Well, i joined the property industry as a full fledged job after i graduated. I did quite well in the property industry. Started earning quite a respectable income for my age at that point of time (23-24). By the way, i am quite used to working 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week. Yes, there is no short cuts to life. You reap what you sow. Lucky & Opportunities only come through hard work. I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on my dream car at that age. However, it was only a GTT R34 Coupe, 2.5 Inline 6 Turbo-charged, 5 speed gear, 280 Horsepower Original. I was looking around for a R34 GTR for the longest of time, but there was none for sale in my country.(Singapore) At this current point of writing, i believe there are less than 10 units left in my country, R34 Coupe, both GTR & GTT combined. I was actually looking around at a few Evolution 9 units, I almost gave up getting a R34, till this unit was available for sale, it was considered a private sale.

The car came fairly stock, it had a Nismo S-tune body kit, basic lowered springs, Nismo wheels, a carbon fiber bonnet/hood, stock silver paint. Basically it was a well-kept tastefully done up car. Even at this condition, i raced the car a lot, it went through a few exterior color changes, my carbon bonnet broke and smashed my windscreen during a drag race in excess of 200km/hr. (Well, this is all part & parcel in a piston head’s life. haha!)

But it was nowhere how i wanted the car to be, i went through countless revisions of turbo set ups, i played around with the RB25 stock engine for a while, plazmaman intakes, Motec M800 Engine Management, wheels, brakes, etc. It was running a HKS GT2535 Turbo, had it boosted to about 1.6 bar, intercooler upgrades and stuff. Nothing much. Well, this was also the beginning of the brand “DWARF RACING“, 2012 was the year i entered and competed in time attack events at Sepang
International F1 Track. I changed the turbo to a internal wastegate GT3076 before the competition. Well, i got 3rd place in the event, on the last lap, i was pushing this stockist car a bit too hard, the engine overheated and the crank seized, causing the car to lock up at speeds in excess of 200km/hr on the straights. I crashed into the wall, thankfully, i was not seriously injured. This gave me a reason, to go all out to convert it into a GTR. I wanted the car to have all the original GTR34 Exterior metal panels and parts, not the fiber ones. The rb26 engine was imported, it as not a ordinary rb26 but a n1 engine from nissan factory. The n1 engine had a 24u stamped on the engine block and balanced to 10,000rpm. The standard rb26 had a 05u stamped. I converted the entire car to a TRUE GTR34, however, i refused to install the 4wd system the original GTR34 comes with, i choose to remain the car as a true RWD, as i believe a true driver’s car is a RWD. It is way much more fun to drive a high powered RWD (But Dangerous) than a AWD.

The car was installed with all the best parts money could buy, i had multiple revisions to the car, including turbo set up, camshaft profile, kelford 290 camshaft, 260 pro-tomei camshaft etc. I tried and tested 5-6 turbo set ups, Owen Development GT3582R, Twin GT2860R, Twin GT2876R, T04z, GT3582R, FP HTA3586R etc.

Eventually the best balance for horsepower and torque was a twin scroll FP HTA3586 paired with a Apexi 50mm External wastegate. Well, i enjoyed the car for a good 5 over years before selling it off. I actually got quite bored of the car to be honest, haha!

The car was also featured on an International Platform
https://therightwrong.net/blogs/features/cliffs-r34-skyline

