1972 Datsun Fairlady Z - Ground Control

If most of those names didn't register, it's really time to brush up on your tuning/racing history. Kelvin, on the other hand, has a good excuse for being the venerable walking historian when it comes to Japanese cars. His current 9-to-5 is Mazda North American Operation, Director of R&D Engineering, which means that Kelvin is solely responsible for at least one thing going right (or wrong) inside your Mazda (just don't blame him for your homemade cold-air intake warping your Miata's cylinder head.) His hobbies outside of work obviously include the building and restoring of the only car that can be labeled as the godfather of modern tuning. Without the Fairlady Z, who knows what kind of crap we'd be fixing up these days.

Underneath the hood of Kelvin's Z is proof that 1) Anything is possible and 2) The kick-ass combination of a fobby Chinese guy and ghetto Black man in Rush Hour 2 has been pushed back a spot in the "Five Favorite Kick-Ass/Bad-Ass Combinations in History" list. Because the top spot now belongs to the combination of an RB25DET 2.5L turbocharged engine and '72 Datsun Fairlady Z RHD. Swapped by Vildini Motorsports of Mission Viejo, California, the RB25DET in the Z's engine bay is as sick as swine flu. Though it's mostly stock, the motor does sport some aftermarket products that give it a push on the streets. But the fact that an RB25DET is sitting inside a '72 Fairlady Z should be modification enough.

Besides who needs some lame short-ram air filter when the rest of the car not only looks like it should belong inside the Petersen Automotive Museum, but also feature major chassis modifications that should belong racing at Super Lap Battle. From the Suspension Techniques front and rear sway bars to the Ground Control coilovers with Tokico Illumina dampers and Eibach springs, this Fairlady Z maybe as swift around the corner as the modern-day Z. Moving the chassis is a set of specially machined and custom-fitted 17-inch Racing Hart C4-R wheels wrapped in sticky Yokohama S-Drive tires. The wheels are as fresh as the brakes that stop them: Wilwood ventilated discs, ceramic brake pads and stainless steel brake lines. It's an overall dope chassis setup that you're not embarrassed to take to the track one day and the car show fairgrounds on the other.

But then again, who would ever be embarrassed to take this Fairlady Z anywhere? It's a classic Japanese car that has been restored to the highest of standards. If it doesn't turn new-school tuners to the old school ways, I'm not sure what will. I am sure, though, that my "Five Cars I Want in My Garage" would never be complete without a Fairlady Z, preferably one that looks exactly like Kelvin's ride. Now if I can finish off the "Five Women I'd Like To Bone," I can finally log off Facebook and get back to watching new porn videos.