The StormTrooper

I got the Smart back at the start of November in 2001.  I had no original plans to actually get the car at the time, as I had a Rover Kensington which was running fine, and, was a decent car.  It was only when I saw an advert in one of my local papers advertising a garage that was offering test drives of these ‘smart cars’ that I decided to go down and try them out.  Naturally, curiosity got the better of me too, ending up in me just having to go for a test drive! Hehe!  I arrived at the garage a couple of days later and stepped out into a ‘Formula S Smart’ – it was a ‘sporty’ model made by Andrew Moss from Colne Car Centre (who now has nothing to do with the cars). 

As I got stepped in the car and sat in the seat, I was instantly impressed with just everything, the feel of the car, the driving position, the design of the interior, the look, just everything.  It felt so comfortable – a lot more than my Rover.  There was only one thing I found strange, not the fact that it was left hand drive, but where the hell was the clutch!!!!  After a few minutes and me coming to terms with the fact that it had a sequential (‘Colin McRae’ – as I like to call it ha) gearbox, we set off down the road, taking it easy at first.  I was really enjoying myself!  I’ve only driven a few cars but this by far was the best ever!  I was soooo chuffed! Ha!  After a few minutes of driving the salesman told me to put my foot down – I certainly didn’t refuse!  So I dropped it a gear and stuck my foot down.  At first there was nothing, then “BLAAAAA” went the car giving me a kick in the process – that’s when I found out it had a turbo – which made me even more chuffed as I instantly started thinking 18 year old, turbo’d car - ‘dump valve dump valve dump valve’! [pay]

Eventually after a while we arrived back at the garage.  No more than 10 minutes later I had bought a smart.  I just had to have one I was that impressed with everything, including the way that I would be driving around in a car that is engineered by Mercedes!  Hmm, Rover or Mercedes, wonder which ones better!

So there I was a couple of days later with this fantastic (second hand) smart car, the looks I got (and still get) are so amusing.  With me being a young lad, of course modifying was the first thing I was thinking about.  After a long while my fist mod came in the form of a dump valve.  Now I was really impressed!  Tinted windows followed shortly after, then a change of panels, a K&N air filter, air scoop, custom exhaust system and a boost gauge.  This was all over a period of when I got the car to the present day.  I’d had an idea in my mind of how the car looks now in my mind for absolutely ages, and had been wanting to do that since I first thought if the idea.

I waited and waited, getting more eager to completely remake my car, but of course the money never came!  It was only until completely out of the blue I came into some money, which of course meant that finally I was going to get to transform the car!  I’d always been a big fan of Star Wars, and of course Darth’s very own army of storm troopers.  I’d always wanted one of the outfits too, I think they are one of the best suits ever! Thank the lord for George Lucas! Ha!  It was quite funny when the guys at Smart-R-Us showed me the car, and told me they had been looking at it for ages knowing that it looked like something they had seen before – but what?!  Of course I was confused too, until it came into Paul’s head – “it’s a storm trooper!” he shouted!  At that moment everyone chuckled, and I did see where he was coming from!  I was quite impressed too!  I’d made one of George Lucas’s creations without even realising!  That’s how the car got it’s nickname of being a Storm Trooper!

List Of Mods!

External

• Full respray in Opel Casablanca White
• Colour coded 15” Sportiva’s (175’s all round)
• Colour coded Hoffle side skirts
• Colour coded Michalak Eyebrows
• Colour coded Michalak Quad Lights
• Colour coded Michalak Grill
• Eibach rear lowering springs (25mm)
• Air scoop

Internal

• Smart club center console discs
• Colour coded pod, fan and speedo trims
• Boost gauge

Engine

• Brabus clone remap by Jonboy
• Dump valve
• Custom exhaust
• K&N Air filter!

 

 

Submitted By:

Richard Caesar [/pay]

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