Stay Fresh...DigiFresh

AutoCon 2013 - Santa Anita Park

2013-06-03T10:34:00.001-07:00

A hot hot sunny day to remember...

I saw the families spraying sunblock on themselves and thought to myself, "ehhh...it's not that serious, acting like their going to the beach or something?" Well, they were obviously from around and knew what was in store. Burnt within the first 30 mins, soaked in sweat in even less, and well-done after a few hours of slow roasting. I seriously thought this was an indoor event, not at all.

With the amount of cars there, it was pretty hard to catch a photo of every single car or even look at every one. I ended up running a few laps back and forth, up and down the isles, to see what caught my attention. I'm sure when I check out the other photos floating around, I'll see some good ones I missed. Oh well...

Also, scroll down to the bottom for a link to the gallery...enjoy!

The old schools are always lookers for me...

I was never really a fan of the Scion FR-S, but after seeing them fully modded they're starting to grow on me. Seem like they're slowly taking over. More and more of them are popping up...

It's always a pleasure to see the Euro's come out to play in a show dominated by JDM and VIP cars.

Ran into Ivan, the owner of the Mini Cooper I shot a while back. Good to see him rocking the Digifresh label!

After doing my rounds, I headed out to the SpoCom booth to meet up with Johnne to put a name to a face and check out his VIP BMW. Plans to do a shoot are in the works so stay tuned.

And the best Euro there or more like the best car of the show for me, was this beast:

See the rest here:
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Bimmerfest 2013 - Rose Bowl

2013-05-21T01:07:00.000-07:00

A few favorite shots from Bimmerfest this past weekend. Checkout the Elefant Supply Co. blog for my quick write-up and additional photos. For the BMW die-hards, make sure to checkout their online shop for some keepers, especially the skatedecks.

Speed & Stance - Auto Club Speedway

2013-05-11T10:58:00.001-07:00

As promised, my follow up from the good photo weekend. So last Sunday, I was cruising Instagram admiring all the automotive photo work out there. Then I ran into a picture of an impromptu car meet turned carshow that was happening that day, held by Motormavens and a few others. Coming down from my photo high from the day before, I had to chase it again. Mapped Auto Club Speedway, saw it was an hour away, and I was off.

I imagined I wasn't going to be there for long. Park real quick to snap a few photos a leave. The first indicator of, "okay, okay...this should be good," was the back up of cars to get in. Early arrival was key. By the time I left, there were tons of cars waiting to get in. After I paid my 10 bucks to park, I was surprised with the turnout of cars and people. I'd describe it as a mini-carshow with a mix of fully suited cars at the entrance, to spectator cars getting to show of of their pride and joy. A bonus to the show was the other events going on off to the side. If you got bored of looking at parked cars you could easily walk to either side of the show and watch cars make a run for it. You even had the ability to check out the garages to enjoy that fresh aroma of a freshly tracked car. If you wanted a more foody aroma that you could taste, food trucks were on hand to fill you up. Much props to the folks who put this together. From what I heard over the speakers, they put this together in a week. I'd recommend checking this out if another pops up, I know I will.

Until next time...

MORE PHOTOS

MORE PHOTOS

Movie Rides at "The Big Photo Show"

2013-05-07T00:28:00.000-07:00

This past weekend proved to be a good photo-op weekend. On Saturday, I had to opportunity to see vendors for everything photography related at "The Big Photo Show" held at the LA Convention Center. Two days of photography related educational classes that ranged from, how to photograph nature and wildlife, given by Robert O'Toole, to how-to's on running a photography business. Even though I only went for one day, it was so easy to kill five hours soaking everything in. As you walked through the event, you'd find different booths promoting different products and services, and booths with live models to photograph with experts on-hand that would help you with camera settings and critique your shots if you wanted to. Samy's Camera had a strong presence there, offering deals and selling tax free. Too bad, no big purchases for me, but I guess that's a good thing. I could've easily sunk some money with all the goodies available. Of course, my favorite was the automotive tips and tricks given by Fireball Tim who works in the film industry designing cars for movies and television. He brought a sweet collection of cars that we would all recognize and appreciate. Top car there...the Delorean of course!

The weekend didn't stop there...stay tuned later this week for the Speed & Stance meet I went to the following day at Auto Club Speedway. Let's see if what I learned here made any difference.

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Fireball Tim snapping away:

"Great Scott!"

Bullitt Mustang:

Smokey and the Bandit:

Batmobile:

And one more for the fans...

The Ultimate E30 Driving Machine Collection...

