January-February | 2007 | #11 | www.domesticdriver.com
>2004 Mustang 2002 GTX 2000 300M
1988 Fiero GT 2004 Mustang 2000 Mustang
2003 Cavalier 2004 Neon SRT-Mustang GT >1997 Cavalier 1999 Cougar

ARE YOU

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

04 | READERS RIDES 11 | EVENT COVERAGE 33 | IMAGE MANIPULATION 34 | WRECKAGE 11 | 2007
JANUARY/FEBRUARY | 2007 | #11

FEATURES

A New Year a New Direction

12 | CLUB INSIDER

Rocky Mountain Ecotec
14 | BLUESPLASH 18 | SRT 4 ME
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier 2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4
FOR THE BEST VIEWING EXPERIENCE In Adobe Acrobat Reader go to the View menu then click on Full Screen and use the arrow keys to change pages. The E-zine is best viewed on a 17+ monitor. All the blue text and advertisements are clickable, which means it will take you to another section of the E-zine or to a website instantly. Know that we do not necessarily support all of the web sites linked to! Also, all advertisements are clickable and will take you directly to their website. STAFF
Owner and Layout Design - Jonathan Maynard Senior Editor - Andrew Cleaver Graphic Designer - Eric Wood

21 | EXCELCIER

1999 Mercury Cougar

25 | RESURRECTED

1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
WHAT IS DOMESTIC DRIVER E-ZINE?
A bi-monthly PDF magazine featuring Chrysler, Dodge, Ford and GM Cars from 1980+
Submission deadline: December 1st Available around: January 1st Submission deadline: February 1st Available around: March 1st Submission deadline: April 1st Available around: May 1st Submission deadline: June 1st Available around: July 1st Submission deadline: August 1st Available around: September 1st Submission deadline: October 1st Available around: November 1st
2007 ISSUE DATES January/February March/April May/June

29 | BMCS DANNI

2001 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

MORE ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

Domestic Driver Magazine is a digital magazine created to display your custom American cars. We hope to become a catalyst in increasing the domestic tuner population. This magazine is a family-friendly publication and therefore does not regularly feature female models. Domestic Driver is intended for those who simply want to focus on domestic cars and their unique characteristics. We are a Christian-owned and operated magazine, so putting cars rst in a persons life is not our goal. We also do not wish to encourage drivers to endanger themselves or others because of unwise choices. After all, there are many more important things in life; like having faith in Christ and accepting Him as Savior and Lord ensuring you have eternal life with Him in heaven. Thank you for your continued patronage. DOMES TIC DRIVER ||| 3

July/August

September/October

November/December

Visit our submit page of our web site for details on how to make a submission of your own.

READERS RIDES

Owner: Chris Strickland Car: 2004 V6 Mustang convertible Location: Birmingham, AL About: I have had my baby for almost 2 years and

Modications:

she has changed quite a bit in that time. When I originally purchased her, she only had 16,000 miles on the odometer. Now I use her as a daily driver and have almost doubled the mileage already. I have an intercooled supercharger build on the way, and plenty of appearance mods. I wash her often to make sure she shines perfectly. This car has started and fueled my passion for cars and speed, and makes me appreciate American muscle.
Performance: - BOMZ Racing Cold Air Intake - 42% Underdrive Pulley - MAC Cat-Back Exhaust - SCT XCalibrator2 Dyno-Tuned by Doug at Bama Chips Show: - 50% Tail Light Tint - GT CLEAR Foglight Kit - GT Take-off hood - Mach 1 Chin Spoiler - Mach 1 Grill Delete - Door-Guards Removed - Antenna Delete Audio & Visual: - Mach460 Sound System - DLO iPod Transmitter

