Pause Muna..

There's a life that is attached to this industry and not everyone knows it. When its getting too artificial, or a bit gloomy, or Laguna-beach-esque like in MTV, it kinda drains you a bit especially if you’re really an enthusiast more than anything else. When relationships seem to shallow already and it starts to in a way lessen your spirit. Observe as the others proudly post and seem to be absorbed by the perks of it, that it seems that it has taken over their life, may it be the beautiful faces or the nightly hang outs and what not. When you’ve seen to much attitude, or basically things which are definitely way off the mark as what a good education can provide. Or even questioning yourself as why you have gone down from a queen sized bed to a mat spread out on the floor in exchange for freedom and a view of what they call the real world. When you’re completely blanked because sometimes its never rational anymore and you end up wasting much clock.

Times like these, makes me want to step back, take a closer look at my roots, and well, just basically build another car. It's not pride or a simple whim, it's not trying to prove something or even competition. I call it a cure or a major therapy. Nothing else trumps all these emotions but an excellent canvass to start with and a slew of parts. Go old school with some post its, a calculator and writing down the things you need plus a budget to work on. It is but a simple gesture, or maybe a symbolism of a car guy. That no matter how deep or been tainted by the workings of this industry, he can pause, think over, and do what he does best. Something that is brought about by his passion, what ultimately, what brought him to what he is today. I think I want to go back now. Read between the lines. 

Staying true to your roots..

As I am writing this, I am headed to one of our country’s poorest areas. We need to work at night time, as not to attract any attention and more importantly, move faster without any distractions. 

The SUV market is exploding and we are all aware of that. I am taken aback by a conversation I had with a fellow shop owner in Banawe of the thought of gradually crossing over to accommodate such. I listened to him carefully and well here are my thoughts. Since its my birthday month, I won’t hold back too much so read carefully because the manner of thinking or writing won’t happen again anytime soon. 

I am an enthusiasts, who was influenced by my EX’s kuya with his Spoon Car back in the 90’s. I drooled when he and his brother in law would drive the streets of Kalookan with their B-Series EKs with those shiny TE37s and Advan tires. I promised myself to work every summer then so I could save some cash and experience a bit of the same. Fast forward to college.

As an enthusiasts, as abundant are the very pretty women in our school, we also had “car personalities”. There was this guy who had a B18 Civic EK with a Group5 visor and now owns a very well respected shop, I  also remember a kitted Mitsu Galant with 18s or 19s 5zigen wheels, it was basically an introduction to what they would now call VIP. A bunch of Civic SIR’s here and there, and a true pocket rocket in the form of a EG Hatch also with a B16. Of course Botchi would have his Evo back then, and an afternoon barkada of Spoon Caliper equipped EKs parked at Johnny’s for a quick game of billiards. Fast forward to after college.

I was lucky enough to find a good set of friends whom till now I am together with, and in form, are still one of the figures or personalities in the industry. We were ripping though the Subic racetrack on track days, talk about parts all night long at Alan’s place at Splitsecond Greenhills and spend wads of cash on karting at the once Mario-kart like location in Bicutan. JDM and rare are common words of discussion, it is by all means high level. Fast Forward to now..

Looking back, to my background and the parts which I have dealt with and the hard core clients I have been able to serve, I don’t see myself crossing over if you know what I mean. Its not as if we woke up one day as businessmen and thought of selling parts to a wide variety of audience. It does not work that way for me. Sometimes money isn’t always the driver here, we give way for passion. We cater to sport compacts, and would want to keep it that way. We envision projects the way they deserve it. I dream of K20 EKs, FDs and Jazz’, or wide body 86’s and BRZ’s. I aspire for track-attack Evos and STIs with those tasty diffusers which makes you wanna tail them for a glimpse, or a driving experience with an S2000 which clearly you had a hangover with. As much as I hate to say it but not all cars are meant to be modified. The SUV your dear parents gave you, no matter how many chips and beans you put unto it would never be a sport compact. If you see yourself drawing your enthusiasm and putting too much cash on a vehicle which is basically really not meant to be, I would plainly say buy a Jazz, a Silvia, or an Sti, because I know, that at the back of your mind, that is the pinnacle of your purpose. 