2013-04-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Barry Robinson a few weeks ago after we were linked up by Harlan Chau of Elefant Supply Company. What started out with only one car to shoot, turned into a goldmine. Barry didn't only own the lachssilber E30 M3 I was originally supposed to shoot. He ended up having two other E30s in his collection. I was in awe, "another E30 M3 and a legit M-Tech, what the..." I couldn't up pass this opportunity. E30's are my first love! Perfect excuse to get up-close and personal.

After meeting Barry and getting to see his undying enthusiasm for the E30s, it brought me back to my first car, a 1984 E30 318i. Ahhh, the high school days, when I would send letters and fill out post cards to get BMW aftermarket part catalogs. I remember daydreaming and circling everything I wanted to buy. B&B Tri-flow exhaust...circled. Three spoke Anteras...circled. Intrax lowering springs...circled. E30 M3 dream car...circled, cut out, taped to the wall. The list went on and on.

I'm sure Barry had his fare share of dreaming things up, but the difference between him and myself is that he did something about it and turned in into reality. During the shoot I got my complete history on everything E30. He made me appreciate older BMW's even more and the people that keep them going. A purist at heart and the most enthusiastic E30 owner I've ever met.

I asked for a short bio on how he got into all three cars so I can get ideas from. Then, two weeks later, he sent me his-story...

BMW E30 ///M-adness

Nostalgia is an often underrated thing, but it’s the reason people pay $30,000 for an obscure Atari 2600 video game cartridge from the early 80’s that cost a mere $30 when first released. Sure the game was rare but not all things rare, command a premium. It must also be desirable to at least a few people. When the first BMW M3 hit US shores in 1988, it was louder, lower/wider, more aggressive looking than most cars of the era and it was a BMW! BMW hadn’t made anything quite like it. It was a true homologation special designed for racing with the road car being an afterthought. BMW’s E30 (internal name for the chassis designation), was very popular among young professionals and was commonly referred to as the “Yuppie car,” but the M3 was a different beast.

How it began

In 1982, my uncle brought home the family’s first BMW…a 320i. Having a sunroof and power features were a big deal back in much simpler times. It was the nicest car in the family, until my mother bought a 325e in 1984. This was the first year of the new 3 series body style designated “E30” in the US. The body was updated and streamlined while maintaining the classic BMW look. The M20 6 cylinder ETA engine was smooth and quiet unlike the 4 cylinder M10 in the 320i. The sport bucket seats held you in place in the turns. The windows and sunroof were fully powered. Stereo with power antenna that retracted into the body and an On Board Computer that gave you information on how many miles you had left on your fuel, fuel consumption, avg speed, even a programmable anti theft CODE feature that disabled the car. How cool is that? This car was well ahead of its time and really was the Ultimate Driving Machine.

In 1992, I was a 16 year old with a new driver’s license and like most 16 year olds, I desperately wanted a car. I looked at RX7’s, Sentra’s and Jetta’s. None of which, were even close to the BMW. I eventually bought my mom’s car from her by making payments. I was already taking care of the car anyway and knew it rather well. I was crazy over the car. Earning $4.25/hr, I worked 2 jobs and saved for modifications. My first was a Sebring cat back exhaust system bought from Bavarian Auto Service (now Bavarian Autosport or BavAuto) for $500(!) It did very little on my stock 325e but that huge chrome tip looked great.

One day, I found a local BMW shop who had magazines called “Roundel” all over their waiting room. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was a magazine catering to nothing but BMW’s and that’s when I was first introduced to the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA/ACA). Before that day, I thought I was the only one crazy enough to be a BMW enthusiast as they really were not as common as they are today and very expensive. Being young with most of my peers driving old VW’s, El Camino’s, Nissan’s and Honda’s...I got pulled over every day. Today, it’s pretty common to see young people in BMW’s but in early 90’s Los Angeles, many assumed you were just a drug dealer. I relished the attention but the car really did keep me out of trouble. I bought the E30 bible (E30 Bentley Manual) and studied it well. I knew it better than any book I read in school. I began tinkering with the car, learning how to do things myself.

Then a family friend who also had an 85 325e introduced me to another BMW shop in Gardena called South Bay BMW, which would later become South Bay Independent (SBI). The owner/lead technician Hoa Nguyen is Vietnamese (an Asian guy working exclusively on BMW’s??) but like I’ve also experienced, it’s wrong to judge a book by its cover. Hoa is a master and diagnosed my stumble problem right away as incorrect spark plugs. From that point on, I hung out at the shop whenever I had free time. I think I was the first customer to approach him with the idea of building an M20 stroker e to i conversion or swapping final drive ratios for performance. Like everybody else I wanted to do what Pete McHenry and Jim Rowe was doing and make these old BMW’s perform.

