Like the Sexy Knights 180sx, this picture is also older than dirt, and one of my most favorite onevias of all time. The Sexy Knights team also has a super sick red 86 for all you Trueno lovers out there.
6. Pink GodziRa: Their mascot is a pink dinosaur with a green bow who appears nervous mostly with uneasy hands…wait, what? Started in 2002 as a semi joke, a group of local Socal 240sx enthusiasts came up with a drift team called Pink GodziRa (consisting of Aaron, Lindsay, Brian “BH” Harte, Janet, Danny, and AD). I can easily say that without ever meeting this group of people, I would: a) probably have quit drifting by now out of frustration, b) have a crappy 240sx with sunk wheels and poor taste, c) be short of some good friends, and d) still be a noob. Besides myself, I’d say easily that the internet segment of 240sx owners have been greatly influenced by Pink GodziRa, as they have typically been at the forefront of USA drift trends and styling (by using the influences they have from their Japanese drift heroes). Anyone who says otherwise is just a hater.
7. Benson Hsu aka Sileightymania: If you live in the USA, are into drifting, and don’t know the significance of the word “sileightymania,” then that helps me to determine when you got in the game. Not that if you don’t know that’s a bad thing, but Benson (before his family man days) was quite the 240sx internet celebrity. No disrespect either by using the word “was,” since he himself can tell you that he pulled back from the game. At risk of sounding like a fanboy, he was one of the reasons I bought a 240 (back in 2002), and I’m sure the same for many others. But back then I didn’t know him, and now I do, so I can tell embarrassing info like that with no shame (okay, just a little). Either way, his Sileighty was something I always followed back in the day, and its amazing he’s still on the same chassis (now he’s back to pop ups though, and its red with soon to come big lipped SSR Professor SP1’s). 180sxmania continues (minus baggy knakis and some super huge yellow windbreaker lol)!
8. Slide Squad: At around the same time as Mr. Hsu was big thangs poppin, Dave Scholz and Mark Hutchinson also had an internet following with the team Slide Squad that they formed. Another Socal crew just like Pink GodziRa, Slide Squad was all about just having FUN with their cars, plain and simple. I think Mark’s Silvia was one of the first Silvias I had ever seen, and Dave’s camo painted EF was hard to not like (way before this tacky rattle can craze). Wu Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple Then” comes to mind, and during this time period, I loved all things 240, and it was just pure, innocent love for the hobby. Read the link at the bottom to a Super Street article on them. I wish more owners had that carefree mentality and just had FUN, since people are way too serious these days when it comes to cars (less hate for 08).
9. Society Mike: While some of the Socal folks were making waves out here, Mike Craig (aka Ziptied.com founder) had a site called DJ Elektrique, which if I remember correctly was for his DJ hobby as well as his 240 hobby. The only thing was that he was in the armed forces stationed in Japan, which meant one thing: easy access to parts. His S13 Silvia is still probably one of my favorites, and if the picture doesn’t illustrate why, you better get your eyes checked. This was also the time in which I wanted R33 GTR wheels SO badly (but don’t forget you need spacers to make them work kids!). He later changed chassis and built a sick S14 as well, but I still preferred his S13.
10. “Panda Scheme” AE86: Oh man, this is where imma have to get a little LAME with it. At risk of ridicule, I can proudly say that yes, I loved watching Initial D when it first dropped. I also loved watching “Drift Bible” with Keiichi Tsuchiya. Keep in mind this was all a very long time ago (early 2000’s), and again, when innocence was bliss. I loved the 86 Corolla for its simplicity, its lines, its capabilities, and its general “cool” appeal. I don’t care what you say, Initial D was entertaining, and definitely a reason I initially (no pun intended) got into the world of drifting.
So that’s my list of 10, and some people I gotta show respect to, since they shaped me in the game. If you agreed and it brought up some feelings of nostalgia, I’m glad I could help. If not, then maybe you got a few history lessons and maybe picked up some new heroes you could look up to.
So with all that being said, here’s how my car currently sits, and as mentioned before, all the influences above (along with many others not mentioned) have contributed to the current result. While like many other modified cars, its never done, but I’ve taken my time with it and had a lot of great people help me along the way. There are some things I’d like to change (if money was no object), but its finally at a point where I’m satisfied. Now my only goal is enjoying it out on the track, money willing.