Let SUV's be themselves, let them serve their real purpose. Let sport compacts be sport compacts, and let have the parts they truly deserve.

And that is the reason why our shop is not crossing over. We stay true to our client base, we stay true to their passion and most importantly, we pattern the cars we modify to the same ones the Japanese are fixing too back in their homeland.

The Afternoon Feel

Maybelle annd I made a stop over after watching a epic play by Floy Quintos at Palma Hall in UP to grab a few fish balls, a hotdog sandwich and drinks at the nearby sari sari store. We sat amongst the trees with a clear view of all the joggers in the area and the field as it housed a mix of football and frisbee. The area is highlighted by the signature afternoon shade from the sky, as the air is filled with energy and enthusiasm. Such “firsts” for me like spontaneously just stopping over, buying some fish balls, the sandwich, even that pink cotton candy and randomly just hanging under the tree for a casual conversation are things which do not happen often, thus are now engrained in my head. It is as if I didn’t want it to end but as I always say, time sets all the rules and I knew it was ending in a few minutes, prompting me to absorb every detail. The setting, also solidifies my idea of what it feels to study in UP. In the past I have discarded it as just another school managed by the government, but after spending that moment, and a few days before it I finally caught the UP “feel”. though hard to explain, it can be described as life in college with a huge amount of diligence, freedom, expression, and the typical “Pinoy Life”. In my honest opinion, the campus has a certain chemistry which is hard to beat even with the likes of Lasalle or Ateneo. 

Cars on the other hand share the same sentiment of you ask me. Different cars have different feels unto it. Others may feel so reliable, others feel so luxurious and distant to the road, and others feel as if they are exclusive machines with the only purpose of ripping the road. As I always say, its best to drive as many cars as possible for you to complete such idea. It would be better of course if you built a lot f cars during your lifetime, because beyond the body kits, lights and aesthetic pieces, are a car’s soul. That of which is rooted upon handling and driving performance. What makes you Civic FD different from your sister’s Altis? :) What makes your Evo7 different from your best friend’s legendary EVo5? Why does a Nissan Silvia put a smile on your face when you drive it as compared to a car 20 years younger? Questions that may guide you for many years to come. 

"Life is too short to drive Boring Cars"

I was talking to a few of my friends the night before at CBTL, as I was discussing living alone and all it's plus and minuses. In reality, its all plusses since you have all the benefits of well, living alone if you know what I mean. You just have t be responsible enough and realistic with your budget as it is a true gateway into independence and keeping everything straight. Aside from that, I had to keep the client's cars that I bring home for painting and various upgrades away from the irritable eyes and ears of parents. One big minus would be food. Since I don't cook and no ones cooks for me yet, I'd have to result to eating out which is always a welcome adventure at first but lonely and tiresome through the latter. Dating on the other hand is a whole different story.

The Facebook sidebar and notifications list is such a wonder isn't it? Through it you can almost see through a person's character? How? through his likes, posts, and comments. Forget about being a Doctor, Excutive, Pastor or Mentor, do you have a friends, who oftentimes post nude pictures on a private or secret Facebook group page? I even described him to my friend as someone who I almost looked up to through his profession, but she readily said, "it does not matter Donds", and politely tapped me in the arm as her sister was in the back seat. Probably someone who has a genuine love for cars? As 99% of his posts on Facebook are about cars and nothing else. Or someone who surfs as he rips through the waves during weekends and oftentimes goes shopping at Quick Silver and Hurley giving you a quick indicator on his passion. Or someone who builds cars, writes on a regular basis and reads 3 inch thick books on weekends, and you know he's not 1 dimensional. 

