Max power magazine, come on own up!
Discussion
I bought it from the first issue, for god knows how many years. At that time I drove a C reg XR2, so always liked the Ford feature cars, but a Dimma 205 was on the wish list for a long time. I gave up buying it long before it turned into a glorified top shelf effort, although I do recall enjoying the likes of Kelly Brook and Jo Guest popping up.
Now I don't like getting rid of magazines, but having a move forced upon me a few years back, I recycled boxes and boxes of old mags. But I held onto the first issue, from May 1993, and dug I out at lunchtime. I could have sworn VBH did a feature on Nomex underwear for racing, but that must have been later that year. As it is I've included her interview with Burnsie.
Now I don't like getting rid of magazines, but having a move forced upon me a few years back, I recycled boxes and boxes of old mags. But I held onto the first issue, from May 1993, and dug I out at lunchtime. I could have sworn VBH did a feature on Nomex underwear for racing, but that must have been later that year. As it is I've included her interview with Burnsie.
Downward said:
Bloody hell some people here are miserable old gits.
Bet they'd disapprove of this behaviour (minor language)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCsjKADChgI
300bhp/ton said:
Try actually reading the info. The chassis is a MUST in original unmodified condition. There is no way you can make a 4 door saloon only 2 door using the 3 door hatch parts without modifying the chassis structure. Therefore it would not score enough to retain its reg. It might be possible to pass an IVA, but it would then be on a Q plate.
You're the second person in as many days on here to try and explain to me something I understand perfectly well (and do professionally) yet tell me I'm completely wrong 
poppopbangbang said:
In the eyes of the DVLA it is no different to replacing a rear quarter on any road car. The chassis legs, suspension pick up points, wheel base, pillars/roof, seat belt anchors and crash structures remain unmodified. Going the other way is actually more of an issue as to remain perfectly above board you get into door catches and supporting structures.
Source: Advised by the DVLA when investigating a 5 - 3 door conversion for a short run hyper-hot hatch for a large OEM.
No NO. You're wrong! Source: Advised by the DVLA when investigating a 5 - 3 door conversion for a short run hyper-hot hatch for a large OEM.
Only the guy who reads custom car magazine and talks bout chopping Ford Pops about is correct!
It's why all those tubbed and roof chop Pops are all on Q plates. No... Wait...
I know this is PH and it’s probably highly un-fashionable these days to admit to liking the Max Power era but I for one look back at those years with good memories. It wasn't just Max Power (although that was the biggest selling and most famous) but there was also Revs, and Fast Car etc. I got them all and in the early days the magazines were more car related, however as the years progressed the girls element became more and more intertwined, as has been discussed here already. Yes there were some absolutely horrendous automotive creations that made the pages and when you saw them in the flesh a lot were 20 yard cars whereby they were literally thrown together with some seriously questionable build quality but hey everyone did their own thing and wanted to be part of the "scene" I guess you'd call it.
The cruises were great and were really an excuse to get out the house, go for a drive in your P&J and meet up with friends. Southend, Basildon, Brighton, Lakeside, Chelsea, and Guildford are just some of the places that i'm sure will resonate with some of the southern based people. As it started to get all out of hand in terms of numbers it then moved onto the waiting around in a car park and then following someone to an undisclosed location to try and outwit the coppers once they'd started to twig what was going on before it all eventually got shut down. Yet again you get the crazy fools that took things too far (you still get that today at car events) but that was all part of it back then and to think what went on, how on earth there weren't more incidents than there was is amazing. I used to go to the formal/recognised shows such as Traxx, Club events and in the early days Max Power used to have a weekender at Santa Pod before it went on to be Max Power Live at the NEC. It wasn’t all just “hanging around in car parks” as the naysayers will like to argue. Regular Run-What-You-Brung events at Santa Pod were also a chance to pit yourself against the clock which meant more power was always a big want for me rather than the stick on bodykit tat. Also track events at Castle Coombe, Silverstone, Brands etc were also what we got involved with. All were great fun and I even got my car featured in the mags and on display at Max Power Live which was amazing considering it was pretty tame in the looks department to some of the other stuff there.
