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June 1999
Before the internet, the magazines were the only other regular source of information. GrassRoots Motorsports, Sport Compact, and Turbo. Then came Super Street, and a re-born SCC. Recent editions are Hot Rod Honda, and Import Tuner. And last but not least, TMR throws some tech between its shiny pages. So whats good this month?
This months Ranking system
Filed: a keeper for future reference
Bought: at least two solid articles
Read: it'll probably only take 5 minutes. $3.95 for 5 minutes?
Skimmed: just some pretty pictures and half-ass installs
Ummmmm: don't waste your time, I wasted mine for you.
Let's get started:
Hot Rod, July 1999
Hot Rod is the original performance tuning magazine. If you ignore it, you will miss out on basic info as well as knowledge expanding new theories and technologies. And one more thing:
Know Thy Enemy
IVT equals Infinitely Variable valve Timing. An indepth article about valve timing and making a prototype IVT system. Not a how to article, but a theory and technology article that is good reading. Some good basic explenation of internal combustion engines can be found here. And they do give a nice nod to VTEC in the beginning.
Slightly more relative is the article on tuning intake runners. If you have ever wondered why you get that torque bump @ ~4500 rpm with an AEM or other long tube intake, this article will shed some light.
Bought (-joe)
Road and Track, July 1999:
Yummy pics and article on the Nissan GT-R, along with a AWD Carerra and Diablo. GT-R is such a wonderful car, I had to put it on the must read list.
A short article on the HKS Honda Accord V6 Turbo tuner car. An Accord that turns 14.1 quarter mile might make you think twice. However, more important to me was the tone of the article. Some reference to rice-boy style Hondas, and such. Didn't quite insult us, but why do they have to treat Honda imports like aliens from another planet they can't understand? His comment was that since he is 32, he is too old to understand. Uh, whatever.
Read (-joe)
Hot Rod Honda, July 1999
This magazine just started, so lets give them a chance before we pass judgement. One decent article on how to install a block guard. Not that I am condoning block guards. But it was decent. However, if you have ever picked up a Hot Rod magazine, you will see very few similarities. There are none of the technology articles or build ups of the high caliber we have come to expect from Hot Rod.
errrrrrrrrr (-joe)
Turbo, July 1999
Following up their praiseworthy but flawed LS/VTEC article, part two discuss their basic recipe to make a NA VTEC engine push 200 hp on a reasonable budget. A few good details, but not quite a primer on how to do it. If you are thinking of LS/VTEC, and following along their build up, you should buy it.
Also very interesting is they dyno a bone stock 1999 Si, and it hits 143hp. I know alot of us have been seeing 1998 Integra GS-Rs only hitting 135-140 HP, so this is news. 143 at the wheels is about 172 to the flywheel, same rating as the GS-R. However, a B18C still makes enough more torque that it should stay ahead of the slightly ligher Si.
Finally, I think I can confindently say that HYBRID's Import Auto Salon converage kicked ass over Turbo magazine's coverage. Compare yourself.
Bought (-joe)
Import Tuner, July 1999
You know that Turbo and Import Tuner have the same parents, right? More dyno curves of the Si. Worth a look.
Read (-joe)
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