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January 2005 - KevShek (P11)

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    Posted: 15 Jun 2007 at 11:48pm

Congratulations go to Kevin Shek for becoming the first Car of the Month for 2005.

It was a very popular choice this month to show some NPOC respect and give the honour to the Skymera, a true modified car and an inspiration for many fellow Primera owners.

Well done Kevin, you've received many honours for your work on Skymera, how does it feel to receive Car of the Month from your home club?

It goes without saying that recognition for your work is good, but from your own club, it is a bit more special. I hope this will give encouragement to those who want to do more to their car, and not be afraid to do it.

Before we discuss Skymera, we'd love to hear a bit about yourself, your family and what else interests you.

Well, I'm nearly 29 years young, married to my lovely wife Andrea. We have 3 children, Liam our eldest (aged 9), Adam (aged 6), and little Aimee (11 months). I'm self employed, run my own Chinese Takeaway (NPOC Discount btw!) don't have much time for anything else really as the business and family life take up most of my time. What I can do from home is to find some time to work on little projects for my car, which then turn into HUGE projects. I have my own work space, a variety of tools and equipment which allows me to spend some free time to be creative. It's this creativeness, coupled with the results of my labour which keeps me satisfied and interested in modifying.

Can you tell us what first got you interested in the Primera and why you first began modifying it?

I've always like the Primeras, it really started when a friend offered me a P10 eZX but at the time, I was too young to insure it and couldn't afford the car really. It wasnt until I became self employed, needed a bigger, newer car that the Primera became a possibility. Once I bought it, I loved it, as I knew I would, but just wanted to make it faster and better. It came to a point when i discovered that there was more to the car than at first thought possible. With the power of the net, I met a group of people who showed me just what was possible with the car, styling and performance wise. It was this that spurred me on. Everyone in the club or even outside of the club knows about the stigma that us Primera owners have, this gave me a good excuse to do what I did and to show just how good the Primera was. To show its true potential, to do something that Nissan should have done to begin with.

At what point did you decide to move from the standard mod list that normally applies into going for something totally out of the ordinary and was Skymera always your vision even in the earlier days?

I dont really know to be honest. I'd owned the car for about 2 year at this point, I'd already done a lot of styling (Stillen Front, Vectra rear diffuser, 22B Spoiler) but I thought I could do with achange. I did see an Infiniti G20 with the R34 headlights, but that was all he did, so I began to look into changing the whole front of the car, to make it stand out even more. I wanted the car to grab peoples attention, to create something thought provoking. There is a lot of respect for the R34, I just thought by doing something as drastic as this, it would achieve even some of that, and it has.

You seem to always adopt a 'go for it' attitude even to monumental tasks, does anyone give you inspiration to do this or do you always work on your own?

Most of the time, it's just a case of I need something or want something, the thing requires fitting, so I basically think of a way to do it, and to make it presentable. The ideas can come from anywhere, but they always start off in my head. I mentally work out how i can do it, try to draw some sort of plan, then apply that info hands on. Most things are possible when modifying, you've just got to think of a way to do it, like a puzzle, or a challenge as i think of it. Once the challenge is done, it give immense satifaction as you can see the physical results. This is where all the hard work pays off, and this is what drives me to keep going.

This seems like a good point to ask for your spec list, hit us with it!

Nissan Primera GT SR20DE 16 Valve
JWT ECU JWT S3 Roller Camshafts
JWT Cam Gears
GTi-R Pistons
8.5:1 Compression Ratio
Pro-Tech Manifold
Garret T3/T04E .63 A/R Stage III & .60 A/R 50 Trim Turbo
Tial 40mm Wastegate
Custom made 2.5" turbo downpipe
Wizard of Noz Nitrous Wet Kit
MSD 50lbs Injectors
FTF Motorsport Fuel Rail
Custom Forge Motorsport front mounted intercooler
HKS SSQV Blow Off Valve
Aquamist Water Injection System
Apexi AVC-R Boost Controller
Greddy Remote Switching Unit for Scramble Boost
Greddy Remote Switching Unit for Nitrous
Blitz Sonic Air Filter System
Powerflow Custom Stainless Steel Exhaust
Apexi 5" Dunker Backbox
Relocated Exide Maxima 900DC Battery
Stainless Steel Covers Polished Valve Cover

TRANSMISSION & BRAKES
Standard 5 Speed Box
Clutch Net HD PP with Carbon/Kevlar Disc
HiSpec Monster 4Pot (330mm) Conversion (front)
Standard Discs (rear)
Racelogic Traction Control System with Launch Control

SUSPENSION & WHEELS
18" TSW Rib Alloys with 215/35/18 Toyo Tyres
B&G Coilovers

EXTERIOR
R34 Skyline Front Bumper
R34 Skyline Headlights
PIAA Dual Sport 900 Driving Lamps
Nismo R34 Clear Front indicators
R34 Clear Repeaters
P12 Mirrors
Extended P11 Bonnet Custom Bonnet Vent
Nissan Maxima Carbon Fibre LED rear light conversion
Flush Tailgate
R34 Skyline Rear Bumper
Type Z Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler with custom end caps
DeltaStyling Delta 4 Sideskirts
Custom Bumper fins
Fusion 7 Colour LED Ground Lighting Kit

INTERIOR
Triple A pillar pod
Autometer Ultralite Series Air/Fuel Ratio Meter, Volt Meter, Boost Gauge
Greddy Fuel Pressure and Oil Pressure Gauge
Aquamist DDS2 Display Unit
Momo Air Leather Gear Knob
Momo Millenium Evo Steering Wheel
320mm Roof mounted Mini Disc Slave Unit
Roof mounted Amps
Rear View Colour CCTV Camera
Silver on Black Dash surrounds
Blue Neon Lighting

ICE
Kenwood KVT-920DVD Touch Screen TV/DVD Player
Kenwood KMD-400 Mini Disc Slave Unit
Kenwood KFC-HQ162 3way 6.5" 200w front speakers
Kenwood KFC-HQ715 3way 7x10" rear speakers
Infinity Tweeters up front
Kenwood KAC-PS301T 2x200w amp (REDUNDANT)
Kenwood KAC-PS501F 4x150w amp driving front and rears
SAVV LBM-S5000 5" Rear View TV Mirror Monitor
Sony XTL-6100MK2 and XVM-61EX Rear TV Screens
Sounds Alarming 5" Slave Monitor on rear shelf
Clear Acrylic Rear Shelf
Custom Made Boot Install containing:
JL Audio 13W7 Sub
JL Audio 1000/1 MonoBlock Class D Amp
Pheonix Gold Bass Cube 1 Farrad Stiffening Cap
Exide Maxima 900DC Battery
Etched Plexi Glass with Blue LED lit JL Audio Logo
Blue Neon Lighting throughout

SECURITY
Colour LCD Paging Alarm System with Remote Engine Start and some more........

That is some list!! Do you see the Skymera as a finished project now or do you feel that some more could be achieved?

As far as I'm concerned, it's finished, but there's always room for improvement. I can still think of a few things that can be done but that will be left to a new owner as its time for me to move on, sadly.

We've seen Skymera appear in magazines, could you give us your thoughts on how it felt to be approached to do that and also how you thought those features went?

It was always a goal of mine to have the car published, it would be the final accolade. After doing all that work, I wanted to show the world basically, just to prove the point I made earlier. Outside of the club scene, the Primera isn't seen as a 'core car' which is often modified, I wanted to prove otherwise. Plus it showed others that there was a whole host of modified Primeras and a group thang going on.

We all know that at this point in time, Skymera is up for sale. It must be a big decision for you to part with a car that has took so much hard work to perfect. Does this decision sadden you or fill you with optimism for the future?

There's a mixture of both in this sale. I've put a lot of heart into this car, it will be missed, but I've decided that I must move on, and within that decisions, I have my own plans to do more in the future with other cars. It may not be as drastic as this one, but with each new mod to the car, it will still give me that satisfaction, gratification that I get when something is done and completed. In a way, this is my drug, this is what keeps me going.

Finally, the question on everyone?s lips. What is next for Kevin Shek?

Well, most people know of my plans for the Previa I currently drive, this is what I can see happening right now. It's my daily driver which I want to make a bit spesh by again applying things that no one has done yet. As for a replacement for the Skymera, I know what I would like, but unless I get it, it's pointless dwelling on it incase it dont happen.

Thanks a lot for the interview, it's been a pleasure. We at NPOC give you all due respect for allowing your vehicle to be such a flagship for the club and we wish you all the best for your future projects. The floor is yours, you may make a speech and give thanks and shameless plugs!

Firstly, I'd like to give thanks to each and every one of you for all the kind words and support you've given me over the years. It may be an end of a long relationship with me and the Skymera, but certainly not for the club. Over the years, I've grown to know and love (ungay of course!) many of you as you have provided a source of relaxation, comfort, and laughter for me. There are a few people who I've now known for many years, right from the beginning, whilst doing this and have become close personal friends, they know who they are. This kind of friendship or bond is priceless, not something i would just throw away, but would miss if I were to leave. So unfortuantely, I'm still gonna be around! "There will always be a Primera that needs to be modified". I'd also like to give sincere thanks to my long suffering wife Andrea who has put up with so much over the years. Despite her threatening to leave me as I spend so much time money and effort on my car instead of our relationship, she has stuck by me thru thick and thin. Finally, to all those who've helped make my car the way it is today, my sponsors, the guys/gals that do those little jobs for me which inevidably always turn out to be BIG jobs!

CAR OF THE MONTH JANUARY 2005 - KevShek - SKYMERA

Written By Stevie-Boy

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