danielbridlephoto

Luke eventually merged his business with Drift Limits to create Drift Limits Performance as his mechanical skills were useful for not just MR2s but a whole host of other potential customer cars and the Drift Limits fleet itself.

I started working at Drift Limits a few years ago as a photographer and instructor which is where I first got to meet Luke, during that time we got to spend a lot of time together. Whether it was driving MX5s, working on the fleet cars, or helping me fix my own MX5 when it was broken, he was always there when you needed help and could always find a way of cracking some jokes and making a tough situation way less stressful. I no longer work for Drift Limits but I was lucky enough to stay in contact and saw each other at least every month. 

Nothing really prepares you for losing someone, and it’s something I’ve been very fortunate enough to not have to go through before so it’s something I’m still trying to come to terms with. I’ll always wish I could have spent more time as his friend or seen him more. As sombre as it is, it was wonderful to see how many people turned out for the meet and just the sheer variety of car cultures he brought together on such a beautiful day at that.

Attention to detail is what makes modifying a classic Japanese car either a hit or a very big miss and many people have fallen into the trap of opting for tasteless “bosozoku” cliches which obviously have a time and place, but throwing an upswept exhaust and oil cooler on something older than 1990 and calling it a day doesn’t always work out. Fortunately Ben has spent his time well, curating a whole host of quality genuine parts and oddities that give this Toyota a very authentic feel.

The car sits on rare Work Equip Sprint 11s in 14x7.5j up front, and on the rear an equally if not rarer pair of Riverside R109s in 14x8.5j. These are wrapped in a full set of Advan A048s which have that timeless tread pattern. The suspension has been modified to suit AE86 coilovers from Driftworks which combined with the wheel and tyre setup helps achieve a tough looking ride height and fitment.

Powering the Celica is an 18R-G with twin Mikuni/Solex carbs and inlet trumpets through a custom stainless steel exhaust system. Oh, and love.