moddedblog

All-new JK flat fender flares by Bushwacker

Evan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:27:03 +0000

Everybody knows that Jeeps were made right on the first try with the original MB and early CJ models with the high clearance flat fenders. Every since then, wheelers everywhere have been trying to duplicate the simple, yet functional style with their TJs and JKs. Now, Bushwacker has a solution for those wanting the flat fender look for their JKs without having to hack the front of a $30,000 Jeep to pieces. Enter the flat fender flares available for both the 2-door and 4-door models. Granted, these flares are not going to be as strong as a full steel replacement fender, but they are going to give you tons of clearance for flexing and steering with larger tires. Existing mounting holes are used for installation, so it should be a snap to do. I think these flares look great and they should hold up to a little abuse like the rest of Bushwacker’s lineup.

VF Supercharged RS4 in action

Evan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:54:51 +0000

Courtesy of 1fastS4:

No real surprise or anything, just cool to see an already fast car being made even faster. Looking forward to seeing more videos and official numbers on this beast!

Hennessey HPE650 tops Shelby GT500 SS, SpeedFactory SRT8

Evan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:52:27 +0000

Being that I missed the original muscle car battle of the late sixties to the early seventies, I am paying very close attention to the new (And possibly last, thanks to upcoming emissions standards) battle royale between Detroit’s finest V8 cars. I was so excited to read Motor Trend’s comparison back in June between the stock versions of the Camaro SS, Mustang GT, and Challenger R/T. These cars embody so much of what I love in a car: style, simplicity, raw power, and that oh-so-sexy V8 growl. I must have read that article ten times.

Then I got the mail the other day and nearly fell over when I saw the December cover. When words like “Hennessey”, “Shelby” and “SpeedFactory” grace the cover of a magazine, you know you’re in for a good read. In so many words, the Hennessey Camaro made a little less horsepower than the Shelby pony but whipped it on the track due mostly to a better handling package and stickier tires. The best news for everybody is that the claimed “650″ horsepower by Hennessey is in fact a gross understatement. On the dyno, the HPE650 made 612 at the wheels! Using a 15% drivetrain loss, this puts the Camaro at over 700 to the crank, well above the claimed amount. Sweet. Now Hennessey has their LS9-swapped HPE700 which has 645 rwhp…wait…only 33 more? I don’t know the package pricing, but I imagine that the HPE700 is much more expensive. I’d be anxious to see it go against an even more tuned GT500 and a 7.2L Challenger. We shall see.

APR does big power for the TTS and upcoming Golf R

Evan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:31:10 +0000

You knew it was coming. VW/Audi master tuner APR has released stage I through II+ tuning options for the existing TTS and highly anticipated US Golf R. APR promises gains from 48HP and 35TQ with just the stage I software by itself to 54HP and 51TQ with the stage II+ software bundled with a high-flow cat and upgraded fuel pump. Now, all of these numbers are on 91 octane which is what most of us get access to on a daily basis. Once you throw some 100 octane into the mix, it gets interesting with numbers like 362 horses and 378 torque on tap at the crank with the II+ kit. Sounds like quite a bit of fun for the smaller VW/Audi models. I’m looking forward to the upcoming stage 3 kit; mostly because APR likes to tease us with a blank dyno graph with “500″ as the top mark for power. More updates coming as soon as I have them.

Rough Country looks to flex out your XJ

Evan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:25:04 +0000

Finally, a long arm upgrade for the XJ that doesn’t set you back a grand! Rough Country has just released their new long arm upgrade for the 84-01 Cherokee that includes a crossmember, transfer case skid and some nicely done high-clearance arms. The kit is completely bolt-on to avoid any sketchy welding to the already thin XJ unibody and looks pretty stout. Best of all, the kit is available on its own (at an EXTREMELY reasonable $599) or as part of a 4.5″ or 6.5″ lift that are also priced at nearly half of what the competition has to offer. Props to you, Rough Country, for putting long arms in the reach of many more eager Cherokee owners. Pics coming soon!

Just in: VMR raises the bar again with the V701

Evan — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:02:36 +0000

OK, yes…This is the second new wheel posting in as many days, but these sweet babies are far too cool to go unmentioned. Take a gander at the new VMR V701 just released late last week. The wheels are going to be available in all finishes including custom colors, giving Audi and BMW owners the option to create something truly unique. The concavity on the wheels looks stunning, which may be due in part to the beautiful Le Mans Blue E92 they are fitted on. More info on sizes and offsets when they become available.

Lose weight fast with ROKMEN’s new aluminum corner armor

Evan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:15:15 +0000

TJs and LJs are notorious for sustaining damage to the vulnerable corners of the tub and many manufacturers have offered steel or diamond plate guards for them for years. ROKMEN has taken it up a notch with their innovative aluminum corner guards, which are available in limited quantities in “short” and “full” sizes and are said to save 40 lbs with no sacrifice to strength. For extra protection of your tub or top, the optional ROKMEN Solid Stryker guards are made from the same 6061 T6 billet aluminum and bolt right up. These corners look great and I would love to see some put through some hardcore Colorado trail abuse!

540 horsepower not enough? OK, here’s 750

Evan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:38:18 +0000

I think those were the words that Ford Racing Parts engineers told droves of 2010 GT500 owners when asked about what was coming out for the new ’stang. FRP has introduced a few different supercharger options for the prized pony, but the mack daddy 750 hp upgrade is the one to watch for. With a 2.9L blower and a Whipple MAF, the FRP kit is no joke. It’s the only kit (to our knowledge) currently available for the new GT500 and seems like it will rip the doors off of just about everything else out there. Has anybody seen real world RWHP numbers?

Monstaliner looks to scare the competition

Evan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:12:04 +0000

Magnetpaints.com has released Monstaliner which is the new DIY truck bed coating system to compete with the likes of Herculiner, Durabak, Duplicolor and Plasti-Kote for the top spot in roll-on bed liners. The kit includes everything you need for a full install including 2 gallons of coating, catalyst, rollers, tape and gloves for a great price (when comparing the cost of having a shop spray in a lining). Two things set Monstaliner apart from the competition. First, the kit promises to be 100% UV permanent for at least 5 years; a claim that none of the other self-applied products can touch. Also, Monstaliner uses no rubber chunks, giving it a more consistent texture. Samples of Monstaliner compared to the other brands can be seen here. Although optimistic, We’ll keep an eye on it to see if the quality of the product lives up to the claims.

First look: All-new Hartmann Euromesh wheels

Evan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:39:26 +0000

Oh Lordy. A gorgeous black A4 with the most amazing looking anthracite wheels I have ever seen? I’m in love. Hartmann has been known for making some very high-quality replica wheels and is now offering an updated “Euromesh” line that not only looks killer, but are priced reasonably as well. Sizes range from a sock VW friendly 18×8 et47 to a 19×8 et38 for those looking for a little more aggressive offset. The Euromesh 3 and 4 have a more traditional 1-piece design whereas the Euromesh 5 has a 2-piece design with a unique “frosted” lip to set them apart. See them all here.