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An ND Mazda Miata equipped with Cravenspeed's short shifter
Trends

What’s a Short Shifter, and Does Your Car Need One?

Engine swaps and new exhausts aren’t the only modifications that can increase performance. True, handling mods like performance tires, stiffer sway bars, and new engine mounts aren’t as flashy as a turbo. But they can sharpen your vehicle’s reflexes. However, if you drive a manual, there’s one more thing you might want to consider getting: …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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A selection of various aftermarket wheels in various sizes arranged in display cases
Trends

Changing Your Tire and Wheel Size Isn’t as Easy as It Looks

Compared to installing turbo kits or other extensive modifications, giving your vehicle new wheels and tires seem pretty straightforward. It’s also a chance many use to fit larger wheels, and larger tires to along with them. But there’s more to swapping tire and wheel sizes than just bolting on new parts. Because if it’s not …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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A white modified 2005 Lexus LX470 in a country field
Trucks & SUVs

This Lexus LX470 Can Overland in Luxury

No one ever said overlanding or off-roading couldn’t be done in luxury. For one, quite a few owners have taken vehicles like the Audi Allroad and Porsche 924 rather far from paved roads. Not to mention, that’s the whole point behind luxury SUVs like the Range Rover. But for an overland-ready luxury SUV that won’t …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Maatouks Racing's white 2100-hp R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R drag race car pulling a wheelie on the drag strip
Trends

What’s the Fastest 0-60 Time Possible in a Road Car?

From turbos to lightweight components, there are plenty of modifications enthusiasts install in the pursuit of speed. And no matter what you drive, one number that constantly comes up is the 0-60 time. Over the years, that number has consistently tumbled, especially once electric cars came into the mix. But is there a limit to …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Red 1970s Fiat Spider with a white 4-point roll bar installed
Trends

Why Your Convertible Sports Car Needs a Roll Bar

Whether you prefer the S2000 or a Miata, there are plenty of fun-to-drive convertible sports cars, new and used, to choose from. And many owners install modifications to further sharpen their cars. Some focus on handling, installing sway bars, or sticky tires. Others add more power, either with engine swaps or turbocharger kits. However, there’s …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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A yellow 4-point roll cage installed in a Porsche 911
Trends

Roll Cages Aren’t Just for Race Cars

The most extreme race cars, whether they race in Baja or on the track, typically only resemble street cars superficially. But many racing modifications, from sway bars to grippier tires, can also make road cars perform better. And that includes the ones not meant purely for performance. As speed increases, so does the need for …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Rear view of a red RWB Porsche 911 as it sits in a neon-blue-lit garage
Trends

Why Japanese Tuner RWB’s Porsche 911s Are Controversial

Whether you’re into Mustangs or pickup trucks, there’s usually a prolific tuner you can turn to for more performance or greater street presence. And that goes, especially for the Porsche 911. Porsche may not have an in-house tuner like Mercedes’ AMG, or BMW’s M and Alpine. However, it does have Magnus Walker and RUF, just …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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The camo-wrapped R35 Nissan GT-R modified by Classic Youngtimers Consultancy parked in a quarry
Coupes

Youngtimers Modifies Supercars to Hit the Dirt

Typically, supercars like the Nissan GT-R don’t find themselves going off-road. True, some supercars, like the Audi R8 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage can be daily-drivable. But that’s on the pavement. However, as the Gambler 500 Miata, rallying Porsche 924, and numerous Safari 911s show, taking a sports car into the dirt is definitely possible. …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Visitors look at the aftermarket exhaust of a sideways-turned car
Trends

Do Performance Exhausts Really Increase Horsepower?

Improving the airflow to a car’s engine is one of the first, and often easiest, modifications many enthusiasts make. Another common mod is giving your car an aftermarket performance exhaust. Many OEMs, such as Ford, GM, and Toyota, even offer them as factory accessories. But does giving your car a ‘performance’ exhaust really do anything? …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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The engine bay of an ND Mazda Miata that's received a Flyin' Miata V8 engine swap
Trends

How Easy Is It to Do an Engine Swap?

When it comes to improving your engine’s performance, cold-air intakes and headers can help a little. Going further with the modifications, you can tune the ECU, or install stronger internal components. But there’s another way to transform your car’s performance: an engine swap. What goes into an engine swap? An engine swap is both as …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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The NA Miata's standard air intake vs an aftermarket cold-air intake
Trends

Do Cold-Air Intakes Even Do Anything?

If you want to improve a car’s handling, better tires are one of the easiest modifications you can make. But tires and upgraded suspension components can only go so far. Especially if the goal is straight-line speed, you’ll eventually have to tune the engine. A common first step is installing a cold-air intake. But does …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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An exhaust manifold compared with an exhaust header installed in an NA Miata's engine bay
Trends

Do Aftermarket Exhaust Headers Really Add Performance?

Whether it’s through turbocharging or tuning the ECU, most horsepower-boosting modifications boil down to ‘more fuel and more air.’ Done improperly, though, and you’ll end up with a broken engine. However, there is another option that some claim is good for a few extra horses: aftermarket exhaust headers. But do they really work? Exhaust headers …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Black Carlex Design-modified Ford Ranger
Trucks & SUVs

Carlex’s Ford Ranger Can Go Off-Road in Luxury

Though the Ranger Raptor’s future is in jeopardy, Ford’s midsize pickup truck continues to soldier on. The Ford Ranger is already fairly impressive in terms of off-road capability in its base form. But that’s been bolstered by various overlanding and off-roading builds. And now, design and tuning firm Carlex Design is adding its own luxurious …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Red 1965 Mini Cooper S racing in the snow at Monte Carlo
Trends

You Can Make Your Own Mini Cooper Off-Road Racer

You can have fun racing off-road with unconventional vehicles—and the Mini Cooper can be one of them. Just like classic Porsches and Mazda Miatas have been converted for rallying, so can Britain’s iconic hatchback. And not just in the modern day—the Mini starting racing off-road almost from the start. The Mini Cooper’s off-road rally racing …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Lifted 1973 Dodge Challenger 4x4 in a snowy forest
Coupes

This 1972 Dodge Challenger 4×4 Is Ready for Any Off-Road Challenge

When it comes to unconventional off-road builds, a Dodge Challenger doesn’t necessarily spring immediately to mind. People previously modified the Mazda Miata, Porsche 911, and Ferrari 308 GT4 for off-roading. Even Corvettes converted for it. So why not Dodge’s muscle car? That’s the question the owner of a four-wheel-drive 1973 Dodge Challenger wanted to answer. …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Man stands next to his modified 1995 Chevy S10
Trends

5 Car Modifications That Are a Waste of Money

There are many modifications that you can do to a car, especially if you own one of the Japanese variety. But even if you don’t, you can surely find a plethora of car modifications at your local auto parts store. And while some of the modifications like freer-flowing air filters or even some oil additives …
by Joe Santos
Published on
Man holds worn-out and brand-new engine mounts
Trends

Improve Your Car and Save Some Money by Changing Your Own Engine Mounts

Although leaking oil is a clear sign of trouble, not every vehicle maintenance item makes itself none quite so easily. For example, clutch wear is a gradual process. And timing belts last so long, some owners may forget about them entirely. Until they break, of course. However, maintenance doesn’t have to be just about maintaining …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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Mazda Miata stock vs aftermarket sway bars
Trends

Does Your Car Need New Sway Bars?

If you want to improve your car’s handling, there are a number of modifications you can install. Tires are one of the simplest mods. But the next step is modifying the suspension. Swapping out your shock absorbers would appear to be the obvious next step. However, not only can that be expensive, done improperly, it …
by Matthew Skwarczek
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