You might know that I’m a nostalgic fellow, and a recent post on the Need For Speedhunting brought back many memories.
My morning routine started with opening up several Speedhunters tabs. As the day went on, I would pick through the posts in my downtime, reading almost every one of them from start to finish and then following all the outbound links. I even commented on odd occasions.
Learning about car communities around the globe is what ultimately led me to become a part of the Speedhunters team. I wanted to contribute to documenting all the weird, wacky and exciting aspects of global car culture, starting in my Canadian backyard.
The list of talent that has graced this website over the past decade and a half is quite extensive. However, two of my all-time favourite contributors are Mike Garrett and Keith Charvonia. Like myself, they balanced their love for Americana with an interest in everything else.
If I saw their names in a byline, I clicked right away. Doing so would expose me to something I knew I would like or introduce me to something entirely new and different.
Speedhunters is unique because of the eclectic mix of contributors and the fact that we are generously permitted to explore all aspects of car culture.
Following a photo of a Marlboro-liveried Mercedes-Benz 300 CE up with a Dodge van air-brushed with a fantasy scene wouldn’t be appropriate for the other automotive outlets I contribute to, but it is for Speedhunters.
Need for Speed games – which Speedhunters has family ties with – allow for diversity in player vehicle creations, and the same goes here. Expect the unexpected at all times.
For example, you typically would not find a fuel tank under a Mini’s hood. That’s where the engine usually resides – or at least where they have traditionally been located.
Swapping B- and K-series Honda engines into classic Minis has become so commonplace that the natural next thing was always going to be mounting them right over the rear axle to drive the back wheels.
In this case, the engine in the rear is a K20 mated to a 6-speed transmission housed in a custom cradle and surrounded by an extensive roll cage. The goal for this Mini is 700whp thanks to a Vibrant-intercooled Precision 6262 turbocharger setup.
Showcasing cars built outside of any given ruleset is what makes Speedhunters, Speedhunters. And the crazier the combination, the better.
Year after year, Toronto’s Motorama Custom Car & Motorsports Expo is one of the best places to show you what Ontario, Canada has to offer in this regard. The 2024 event kept up the tradition.
I’ve got a spotlight on four of my favorite cars from Motorama 2024 coming – sneak peek above – but until then, there’s more from the event for you to check out in the gallery below.
Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom
