Ill Photography

How To Right a Wrong

2011-11-29T23:47:00.000-08:00

When it comes to modifying a car, there is a set way that people seem to think cars should and should not be built. As fads come and go, this mentality of right and wrong within the masses shifts from one presently hip thing to do and on to the next.

Because of this conformist nature that exists within the car scene, most gatherings and events are filled with a sea of cars done up the same way... There may be different sects or brand owners that will feel differently than others, but for the most part this uniformity exists across the board. I personally try my hardest to break free of this, and build cars that stir the pot, or incorporate things from several facets of car culture worldwide. And I love to see others push the limits on what is right or wrong, and do outlandish things with their cars. Anything to stir the pot, and create a sense of individualism.

It is because of this that I have come to love this car... It isn't sitting on the most expensive wheels, it isn't the craziest car, the fastest, or the most hellahyphyflush. It is simple, but at the same time over the top. Refined to the casual observer, but to anyone who knows the car or sees it in action, it is a menace of the streets.

It's basic upgrades consist of Bilstein coilovers, a rollbar, Buddy club buckets, a Supersprint exhaust, Some VMR wheels, and a few simple cosmetic touches. That coupled with the fact that the car is completely gutted out from the front seats back, and the Supersprint exhaust was hacked up and turned into a straightpipe completely changes the dynamic of the car.

This is in essence, everything that you shouldn't do to an M3. It's loud, void of the majority of the luxury it once had, and just about everything done to it would be more at home on a 240 or a honda. But perhaps everything that's "wrong" with this car is exactly what makes it so right.

The Junky Lexus Featured on Stance Nation

2011-07-09T02:46:00.000-07:00

Not sure why it is that people like this car. It's beat up, used, abused, and driven into the ground... Come to think of it, that's probably why people like this car. Check out my pictures and car in the feature on Stance Nation:

http://www.stancenation.com/2011/04/14/risky-lexy/

Stuntin' is a habit

2011-07-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

Another IND project car I had the pleasure of shooting... All that can really be said is, it must be nice.

The Funky Calamari

2011-05-18T00:50:00.000-07:00

Phil's E36 project sittin' pretty on Leon Hardiritt Ritter's... Can't wait to see more of this thing.

The Champ is Here

2011-05-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Being an automotive photographer is always a mix of business and pleasure, but every now and then you get to shoot something so amazing that it reminds you of how much you love your job.

When IND put this car together for a Customer it was love at first sight for me, so getting to show it to the rest of the world that didn't get to see it in person was something that I was glad to be on board for.

This car will be seeing a print feature in the near future, but for the time being, have a look at the Speedhunters feature:

SPEEDHUNTERS CAR SPOLIGHTS >> JDM INSPIRED M3

Chicago Style

2011-05-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

Street cars, track cars, daily drivers... Whatever you want to call them, we've got plenty of them.

Stay Classy.

Raising Arizona

2011-05-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

No matter how many times I visit, and no matter how much I love Chicago, thoughts of the wonderful sights and sounds of my previous home of Tucson never subside... Here's a little random selection of images from previous trips to Arizona so you can get a taste.

Another IND Customer Hits the Track

2011-04-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

Made another trip out to Autobahn to snap some shots of one of IND's customer's cars along with the other sights of the day... Keith, the owner of this E90 M3 clearly went for a clean and understated look aesthetically, but the Alcon brakes lead you to believe that he doesn't drive it in an understated manner.

For more pictures you can check out the feature on IND Style.

BSG Customs Shop Specials

2011-04-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

If you follow the blog at all you may remember Mike Wade of Wade Customs for a while back... I took a little tour around his shop and looked at some of his projects, as seen here:

Wade Customs Shop Tour

I took another trip back to Arizona recently, and Mike has teamed up with some of his buddies to form BSG Customs. I got a chance to see the progress of the shop cars he had on hand last time I checked out the shop, and they are stunning.

When I showed up at the shop they decided to spend some time terrorizing the neighborhood, scraping up and down the road...

After that we got down to business and hit up our shoot location... This Taco was built completely in house by the guys at BSG, and features a custom rear-half frame, with a three link setup and bags. Virtually everything on the body was shaved, and the car was body dropped 3.5 inches. The custom sheet metal bed and rear frame hiding under it are nothing short of a work of art.