Quite a few of the editorial personnel of those magazines from back then are still in the car game now as it’s where they cut their teeth I guess. There's also quite a few people in the car industry I recognise from back in those days too. It's hard for those who are too young now or didn't go through that element of it to appreciate just how massive the whole thing was. For me though, I met some great friends and still see many of them today, yet the car events have changed in line with our motors. We’ve obviously all moved away from that type of 90’s car culture but are still hugely passionate about cars in general and always will be. It was just what you did back then when you were really into cars.
I guess just one of the reasons people my age are hankering after pristine 80's/90's cars now is because a)these were the cars what we all lusted after when they were new/nearly new and b)for any of these to survive the "Max Power era" without being completely molested is a rarity and something to cherish.
Good days
The cruises were great and were really an excuse to get out the house, go for a drive in your P&J and meet up with friends. Southend, Basildon, Brighton, Lakeside, Chelsea, and Guildford are just some of the places that i'm sure will resonate with some of the southern based people. As it started to get all out of hand in terms of numbers it then moved onto the waiting around in a car park and then following someone to an undisclosed location to try and outwit the coppers once they'd started to twig what was going on before it all eventually got shut down. Yet again you get the crazy fools that took things too far (you still get that today at car events) but that was all part of it back then and to think what went on, how on earth there weren't more incidents than there was is amazing. I used to go to the formal/recognised shows such as Traxx, Club events and in the early days Max Power used to have a weekender at Santa Pod before it went on to be Max Power Live at the NEC. It wasn’t all just “hanging around in car parks” as the naysayers will like to argue. Regular Run-What-You-Brung events at Santa Pod were also a chance to pit yourself against the clock which meant more power was always a big want for me rather than the stick on bodykit tat. Also track events at Castle Coombe, Silverstone, Brands etc were also what we got involved with. All were great fun and I even got my car featured in the mags and on display at Max Power Live which was amazing considering it was pretty tame in the looks department to some of the other stuff there.
Quite a few of the editorial personnel of those magazines from back then are still in the car game now as it’s where they cut their teeth I guess. There's also quite a few people in the car industry I recognise from back in those days too. It's hard for those who are too young now or didn't go through that element of it to appreciate just how massive the whole thing was. For me though, I met some great friends and still see many of them today, yet the car events have changed in line with our motors. We’ve obviously all moved away from that type of 90’s car culture but are still hugely passionate about cars in general and always will be. It was just what you did back then when you were really into cars.
I guess just one of the reasons people my age are hankering after pristine 80's/90's cars now is because a)these were the cars what we all lusted after when they were new/nearly new and b)for any of these to survive the "Max Power era" without being completely molested is a rarity and something to cherish.
Good days
I remember the Max Power live at the NEC 2002. Wife was getting the train back from London and it got diverted to Nuneaton or somewhere.
I had to go past the NEC M42 I think around 5 or 6pm just as all the cars were coming out. Got stuck in traffic with all these modded cars in the summer. It was proper surreal seeing them in the magazine then in real life.
I had to go past the NEC M42 I think around 5 or 6pm just as all the cars were coming out. Got stuck in traffic with all these modded cars in the summer. It was proper surreal seeing them in the magazine then in real life.
Muzzer79 said:
poppopbangbang said:
300bhp/ton said:
Try actually reading the info. The chassis is a MUST in original unmodified condition. There is no way you can make a 4 door saloon only 2 door using the 3 door hatch parts without modifying the chassis structure. Therefore it would not score enough to retain its reg. It might be possible to pass an IVA, but it would then be on a Q plate.
In the eyes of the DVLA it is no different to replacing a rear quarter on any road car. The chassis legs, suspension pick up points, wheel base, pillars/roof, seat belt anchors and crash structures remain unmodified. Going the other way is actually more of an issue as to remain perfectly above board you get into door catches and supporting structures. Source: Advised by the DVLA when investigating a 5 - 3 door conversion for a short run hyper-hot hatch for a large OEM.
Since when did removing 2 back doors and replacing rear quarters constitute changing the chassis structure?
I think you're trying to find criticism, rather than actually using worthwhile points.