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Performance: - DHP Programmed PCM. - M&S 3 Downpipe, Ubend delete. - SLP 2 Stainless Steel Catback. - D.U.B. Modular Pulley System. With 3, 3.25, 3.3 and 3.4 Supercharger Pulleys. - PRJ 10.4 mm Race Wires. - Cold Air Inductions Inc. Airbox. - ZZP Stage 1 Throttle body. - T.O.G. Headers. - SLP 180 degree Thermostat. - Performance Shift. - Quaife Torque Biasing Differential. Control: - Baer Track Plus Brakes System - SLP Front/Rear Strut tower Braces. - GMPP Handling Upgrade Package. - GMPP Koni Suspension-Lowering Package. - ZZP Poly Motor Mounts. - Michelin Pilot Tire. Show: - 2003 Limited Edition Fog Lights. - SLP Ram Air Hood. - SLP Gen.1 Spoiler. - Street Scene Chrome Speed Grills. - R.A.T. Hi-Polished Billet Aluminum Engine Supports. - R.A.T. Hi-Polished Billet Aluminum Side Supports. - R.A.T. Hi-Polished Aluminum Heat Sheild. - Phil Madren GTX Trunk Lid Mat. - Carbon Fiber Coated engine Cover. - Carbon Fiber Coated Dash and Center Console. - NR Auto Accessories White Faced Guage Overlays. - Autometer White Faced Phantom Guages. - SLP Stripe Kit. - SLP GTX Spoke Chrome wheels. Audio & Visual: - Innity Bass Link Subwoofer.

Owner: John Oliver Car: 2002 Pontiac GTX Location: Irving, TX About: I purchased my car in September of 2002
photos looking for ideas on what I can do to my GTX. Of course, Im not done with it yet. Who knows what the future will bring.
while looking for a replacement for my 98 Firebird. When I saw this Grand Prix GTP on the dealers lot, I knew I had found my car. Then after the test drive I was sold! The heads-up display was something I had never seen before and I immediately fell for it. Not long after purchasing the car, I sent it to the local SLP (Street Legal Performance) installer and had the GTX package installed. The car came with an Eaton M90 supercharger and with the GTX package a smaller pulley was added. The car has really turned into a hobby for me. What started out as a form of transportation has turned into much, much more. I nd myself looking for more things to do to the car on a daily basis. I am often browsing car

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Performance: - K&N Fuel Injected Performance Kit - Custom Made 160* Thermostat - HAWK Performance Ceramic Brake Pads (Front & Rear) - Cross Drilled and Slotted Performance Rotors (Front & Rear) - ASP Underdrive Pulley - 3.89:1 Gear and Chain set from 300M Special for improved gear ratio - 70mm Throttle Body - Dual Exhaust System with polished Stainless Steel Tips Control: - Heavy Duty Rear Sway Bar from a Dodge Intrepid Police Cruiser - Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Ultra Performance W Rated Tires Show: - Custom Aluminum Mesh Grills - HID Headlights and Projector Fog Lights - Complete lighting changed to LED Bulbs - 5% Tint All-Around - Camera in the Trunk Key-Hole - Painted Calipers Yellow - Underbody Red Neon Lights - (2) 36 and (2) 48 Tubes - Custom Fridge and Pizza Oven and Coffee Maker installed in the rear seat Audio & Visual: - Chrysler 6 disc DVD changer and GPS - 6 screens throughout the car - Two 12 Eclipse Subwoofers - Alpine V12 Amplier - Rockford Fosgate Capacitor - X-Box Console - Accelvission DVD / MP3 Player in the trunk connected to the DVD changer - Delphi Roady 2 XM Radio
Owner: Kumar Iyer Car: 2000 Chrysler 300M Location: Rockville, MD About: In October of 2003 I was ready to buy a
new car. I went to various dealerships until I nally stumbled upon a nice luxurious car sitting in a Chrysler lot. The leather interior, wooden trim, luxury package and the 17 chrome wheels caused me to look no further. I knew that Chrysler 300M was the perfect car for me. The engine size on the M is a 3.5l HO with a 42LE transmission with autostick. Driving this car in autostick gives you the same feeling of driving a manual car. I enjoy driving the M. In the 3 years that I have had this car, I have done various performance and cosmetic modications. Since the 300M is not traditionally thought of as an after-market car, there arent a lot of after-market parts available for easy modication, which means most of the mods done to this car were custom.

school graduation present from my parents. We ordered the car from a local Ford dealership with all the options we wanted, and took delivery in November 2003. While it is an automatic, 3.9L V6, the car came with the Pony Package, which made the car resemble a GT from the factory - including 16 polished aluminum wheels and a GT hood scoop. We also threw in the rear spoiler for good measure, along with many other factory goodies. Of course, stock is never enough, and thats where the modications came in, leaving me with the car you see now. Many people say its, just a V6, but between the mild performance and appearance changes, it leaves a lot of people guessing. Its an underdog of sorts. No one would really expect this car to be able
to hold its own on the streets, at the track and in car shows. Its already taken home a Best of Class V6 award and 2nd place Best in Class 99-04 award in local Florida car shows last year. Whats next? Who knows, but I promise not to disappoint.

