Trey Palmisano

Lamborghini owner seized his dream, grabbed bull by the horns

Stats box » Engine: Midmounted, 60-degree V-12 » Horsepower: 455 at 7,000 rpm » Wheels: O.Z. Racing multipiece aluminum wheels with Pirelli 225/50/ZR15 (front) and 345/35/ZR15 (back) » Body: Tubular steel space frame and aluminum body panels, Kevlar front and rear hoods » Performance: Rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual transmission with reverse all two side mounted, horizontal-flow water radiators and two electric fans, Bosch KE Jetronic fuel injection, dual independent hydraulic brakes, unassisted mechanical rack and pinion steering » Wheelbase: 98.4 inches » Ground clearance: 5 inches » Weight: 3284 lbs. There were...

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'Mad Max' bike goes well beyond Thunderdome

Stats box » Engine: 1999 Buell Lightning (1200-cc V-twin) » Wheels: Buell Lightning » Performance: S&S Shorty Carburetor, SikPipes Exhaust, Joker Controls, Dakota Digital speedometer gauge » Exterior: Savage Cycles frame and gas tank, clamp-on handlebars, Black Ostrich Upholstery on seat pan, Hammer Cycles grips and accessories Mike Ziehl would never strike you as the kind of rugged biker who uses his motorcycle as a means of intimidation. Yet the "Mad Max"-inspired low-profile chopper is enough to make you wonder whether Ziehl's dark side gets something of an ego boost each time he straddles the seat and revs the 1200-cc engine. Ziehl's...

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Toyota enthusiast embraces tuner culture

Stats Box » Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder (2AZ-FE) » Wheels: 17-inch ADR wheels » Performance: GReddy Speed Cut Controller, Borla catback exhaust system, Tein performance lowering springs, custom intake with K&N intake » Exterior: custom halo black-out headlights with green and white HIDs, custom taillights, VIS carbon fiber hood, custom grill » Interior: BOMZ black and green racing seats, NRG 5-point camlock harnesses, three 7-inch Pioneer LCD TVs, NS7 DJ system, two 12-inch Pioneer Premier subwoofers To be a successful entrepreneur and shop a product in any industry, it helps to be dialed in to your market. That might sound obvious to...

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'Pride in your ride' not squelched by vandals

STATS BOX » Engine: 5.3-liter Vortech » Wheels: 26-inch Veloche Villanos w/ 305/30/r26 Kumho Ectsa tires » Paint: base jet black with laser blue metallic and chrome illusion accents » Performance: Keystone ram air hood, K&N cold air intake, Flowmaster 40 series exhausts » Exterior: 16-piece Southern Comfort body kit, Carriageworks billet grill, Cadillac chrome tow hooks, painted sail panels/workboxes, custom painted door handles, brushed billet bow tie emblem, custom Audi A4 OEM HID projectors retrofitted into SUV light cases » Interior: 6.5-inch Eclipse touch-screen DVD/Navigation, 6.5-inch front Kicker coaxial speakers, 5.75-inch...

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The family jewels include lots of metal and burned rubber

Stats Box » Engine: 4.6-liter V-8 » Horsepower: 350 (modified) » Paint: two-tone paint job » Wheels: American Racing 20-inch » Performance: Steeda cold-air intake, Borla mufflers, custom tuned performance chip, Eibach lowering kit » Exterior: Roush front bumper, smoked taillights, Streetglow neon kit, window tint » Interior: embroidered headrests, interior neon, custom painted interior The Larson family loves their cars. From fast ones to stylish ones, the automotive hobby has been a part of their heritage for many years, in large part because of the patriarch's business interests and a career spent with cars. Craig Larson,...

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Lancer takes enthusiast from the breakdown lane to the fast lane

Ruining your transmission creates tough choices. It's an expensive enough repair to justify not fixing, counting your losses and moving on. Or you can continue to dump money and hope to keep the car serviceable for a few more years. Josh Phipps chose the former and in doing so transformed a hobby into an obsession. When his trusty Ford Tempo lost its will to obedience in 2004, no longer at the beck and call of his gearshift, Phipps began searching for a replacement vehicle. Shortly after, he caught wind of a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer ES that had been a demonstrator at a local car lot. With only 800 miles on it and a steal of price tag, Phipps, who had just turned 17, snatched up the...

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Self-described tomboy's search for power leads to rare Trans Am

STATS BOX » Engine: 5.7-liter LS1 V-8 » Wheels: 17-inch American Racing Torque Thrust 2 wheels, gold » Performance: Pro 5.0 Short Throw Shifter, Lou's Short Stick, Jett Hot 1 7/8 coated long tube headers, Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, Y-Pipe, K&N Air Lid, Custom Tune by Bret Shook, BMR strut tower brace » Exterior: Gold grand sport stripes, clear corners, rear gold letter inserts, yellow fog lights Krista Sulkowski always wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. A self-described tomboy, the Rockville resident wanted nothing more than to own a car just like her father. So when a charitable handout was out of the question, her father negotiated...

