Think back over a decade to 1994. Were you listening to gangsta rap, investing in Beanie Babies, applying off-centered vinyl racing stripes and sidemarker lights to anything with four wheels or delivering pizzas to save up for a Sega Saturn? Whatever you were doing, the general rule still holds true: Whatever was cool back then is for damn sure not cool now. (Want proof? Put on some MC Hammer pants the next time you go out lounging and let us know how you fair with the opposite sex.) However, George Chen of Extreme Dimensions will be the first to remind us there are exceptions to every rule. His 1994 Infiniti G20 is one such exception. Consider it a refreshing blast from the past or as a P. Diddy remix. If Infiniti had kept evolving the G20, this would be its updated version. Chen received this particular G20 as a hand-me-down back in high school. Not one to leave things stock, he took to modding like a fish takes to water. It started off innocent enough with just an intake and new-age air freshener. "After awhile, building this car had become an addiction. Every time I saw a part I wanted, I'd do whatever it took to get it, and I couldn't stop until the car was completed," stated Chen.
First up was getting rid of the 10-year-old suspension. Chen opted for a KYB/Intrax setup to achieve the desired ride and to lower the profile. Next on the agenda was to pick out the perfect set of rollers to tuck under the wells. A set of timeless 18x7.5-inch Volk Racing GT-Ps were mounted with 215/35-18 Pirelli Supersports. And if you look real close behind the wheels, you can spot the HP stage 3 big brake upgrade kit and KPR cross-drilled and slotted rotors peeking through.
The beefier brake system is the telling hint that something frightening lurks under the hood. The normally aspirated, stock 140-hp engine was junked and the car was sent to the guys at Japanese Engine Racing who expertly swapped in an SR20DET powerplant mated to an upgraded turbo. A T28 turbocharger shovels air into the engine from the Spearco front-mount intercooler like an Oreck vacuum cleaner. The A'PEXi AVC-R controls turbo boost levels, while upgraded 444cc fuel injectors, a Warlboro fuel pump, Stillen fuel pressure regulator and an S-AFC makes sure the engine never gets thirsty. To round things off, a host of A'PEXi and Nismo dress-up items makes it all look pretty under the hood.
While Chen kept going nuts on this project, his addiction and love for the scene didn't go unnoticed. It landed him a job at one of the premier aero styling companies in SoCal: Extreme Dimensions. And that is where things really got serious. When you work at a burger joint, you expect to have the hookup on a whole lot of burgers; the same holds true for working at an aero studio.
Chen didn't get any burgers from the company, but he immediately used his newfound influence and resources to design and fabricate custom aero parts. A custom Extreme Dimension front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, hood and flush-mounted wing took two months to design and fabricate. Once completed, everything was shipped to M1 Autobody for installation and paint. On top of installing the custom kit, he had the boys at M1 install some JDM Cefiro headlights, Euro Primera taillights and JDM emblems for finishing exterior touches.
Although Chen works for an aero kit manufacturer, he also knows a thing or two about audio/video. A pair of Kenwood 10-inch PS subs and speakers powered by a Kenwood PS-series amplifier handles the bump and grind when directed by the MA Audio head unit. Visual appeal is taken care of by an in-dash DVD player.
The interior was then accented by a full carbon-fiber dash kit, carbon-fiber gauge faces and a pivot tachometer. The end result of these mods? To put it simply, this is not a vehicle to roll around in if you want to travel incognito. "In high school, my dream was to build an award-winning show car and get it featured in Import Tuner. All my friends thought it was one big joke. One of the biggest reasons I built this car was to prove them all wrong."
Let's go down High School Chen's to-do list:
1. Build an award-winning show car. Check.
2. Get it featured in Import Tuner. Check.
3. Prove all his friends wrong. Check.
4. Thank Team Hybrid who believed in him and his project. Check.
Apparently, the boy is an overachiever when it comes to obtaining his goals. We can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the upcoming year.