I’m in Japan with my brother, Nick from Crap/N.Potash Jewelry, exploring our roots and getting inspired. Today we checked out the 20th anniversary Mooneyes Carshow in Yokohama. This is a little preview of the most glorious collection of gasoline fueled speed machines ever assembled under one roof.

Stay tuned, lots more to come…

Big ups to Matt Powers for taking 2nd in Formula D in Long Beach on saturday.

Matt rocked a pretty DIY set up for the last few years, yet made it to Formula D, the highest level of professional drifting. This season he finally has the backing to take it to the next level, and they slammed a 500+ hp v8 in his trademark 240sx. Keep in mind this is against guys like Tanner Foust and Rhys Millen in fully factory backed 6 figure set ups.

Matt’s pretty rock n roll – if you couldn’t tell from his paint job. He didn’t spend his youth mastering Gran Tourismo, he grew up surfing with us in La Jolla. He was one of the best groms and could have pursued a surfing career, however at 16 he got behind the wheel and discovered how fun it was to go fast. Matt asked us to make him a sponsor hat. Take a look at the pic above, and check out how lame most of them are. In pole position we have a standard lo-pro flexfit that looks like it came free with a tire rotation at Jiffy Lube. Peeping up in the lower right is a white visor that is perfect for showing off your faux hawk and matching white oakleys. Matt does not belong in either.

We ended up customizing one of our Wild n the Streets black washed denim snapbacks, the perfect hat for him. This was a last minute request and we didn’t have time to digitize his NITTO and Need 4 Speed logos, so we just had to use the pattern from his race suit. We threw on a few studs to rock it out and this is the result. Matt really wanted everyone to see it, so he tore shit up to a second place finish. We’re gonna do a proper one for later in the season, but its a start. Congrats again to Matt and his Crue. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

2000 hours, over 2 years, of work highlighted in 95 seconds.

And another epic one showing it ripping through some familiar territory…

I’ve always been a fan of the utilitarian design of the Defender and FJ40 Landcruiser’s. This is the “X-Tech Limited Edition” available only in Europe.

but it feels like flying in an airplane using a reciprocating engine

I can’t tell you how peaceful it is.”
Shinya Kimura

EPIC video via one of my favorite site TSY

At first glance this Rolls Royce might look like any other Concours car. Then you see the 6 pipes peeping out the side of the hood.

That would be the 27 liter Rolls Royce V-12 Merlin Mk 1 airplane engine.

“The Merlin didn’t just power Spitfires, Hurricanes, and Lancaster bombers, it saw service in MTBs (motor torpedo boats) and tanks. So successful was the Merlin that 149,659 units were built, some 37,000 under license by Packard in the U.S. Lord Tedder, Marshal of the RAF and the man charged with development of aircraft during the Battle of Britain, attributed victory to “three predominant factors: the skill and bravery of the pilots, 100-octane fuel and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.””

The 7 year process was done to Rolls Royce spec levels. These are all functioning dials needed to properly operate the engine. Note the amazing detailing in the door panel.

“The catalog credits veteran English dealer Nick Harley—the man who bid $10 million for the Bugatti Royale at auction in 1987 and now enjoys life in his fortress-like retreat on the Côte d’Azur—with the creation of this “special-to-trump-all-specials.” However, a quick call to Harley reveals there’s more to the story.

“Chassis 64GX left Crewe as a standard Phantom II saloon, but in the late 1970s, Rolls-Royce collector Nicholas Harley of London decided to create a showcase of British engineering might. The restoration that ensued spanned approximately seven years, during which time the Phantom II frame was lengthened, reinforced and fitted with this lovely Gurney Nutting-inspired body constructed by Wilkinson’s of Derby, and a 27-liter Mk I Merlin V12 engine was fitted, fed by two fuel pumps delivering 100 gallons per hour.”

via SportsCarMarket.com