AMSOIL Lubricates Three High Profile Cars in the Big Apple

The 2009 New York Auto Show is underway at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. This is one of the world's premiere events for showcasing the latest and greatest in the auto scene. Though some of the glam has been muted due to the rocky economic terrain for U.S. automakers, it's still a prestigious ten day event.

This year, John Pangilinan’s aggressive wide body SCION TC struts up front in the SCION booth running a full line of AMSOIL products. SCION introduced the new iQ at the show which is making this booth a huge media draw.

Over in the Lexus booth is the Fox Marketing/Artisan 625hp Twin Turbo Lexus IS F. Hip Hop Artist Jadakiss was on hand to promote his new TV show on MTV which comes out this summer, the IS F as a background. Jada then took a few shots with the car, hopped inside, and fell in love all over again.

A major source of buzz at the New York Auto Show this year has been the National Guard Black Ops 350Z. Here's the backstory on this tuner's dream car.

Sgt. Nicholas Ashby of the California Army National Guard (CAARNG) became part of the 2007 Hot Import Nights Tour with a rolling memorial he built for three fellow Guardsmen who lost their lives in Iraq. The Fallen Heroes car was a very popular attraction at the National Guard display among attendees and won more than 23 trophies throughout the season. In 2008, the National Guard and Sgt. Ashby built a tuner car that used the Citizen Soldier as an inspiration. "I built and designed the new Citizen Soldier Tuner to show the fine line of being a Citizen and a Soldier," said Ashby. For 2009, Sgt. Ashby is back with the Black Ops 350z that combines the spirit of The National Guard with the performance of a race car. At the heart of this striking beast you'll find AMSOIL synthetic motor oils lubricating all the moving parts to provide optimal performance throughout.

The Black Ops 350Z will be attending Hot Import Nights shows around the country throughout the year. If you get a chance, ask the personable Ashby how he combined his Passion for Cars and his Service to Country to create the Official Guard Tuner.

"The Guard can help you to find your passion in life. It's where I found mine." ~Sgt. Nicholas Ashby

'52 Chevy Gettin' Ready For Road Tour

It won't be long till we see the 2009 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour criss-crossing the Continent in another eight-leg adventure led by the ever enthused Jerry Dixey who seems specially anointed for this task. Dixey, who's company Classic Automobilia features pedal cars and other nostalgic wares, somehow manages a remarkable quantity of details in assembling travel routes and station stops for the Road Tour. The kickoff for this year's tour is just a month away.

Street Rodder magazine is the host of the Road Tour, with AMSOIL title sponsor. The first order of business each year, even preceding destinations and travel routes, is selecting the year, make and model of the car that Jerry Dixey will drive as leader of the pack. For 2009 it will be a 1952 Chevy and as you can see from the photos, it is coming together nicely.

Some have asked how Street Rodder decides what car to build each year. There are several considerations in the decision. First, the editors are always trying to expand the street rod universe. Certain vintage cars have received so much attention that it is near impossible to break into the rodder scene with these cars because they're priced beyond reach, or impossible to find in their "raw" condition.

The choice of this year's 1952 Chevy was designed in part to give the editors a feel for learning how to work with newer cars. This selection also opens up a new breed of affordable, fun cars, pushing the envelope and opening new horizons.

From the initial conceptual drawing (below) to completed build there has been a lot of excitement being generated for this year's lead car in the 2009 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour.

NSRA Kicks Off New Season in Oklahoma City

For street rod enthusiasts, Oklahoma City will be the place to be April 3-5 2009 for the 26th Southwest Street Rod Nationals event. There will be thousands of vintage automobiles of pre-1949 manufacture gearing up to assemble there this weekend. AMSOIL is excited to be associated with these enthusiasts.

AMSOIL has been a National Street Rod Association (NSRA)sponsor since 2006. The NSRA is an organization dedicated to the vintage street rod market and is the core of the sport by connecting enthusiasts coast to coast. With a membership across the country that truly loves their sport and the people they meet along the way, these events are an experience unlike any other.

A weekend event the whole family can enjoy, an anticipated 1,500-2,000 street rods will be on display. With the Women’s World corner, trade show, vintage auto parts swap and more, it is a great way to beat the winter blues. Thousands of spectators and enthusiasts alike will descend on Oklahoma City to see some of the most beautifully restored vehicles of their time.

Details:
26th Southwest Street Rod Nationals
State Fair Park, Oklahoma City, OK

Dates & Hours:
Friday April 3 -- 8:30 A.M-5:00 P.M.
Sat. April 4 -- 8:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Sun. April 5 -- 8:30 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

Cool Blue Continues To Look Hot

"Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude." ~Marston

John Pangilinan and his 2009 Scion tC just completed a photo shoot for Toyo Tires. AMSOIL has been a sponsor of this talented builder for the previous couple of years, and has been keeping up with this rising star in the tuner industry. With plenty of achievements already under his belt, his most recent was a 1st place win at the annual Scion Tuner Challenge that won him a trophy and $10,000. Not bad for fueling your passion.