So yeah…I caved and finally copped the 3G iPhone. Now of ALL people, I am probably the LAST person who’d ever consider buying one, since I’m really not a go go gadget kinda guy. Facts: 1) The last computer I built for myself was in 2000. I only recently bought a Dell laptop to replace the 8 year old relic, which felt it was time to call it quits. 2) I have never had a fancy phone, the current phone I was using didn’t even have a camera feature. I was out of cell contract for about 2 years now as well. 3) I needed to buy a camera, since my old Canon Powershot (which was also about 5 years old) crapped out last year. So I weighed all my decisions and copped. I’ve been using it for a couple days now and MAN, straight McDonald’s status (I’m lovin it). And best thing is, I can finally take my own pics…
First picture with the iPhone. Hit up this place Tops off the 210 + Rosemead. Per the suggestion of my coworker Francis, I got the Kobe Bistro Burger. It was about $6, but oh man it was bomb. I’d say between this and Father’s Office in Santa Monica, these are some of the best burgers I’ve had recently. Oh, and they had ORANGE BANG! Takes me back to the days eating at Zippy’s (in Hawaii)!
Andre 3000 is probably one of the best MC’s in the game right now. I’ve been down with Outkast for a minute though, and also Raekwon, so its only fitting that I post “Royal Flush.”
Speaking of good MC’s, I recently came across Murs while attending Rock The Bells. The West Coast isn’t known so much for their MC’s, but Murs definitely spits fire and reps Los Angeles. Peep his new track with 9th Wonder titled “Murray’s Revenge.” All you Nintendo heads will love the segment at 2:00. You ever wonder who came up with that trick with the cartridge? And mind you, this was WAY before Internet, when your only news on how to rock a Nintendo was either your homey down the block, or Nintendo Power magazine (don’t make like you didn’t subscribe too). So how did everyone around the world know to do the same thing?
I’m not the avid concertgoer, but I’m glad I didn’t miss this year’s Rock The Bells concert this past weekend. Every year since it’s been happening, I’ve always wanted to go (especially during the Wu Tang days), but for some reason or the other, never made it out to any previously. The lineups for Rock The Bells is always big name packed, and this year was no different. We got there at around 2pm, and although it was hotter than jalapenos, it was well worth it.
THE ONLY DOWNSIDE WAS THAT ROCK THE BELLS NEVER POSTED A SET SCHEDULE AHEAD OF TIME. I think technically, they posted it the day of, but I checked it the night before and it wasn’t updated. As a result, I ended up missing Cool Kids and Kidz In The Hall, which was two acts I really was looking forward to seeing. But anyhow, the music that I DID see made it still well worth it…
Some acts had already gone on stage before we went there (and there were two stages, one large and one small), but the first act I saw was Rakim! Super ill, I’m just glad that I could see hip hop royalty live. Peep some old school Paid in Full action above with “I Ain’t No Joke.”
Then as if Rakim wasn’t enough, De La Soul came on stage and did a bunch of their newer stuff as well as their old stuff. Although their most recent album “The Grind Date” didn’t get mainstream shine, it was a solid album. Peep “Much More” above, one of my favorites off the album.
After De La, two of my favorite artists of ALL time Raekwon + Ghostface Killah came on stage. I’ve met Ghostface in person before, but never seen either of them live. The first Cuban Linx album is easily in my top 10 albums of all time, can’t wait for the 2nd one to drop soon. They did a lot of the Wu Tang stuff like “Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin Ta F*ck Wit” and Ghost did stuff like Daytona 500, which they also mixed in with Bob James’ “Nautilus,” which was cool. Everyone was throwing up the “W’s” furreal.
Following Rae + Ghost was Redman, who technically was supposed to come out with Method Man. For some reason, Method Man was LATE, so they were gonna cancel them but Redman took the stage by himself and got it started. Meth finally arrived and they did a short set together. Classic Wu is always worth it, and they worked in some ODB stuff as well, which was a nice touch.
The surprise guest followed, which was Black Eyed Peas, sans Fergie (not surprising). Obviously, they wouldn’t show up to a Rock The Bells concert and do “My Humps,” so they appropriately chose to do their older stuff, off their “Behind the Front” album and such. Will.i.am is talented as hell, and I ain’t mad at their more recent mainstream stuff, since they can still rock a crowd. In addition, there weren’t many west coast acts so it was good to see them perform (and according to Will.i.am, they did the performance for free, just cause they wanted to perform). If that is true, then even more respect due.
