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Car Show Veteran Wins Free Insurance From Flux 

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June 8, 2015
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Each year at Adrian Flux we hold an annual competition to give away a free annual insurance policy. Chosen at random from everyone who leaves his or her details with our staff at the many shows we attend throughout the year, the prize can save the average motorist hundreds of pounds.

This year’s winner was Tom Shaw, 22, from Coventry, a car show veteran and owner of one of the most striking and heavily modified MX-5s we’d ever seen. We got in touch with Tom to find out more about his motoring past and his plans for his garage in the future.

An Award-Winning MX-5IMG_6507

“The car I think I’m best known for on the show scene is my MX-5, one I owned for about two years and which started out as a bit of a project,” said Tom.

“My focus has always been on looks rather than performance with the Mazda, and by the time I was finished I had quite a striking combo of carbon fibre side skirts, a ducktail spoiler, carbon GT wing, and remodelled bumpers, and had moved the front indicators downwards to smooth the front off.

“I’ve gone for quite a vintage, retro look for the car overall, painting it Fiat ‘ye ye Green’, quite a rare colour from their 500 range, and throwing in a beige leather interior from a limited edition MX-5.

“What really makes the Mazda unique though is its suspension. The Havair 2-way air suspension system makes it the only mk1 MX-5 on air suspension in the country, possibly even Europe. The car was once the demo car for Havair, which was the main reason I bought it in the first place – even if the kit is now one of the only remaining parts on the car from its previous life!

With one of the most heavily customised Mazdas on the show scene, it wasn’t long before Tom’s motor was attracting the gaze of the public and judges alike.

“I’ve always enjoyed attending car shows, and in one year I managed to squeeze in visiting quite a few of my favourites, like Japfest, Players, Japshow, and the Modified Nationals.

“Winning prizes at shows never really interested me, I’d built the car to impress myself, not judges, but that year I ended up coming away with the Judges Choice at Japshow ’14, which was an amazing surprise.

“Since then I’ve been supported by the teams at FastCar and ZillaLife who have allowed me to display my Mazda on their stands at shows around the UK. The car was also featured in the recent ‘Japanese Special’ edition of FastCar, which was just incredible to be part of.”

Driving A Dream Nissan

With car show fame in the bag and a place on magazine covers and podiums across the UK, Tom set his sights on a new motor and an even bigger challenge.

Tom’s current car is a Nissan PS13 Onevia, a 300hp drifter equipped with the entire catalogue of Driftworks suspension and steering parts; coilovers, front tension rods, rear camber arms, rear toe arms, rear traction arms, extended lower arms and even steering knuckles to give it more steering lock – once essential in its former sideways-travelling life.

Screen Shot 2015-06-08 at 10.12.27“The car is a real contrast to my MX-5, because where the Mazda was set up for aesthetics, the Nissan is all about performance. I’ve modified the engine to bring the power up, fitted a huge range of mechanical mods, but now I’m finally looking to work on the exterior too – and that’s probably where the money I’ve saved on insurance will go.

“My Onevia is a bit of a hybrid really because it has a different front end to the one it should have, that of a 180sx instead of the PS13 – but to me this just adds to the unique look that I’m going for. I have plans for a BN Sports bodykit with wide overfenders to allow for wider wheels, and I’m aiming to finish off with a full respray once I’ve finally decided on a colour.

“I know that everyone thinks of Aston Martins and Ferraris as their dream motors, but for me I’m working towards owning true Japanese icons like the Mazda RX7 or a Skyline GTR. I’ve always loved the PS13 too, so in a way I guess I’m already in one of my dream cars, and I plan on making the most of it for years to come!”

How To Win A Year’s Free Insurance

Fancy being in with a chance of winning a year’s free insurance from Adrian Flux, just like Tom?

Just come along to any of the shows we’re attending this year (listed below) and leave your details with our staff. At the end of the year we’ll pick an entrant at random and give them a call with the good news.

Show attendees can also get their hands on £50 cashback vouchers at Flux stands. Just chat to our staff to grab a voucher for £50 cashback for use when you take out a policy with us.

French Car Show                   –          Sat 6th June 2015

Performance Vauxhall           –          Sun 7th June 2015

Mini Live                                –          Sun 5th July 2015

Trax                                       –          Sun 19th July 2015

Ford Fair                                –          Sun 2nd Aug 2015

Retro Cars Live                      –          Sun 9th Aug 2015

Japfest 2                                 –          Sun 16th Aug 2015

Ford Fest                                –          Sun 13th Sept 2015

LRO                                        –          Sat 19th & Sun 20th Sept

MX-5 photography courtesy of Davy Lewis Photography.




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