Our New-To-Us On-Roader: 2005 Subaru Forester XT

January 15, 2024 / Andy Lilienthal / 4 Comments

For 23 years, we had a sporty on-road car of some sort. While sporty didn’t necessarily mean fast, it always meant upgraded suspension and stickier tires at a minimum. Whether it was my SR20DE-powered Nissan Sentra SE-Limited or 2001 Ford Focus ZX3, our 1998 Honda Prelude SH, or 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX, we always had…

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Taking a Track-Prepped Minivan on a 30,000-Mile Racing Journey Across America

January 7, 2024 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Zac Caldwell and his track-prepped minivan—a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan to be exact—will set out in February on an 11-month marathon of grassroots racing with an extremely lofty goal and very important cause. Let me repeat: track-prepped Dodge Caravan.

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The Crankshaft Culture ‘Not Another Holiday Gift Guide’ Gift Guide

December 15, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Holiday gift guides can be great ways for people to find that just-right gift for their special someone. They can also be useless shill pieces aimed at bringing in traffic to their site without anyone actually touching the products—but that’s not the case here! The Crankshaft Culture Holiday Gift Guide features products we’ve actually used…

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New Crankshaft Culture eBay Store

December 7, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

We’re switching things up in the swag department, and would like to introduce our new Crankshaft Culture eBay store!

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Photos from Subiefest Texas 2023: Grand Prairie, TX

December 5, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Texas was all-new for the Subiefest series, and we weren’t sure what to expect. But Subiefest Texas 2023 ended up having some super clean builds, wild rides, and awesome people.

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Crankshaft Culture Gear Garage: AO Coolers Carbon Series 36 Pack Cooler Review

November 13, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Words by Andy Lilienthal; photos by Mercedes Lilienthal When we got our first ARB fridge/freezer, I said if I ever needed to use a cooler again it’d be too soon. Well, that was a stupid thing to say. There are simply times when you need a soft-sided cooler. We found ourselves in such a situation…

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Our Favorite Vehicles From the 2023 SEMA Show

November 11, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

The SEMA Show is sometimes referred to as the pulse of the automotive aftermarket. It’s where brands and manufacturers showcase their latest and greatest aftermarket accessories. And every year there are hundreds—if not thousands—of cool custom vehicles to be seen. From hot rods and imports to trucks and vans, SEMA has some really awesome vehicles….

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Photos from Boxerfest 2023: York, PA

November 10, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Boxerfest is one of the premier Subiefest events. There were hundreds of Subarus and thousands of Subaru enthusiasts in historic York, PA for this show. This year’s event happened in August 2023 and had an excellent layout to showcase both vendors and show cars. Heck, even the parking area at Boxerfest was impressive.

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Step-by-Step Guide: Installing a Trailer Hitch on a 2022 Subaru Crosstrek

October 23, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

After a year of owning our 2022 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 Premium (6-speed), we decided to bolt up a hitch for a multitude of reasons. It turns out installing a trailer hitch on a 2022 Subaru Crosstrek is easy and can be a very versatile accessory, and not just for towing.

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A Trio of Honda TrailSport SUVs Compete in the 2023 Rebelle Rally

October 12, 2023 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Honda today unveiled its trio of rugged TrailSport SUVs that will compete in the grueling 2023 Rebelle Rally. This is an eight-day off-road competition through the unforgiving desert conditions of the American Southwest. The vehicles are Piloted by Honda associates and automotive journalists—including Crankshaft Culture’s own Mercedes Lilienthal who also took these photos. Vehicles include two 2024 Pilot TrailSports and…

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