Enter M3

In the Roundel, I would see pictures of an unfamiliar E30. It had these body colored bumper/spoiler, wide flared fenders and a huge wing in the back. Like many who are unfamiliar, I thought “wow, that’s a nice bodykit.” After some investigation, I found more pictures of them and learned that it wasn’t a kit at all but a factory BMW produced model called “M3.” What is this??? What’s going on here? And it had a 4 cylinder! I started seeing magazine articles written about them, advertisements and a place called Noble Foreign parts had a special catalog JUST for the M3. This must be some special model to create such a stir yet strangely, I never saw these mythical creatures anywhere.

It wasn’t until a BMW ACA (which would become the LA chapter of BMW CCA) event that I finally saw an M3, how different it was and was hooked. Admittedly, like many people, I didn’t understand why a 4 cylinder engine (known as S14) was used. It didn’t make sense with all of these excellent BMW 6 cylinder engines available in various sizes. It wasn’t until I started studying the M3 and what it had accomplished in BTCC/DTM racing that I began to understand what it was about and became enlightened. BMW Motorsport had done something special with this car. They took a step back to take two forward. The boys in Munich had turned the Yuppie car into a bonafied race car to be reckoned with.

So in 1998 when my 325e/i 2.7 stroker was rear ended and totaled, I knew exactly what my next car would be. As luck would have it, I found almost exactly what I was looking for the next day in the LA times classifieds. It was like destiny that an ‘88 Salmon silver (lachssilber) on black M3 with just 77k miles would be advertised for $8200 OBO. I must admit, it was my second color choice behind Sterling silver but I was not picky. The car was driven by a college kid whose parents owned the car in Beverly Hills. The car was neglected but stock except for Antera 5 spoke wheels. By this time, the M3 was 10 years old and the parents had grown tired of spending big money at the dealership chasing down problems. With their son groveling in the background against the sale of the car, they accepted my $7800 offer and I was the new owner of an M3.

325i vs M3

Most of knowledge of the 325 carries over to the M3 but there are quite a few things that are M3 specific. The most critical of them all being the engine. The S14 2.3 liter inline 4, made a very peaky 192HP and 170 ft lbs torque at 6700 RPM’s. Which means, in order to make the car go fast you must drive it enthusiastically and keep the RPM’s up in the engine’s power band, otherwise it feels uninspiring. In contrast, the 325i M20 2.5 liter baby six cylinder engine, peaks at only 168HP around 5800 RPM but has a much broader power band. Given that much more time is spent in the lower/mid RPM range on a streetcar, the 325i is actually better suited for everyday driving with lots of stop and go traffic despite a 25HP disadvantage. The M3 on the other hand, is more of a momentum car. If you can stay in the power band and keep the car moving…it is the faster car. Weary of the high strung 4 cylinder S14 and cost to repair, many people opt for 6, even 8 cylinder conversions. I, however, am sort of a purist when it comes to the M3 and kept mine as they left the factory…S14 powered, albeit with a little more horsepower.

Enter BMW M Technic

In 1991 BMW imported only a few hundred special edition M Technic convertibles for the US market. These cars were only available in three colors, Brilliant Red, Sterling Silver and Macao Blue. These special cars were fitted with a full M Technic II aerodynamic bodykit, Shadowline trim, M technic suspension, 15x7 BBS wheels “Euroweaves,” Leather sport seats with Motorsport cloth centers or full leather, leather door pulls/panels/liners, leather handbrake handle/boot, leather center consoles including the ashtrays, BMW M Technic door sills and front/rear badges which finish the car off and lets you know it is not your ordinary 325i. Being based on 325i convertibles, some of the most expensive 3 series one could buy, the M technic package added about $4700 to the $36k MRSP, making the M technic the most expensive and also the rarest in the E30 line.

To take some of the sticker shock off, BMW also imported convertibles with only the M Technic II aerodynamic bodykit, body color matched interior and wheels for only $1600 more. As a result, there were many more of these cars sold in 91-92. These “appearance package” cars, were available only in Alpine white or Diamond Black.

In 20 years of being an E30 enthusiast, I had only seen 2 “full” M technic convertibles in person. One was owned by a fellow enthusiast and another was a random sighting on the freeway. After having owned several 325’s and my M3 for 13 years, I began searching for an M Technic. In 2006, I found an original owner Macao Blue in West Los Angeles advertised for $5500. At the time, I was in college and living on a budget which didn’t allow for a third car but I knew how special this one was and how rare they were. They don’t come up for sale often and this was an original owner Southern California car. A few months later when I had the funds to buy it, of course the car was sold. I had mixed emotions as I really wanted that car (Macao Blue was the rarest color too) but I also didn’t need to be buying a third car at the time so my search for an M technic was put on hold.