Mike's 50's Pontiac Chieftain is truly a menacing ride to see on the street. A chopped top, frenched tail lights, shaved door handles, rear air ride, and that lovely paint combo make the car unmistakeable... Gangster is really the only word that can describe this thing.

And how can we forget about this '03 Harley? Perfection.

If you're in the Tucson, AZ area, or just want to know some more about BSG, check them out at:

BSG Customs

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

2010-12-26T17:29:00.000-08:00

But the car is so delightful... Had IND's original Atlantis project back at the shop for some work, so the guys wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and get a little update photoshoot. With cold weather, wet roads, and snow flurries we figured conditions were perfect to do so. The car hasn't changed much since its last time in the spotlight, but with timeless beauty like this, who cares.

Today The Streets Run Red

2010-11-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

After what felt like years, the infamous Revgasm 180sx is back on the road sporting its new look and instilling fear into the hearts of many... Just in time for winter.

StanceWorks Feature: Between Gods and Superheroes

2010-10-29T02:02:00.000-07:00

From time to time when photographing cars you get to see things that you just can't help but take time aside from the camera to stare at... This car was one of those things.

It's rare to see a well done mercedes in this area, let alone one with this much presence to it. Thanks to Kamil for letting me shoot the car, and to StanceWorks for featuring the shots. Check out the full feature here:

http://www.stanceworks.com/2010/09/gods-superheroes/

Midwest Treffen 2010

2010-10-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I love more than going to meets and track events with the usual suspects, it's exploring other aspects of car culture that I don't normally get to see or even know about for that matter... I've never been big on VWs, but I've always admired the style. Here are a few things that grabbed my attention at this year's Midwest Treffen.

IND Mashup

2010-10-29T00:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing too good of a job of keeping up to date on some of the work I've done for IND as of late. The flow of E9x's getting pumped out of there seems to be never-ending, and that means lots of photos. All three of these projects were completed within a hectic two weeks at the shop.

The Silver E90 seen here came all the way from Ontario, Canada for the IND exterior touch. The Black widebody 1 series, which belongs to his brother, was driven down to Chicago to pick up the E90 and to get some tweaks of its own... Keeping it in the family has never looked so good.

This little trio of cars was brought together by the rare opportunity of having two space gray E9x's in the shop at the same time. A customer's classy E90 had just been completed, and the arrival of the Challenge E92 could only mean that a shoot had to go down... And what would make a better camera car than the IND E60 M5.

Another customer from Canada brought this individual Moonstone E90 in to get a refreshed look while retaining a simple and stock look. The fact that he came all the way from Canada's north speaks volumes about IND's work, widespread appeal, and customer satisfaction. It is seldom that an automotive business will get any business from so far away, let alone three cars from out of the country within two weeks. IND is constantly stepping up their game and proving that they are second to none.

I Wonder Where That Fish Did Go... A Fish, A Fish, A Fishy OOHHHHHHH.

2010-10-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

A few months back I featured Fisher's Bagged MKV GTI, and while no one would argue it isn't a cool car, I didn't tell the full story. It just so happens that in addition to that car he has a plethora of other choice rides at his disposal... From a GRB STI to a S14 even a badass ruckus, if he has it, you probably want to drive it.

If you thought the exterior of this MKV was clean, see what's hiding under all that tint... A removable in-dash iPad, classy trunk setup, and more suede than you can shake a stick at (who says that anymore?).

And the mother of all Ruckus builds... Opting to steer clear of the norm, a 180cc Yamaha engine was swapped in here, and the frame extended to house it. It's frightening to think that this thing goes well over 70mph. Stay tuned for more on this build and some of his other creations.

OH My God! It's Jackie Chan!

2010-10-28T03:22:00.000-07:00

Clean and simple always goes a long way for me, and this car is no exception... I've seen plenty of E9x's resting on 20 inch wheels, but until I saw this setup I don't think I had seen it executed properly. The body still has some room to go down, but with the wheels nearly tucking at static height, what's the point in going beyond functionally low?

Top down livin makes this car even more appealing in terms of fun factor. Looking and sounding the part also couldn't hurt the allure of this thing.

