Feature: Mr Chob’s Wild Ride

Every once and a little while, something big comes along that changes your world. It deconstructs your perceptions and a new idea rises from the ashes of what you knew. Well, this is not that. Not everything that shapes or educates you needs to be earth shattering; in fact it’s probably safe to say that we aren’t often shaped by one single event in our lives, but rather thousands of tiny ones. This JZS161 is the story of one of those thousand events.

Enter Eric Corvera, or ‘Chob’ as many know him. This name may or may not be familiar, but chances are that you might know Chob and not even know it (not personally, of course). You see, Chob made his bones in Chicago: a city with an automotive scene that’s synonymous with words like Risky Devil and Junkhouse. In fact, a simple Google search of Risky Devil S14 will lead you directly to Chob and his work (as you see above). However, that S14 is behind Chob now and it’s time to “proceed” forward.

As I mentioned earlier, there are thousands of little things that have the possibility to shape and change your perception every day. This probably happens when someone breaks with tradition and not only does something different, but does it right. For the most part, when you see a well built GS in North America you expect to see it slammed on bags with 3-piece wheels. The VIP scene has rightfully laid claim to what we see for styling in regards to the GS. We quickly forget that in Japan people like Max Orido use this fair-sized sedan as a track vehicle.

Chob was one of the few people who drew from the well of Japanese inspiration and found some motivation and challenged himself. It would have been simple to keep drifting the S14, but instead he moved into this 2JZ-GTE powered GS300 and got to re-learning everything he knew about driving. You could never tell from watching him on the track now, but apparently it was a steep learning curve.

I’ll admit when I first saw the car with its Work 11rft’s, I was confused. I wondered where were all the shiny bits? Why was this car sitting on cast wheels instead of multi-piece wheels? Where were all the VIP comforts that I’ve familiarized myself with over the years?

Then I heard the 2JZ blaring through that straight pipe and all my questions and misconceptions disappeared. It was as if those Japanese drift videos that I used to watch were about to happen in real life.

Everything about this car stands in complete opposition to what I thought I knew and I love it. The build list also reads like a letter of intent. The JDM 2JZ-GTE has been upgraded with the bigger USDM 550cc injectors and Camshaft. The automatic transmission obviously had to be upgraded  in favor of the 5-speed R154 and paired with Drift motion 3.5 in aluminum driveshaft. The stock differential was also replaced in favour of the Tomei Traxxas 2-way.

It’s simple to say Chob does this all himself, but the car is a team effort. RCN Motors is the back bone of this entire endeavor, they keep the car running. Add Touge Factory, MBquart and Dan at JBA Autowerks, and Chob has all his bases covered. The car stays running and keeps on looking good, which is key in the Chicago scene. As I discovered, you can’t just own a nice car – that car has to be driven. And if you don’t check both of those boxes, then you’re doing it all wrong. It’s cars like this and people like Chob who make the Chicago scene so notoriously amazing. The lesson here is simple: don’t be afraid to step out of the box and try something new. Just be sure you commit and follow through.

Engine:
JDM 2JZGTE
USDM camshafts
USDM 550cc injectors
Precision 6262
Tial 48mm wastegate
Fuel dampener bypass AN nylon line.
Walbro fuel pump.
3″ front mount Intercooler with 2.5″ hot side and 3″ cold side aluminum piping
RCN Motors v-band
downpipe/exhaust
Tial blow off valve
AEM EMS v2
AEM MAP Sensor
AEM Intake air temp sensor
AEM Boost Solenoid

Drivetrain:
R154
Marlin crawler shifter bushings
Marlin crawler thrust washer
Exedy Twin Plate
ASPEC Shifter housing extension
Drift motion 3.5 in aluminum driveshaft with chromoly u joint
Tomei Traxxas 2-way

Wheels:
Work 11rft 18×9.5+15/18×10.5+22

Brakes:
stainless steel braided lines
EBC yellow pads
Brembo blanks

Suspension:
Stance Supersport coilovers

Exterior:
VIS aero

Interior:
Keys wheel
Bride Gias low max
Touge Factory Knob
JZA80 clutch pedal assembly
JZA80 clutch master
S14 ebrake
Defi link
Defi oil temp
Defi oil pressure
Defi water temp
Defi boost
AEM UEGO
Alpine DVD player
MB Quart 1-RM440.4 /440 watt amp
1-RM1000.1/ 1000 watt amp
1-PWM304/ 12″ subwoofer
2-RKM113/ speakers with tweeters
MAXXLINK Sound Deadening Car Kit
V3 Amplifier kits

Sponsors:
RCN Motors
Touge Factory
MBquart
Dan at JBA Autowerks