Fatlip. Imani. Slimkid3. Bootie Brown. If those words don’t ring a bell, and you consider yourself to be into hip hop, you should be ashamed of yourself. The Pharcyde seriously killed it, and it was historical since the Pharcyde broke up a while back and had not performed together since. Even Big Boy from Power 106 was there, and I thought was cool because he used to work security for them on tour before he made it big (no pun intended) into radio. Everyone knows their hits like “Passin Me By” and “Drop”…but maybe you don’t know the one above. Yo mama is so fat, ______________!?! You should’ve been there, Benson.
This post is stupid long I know, but ughnnnn the lineup of Rock The Bells is just nutso, I gotta break it down. After Pharcyde murdered it, mighty Mos Def took the stage. Definitely a vibe change, and I think a lot of the people were expecting Mos to do his more notable hits, but he did a lot of stuff I didn’t recognize. He did end up doing his classics like “Travelin Man,” “Ms. Fat Booty,” and others. I wished Talib Kweli could’ve been there, so they could do Blackstar stuff (ala Rawkus days).
So by this time, I’m in hip hop overload. If you look at the list so far, it’s sickening how many heavy hitters I had seen by this point. Then after a brief intermission, who do they bring out, but Mr. Nasty Nas To Esco To Escobar. Nas came with serious energy, and went through all his hits in proper timeline, and ended with a pretty goosebump performance of “One Mic.” Everyone’s who ever heard of Nas probably already knows his hits, so I’ll break you off with one you might not have heard, called “Just A Moment,” with Quan.
Since Nas had gone on, that only left the main event, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. The way they chose to do it was Q-Tip came out first, and did a bunch of his hits first. Peep the collabo track he did with Beastie Boys from yesteryears, “Get it Together.”
In some regards, I wish they had played Tribe first, cause by this time it was around 10pm (keep in mind we’ve been in the sun since 2pm) and there’s only so many times a person can THROW YO HANDS UP or say YEAHHHHHHHH (lol). But seriously, Tribe coming back together for a tour is a pretty big deal, and once they all came out on stage it was insane.
The Hyundai Center in San Bernardino is a pretty good venue. I must say that we got there easily, no major lines, no fights, and a GOOD SOUND SYSTEM. Even though we were in the lawn, and it was like the attack of the bass monsters, and the sound was so clean. This was seriously a case of “you had to be there,” cause I really can’t effectively put into words the overwhelming magnitude of seeing all these legendary acts in one day. A purely perfect day for me, on the real. So let’s recap what I saw, in ONE DAY:
1. Rakim 2. De La Soul 3. Raekwon + Ghostface Killah 4. Redman + Method Man 5. Black Eyed Peas (minus Fergalicious) 6. Pharcyde 7. Mos Def 8. Nas 9. Tribe Called Quest
In addition, I’m not a sucker for concert t shirts, but I HAD to cop the following:
A Tribe Called Quest Tour 2008 tee? WITH the Low End Theory graphics?!? Tell me this isn’t straight fire…and its printed on an American Apparel tee, so I was surprised that they’d put quality into a concert concession tee. They had another Alife “Lyrics To Go” t shirt, but it was $40 bones, and this one had more significance to me. Worth the $30, for cereal!
Hopefully Tribe will continue to tour (I doubt it though), so maybe I could see them in a smaller venue, but if not, at least I was able to see them this time. Peep a previous post where I broke down some of my favorite tracks from them. Check the rhime!
Pictures from concert courtesy of Tuan’s iPhone (not a widescreen lens lol! Ghetto panorama stylee!)
Dom wrote a really informative piece on the R35 GTR’s brakes. It covered the R35’s OE system and the Endless product line-up. Here’s the post from Dom’s blog in it’s entirety:
With a good portion of my time recently devoted to R35 brake solutions, I figured I’d post as much as I could so that all of the facts and key points are in one place. It makes it easier for me to remember everything and hopefully some of you will find it useful or at least interesting.
Let’s start with a look at the factory system:
The OE brakes are Brembo monoblocks and the OE rotors are roughly 15″ drilled 2-piece floating discs.
First of all, do NOT confuse the R35’s OE Brembo monoblocks with Brembo’s aftermarket monoblocks. OE Brembo does NOT equal aftermarket Brembo. The aesthetics and painted logo are just about all that the two have in common.