Hanging out with the shitbox:

A little after shooting the car we headed out to Chicago Performance Tuning to dyno test the gains on his new Macht Schnell intake... Being one of the first cars to be outfitted with this intake, we were surprised to see it make nearly 10whp. Not bad for a cheap intake on an M car.

It Ain't a Tight Car if it Ain't a Type R

2010-10-28T02:58:00.000-07:00

Anytime Scott is in town a good time is a sure thing. On 4th of July weekend he came back from Cali, and dusted off his R for ITR Expo. Even though I showed up late on the last day and Scott had already called it quits, my plans to come out shoot the shit, and bother people while they attempted to work on their cars was a sucess... As usual the camera made a brief appearance to capture the man:

The myth:

And some other random crap that caught my eye:

I took more, but being backed up as usual means the rest have taken a backseat to more pertinent work... Of course, if anyone wants more shots from this outdated event I'll be happy to ablige.

Another Day in the Life

2010-10-22T01:39:00.000-07:00

It has occurred to me recently that this car spends more time in front of the camera than many well paid actors, but rightfully so. Sure this car is no mythical creation of a showcar that has things done to it that no one would ever need in an attempt to win awards. Rather it is purpose built to be fun at the track, and civil on the street. However a few new touches from Challenge ensure that this car looks anything but civil rolling down your local street or parked in front of the neighborhood bar.

503 at the wheels on a mustang dyno isn't too bad by any means, but more important are the screams coming from the exhaust and ESS blower. Not only is the note like a gift from god, but the sheer volume was enough to destroy my ears for hours after.

White on White That's Fucking Ross

2010-10-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Even though this car has already seen the light of day here, I can't resist the opportunity for more pictures of it... Who could ask for more than taking a mildly track-prepped car out to hit some twisties on the street.

The Chob, Back in Black

2010-10-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

While no one can argue that candy red paint is great on the eyes, owning a drift car that's clad in it can get expensive. When Chob told me that he was repainting his car (himself) this year I was a bit skeptical, especially since I loved his old look, but he put my doubts to rest. Is it better? I don't know, but it's a whole new car and still one of the baddest 14's around.

2010 Redline Time Attack at Autobahn

2010-10-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

The day after shooting the Green Hell E92 at Autobahn was the 2010 Redline Time Attack. I didn't really show up with any agenda of shooting, or a lens long enough for decent panning shots of the track, but no sense in going to an event like this with a camera and not snapping off a few pictures.

Ryan Gates' Evo X is always sitting proper, and being driven just as well, definitely one of my favorite time attack cars.

Is it a rule that photographers have to have cool cars? Here's Chris Sullivan from CRS Photo's Daily E36.

Nick Weir's Seen It! S2000 looking good in the pits... It's still show stoppin even after being driven to cali and back.

The Green Hell E92 in full battle mode after the decision was made the day before to come back and compete... After the event this car went straight back to daily driving duties.

Yes that is a car stuck on a guardrail. Yes it is a minivan. And yes, it does have a full cage and Mazdaspeed3 power plant.

IND's Green Hell Hits the Track

2010-10-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

IND's Green Hell M3 has seen more coverage than any E92 I can think of over the past few years. It is however for good reason, not only is this car well put together, fast, and good looking, but the owner daily drives it and brings it out to the track... If only more car owners had the same resolve that Sam does.

Know Your Roots

2010-10-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

From the very beginning of my interest in cars started with hondas... Everything from Wagovans to EKs to DB8s even Odysseys, I love them all. While things like RWD and Honda theft have detered me from owning any more of them, it always makes me happy when I get to shoot a well put together honda, or two for that matter.

Take for example Mike's TSX and Clive's EP3 Civic. Mike's TSX had been catching my eye more and more with it's clean and subtle lines combined with some unique touches.

The colgate green combined with very well done graf work really makes the bay pop.

In contrast to the sleek TSX, Clive has a nice and simple civic that gets down when he plants the gas. I've known Clive since years back when I lived in Arizona, and it's nice to see this car still going strong and now cruising the streets of Chicago.

IND Builds a Masterpiece

2010-10-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Constantly working with IND has allowed me the opportunity to see lots of things outside of my usual realm of the automotive world. So naturally when they asked me to be on hand to document the teardown and build of one of their most in depth portfolio projects from start to finish, I had to be a part of it. No expense was spared on this car, and it shows in every top of the line part on it.