Three years later in 2009, I saw a feeler ad on an E30 discussion forum online for a Turbocharged M Technic in Macao Blue and saw that the owner was in Southern California. When I saw the pictures of the car, I recognized it as the same exact car I was looking to buy in 2006. As it turns out, the new owner who is a BMW mechanic had completely gone through the car and turbocharged it. At the time, M technic values weren’t as high as they are today and I felt his price was too high so I passed on the car yet again. Several months later I noticed the car back up for sale, with several additional modifications and a lower price! I arranged to see the car and a deal was made. In the end, the car remained in its natural habitat here in Southern California and I got three things I have always wanted in a car…a turbo, a convertible and an M Technic II bodykit.

M3 revisited

In 2011, a fuel flooding problem turned into a complete teardown and rebuild of the engine. It had clocked 145K and I wanted to freshen up the engine now before parts became too expensive or no longer available. Since I had spent months troubleshooting before the rebuild which also took 6 months, I hadn’t driven the car in over a year. I toyed with the idea of getting a second M3 for multiple reasons but I mainly just wanted to get behind the wheel of an M3 again. I was passively searching for an Alpineweiss (Alpine White) on black but with the market the way it is, it’s hard to be choosey. Why Alpineweiss on black? Alpineweiss is the quintessential M3 color. Most of BMW’s advertisements and race cars featured Alpineweiss M3’s. They were used in Skip Barber racing schools and various BMW catalogs including Noble’s. Korman bought the first two M3’s imported into the US, also Alpineweiss. Finally, the E30 M3 just looks great in Alpineweiss. The lines, shades and contrast all work together.

One day, a fellow enthusiast tells me he knows someone who had an M3 and was going to swap the S14 engine into a 2002 and sell off the rolling shell. He was going to buy this shell for a future S54 swap. Somehow the owner of the M3, decided not to go through with it and sell the entire car, at which point my friend had lost interest since he only wanted the shell. I told my buddy if he was going to pass on the car that I may be interested in it and he sent me pictures of an Alpineweiss on black M3.

The car had been salvaged but the frame was straight, exterior repainted, interior retrimmed and the original S14 engine ran well with 176K on the clock. All for a price I couldn’t refuse given the market for M3’s. The value of salvaged cars does take a hit but given how hard it is to find a decent M3 these days, it doesn’t matter much. A salvaged M3 is still an M3. As long as it’s appropriately priced, buying one of these should be a no brainer. Besides, resale value only matters if you sell it later and I plan on keeping my pieces of BMW Motorsport history for a very long time.

- Barry Robinson

Additional photos here: E30 photo collection

Spec Sheet:

Lachssilber 88 M3:

Overbored 2.3L, 284/276 Cams, Rick Kemph ported head, JE forged/coated pistons, Maxx Alpha N Closed loop piggyback, Innovate LC1, Supertech valves and springs, 48mm throttle bodies, coated Evo 2 2pc 50/50 header, Custom stainless 3” exhaust, CF DTM race airbox, 30lb Bosch injectors, 8.5mm GSP Magnecor plug wires, adjustable cam gears, SBI oil pan baffle.
Mishimoto aluminum radiator and puller fan.
Z3 1.9 short shift kit with DSSR.
Ground Control coilovers 350F/650R w/short Koni adjustable shocks.
Vorschlag camber plates.
ST swaybars.
M coupe diff cover.
17x8 BBS RC090 “Style 5” refinished with nogaro centers and polished lips + microclear.
215/40/17 Nexen 5000 tires.
Genuine Evo 2 front and Evo 3 rear adjustable spoiler, Hella euro ellipsoids, Evo grills, Grp A mirrors, Startec tail lights.
M tech 2 leather steering wheel, M tech cloth centers with alcantara bolsters.
Recaro SR front seats.
VDO 3 gauge center console.
UUC RK2 weighted shift knob.
Kenwood cassette pull out, 11 band digital EQ circa 1992, 10 cd changer, Kenwood components, 2 amplifiers, 10” Alpine Type R sub in custom German Audio Specialties “LukeBox.”