I’ve seen various GTR forums complain about the high price of the Endless brake system for the R35. Yes, at $13,500, it’s a lot of money. I won’t be preposterous and deny that fact. However, what people must realize is what they’re starting out with exactly vs. what they’re buying. Remember that Endless is a racing companywhich produces racing product. Keep that in mind when you read what ensues.
The OE Brembo’s on the R35 are monoblocks, yes, but they aren’t very high in rigidity, which is extremely important when talking about high performance calipers. The OE Brembo’s are more than capable for street and light track, but aren’t truly meant for heavy racing. This is why we can’t recommend any of our racing compounds (stuff you’ve never heard of before like N30C, PC138, N35S etc) for use with the OE Brembos.
The OE Brembo’s will actually overheat before our pads will (which is somewhat dangerous) and because they aren’t very rigid, they aren’t able to get good bite out of the hard race compounds. However, since the OE Brembo’s are monoblocks, the overheating issue isn’t too much of a safety concern, you just lose brake performance. If, on the other hand, you drastically overheated 2-piece calipers, the calipers could suddenly split apart and you’d lose brakes entirely.
The Endless Mono-6 calipers are extremely light (weighing just over 7lbs each) and extremely high in rigidity. For all you forged fanatics; yes, they’re forged. So, with the higher rigidity, the Mono-6 calipers actually have the ability to generate good bite characteristics with our race pads as well as operate in the extreme race conditions without worrying about caliper fade (overheating the caliper).
Another demerit to the OE system is the fact that the rotors are cross-drilled. Putting aside the cross-drilled-rotors-have-a-tendency-to-crack debate, the issue with them is that they cool too quickly for track conditions. This is a fact that even Brembo themselves will tell you. With rotors that cool too quickly, you get erratic temperatures which cause rotors, both cross-drilled and slotted, to crack.
Also, the inability to maintain a good temperature means that you can potentially drop in and out of the ideal temperature range for whatever brake pad you’re using. The fact that the OE rotors are 2-piece floating allow for the rotor and bell housing to expand with heat, which is good, but the fact of the matter is that the surface of cross-drilled rotors is cooling too quickly.
This is why all our rotors are always ONLY slotted. And in case you’re wondering about the curved slots or little E’s that you see in the picture, they’re there to generate higher friction levels than standard slots do.
Yes, E’s for Endless.
No, I’m not kidding.
No, it wasn’t my idea.
So, yes our brake system costs a pretty penny, but it’s for serious RACE use. Do you need it? Maybe not. Most of you will be just fine with some of our track pads like the ME20 and some RF-650 brake fluid.
For those curious, the ME20 compound has an ideal temperature range of 200 ~ 800C within which it exhibits a coefficient of friction between 0.35 ~ 0.40. Yes, 300C is high for a starting temp, but the pads reach that temperature very quickly.
Did I just say brake fluid? Yes, don’t forget about brake fluid.
I’ve noticed that most tuner guys run Motul RBF600 for whatever reason. Perhaps they have a good marketing guy or something. Motul’s fine in terms of boiling points but so are AP600 and Castrol SRF. Bet you guys never heard of Castrol SRF even though it’s been the leading brake fluid for race teams for the past few decades. Am I right?
BUT, what you guys have to pay attention to in addition to boiling points is stuff like boiling point with water content or compressibility. Why? Because racing brake fluids absorb more water than street fluids do. And I’ll get to compressibility in a sec.
Here’s a graph of boiling points according to water content. Our RF-650 and the AP600 are very stable, with the RF-650 being a bit better. However, the SRF drops off violently when you get water in it. This means you can keep the RF-650 in there longer without having to do a full flush in fear of having water in the system. Water in the system means it’ll boil giving you a spongy brake pedal.
Now the other issue; compressibility. With our RF-650 brake fluid being standard original equipment on all Porsche GT3 Cup cars (Yes. Standard equipment from Porsche.), a lot of various teams in the US have been in close contact with me regarding it. Most have never heard of it before Porsche started using it as an OE part 2 years ago. Most of them had been using Castrol SRF (I told you it’s been the leading fluid for decades).
