TALKING CARS: Pure power in this BMW

POLOKWANE – Car and bike fanatic, Bilal Mohamed from Nirvana Polokwane, is the proud owner of Gearbox and Diff Specialists.
Q. Growing up, what was your dream car?
A. I was always a Porsche fan growing up.
Q. Did you many toy cars when you were a child?
A. Yes, I loved cars from a young age.
Q. What was the first car you drove?
A. A Nissan 1400 bakkie. Funny enough, it’s the same Nissan 1400 we have today but with some serious engine and exterior mods.
Q. When did you buy your latest toy?
A. I purchased it three years ago.
Q. Is there a story behind your personalised numberplate?
A. It’s the same one I had on my Toyota Conquest. I’ve had the same plate number for a quite a while.
Q. What are some of the features that stand out for you on this car?
A. The drop-top with 370kW of power to the rear wheels.
Q. What’s the highest speed you’ve reached with this car?
A. 260 km/h but with the six-speed gearbox I plan on adding to the car, the top speed should increase to close to 300 km/h.
Q. Do you have a nickname for your car?
A. Hahaha, no.
Q. How much does it cost to fill up the tank?
A. Close to R1 000.
Q. How far have you driven this car?
A. I’ve travelled to Mpumalanga, we went to Sabie and Graskop.
Q. How much does it cost for a major service?
A. Not much.
Q. What car would you like to own next?
A. A big machine with a four-pipe with big boost.
Q. When did you decide to pimp your ride and why?
A. As soon as I bought it. I believe a car should always be unique.
Q. Where did you pimp it?
A. Most of the work was done in-house at Gearbox and Diff Specialists.
Q. What did you change and why?
A. I bought the car with a lot of upgrades already. I’ve just made it faster. It has a Savspeed turbo conversion and a M50 engine with forged internals and a garret gt35 turbo running 6x precision 1000cc injectors. Full M3 body kit with M3 wheels. Bigger Ronaldo discs with M3 callipers in front. Eibach suspension. Upgraded clutch. Upgraded Gearbox. Upgraded propshaft and 2x Dictator management systems allowing 95 octane fuel for low boost and 95 plus ethanol on high boost.
Q. How long did it take you to complete your car?
A. It has taken three years to complete.
Q. What advice do you have for people who want to pimp their rides?
A. Always make sure the people working on your ride has street cred. Use people who are well-known for what they do. Cheap prices don’t always result in quality work.
Q. Do you have any other cars that you plan on pimping?
A. Yes, but I’m not sharing details as yet. They are still in the pipeline.
editor@nmgroup.co.za