Alpineweiss 89 M3:

Stock 2.3 with TMS chip, evo airbox, custom 2.5” exhaust, 8.5mm GSP Magnecor plug wires.
Autosolutions short shifter.
German Engineering 450F/650R coilovers, camber plates and Bilstein Sport shocks, Mason front and rear strut braces.
17x8.5 3pc Epsilon black mesh wheels with polished lips.
235/40/17 Falken FK452 tires.
Evo 3 front and rear spoilers, DTM cup mirrors, Startec tail lights, DEPO smoked headlights.
Alpina 4 spoke leather steering wheel, Recaro LS seats, alcantara headliner and pillars.
Alpine headunit with Aux.
ZHP weighted shift knob.

MacaoBlau 1991 M Technic:

Rebuilt 2.5L, Garrett stage 3 T3/T4 turbo with external wastegate, front mounted intercooler, PnP Megasquirt 1 v.3 tuned by Church, Ebay stainless manifold, 42lb injectors, Metric Blue headbolts, Cometic MLS headgasket, 3” custom exhaust, 8mm Magnecor plug wires, MSD Blaster 2 coil.
255lph Walbro fuel pump, Spec stage 2 clutch.
H&R Race springs with Bilstein Sport shocks + offset mounts and M3 control arm bushings.
BMW Technocast Style 10’s 15x7 wheels with polished lip. 225/50/15 Falken 912 tires.
Hella colorline smoked headlights, MHW tail lights and sidemarkers.
M Tech 2 leather steering wheel, M coupe shifter and lighted knob.
Alpine headunit with Aux, Alpine components, 12” in cabin slim subwoofer.
VDO 3 gauge center console.

The Coop...

2013-03-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Met up with Ivan last week to shoot his (not so) Mini Cooper S. I first spotted his car on Instagram ("straight flexin") after posting my last shoot. It turned out Ryan from the last shoot knew him, so it was a done deal.

Ivan's Cooper S has simplicity written all over it and is put together tastefully. After seeing it in person, I knew it was going be a good day. The Fifteen52 Tarmac's caught my attention at first glance and was a perfect excuse to check them out in person (I want a set!). After taking a closer look at the Cooper and having it on my screen for days, I noticed the little things that added up to make it Ivan's own. Something as little as the Gobadge "S" curve in the front and the Spec D Tuning headlights helped set this car apart. What made it stand out for me was the upgraded M7 Vortex 2 Scoop in addition to the Fubrication GP rear wing.

"When I look at cars, I don't look at them as stock, I see them for their potential." - Ivan

Is the Cooper to the potential that he imagined? He'd probably tell you that it's getting there and this is just the beginning. For every car enthusiast out there, we all know there's always something new to do or something old to change. It's the never ending plan.

Car info:
2011 Mini Cooper S (R56)
Horizon Blue / Black Roof

Exterior:
M7 Vortex 2 hood scoop
Fubrication GP rear wing
OutMotoring wiper delete kit
Cooper Side Scuttles
Spec D Tuning Headlights (6k iJDM Toy Headlights and Fogs HiD)
iJDM Toy LED rear license plate bulbs
Gobadge front "S" Curve

Engine:
3" Mini Corsa Downpipe Back Exhaust
M7 Turbo Heat Shield
M7 Super AGS Intake

Suspesion/Wheels
Fifteen52 Tarmac RSL 17x8 ET 30 - Nitto Neo Gen 205/40/17
16mm Front Spacers
3 mm Rear Spacers
Motorsport Hardware 75 mm Stud Conversion Kit
M7 Coilovers - Full Height/Compression/Rebound Adjustment
H&R Rear Sway Bar 19mm Adjustable

Cars and Coffee...

2013-03-16T13:11:00.001-07:00

Checked out Cars and Coffee today for the first time.

Enjoy...I did!

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Just a few:

Motorsport Hardware M3: The Blue Beast

2013-03-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

After a few days of slight drizzle, the weather worked out perfectly as it usually does out in Southern California. You can always count on a day or two of bad weather, if you can even call it that. Downtown Long Beach was gearing up for the upcoming Toyota Grand Prix which gave us a good chance to find a location to shoot. After a rumble through the city and few turns, we found a great spot right off the main strip with barriers, tires, and a grandstand included.

It's been a while since the last shoot of anything, but when I heard Ryan Castro, owner of Motorsport Hardware, was down to shoot his 1995 E36 M3, it was the perfect excuse to dust off the gear.

At first glance, you'd wonder if there is something more to the beefy fender flared exterior and meaty tires. Is it all for show? Maybe to look cool or look FAST? Then you take a glance inside and see a gutted interior. Built with a purpose? You'd clearly find out if you sat next to him at the light idling. If you're a neighbor? Guess what, a nice 6:30am wake up rumble on a Saturday morning. Either way, it's a dead giveaway that a beast lies beneath the hood waiting to go full throttle.

