What’s a crew? To the unsuspecting, a car crew is just a group of people who are into cars that hang out together. For others, a crew is a group of friends who all have similar cars, whether it be make and model, or style, or brand. For some though, a crew is family. It always starts as a group of friends, but over the months and years, the relationships deepen, and before you know it, you have a family whose bond is almost deeper than blood. Liberty VIP is a crew that needs no introduction, and a crew that commands respect wherever they end up. Now expanding their reach to international levels with Liberty Japan (keep your eyes peeled for a feature soon) and Liberty Canada, the Liberty crew is still tight-knit group. Kevin Falk hails from South Bay, CA, and is a Liberty VIP veteran, being a part of the crew since 2009, and his M45 is just another reason why Liberty is at the top of their game.
Kevin is no stranger to the VIP car life. Before this M45, he had a Y33 Q45 for 6-years. He frequented the VIP-Style-Cars forums, and describes those years as the, “learning years.” In 2009, he was invited to join the Liberty VIP ranks while he still had his Q. Sadly for that car, things weren’t meant to be. Only a year later, after the 2010 Fat Lace Formula D show at Long Beach, the car met an untimely fate with a Toyota Tacoma and was totaled. Not one to mourn long, Kevin saw it as an opportunity to upgrade to a platform he’s always wanted. He bought his wrecked Q back from the insurance company, and parted it out so the car still lives on through various friends. Then he started his hunt for this 2004 M45.
The 2004 Infiniti M45 is a very rare car with only 1500 sold in the US, and Kevin’s Twilight Blue model is even rarer still. “I always wanted a Y34 because they’re a legit JDM model that I would always drool over every time I visited Japan.” Not one to sit idle for too long with a car, Kevin got to work right away on the car. One of his biggest challenges with the car is the lack of aftermarket support. When he first got the car, there wasn’t much for suspension solutions. Starting with a set of cut Tein springs, then moving to a custom set of coils for the front, Kevin caught a break when Parts Shop Max approached him with a solution.
Parts Shop Max wanted to use Kevin’s Y34 for a demo vehicle for their VIP spec coilovers, and hooked him up with the first ever set for the Y34. Kevin also added their camber and toe arms which were retrofitted from a Z33 so he could fine-tune the camber. With the suspension finally sorted to his liking, next on the list was sorting his wheels. When he first got the car, he put on his Work Euroline FS wheels from his old Q45, but he couldn’t stick with the same look forever on the new car. He wanted something new. Weds Wheels are a name synonymous with the VIP crowd with their Kranze and Maverick lines being very popular. Kevin is rolling on a set of 2-piece Maverick 210s wheels with silver/black lips and bronze lips, one of very very few sets that Weds produced. The wheels are sized up at 19×9 -6 and 19×10 +5 with hi-discs all around to allow big-brakes to be fitted at a later date.
A rare car in a rare color with a rare set of wheels, Kevin certainly wasn’t going to stop the theme when it came to the car’s exterior. That’s kind of the catch-22 of having a car that isn’t well supported in the aftermarket. You either have to make your own parts, or you have to hunt down the parts which makes everything that much more satisfying in the end. Kevin went with Autech bumpers front and rear which blend in well with the car’s factory lines. Genuine, Nissan Japan OEM optional side-skirts round out the kit. Lighting mods include Nissan Gloria LED tail-lights, Mercedes R-class fogs with HIDs, and LED DRLs. Custom lighting is the big thing over in Japan, and it’s slowly finding it’s way to the US, and a lot of the Liberty VIP guys are keen to pick up on it. The car has a tough appearance and that’s what VIP is about, and the Liberty guys nail it every time with their cars.
On the inside, the distinct VIP touch is there. LED lighting, dark leather, wood-grain, and some VIP tables courtesy of Black Label VIP finished in black leather with chrome trim. While not a completely bespoke interior, this Y34 still hits the mark when it comes a plush interior. That’s the thing when you buy cars likes these, they come so well-spec’ed from the factory, not much needs to be done. Kevin’s done just enough to leave his personal touch to make the car that much more enjoyable to drive, and when he has his dream car looking this, you better believe he enjoys driving it every chance he gets.
And with that, we come full circle to the beginning. Kevin and his M45 live up to the expectations everyone has for Liberty VIP. Despite being all over the US, Canada, and now in Japan, their cars are all distinctly different from one another, yet it’s easy to tell that they are Liberty VIP cars despite the mandatory Liberty plate, and the pin-stripping found on most of their cars. Liberty VIP has almost carved out their own style within the VIP community with their top-level builds and adhering to a philosophy of quality over quantity. This is probably why any car rocking a Liberty plate gets respect anytime it rolls to a show or meet, and you better believe it’s not alone. Liberty VIP always rolls deep because going to a show or meet alone isn’t the best time (ask me how I know, lol). A show or meet is a time to get together with friends and family, and catch up and look at some cool cars. That’s why crews exist since everyone will eventually find a family to call their own. Well, almost everyone. There’s a few lone-wolves out there, but that’s how it is in every walk of life. Kevin knows who his family is, and there’s a reason he’s been rocking a Liberty plate since 2009. A crew like this isn’t around just because of the cars, but the people behind them who all share a mutual passion. That’s why the Liberty VIP name carries the weight it does, and it’s why wherever they go they get respect.
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[toggle_item title=”Wheels/Tires/Suspension” active=”true”]Wheels:
Weds Maverick 210S silver / black spokes with bronze lip
19×9 -6 & 19×10 +5
high disk all around (clears BBK)
Continental Extreme Contact tires 215 f / 225 r
Suspension:
Parts Shop MAX coilovers 1st ever Y34 set
Parts Shop MAX camber and toe arms (Z33 arms)
camber is set at max in front for -5.5 and at -6.5 in the back to keep a nice balanced look
Brakes:
slotted rotors only at the moment[/toggle_item]
[toggle_item title=”Exterior” active=”false”]Autech bumpers (1 of 2 known Autech kits in USA) front and rear
Nissan OEM (Japan) optional side skirts
Nissan Gloria LED tail lights
Mercedes R-class fog lights with HID kit
LED DRL kit -super bright OEM look
M3 style trunk spoiler
20% front door tint, 15% back doors, sunroof and back window tint[/toggle_item]
[toggle_item title=”Interior” active=”false”]black leather with heated and cooled seats
graphite birds eye maple
Tech package
LED pod lights
LED lights for every interior light (white)
LED strip lights under doors (blue) when doors are open
JP Missions neck pads
DAD can air freshener
DAD dash mat
Galahad lighted ash bottle
CarMate small rear drink and cigarette table in black “leather” and chrome
Infiniti floor mats
Black Label VIP lighted front table in black leather and chrome
Block iPhone holder I picked up in Japan a few years ago mounted on the drivers door
Trunk:
LED lights replaced stock lights
Thick pile optional “M45″ embroidered mat
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[toggle_item title=”Engine” active=”false”]custom cat-back with dual pipes and an equalizer “H” pipe
Magnaflow SS muffler for the smoothest
Magnaflow double wall slash cut tips[/toggle_item]
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