Engine Head – Previously Kelford Full Valve Train, 290 in/ex, Final Set up Full Tomei Valve Train, Tomei Pro-Cams 260 in/ex 10.25mm Lift
Engine Block– Rb26 N1 (Limited Production) , 86mm CP Pistons, Manley I-Beam Conrod (1200hp), Full Nismo Bearings, N1 Oil Pump (Previously REIMAX), N1 Water Pump, Cometic 1.2mm Headgasket, ARP Headstuds, Plazmaman Intake Throttle
Air Intake – Customized 4 Inches K & N
Transmission – Original 5 Speed R33
Rear Differential – Nismo 2 way GT PRO LSD with 4.363 Ratio (Close Ratio)
Clutch – Carbonetics Carbon Twin Plate
Cooling – Greddy Aluminium Radiator, Mocal Oil Cooler, HKS Intercooler
Brakes – AP Racing 5555 6 Port Front , GTR 2 Port Rear (EBC Yellow Pads)
Fuel Delivery – ID/RC 1000 Injectors, Full Stainless Steel braided hoses, Surge Tank Kit, Main Lift Pump 400L/hr Walbro, Pressure Pump Twin 2 x 255L/hr Walbro, All Earl’s Clips & Joints, HKS Fuel Rail
Ignition – SpitFire Ignition Coil
Spark Plug – NGK Racing Heat Range 8
Chassis Handling – BC ER External Coilover, UltraRacing Full Set Strut Bars, Tomei, NeoTech all aftermarket undercarriage Arms, Whiteline Front & Rear Anti-roll bar (24mm)
Electronics – Defi Gauges/Meters
Turbo – FP HTA 3586, Greddy T4 Twinscoll Tubular Top Mount Manifold
Turbo Controller – Greddy I-Color Boost Controller
Exhaust – 4 inches Downpipe to Fujitsubo Cat-back
Battery – 4 AWG Battery Cable Re-routed to the trunk
Interior – Bride Low Max Yellow Carbon Kevlar, Full Carbon In-print, Nismo 300km/hr Cluster, URAS Front Triple Gauge Holder (All Factory Seals Replaced)
Exterior – Full V-SPEC GTR34 Conversion, Rear Fender Metal Welded, GTR34 Headlights, Rear LED Ring Conversion
Wheel/Rim Set Up – Rota 18 Inches Staggered
Tire Set Up – Toyo R888 Semi-Slicks 235/40/18 Front, Hankook Z221 Semi-Slicks 295/30/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1450kg
Boost – 1.8 Bar – 2.1 Bar (26 Psi – 31 Psi)
Redline – 8000 Rpm
Power – 700+ HP Crank, 800+ NM, (600+ WHP 700+ WTQ) (NM)
ECU – MOTEC M800 Standalone
Tuning – Jun Furukawa of ST Powered (Singapore)
Top Speed – 291 km/hr (Limited by 4.363 Rear Differential Ratio 300+ km/hr with 4.1 Ratio)

Getting a Honda VTEC was almost every boy’s dream in my era and generation. We grew up listening to Fastlane stories painting the almost perfect picture of the legendary VTEC’s 9000rpm engine. The hype was all about it in Japanese anime and cartoons, including midnight Wangan and Initial D. I have always wanted one since i was a kid, but i could not afford one as it was extremely pricey during those days.

Year 2012 was the year i finally got my hands on one of them. I have done most of the car works myself at home as you can see from the photo gallery. There were many goodies that came along with the car when i bought it, the biggest bonus was that the car already had a B16B EK9 engine transplant. The previous owner had a APEXI POWER FC ecu to tune the car.
I slowly transformed the car to the specifications i wanted.

To be honest, Honda really lived up to it’s name. Although this car wasn’t the fastest around town on the straights, the handling capabilities of the car was unreal, the tight cornering and hill climb maneuverability is something out of the world. Trust me, a car set up in the way i set this car up, will give any supercar a run for their money on winding roads. I wanted the car to be extremely RAW, which also means extremely harsh. I wanted no comfort in this car, i wanted to feel what it was like driving a full-fledged track car on the streets.

The road noise, the semi slick tire sound (Toyo R888), the straight cut close ratio ATS gearbox sound, the 1.5 way LSD engaging sound, the Ogura single plate ringing sound, the VTEC valve opening at 5200 rpm to 9200 rpm, all these; when combined, makes the perfect melody.

The pairing of the close ratio “Straight Cut Gear” ATS transmission with Mfactory’s 4.982 Final Drive to the B16B high revving engine was a perfect match, it drives exactly like a scramble bike, with every gear change, you can feel the entire car jerking into the torque power band always ready to rev to 9000rpm.

This was the first VTEC I tried to tuned myself using a HONDATA S300, it was fairly easy for a person who knows about car engineering, ignition timing, fuel injection timing, air fuel ratio etc. But i will not recommend anyone to do it without sufficient knowledge. You run the risk of blowing up your own engine. I spend years, living, racing, breaking, breathing, understanding and working on cars physically, before i even had the courage to tune my own car.

Happy to say, i only had this car for slightly more than a year. I posted it online, and it was sold almost immediately. It was more of an accomplishment or a finished “mission”, i always dreamt of owning a civic VTEC since young and to do what i did to my car in reality. The amount of joy, happiness and satisfaction it brought me, is something that is priceless.