SEE ALL PHOTOS

The Specs:
1995 M3 LS1
Motorsport Hardware Avus Blue M3 coupe

Performance:
2002 5.7L LS1 aluminum block from 2002 Camaro SS
350whp/311ft/lbs torque
T56-6speed transmission with Z06 Clutch
4in intake
Custom headers
MSD high temp starter
2x3in exhaust merged to 1 4in
Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator
Vibrant race catalytic converters
Vibrant 4in inlet race muffler
Removed AC
Mishimoto Dual aluminum radiator
Derale Power steering cooler
Spal puller fan
3.91 LSD rebuilt to 40% lock up
Reinforced rear end

Suspension/Stability:
Custom BC Racing coilover set up with custom spring rates
Turner front and rear sway bars
Reinforced sway bar mounts
UUC Aluminum rear camber arms
Mason Engineering front and rear strut bars

Wheels/Brakes/Misc:
C6 Z06 silver 6 piston calipers
355mm DBA Slotted rotors
Rear cross-drilled Zimmerman rotors
PFC-Z brake pads
Coated Stainless steel lines
BBS RE-GT4 18x9.5/10
Hankook 255/35R18 265/35R18
Motorsport Hardware Race wheel studs

Interior:
EVO VIII Recaro seats
Momo Champion steering wheel
STRI 60mm Tach
STRI Water temp gauge
STRI oil pressure gauge
AEM UEGO wideband
Kirk 4pt roll bar
Wedge brackets
Corbeau 4pt harness
Stripped rear cabin
Custom suede headliner and pillars

Exterior:
Max Velocity GTR lip
Depo projectors
DDM 6K HID
Fog light delete
Hard Motorsport fender flares
Black grill
Custom 3.0 CSL BMW badges
Custom hood vents
OEM m3 wing
Smoked corners

SEE ALL PHOTOS

The Infamous by Canibeat x Hellaflush

2012-08-13T06:56:00.001-07:00

Canibeat and Hellaflush teamed up to bring us "The Infamous" this past weekend. Packed my equipment up on Saturday, and I was off. When I arrived, I was pleased to see that the line was not unnecessarily long. Wait five minutes, pay your 10 bones, and enjoy. My only complaint was the charge for parking. I should have just said, "no, I'm here to see the boat, not the cars," then I would have been in and out quick. They asked for the full charge for the day, but what can you do, so I stayed longer. This was a clean and simple show with a very nice collection of cars that came out to represent. I did my rounds for photos, then kicked back to watch the homies, Chris (DJ Flow) and Donovan (Rockforce), host the illest 3-on-3 b-boy battle.

Couldn't have asked for a better day.

Until the next show...

Enjoy.

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Contact: digifresh@gmail.com

Gumball 3000 - Final stop, Los Angeles...

2012-06-03T22:29:00.001-07:00

So, what do you do if you have tons of cash and a passion for cars? Easy...Gumball 3000!!

I was fortunate enough to be able to walk around the corner and see cars come into the last stop of the rally, Los Angeles. They started their run from New York on May 25th, stopped in different cities along the way, and ended here on May 31st. Pretty much, a week long of pure power across the US.

I asked the guy in this R8, "so, are you guys timed from city to city?" His response, "Oh, no...that would be racing, and racing is illegal...but no one has to know..."

I'll keep dreaming for now...

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LA Auto Show 2011

2011-11-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

What a perfect time to relocate out to LA. First, a vintage BMW show, and now, the LA Auto Show. Saturday night we hopped on the Metro and took a nice walk down to the Convention Center and saw a bunch of fun looking places that we need to go back to for a date night. There's a lot going on in that part of town.

Once we got in, the fun began. We hit every hall (I hope) checking out all the production cars and the sweet looking concepts. The one car I was hoping to see, the BMW i8 Concept, was there and I loved it. The concept that caught my eye was the Subaru BRZ, and all I can say is...beautiful. The car I want right now at this moment as a daily, the Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series...money! It was a good show, better than the SF show I went to last year. All the shiny paint and fresh smelling interiors satisfied the hunger.

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SoCal Vintage BMW 2011

2011-11-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks for staying tuned and staying fresh. Here are the pictures as promised. Make sure to check out the gallery out, but here's a few for your viewing pleasure.

Click here for gallery

A day with an Elefant...

2011-11-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Harlan, Ray, and Jenny from Elefant Supply Co. for letting me hang out with them at the SoCal Vintage BMW meet. They have a lot of buzz in the BMW community and it showed with the people coming by the booth. This is my first video by the way, if you can't already tell. I'm hoping to be able to make more and do it right.

