TRIBUTE

Time surely does fly by doesn't it?. Its been ages since i last updated this Demonic site of mine.

As i wave waved (cause this post was actually written awhile back) goodbye to yet another fine ride, i couldn't help but think of all the cars i've had the pleasure of owning. Amongst them a few have touched my heart and life in ways that ensure they'll always be etched in memory. As i bid farewell to the ride that shocked most of my friends, i thought i'd take this opportunity to pay a little tribute to the few special cars in my life.


1. 1979 HOLDEN VB COMMODORE
One of the first few cars that i've owned. You can't get more Ozzie than a Holden Commie!. Bathed in canary yellow with green pearl, the grandfather Holden 'commie' was fitted with KING Springs, PACEMAKER headers, a straight through exhaust and a lumpy cam to help the push-rod engine gain some ponies. Memories flow with this ride as i've had some of the best times cruising up and down the coast with some of the best mates during the best times of my life. Remember the times us cruising round Surfer's, windows down (cause the car has no A/C!) singing our lungs out to Nelly's E.I. Joining the hundreds of modded rides every friday & saturday night at the Broadwater carpark then cruising the beachside road from broadwater to Surfer's Paradise and back. The VB played a major role in possibly the best chapter of my life. Hope the ride is still cruising the GC scene albeit in a better condition then when i sold it.

back in the day

2. 2001 Perodua Kenari
When a kid graduates and comes home from overseas, he's got high hopes thinking as a graduation present he'd at least score a decent ride. (you know how all these foreign grads think they're aalll that.) Not the case, as my good folks handed me the keys to what was aptly named the SPEEDWORKS Kenari.

I can proudly say i once owned what is possibly MALAYSIA's first fully modded KENARI with a whopping 72.1 dyno-proven HP! (LOL). Fitted with a K&N Air Filter w/Speedworks heat shield, HOTBITS strut bar, HOTBITS adjustable suspension, Apexi S-AFC, Apexi RSM, HOTBITS extractors into full HOTBITS exhaust, L900 Brakes, a solid fibre glass bucket seat for race duties, and a 2nd set of full leather interior for daily use, PIVOT voltage stabilizer, PIVOT shift lamp, MOMO steering, and going through a couple of wheel swaps from 14" TSW's to 15" SSR's and finally 14" ENKEI RP01's. The ride was prominently featured in close to a dozen publications from magazines to newspapers.

This is the ride that led to establishment of many good long friendships and me being the founding President of the #1 authority for Perodua's top selling rides at the time, The Kenari & Kelisa Owners Club (K2OC). Mr.Luke & Myself along with our KENARIS being the first Kenaris to rock the quarter mile at the SEPANG DRAG BATTLE tops the list of memorable moments with this ride. With Luke's Kenari being the only picture in CBT's coverage of the race! We laid down some super slow times but we had a blast tearing down the quarter-mile!

Founding committee of the K2OC.

(L to R: James Chen, Hansc, Myself, Bernard)

At one of the many Auto Salons we took part in

3. 1997 Proton Putra
My heart & soul. It was truly a heart wrenching moment when i had to hand the keys over to the new owner. A lack of parking space in my humble abode led to the sale of my pride and joy. It was built with a whole lot of heart, blood, sweat and money! This ride also spurred the formation of THE PUTRA COLLECTIVE. A collection of some of the finest of Proton's finest!
Here's an old post on the Putra.

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4. 2004/09 RB1 Honda Odyssey Absolute
The ride which shocked most of my friends. No one expected me to be lay down that much dosh for a 7-seater people mover. They all thought i'd end up in a v.8 WRX, an EVO or a DC5, but i just loved the look of a low-slung wagon, slammed on big wheels. Besides, i was told i needed to start rolling around in a "decent" looking car.

A GruppeM filter helped the 200hp K24 Honda donk breathe a little better, with TANABE coilovers wound all the way down got the stance just right over the 19" ENKEI SC25's, Project-U slotted discs paired with Project-U pads bringing the car to a stop with SuperPro bushes ensuring everything's nice and tight. Black with uber dark tint ensured the Honda people mover looked right whilst cruising the streets of PJ at 30km/h.

stance & fitment

Missing the Odyssey already...

i'm moving on from people mover to join the Three Pointed Star brigade. Like enthusiasts always say, modding cars will always run in our blood, once a modder always a modder. And even before i take possession of the keys to my new ride, my 19" Carlsson Revos shot with Dunlop's best and a Carlsson rear wing are already sitting in the shop awaiting fitment.

Here's a snapshot of my new ride sitting in the showroom carpark still in its original silver duco. An AMG Three Pointed Star. :)

 

Watch for an update on the the Merc as this post was drafted a couple of months back and the ride is now fitted with the Carlsson Revos, a Carlsson trunk spoiler, Day Running Lights from a later model, and is on its 2nd set of springs in a month. And with the help of Tyrezone, we're in the midst of trying to get my set of 6-Pot AP racing brakes fitted. :) 

Leap Frogging

I love Malaysian politics. Provides hours of entertainment, like how i used to enjoy playing 'leap frog' with my friends when i was about 5 years old. Gotta love the Perak situation now.

