Each year, Scion chooses 3 custom car builders, gives them a stock Scion and $15,000 to build a car in 90 days. The cars are debuted at SEMA and the winner receives $10,000. The car of choice for this year’s Scion Tuner Challenge car was the redesigned 2014 Scion tC. To help make each car diverse, builders are chosen from different parts of the country. Each builder adds their own style, representative of where they are from. This year’s builds came from Seattle, Pennsylvania and Southern California. Scion WSD by Josh Croll Josh Croll combined elements from hot rod culture, European influences and JDM inspiration in his build. His goal was to create a unique tC that you hop in and go fast. The WSD (Wrong Side Drive) is the only right hand drive tC in the world and makes 349 horsepower at the wheels. Croll did everything on the WSD tC from fabricating the right hand drive conversion, installing the Dezod turbo kit and Elite JDM weld in roll cage to painting the exterior with a custom BASF “Crollsickle Orange Tricoat” at his Pennsylvania shop, Croll’s Customs. Scion L-DZ by Walter Franco Representing Seattle’s growing VIP scene, Walter Franco’s LD-Z concept takes cues from VIP style such as the big 20x10 Avant Garde wheels tucked under widened fenders, leather and alcantara interior with diamond stitching, complete sound system and air suspension. Unlike the other’s who went turbo, Franco chose to go with NOS in addition to custom built headers by ASP and a TRD stainless muffler. Simpli-tC by Young Tea Coming out of Southern California, the Simpli-tC was created out of Young Tea’s garage. Tea’s goal was to build a streetable show car. Something with strong aesthetic appeal combined with practicality that can take on Los Angeles’ rough and congested freeways. With the help of his friends and 90 days of sleepless nights in the garage, the car has been widened, turbocharged and lowered. An AirRex Air Suspension keeps the car sitting perfectly over the Nutek mesh wheels. The custom fender flares and rear wing were hand molded and designed to build upon the tC’s existing character lines, which are now covered in a House of Kolors Lite Teal paint. 90 days of blood, sweat and tears came down to this this day. Simply making it this far is an accomplishment, but each builder came to SEMA to win. After judging on social media, Walter Franco’s L-DZ won the fan favorite award. When it came time to announce the judge’s decision for the 2013 Tuner Challenge Winner, Young Tea and his Simpli-tC was crowned the winner. The design, labor and creativity won over judges. "It may have been a dash to the finish, but the car looks amazing thanks to the team’s hard work,” said Tea. -Andrew Modena [gallery link="file" ids="8936,8935,8934,8933,8929,8928,8927,8926,8923" orderby="rand"]