Great weather and nice cars, what more could you ask for. Enjoy the video.

SoCal Vintage BMW 2011 from DigiFresh on Vimeo.

Stay tuned for photos...

The BIG Stoneridge Meet 2011

2011-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

I checked out "The BIG Stoneridge Meet" last week, and YES, it was BIG. The biggest car meet I've ever been to. I don't know if there was ever an official count, but it was a sea of cars that packed the huge parking lot. We rolled in at about 730pm and there were already 100+ cars! Anyone who rolled in after 8 were stuck driving around hoping for a spot. Here's the few cars I took shots of (check the gallery too). The sun came down quick and it was a wrap.

Much props to Lawrence Maerina and Darrell Sian for spreading the good word and making this happen!

Click here for gallery

the White Elefant in the Room...

2011-06-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Indeed...a hard one to pass up and ignore...

Met up with Harlan and Ray from Elefant Supply Co. at this years Bay Area 02 Swap & Show. After talking to Harlan a week prior, checking out what they had in the works, he mentioned they were heading up here in a 2002 for a show. After checking out Ray's 2002 on their blog, I made it a mission to head out to Brisbane to catch up with Harlan, meet his brother, and add this beauty to my photo collection (I wish in my garage).

Much props to them for making the long trek from Los Angeles to the Bay in this S14 powered beast. True Bimmer fanatics!

Make sure to check out Elefant Supply co. and all their goodies.

CLICK FOR GALLERY

Here's the scoop:
1973 BMW 2002
Chamonix White

2.3 S14
CUSTOM 2.5" EXHAUST
E21 5 Speed Transmission
3.90 LSD
Big Brake Kit
Full Ground Control Front Coilovers
Adjustable Camber Plate
IE 22/22 Hollow Adjustable Sway Bars
Elefant Front Strut Bar
Elefant Rear Strut Bar

Italian Turn Signals
Porsche Recaros
Momo Prototipo Steering Wheel
Alpina Shift Knob

BBS RM 15x7, 15x8

Footage from Elefant Supply co.

2011 Bay Area 02 Swap & Show in Brisbane CA May 21 from Elefant Supply on Vimeo.

One Two-Toned Classic...

2011-05-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to meet Daniel at this years Bay Area 02 Swap and Show. I was actually there to shoot a different 2002, then found out that Daniel wanted in too. This car definitely caught my eye when I was browsing the other great looking cars, so I couldn't pass it up. The two-toned paint did it for me. A classic win! A good two-for-one...

CLICK FOR GALLERY

Here's the scoop:
1968 BMW 2002 - Original color is Granada and is now painted Granada over Bristol
- IE Swaybars
- IE Coilovers, Rabbit inserts with Aluminum Brembo calipers
- IE Stage II Rear Springs with Bilstein Sports
- Stahl headers
- IE Stainless Steel exhaust
- Weber 40 dual carbs with custom old school Airbox, and Alpina style velocity stacks
- Vintage Bucket seats
- 40 Petri Steering Wheel
- Close ratio Transmission
- Rear Big Brake Kit E21
- Weicher's front stress bar
- Ahrend Tunning rear stress bar
- Crane Ignition
- Borrani Wheels ET6 13x6.5 with Summitomo 205/13/60 tires
- Silicon Garage 3 Row core Radiator
- Tii booster
- Freshly rebuilt engine

Bay Area 02 Swap & Show 11

2011-05-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Checked out this years "Bay Area 02 Swap & Show" in Brisbane a friend told me about. I sure do miss these kinds of meets/shows. It's all about the cars and true enthusiasts. Great looking cars everywhere...

Also, check back in a few days for a shoot I did with two cars.

Makes me want to hop on Craigslist and look for one!

CLICK FOR GALLERY

Just a few:

Just in!

2011-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

These are going quick...make sure to put your orders in.

All stickers are now priced @ $3.50 each, mailed anywhere in the U.S.

Order here: http://digifresh.bigcartel.com/

A Sweet Tooth for Candy White...

2011-04-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Finally, after trying to coordinate a shoot for the past few months, everything fell into place today. Darrell's Candy White GTI has always been on the top of my list. After the bag install and a fresh new interior, well...it went to the "top" top of the list. A head turner for sure. I've watched people make double and triple takes, followed by a LONG STARE and a dropped jaw.

We set out to good ol' Mare Island and went to a spot that I've used once before, but have always wanted to re-shoot using strobist.

Big thanks to Darrell for bringing his car out and rockin' the DigiFresh label!

And another big thanks to Dianne for always being my "human" light stand!

