Congratulations to Alvin Puertollano’s Infiniti G35 making an appearance on page 119 of Modified Magazine as part of a feature on CES 2008. The cameras love this car as it consistently makes frequent cameos throughout national and international news stands. Our members continue to raise the bar for industry innovation and creativity. Who else, but Team Hybrid?

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In Import Tuner June 2008 issue, pg 028, there is an article about Import Showoff’s Chinatown car show billed as JDM vs. DTM. There is an event picture of our Team Hybrid/BFGoodrich lineup and display. Import Tuner wrote, “…to Hybrid cars rolled deep – as did a handful of import model honeys.”

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Congratulations to Project Director: James Lin, Founder/President and Project Manager: David Huang, the MVP & Stylist member of Team Hybrid for a main feature on www.AutoImportCraze.com on their 1st place 2006 Scion xA SEMA Team Challenge.

AIC: What inspired the design for the 2006 Scion xA Challenge?
HYBRID: Every heavy-hitter’s vehicle within the history of Team Hybrid has all inspired the design for the 2006 Scion xA Challenge you see today. The exterior color for example, is a resemblance from the team’s top Acura Integra, which belongs to a national guard and a father of two whom past away at a young age because of brain cancer. Gold was also chosen because we wanted to be number one, to win the 1st place gold trophy. The JDM components of the vehicle such as brakes, suspension, wheels and bodykit are all inspired by the members on the team that have always believed in quality over quantity. The custom fiberglass inside out the vehicle such as the wide body and audio enclosures are all inspired by the members on the team that always push over the top to create the ultimate “Hybrid Quality” factor. Nevertheless, Hybrid Formula is a term we use to summarize all inspirations on any successful vehicle built you see past and present from Team Hybrid.

AIC: What particular modification was a challenge to execute?
HYBRID: Since we have really pushed over the edge with this project, every necessary step that we took from the start of rendering to the major modification you see on the car were all big challenges to execute. These major modifications include the wheel’s bolt 4 to 5 lug pattern conversion, custom wide body specifically to fit over the 19×10 all around wheels, full fiberglass audio enclosures, custom turbo, and more.

AIC: Not only did you win the 2006 Scion Challenge but repeated as 2007 Scion Challenge winners this past SEMA? How did that feel to win against tough competition?
HYBRID: Yes, winning such great honor back-to-back is sure a great rush to each member that involved in the project. Team Hybrid is not only very proud of this achievement, but is also grateful to every member and sponsor that helped along the way of this built. We also would like to thank our competitions to bring their A-game on the table; without them, we wouldn’t have become the only diamond that outshines all the stones.

AIC: What’s next for Team Hybrid?
HYBRID: Continue to co-brand itself w/ BFGoodrich and we always have something up our sleeve so you will have to see a sample of our next innovation with your own eyes at the 2008 SEMA Show later this year, as our tradition continues to make history! Lastly, even after 13 years, Team Hybrid is still purely a car club and will continue to be the finest, oldest, most innovative and well-balanced import car club in the country.

AIC: Final thoughts & shout outs you would like to make?
HYBRID: Project Director, James Lin, the Founder & President of Team Hybrid; Project Manager, David Huang, the MVP & Stylist member of Team Hybrid; Daniel Lim, the designer whom rendered the artworks of both projects; Scion & Beyond Marketing, Everyone that was involved and supported both projects esp. members of Team Hybrid (www.TeamHybrid.com, www.HybridHunnyz.com) and our following sponsors: BFGoodrich, AutoMeter, bBist.com, SoundStream, Status Racing, Endless, Zeal, AME, JIC Magic, Air Walker, NR-G Innovations, Optima Battery, Meguiar’s, DTM Autobody, TWS, Danstoy Fabrication, Creative Audio & Motorsports

For more details of the article and pictures, please click on the link below.

http://autoimportcraze.com/fcar3.php?CarID=48

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In HCI April 2008 issue, pg 016, there is an article about SEMA 2007, Las Vegas. There is an event picture of our 1st place Team Hybrid’s Scion Tuner Challenge xD.

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In Import Tuner March 2008 issue, pg 022, there is a half page article about Team Hybrid titled, “TEAMHYBRID FTW.” There is a large picture of our 1st place Green Scion Team Tuner Challenge Hybrid xD taken at a studio. Import Tuner wrote, “What started off as a blip on the radar of sport compact competition later gave birth to one of the most looked-forward to build-off events of 2007, as the enthusiasm Scion met with last year’s first annual Scion Tuner Challenge prompted the company to present an even bigger opportunity for tuners the second time around. For 2007, Scion gave Southern California’s Team Auto Concept Elite, Team Koshak and Team Hybrid each identical ’08 xD’s, and a budget of $15,000 to create a winning build to be judged by the NCCA. Accepting the challenge, each team upped the ante set by last year’s competition. After consideration, it was Team Hybrid that took top honors at the this year’s SEMA show. Coordinated by James Lin, this year’s car featured a custom Garrett turbo kit, ING+1 exterior styling dressed in custom House of Kolor hues, a CREATIVE custom figerglass interior and custom Air Runner suspension. www.scion.com”

This is the 3rd article this year about our award winning 1st place Scion xD in a major import magazine and we are still in the first month of the new year. Furthermore, this is also back to back (Feb & March 08) appearances of Team Hybrid cars featured in Import Tuner.