Engine Head – Original B16B (EK 9 Type R) (Limited Edition Spoon Valve Cover)
Engine Block– Original B16B (EK 9 Type R)
Air Intake – Custom 4 Inches Blitz
Transmission – ATS Close Ratio Straight Cut Gear 1 – 5 with Mfactory 4.928 Final Drive
Differential – 1.5 Way ATS LSD
Clutch – Ogura Single Plate
Cooling – Koyo Aluminium Radiator, Blitz Custom Oil Cooler
Brakes – 4 Port Front StopTech, Single Port Rear Original
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – NGK Spark Plug Ignition Wire
Spark Plug – NGK Racing Heat Range 7
Chassis Handling – BC BR Coilover, Full EK9 Undercarriage Conversion, Full Welded On Roll-Cage
Electronics – 3 x Blitz Meter/Gauge, Apexi RSM
Turbo – None
Turbo Controller – None
Exhaust – Civic EK9 Type R
Battery – Original Position
Interior – 2 X Bride Low Max Blue, Full Carbon In-print, Civic Type R Cluster, Fully Gutted Interior
Exterior – Original Bumper, Customized Bumper Holes for more airflow, Aftermarket Clear Headlights, Varis Carbon bonnet & Varis Carbon Trunk/boot
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 15 Inches Gramlights Wheels
Tire Set Up – Toyo R888 Semi-Slicks 195/50/15 Front, 195/50/15 Rear
Chassis Weight – 900kg
Boost – None
Redline – 9200 Rpm
Power – 200 HP Crank, 175 NM, (170 WHP 150 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – Hondata S300
Tuning – HV Racing (Malaysia) & Myself
Top Speed – 190 km/hr (Limited by ATS Close Ratio Transmission & Mfactory 4.928 Final Drive)

Volvo always had a formidable history of their own proprietary 5 cylinder engine. One unique feature of this engine is that the 5 pistons operate up and down in a “wave” firing sequence (1-2-3-4-5) as compared to most engines that has even cylinder firing sequence. (1-3-4-2)

The engine note is not very noticeable from a stock car. However, if you gut the catalytic converter out or replace it with a test pipe and paired it with a proper exhaust system. The note becomes very distinct.

This car was passed down to me by my dad, as it he got himself a brand new S80 2.5 (T5). In Singapore, the lifespan of our cars here only last for 10 years. (Brand New) After which, we will have to in a way “repurchase” the car again to drive it for another 10 years. This old S80 was reaching it’s 10 years lifespan and due for export or scrap within the year. As such, i got the chance to experience what it was like to daily drive a Volvo.

Before Volvo sold their company to Geely (China), the cars being made in Sweden. Volvo cars are reliable and robust. This s80 had been driven close to 400,000km before it reached its retirement. T

Well, it was a my daily driver to work, it served well with comfort and reasonable fuel consumption. So I had a chance to toy around with a Volvo, performance wise, nothing much was done to it, except the exhaust system. I also did some changes to the exterior of the car, just to dress it up to look a bit more modern and young? (Spray Paint) I have to admit Volvo’s never really had the reputation of being the nicest looking cars on the road. Haha!

Engine Head – Original
Engine Block– Original
Air Intake – Original
Transmission – Original Aisin (Japanese Made)
Differential – None
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Original
Brakes – Original (With EBC Yellow Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – Original
Spark Plug – Bosch Original
Chassis Handling – Eibach Lowering Springs
Electronics – Original
Turbo – Original
Turbo Controller – None
Exhaust – Customized Muffler, Catalytic Converter Gutted, 02 Spacer to Avoid CEL
Battery – Original Position
Interior – Original (All Factory Seals Replaced)
Exterior – Customized Front & Rear Bumper
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 18 Inches HEICO Wheels
Tire Set Up – Michelin 225/45/18 Front, 225/45/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1550kg
Boost – Original
Redline – 5500 Rpm
Power – 180 HP Crank, 240 NM, (153 WHP 204 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – Original
Tuning – Original
Top Speed – 220 km/hr (Requires Some Time)

After driving the previous s80, i literally fell in love with Volvos. As such, i focused on the line up of car models within Volvo to further satisfy my wants and needs as a daily driver. It has to have reasonable power (especially low-end torque), reliability, comfort and must be priced reasonably.

Hence, i set my mind on the Volvo S60 (2006) 2.4 T, front wheel drive. This model had almost the same engine as the Volvo S60 R (AWD), but it was short of 100cc. It had the same transverse 5 cylinder configuration engine. This model was purposely de-tuned from the factory as it was a front wheel drive car. Even so, it exited the factory stock with 260hp & 350nm torque. This were quite impressive numbers for a car that was produced in 2006.

I started all the necessary modifications to free up the turbo airflow to produce more power for the car. BSR Air & Turbo Intake, BSR (Sweden) Stage 3 tuning. BC RA Coilovers, Vossen Wheels, Customized Muffler and Gutted Catalytic converter. To be honest, this car was one of my best daily driver, it gave comfort, power and reliability. Too bad i did not take many photos with this car, i drove the car for close to 200,000km before it had to be exported/scrapped. I actually hit 250 km/hr on this car, the low end torque response of this car was amazing, it was the perfect daily driver. Too bad Volvos stopped producing 5 Cylinder Engines as it is too costly and does not make financial sense in today’s market. This car literally gave me zero issues or problems.