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Performance: - FRPP Hood Pins - VIS Carbon Fiber Hood (9 lbs. vs 34 lbs.) - Dynomax Super Turbos Side Exhaust W/ Offroad X pipe - MAC Cold Air Intake - Rear Seat Delete Control: - Azenis ST 115s Motorsport Tires - 17x8in Black Bullitts Rims Show: - JDM Projector Headlights H1/H3 - GT Hood Scoop - Urethane Cobra R Bumper - Mach 1 Grille Delete - MGW Shiftknob - Spoiler moved back 2.5 - Rolled edges dual tips - Side Scoops - Mustang Third Brake Light - 25% Window Tint - Custom Pony side emblems - Dual A Pillar Guages - 50% Taillight Tint
Owner: Roman Amromin Car: 2000 Ford Mustang Location: Miami, FL About: It all began when I was 18 years old and look-
ing to start a new project. I looked at Mustang GTs and Camaro Z28s but the one that caught my eye is my present Mustang. When I spotted it on the lot, it was sitting next to a convertible Camaro, but I decided to take this one home instead. It was begging for attention and needed a lot of work. This would be a great graduation present to myself. The car is currently under 3000lbs with the weight reduction. I was happy to nd out that it was a rare No option coupe. The car has only the bare necessities. I try to keep the car as clean as possible even though there are 110,000 miles on the odometer. I have used every penny I have ever made to make this car a reality and my love for this car cannot be expressed in words. It brings me joy to look out the window and see it every single morning.

Written by: Jason Helferich www.streetstylecustoms.com

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EVENT COVERAGE:
EVENT: THIRD ANNUAL FALL HAUL DATE: NOVEMBER 11, 2006 PLACE: ZEPHYRHILLS, FL
entral Florida Fieros (CFF) held their third annual Fall Haul last month. The day began in the wee hours of the morning with breakfast at Dennys followed by an over hour-long (and rather spirited) open road jaunt to the show site at the Zephyrhills Fall Autofest in Zephyrhills, Fla. The caravan ran into a bit of fog along the way, but things were otherwise fun and fast! I was a passenger, said Tony Aldridge (whose car was not yet road-ready), It was fun watching the reactions of the other drivers as they watched the sharp little sports cars zip along. You could tell some did not even know what kind of car it was, but they seemed impressed. According to Dave Lambert, another participant in the Fall Haul (whose car happened to be featured in Domestic Driver not long ago), The Autofest organizers didnt know there were that many Fieros still on the road. Little did they know that there are over 13,000 Fiero buffs signed up at Pennocks Fiero Forum at www.ero.com. A special thanks go out to Mr. Mikes, The Fiero Warehouse and the Fiero Store for donating prizes that helped make this years Fall Haul a huge success!

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CLUB INSIDER : Rocky Mountain Ecotec
n Sunday mornings in Colorado many car enthusiasts take to the hills driving among the towering cliffs, mountain top outlooks and the evergreen and aspen trees that reach towards the sky - never knowing what the next turn will bring. Back roads through the twisties of the Rockies make for an excellent play ground for anyone who simply loves to drive. On some days you can nd roads in the mountains with so many local car clubs, it resembles salmon swimming up a mountain stream. Rocky Mountain Ecotec is newest of the General Motors enthusiast clubs based on the Ecotec platform - based out of Denver, Colorado, and centered on the Saturn Ion Redline and Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Other members rides include award winning Chevy Cavaliers, base Cobalts and Ions, and some non-Ecotec vehicles like the Pontiac Trans Am and other domestics. Every vehicle is competing either in shows or racing down the track It originally started in February of 2006 with three grown men standing in a parking lot for two hours when it was only 17 degrees outside. That dedication to their cars, and to the car culture, led to more people coming out into the freezing weather to talk about modications, why they bought their car, and when the next meet was. Eventually a dozen or so people decided one day while drag racing that they should start a club. A few took this idea, ran with it, and now Rocky Mountain Ecotec is one of the largest, most respected, domestic car clubs in the region, with nearly 50 members in four states including Colorado, Utah, South Dakota and Wyoming. Not bad for only being around a few months. RME participates in every kind of automotive event available. Frequent outings to Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, provides their biggest challenge. The track rests at over 6000 feet in altitude. The air is thin at that height, but racers