What these GT3 Cup car teams have been telling me is that they’d put the fluid in the system, bleed it, and then go out on track. 5 or 10 minutes into the session the drivers would report the brake pedal feeling soft. So, they’d bring the cars in and check for air only to find none in the system. The actual issue ended up being compressibility. In short, different brake fluids compress more than others which accounted for the drivers reporting a soft pedal.
The teams tried a bunch of different fluids before realizing they should try ours (reason being they had never heard of Endless and they didn’t know where to get it). The teams tried AP, Motul, and others even I had never heard of, all still ending up with the same issue. Finally, when the GT3 Cup cars ran at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Canada, they talked to the F1 teams. What they found out is that there are only two brake fluids used in Formula 1; one being Endless. Turns out the Brembo fluid and ours are the only ones without severe compressibility issues. And no, you’re GTR isn’t factory equipped with the Brembo fluid.
There are other issues with the fluid that I won’t get into, such as the viscosity with various water contents at various temperatures, or the actual shelf-life and water absorption over time of each fluid. In each case, the RF-650 was superb. I have graphs in case someone is actually interested.
Super long post, but the messages that people should take from this are the following:
1. Your factory Brembos are more than adequate for street / light track use. Our MX-72 is a good street / light track pad that would ensure good performance.
2. For some moderate track use, replace your pads, rotors and fluid. The OE rotors don’t hold up well over time and they’re very expensive to replace. We’ve developed Endless OE sized rotors for the R35, but haven’t set pricing yet. Should be out soon.
3. Our R35 brake system was designed specifically for extensive race use. That is why it carries a high price tag. Not because we’re greedy bastards who sit high on a pedestal thinking we rule the world. You only need it if you’re going to be racing.
Edit: Mr. Sean Morris brought up a great point in the comments section that I neglected to mention: brake ducting. If you’re actually racing your GTR, brake ducting is something that should definitely be considered. As Sean pointed out, even aftermarket racing brakes can only evacuate so much heat before they too overheat. On any serious race car and you’ll more than likely see multiple air ducts to the brakes and also intake system, oil coolers, etc.
Notice the ducting to the Mono-6 on the Super GT Wedsport IS. In hindsight, I didn’t mention ducting in my original post, but I would most certainly hope that anyone racing their GTR (or any car for that matter) would not have to be reminded about ducting. I don’t think it really pertains to the audience of this post (who knows, maybe it does), but it is definitely an integral part to any racing brake system.
Just remember the ideal operating temperature of whatever products you’re using and adjust your system accordingly. When Risi Competizione was testing, they had to block off a good amount of their brake ducting to maintain a high enough temperature for a particular Endless compound. Ultimately, I switched them to a different compound which eliminated that issue, but the lesson to take from it is to know what temperatures your system needs to run and ensure that it does so.
Hrmm….notice a trend? Hope everyone’s okay, just had a 5.8 earthquake pass through Socal, not cool. Luckily it was just a short burst, but we haven’t had an earthquake for a while. Let’s hope it stays that way.
I might be totally weird, but the first thing I thought about was this song by Dru Down, called “Can You Feel Me.” Mad old school for all your Yay Area heads. If I remember correctly, this song had MEGA BASS as well, back in the JL Audio W1 (when they first came out) with Alpine “green button” headunit days.
While I’m on the topic, peep this other jam from Dru, “Pimp of the Year.” I don’t care what you say, the “Golden Age” was the best time for music, especially rap and hip hop.
7/29/2008 2:48pm
This is the blog for Kent and Dom. They are behind Endless USA, AME Wheels, and Original Made. If you would like to see their blog in full detail, please check out OG-Made
So if anyone remembers, a while back I posted that Riceboy TV + Antonio from Speedhunters had stopped by to interview Yoshioka. I didn’t want to leak any info at the time since I didn’t want to spoil it, but Riceboy TV just dropped their interview, story, and pics for Yoshioka and his win at Formula D Las Vegas. Antonio from Speedhunters did an awesome job interviewing him (and he also took the pictures in the same section), and it was cool to see everything come together (since I had been watching everything filmed from the background). Check it out here, for those who don’t know Yoshioka might think he’s a serious race driver, but he’s super funny and laid back! Thanks to Riceboy TV + Antonio, check the video here.