Well, it was a my daily driver to work, it served well with comfort and power. The low-end torque response of this car was amazing, and i do really miss this car a lot. The growl of the 5 Cylinder engine and the whistling of the turbo makes it a joy to drive it everyday. I do have clips and videos of it, however it will be uploaded to my youtube channel.

Engine Head – Original
Engine Block– Original
Air Intake – Elevate Turbo High Airflow Intake
Transmission – Original Aisin (Japanese Made)
Differential – None
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Original
Brakes – Aftermarket Slotted Rotor/Disc (With EBC Yellow Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – Original
Spark Plug – NGK Racing Heat Range 8
Chassis Handling – BC RA Coilovers
Electronics – Original
Turbo – Original
Turbo Controller – Original
Exhaust – Customized Muffler, Catalytic Converter Gutted, 02 Spacer to Avoid CEL
Battery – Original Position
Interior – Original (All Factory Seals Replaced)
Exterior – Customized Front & Rear Bumper
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 18 Inches Vossen Wheels
Tire Set Up – Michelin Super Sports 225/45/18 Front, 225/45/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1480kg
Boost – Original
Redline – 5500 Rpm
Power – 350 HP Crank, 491 NM, (297 WHP 418 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – Original
Tuning – BSR Stage 3
Top Speed – 250 km/hr

For the longest of time, Maserati has always been known as a luxury sports brand. They have one of the nicest sounding exhaust and engine note. Although they are not one of the fastest cars on the road, we cannot deny the fact that they are indeed one of the nicest looking and nicest sounding cars on road.

Since young, i have always wanted to feel what it was like owning one, even just for a short period of time. Hence, my dream came through. I specifically looked out for a 4.2 V8 model that came with a Duoselect F1 Transmission, this is actually the same F1 technology transmission that Ferrari has been using on most of their models for many years. I wanted to experience what it was like driving a F1 Ferrari Transmission. If you did not know, on some Maserati models, Ferrari actually built the engines for them. Hence, they sound really really good even on full original condition.

Driving the Ferrari F1 Transmission has it’s advantages and disadvantages. On low speed driving around town, the gearbox seems extremely jerky and disconnected. Not to mention the clutch life on this car is fairly short depending on the way you drive it. (25,000km – 40,000km) It is also pricey to get a clutch change, how i know? Well, i did it once for the car. Now talking about the advantage of the clutch, if you drive the car really hard, you will be able to enjoy the F1 transmission. It can react almost the same way as though you were driving a manual car. For example, before you dive into a corner, being at 6th gear, all you need to do is to tap the paddle shifter 3 times, and it drops immediately to 3rd gear, allowing full control of the car. The engagement is pure and raw. Even most modern transmission is unable to achieve that. Now i understand why Ferrari took so long, before incorporating the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG, Twin Clutch) into their newer models.

I did clutch changes, GTS 20 inches wheels, Tubi Clubsport Exhaust System, Gutted catalytic converter, Fairy Design Bodykit (Japan), KW v3 Coilvers. Trust me, the car was really really loud. But to be honest, i did not really like the driving feel of the car. It drove like a boat, it was not agile and felt extremely heavy. I had this car for about a year, before selling it off. As i was often deployed overseas for work. This car under utilized.

Engine Head – Original
Engine Block– Original
Air Intake – K & N Drop In
Transmission – Ferrari F1 (DuoSelect)
Differential – Original
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Original
Brakes – Original (EBC Blue Brake Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – Original
Spark Plug – NGK OEM
Chassis Handling – KW V3 Coilovers
Electronics – Original
Turbo – None
Turbo Controller – None
Exhaust – Tubi Clubsport Exhaust, Catalytic Converter Gutted
Battery – Original Position
Interior – Original (All Factory Seals Replaced)
Exterior – Fairy Design Full Bodykit (Japan)
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 20 Inches GTS Wheels
Tire Set Up – Michelin Super Sports 245/40/20 Front, 285/35/20 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1980kg
Boost – Original
Redline – 7000 Rpm
Power – 400 HP Crank, 460 NM, (340 WHP 391 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – Original
Tuning – Original
Top Speed – 270 km/hr (However it takes a long time to get there.)

During the days when i had my R34, i have also thought of experiencing what was it like to own and spec a silvia S15 Spec R according to my likings. The Nissan Silvia S15 Spec R has always been praised and acknowledged by all Japanese Race Car Drivers as one of the best balanced car for drifting and track time attack events. It is also highly praised by Tsuchiya (Drift King) as one of his favorite car to drive. The car is lightweight, agile, RWD and can be modified easy to suit a wide range of application and power needs. Touge (Japan), a Japanese variety show constantly praises how well built the Silvia S15 is even stock from the factory.

I knew i had to get one myself one day to try it out for myself. During the days when i had my R34, my elder brother was already driving a S15 Spec R. (But the car was totaled eventually by himself, haha!) I took the car countless times for a spin, though the S15 was fairly stock and was not aggressively modified, it felt very different from my R34. It was very agile and the handling was so much better than my R34. The torque delivery from the engine was very different from my R34, it was instant, quick and nimble. My R34 felt more like a “SlingShot”.

The amount of effort, time and money i put in for this S15 is comparable to my R34. It has all the best parts available on the market installed on it to bring out the best in this car.

Similarly, it went through multiple engine revisions, different camshaft set ups, different turbos. GT3582R Top Mount (Boosting 1.8 Bar) , GTX2876, GTX2871R etc. Greddy camshafts, tomei full solid lifter valvetrain conversion etc. 2.2 Tomei Stroker kit, fully build fuel system to support 1000hp, rear differential, lsd, undercarriage etc.

I had this car for slightly more than 3 years, to be frank, it was a much better drive than the R34. The torque response was truly amazing, full boost hits at 3800rpm with 550nm wheel torque(WTQ) shooting the car forward. With every gear change, the G-Force pulls you backwards, the car accelerates like a freight train with no loss of power. I had a friendly Drag Race with my friend’s Aventador Lp700 from launch, the S15 was just one car length away behind the Aventador. (0-180 km/hr)

I really enjoyed the car while it lasted. The car was set up for grip driving, -3 Degree Cambers Rear, -2.5 Cambers at the Front. It handled really really well and surprisingly, it was quite comfortable to drive it daily. I wanted it to be as drivable as possible, as such, the clutch was the key component. The car came with a Ogura Twin plate, the pressure plate was really too stiff and the clutch pedal was too hard to depress. I changed it out for a OS Giken STR Twin Plate, the difference was really heaven and earth.

The car was also featured on 2 International Platform
https://therightwrong.net/blogs/blog/cliffs-s15-another-restored-project?fbclid=IwAR18QYAaXwkcbTpSOzWTcZsMIrRxyPZxc8hkX416N4AecPB-d_R8dub7es0
https://www.9tro.com/(X(1)S(c4toyr1rgyztfhdtqex0vkjb))/media/features/tuned-cars/nissan-silvia-s15-lock-loaded/?page=%7B%7Bpage.current+1%7D%7D

The car was sold within a week after i advertised it. Yes i missed it, however, the new owner enjoys it till today and i am glad i sold it to another person who truly appreciates the car for how it was built.

Engine Head – Tomei Solid Lifter Conversion, Tomei Procams 260in/ex, 12.0mm Lift, Adjustable Camgears (VTC Engaged), Greddy Intake Manifold
Engine Block– Tomei 2.2 Stroker Kit, 1.2mm Tomei Headgasket, ARP Headstuds
Air Intake – Custom 4 Inches Blitz
Transmission – 6 Speed Close Ratio (Original)
Differential – 1.5 Way Cusco LSD, 4.363 Rear Differential (Original 3.69)
Clutch – OS Giken STR Twin Plate
Cooling – Koyo Full Aluminium, Greddy Oil Cooler, Bliz Intercooler, Upgraded R34 Clutch Fan
Brakes – Front 6 Pot Endless Big Brakes, Rear 4 Pot Endless Big Brakes
Fuel Delivery – HKS Fuel Rail, Greddy 800cc Injectors, Walbro 350L/hr in-tank Fuel Pump, Fuel Surge Tank with 2 X External 044 Bosch Fuel Pump
Ignition – Spit Fire Ignition Coils
Spark Plug – NGK Racing Heat Range 8
Chassis Handling – BC BR Coilovers, Full Cusco Catalogue Strut Bars & Arms,
Electronics – Defi Super Sports Digital Racing Cluster
Turbo – Original Log Style Twin Scroll Ported Turbo Manifold (GTX2871R)
Turbo Controller – Greddy Profec Boost Controller
Exhaust – Full 3 Inch Down Pipe, Fujitsubo Rm01 Cat-Back Exhaust System
Battery – 4AWG Cable Rerouted to Trunk
Interior – Full Carbon Inprint, Bride Brix Racing Seat, NRG Racing Steering Wheel, Yashio Factory, All Factory Seals Replaced
Exterior – Full Dmax Widebody Kit (+30mm Front & Rear), Garage Mak Carbon GT-Wing, Customized Front Bumper
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 18 Inches Super Advan Racing Version 2
Tire Set Up – Toyo R1R Semi-Slicks 225/40/18 Front, Achilles 123s Semi-Slicks 265/35/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1250kg
Boost – 1.5 Bar (22 Psi) (Conservative to Maintain Reliability)
Methanol Injection – 1000CC Single Port AEM Methanol Injection
Redline – 7400 Rpm
Power – 475 HP Crank, 630 NM, (413 WHP 550 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – MOTEC M800 Standalone
Tuning – Jun Furukawa of ST Powered (Singapore)
Top Speed – 260 km/hr (Limited by 4.363 Rear Differential)