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Turbocharged Audi a real boost to club promoter

STATS BOX » Engine: 2.7-liter biturbo AWE stage 3 » Wheels: 18-by-18.5 HRE 545 three-piece wheels » Performance: RSK04 turbochargers, GIAC (custom open element tune) software, Bosch balanced fuel injectors, Bosch fuel pressure regulator, BERU coilpacks, X-1 carbon fiber intake, ABD big bore intake, Hitachi MAF sensor plate, AWE Tuning oil lines, NGK spark plugs, Forge 007 diverter valves, Racetec front-mount intercooler » Exterior: Pulled/rolled fenders, RS4 front bumper, grill, rear bumper, carbon fiber headlight washers, In Pro chrome mirrors, RS6 HIDs, Euro spec tail lights, Fiber Images vented carbon fiber hood » Interior: A6 RNS-D...

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A Corvette with a woman's touch

STATS BOX » 400-horsepower engine » Asanti rims » Color-coded dash kit » Split window in back » Personalized hood liner, cargo mat and floor mats » Tinted windows » Color-coded pieces under the hood » Invisible bra » Flowmaster exhaust system » Taillight, backup light and fog light covers » Strobe light kit » Heads-up display » Paddle-shifters The Corvette culture is a staple of America's automotive heritage. Look on almost every nook of the map in every major city, and there is a lively and enthusiastic gathering of Vette enthusiasts joining hands and hearts and singing the...

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Camaro SS lives up to its reputation for speed

STATS BOX » Engine: Advanced Racing Dynamics 408c cubic inch 6.0 iron block » Performance: Compstar rods, low-compression diamond pistons (coated), Hypertech 160 degree thermostat, Morel hydraulic roller lifters, Griffin LS1 aluminum radiator, Bauer-Racing custom grind camshaft, AFR 225s heads, Comp 921 dual springs, Thunder Racing heat-treated chrome-moly pushrods, Procharger F1A » Interior: triple pod gauge pillar, Dyno Tune nitrous LC-1 A/F ratio gauge, nitrous exhaust gas temperature gauge, nitrous fuel pressure gauge, nitrous control center, nitrous boost gauge » Exterior: Whistler mod, 30 percent tint, carbon-fiber Camaro nose badge, clear...

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Two times a charm for pretty-in-pink Mitsubishi Lancer

If you’re a Mitsubishi Lancer fan, it’s hard not to take a second look these days ever since the Japanese started importing the Lancer Evolution VIII in 2003 to the United States, a version very similar to the base model but about 20 grand more. Though the outside may be unremarkably distinct from its base model cousin that has been stateside for some time, the engine is all the rage. Of course, if you can live with a lot less power, then you potentially lose out on none of the looks associated with this iconic Japanese tuner car. STATS BOX Engine » DOHC I4 Transmission » Lancer Ralliart six-speed twin clutch Wheels » black 17-inch ADRs with pink...

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Private hobby translates into public business

STATS BOX » Engine: Chevrolet 350 V8 » Performance: Diablo chip and custom program, Flowmaster exhausts » Wheels: 20-inch Enix wheels with Yokohama tires » Exterior: Custom maroon and red tribal flame paint job » Interior: Sony headunit, two 8-inch Kicker Competition subwoofers, Kicker 75 Watt amplifier Mark Miller was no more than 15 years old when the thrill of fast cars and the paint jobs that dressed their bodies got under his skin -- literally. Yet it was the hum of a supersize engine powering an American pickup truck that became his metallic muse. In 1999, Miller purchased a brand-new 2000 GMC Sierra. Like Miller, the truck has...

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Consistency key for this bracket dragster

STATS BOX » Engine: 1967 Dodge 440-6, steel crank rods with Winnebago heads » Horsepower: 450 hp » Transmission: Powerglide 2-speed » Electronics: Dial-in delay box with digital display » Appointments: Custom rollcage » Wheels: Front roll wheels — powder coated, with 14.5 x 32 monocoque racing wheels (back) For those who think drag racing is a mindless exercise of pushing the pedal to the floor full throttle and hoping you plant your tires across the finish line 1,320 feet in the other direction, they've likely never been exposed to the competitive world of bracket racing. Growing up in the 1960s, Ralph Ledlich remembers...

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British oddity a car, a motorcycle, or both?

STATS BOX » Engine: Citreon 2CV 602 cc engine » Horsepower: 29 » Weight: 990 pounds » Other: Citroen tubular space frame and fiberglass body English vehicles aren't the first thing a red-blooded American car collector considers adding to his collection. After all, American classics drag raced and English cars, well, they insouciantly trundled a countryside swollen with hills. At least that's the popular image. So what attracted Harry Kraemer, a confessed muscle car enthusiast to a three-wheeled car called the Lomax 223, a kit car made by a little-known car manufacturer from across the pond? It wasn't the size of the engine. The Germantown...

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Small in stature but big on upgrades

Lauri Clemens found the allure of the car show scene too seductive to overcome. When she found full-time work this past year and saw her disposable income grow, the siren song of loud bass and exhausts drew her wallet back to more exotic car modifications. STATS BOX » Engine: 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder » Wheels: 18 X 8.5 Miro STP1 (front) 18 X 10 Miro STP1 (rear) » Performance: AEM cold air intake, APR turbo-back exhaust, APR 93 Octane software, APR front-mount intercooler, Samco Sport turbo inlet pipe, Stage 2 clutch, Nitrous Oxide intercooler spray bar, Audi TT short shifter, Forge strut bearing caps, FK Silver Plus X coil over system, drilled and...

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From homecoming queen to trailer queen

When Joseph Witzgall went to purchase his first sports car in 1994, he suffered the typical plight of a recent college graduate. Jobless and without credit or savings, he was a red flag to any reputable financial lending institution. Sparing himself the groveling it would take to convince a wary loan official to cut him a break, he opted to fall on the mercies of his grandmother, who conceded to a five-year small interest loan. STATS BOX » Engine: 406 Chevy small block (528 hp/551 foot-pounds of torque) » Wheels: Boyd Coddington 17 x 9.5 (front) and 17 x 11 (back) » Performance: Tremec TKO 5-Speed, Accel Digital sequential fuel injection and ignition, Stahl...

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Ex-airman’s passion for BMWs is about more than just a label

Though BMW has always had a notable following among status-seeking yuppies savvy to image-conscious trends, it can be said with some confidence that the majority of these buyers who adopt the emblem don’t go beyond the casual assortment offered at their dealership. Michael Correa is no stranger to BMWs. While stationed in England, the former Air Force airman had dreams of purchasing an M3 but settled for the lesser, though still respectable, BMW 318i. Correa’s passion for modified BMWs crested when he discovered that the German company had a special program that offered custom packages for owners. STATS BOX Engine » 4-liter V-8 Wheels » DPE 20-inch satin black...

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A Scion with a Chevy engine? Now that's thinking outside the box

Depending on your own take, the boxy Scion xB has been the inspiration or bane of the custom car community ever since it was first produced. Its strange appeal has spawned an unexpected fan base, mostly a young twentysomething crowd with little money to burn, looking for economic ways to trick out a rather unsophisticated compact station wagon. Enter Rick Ramsey. At 56 years of age, Ramsey has no quarrel about being the exception to the rule. And the uniqueness of his 2004 Scion xB comes not from the age of the owner but the extreme engine work that has even Scion owners shaking their heads in disbelief. After his son Tyler brought home a Scion xB, Ramsey, who wrestled with socially...

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Returning style and performance to the Pontiac GTO

With so much dysfunction threatening to tear apart families these days, being born into one where like-minded individuals all share a similar passion for cars is a rare gem that helps to curb internal strife. So when Kyle Larson received his first car, a 2006 Pontiac GTO, it didn't sweeten the deal, it was simply part of it. The 19-year-old from Burtonsville, Md., explained that driving is not just a privilege but a rite of passage in his household. No sooner was he eligible to get behind the wheel than Larson made his way to the Motor Vehicle Administration to intercept his learner's permit hot off the laminator. As for the car, Larson said his parents, with the financial assistance of...

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A pickup with a monster truck stance

When you first lay eyes on this 1956 Ford crew cab, you might be inclined to do the same thing this writer did: pull a quick U-turn and flag down the driver to get a closer look at the mammoth purple beast that presents more like a Matchbox toy than a streetable truck. And despite how radical your reaction, chances are Ron Lowrey has seen similar. STATS BOX » Engine: Fuel-injected 460 engine » Paint: House of Kolor four-stage purple paint with flames » Exterior: 1949 illuminated Pontiac hood ornament, Pro Star wheels, Ford F-550 side mirrors, 45-gallon fuel tank recessed in the bed, dual cab In the three times he's had the truck out on the street since...

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Custom Camaro is more than meets the eye

Having the newest car on the road will do all sorts of things for your image, not to mention cause a few traffic jams in the process. Chase Levin knows what it feels like to be the center of attention. Stopping at intersections these days has become an exercise in affecting cool as curious eyes turn not to see the man behind the wheel but what he's driving. Soon after Dodge debuted its Challenger, Chevrolet wasted no time in reintroducing the Camaro. The modern interpretation of this classic muscle car has opened to mixed reviews, but there's no doubt that seeing one on the road will cause you to take a second look. STATS BOX » Engine: L99 LS3 6.2L V8 automatic »...

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