The saying "life is to short for boring cars" in reality can be applied to everyone's lives. Whether you're really into cars as you own a Civic, Jazz, Evo, Silvia, and 86 or the exotics. I just gave someone a quick advice and asked me if I was reading what I was saying over the phone. As Mr. Raul Roco would say, ""Write everything down...memory is treacherous.", and thus here I am, writing it down. The saying also applies to general life, and loving life as we know it at the same time paying homage to our parents who have sacrificed so much for us during their lifetime. (I prepared dinner for them tonight btw :)) Our parents have given us life, gave us education, worked for us, woke up early in the morning, strived for what is best, fed us, worked to give us the best and raised us to the best of their ability. No matter what your relationship is with your mom and dad today, distanced or close, dependent or independent, alive or not, this is a principle which I believe must be ingrained in all of us. That in the end our parents would like us to be in a very good situation, not in something which we sometimes or often regret, not in something that we are ashamed of, or something we hide, or something that stresses us everyday, or something na "pwede na", things that make us cry, or bring us down, or a certain emotion that makes us feel like we're inside a box and we can't escape. 

Life is too short to drive boring cars, and that adage simply translates to living life to the best way we can. You and I, and everyone else should be having dinner at a nice resto with our loved ones having a great time with a great view in front of us, candle light dinner at home, or going to La Union for surfing and ripping the waves on a Sunday Morning, or going for a drive on your tune car to Tagaytay to grab your favorite cheesecake at BOB, having a good and intellectual conversation with random laughs and giggles in between, or running hastily through the halls of Powerplant to watch your epic movie, or lying in the beach and starring at the horizon as the blue rush unto your feet. Looking up the deep blue sky, closing your eyes momentarily and thankfully saying praises up above, that there is good in life and these are the things that our parents I'm sure have wished us to be having. 

Cheers! Our Ateneo Junior Midgets is having a big game tomorrow mornong against Xavier, so I'm hitting the sheets early. Goodnight everyone and have a great weekend! 

Kindness Transcends and the EK Hatch...

I've always wondered how Kindness transcends everything. How one’s kindness can survive different settings may it be when dealing with different people, families, car groups and the like. Can a person’s kindness eventually make him survive say for example he’s courting a girl who is partly materialistic and user friendly? Or suddenly being sucked into a barkada, wherein a lot of them are free loaders, will kindliness eventually triumph everything wherein he’s gong to earn the respect that he deserves? My good friend told me that good things happen to good people and I’ve always believed him on that, thats everything may eventually work out for the better, only faster or maybe smoother given the person has paid his dues and have treated people with what they truly deserve, if you know what I mean. 

People have different colours, we all know that. Everyday we encounter people through friendships, random conversations, relationships and dates. The joys of dating women is a truly remarkable experience. It demands understanding, it’s synonymous to discovery by all means, it requires control not in the physical sense but as we delve deeper, I truly meant holding off some emotions or reactions that are brought upon by the mere fact that you tow have been brought suddenly together, as you are from different worlds and thus sparks and clashes of sorts. I just feel that sometimes, if you’re wise enough, you get to predict the other person, or you see thorough actions or tendencies. You actually know what the other person is trying to do but you hold off your reaction through words primarily because not everything has to be acted upon, or given a solution, or maybe a conflict. Or when someone criticises you, you just keep quiet or remain idle because deep inside or even through the eyes of many, by all means, through the simplest tangible things or maybe what you are and what you have, you are simply bigger and better. Not everything has to come down to “sumbatan” or “yabangan”, sometimes, its better to keep quiet and stay low, not because an argument is tiresome, but because there is still a tiny ounce of person to person respect and the outcome is even better. 