I spend most of my time in Europe for work in the year of 2016, I was influenced by the widespread of European cars in Europe. Many of the very high powered drag cars were Golfs, Bmw and Audi. I decided it was time for me to move on EDM cars. (European Domestic Market) Anyway, i had enough of experience and experiments with JDM cars. (Japanese Domestic Cars)

I learned a lot when i was in Europe, it was quite an eye opener for me. There were a lot of good reviews on EDM cars, specifically to the vehicle’s ECU. (Electronic Control Unit) Gone were the days when we needed to spend a bomb on a standalone ECU for JDM cars in order for us to safely monitor the engine parameters. EDM cars are designed much better in a way that the original ECU acts like a standalone computer with a much faster processing speed.

As such, when i was back home. My very first choice was a Audi A5 Coupe 2.0T. The biggest X-factor the car has is the shape or rather the silhouette of the car, i liked the shape a lot. It looks executive, stylish and looks aggressive at the same time. (Modified)

Similarly to my other cars, my audi went through multiple revisions. Exterior works, Engine Rebuild, Turbo Upgrading (Hybrid K04), Suspension Works etc. The mileage clocked for this car was relatively high when i bought it (160,000km), as such, i decided to send the car for a full engine overhaul.

End of the day, i have to admit, this car served it’s purpose well. It was a fairly powerful ride, a comfortable ride and quite a head tuner when tastefully done up. I only managed to max out the car and achieved 333 Whp on this car with a K04 hybrid Turbo. (That’s about it folks) In my most honest opinion, to those power hungry piston heads out there, stay away from this. Haha!

I had this car for about a year before I sold it off, I felt I needed something more powerful in order to satisfy my hunger for acceleration.

Engine Head – Original (Fully Overhauled with OEM Parts)
Engine Block– Original (Fully Overhauled with OEM Parts)
Air Intake – Custom Open Pod
Transmission – Original
Differential – Original
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Original
Brakes – Front Audi S5 Big Brakes, Rear Single Pot (EBC Red Brake Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – Audi R8 Ignition Coils
Spark Plug – NGK Racing Heat Range 8
Chassis Handling – BC BR Coilovers, Ultra Racing Strut Bars
Electronics – UltraGauge On-Board OBD
Turbo – Upgraded K04 Hybrid (With GFB Diverter Valve)
Turbo Controller – Original
Exhaust – FOX Cat-Back Exhaust System, Gutted Catalytic Converter
Battery – Original
Interior – Original
Exterior – Full Caractere PU Body
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 18 Inches Unbranded Wheels
Tire Set Up – Achilles 123s Semi-Slicks 235/40/18 Front, Achilles 123s Semi-Slicks 235/40/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1500kg
Boost – 1.5 Bar (22 Psi)
Methanol Injection – None
Redline – 6200 Rpm
Power – 382 HP Crank, 576 NM Crank, (333 WHP 427 WTQ) (NM)
ECU – DimSPORT
Tuning – Jun Furukawa of ST Powered (Singapore)
Top Speed – 246 km/hr

The 135is will slot in between the powerful 135i and 1 Series M Coupe. For this new model, BMW took the same formula it used to create the larger 335is and applied it to the 1 Series. The 135is uses the same 3.0-liter direct-injected, (N55 Single Twin Scroll) turbocharged inline six-cylinder powerplant as the 135i (N54 Twin Turbo), but power has been pumped up to 320 hp (from 300) and 317 lb-ft Torque (from 300) (430nm) – the same output as the bigger 335is.

After my experience with the Audi, I decided that it was time to further explore other EDM models. I appreciated how straight forward it was to modify and increase the horsepower and torque. The main reason was that most EDM cars had a much more advanced ECU from production. They were mostly designed out of a BOSCH or SIEMENS platform.

