What would you do with a ride that you have owned for the past 15 years? Would you bring it in for inspection to renew your road tax once it’s due… and that is provided you get away with the inspection with flying colours, meaning that your particular ride comply with all the regulations and what’s not… only then you’d get your road tax. But then the plan has been scrapped by the government. So what else can you do? In this case, it’s a Daihatsu Charade Aura… selling it off would be out of the question as you’d only get 6K the most.

What should have been done would be mod it to an extend that it’s the most unique and immaculate condition of an Aura… and that is exactly what this particular modder did to his beloved Aura. The owner had the bodyworks done at the renowned AL Motorsports of Johore few years back and have yet to stop modding ever since.

Spotting a custom one-off widebody based on the Detomaso bodywork has never been the same as it commands the attention of every Ahmad, Ah Chong and Siva every when the micro machine had its engine running all around town. Nevertheless, this micro machine would not be going through any torrential rain as the owner would have a seizure if a drop of rain touches the ride. Further improvements were done to the looks department with a touch of custom diffuser, skirtings, TRUST front lip making the micro machine a meaner stance to it.

Underneath the wide arches, 17inchers x 9″ at front and 10″ at rear of BBS LM wheels wrapped in Toyo T1-R  245/45/17 (front), 255/45/17 (rear) tires provide all the traction while a pair of R34 4-pot calipers gripping the Project U discs ensures all the stopping power in case of emergency. The calipers received a makeover and now it doubles up as a Project U calipers to naked eyes.

Previously, the micro machine was in orange flip paint but somehow the slight improvements on the bodyworks looks way much better in white… and so it’s in white nowadays. The white paintjob brings out all the ‘lil details and touches of black and carbon fibre bits and pieces on the micro machine.

Somehow or rather, the micro machine can still be recognized from a mere look that it’s being built based on a Daihatsu Aura platform and that’s just how the owner, Yong wants it. For those can’t seem to recognise the origin of the micro machine, a touch of Detomaso badges at the front grille and rear can help you with that.

Nothing was left untweaked here. Right smack in the engine bay below the forced marriage of Pulsar and Aura bonnet is a CB70 1.0ltr twin cam turbo lump for the much-needed power to move the modded beauty around town when it’s all sunny sunshine. This small yet punchy engine provides all the power needed to move the micro machine and since the owner is not an illegal racer… a top speed of 190km/h is more than enough to get it going around town. Still, a 1.6 GTTi turbo-charged lump would be wayyy much better!

The interior has been bathed in bloody red material for Yong to feel all royal at home while enjoying the ride. As for the comfort of royal assness, a pair of Recaro from Integra Type R fits just right in the cabin providing the stiff positioning for both Yong and his beloved girlfriend, Fiona every when he lost his sanity and decides to  take a corner at an insane speed. He’s one lucky chap to have Fiona compromising his passion of modding the micro machine.

It’s a pleasure shifting gears as Yong’s left hand caresses the custom white carbon gearknob with another gripping the NARDI Detomaso steering while his eyes multitask in between keeping the view and checking the clusters of DEFi’s meters on the dash. With a ridiculously complete arsenal in the ICE department, the micro machine is also a deafening boom box… now that explains the mild deafness suffered by Yong and Fiona.

text: Hage’  pix: Syawal Ahmad

‘Lil White Micro Machine Technical Specifications:

Engine:

CB70 1.0ltr, 3-cylinder DOHC 12-valve EFi turbo, 128hp, GTTi ECU, GTTi turbine, Super SQV blow-off valve, GTTi intercooler, custom air ram, SAMCO radiator hoses, SARD fuel regulator, SARD Racing radiator cap, GTTi struts, custom twin tip muffler

Engine Upgrades & Modifications:

Blitz air filter

Transmission:

5-Speed Manual Transmission

Brakes:

Skyline R34 4-pot calipers (front), GTTi calipers (rear), Project U discs all round

Suspension:

GAB adjustable absorbers and springs

Rolling Stocks (Rims & Tires):

BBS LM 17″x9″ (front) & 17″x10″ (rear) wrapped in Toyo T1-R 245/45 (front), 255/45 (rear) tires

Exterior/Bodywork:

Detomaso headlights, grille and bumper, TRUST front lip, Detomaso + Nissan Pulsar bonnet, custom Detomaso + Buddy Club rear bumper, custom diffuser, custom Detomaso sideskirts and diffuser, Custom wide arch, custom Cross spoiler, Mazda B8 sunroof, JDM door handle cover, Diamond White paintjob

Interior:

Integra Type R DC2 RECARO bucket seats, NARDI Detomaso steering, Charade JDM door panel, GTTi dial meters, custom white carbon gearknob, SPARCO pedals, DEFi water temp., oil temp., exhaust temp., fuel pressure, oil pressure and boost meter, APEXi S-AFC and RSM, PIVOT shift light

In Car Entertainment:

Panasonic CQ-DK903W headunit, Anaconda 6″ x 2pcs, Rockford 5″ x 2pcs, Ameron 5″ x 2 pcs speakers, Rockford tweeters, Anaconda 10″ x 2pcs and 12″ x 2pcs subwoofers, STELLAR crossover, STELLAR monoblock, Soundstream 4-2 channel amplifiers, STELLAR pre-amp, Soundstream capacitor