For details on what went into this masterpiece take a look at the writeup and my photos in our BMW Blog feature:

Burn the Clock by IND

And I leave you with the finished product in all of its glory.

Risky Devil Lost Photos '09 -- Honda Civic with a Body Kit

2010-10-01T02:23:00.001-07:00

Trying to keep a car clean and going to trackdays becomes a constant battle for most. You buy a bumper and get the car looking good, but the first event out you clip the rear on a haybail or drag the front bumper off on a rumble strip. This never ending cycle often leaves people with a haggard or beaten looking car mere days after getting it out of the paint booth, but looking back on pictures from before the car became damaged goods is enough to remind you that it was all worth it.

Risky Devil Lost Photos '09 -- REVGASM

2010-10-01T02:09:00.000-07:00

Josh, the owner of this 180 is always talking about the aura of cars, which is fitting because his car has an aura unlike any other. No pictures can capture the presence of this thing in any of its many stages, and no words are worth describing it. Seeing a car like this on the street hovering millimeters above the ground with the engine sparking from the hoodless bay is enough to put a smile on anyone's face.

After a long hiatus big things are in store for this car in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out.

Risky Devil Lost Photos '09 -- Chob Chobster

2010-10-01T01:52:00.000-07:00

Part two of these lost chronicles centers around a car that has become well known to everyone. Candy red paint gleamin', stuntin on MAEs, this car sets the standard for classy s14s... Since these photos were shot the car has gone through a complete refresh, but showcasing this car in this state will never get old.

Risky Devil Lost Photos '09 -- Blood Brothers

2010-04-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

As the '09 season came to a close, we attempted to get all of the Risky Devil cars together and photographed for a group feature. However, as things started coming together we realized that there was no way we would be able to get all of the cars together in a few group shots with scheduling conflicts and cars not running. We had hoped to finish the set off in spring, but with all the changes being made to the cars we decided to scrap the project and start all over.

So here is the first of several sets featuring Dave and Ilia's FC's.

I Get Toed Up Under City Lights

2010-03-29T01:55:00.000-07:00

After a low key meet and some grubbing with some of the guys from D*Squad we decided to snap a few decent progress shots of their cars as they got closer to being ready for paint... Instead of just walking outside and taking a few shots on the street, why not drive a block over and take in advantage of one of the best views in the city?

Stay tuned for updates on these cars post-paint, dressed to impress.

IND Silver Standard Pt. 2

2010-03-28T02:49:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I got the opportunity to photograph and IND project E93 that redefined clean. Last week I got called back out to reshoot it after getting a little boost under the hood. ESS superchargers seem to be becoming the norm, and whether you want a clean and simple setup, or something overtop and outrageous, IND has you covered.

Tuck Hard

2010-03-28T02:26:00.000-07:00

Meeting up late at night for a small photoshoot in the north suburbs of Chicago is a much more difficult task than one would think... On the way to meet Fisher and his pristine GTI I was pulled over for touching a yellow line, and 2 more cops came as backup before I was let go. While we were taking picture in this small town, a cop rolled through and asked us what we were doing, gave us a little bit of a hard time, and went on his way. Next, another cop rolled in and told us we had to leave immediately or we'd be towed for being parked on city streets after 2am. Finally when we made it to the gas station to finish off the set, it started pouring rain.

And while none of that really has anything to do with this car, the car itself, and the shots the came out of all of this nonsense were well worth the trouble.

Roll That Coke White Carpet to the Hood

2010-03-18T01:46:00.000-07:00

IND gets a lot of nicely modded new BMW's coming through the shop, but rarely do I get to see a track-prepped e46 and super clean e30 m3 come by. To top it all off, both of these cars are owned by the same guy.

It definitely wasn't great conditions for a photoshoot with the little bit of sunlight there was glaring off the snow, but the blinding white-out of awesome bmw and snow is sure to impress?

Backyard Throwdown

2010-03-17T01:50:00.000-07:00

I remember back in the days when I skated, no matter how much fun I had at a skatepark, it was never the same as skating spots on the street... Naturally when T2 told me to come out and snap some pictures of him and his buddies snowboarding at a 1/4 they made, I had to come check it out... If not to see some crazy tricks, then to see someone eat it on a janky jump.

