If you talk to enough gear heads, you’ll realize a lot of them get their dream cars several years after they go out of production. Whether it’s because of a lack of funds or the need for kid-carrying space, many automotive enthusiasts have to delay their satisfaction.
A gentleman named Brandon is not one of them. He ordered his 1997 Trans Am WS6 on July 23, 1996. After it was manufactured, his car went to SLP for conversion to WS6 spec. Brandon then took delivery of his LT1-powered Pontiac – no front license plate holder and no dealer stickers/advertising. He says on his website, “The car was exactly like I wanted.”
That’s not entirely accurate.
Apparently, he wanted it to be a little more lively, powerful and efficient. He added parts such as a skip shift eliminator that keeps him from having to jump from first to fourth gear under light throttle, an aluminum 1LE driveshaft, a Borla exhaust system and power pulleys that “reduce accessory drive speed.” A ported mass air flow sensor which allows more air into the 5.7-liter V8 and a throttle body by-pass that makes incoming air cooler and more power-dense also contribute to a dyno reading of 301 rwhp and 328 lb-ft.
Keeping the T/A nice and stiff while that grunt is being transmitted through the short-throw shifter are subframe connectors, an X brace and a strut tower brace from L.G. Motorsport(G2).
With mods like those, Brandon also doesn’t have to wait for a surge of speed when he puts his foot to the right pedal.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