from RME consistently run in low to mid 14-second quarter miles, breaking over 100 mph. Other members participate in SCCA SOLO 2, and give other competitors in D class, like the Lexus IS 300 and Nissan Maxima, a real run for their money - frequently hearing phrases like, That is a Saturn?!? or, I had no idea a Cobalt could do THAT!!! Beyond racing at the track, RME organizes cruises, meets at local burger joints and charity car shows. RME also donates regularly to St Judes Childrens Hospitals, the clubs favorite charity. Road trips are organized as well. Members join together to visit some of the most beautiful scenery in the U.S. like Rocky Mountain National Park, The Black Hills of South Dakota, Devils Tower and the Great Sand dunes. They even meet up with other similar clubs while traveling the highways of America. The club also takes a very strong stand against street racing with a strict keep it on the track policy, which mirrors the Colorado State Patrol sponsored test and tune days at Bandimere Speedway. Club members are encouraged to participate in, and do so on a weekly basis. Want to learn more about RME? Visit their huge website with members pages, local information, links to shops and part suppliers, and their online forums - www.rockymountainectec.net.
Submission by: David Polley. RME Co-Founder DOMES TIC DRIVER ||| 12

dezign

welding creativity and horsepower, creating the best automotive artwork
Having trouble nding something specic for your car? We can make it. Everything here is custom made to order, exactly how you want it. Its the perfect way to show off your pride and joy. GEARHEAD artwork also makes a great gift thats sure to be a hit with any car nut on your list, even if you cant tell a crankshaft from a camshaft. All you need is a reference photograph and you can get a great present for that hard-to-buy-for motor head. From the casual automotive enthusiast to a company in search of effective advertising, you can get what you need right here at GEARHEAD DEZIGN.

SHOW DISPLAY | display plaques | magazine layouts ARTWORK | pencil illustrations | project renderings | digital stylizations | tshirts SERVICES | logo design | advertising | website design | photography

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BlueSplash

2003 Chevrolet Cavalier

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he sweet sound of the turbo spooling up and pressure building in the pipes is too much to handle sometimes. Slam the gas pedal to the oor, see the boost gauge rise and hear the tires squeal. Thats the everyday excitement Chris Yost gets in his daily driven turbocharged 2003 Chevy Cavalier turned BlueSplash. When Chris bought this car back in 2003 he was looking for a reliable daily driver with some good gas mileage. Originally, Chris was hoping for something else, but a Chevy Cavalier was what he could afford. After pricing several cars, he chose to head to Team Chevrolet in Johnstown to do some looking around. Little did he know that the car he was about to purchase had some serious potential. He rolled into the driveway with a 2003 Arrival Blue Chevy Cavalier that night. First, he searched for modications. Starting from what he knew, Chris threw in two Rockford Fosgate HE2 subwoofers powered by a Rockford Fosgate amplier and ordered a new Sony head unit and CD changer. To ow with the media, he chose a Fahrenheit DVD player which plugged into the brain of the Sony XAV7W and owed out the 7 TFT screen. While searching the Internet for intakes and random accessories for his car, Chris stumbled upon www.j-body.org. A look through the Photos and Media forum yielded what was next on his list. He came across the drift kit. Like most young kids with a car, he started throwing parts like a body kit, aluminum spoiler, coilovers, rims, intake, a huge decal and MMS Lambo doors (he now regrets selling). Next was the Cavy a facelift - not only on the exterior but everywhere else, too. Starting with the interior, he researched berglassing and spraying base and clear coat. Chris berglassed his dash, dash bezel and base/clear coated the entire interior with Satin Silver and Arrival Blue paint with diamond

