Those who frequent the internet are probably all guilty of binged time wasting sessions. The ones where you’re still awake at wee hours of the morning reading up on topic Z before realising you’ve just burnt a couple of hours – completely diverted from topic A.
Close to a decade ago, I discovered Mighty Car Mods on YouTube as a result of a binged internet browsing session. YouTube back in 2008 was vastly different when compared with its mature 2017 self, particularly when it came to automotive content. At the time, most car videos which appeared on the results page were short clips uploaded straight from a potato. The idea of a quality edited video was not common so upon discovering MCM, I was instantly hooked. It did help that Marty and MOOG were great on-screen presenters with a sense of humour, and that the vehicles they modified were of Japanese nature – my favourite kind. As MCM is an Australian-based channel, the content also has a local flavor; another reason I was lured in.
One of the traits I really admire from the MCM boys is that till this day – they still produce the show as a hobby. Both Marty and MOOG work regular jobs outside of YouTube and have previously spoken out that MCM will always be a project that’s fuelled by passion. We’ve all heard the age old saying; don’t mix business with pleasure. Although the exact opposite may work for some, the MCM boys are evidence of the former – always pushing their creative juices and offering a different perspective when it comes to releasing new videos. Even when they do a sponsored video with product placement, the brands they associate with tie directly into the relevance of the content produced. Take for example their latest 350Z project which subtly incorporates related elements of the new Need for Speed Payback game. There are no sell out vibes at all.
Marty and MOOG are passionate modifiers. With such a large fan base in all states of Australia, the duo decided to hold a few meet and greets around the country this year – complete with some of the cars we’ve come to love from the show. When MCM announced that they would be visiting Adelaide, I knew I’d have to attend – not only as a chance to see some of the show’s cars with my own eye balls – but to give Marty and MOOG a pat on the back for doing what they do.
As a surprise, MCM didn’t announce which cars they’d bring down. I was hoping to get a glimpse of Tay Tay (MOOG’s drift-built 180SX), Super Gramps (Marty’s 262 all-wheel kilowatt, 11 second Liberty wagon) and the Honda-powered Mini (owned by MOOG). The first two cars were notably absent but I still got a chance to perv at the Mini; that was worth the $25 admission entry alone. MCM’s 9 second Toyota Cresta also made an appearance – parachute installed and all.
MOOG’s Mark VII Mini Cooper is a Japanese-spec model. To make it go faster and in keeping with the theme, a heart transplant was carried out in the form of a B16B engine conversion, thanks to a donor EK9 Civic Type R. Although the Honda-powered Mini only spits out 104 front-wheel kilowatts, the entire car only weights about 700 kg. The Mini also wears South Australian shoes – 13 x 7 inch Superlite rims sit on all four corners – and are manufactured locally by Performance Wheels, a company based in Adelaide.
MCM routinely host their meet and greets at race tracks around Australia. The Adelaide meet would be no exception, with Mallala race circuit the venue of choice. Eager fans who pre-registered also got some time out on track; some even racing side-by-side with Marty and MOOG.
Fourth-generation BB4 Honda Preludes are not a common chassis for time attack racing. However, the owner of the BB4 below begged to differ, completely guttering the Prelude’s interior and rear chassis to create space for a mid-engine and rear-wheel drive conversion. I’m unsure which motor was installed but the entire package sure does look impressive.
It was great to see the Mod Max S15 driven in anger. The guys were having a blast – unleashing plenty of smoke from the S15’s rear treads and playing a thunderous opera through the LS1-V8’s bonnet-mounted exhaust tips.
Wandering around the venue gave an insightful view to the types of cars owned by South Australian MCM fans.
With sky high sales of the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ in Australia, stock examples litter the streets in every direction. It was refreshing to see some neatly modified examples at the MCM Adelaide meet.
Mighty Car Mods has existed on YouTube for 9 years now. Marty and MOOG continue to excite and offer content that is not only refreshing but authentically humorous. Having built cars around simple DIY in their garages – through to 9 second drag cars utilising state-of-the-art ECU tuning and intuitive custom fabrication, MCM continues to offer fun videos catered to car enthusiasts from all walks of life. At the heart of it, Marty and MOOG are two mates who love modifying cars – just like you and I.
