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!!

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..

"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