Just as I suspected, the build of the 1/4 pipe was questionable at best, but these guys were throwing down like it was nothing.

Seek Shelter

2010-03-17T01:41:00.000-07:00

Clean cars, dirty cars, builds in progress, daily drivers. Doesn't matter what you're driving, just come out and chill... 30 degree weather was just enough to get people to bring their cars out, but the wind kept us all underground.

IND Goes Green Part II: Green Hell

2010-03-11T03:04:00.001-08:00

Club FR Private Day

2010-03-11T02:53:00.000-08:00

After a long day at the track, with both my self and my car beaten into exhaustion, I decided to take a few quick snaps of the remaining drivers still on the track... Be on the lookout for the T2 Films video from this day coming soon.

AZR Trackday: Arroyo Seco Raceway

2010-03-11T02:23:00.000-08:00

I got the opportunity to tag along to a track event thrown by a few friends of mine in New Mexico. Not only were there nice cars all over to eyeball, but I got the opportunity to drive a really well put together Evo 9 for a few laps (thanks Rick). I always love being in the middle of nowhere in a place like Demming, New Mexico, and seeing the caliber of cars that make their way out there. Seeing such unique and well-built cars getting beaten around the track was a treat.

IND Goes Green

2010-02-08T18:24:00.000-08:00

The guys over at IND Distribution have become known for their clean and simple builds on new model BMW's, using nothing but top of the line parts. While this new project is no different in those respects, it is definitely different. Most noticeably, aside from the bright green accents, are the ESS plenum and supercharger giving the car a complete lack of traction at about 600whp. The car has also been given the usual IND touches with a Brembo big brake kit, HRE's with big rubber, and a prototype inconnel exhaust system from Eisenmann... Clean and simple is overrated.

Wade Customs Shop Tour

2010-02-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

Photoset #2 from my trip to Arizona brings you something a little different than I usually post... A friend of mine who was well aware of my love for old school cars, custom fab work, and anything slammed to the ground, insisted that I come check out his friend Mike's shop. All of the mechanical work, body work, and fabrication work are done in house, and as you can see not only do they do great work, but there is also no shortage of creativity here.

The first thing I saw when I walked in the shop was this 1940 Ford farmtruck that was just starting to come together. They started with just the cab of the truck, amd everything else was built around it or sourced from another car. Even the frame itself was built from scratch

The seats for this car are courtesy of a WWII bomber... They fit a theme that Mike intends to carry out with this car, and they're surprisingly comfy.

A bagged and body dropped Taco sat on the other end of the shop. At a shop like this it's always the little details that make the cars stand out, and this thing was no different. A front emblem off of a cressida, complete custom rear end, a gold pearl dash and black woodgrain inside, and shaved and molded bed/cover exposing all the metal work beneath all give this thing a unique touch.

Mike's personal build is a 51 Pontiac. In addition to the usual crazy paint and body work that this thing will one day see, the rear of the car is bagged, and the rear of the roof is chopped in from another car to provide the right rake.

The Ford got rolled outside for a better look, and to make room to get Mike's Harley out of the shop. I'm not really much of a harley fan, but I have to hand it to the guy, this thing was all kinds of cool.

In the back corner of the shop was some parts and projects waiting to come together.

A little bit of Mike's personality graced the walls of the shop as well.

In general, personality was one thing that this shop was not lacking... I'm glad I got a chance to check this place out, and I look forward to going back one day and seeing not only the progress on these projects, but also what he'll do next.

Densetsu Motorsports Genesis

2010-01-18T02:05:00.000-08:00

A clean Genesis, a sunset, and the New Mexican landscape... Does it get any better?

DGAF G35

2010-01-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

Every now and then you see a car at a glance or in a picture, and you're drawn to it, this car was no different. Prior to my trip Arizona this month I went cruising through local Arizona forums looking for cars to set up photoshoots with. I came across one small picture of this car and I knew I had to see it in person. So I made a call to a friend and it turned out he knew the owner.

The second this thing pulled up I was just in awe of it. It's not the craziest car, and it's not the cleanest, but it has an amazing aura... The stance, the wheel color, the hood, and the used and abused look of the car command attention. Whether or not you can appreciate the style of this car, it's impossible to deny how mean the car looks from behind with the 295s stretched on 18x12 JLines.