Just as all the pickup cars do, which unless IVA'd are also illegal.
S1KRR said:
You're the second person in as many days on here to try and explain to me something I understand perfectly well (and do professionally) yet tell me I'm completely wrong
What do you do professionally? S1KRR said:
No NO. You're wrong!
Only the guy who reads custom car magazine and talks bout chopping Ford Pops about is correct!
It's why all those tubbed and roof chop Pops are all on Q plates. No... Wait...
Maybe many should be. Did I say anything about such things?Only the guy who reads custom car magazine and talks bout chopping Ford Pops about is correct!
It's why all those tubbed and roof chop Pops are all on Q plates. No... Wait...
However if it was a ladder chassis vehicle, you can do what you like to body and it won't impact it's registration. It's the CHASSIS bit that is the crux of it.
Old_Skool_Fool said:
To me your response is like saying all 'hot rods' are the same
???Not sure I follow.
The point is, how can being individual and not following the masses be true (and everyone I know of in the scene touted this). Would do so by having a truly common car and doing essentially the same things to it. Yes there were slight variations, but that is just like trim and paint options on a new car. The variance was minor.
Back when my mates had Nova's. The Nova was common (I live near Luton). So drive anywhere or pull into any car park and there would be loads of them about. A lot driven by pensioners too.
So Mr Youth wants to be different and individual
I'll buy myself about the most common car there is. Loads of my mates have them too. That will really make me individual. My mates also chopped the springs and fitted bigger alloys, think I'll do the same, as that is me being so different to everyone else.Do you get what I'm saying....
If they said they wanted to conform and be like everyone else and that is why the went for a common car and did essentially the same things to it as everyone else. Then it would be different. But nobody ever claimed this, they all wanted something completely different to everyone else apparently
S1KRR said:
I don't think it's any different whether we're talking about Max Power cars, hot rods / custom, track cars, aircooled dubs or any genre.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
Ah good old Max Power 
If mid nineties me had access to 2020 disposable income what monstrosity would I have bought/built/commissioned?
Killed myself in a stupidly modified Nova?
Survived that, still moved onto the Jap phase and killed myself in a stupidly modified Civic?
Dunno if it's lucky or not that I've grew out of any such notions.
If mid nineties me had access to 2020 disposable income what monstrosity would I have bought/built/commissioned?
Killed myself in a stupidly modified Nova?
Survived that, still moved onto the Jap phase and killed myself in a stupidly modified Civic?
Dunno if it's lucky or not that I've grew out of any such notions.
300bhp/ton said:
Old_Skool_Fool said:
To me your response is like saying all 'hot rods' are the same
???Not sure I follow.
The point is, how can being individual and not following the masses be true (and everyone I know of in the scene touted this). Would do so by having a truly common car and doing essentially the same things to it. Yes there were slight variations, but that is just like trim and paint options on a new car. The variance was minor.
Back when my mates had Nova's. The Nova was common (I live near Luton). So drive anywhere or pull into any car park and there would be loads of them about. A lot driven by pensioners too.
So Mr Youth wants to be different and individual
I'll buy myself about the most common car there is. Loads of my mates have them too. That will really make me individual. My mates also chopped the springs and fitted bigger alloys, think I'll do the same, as that is me being so different to everyone else.Do you get what I'm saying....
If they said they wanted to conform and be like everyone else and that is why the went for a common car and did essentially the same things to it as everyone else. Then it would be different. But nobody ever claimed this, they all wanted something completely different to everyone else apparently
S1KRR said:
I don't think it's any different whether we're talking about Max Power cars, hot rods / custom, track cars, aircooled dubs or any genre.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
300bhp/ton said:
Old_Skool_Fool said:
To me your response is like saying all 'hot rods' are the same
???Not sure I follow.
The point is, how can being individual and not following the masses be true (and everyone I know of in the scene touted this). Would do so by having a truly common car and doing essentially the same things to it. Yes there were slight variations, but that is just like trim and paint options on a new car. The variance was minor.
Back when my mates had Nova's. The Nova was common (I live near Luton). So drive anywhere or pull into any car park and there would be loads of them about. A lot driven by pensioners too.