After gathering enough experiences and experiments with my previous Audi, i felt it was time that i moved on to another EDM to experience a different world. As such, my choice was a 2012 BMW 135iS coupe, this particular model was developed as a prototype model before BMW officially launched the BMW M2 in 2015. The N55 3.0 Turbo engine was revised edition of the previously well-known N54, it had many changes to correct the flaws of the previous N54 version. The biggest change was BMW decision to switch to a Single Twin Scroll Turbo, instead of two smaller Turbos. The transmission also saw major changes, this model was equipped with the same 7 Speed M-DCT Dual Clutch unit as the other bigger brothers. (M2,M3,M4,M5,M6) The injectors, cooling, pump design and many other components were also rectified to be more reliable.

I bought this car from a first owner who barely used it (50,000 km/31,000 miles), it was bone stock. I slowly converted the exterior looks to a BMW 1M. Everything on the car was 100% original from factory. Once again, it was the beginning of another mayhem. The quest to extract the best power & torque out from this little pocket rocket begins.

Because of the hot climate i live in, cooling was a major issue we have here for high performance cars. When air gets too hot, ignition timing automatically pulls back, hence affecting the car’s performance. I have CSF Radiators installed, additional Mocal Oil Cooler, 100% Bypass oil thermostat removal, Full Customized Stainless Steel Braided hose ProMeth (USA) methanol injection, VRSF Intercooler etc. Having all the cooling modifications brought down the water/oil temperatures in the region of 85 – 95 Degree Celsius at cruising speeds of 200 km/hr.

I decided not to go for the largest plug in turbo upgrade (Stage 3) and went for the (Stage 2) variant. I wanted to test the usable torque powerband before going for the largest drop in turbo variant. I did not want this car to be laggy, i wanted the power delivery to be instant. Cars equipped with a big turbo have high horsepower, but very little usable torque powerband. Torque power is something extremely important on the streets and track.

The 135iS coupe was a narrow car, in the handling department, i converted the entire front undercarriage to a E92 M3 (4.0 V8) to widen the tracks, Eibach Front & Rear Sway Bars, SPC Rear Camber Kit, BC BR Coilovers, Whiteline Rear Subframe Inserts.

I did most of the works myself at home for this car. I basically stripped the entire car at home for all the installations, including the electrical wirings for the fuse box. Glad to say, this car was a very successful project that went on very smoothly without much hassle. The original ECU the car was designed on was extremely advanced, it was literally running a on board dyno on the ECU. I was able to manually data log the car, send to my tuner in USA. (Ken Atkinson from Wedge Performance), from there he would revise the map and i would just have to load it up. This car gave me so much in-depth insights on engine management. I really give full respect to the electronic engineers at BMW who designed the ECU.

This car lived up to it’s name, it was truly a pocket rocket, with 500+whp & 700+wtq on tap. This car was really a beast to drive. However to me, what was lacking is the cornering abilities of this car. Maybe it had too much power that the chassis could not handle? I am not sure, however, i did what i could to make the car handle the best it could. The only last thing i did not do for the car was a Quaife mechanical rear differential LSD installation.

I had this car for about a year before I sold it off, i would say among all my experiences with the other cars, this car gave me the most straight forward hassle-free experience. I will say this car has all the ticks in the power performance department, however, it really lacks the cornering abilities.

Engine Head – Original
Engine Block– Original
Air Intake – BMS (USA), Pure Turbo Outlet (USA)
Transmission – 7 Speed M-DCT Dual Clutch Transmission
Differential – Original
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Twin Oil Cooler, Addition of Mocal Oil Cooler, CSF Radiator, VSRF Intercooler, Bypassed Thermostat, New Water Pump
Brakes – Front 6 Port Brembo, Rear 2 Port Brembo (EBC Red Brake Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Fuel-It Stage 2 Drop in Low Pressure Fuel Pump
Ignition – Eldor Ignition Coils
Spark Plug – NGK N20 Heat Range 8
Chassis Handling – BC BR Coilovers, Ultra Racing Strut Bars, Eibach Front & Rear Sway Bar, SPC Rear Camber Kits, Front E92 M3 (4.0 V8) Conversion, Whiteline Rear Subframe Insert
Electronics – UltraGauge On-Board OBD, Autogauge Mechanical Boost Gauge, AEM Methanol Flow Gauge, Upgraded N20 T-map Sensor
Turbo – Stage 2 Drop in Upgrade (53mm In, 73mm Ex), GFB Diverter Valve, Pure Turbo Inlet, Full Metal Pipings, VSRF Charge Pipe with Additional Boost & Methanol Bung
Turbo Controller – Original
Exhaust – Customized Cat-Back Exhaust System, Gutted Catalytic Converter
Battery – Original
Interior – Flat-Bottom Carbon Steering with Customized Paddle Shifter (USA)
Exterior – BMW 1M Conversion, Rear Carbon Revozport (USA) Diffuser, Rear Fender Pulled & Widened
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 18 Inches Staggered Unbranded Wheels
Tire Set Up – Yokohama AD08R Semi-Slicks 225/40/18 Front, Yokohama Semi-Slicks 255/35/18 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1500kg
Boost – 1.5 Bar (22 Psi)
Methanol Injection – Prometh, 2 x 500cc Injectors, Full Stainless Steel Braided Hose, AEM Pump, BMS Methanol Trunk Tank.
Redline – 7000 Rpm
Power – 600+ HP Crank, 800+ NM Crank, (520-550 WHP 700+ WTQ) (NM)
ECU – MHD
Tuning – Ken Atkinson of Wedge Performance (USA)
Top Speed – 285 km/hr (Could have gone faster, but the car doesn’t seem that stable at high speed)