From the first project car, a 2000 BMW 3-Series, John has tasted success. That first project car won him over 40 awards, was featured in the film Herbie: Fully Loaded and also featured in a national advertising campaign for Meguiars Car Care. As a result of the national and international coverage of the BMW, John emerged with both respect and experience in the tuner world.

AMSOIL teamed up with John two years ago when he was exhibiting at the SEMA show. We caught up with him a few months ago and asked some questions about his passion for the tuner market.

AMSOIL: How long have you been involved in building cars?
JP: I’ve been building cars since I was 16, but back then it was mostly to impress the girls in high school. During my college and after college years I really became involved in entering car shows such as Hot Import Nights and Import Showoff. Eventually this lead to winning awards and receiving magazine coverage along the way. After I retired my last show car I started consulting on various project cars for different clients and companies. This SEMA I was asked to participate in the Scion Tuner Challenge, where I will compete against 3 other builders with a Scion tC.

AMSOIL: How many vehicles have you built to date?
JP: I’ve built a few vehicles including my 2000 BMW Widebody E46, the Motegi Racing G35, BN Sports Nissan S14 drift car, and my current project a 2009 Scion tC.

AMSOIL: What is your favorite part of being a builder, and why?
JP: My favorite part of being a builder is incorporating personal style and creativity into the project. I really enjoy being able to design the look and feel of vehicles and seeing the end result.

AMSOIL: Do you have a philosophy on the goals you want to achieve in this industry?
JP: I would like to leave a lasting impression in this industry and enjoy my time in it. I have made some really great friends along way and nothing beats doing what you enjoy.

AMSOIL: What is your proudest achievement in this arena?

JP: There are a few proud moments for me including my first cover of a magazine, winning Best BMW overall in 2004 by the NCCA, and being chosen as a builder in 2008 for the Scion Tuner Challenge.

My ideal car to build on would be an Audi R8 because I think it would be a challenge to make an already amazingly designed car even better.

AMSOIL: Do you do this Full-time? Part-time? As a hobby?
JP: I build vehicles part-time and as a hobby. I consult on various builds for clients throughout the year, but never really have 100% control over it. That is why I was very excited to be part of the Scion Tuner Challenge for SEMA this year.

AMSOIL: Do you have a favorite AMSOIL product in addition to the oil?
JP: I really like the P.I. as it improves the fuel mileage and reduces exhaust emissions. I like to be green whenever possible.

Look for John’s 2009 Scion tC in upcoming Toyo Tires advertisements and promotions.

Cupp Wins Awards With Panster & TT Deluxe

On Monday we received a nice email from Jeremy Cupp whose very special bike has been featured in several AMSOIL ads this past year. Writes Cupp, "I thought I'd let you know that the Panster has won the Editor's Pick for best in show at the Easyriders Invitational this past weekend." In addition, his new TT Deluxe, wearing an Amsoil decal, won a VQ award at the same show, which is considered the Emmy of motorcycling. Cupp was delighted to see his workmanship get this kind of industry recognition.

A native of Virginia, Jeremy Cupp has a wife named Lindsay, three kids and a dog named Zeke. He grew up on dirt bikes, 4-wheelers with a little mountain bike racing for good measure. He’s currently a machinist at Cupp Manufacturing and in his spare time president of LC Fabrications, when he’s not fishing or camping with his family.

When we caught up with him, Cupp was still on a high from his weekend.

Where did you get your ideas about what you wanted to do with the Panster?
The Panster started with a pair of Trock Cylinders that a good friend had in his stash of vintage motorcycle jewels. I’m a hard core Sportster fan, and wanted to do something different, he told me of the Shovsters that Trock was doing years ago, so I decided to try a Panster. The rest of the bike was loosely based on a picture of a 1911 Harley that I have, I wanted a sort of modernized, hot rod version of that bike. And what was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in this project? Definitely the engine, to tear down, inspect, replace parts, and rebuild an engine is one thing, but don’t think that makes you a mechanic, a project like this one was a huge learning experience and took a much greater understanding of how things work and how you can alter basically everything and try to make it still all work together.

Your TT Deluxe, wearing an AMSOIL logo, has now won a VQ Award. What is it that makes the bikes you build so special and unique?
I really think my edge is that I don’t pay a professional to do anything at all. I’m not shooting for perfection. I want a completely hand-made custom, one where you can look at each part and imagine the man in his shop late at night working away on it. It’s not about being better than the next guy or spending a fortune on paint, it’s about the need to create, the love for anything mechanical, and having a true passion for what you do.

You’re obviously passionate about bike building. Where does your motivation or drive come from?
I love anything with wheels or an engine, and I have a need to do things my own way, right or wrong. I always want to learn more and develop my skills and the only way for me to learn is to do it. The Bible tells us to do every job as if it were for the Lord himself, and often when I’m feeling tired or burned out I hear those words in my head and that keeps me moving.

EdNote: The photos here are Jeremy Cupp's TT Deluxe. The Panster can be seen in ads which have appeared in magazines like Hot Bike and American Iron, among others. Both bikes features AMSOIL synthetic motorcycle oils.