Fluid Motor Union Shop Tour

2009-12-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

I've been admiring the work that Fluid Motor Union has been doing for a while now, and earlier this week I finally got a chance to make it out to their shop with a buddy who was dropping his car off... I didn't really plan on taking a ton of pictures, as is evident by my lack of equipment, poor lighting conditions, and dirty cars. However, the guys at the shop seemed just as excited that I was taking pictures of the cars as I was to be taking them.

When I rolled up I saw a clusterfuck of cool cars, here's a few at a quick glance.

I'm sure everyone has either seen this 7 series around at meets, shows, or in magazines, this thing has been getting well deserved coverage all over the place.

Bagged M35 on what looked like lock smices... The car is owned by someone that works at the shop, and was not really in order for pictures with the front bumper being off and the lines for the suspension frozen with the car up in the air, but it's still stylish.

Around the shop were a few things you don't see everyday... A 190E getting a crazy motor build.

Custom CNC'd adapters to fit ITB's and stacks on cars that didn't come with them.

Bike work, the far one is getting a custom exhaust, while the one in front is seeing a full race build.

The standard viper powered Ram wasn't enough for you? This GT42r powered one is being built and sent out to its owner in I believe Qatar... Dyno video coming soon.

This Genesis rolling into the dyno room is the nicest one I've seen in person to date. Matte white paint, properly stanced on some all black eurolines, and I'm told its got a little power to go along with it (no surprise with these guys).

Outside, this M3 was on point in every way. Air suspension, Rays wheels, molded Vorsteiner lip, and the usual FMU ITB velocity stack setup... The black and silver theme on this car was definitely doing it for me.

Open up the door to another one of their work bays and find this... This M coupe has had me drooling since I first saw it at HIN a couple years back. I don't even think anything needs to be said about this thing.

Those of you who went to D1 Chicago probably got to see this thing hanging out with the 7 series. As with most of these cars, stance is everything. This car proves that with the only exterior touches being a big drop and widened stock wheels.

Cold weather and antsy friends cut this short, but I'm definitely hoping to shoot some more of these guy's work in the future... And be sure to check out them and their shop.

Fluid Motor Union

10131 Clow Creek Dr.
Plainfield, IL 60585
Phone: (630) 946-0166
Fax: (630) 946-0170
http://www.fluidmotorunion.com

Snow, Night, and a Freshly Swapped E30

2009-12-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

Omar has been hard at work swapping an S52 into his E30 BMW... He's been bugging me for pictures since he got it up and running, but by the time we met up for pictures snow had fallen, and the car was parked for some more work. We took it and rolled with it; we wiped the snow off, busted out the space heater, and snapped a few shots.

24/7... 365... This car stays looking proper.

2009-12-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

Whether there's rain, sleet, snow, salt, or sub-zero temperatures, this car is driven just as you see here... Jordan is a dying breed of people that will not only build a legit car and use it, but daily drive it too.

Making Up For Lost Time Pt. 2

2009-12-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

Another photo update of my personal cars... The IS was looking all clean and pretty since it got a new version select front bumper and the front dropped a bit.

A few weeks later winter weather started coming, and the car started going into winter mode... First with a change in bumper.

Then into full winter battle mode.

A shot from the last of my days hanging out in the garage before winter... Progress on the SC is steady, should be looking proper and tandem ready for next season.

A couple shots from a meet back in September. This was the first time the SC really started looking proper. On to bigger and better things for next year.

Rockford Thunderdome Drift

2009-12-08T01:46:00.000-08:00

My first track time with the SC after swapping motors was at a small Rockford event... The track may be shitty and the walls may eat cars, but to me this was one of the most fun events I've been to. Really laid back atmosphere, no real rules or course layout on the track, and free food all day made for an awesome time.

In mid afternoon I did a run and came off the track spewing coolant everywhere... One of the end tanks on the stock radiator decided it was a good idea to crack, forcing us to do this to try and get me home.

A few miles down the road I was stuck in the same position I was at the track, so we gave AAA a call, and had about an hour to kill before a truck could make it out.

Hungry? Why wait?

