One-owner cars that are cared-for and well-maintained are wonderful finds; however, in such cases, TLC and modifications rarely go hand-in-hand.
Fortunately for us, forum member “Furious1” became the second owner of the vehicle above, which used to be a stock 2001 Pontiac Trans Am WS6.
He started personalizing it by adding an SLP lid and a Speed Inc. high-flow air filter. Then he threw on some metallic-navy Blackbird stripes and matching blue brake calipers.
By the time he photographed his white whip in August of last year, it was missing its side moldings and rocking a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust with quad tips. With a Speed Inc. tune and SI5 cam, as well as headers, this CCW Ride of the Month-winner cranks out 388 horsepower and 363 pound-feet of torque at its rear 20 X 11 505A rollers.
Nice job, Furious1. You’ve taken your WS6 a long way from its factory looks, but you stayed within the realm of good taste by keeping it simple, clean and subtle.
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.