When Porsche introduced the Cayman S into the mass market, it left some enthusiast like myself scratching our heads. The bold mid-engine sportscar was faster than it’s ragtop counterpart, the Boxster, but lacked the performance of the 911. In all likelihood, Porsche could have made the Cayman S a much faster car, but they did not want to overtake the other race-bred performance Porsche models which were more expensive. Hence, the Cayman S was precisely factory tuned (or De-tuned) to fit in the gap between the models.

After my experience with the Audi & BMW, I decided it was time to further explore another EDM model that offered superb daily driving abilities and handling capabilities. I also needed it to be reliable as a daily car, which means to say it can double up as a work horse.

I was reading and researching a lot on the models Porsche offered, the Cayman was and still considered by many car enthusiast and race track drivers to have the best well-balanced chassis built for track. Adding to the fact that i was also influenced by my dad (who owns a 930 911 Turbo), i eventually decided to get a Cayman S to have a first-hand experience myself on the handling capabilities that Porsche offers.

When i got the car, the mileage was relatively low (60,000 km/ 37,200 miles), i changed out all the parts that needed maintenance, arms, engine mountings, transmission mountings, ignition, spark plugs, brakes, pads, tensioner belts, battery, Air Oil Separator etc. Performance was kept stock for reliability, air intake was “Desnorked” to free up airflow for cooling and engine breathing. I do take the car for frequent freeway fast cruising (excess of 200 km/hr) up north to neighboring country and states. I did Techart cosmetic modifications, chassis handling modifications, added downforce GT-Wing modifications for high speed stability etc.

I must say, in all honesty, Porsche really lived up to their brand name. The only handling modifications i did were simply just a BC BR Coilover (with Camber Top Plates) and a set of Bridgestone RE71-R Semi-Slick tires wrapped around a set of 19 Inches Vorsteiner wheel. Camber settings were quite aggressive, rear -2.8, front -2.5

Just with all these, the car handled AMAZINGLY. The feedback from the steering wheel and the chassis dynamics were beyond words. I have never owned a car that handled so well with just simple modifications. Be it winding roads or high speed cruising, this car was really built for stability and handling.

I have been driving this for the past 3 years and guess what? I still turn my head around to take a peep at it even after i have parked it.

Engine Head – Original
Engine Block– Original
Air Intake – K & N
Transmission – Original
Differential – Original
Clutch – Original
Cooling – Original
Brakes – Front 6 Port Brembo, Rear 4 Port Brembo (EBC Red Brake Pads)
Fuel Delivery – Original
Ignition – Original
Spark Plug – NGK Heat Range 7
Chassis Handling – BC BR Coilovers with Top Camber Plates
Electronics – Sprint Booster V3
Turbo – None
Turbo Controller – None
Exhaust – Original Porsche Sport Exhaust (Porsche’s Sports Chrono Package)
Battery – Original
Interior – Original (All Brand New Rubber Seals) (Porsche’s Sports Chrono Package)
Exterior – Customized Techart Bodykit, Getty Design GT-Wing, Carbon Side Air Scoop
Wheel/Rim Set Up – 19 Inches Staggered Vorsteiner
Tire Set Up – Bridgestone RE71-R Semi-Slicks 235/35/19 Front, Bridgestone Semi-Slicks 265/30/19 Rear
Chassis Weight – 1340kg
Boost – None
Methanol Injection – Original
Redline – 7000 Rpm
Power – 295 HP Crank, 340 NM Crank, (520-550 WHP 700+ WTQ) (NM)
ECU – Original (Porsche’s Sports Chrono Package)
Tuning – Original (Porsche’s Sports Chrono Package)
Top Speed – 272 km/hr (Extremely Stable)