If you look at a wheel along its barrel (width wise), zero (0) offset would be the imaginary line that is dead center between barrel end to end. The imaginary line is determined by where the backpad of the wheel sits. Keep in mind that this tutorial is based on MULTIPIECE WHEELS (which is what my previous how to determine lip post was referring to). Cast wheels follow the same idea, but the drawings I made are for multipiece wheels (since it shows lip size changing). If the backpad moves towards the outside of the wheel, then the offsets increase in positive numbers (in increments of mm). If the backpad moves towards the inside of the wheel, the the offsets increase in negative numbers (in increments of mm).
Rule of thumb: the lower the offset, the further the wheel moved OUTWARD of the fender, and vice versa. As you can see, the orange line demonstrates the fender position, and the blue line demonstrates the hub/rotor where the wheel mounts to. For general purposes, let’s say this wheel is a 18×9.5+0 (images are not drawn to scale). As you can see, the outer position is “flush” (even) with the outer fender imaginary line (shown in orange). Also take note of the size of the outer lip of the wheel. Let see what happens if we raise the offset of the wheel…
So instead of a 18×9.5+0, let’s try to run a 18×9.5+22 and see what happens. As you can see, if you change the offset of a wheel from a +0 to a +22, the overall position of the wheel is going to move INWARD 22mm. As you can see by the area shown in green, that is the 22mm that the wheel backpad moved between the two sizes. Since the wheels shown are multipiece, the face of the wheel moves inside the barrel to change offsets, rather than adding more material to the wheel backpad. In addition, notice that the lip size decreased when the offset increase. Generally speaking, one can assume that the lip size decreases when the offset increases, but sometimes it might not be the case (depending on face design, but that’s gonna get confusing).
1. “Free Range” Offsets: These are sizing charts that allow you to choose from a “range” of offsets, rather than a preset number. Before all that though, you read the chart like any other table. As demonstrated by the purple arrow, this wheel is offered in an 18 inch (diameter) by 10 inch (width). If you look at the top of the chart, there are the following column headings: Taper Low Disk / Flat Low Disk / Flat High Disk. Each brand has a different name for its face choices, but for the most part, it will either go lowest to highest, or vice versa (obviously if it has “low” in the name, then you know it has LESS brake clearance in comparison to a “high” disk). Brake clearance and face choice is a whole other blog though. Let’s just take “Taper Low Disk,” which usually will be a rear wheel. As shown by the green arrow, you can get any offset -13 through +53. This means you can get any whole number offset, i.e -12, -11, +0, +1, and so on. The circled lip size I will be referring to is in light blue, i.e 77mm. Also, PCD = bolt pattern.
2. “Preset” Offsets: These are sizing charts that allow you to choose from a “preset” offset, given to you by the sizing chart for that specific wheel. In this case, the 18×11.5 is offered in +5, -8, -16, and so on down the row. Each column represents the wheel faces that are offered, i.e “SL, NR, MD, HP.” Their respective meanings are color coded and shown below the chart. Again, it (SL, NR, MD, HP) goes from least amount of brake clearance (Super Low Disk) to maximum amount of brake clearance (Hyper Disk). At the top of the column, the 135mm refers to the lip size, and is the lip size for the 4 columns below it (i.e +5, -8, -16, and -26 all have 135mm lip size). Lip size is easy with presets, since you just figure out what diameter x width x offset you are running, and look at the column above. For example, an 18×11.5-26 (HP Face) has a 135mm lip, as well as an 18×11-14 (NR Face). An 18×12-1 (SL) has a 148mm lip, etc. Got it?
3. How to calculate lip size: First of all, you have to figure out what size wheel you want to go with. So if you take a look at the top most chart, let’s say you want a 18×10 with a +15 offset with a Taper Low Disk for your rear wheel. I had circled the number “77″ in blue, which is the lip size for an 18×10+53 Taper Low Disk wheel (this does not go for all 18×10 multipiece wheels, lip size is specific to EACH brand and model of wheel, so check the sizing chart always). So a +53 gives you 77mm of lip, which tells you that if you go to a +15, you will be getting MORE LIP (rule of thumb: lower the offset, the more the wheel sticks outward from the fender, and bigger the lip gets). So a (+53) minus (+15) = 38mm. Add 77mm + 38mm and you get 115mm, which is the lip size of a 18×10+15 Taper Low Disk.