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plate accents. After nishing with the interior he knew the car needed a smooth ride to handle the harsh Pennsylvania roads. For the suspension he chose some KYB AGX struts (adjustable dampening settings) and Eibach Pro-Kit springs for the perfect ride height. He also gave the exterior a new face-lift with a Type-J body kit from RK Sport, a new trunk lid, VIS EVO carbon ber hood and some minor paint accents to set the car off. Knowing he had the show portion of the car done, there was one more thing on his agenda: the GO. To satisfy Chris need for power he opted to match his 2.2 Ecotec with a custom turbo setup composed of parts from the Hahn (stage 2 turbo kit), Greddy, K&N and custom parts that he fabricated. This car would be driven in the winter time, so Chris also opted for all 2.5 mandrel bent stainless steel charger pipes to ow through the car. Within a month, Chris knew he had a custom turbo setup that would
knock you back in your seat, then make you scream for more! Most of the turbo parts came from a fellow J-body member and reputable eBay sellers, so Chris was ready to begin his install. He couldnt wait to turn this beastly 4 cylinder over and take a ride. Finally hearing the open down pipe roar was like music to his ears. To complement the super 16G turbo, a custom bent 2.5 turbo back exhaust with a Magnaow high ow cat and street series mufer were added. Chris tuned the car during the next few days, and a smooth daily-driven 8-psi engine with horsepower numbers around 220-235 was born. Ask Chris and he will probably tell you that hes not even close to being done with BlueSplash yet. According to Chris, Im hoping to have a rebuilt motor to handle some major boost, a custom ber glassed trunk enclosure and some custom shaved handles and trunk. Dont plan on seeing any of these
modications any time soon though, its still my daily driver year around. The car will go through more transformations in the future so watch out! For more pictures visit www.cardomain.com/ride/421717 or look for his work on www.j-body.org.

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PERFORMANCE
Hahn Race Craft Super 16G turbo Hahn Race Craft Ecotec Turbo manifold XS Power Bar and Plate Intercooler 2.5 Stainless Steel Charger Pipes and 2.5 Downpipe Greddy Type RS BOV Turbo XS Standard Boost Controller Accel 320 CC Injectors Walrbo 255 LPH in tank Fuel Pump Cartech BEGI FMU K&N Air lter Summit Battery Relocation Kit RK Sport Upper and Lower Engine Mounts Turbo Back 2.5 Exhaust Magnaow High Flow Catalytic Converter Magnaow Street Series Mufer High Temp Silicone Couplers Optima Yellow Top Battery Autometer Electric Fuel Pressure gauge Autometer Boost gauge AEM UEGO Wideband Air/Fuel Ratio gauge Fidnaza Short Throw Shifter Greddy Full Auto Turbo Timer KYB AGX Adjustable struts Eibach Pro Kit lowering springs Vibrant Upper Strut Bar Enkei RS-Rims w/ Kuhmo Escta 215/45/R17 Tires Power Stop Drilled and Slotted Rotors Hawk Performance Brake pads

MODI F IC ATIONS

RK Sport Type J body kit VIS Carbon Fiber EVO hood Custom painted taillight assembly Custom cleared headlights Painted mirrors, handles, brake drums, and calipers Sparco hood pins Shaved emblems Matrix racing seats with custom sliders Genuine MOMO pedals Custom Fiberglass arm rest with control inlay Custom Fiberglass Dashboard Arrival Blue and Satin Silver base coat and clear coat interior Custom dash bezel with shaved cigarette lighter Diamond plate inserts (Interior and Engine bay) Lotek 3 pod full replacement A-pillar White Faced gauges with changeable colors Custom switch panel Polished Cam Cover Polished Fuel rail Sony XAV-7W media center with 7 TFT screen Sony 10 Disc CD changer (2) Rockford Fosgate HE2 subwoofers Fahrenheit DVD player (Glove Box) Rockford Fosgate 200A4 Amplier on Fiberglass Rack Custom Subwoofer Enclosure Custom Trunk Setup
AUDIO, VISUAL & SECURITY

CONTROL

QUARTER MILE : 14.24@101 MPH
P E R F O R M A N C E #' S

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SRT 4 Me

2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4

ary Melanson bought his car in February of 2005. He is the second owner of this Dodge Neon SRT-4 and loved the car since day one. Back in early 04 when Gary read about the SRT he knew it wasnt your average neon. Seeing videos of these cars in action was cool, but he needed to drive it to believe.