Politics aside, its gonna be a swamped month ahead as work piles up after the CNY hols and the missus leaving back to the land down under at the end of the month. Amidst all this chaos, i'm struggling to squeeze in some time for me to go get some new 19" shoes for the Odyssey. Driving a stock ride around is just not going to kick it. Speaking of the new ride, i'm taking it on a one-day crusade to Ipoh and Alor Setar tomorrow, see how she does on the open highways.
I've also discovered that trying to play with 2 cars at once is major taxing on the bank account - the Putra requiring some minor work for a few oil leaks and new shocks, the Odyssey needing major wheel upgrade and a lowering job. Not forgetting the BMW overheating a couple of days ago and needing a new thermostat... sigh. Thank god i stayed away from playing with european marques.

Truth be told, It is the unexplainable joy and satisfaction of mental modding that drives us enthusiasts to strive for unique distinction and improvement of profit-chasing factory production line vehicles. A passion driven hobby and sport that provides a learning challenge for us all. Stay tuned as i try to share some info on the man who influenced me into buying an odyssey. A mental modder armed with a souped up Saab turbo, a mean green mini cooperS... and a modded Odyssey equipped with the ultimate mod...... a baby seat. To the boring folks who think we should stop modding cars once you grow up or get married ---> STUFF YOU!! :P

have a great week everyone!!

Poison

A poisonous image received from my good friend and odyssey guru Mr.Andrew Khoo...

Walking a different path

Remember my previous post regarding my new ride? Well, I've opted for the Honda people-mover!! Took delivery on the 9th of Jan 2009. Having weighed all the options, considered and re-considered all the pros and cons of my options, and i finally decided to go with the Honda Odyssey Absolute. Comes equipped with a full-navi ICE dash, a 200hp K24 I-vtec lump, 17" wheels(which are gonna be swapped for 19"'s soon i hope), half-leather seats, absolute body kit, and comfy seats for 7-people. Ironic that I'd buy a 7-seater, when 99% of the time I'm driving solo. But considering that i opted to move away from turbo-charged sports oriented cars, the Odyssey's a unique choice over a plain-Jane 4-door sedan. The Odyssey provides adequate power to move its weight around and is a breeze to drive...save for the long wheel base, which makes parking and driving around multi-level parkings a daunting task at the beginning. Even though i was plagued with doubts even after collecting the car, it's starting to grow on me now. The more i look at it, the more i feel it meets most of my criteria for a car. Priority being it having ultra cool pimping potential (i envision it rolling on 19"s and ground scraping ride height), and its an oddity (it rhymes!) on the roads as its not a popular choice for an MPV, with majority opting for the high roof variants of Estimas & Alphards. So.. the Jwan Heah once known for cruising and hooning in noisy cars is now walking a different path... taking the pimpin' lane!

Sexy Eyes

The all important badge. Read 200hp

200hp Honda K24 i-vtec

The glorious navi/ICE dash

For your information, the ultra-noisy 247.1hp 4G63T Putra is still stitting in my porch for that occasional hooning on the streets... Boy racer fo' life? *snigger. :)

The Odyssey's Potential: Images courtesy of FABULOUS Japan, Comestock, & AutoOtaku.com.

Hate to see her leave...

It is unfortunate that i do not have the necessary financial resources to acquire a larger home to accommodate everyone. Regretfully, my pride and joy is now up for sale and it saddens me deeply to have to see her go. Parking restrictions in my stables necessitate the regretful sale, as a new steed will be joining the ranks in the Heah residence.

So, for a mere RM30,000.00 you can be the proud owner of a low-km's, well modded, weekend use show winning 1997 Proton Putra, well maintained by an avid enthusiast who loves cars more than his family (his parents would attest to this) . Car has been custom modded all round, from the engine to the exterior, interior and ICE. Car specifications & work done listed below.

hardly driven 1997 Proton Putra (M)

Achievements: Proton Track Carnival Auto Salon, 2nd place.
Exterior:
- 2k white paint
- custom front bumper
- custom fender flares
- custom side skirts with valance
- custom rear garnish with custom diffusers
- custom dual-pane rear wing
- projector angel eye headlamps
- mivec hood

Chasis, brakes, Wheels, and Suspension:
- 17" Seneca rims w/kumho tires
- GAB shocks
- Ultra Racing 4-point front strut
- Ultra Racing Room bar
- Ultra Racing rear upper bar
- rear lower arm bar
- evo4 twin pot calipers & disc

Interior and ICE
- 2pcs Recaro Milleniums
- adjustable short shifter
- razo gear knob
- Sparco steering
- Sabelt 4-point harness
- Apexi Boost & exh.temp gauge
- equs volt and oil press. meters
- Pioneer mp3/cd head unit
- Sony Xplod tweets
- Ameron mids
- 2 x 12" Stellar subs in custom show enclosure
- Stellar EQ
- Stellar 4-channel amp
- Agako 4-channel amp
- full custom boot enclosure
- GREDDY t-timer

Engine:
- 4G63 VR4 conversion
- EVOIII TD05 turbo
- full custom stainless steel piping
- massive custom front mount intercooler
- brand new ZAP evoIII Aluminum radiator
- SARD R2D2 bov
- RS*R magiQ rear muffler with 6" tip
- K&N 6" air filter
- Pivot volt stabilizer
- Arospeed ground kit
- Arospeed OCT
- silicone hoses
- and more..

