You’ve been waiting for Part 3, and here it is; let’s go!

You may recall that last year, along with the main iMSS coverage, there were also two separate spotlight posts on a couple of the standout cars which had debuted at the event. At this year’s event there were once again two new builds that I shot extra photos of for closer looks, but instead of holding them for future posts I decided to include them within the main show coverage. Neither of these is intended to be a full feature mind you, but rather a slightly more in-depth look at each of these two standouts (and appropriately, Honour Roll winners).

Today’s photo set begins with those of Binh’s 240Z – the first of those two vehicles (Terence’s EK is the second). Last time we left off with Ryan’s F355 and the Z was just a couple of stalls over, hence why it’s our starting point today. Anyway, on to the car…

Binh’s had this Z for what seems like forever, but it wasn’t until this year when the project finally found itself in the home stretch. It was dropped off at the body shop for a full respray inside and out (following the final fitting of the Marugen Shoukia ZG kit) and then – somehow – Binh managed to get it more or less reassembled in time for iMSS even though he got it back from paint just a handful of weeks prior!

Given the amount of time that Binh had spent sourcing parts for this thing, and his ability to track down the rarest of the rare pieces, it was no surprise that it was a jaw-dropper. Items like the Star Road coilovers (the only set in North America) and these titanium trumpets (one of two sets in North America) were just a couple of the highlights. It was also fun to spot the various Lonely Driver decals and logos hidden around the vehicle.

The linkages were custom, even, and note how all of the hardware had been addressed as well. If there was one thing I was surprised by (in a good way), it would be how well the titanium worked against the Datsun 112 paint. Bright yellow/green with blue/purple/gold accents was a winning combination, as it turned out.

I was super happy to see this thing out at the show and getting so much attention. I just still can’t believe though, that he had it to this state in time for the event! No word on how many days straight he slept following iMSS.

Next up is not the second spotlight, but regardless is another vehicle that I get to share a bit more on today – Tommy’s ER34. I had asked Mike (Boulanger, red “FD3RS”) for a little more information on the car for the write-up as I didn’t know it all too well, and he responded with much more than I was expecting! As mentioned in Part 2 it’s a V-Cam RB30-swapped sedan, but naturally there was a lot more to it than that; it had the full GT-R face for example, but to go with it a set of URAS sedan side skirts had been molded into OEM GT-R side spats, the body used all OEM brackets and seals, and G37 brakes front and rear had been fitted to counteract the (targeted) 600+ whp. Also, according to Mike, it was driven – successfully – all the way to Seattle for WekFest after only running for “maybe 90 seconds before it left”.

Now for something you haven’t seen before; we hop over to the next row with this tidy Zenki S14 sitting nicely on some RPF1s. The Zenki cars really work nicely with just an appropriate drop and well-sized wheels (though there’s more to this than just that of course).

This was bugging me at the show; the kit on this 350Z looked familiar but I couldn’t quite – and still can’t – place it. It looked good though; purposeful but not too in-your-face.

Mike’s Civic made an appearance this year; I hadn’t seen this thing out in a while. I’m glad to see he still has it!

Next up was this white DA that you may remember from other event photos over the years; there are some really nice parts on this one and it’s always super clean. Sometimes I wonder why you don’t see many DAs running around here any more and then I remember that it’s because they’re (somehow) almost 30 years old.

When this S2000 initially rolled in we were all still up on the staircase (not to mention across the lot from it as well) so a close-up look was the exact opposite of what we had. Anyway, we thought that it had been wrapped in a Spoon-themed livery but upon this proper (closer) inspection we found out it was actually taped! It was the tidiest tape job I’d ever seen, even exceeding the quality of more than a few wraps I’ve witnessed. I was genuinely impressed! Haha

Carrying further on down the row – this white on white RSX had some nice touches of aftermarket aero, and possibly some Lexan window replacements too based on the FAL decal on the quarter window. Another nice detail was the choice to colour-match the aerocatches.

Ah, the good ol’ days when manufacturers would advertise features like dual overhead cams (or ABS, hi Pontiac) on the sides of their cars. Times sure have changed. Somehow, it wouldn’t be the same if “360 degree camera” was plastered down the side of a car now.

Back on topic now, this was a really tidy little RHD CR-X; another chassis of which the age is hard to believe.

Walking back past the 4Runners-on-TEs club I couldn’t resist a shot of the Cavalry/Mag Blue example; it was my favourite of the group.

One’s ready to pounce, one’s totally oblivious; or literally couldn’t care less. Maybe he’s thinking about food.

As always, I know nothing about anything on two wheels so here’s a photo of the Groms with no useful commentary whatsoever. I’m sure it’d be an absolute blast to rip around on something like one of these, but my complete lack of trust in other drivers to not take me out in the first three blocks is what keeps me from trying. Hahaha

Arif now had his hood open so I started back over to his car but stopped for a quick snap of the ITR’s engine/bay en route. As amazing as tucked and shaved bays look, you can’t deny how impressive an immaculately-maintained, as-the-factory-built-it setup is.

Now to Arif’s EK, with its new K-swap being shown off. His headlights were another update, incidentally, but it’s safe to say we were all paying attention to the new heart instead. The little touch of gold via the heat wrap on the intake was a nice detail, especially as it went with the wheels. Of course that’s not its purpose but it’s nice when these things work out, no?