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Congratulations to Project Director, James Lin and Project Manager, David Huang’s 2008 Scion xD in a 1 page feature in Scion’s OEM Catalogue Winter/Spring 08/Issue 12/Page 61. This is another huge accomplishment for this car and our team because this OEM catalogue is in EVERY SCION DEALERSHIP IN NORTH AMERICA. Imagine the kind of exposure our team is getting. You thought making a feature and/or cover (most import peoples’ #1 goal) of a major import magazine was an accomplishment, imagine your car making into a major car manufacture’s OEM catalogue. What import team past or present can live up to our standard of achievements. David and I continue to lead by example and we continue to live up to the YEAR OF THE HYBRIDZ.

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Congratulations to Frank D Klepadlo’s 2006 Scion tC making a feature on www.UrbanRacer.com on 03/06/2008. New rising star/gun for Team Hybrid.

URC staff writes, “2006 SCION tC AA Autoworks’ widebody purple passion jumps on the 2008 show tour. In the world of import tuning, incomplete projects are more plentiful than completed ones. This is no mystery; fact is, most owners will admit even after reaching a modding plateau that their car build is still unfinished. There is always something else, an overlooked improvement, an obscure part, some ongoing tuning. In a way, it’s kinda like the American dream; can’t be satisfied with some, have to have more.

Frank D Klepadlo has noticed the sea of half-asses, and is not amused. The tC owner and shop manager at AA Autoworks, a body shop in Van Nuys, Calif., has watched his Scion kin grow in their incomplete ranks, but preferred to build his car into something a little more closer to completion before debuting it. More than that, though, he sought create a build that was fleshed out, unique, and in some ways, pushed to the limits.

The palette was his 2006 Scion tC, a vehicle he purchased new three years ago. Destined to be a show queen, the car was decommissioned for months as Klepadlo got to dumping tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of labor to create what you see here.

It all started under the hood. Klepadlo went the forced-induction route on the 2AZ-FE 2.4-liter bullet, sourcing one of GReddy’s internally-wastegated 18G turbos and the accompanying kit. The system includes a turbo manifold, front-mount intercooler and plumbing, Trust intake and an e-Manage ECU piggyback. Further supplements revolve around the forced-air setup, including the Walbro 255lph fuel pump, HKS SQV blow-off valve and custom Flowmaster exhaust system.

With power generated, it was time to figure out how to get it to the pavement. The gearbox receives revolutions through a TRD heavy-duty clutch assembly. The forward Monarch mesh 19s take it from the axles and then grab hold via Toyo Proxes 4 rubber, gripping with an impressive 295-sized footprint in back. To make sure the car stays planted, AA setup the hatchback with TRD dampers, Tein S Tech coils and another one-two of TRD in the front strut tower bracing and rear stabilizer bar.

Not satisfied with a default tune, Klepadlo took his turbo’d tC to Paul at Yimi Sport in Santa Clarita, where through extensive e-Manage tweaking he extracted a reported 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, very respectable for 10psi of boost on a car that made 161 and 163 in stock trim. To rein it all in, Rotora brake goodness is attached at each hub, rotors, pads, and steel-braided lines all around with the fronts receiving an extra helping of stopping power in a Big Brake kit upgrade. Motul fluid flows through the lines.

Klepadlo next turned his attention to the exterior, and as one might imagine from an employee of a body shop, he knew it had to be unique. The custom purple candy color and decals by AA are tasteful, for sure, but it’s the elaborate shaping that really grabs the eye. Note the nicely incorporated AIT K1 fender flares, or the subtle elimination of the rear quarter windows with what Klepadlo calls “FK” windows (named after him, of course). The process of installing FK windows involves removing the glass, welding in a molded piece of sheet metal and reshaping the area to maintain the flow of the body lines.

Carbon fiber accents also mark the Scion’s outward looks. Again, AA’s influence is felt in the front and rear bumpers, where carbon APR splitters were cleverly incorporated to look like the two separate pieces were one. We also find the compulsory carbon vented hood and wing on the tC, an AIT variety for the bonnet and Rotora’s GT aero offering mounted on the trunk.

The cabin of the tC has also been altered, though Klepadlo admits it’s still somewhat of a work in progress. The front seats have been swapped out for Sparco Sprint 5 buckets and matching 3-point restraints, and supplemental Autometer gauges dot the dash area. Both shift knob and steering wheel are Momo, with the wheel secured via NRG short hub and quick release. As for entertainment, under the hatch is an arsenal of Absolute USA gear – namely an amp, two 12-inch subs and a pair of monitors – housed in a custom fiberglass, carbon fiber and suede enclosure.

Completed just weeks ago, the purple tC has already begun to earn awards. At the 2008 JDM vs. DTM Chinatown Car Show in Los Angeles, it took home second-place honors for Best Scion. Klepadlo hopes to further campaign the car in such high-profile settings as this year’s SEMA Show and the next “Fast & Furious” movie. In the interim, more juice in coming: new wheels, new exhaust, new suspension, new sounds, and the inclusion of nitrous oxide.

Adding more, already, you might be thinking? It’s not that Klepadlo can’t finish his projects. Like any car guy with his salt, he just doesn’t know when to stop.”

Here are some pictures from the feature but if you would like to see the complete article w/ all the pictures, click on the link below.

http://urbanracer.com/articles/anmvi…sp?a=3030&z=40

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Congratulations to Alvin Puertollano’s Infiniti G35 making a 6 page feature of the Russian magazine Tuning Expert, March 2008, pgs 048-053. This is the 2nd magazine feature of a Hybrid car in a Russian magazine. Who would of thought a team that started out in Oxnard, California thirteen years ago would be seen worldwide. Team Hybrid has now been published and documented twice in Russia. Thanks again to our member, Eric Lam and the great Russian photographer, Paul Aerodeck. It is the Year of the Hybridz.

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