2017 TUNER BATTLEGROUNDS CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMA SHOW. LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER
OCT 31 - NOV 3, 2017
STAGE 1: #WILDCARD ELIMINATION
Voting Polls Open: September 5 @ 12:00 PM EDT
Voting Polls Close: September 11 @ 12:00 PM EDT
Click Here for Standings
Melchor Yuson recalls the first time he laid eyes on a Matrix, “I remember seeing commercials of the Toyota Matrix over a decade ago,” he writes. “I was at my friend's house and we admired it since it's a hatchback wagon, which makes it not as big as an SUV nor as small as a simple sedan.”
Not too long after watching the commercial, Yuson’s family car went out of commission. Now in the market for a new vehicle, he persuaded his parents into purchasing a 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS. His selling points: passenger and trunk space, engine capabilities and fuel efficiency.
“After a few years, my parents started struggling with bills and car payments, and I decided to take on the monthly car bills and put it on my name,” explains Yuson. “I also needed it for work and school. I didn't mind helping the parents and I knew it would be mine soon enough to modify to my liking. It was the high end Matrix XRS and I could finally modify a car which I liked and wasn’t known to the tuning scene.
Owner: Melchor Yuson
Location: Floral Park, New York, USA
Vehicle: 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS
Horsepower: 165 whp
Club: D2I (Driven 2 Inspire)
SOCIAL:
Facebook: Mel Yuson III
Instagram: w3ird0n3
Written by Adam Gordon.
Photography by Twisted T Photography, TYF, CKuhn, GST, SM, Double-O Photography, Chris O'Neal Photography, BK1_Images, MatthewM Photography.
ENGINE & PERFORMANCE:
2AZFE 2.4L 4 cylinder engine swap
K&N cold air intake
Magnaflow catalytic converter & manifold
Sickspeed (green air filter, intake hydroshield, green washers, green tow hook, neochrome washer spikes, powder-coated green dual horns)
Powder-coated lime green manifold & battery hold down
Custom green painted oil cap
VMS green radiator cap
Chrome hose covers
Hydro-dipped alien theme engine cover & fuse box
EXHAUST:
Inlet 4-inch chrome muffler
N1 RS exhaust with 4-inch burnt tip
PERFORMANCE ELECTRONICS:
OEM
DRIVELINE:
Automatic 5-speed w/ shiftronic
WHEELS & TIRES
AVID 1 AV-60 wheels, concave mesh design - 18x8.5 +38 (f/r)
All-season tires - 205/40/18 (f/r)
Sickspeed extended black/green spiked lug nuts
Sickspeed spiked valve stem aps
20mm wheel adapters (r)
Custom green alien center caps
CHASSIS & SUSPENSION:
Ultra Racing white sway bar
Tein H-Tech lowering springs (r)
EXTERIOR:
Siebon carbon fiber hood with 6 vents
Carriage Works billet grilles (top & bottom)
MagicDrift black polyurethane bumper lip
Lime green (alien tribal vinyl, VVT-i vinyl, biohazard decal on gas tank)
Neochrome quick release fasteners
Blacked-out emblems
Green Toyota emblem (r)
Neochrome antenna
Sickspeed black/white tow hook
LIGHTING:
Green LED daytime bulbs
White Diamond HID 6000K headlights
Green HID fog lights
Green LED Knight Rider front bumper strip
Complete multi-color neon LED underbody lighting
Green LED license plate bulbs
Taillight tint blacked out
INTERIOR:
Green LED bulbs (front, dome, trunk)
Green LED footwell strips
Lime green door panels & center dash
Neocrhome shift knob
Green steering wheel emblem
Leather black seat covers
Lime green headrest covers
Various alien plushes
AUDIO & MULTIMEDIA:
Kenwood 6.2-inch head-unit
JBL 6-speaker system
Rockford Fosgate amplifier
Rockford Fosgate 12-inch subwoofer
COMPETITION EVENTS, CLASSES & AWARDS:
2016 ImportExpo - Washington, DC
Local shows in New York and New Jersey
Englishtown Raceway
Long Island Cars
Import Expo: Atlantic City
Passaic County Fair: New Jersey
2016 PASMAG Tuner Battlegrounds Championship - Stage 1: Elimination (Seed No. 22)
2016 PASMAG Tuner Battlegrounds Championship - Stage 2: Battle 31 (174 votes)
Various trophies: Best Toyota
3rd Place: Best Toyota
1st Place: Best New School Import
Furthest Distance
Kids Choice
Best Theme
Best Toyota
Most Likes on Facebook
Top 30, 40, 50 and 100
FAVORITE MODIFICATION:
“The hydro-dipped engine cover and fuse box brings [something] unique and different to Trixter. The aliens stand out and together with the lime green and gloss, it was my best investment. Easy to clean as well!”
SPONSORS:
Sickspeed
VinylDecalShop
All In One Stop Shop
Xpressions
SHOPS / MECHANICS:
Unspecified
