SP Rides: Choos grab a Lambo by the horns
By Michael Kitchens
The family that builds together stays together. It’s as simple as that for the Choos, who are always looking to take a set of wheels to the next level. After a visit to SEMA Show 2014, Puna Choo and his family decided that their next big project would be a 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago. A supercar build like this one makes the ultimate statement in the realm of automobiles, and they decided to say it loud and clear.
“When someone sees the car, we want them to know it’s a Lamborghini, but with a wow factor,” said Steve Choo.
When the Choos first bought the car, it was pristine with only 3,700 miles on the odometer. Purchasing was the easy part, while deciding the build was quite the opposite. Building a supercar is different from your average projects. The parts are rarer, their prices extreme, and finding a body shop capable of doing quality work can be treacherous. As a family, they had to plan out the build with Puna taking the lead on sourcing parts.
The car pictured here is not the final project, but rather the beginning of the build’s evolution. It features the untouched and unspoiled lines of a supercar that has yet to be taken to the next level. The final build will be on display at Street Pulse’s Hottest Rides Competition at the MDA Aloha Custom Car Show and Cruise this weekend.
Let’s talk about the build you’ll see. The kit chosen for this vehicle is the aggressive Viper kit, a full carbon fiber collection installed and custom painted by Will Baxter of Kingpin Customs. The lines are sleek and dominating and the rear end is absolutely commanding. The Murciélago is known for its streamlined rear body; this kit takes that idea and throws it straight out the proverbial window.
The interior — with its already luxurious components — has been upgraded to a fully customized job done by Aloha Upholstery. Suede is key to the design, as it is featured on the double diamond stitched roof, on the Italian leather seats with custom embroidery detailing the Bull and Lamborghini names, and even as accents on the dash and doors. Additionally, new carbon fiber “Murcielago” door sills replace the stock ones.
Most Lamborghinis rely on the roar of their engines to provide the soundtrack to their daily drives. The Choos have supplemented this with a fully upgraded system consisting of Rockford Fosgate P1 Punch speakers, a 10-inch P3 Punch subwoofer pushed by 14 channel amps. Special fabrication has included a 20-inch screen under the “hood” run by an iPad Mini 2 Deck with LED strobes all around.
The already impressive stock wheels have been upgraded by a joint sponsorship with Lexani Forged. These custom built three-piece wheels, known as LF113s, sport a two-tone custom paint with hidden fasteners and are styled 19 x 9 in the front with the rear at 20 x 14. Toyo Proxes T1R tires have been fitted 235/35 ZR19 and 345/25 ZR20 to soak up the pavement.
Power delivery is via Lamborghini’s signature 6.2L V12 power plant — this one sports 650HP to the all wheel drive with a 6-speed manual transmission. A Fabspeed X-Pipe Section 2 and Section 3 adds an even more aggressive sound to the car. This incredible ride also features a hydraulic front lift for those high level speed bumps.
The Choos do everything together, so it was nothing new for them to build this project as a team. The private satisfaction of doing something they’re proud of is what brings them together. Throw in a $280,000 exotic and you have a winning combo.