Car Info:
2008 VW GTI 2.0T - "Candy White"

Exterior
Fully shaved front bumper
Open fog grills
Pulled rear fenders
Badgeless Honeycomb grill (gloss black)
Filled hood notch
OEM Euro LED taillights
Ziza city lights

Interior
Stock seats/door cards wrapped in Maroon Leather
OEM Euro headlight switch
OEM Dash cubby

Engine
GIAC Reflash
VF Engineering intake
ECS dogbone insert

Suspension
AirLift Slam XL front struts
AirLift rear bags
Accuair E-Level Management
(2) 400c compressors
5 gallon tank

Wheels
18x8.5, 18x9.5 Mercedes Alpahrds - fully polished
215/3/18, 215/40/18 Falken Tires

See more here: GALLERY

Coming soon...

2011-02-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

Just put in my order for stickers with Tim @ www.astickymess.com.

Make sure to check out his site and order some stickers or get some custom made! He's really helpful in the process of getting what you want.

I ordered some two-color and one-color stickers in the "Fresh" blue.

Stay tuned!

Here's the two-color sample of what he sent me last week...

UPDATE (2/26/11): Pictures of the finished product emailed to me. Should be in next week!

Ran out of "Fresh" blue, so I went with silver.

Stance:Nation Feature w/ Danny's Bagged Rabbit

2011-02-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Danny's bagged Rabbit exclusively for Stance:Nation.

Last week Danny hit me up looking for a photographer to shoot his car for a possible feature. Looking for more opportunities to bust out the camera and get more exposure, I hopped on it quick. I've always loved Danny's ride and bugged him about doing photo work for a while, but his car was always in the works. His "in the works" paid of nicely. I met up with Danny, and his girlfriend Carlee, and had a mission to find a spot.

We drove through the hills in the Berkeley/El Cerrito area, but ended up landing near the water in the Berkeley marina. The timing was just right to capture the sun coming down, a shot I've always wanted to try out with strobes. Once the sun disappeared, it left and a nice colorful sky in the backdrop. What more could I ask for...

Thanks again to Danny and Carlee!

A special thanks to Elvis at Stance:Nation for getting my work featured on his site.

The Scoop:
2007 VW Rabbit 2.5L - 5dr Hatchback

Body
Fully shaved GTI front bumper w/ molded Votex lip
Fully shaved R32 rear bumper
Votex sideskirts
Shaved hatch
GTI headlights
Boser Hood
OEM Euro taillights

Air Suspension
Mason-Tech fronts
Airlift rears w/ Bilstein shocks
Easystreet Digital Management
(2) 480c compressors
5 gallon tank

Interior
Merlot headliner
6-inch Kenwood double din
10-inch Rockford Fosgate Sub

Engine
Magnaflow exhaust dumped down
Carbonio Intake

Wheels
3-piece O.Z. Mae
18x9.5 et18 - Yokohama 205/40/18
18x10.5 et25 - Yokohama 215/24/18

Read the Full Feature here.

I love mail...

2011-02-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

...when I get cool stickers like these instead of BILLS!

Thanks to Cristian at Canibeat.com for getting these out to me QUICK!

Make sure to visit their online store.

Berkeley Marina Meet 2011

2011-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

CLICK FOR GALLERY

Stay "FIT" with OTL...

2011-01-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

Poke and Slam, what more can I ask for. This impromptu shoot with Daniel G., Founder of OnTheLow.net, was well worth the drive out to the East Bay. I've only seen pictures of his ride online, or through text messages, and was already imagining what it looked like in person. One word, "PROPER".

Here's the scoop:
2009 Honda Fit Sport
Full Mugen Kit

Suspension:
UA Aero Sports - Front
SS RE5 - Rears
Viair 480
2x EAI Valves
3 Gallon tank
1/4 lines all around with PTC fittings on everything

Wheels:
ESM 002 - 16x9 +10
Falken 205/40/16

Make sure to visit the homies @ www.OnTheLow.net

Click for Gallery

Just wanted to add:
Big thanks to Cristian at Canibeat.com for featuring my photos on his site!!! And to Daniel for letting me shoot his ride...couldn't have done it without your ride and your support!!!

Click for the actual article.

Dub'n in Dublin...

2011-01-06T00:44:00.000-08:00

Met up with a good group of peeps the other day off the golfmkv.net forums. This was an impromptu meet to start off the new year, and turned into a little photo shoot. The turn out was GOOD, better than many of us expected. I think it was 16+ cars. I'm kicking myself for not bringing the camera gear. Carlo Ruiz of Dialed-in Media Group took all the sick photos below. I'm always an enthusiast for clean photos!

CLICK FOR MEET INFO