Send Presents to:Import Tuner
2400 East Katella Ave, 11th floor
Anaheim, CA 92806
or drop an email to:
postal@importtuner.com
From jail-mail to DIY postcards to home nudie pix (thanks, Sheri), your never-ending flow of postal submissions is always appreciated! This month, we received one of Angel Ramirez's homework assignments, cleverly disguised as fan mail. And as a mentoring effort on our part, we're sending him classroom distractions, in the form of 2NR back issues. Import Tuner - we do it all for the kids!
Don't think you're fooling anyone, Angel! We know the only reason you wrote this was to get credit for a business letter writing assignment. It's OK though; we wish we would've had friends like us back in the day... because we're printing it so you can get extra credit! Who knows, maybe you can even leverage it to pick up chicks, too. Nice execution of the Full Block format - just make sure to mind your spacing. Regarding your question: Get an S13 Nissan 240SX for $800, swap in an SR with goodies for $2,500, add Ksport Slide Controls for $1,000, and have a muffler shop weld the diff for $20. You'll have an extra $680 to put toward tools and tires that you'll be using/replacing daily.
Paint-Less Procedure
In the September 2008 issue of 2NR, you featured an RX-7 with an RX-8 face. One thing I was curious about - did you happen to get the color of the paint? I tried emailing them at the hookup line on the last page of their feature and I'm getting bounce-back messages saying that it was undeliverable. If you could, I would like to get a formal email address of the folks that worked on the car, or at least if you happen to know, the color of the base coats. Thanks!
--Mark Thompson, via email
Don't even think about stealing homeboy's color before we can! We have many a project car waiting in line to be coated in House of Kolors' Kandy Root Beer hues, just like the Auto Craft RX-7.8. ...and JP Cao's EG hatch in our Jan '08 issue. As for that email link - our bad; another .com/.net mix-up for our records. Try: mail@auto-craft.net
Euro Hunter
Ok, let me start off by saying this is getting ridiculous. For the past couple of months, I've seen letters from readers who have some of the most deplorable vehicles available in the European market. Mini Coopers!!! VW Rabbits!!! You've got to be f**kin kidding me! Listen, if you're going to have the nerve to write to Import "no Eurotrash" Tuner, at least lie and say you're making 400 bhp, not because you think your MINI with upgraded plug wires is cool. Import Tuner is a mag for the best JDM rides ONLY. I'm not hating on all European rides. S4s are okay, M3s are great, and 911s are some of the best rides out there, stock or otherwise. But most of you don't have those rides, and don't think your Golf III is anywhere close. Please. For the same $, you could get an STI or an EVO, both of which are way faster.
P.S. I almost forgot to show some love to you guys, especially for Eric's response to Kenton D. Byrd. Hilarious!
--Ian White, Wolcott, CT
You said it, Ian, not us! Not that we wouldn't disagree. European Car and eurotuner are both sister publications of ours (note the feminine tense) and good friends, so rest assured that we have, in fact, seen some badass Euros here and there. We know they do exist, but not on our pages. Winning is what we're all about here, and that's always easier in a JDM ride. Super Lap winning M3? VR6 drag champ? CLK drift king? Uh... no.
Sitting Duck
I've been a fan of your mag for the last several years. I find your responses to questions very insightful, so I have one for you. I just bought an '87 Jetta and am looking to "pimp" it up a bit. I've done some custom stuff to it, but wanna do more. Nothing crazy, just a custom body kit, some chrome wheels and a turbo kit - looking for 500-600 whp. I searched through the Internet and found some websites that sell the wheels but not the rest. Got any advice? Any other tips would be appreciated.
--Nick Larkins, NC
PS: attached is my car's pic.
OK, if any of you Euro owners out there really want to see your cars in 2NR, make sure to send an absolutely horrible photo, and completely generic email to postal@importtuner.com. We all need a good laugh from time to time, and this month, it could've come courtesy of Nick, if only he'd have remembered to include the photo of his Jetta. Regardless, our advice never changes: sell your Euro and buy JDM! ...Or don't.