With so many blogs around it’s easy to repost the same cars/content for a few ‘Likes’, but with Scene-Media now attracting over 1.6million hits per month from over 380,000 unique users it’s overwhelming the feedback and response we get from you guys. Oh, and our Facebook’s just clocked over 8000 fans – how cool is that?!

Along with our own project cars we’re going to be reviewing some of the latest products and new car releases which are relevant to you. Sure we’d love to post some pretty pictures of an Aston Martin (and i’m sure you’d like it), but that’s not really relevant. We’ll try anyways. So here’s a head’s up to keep an eye on Scene-Media in the next few weeks, and until then keep an eye on our Facebook page for daily updates.

Massive Work split rims, hard-slammed lowness and carbon galore – this is going to look INSANE when it’s finished. Make sure you keep an eye on their blog here: http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/346355/blog/ i so so hope they go down the Euro route some more, really distinctive style on all 326 Power cars.

There’s one slight problem with this. I have absolutely zero mechanical know-how at all. I can tell you every single model of Nissan Skyline known to man, and exactly what components go into an engine, but give me a spanner and I’ll be luck to hit myself round the head with it in a vague attempt to knock some sense into me. So building any form of car is a fairly tricky thing for a mongoloid like me, and this is where 360 Motorsport come into play…

I’ve known owner Lionel Puddle for absolutely years, and put simply the man’s a genius when it comes to building engines. After seeing a general Skyline ‘anger’ Facebook status Lionel dropped me a message telling me to bring the car down so the problem can be diagnosed and fixed. Suits me 100%, seeing as my usual approach is ‘keep using it till it fully blows up’ i.e. my old R32 Skyline. Based down in Lydney, South Wales, Lionel’s got a properly tidy setup with everything needed to build a kick-ass motor. The proof is in the pudding – see the Low Brain Drifters PS13 below? Undoubtedly one of the most recognised (and hard-used drift cars around) is ran and maintained by Lionel and the crew. Oh and aside from a gearbox failure, it’s reliability has been spot-on for two years running.

Based in the same unit as Lional is fabrication guru Ashley Forsyth aka Ashfab. Ash can fabricate absolutely anything – rollcages, pipework, spaceframes, exhausts, and downpipes – basically anything you can abuse with a welding torch. So having both Lionel and Ash in the same place is pretty much a life saver, allowing any custom or bespoke work to be done under the same roof – no costly trailers to additional companies and no massive delays waiting for anything to be done.

The thing is, this is where my idiot logic comes into play and admittedly Lionel hasn’t helped here. A wet compression test did indeed prove that the R33’s RB26 definitely had bottom end issues, and with the clutch slipping it’d make the most sense to remove the engine/box altogether for the rebuild and clutch repair. Now if the engine’s coming out, and bottom-end components are going to need replacing… why not replace them for forged items? However, using forged parts capable of 800bhp but only running turbos able to flow 550bhp… well, wouldn’t it make sense to replace it with one monster turbo capable of flowing say, 800bhp? This is where the R33’s at. Lionel’s mad keen to make this happen, as he loves nothing more than getting involved in a serious project. And given the opportunity, who wouldn’t take an 800bhp build over an ‘acceptable’ 500bhp? Well, not me…

So the engine’s on its way out. Forged CP pistons and Manley rods will be beefing up the bottom end. Custom headwork will make the most from the HKS cams and a Greddy T88-34D turbo is going to be bolted to the side, along with a pretty serious fuel system to cope. Just round the corner, Forge Motorsport are going to be playing a key part in the 33 too, mainly because they’re the absolute daddies when it comes to intercoolers, swirl pots oh and a new range of silicone hoses and swirl pots. Alex @ Forge is a seriously bad influence, as they’re capable of custom making nearly any part for any car. Not the sort of thing you need to hear when you decide to go down the big-power route…

With Lionel taking the engine out and the pistons/rods on their way from the states, the R33 should start taking shape pretty sharpish. Julian @ Rare Rims may have mentioned a set of cosmic blue Rota Grid Drifts, which you’ll probably spy being fitted while I was down at 360 Motorsport. Another bad influence in this whole scenario. We’ll be keeping you posted on a weekly basis, and until then make sure you check out the 360 Motorsport and Ashfab Facebook pages – like ‘em to see exactly what they’re working on, and if you need any work doing give them a bell – just don’t mention my name… I’m causing enough grief as it is.

Since I tested the VXR, Ryan at Regal has now redeveloped the software to give the motor 400bhp. Regal’s software skills are a force to be reckoned with, and if you’re interested in having you car ‘re-mapped’ then we can highly recommend these ECU-tweaking supremos!