4. Extra credit: let’s do one more: Let’s try doing another one. Again, top most chart: how about 18×9.5 offset -1 with a Flat High Disk. If you look at the chart, a -20 is equivalent to a 125mm lip. So this time it’s backward, but same idea. The offset -20 is a 19mm difference from -1. Yet if we use the rule of thumb (lower the offset, bigger the lip), you’ll then realize that a -20 has a bigger lip than a -1. So you have to subtract 19mm from 125mm, and you get a 106mm lip. So a 18×9.5-1 with a Flat High Disk has a 106mm lip.
11. Nobuteru Taniguchi: So this morning I was surfing and came across this pic posted on a forum I frequent (which is actually originally from 
I also came across an online article by 
So over the weekend it was my brother’s birthday, and for lunch we went to 
As if eating at a Mexican food restaurant wasn’t enough, my brother asked my sister in law to pick him up his favorite burrito on their way from Los Angeles (for him to eat later). The Manuel Special, named after the owner of 
1. Yoshinori Koguchi: I’m obviously biased to the 180sx, but ever since I stood behind that concrete wall at Drift Showoff in 2003 and saw Koguchi coming INCHES to the wall (and media having to take a step back in fear), I was never the same. Obviously his later versions of the chassis are dope as hell, but if you’re talking INFLUENCE, then the red 180sx shown to the left is king. In addition, anyone whose ever watched a video of drifting has had to have seen the black 180sx with the Blitz wheels. Oh man, I’d still kill for a Hotroad 180sx front bumper.
2. Mitsuru Haraguchi: Forget No One Better (N.O.B), you should call this dude N.O.L (No One Lower)! Haraguchi’s 326Power x BN Sports FC is insane in every category. It looks like a caricature and looks undriveable, but he somehow was able to pull it all off. He’d just whip this thing, super aggressive driving style, crazy angle, super early intiation, super hardcore. He’s since been driving different cars for Formula D and such, but it really isn’t the same. I want to see him back in a FC, furreal.
3. Signal Auto Drifter X (Komatsu): Just like Koguchi’s 180sx at Drift Showoff, I also got a chance to first see the capabilities of Signal Auto and their car “Drifter X.” Back around that time, Signal Auto was SUPER involved in the USA drift scene, and their cars were always fan favorites. I think I read a comment that this was “the only time a S13.5 was cool,” and although I’m at risk to hurt some feelings, I sorta agree.
4. Sexy Knights 180sx: This picture is older than the internet, and is the supreme reason why one of my dream wheels has been the Panasport G7-C5C2’s. The owner of the car is also a funny guy (Sexy Knights are pretty wild dudes), from what I’ve seen in interviews.
5. Sexy Knights Onevia: Most people will say that S13 coupes are best with a Silvia front end, and while I’d agree, I’m always a big fan when someone can pull of a clean onevia (”One”80sx front end + Sil”via” chassis, i.e S13 coupe with pop up headlights). Like the Sexy Knights 180sx, this picture is also older than dirt, and one of my most favorite onevias of all time. The Sexy Knights team also has a super sick red 86 for all you Trueno lovers out there.
6. Pink GodziRa: Their mascot is a pink dinosaur with a green bow who appears nervous mostly with uneasy hands…wait, what? Started in 2002 as a semi joke, a group of local Socal 240sx enthusiasts came up with a drift team called Pink GodziRa (consisting of Aaron, Lindsay, Brian “BH” Harte, Janet, Danny, and AD). I can easily say that without ever meeting this group of people, I would: a) probably have quit drifting by now out of frustration, b) have a crappy 240sx with sunk wheels and poor taste, c) be short of some good friends, and d) still be a noob. Besides myself, I’d say easily that the internet segment of 240sx owners have been greatly influenced by Pink GodziRa, as they have typically been at the forefront of USA drift trends and styling (by using the influences they have from their Japanese drift heroes). Anyone who says otherwise is just a hater.
7. Benson Hsu aka Sileightymania: If you live in the USA, are into drifting, and don’t know the significance of the word “sileightymania,” then that helps me to determine when you got in the game. Not that if you don’t know that’s a bad thing, but Benson (before his family man days) was quite the 240sx internet celebrity. No disrespect either by using the word “was,” since he himself can tell you that he pulled back from the game. At risk of sounding like a fanboy, he was one of the reasons I bought a 240 (back in 2002), and I’m sure the same for many others. But back then I didn’t know him, and now I do, so I can tell embarrassing info like that with no shame (okay, just a little). Either way, his Sileighty was something I always followed back in the day, and its amazing he’s still on the same chassis (now he’s back to pop ups though, and its red with soon to come big lipped SSR Professor SP1’s). 180sxmania continues (minus baggy knakis and some super huge yellow windbreaker lol)!
8. Slide Squad: At around the same time as Mr. Hsu was big thangs poppin, Dave Scholz and Mark Hutchinson also had an internet following with the team Slide Squad that they formed. Another Socal crew just like Pink GodziRa, Slide Squad was all about just having FUN with their cars, plain and simple. I think Mark’s Silvia was one of the first Silvias I had ever seen, and Dave’s camo painted EF was hard to not like (way before this tacky rattle can craze). Wu Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple Then” comes to mind, and during this time period, I loved all things 240, and it was just pure, innocent love for the hobby. Read the link at the bottom to a Super Street article on them. I wish more owners had that carefree mentality and just had FUN, since people are way too serious these days when it comes to cars (less hate for 08).
9. Society Mike: While some of the Socal folks were making waves out here, Mike Craig (aka Ziptied.com founder) had a site called DJ Elektrique, which if I remember correctly was for his DJ hobby as well as his 240 hobby. The only thing was that he was in the armed forces stationed in Japan, which meant one thing: easy access to parts. His S13 Silvia is still probably one of my favorites, and if the picture doesn’t illustrate why, you better get your eyes checked. This was also the time in which I wanted R33 GTR wheels SO badly (but don’t forget you need spacers to make them work kids!). He later changed chassis and built a sick S14 as well, but I still preferred his S13.
10. “Panda Scheme” AE86: Oh man, this is where imma have to get a little LAME with it. At risk of ridicule, I can proudly say that yes, I loved watching Initial D when it first dropped. I also loved watching “Drift Bible” with Keiichi Tsuchiya. Keep in mind this was all a very long time ago (early 2000’s), and again, when innocence was bliss. I loved the 86 Corolla for its simplicity, its lines, its capabilities, and its general “cool” appeal. I don’t care what you say, Initial D was entertaining, and definitely a reason I initially (no pun intended) got into the world of drifting.
So with all that being said, here’s how my car currently sits, and as mentioned before, all the influences above (along with many others not mentioned) have contributed to the current result. While like many other modified cars, its never done, but I’ve taken my time with it and had a lot of great people help me along the way. There are some things I’d like to change (if money was no object), but its finally at a point where I’m satisfied. Now my only goal is enjoying it out on the track, money willing.
So yeah…I caved and finally copped the 3G iPhone. Now of ALL people, I am probably the LAST person who’d ever consider buying one, since I’m really not a go go gadget kinda guy. Facts: 1) The last computer I built for myself was in 2000. I only recently bought a Dell laptop to replace the 8 year old relic, which felt it was time to call it quits. 2) I have never had a fancy phone, the current phone I was using didn’t even have a camera feature. I was out of cell contract for about 2 years now as well. 3) I needed to buy a camera, since my old Canon Powershot (which was also about 5 years old) crapped out last year. So I weighed all my decisions and copped. I’ve been using it for a couple days now and MAN, straight McDonald’s status (I’m lovin it). And best thing is, I can finally take my own pics…
First picture with the iPhone. Hit up this place Tops off the 210 + Rosemead. Per the suggestion of my coworker Francis, I got the Kobe Bistro Burger. It was about $6, but oh man it was bomb. I’d say between this and Father’s Office in Santa Monica, these are some of the best burgers I’ve had recently. Oh, and they had ORANGE BANG! Takes me back to the days eating at Zippy’s (in Hawaii)!
A Tribe Called Quest Tour 2008 tee? WITH the Low End Theory graphics?!? Tell me this isn’t straight fire…and its printed on an American Apparel tee, so I was surprised that they’d put quality into a concert concession tee. They had another Alife “Lyrics To Go” t shirt, but it was $40 bones, and this one had more significance to me. Worth the $30, for cereal!
Hopefully Tribe will continue to tour (I doubt it though), so maybe I could see them in a smaller venue, but if not, at least I was able to see them this time. Peep a 
Hrmm….notice a trend? Hope everyone’s okay, just had a 5.8 earthquake pass through Socal, not cool. Luckily it was just a short burst, but we haven’t had an earthquake for a while. Let’s hope it stays that way.