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So in May 2004 he took a ame red model for a ride and was shocked by the instant boost and acceleration. He knew after that test drive he had to get one! Later, at an Eclipse meet there was a former Eclipse owner with a mildly modded SRT. He asked who wanted to take a ride to McDonalds, and Gary immediately said, Yes! After that ride he knew he didnt just want one, he NEEDED one! With the proper funds, he couldnt afford one, but after months of hard searching he found his very own 2004 electric blue SRT with sunroof. Naturally, the modications began. Gary wanted a quick yet reliable daily driver. After initially adding an AGP wastegate and a Mopar stage1 PCM it was off to New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. It was street night and traction was not there that night. The best he could pull with that was a 13.9 @100mph. Later on that month Gary attended the 2nd annual Memoral Day meet in Long Island. With just over 100 SRTs in attendance he knew it was time for some serious mods so this bad boy could put down some impressive numbers. Soon after the transmission failed and that cost him 2 months of aggrevation. Winter was fast approaching so Gary hit the track one more time for the season with new motor mounts and ran a best of a 13.8 @101mph. It was time to dyno the car, so right before winter he attended an SRT dyno-day at Enhanced Street Performance and threw the beast on the Mustang dyno for a horsepower check. He showed 224whp and 233tq. Winter arrived so the SRT went inside. In the meantime lots of mods took place, like a 3-inch turboback exhaust, a bigger front mount, a short throw shifter and a tranny mount making the car feel like a whole new machine. First night he had it on the highway he hit the gas and started shredding the tires in third gear!

media controls of the car. In the trunk are two more LCD monitors mounted on the box of a 12-inch JL Audio 12W6 subwoofer, both hooked up to a retro gaming system, Sega Genesis. When asked why, of all systems to choose Sega Genesis, he replied, Everyone has XBOX or Playstation 2 in their cars. No one has this. I like to be different. The trunk set up also includes a custom built display sign including a Plexiglas cutout of the Excelcier name with each letter uniquely lit and microprocessor controlled on yet another of Rons designed circuits. In the center of the display sits a circularly lit Cougar head logo. Performance upgrades on the car consist of a Custom Cougars cold air extension with a KKM cold air intake, a Monza dual exhaust system, OMP drilled vented brake rotors with KVR pads as well as his Quantum Tek S-13 17-inch rims with Toyo Proxes FZ4 225/45ZR17 tires. Ron anticipates that he will be doing more performance upgrades in the future, but what he would really like to do is a complete engine and transmission swap. In the future Ron plans to put a full Terminator body kit on with fender airs and a custom paint job as well as future performance upgrades when he removes his current engine and transmission and drops in a supercharged 3.0L engine and a manual transmission. Here is a sample of the future Excelcier due to the magic of computers. Excelcier has been in many car shows in the Windsor, Canada, area and as far away as Niagara Falls, Grand Bend, Virginia Beach and Indianapolis for the annual Cougarfest show held each July. Ron has won many awards with Excelcier and not surprisingly, many Glow off and Interior In Car Entertainment awards which were given to the car with the most impressive lighting display and use of multimedia in the show.

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For a nal touch, Ron has gone so far as to build a replica remote control model of his beloved Excelcier, both in body styling, rims and (most importantly), the lighting. Other items that Ron does above and beyond simply modifying his car is to mass-produce some of his own custom circuits for other vehicle enthusiasts. Examples are his pride and joy, the headlight asher module that controls his headlights in a way that wig-wags the headlights back and forth in four unique positions while still allowing normal use of the low and high beams for night driving. For more information on this example, visit the product page here. Why so much time and effort into his pursuit of perfection? I hate driving, says Ron. I hate being in a car, so I have to entertain myself. And though it might seem safe to say that he has accomplished that so far, a perfectionists work is never done, so were sure well be seeing new and exciting things from Ron and Excelcier. We can only wonder what new delights well see in the spring of 2007 when Excelcier re-emerges from winter storage. For a complete list of modications and specications and awards Ron has won with Excelcier, check out his website here.