If you want your VXR tuning, then this is the breakdown: Stage 1 software comes in at £480 and will see your Astra kick out 270bhp/300ftlbs. Stage 2 software will give 285bhp/320 ftlbs. Whilst Stage 3 software serves-up 300bhp+/350ftlbs+. Custom set-up and remapping for big turbo kits and big injectors is a specialty of Regal’s with prices of £630.

For further information please contact Ryan at Regal Autosport on 02380 558636 or email ryan@regal-auto.co.uk

The thing is, everyone who came along was there for the exact reason we organised it – to spend a few hours chilling, chatting and relaxing around the cars which rule our lives. Whether you’re into VWs, JDM, drifting, Euro or drag racing we had all bases covered, and regardless of your ‘scene’ everyone was showing respect.

Sunday kicked off at Meguiar’s HQ who were busy compiling 50 ‘swag’ bags complete with a range of goodies including a t-shirt, Monster Energy drink and much more. These weren’t for sale; these were simply handed out to the first 50 people who attended as means of thanks for turning up. Unless you’re lucky to have a TDI-powered Mk1 like Greg Howell even the fuel to get there and back is going to be pricey, and everyone loves freebies.

I’m going to be honest now, my scene knowledge is probably 90% Jap focused. I’ve got so much respect for all aspects of modifying, but truth be told the forums I use are either JDM or drifting. So at 10am when the first wave of VWs from Detailed and Edition rolled up (including the likes of Janet Edwardson’s Mk4 Golf) I was honestly speechless. The quality of these cars is just ridiculous; I’ve been to shows where not a single car has been to this level. Yeah if you’re a dub fan I’m sure you’ve seen them time and time again, but for me this was pretty mega. By 10:30am even more had arrived – Carl Taylor in the Car Audio Security Avant rolling on Rotiforms, Greg Howell in the 700bhp MRC Tuning Widbody S4 and Luke Massy’s sublime RS4. It sounds silly, but these are cars I’ve been blogging/posting about for god knows how long, to not only see them up close but have the owners bring them along to OUR meet… well like I said at the start, humbled doesn’t even come close.

If you can’t tell from the pics (mine are pants, Chris Wallbank’s will be amazing) we didn’t want the cars arranged in a clinical ‘show’ format of parallel parked with a walkway in the middle. What’s the point? For a start, this isn’t a show. Nor is it a cruise – it’s a gathering of friends. We wanted space round the cars for people to chill, space for people to take cool pictures and different angles so no two images looked the same – the stuff you WISH you could do at shows. Granted, when you’ve got thousands of random people attending an open day you don’t want your car too accessible (just ask Japspeed…) but that’s what made this BBQ different.

As lunch arrived Meguiar’s fired up the BBQ. Good cars and good weather demands good food – quality sausages cooked to perfection, pastas galore, coleslaw, couscous! If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it properly, right? For next time, we recommend hitting the BBQ before Craig Phillips arrives to avoid disappointment.

By 3pm the gathering was coming to an end, and as a token of appreciation we decided to hand out a few awards. It wasn’t necessarily about winning (easy to say when your car’s currently broken… or a Smart car) but good cars deserve recognition.  Meguiar’s hooked up another seven goodie bags along with awards from Players, Japspeed, Plush Automotive and ourselves, Scene-Media.

If my brain had the ability, I’d love to list and thank every person individually who came down on Sunday. Apologies if we’ve forgotten anyone, but a big thanks goes to Detailed, Edition 38, Jags Bodyshop, Kenwood Electronics, Stephen Brooks Films, Chris Wallbank, Players, Team Japspeed, F6 Squared, Greg Howell, Luke Massy, LowlifeUK, 6TWO1, Beakersblog and of course Meguiar’s for the hospitality. We hope every individual who came along made a few new mates and enjoyed themselves, it was a pleasure to have you all there. Oh, and make sure you check back later this week for the official unveiling of the new Stephen Brooks feature film, ‘We Are Players’. It’s looking like it’ll be an absolute jaw-dropper.

For me the F6Squared gentlemen/hooligans summed up Sunday perfectly over on their Facebook page – we’re not a car club, we’re a family.

Venue sorted we made calls, got some trophies sorted and dropped the invites. And then the weather changed. Let’s be brutally honest, the last two weeks of ‘Summer’ here in England have rhymed with rain! And lots of it. Never have we been so interested Daventry’s weather system! A few days before the event the forecast was showing sunshine, clear blue sky and no rain. Happy days indeed.

We owe a lot to all of our friends that showed up yesterday. It was a very humble experience. Stephen Brooks came along to make a feature film, Chris Wallbank came down to take some stunning photographs and loads of you brought cars from far and wide. And it kinda makes you realise, that without friends, life is pretty empty. Everyday is a good day, but yesterday was particularly special. Thank you to everyone that came along. We’ll have a full report online later and Brooksie will be dropping a Meguiar’s-based BBQ film this Friday the 29th of July.