Infiniti G35 - Sex In Candy

The next step to get this G35 in shape for competition was the exterior. Clark spoke to Steve at Auto Explosion Body Shop in Gardena, Calif., and decided to have a custom body kit designed. Once the kit was chosen, paint was next. He knew he couldn't go to the shows with the stock gray paint and expect to be recognized, so a candy apple red marble paint was slathered on to give his ride some distinction. Auto Explosion also matched the engine bay to the exterior, properly complimenting the chassis' paint scheme. He even had the DTS wheels broken down and painted to match the chassis paint. To refine the exterior, the spoiler was molded to the trunk, JDM clear turn signals replaced the stock amber units and JDM Skyline GT coupe lettering graced the trunk lid. He also had the first set of Vertical Door's Lamborghini-style doors for the G35 installed.

Clark's ride now had a cherry sweet exterior, but needed a competitive interior. He looked to Chuy's Custom Interior in Carson, Calif., for his interior needs. To match the exterior, the upholstery was completely redone in mulberry red suede with "Skyline" embroidery throughout. The center console was painted to match the exterior and the glove compartment was replaced with a custom panel for the DVD head unit.

Almost done is the feeling Clark was experiencing, and he knew he'd be ready to hit the show scene soon. He had a sweet-looking car that was stilted up at stock ride height. Something needed to be done, so he consulted the experts at Airrunner Air Suspension in Santa Ana, Calif. He decided on airbag cylinders for the fronts and Firestone airbags with KYB shocks in the rear. This setup gives the front a 5-inch lift and the rear about a 4-inch lift. There are two air tanks, one compressor, two switches and two gauges. This is a Japanese-spec kit, so the ride is smooth yet can be configured for aggressive driving.

Clark's all-show goal was now achieved and he was ready for the all-go portion. With so many different power-adding devices available, he thought about it and decided he would rather not squeeze, but boost-and he wanted that boost right away. That left him with the obvious solution: a Vortech supercharger. Since his car is an automatic, he didn't want to deal with turbo lag, and a supercharger would provide him with instant power-on-demand that he'd need to get moving in a hurry. He finished off the engine bay with a clean, red carbon-fiber manifold cover. Simple, but oh-so-satisfying.

With his second feature in Import Tuner under his belt, Clark is dialing his sights in on the 2005 show scene. Back in the game, he's not showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, he's considering completely rebuilding the car again-or maybe starting with a new car altogether. Some people are hard to satisfy. Competitive people are rarely satisfied. Watch out for him at the shows, because you never know what he'll show up with. He may dunk on you when you least expect it. So much for retirement.