Serious buyers only need apply, car needs to go to a new loving home. For more information, please feel free to email me..

He got bitten!

A 'bug'...distinctive yet unrecognizable, brings about serious life changing symptoms, nearly invisible, and costs alot of money to treat. A 'bug' that is very selective with its victims, a 'bug'.... that has finally sank its teeth into the tender skin of Mr. Gavin Liew.... "The Boost Bug". Once bitten, nothing else will suffice.

Business partner & good friend Gavin is now a proud owner of a sinister looking 2 litre turbocharged AWD car, albeit an automatic, it is still an all round sexy boosted Mitsubishi Evolution 7............. point 5.

Welcome to world of boost Mr.Gavin!

What a sexy rump!

The sinister view you get from your rear view mirror

Resident motor-head, Jwan Heah takes Gav's new EVO on a spin

"Art In Motion"

Car modding, car customization. modified cars, noisy cars, "ah-beng", rice boy.. call it what you may, but the truth of the matter is the aftermarket car accessories/parts market is a multi-billion dollar industry. The automotive aftermarket industry is fueled by the fact that ALL factory production-line vehicles built can be improved upon and tailored to suit each individual human being. No two humans are alike... each individual has their own characteristics, their own personality, personal preferences, likes and dislikes, etc etc. Profit drives vehicle manufacturers, and it would be totally non profitable for manufacturers to custom make each individual car/vehicle to suit each individual driver (of course you could always order a custom made Ferrari, Lambo, etc etc to suit your personal taste and driving style, but we are talking about the other 95% of the population who can't afford it.).

Do you wear the exact same shirt and pants as your co-worker or boss? Unless you live in communist North Korea or work in a job that requires uniformity, the answer would be a resounding NO. You dread it everytime you notice someone wearing the same item of clothing as you are.. don't you? Your co-workers, boss, and you would be wearing shirts and pants but they'd all be in different colours with different designs, different materials, etc. Simply because you each have your own preference, and don't wanna look exactly like the dude or dudette sitting next to you. That same theory is what drives giant corporations to create products and services to cater for your vehicle, offering vehicle owners the CHOICE to make their vehicles more suited to their personal driving style, taste and preference. There are styling & performance parts for almost every car make and model in the market.(yes, real car driver's have their Porsches, Ferraris and Merc S600's modified as well). From subtle hints to outlandish custom creations are a reflection of the vehicle's owner. From a little bumper sticker, one fluffy dice hanging on the rear view mirror, choice of vehicle colour, to crazy vehicle body/engine modifications, all reflect our individualism.

Vehicle customization/modding isn't just about personal taste preference and styling, but largely about safety as well... anything off a production line can be improved upon.. installation of proper lowered sports suspension provides better and safer handling and stopping distance for example. there are many more upgrades that a vehicle owner can do to improve his/her ride.

"The aftermarket parts segment isn’t limited by the crush of production deadlines or the need to be practical, which are constant issues for manufacturers today. A chassis engineer at a major automaker may be able to spend only a couple weeks on a new suspension design, while an aftermarket suspension specialist can spend a year testing different spring rates and wheel and tire combinations in order to get the maximum cornering grip possible for the car."
- CARS.COM

Having said all of the above... lets us not judge how a person chooses to customize his ride, for it is his personal preference. Instead, do as i do.. although i may dislike their choice of accessories and colours, i still respect them for their passion in indulging in the art of car customization. The only ones that deserve our sneers and looks of disgust are the irresponsible drivers that disregard their own safety and the safety of others.

My personal views on car customization/modding? To me, its an art, an extension of the owner's personality and character, a form of expression... "Art In Motion".

Happy Driving!

Some pictures of variations in car owner's personal preference.

Local Flavours - The Humble Proton gone extreme

A popular vehicle modding sub-culture in Japan.

An all chrome BMW

HAMMAN modded Ferrari F430 [Pic courtesy of Motor Authority]

Tak erti kaum cina, melayu atau india, hanya erti Kaum Kereta

Bangkok Trip [Intermission]

An interruption to the Bangkok holiday report.

After a 2 and-a-half month hiatus, my ride is finally back on the road! Facelifted with new custom designed front bumper (influenced by a customized US Honda civic), Projector angel-eye headlamps, smoothed out side skirts, ZAP aluminum radiator, new stainless i/c pipes, eyelids and carbon fibre hood pins. It can be seen cruising the streets of Petaling Jaya at night and on weekends, if spotted, holla at me! Hard to miss, as i'll most likely be the dude you're cursing at.... holding up traffic cruising along at 40km/h.

I absolutely adore the car now, and it is no longer for sale. Hopefully (god-willing) it'll soon be retired to be a pure show-pony cruiser. To those of you in the know, the search for a new ride is still in the works. And same question still beckons my response; Jap-powa or German-stylin'? The months ahead will tell..