As we made our way back to Chicago, we passed our buddy Kris on the side of the road and stopped to "lend a hand". After a few minutes the problem was diagnosed, and another tow truck was called for his car.

It's strange how a day when so much goes wrong can be so fun.

IND Distribution's Silver Standard

2009-12-08T01:09:00.000-08:00

This car is brought to you by a local shop and parts distributor be the name of IND Distribution. I've been doing a lot of work with these guys, and every car and part I see go through their shop is always the best of the best. This car was built for a customer from stock to the clean and pristine example you see here.

A Study of Line With Camera and Rubber

2009-12-08T00:21:00.000-08:00

Came up with the idea of experimenting with line using the tire marks at a local drift spot... I wasn't sure that idea would translate well into the photographs, but I like some of the results, and I think the pictures speak for themselves.

The Scene.

Contributing factors:

Making Up For Lost Time

2009-12-07T23:55:00.001-08:00

As usual, the hectic schedule of life has kept me from doing any updates on here, and as usual I plan on fixing that, haha.

So here are a few automotive randoms shot over the last couple months.

A few quick snaps of Nackers' Z... Random streetside spot and availible light.

Yuta's highway terror at a very fitting photo op spot, a tollway oasis.

Stay tuned for updates of some of the larger photo projects I've been working on.

Soviet Missle

2009-07-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know Ilia... He was the man behind this automotive masterpiece:

However, upon totaling that car, it seemed something changed within our good friend Ilia. We found him buying a new shell with all sorts of fancy race-ready upgrades. He was ordering proper wheels in large sizing. He even went so far as to not only buy aero, but paint it too! Some might wonder why someone would put so much work into an NA rotary, but do not try to understand. The only explanation is that it's Ilia, and Russia doesn't care.

LS13 Silvia... Hot Sex

2009-07-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

Matt was hard at work all winter turning an already outrageous car into something just that much better... Starting with a car that was already sporting an LS1/LS2 (can't remember), Silvia front, ZG flares with XD-9's and 295's underneath them, he set out to get a few steps closer to his view of perfection. The car recieved sideskirts cut for the side exit exhaust, a rear diffuser, a fresh two-tone paint job, and the entire front end was reinforced and tube-framed... The sticker on the rear window says it all:

UPDATE! My SC300

2009-07-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Been forever since I updated... I picked up an SC300 a while back. Turbo'd, slammed, threw on my AME's, then the motor started giving me trouble, which I should have seen coming with 160k miles on it, haha. I spent the last month swapping in a newer 2JZ-GE, and finally got it running last week:

Then immediately did a little bit of this:

AMS Shop Tour

2009-03-15T22:59:00.000-07:00

I had been in talks with Frank over at AMS about taking shots of a certain very sick porsche for a while, but knowing how AMS does things I figured I might as well shoot some other cars while I was out there... When I finally arrived at the shop I figured I might as well just shoot around to give you the whole story on a shop that's at the top of its game.

The second you walk in the front door here, you realize that these guys are on their own level. Instead of being greeted by the walls of air fresheners and light bulbs that are so common in other shops, AMS has a showroom that is classy and straight to business. High dollar parts and a fully built engine sitting in the showroom are only the beginning for this shop.

As you walk through the employees only door into the back, you expect what you see at every other shop. Instead of a small and dark room with one lift, or an endless warehouse, AMS has quite literally, everything...

A few spare engines sitting around getting wrenched in the giant workspace:

The packing area, and the only time I saw it empty and motionless while I was there:

Need some fluids? They might have enough to take care of you. haha:

The back room is home to the less mechanical, and more technical work, it also houses the AMS shop Evo X time attack car which we'll take a look at a bit later.

AMS helps you stay cool... And it starts right here:

Sign directly above this chart should read "Get to work!" A long list of things to do awaits the guys working at AMS:

Being that I know nothing about the technical aspect of building cars, I felt implied to just walk around going "What does this one do? What does this one do? What does this one do?" Instead of annoying them to the point that they kicked me out of the shop, I just bit my tongue.

The shop dog must have walked into half of my shots, but who could get mad at this face:

AMS built, Canadian piloted rally car was chilling around the shop waiting to get some work done:

A shot of it with a customer drag car... Shooting for 1100whp:

AMS works on skylines now?

