NorCal RX-7 BBQ Redux
The Rotary folks are holding a BBQ at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont, CA soon… and of course GRANDMIGHTY has something to do with it.
Storming Pikes Peak
Professional rally driver Marcus Gronholm takes the wheel of a 800HP Ford Fiesta RallyCross and runs up the Pikes Peak course. This is a tribute to the famous Climb Dance run held at Pikes Peak in the past. The sounds alone in this video will make it worth watching. You will never look at Fiestas the same way again.
Champagne Vivalo
A local rider by the name of Mike recently snatched up a sweet and very good condition 54cm Vivalo frameset. He threw back on the components he had and this is the result.
Busting wheelies!
Sellin’ Dreams Makin’ Cream
This colorful 240sx belongs to a local drifter who goes by Gerson. In this sport, determination is key to honing your skills and he is definitely one of the more avid ones. According to him, a tire is good until it pops, even if it looks mangled and unusable to some. You get mad street cred when sliding with a humble SOHC.
Black on Gold Civic Si
While the Honda EP3’s are usually more underrated, Jeremiah, the owner of this black one, shows the potential of these cars when cleanly done. These 2 pictures were taken locally by me, near the Dumbarton Bridge fishing pier. The wheels are Rota Boosts.
Beholdeth Thine Beautifulness
It’s currently 3AM, so I have an excuse for the incomprehensible title. Now feast your eyeballs on this wonderful scenary. I’d love to build a cabin right there and live in harmony, while listening to Bone Thugs. Now that’s called tranquility.
Hitting 10’s in an Evo X
This Mitsubishi Evo X belongs to a dude named Johnny, and currently pushes 438whp.
Here’s a video of his run. 10.9s @ 120.6mph.
Photos by Luis Arroyo.
Gnarcotix
A new Track/Fixed project from my friends Sean, Chan, and Carl, coming out of the SF/Fremont area:
Girl Power Manifested in a Track Demon
After browsing around the RX7Club boards a while back, one member caught my attention when she showed some pictures of her FD under some body work. I was keen on seeing the results since it looked like the car would come out rather beastly. Today, it most of that work is done as she unveiled a few jaw-dropping pictures of the ride.
This was her car as she bought it, a 1994 Montego Blue RX-7.
Throwing in some interior goodies…
Mind you, the owner of this car is in fact one of the few car enthusiasts that’s actually female. In a sausage-fest dominated sport/hobby, she really stands out on top not just by her gender, but the fact that she really knows car-building. The Ohlin PCV coils with 11k spring rate all around are a testament to that.
Now, here is the car today after its largest transformation with all the body work nearly complete. There are still a few things left, such as the hood and leveling that wing.
Pleasure for your Eyes
The Pagani Zonda has always been at the top of the list as one of the most exquisitely made cars. With its handmade craftsmanship and carbon fiber in almost every corner, it’s certainly an automotive wonder to behold. The Zonda line has slowly been evolving over the years and is stepping up the game at each increment.
The Trend of Photography
Before I even start this post, I want to say a little disclaimer: by no means am I a very experienced photographer… but with over a few years surveying this growing “hobby,” I’ve noticed a few things here or there. Regardless, the following is simply a collection of my opinions. In recent times, the growth of the Digital SLR market accelerated at an insane pace. What was once a subject endeavored by select enthusiasts, is now a trend for the masses. It seems like everywhere you look, you see someone with a DSLR.
Granted this is a very positive thing, there are also many picker-uppers of photography that take themselves too seriously, more so than required. I feel like the biggest mistake is people overdoing their photos and forgetting the foundation setting concepts.
I took a quick mock photo to help portray somethings I see frequently…
- Insanely rad (and overdone) border
- Contrast cranked up… because overwhelming amounts of black and white usually hides inadequacies.
- Neck breaking Angle. Why take a photo that’s level and straight when you can get MAD ANGLEZ?
- Throw in some HDR… everyone is doing it!
- Drop your F-stop as low as your lens goes to get that wicked BOKEH.
- Now the best part, a deliberately designed watermark of your name to imitate the professionals. Gotta get your name out, right… with all that money you make from your photography.
I’m willing to wager that the majority of people today with DSLRs are weekend shooters and hobbiests. Myself included. A rare few will eventually elevate themselves to a professional level, and actually make an income out of it.
The best approach, I think, is to keep shooting. But instead, focus more of your time behind the lens and take a step back from the computer and all that post-processing. Think about the Rule of Thirds rather than a creative place to put your “professional” watermark.
Defgrip Video 09
Have a look at this video brought to you by the folks from Defgrip. It has a smooth collection of various wall rides and grinds. Apparently filming for this clip took place in Berlin, Germany to Connecticut to New York.