Left: A matching radio controlled Cougar sits on top of the real thing. Its a 4wd HPI Sprint RTR with a interchangeable 200mm body also from HPI.

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Resurrected
ake Hersheys car started out as a 1997 2.2L automatic Cavalier he bought for $500 just over 4 years ago. It was purchased with a salvage title and didnt run. It had been in an accident and had some bad damage on the front left, but the seller also had another Cavalier sedan that was the same year and color, so Jake bought that one to use the good front end. Once the cars were purchased and delivered, the front ends were swapped, along with some frame pulling, new parts and other basic repairs. Since it was in factory condition, all the necessary paperwork was sent in and a new title was
received. Let the modication process begin! The rst modications were simple. He changed little things like pedals, the shift knob and the audio system. From there started more major mods such as shaved moldings, emblems, antennae and trunk lock, then bolted on a urethane body kit, repaired dents, lowered the stance with Ground Control coilovers and Koni struts, added 18-inch rims and tires and most importantly, he put on a new color. Before the paint was sprayed, basic bodywork and prep work was done. Things like re-
pairing and pulling dents, removing the bumpers, stripping the hood down to bare metal, sanding EVERYTHING and test-tting the new urethane body kit. Then that had to be sanded and prepped as well. First, Jake shot all the jambs and undersides of the hood and trunk, then the four piece body kit, M3 mirrors and door handles were coated. With that done, the entire car was re-sprayed. All the major work happened on the weekends at his fathers body shop while all of the minor work was done at home. The car had gone from a factory GM Red to a custom mixed PPG Red

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Tint Metallic. In the shade, the car appears to be dark maroon in color, but once the sun comes out, it becomes a candy-apple red color that pops with sparkling metallic. It was mixed and sprayed by Jakes father, Scott. Dad did the majority of the body and paint work, but I was right alongside helping and learning for my next project vehicle, says Jake. That next project is far down the road, so lets get back to this build. Everything was done by the father and son team, except the mobile video, which was farmed out to a local expert. Same for the upholstery and berglass work, the latter of which went out to teammate Ryan Nearhood. The car was transformed from a $500 junker to an award-winning show car that turns heads at car shows and on the open road. When the car was in its early stages, it was a daily driver, tempering rain and snow, sun and wind. After the paint was laid down and a show

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schedule was outlined, it was time to buy another vehicle for daily driving. This car is now mainly driven to and from shows then stored away during the winter months. In 2005 Jake put his Cavalier in 13 shows, winning a total of 13 trophies. Some shows gave up nothing while at others produced two trophies, so it all balanced out. In 2006, the car entered 20 shows winning 20 trophies in the same manner; winning two at some and none at others. Some of the awards include 1st Place GM at the Sema International Auto Salon, 1st Place Cavalier at the OC Car and Truck show, 1st Place GM and Best Engine at Tuner Addiction, 1st Place GM and Best Paint at Drastic Visions Street Rave, and 1st Place Sport Compact and Top-100 winner at both the Summer Sport Compact Slam and the Fall Nationals at Englishtown Raceway. One of the most memorable awards was the Zach Smith Award, won at X Fest in Kutztown, Penn., a show sponsored by the Xcessive Habits Car Club. The awards namesake, Zach Smith, was a member who died of cancer. In his memory, his family walked through the 150+ show eld and selected Jakes Cavalier as their choice. Jake also took home 1st place GM at the show too. Some other notable shows attended were the OC Car and Truck Show, Tuner Wars, Sema International Auto Salon, Carlisle Performance & Style, All GM Nationals, NOPI Race Wars, End of Summer Bash, Fall Sport Compact Nationals and the Summer Sport Compact Slam. This car travels to shows all throughout Pennsylvania with additional appearances in New Jersey and Maryland. Next season more out-of-state shows will be on the schedule along with more of the big name shows. Jake mentioned that he would like to thank his 2006 sponsors at A+ Performance, Meguiars