AMS is in the process of developing a new exhaust for the GTR. Nice piping, clean welds, very typical of their crafstmanship:

This particular exhaust was going to be made to work with the oem exhaust tips, but AMS says that the production model will have a unique quad outlet setup:

AMS drag evo... Need I say more?

Apparently it gets tucked away at night with a very sexy bunkmate, a mild setup time attack Evo X:

As the shop closes up, all the cars move inside... It's not often you see this many hot cars sitting in one place:

In proper AMS fashion, they have taken a brand new car and stripped it down to a bare shell to be built for time attack duties. This car will undoubtedly be a monster, and it's safe to say you'll be seeing more of it:

In-house craftsmanship down to the minute details:

Most importantly, here is the whole reason behind my trip out... Got to catch this porsche doing some dyno pulls, and I can assure you it sounds as mean as it looks.

This '84 911 Carrera started off like any other naturally aspirated carrera, and has recently been transformed into the beast you see here. The motor build consists of a fully built 3.3L with twin plug race heads, T4 turbo kit that was custom fabricated in-house by AMS, powered by a DTAfast EMS, and a 917 - 4 speed transmission with a Haggart precision race shifter.

Buddy Club bucket seats, Suede 350mm Sparco Monza steering wheel, and 4 Pt. Roll bar cover the interior mods... It's clean simple and to the point:

The car is sitting proper on RSR- 935 Rebel Racing x Bilstein coilover conversion. Most importantly are the 3 piece ZE Forged wheels, sized in 17x11 and 17x14, and I believe Frank said these were fitted to 315's or 335's out back due to the massive RSR flares

454whp and 417 wtrq... Not bad for a 2300 streetcar, but Frank has his sights set on 500whp once he tends to a few issues:

Frank has assured me that once the porsche is finished I'll be able to re-shoot it, so look forward to that and maybe more from AMS in the future.

And be sure to visit www.amsperformance.com for more info.

Rain or Shine

2009-03-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

Chicago is finally getting some solid warm weather (40's-60's), but with the warmth snow is replaced with rain. Lots of rain. Weather on thursday peaked in the 60's, so a meeting was definitely in order... Here's a few quick snaps from some late night chilling in a parking garage.

D Squad keepin it gangsta... D*'s battle damaged, work in progress hatch, and Trucky's coupe gone street style:

Garage queens? Yeah, we don't do that in Chicago:

Touchmyhonda kanjo monster:

Henry's new sti project:

ManuFresh EvoX:

More love from Speedhunters

2009-03-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

It's been awesome seeing my pictures get coverage, but this feature means so much more... Not only did speedhunters do a feature using my pictures again, but this time the feature was of my car. The pictures may be old, but who cares, coverage is coverage.

Speedhunters :: ILL IS300

Hanging around the shop

2009-03-01T23:41:00.000-08:00

I went over to a friend's shop the other day to do some work on my recently aquired shitbox of a beater... The shop was closed, and it was almost eerie how dead the place was with no one in it and the lights off, so I thought I'd snap a few shots...

Mmmm... Herpes fender

A taste of the big time

2009-02-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

After years of working towards it, I'm finally getting my shots featured in the mags that I've been reading since I was in high school... While getting a foot in the door is always great, now I've got my sights set on a full feature.

Super Street - March 09 (what's hot with drift cars)

Import Tuner - May 09 (shot of the month)

And this shit is disgusting... I love it:

A tease of spring weather brings out the ricers

2009-02-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

Every year in Chicago we get a little mid-winter taste of spring, right before it goes back to being cold as hell again... Weather yesterday went up to the 60's, so we decided a spur of the moment meet was in order... I snapped a few shots before my battery died, but they were just jpegs, so color correction under the mixed tungsten and white lighting was a pain in the ass. Anyways, enjoy the shots, they'll probably be the last meet coverage to come before March. haha.

Getting Away From The Cold Part 6... Shaggin' Wagon

2009-01-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

In a land full of bland Subarus, very few step outside the box and build something great... The quest for high horsepower and 1/4 mile times often overshadows the fact that you can build a perfect street car with nothing more than the right set of wheels and proper ride height. This wagon was set up flush, low, and loud... And it is daily driven in true gangster fashion: