Let’s take a step back a minute. Years ago, James Evans had a RB26DETT-powered S13 that was taking podium spots at local Formula D events. Like everything else in life, things evolve and it came time to out-do oneself. When planning on the buildup of this 350Z, the owner of JE Import Performance decided he wasn’t going to let the V8 cars dominating Formula D push him around. Instead, he was going to beat them at their own game.

Photo Gallery: 2003 Nissan 350Z – JE Import Performance – Super Street Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2003 Nissan 350Z – JE Import Performance – Super Street Magazine

The EVO is a scalpel among butter knives. Hellacious, visceral and ball busting are a few adjectives that come close to describing the Lancer Evolution driving experience. As rewarding as the EVO is out of the box, few cars make more willing boost-up partners. Our mission is to take an ‘06 EVO IX and make pure, reliable power with a Zen-like balance of hardware and software, and do it in a highly cost-effective manner. Best of all, our endeavor will also show techniques that relate to modding almost every turbo car. Boost junkies, pay attention.

Photo Gallery: 2006 Mitsubishi EVO IX – Budget Boost-Up – Import Tuner Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2006 Mitsubishi EVO IX – Budget Boost-Up – Import Tuner Magazine

In a perfect world, we would all have cars that could go as fast as we want, look like a masterpiece and bring members of the opposite sex to their collective knees at the slightest blip of the throttle. Unfortunately, the world isn’t perfect and isn’t a videogame where we can simply enter a “god code” and get whatever we want. Even in movies and books there are stories of a man who attempts to create his utopia by genetically engineering the perfect species. This man ultimately becomes mad and fails miserably. The balance of nature is ruined and perfection becomes an abomination.

Photo Gallery: 1994 Mazda RX-7 – Nissan RB26DETT Powered – Super Street Magazine

Photo Gallery: 1994 Mazda RX-7 – Nissan RB26DETT Powered – Super Street Magazine

By now, most of you should be familiar with our Project Integra, from seeing it as the test subject of “Fact or Fiction” installments or the random tech article (like “Ditch the Daily Grind”, Feb ‘10 2NR). What our newer readers won’t remember is that it started out as the subject of our “Ultimate Efficiency” tech series, started over two years ago to demonstrate how modifying your car to increase style and performance can also bring the benefit of increased fuel efficiency, allowing your mods to pay for themselves over time. Here’s what you may have missed:

Photo Gallery: Increasing Performance, Efficiency and Style – Import Tuner Magazine

Photo Gallery: Increasing Performance, Efficiency and Style – Import Tuner Magazine

By now, most of you should be familiar with our Project Integra, from seeing it as the test subject of “Fact or Fiction” installments or the random tech article (like “Ditch the Daily Grind”, Feb ‘10 2NR). What our newer readers won’t remember is that it started out as the subject of our “Ultimate Efficiency” tech series, started over two years ago to demonstrate how modifying your car to increase style and performance can also bring the benefit of increased fuel efficiency, allowing your mods to pay for themselves over time. Here’s what you may have missed:

Photo Gallery: Increasing Performance, Efficiency and Style – Import Tuner Magazine

Photo Gallery: Increasing Performance, Efficiency and Style – Import Tuner Magazine