With the car itself being neutral (white) Arif has made the accents really pop – bright yellow over the signature Project Mu teal is an awesome combination, and the new TiBurnt caps were a nice finishing touch.

Before I wandered off Arif asked for this shot specifically, as he quite likes how the K-Tuned fuel rail is so perfectly positioned under the hood vent. It would surely serve as a nice little hint for those in the know, as to what’s powering the car.

This pig nose S13 had a wicked stance, and a super tidy OEM+ look to it. For obvious reasons, the last couple of seasons now my mother has been paying a lot more attention to the various S13s in town and enjoys seeing how each one has been tweaked and customized.

Brad picked up this old Beetle a little while ago and brought it out to iMSS instead of his K-swapped EM1 this year. The patina on this thing was awesome and the vintage plate was icing on the cake. It must be quite a different experience, driving this, as compared to his Civic!

And speaking of Civics…yes, this photo is from a different event and a different year even (2016, to be exact) but I wanted to toss this in as a reminder of what Terence’s Civic looked like before the full teardown this season. This could have also been the last time I even shot the car before iMSS this year? Anyway, compare what you see above to what you see below (and have seen in Part 2).

The bay on this was insanely tidy – I’m certain that everything, down to and including the hood prop holder, was all brand new because it was that clean. The fact that Terence wasn’t cutting corners was made clear though when the photos of it at the bodyshop were shared, and it was down to a bare shell, having every inch resprayed. Pull a fender on this car and underneath you’ll find Chinablau. Do it once, do it right as they say.

The new shade of paint really worked well to make the details stand out more too; they had blended in a bit with the OE black.

J’s tow hook, and subtle bit of titanium with that always-great burn…

Had I not noticed the wheels, this would’ve been the clue that it was Terence’s car. Haha

Looking at these photos now, I still can’t get over how good the colour choice was. I don’t know what steered him towards Chinablau but it was absolutely perfect for the car. Top marks, Terence. Top marks.

For you Skyline fans out there, don’t worry; I didn’t forget the 400R sitting behind Terence’s car! Chassis number 29 is certainly getting a lot of use now that it’s here in Canada; I’m sure it won’t be long before it’s seen as many kilometers here as it had in Japan!

I had said in Part 2 that Eric’s S15 would be a contender if there had been a “Best Stance” award at the show (if iMSS awards were for categories); Lanny’s S4 would definitely be another, though this time it’s achieved via air.

This WRX was like a wishlist of dream Japanese parts had all been fitted to one car. Geez. I especially liked the yellow buckets within the headlights as a way to tie in to the tinted fog lights. The big items are there but the details weren’t overlooked either…

On the topic of details…I didn’t pick up on it at first but well played to Varis, for having their flare accept the OEM WRX badge.

*Looks back at Suburban again and ponders* Hmm…

Being parked next to the red Varis-kitted car, the stock body on this STI looked so tame in comparison but tame isn’t a bad thing either. Note the full, bolt-in cage (Cusco perhaps?) and matching blue Brides inside.

Rather than walk down the aisle and back, photographing one side at a time, I swapped back and forth between the two so (in case you hadn’t noticed yet) there’ll be some back-and-forth between a few groups here. This Mk7 on Works is one I quite liked; the colour combo, the fitment, the wheel design paired with the Mk7 styling; it all worked.

Among other brands, Legit.Society certainly likes their Volks! These two – the TE37s and ZE40s – work on just about everything anyway. They’re arguably Volk’s most versatile designs ever, in that regard.

Adam’s ’92 GTI; I believe this is another car to have come through Stampede for paintwork in the past. The retro side stripes were an awesome touch, and new this year if I’m not mistaken.

The engine and bay definitely stand out as the highlights of the car though; so tidy. It’s amazing how much can actually be removed from a bay without relegating a car to being a static display piece.

Mk6 Golf R on the not often seen (at least up here) fifteen52 Alexis.

For everyone who claims FR-Ss/BRZs need more power, there’s certainly no shortage of options these days to address that. This Inazuma Edition BRZ was sporting Edelbrock’s supercharger, which is a pretty attractive setup to be honest. I’m sure you could fairly easily fool people into thinking the car came that way with how at home the unit looks on the engine.

We hop back to Legit.Society now for the final few photos today, starting off with this mean looking R33 GT-R on XD9s – the dish of which complemented the wide GT-R fenders well. The gold heat foil on the vented hood was a nice touch too; to repeat what I said about Arif’s EK of course looks aren’t the primary purpose but there’s no denying it adds a nice touch.

A closer look at its turbo…could possibly be an HKS unit. Not entirely sure.

It was a neat change-up to see some aggressive front aero but stock quarters on this Evo X; it flowed well. The giant Mitsu logo hood prop was a cool touch too.

And finally for today, this menacing, full widebody X with a nice little collection of ARC goodies underhood. This was not the end of Legit.Society’s group and likewise it’s not the end of my photos of their group, but the rest of their lineup is reserved for the start of Part 4. Watch for that, as the conclusion to our iMSS coverage this year!

-Bill