So Mr Youth wants to be different and individual
I'll buy myself about the most common car there is. Loads of my mates have them too. That will really make me individual. My mates also chopped the springs and fitted bigger alloys, think I'll do the same, as that is me being so different to everyone else.Do you get what I'm saying....
If they said they wanted to conform and be like everyone else and that is why the went for a common car and did essentially the same things to it as everyone else. Then it would be different. But nobody ever claimed this, they all wanted something completely different to everyone else apparently
S1KRR said:
I don't think it's any different whether we're talking about Max Power cars, hot rods / custom, track cars, aircooled dubs or any genre.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
The magazine was full of different brands of cars and the insurance deals on a Saxo made it one of the most popular hot hatches of the Max Power era.
There were plenty of young guys driving aircooled dubs as their first car too, albiet no where near as popular as the boom in the late 80s and early 90s.
I don't see how what you experienced locally with the Nova's was representative of the magazine, the 'scene', or of young guys generally.
Maybe it was just a Luton thing....
300bhp/ton please please listen to me,I started this topic as you can see in the title name as a tongue in cheek subject to reminisce over the good old days,not to be pedantic and pick faults and arguments.
You clearly have added nothing to this topic except wind people up,you didn’t like the scene and have added nothing but bile,can I ask that you leave us to remember fondly wether rightly or wrongly, a time that was clearly a good time for the ones that are enjoying reading our tales.
You clearly have added nothing to this topic except wind people up,you didn’t like the scene and have added nothing but bile,can I ask that you leave us to remember fondly wether rightly or wrongly, a time that was clearly a good time for the ones that are enjoying reading our tales.
I was an avid reader but for some reason never fell down the "Max Power" modification rabbit hole, I'd upgrade brakes and try and get a few more BHP out of the car but most of my time was spend covering rust in copious amounts of filler and rattle can paint. As finances and cars "improved" I did the upgraded stereo thing a few times or fitted slightly obnoxious lights to indicate the alarm was on (anyone remember the Toad alarms lights you could program to "swoosh" like K.I.T.T's front light?) but again stayed tame. It wasn't until the Japanese import scene came along and I moved on to Banzai and other similar magazines that the mod bug caught hold.
I had mates affected though, one had an XR2 with blue tiger stripes and a whale tale, it also had a pretty potent engine, another mate had a car that was in Max Power I think, a purple Ford Orion that was really low on 17s when the rest of us were rocking 14's
I found a few copies and some of the obnoxious sticker sheets they used to give away in a recent garage clear-out, a local chap with a retro motor took them to stick on for an authentic back in the day look.
Happy days.
Don Veloci said:
Ah good old Max Power
If mid nineties me had access to 2020 disposable income what monstrosity would I have bought/built/commissioned?
Killed myself in a stupidly modified Nova?
Survived that, still moved onto the Jap phase and killed myself in a stupidly modified Civic?
Dunno if it's lucky or not that I've grew out of any such notions.
If in my case it was early-to-midd 00s me had 2020 disposable income I would end up with something just as awful as some of the stuff I used to see on those pages. 18" wheels on a Nova was a big deal! 18" wheels on almost anything was a big deal. But if I had my late-00s disposable income... I could have been a contender! If mid nineties me had access to 2020 disposable income what monstrosity would I have bought/built/commissioned?
Killed myself in a stupidly modified Nova?
Survived that, still moved onto the Jap phase and killed myself in a stupidly modified Civic?
Dunno if it's lucky or not that I've grew out of any such notions.
And all those of you with fond memories of the TSW Venoms, surely the better option would have been a full set of Wolfrace Matrix alloys? They were... awful!
fred flange said:
300bhp/ton please please listen to me,I started this topic as you can see in the title name as a tongue in cheek subject to reminisce over the good old days,not to be pedantic and pick faults and arguments.
You clearly have added nothing to this topic except wind people up,you didn’t like the scene and have added nothing but bile,can I ask that you leave us to remember fondly wether rightly or wrongly, a time that was clearly a good time for the ones that are enjoying reading our tales.
Couldn't agree more. You clearly have added nothing to this topic except wind people up,you didn’t like the scene and have added nothing but bile,can I ask that you leave us to remember fondly wether rightly or wrongly, a time that was clearly a good time for the ones that are enjoying reading our tales.
300bhp/ton said:
Old_Skool_Fool said:
To me your response is like saying all 'hot rods' are the same
???Not sure I follow.
The point is, how can being individual and not following the masses be true (and everyone I know of in the scene touted this). Would do so by having a truly common car and doing essentially the same things to it. Yes there were slight variations, but that is just like trim and paint options on a new car. The variance was minor.
Back when my mates had Nova's. The Nova was common (I live near Luton). So drive anywhere or pull into any car park and there would be loads of them about. A lot driven by pensioners too.
So Mr Youth wants to be different and individual
I'll buy myself about the most common car there is. Loads of my mates have them too. That will really make me individual. My mates also chopped the springs and fitted bigger alloys, think I'll do the same, as that is me being so different to everyone else.Do you get what I'm saying....
If they said they wanted to conform and be like everyone else and that is why the went for a common car and did essentially the same things to it as everyone else. Then it would be different. But nobody ever claimed this, they all wanted something completely different to everyone else apparently
S1KRR said:
I don't think it's any different whether we're talking about Max Power cars, hot rods / custom, track cars, aircooled dubs or any genre.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
They may, at face value, fit into a particular genre, but within that genre there's alot of diversity in terms of make, model, bodykit, engine, interior, usage etc etc.
Max Power really takes me back to passing my test in the late nineties, and plowing all my money into turning my frankly rubbish 1.4 Astra into an SRi replica. I frequently bought Max Power, one thing I always remember was the short reviews and star ratings they had at the back, a friend had an FTO at the time, and their summary 'Looks like it chases Porsches, struggles to keep up with Mondeos' was often used as a wind up.
I used to attend meets all over the South East, mainly Southend, Lakeside and Maidstone. While it's easy to look back with rose tinted glasses, they weren't much run in retrospect, they always had an air of menace and attracted 'questionable types', you'd get hassle from the police, and people would show up in what were clearly stolen cars - one time I remember an Astra GTE being rolled on it's roof and torched in the Magent car park!
Today's meets are far more civilized and attract genuine car enthusiasts.
Check out the below for anyone that really want's a trip down memory lane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CVB7iyP3jw
I used to attend meets all over the South East, mainly Southend, Lakeside and Maidstone. While it's easy to look back with rose tinted glasses, they weren't much run in retrospect, they always had an air of menace and attracted 'questionable types', you'd get hassle from the police, and people would show up in what were clearly stolen cars - one time I remember an Astra GTE being rolled on it's roof and torched in the Magent car park!
Today's meets are far more civilized and attract genuine car enthusiasts.
Check out the below for anyone that really want's a trip down memory lane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CVB7iyP3jw
I lived through the Max Power generation but I and my closer mates were generally more Fast Ford fans. Personally after 3 Minis I moved up to a Diamond White Ford Fiesta RS1800.
I didn't indulge in the full on mods but on my Fiesta I did the Morette twin headlight conversion, the Storm 'touring car' single wiper conversion, Magnex stainless steel exhaust including the decat pipe, the clear front indicators and side repeaters, Kenwood stereo and probably a few other subtle mods that escape my memory.
Thinking back to what my (car fan) associates drove, well there were the SR Nova's & GSI Nova's, Renault 5 GT Turbos, modified original Minis, original Mini Pickup, Fiesta XR2's, XR2i's & RS Turbos and a few more common motors that I've since forgotten about.
Those were good times!!!
I didn't indulge in the full on mods but on my Fiesta I did the Morette twin headlight conversion, the Storm 'touring car' single wiper conversion, Magnex stainless steel exhaust including the decat pipe, the clear front indicators and side repeaters, Kenwood stereo and probably a few other subtle mods that escape my memory.
Thinking back to what my (car fan) associates drove, well there were the SR Nova's & GSI Nova's, Renault 5 GT Turbos, modified original Minis, original Mini Pickup, Fiesta XR2's, XR2i's & RS Turbos and a few more common motors that I've since forgotten about.
Those were good times!!!
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