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and Hoodrich Customs. He would also like to give a big thanks to his father for all of his time, hard work and knowledge; his girlfriend Augusta for her support and helping clean at all the shows; his mother and sister for their support; his club Team Peer Pressure and everyone else who appreciates all the work and money that has gone into this car. Keep an eye out for it next year. Itll be around, with a few more changes.
Pacesetter header 2 in. piping 3A Racing mufer ASpec intake Breather lter Ground Control coilovers Koni red shocks/struts ICW racing 18x7.5 rims w/falken ziex 225/40/18 tires Calipers/drums painted silver Baer decela cross drilled/slotted rotors GM strut tower bar (ppg sparkle aluminum)
White face indiglo gauge Magnetic hood & trunk inserts Custom billet engine caps Clear climate control knobs Billet battery cover Chrome wire loom White face hvac panel & dimmer panel Diamond plate door inserts & oor mats Aluminum gauge bezel Tenzo type R seats Aluminum shift knob Momo pedals

- 13 Baer Track Brake Kit (Slotted, Drilled) - Chrome Foose Speedster Rims Front: 18x8.5 & Rear: 18x9.5 - Yokohama AVS Sport Tires Front: 265/35/ZR18 & Rear: 295/35/ZR18 - Bilstein Shocks/Struts - Maximum Motorsports Full-length Subframe Connectors - Maximum Motorsports Caster/Camber Plates - Steeda Sport Springs - Steeda Front Strut Tower Brace
Roush Stage 3 Front Fascia Custom Grille with Offset Tri-bar Pony 2.5 Cowl Hood (with hood struts) Saleen S351 Rear Fascia with Center Exhaust Exit and SALEEN lled in Saleen S281 3-piece Rear Wing Bullitt Side Scoops Smoke/Clear Head Lights with Xenon Bulbs Custom Tail Lights UPR Billet Antenna Delete Danni Hand Painted on Rear Quarter Panels Corbeau VX2000 Racing Seats in Black Leather Corbeau 5-point Racing Harnesses in LILAC Autopower 4-point Roll Cage Autometer Lunar Series Gauge Cluster Autometer Lunar Boost & Fuel Pressure Gauges on A-Pillar Autometer Lunar 5 Tachometer DynoJet Wideband Commander Gauge (by Autometer) Custom Leather BMC Rear Seat Delete Kit Custom Danni Floor Mats Custom BMC Mirrored Trunk Lid Mat BMC Performance Battery Relocation Box UPR Billet Aluminum Interior & GT Pedals 15% Tint

AUDIO & VISUAL

- Sony CDX-MP70 (XM Radio with CD)

DYNO : 650.93

* WITHOUT NITROUS

& 539.79

FT/LB TORQUE

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IMAGE MANIPULATION

BEFORE: AFTER:

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WRECKAGE

Before:
fender frame rails were bent in. The water-pump, harmonic balancer, windshield, hood, bumper cover, radiator, fan, sway bar, oil pan, radiator supports and chassis support pieces were also damaged. The Good news: This car was given to me, so it holds some sentimental value. Lucky for me the frame was not bent and my father and I have the know-how and capabilties, so my car will be restored. But it will never look the same. Future visual mods are ABC exclusive Cobra front bumper cover, Cobra R hood (3.5 rise) and 17x10.5 rear + 17x9 front black bullitt rims. Stay tuned because the car will be xed and will be better then ever.

Submission thanks to: Greg Mannikus 1994 Mustang GT Convertible

After:

Unfortunately, I was not able to avoid a crash and hit the pole. The pole was broken into three pieces leaving a smaller piece still in the ground sticking up 6 inches. The remnants of the pole caught my car and sent me and my car airborne for a few breath-stopping moments. The extent of the damage was horrendous. The yolk was jammed into the tranny, motor mounts were broken, the engine pushed up to the rewall and the front
Submit your Wreckage to appear here in our next issue. If your domestic car was involved in a major accident, please snap a few pictures with your digital camera and show us the aftermath. Explain in 1-4 paragraphs what happened and what you plan to do next. Send all submissions to contact@domesticdriver.com. Remember this is the worse way to get into Domestic Driver, so drive safely and pay attention.
y pops bought me a Mustang for my high school graduation. After a year of college I was home for the summer doing construction. On my way to work early one morning I was run off the road by an on coming SUV. I left the road (no shoulder) and was unable to get off the grass and back onto the road. In my path was 2.5 ft in diameter tree, a 12 thick telephone pole and a small space between the two.

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