Have you seen the recent pictures of the EKHB Cradle meet at the Fort BGC? Now thats transcending. Through 20 plus years, as the newer models have come in, STI’s, Evos, Jazz’, the BRZs and 86’s, the Civic’s still look so relevant. The style, and the simple form may contribute largely to that but in the end, the Civic EK’s will always hold as special place in this industry. Thats something you cannot buy with money, these cars more than money are a result of a careful selection of parts and patience. The feel and how people perceive of them are something thats only dictated by time, and they age like fine wine. :)

Goodnight everyone. My food is here and I'm digging in. 

It's Complicated

Women, of different attitudes and tendencies. I need not say more or elaborate on my experience but I’m sure you get me. The emo song plays on the radio and you couldn’t relate more, that the song fits your situation. Ive always believed that being single and in the “zone” is always a blessing and a curse. Its a blessing because you get to be in the market and there is no better feeling than admiration and certain emotions that make you do more, make you excel, make you do anything for that loved one. The bad side is, being love sick, you slow down, you got idle times, you have a tendency to day dream and the like. Women are indeed a mystery, that as much as you think you’ve met them all, boom, you’ll find someone who you like so much, who’ll turn your world upside down and in the end, it will not seem to work out. 

Much like into cars, there comes a time that you’re in an undecided or flat state wherein you not quite sure what step to make on your project. Am I better of selling it, buying this newer engine which is a K20 and ditching the good old b-series, or having everything stripped out and getting a new colour or shall end up selling it for an 86 or a BRZ. Is my car’s generation long gone and forgotten, do I rely upon its tried and tested chassis, and legendary image or shall I hang a figure at OLX and make a trip to the nearby car dealer for a new purchase. As humans we’re born undecided, or at least born to make decisions. Our emotions play a huge role in our humanity, may it be towards our special someone or the hobby which we all truly love. So as much the “Its complicated” adage is used in a lot of relationships, it too can be used with your personal relationship with your car...

My friend Aly and I was traversing the Edsa traffic and I was dearly honking on my customer’s Js Racing Civic FD which we’ve helped built over a course of a year, his dad too drives a City GM that of which we have provided a lot of parts too. I was honking and they didn’t choose to look at us given that both were untinted. Knowing myself, I’d bring down the window and say my hellos but it was futile. I laughed it away and I knew it was going to be part of my blog. 

I've always believed that fellow car enthusiasts has this auto-wall in front of them. That they appear to be masungit and just look straight or sure make an effort that they don’t get caught looking at your car. Im not saying its a bad thing or lack of appreciation, but I think its just natural for enthusiasts because they got pride, and such quality is deeply rooted in this hobby of ours. Im pretty sure that when you get to know that suplado car enthusiast, he’d be the most jolly person you’ll meet. This is also related to my experience of meeting a couple  of EK hatch enthusiasts back in 2006 from South who were a bit maangas at the HCP Forums but when we met them, they are the warmest car guys you’ll ever meet. 

So I guess that's it for now, I need to head out and get some grub. Have a great weekend guys, take it easy. :)

The Better Car Group..

I’m at the second floor of Harbour Point Mall, having my favourite Burger and Fries after much window shopping and finally being able to get myself a pair of shoes. Its been 1 month since I had my day-off by the way, this was like, “finally!”, I could get some rest and some time for myself since I’m a weekend-less and holiday-less kind of person. I used our service car going here at Subic, its the Jazz which I intended as our service unit/demo car for our products. Honda’s will always be Honda’s. They have this certain compact and edgy feel which have been present even amongst their older models. I may not be a car reviewer, nor a magazine editor, but I do know that I have owned a couple of them, and driving one for weeks on end and as part of work duties truly reveals their real character as opposed to just a few days. Well, there a typhoon and the winds are a little strong, so the car was pretty much swaying at Nlex and Sctex, something which I’m not used to with my other cars. Cute nonetheless, purpose built like a swiss Knife with various uses and functions. I even slept on it during the Glenda Typhoon wherein a pack of mosquitos invaded my house plus the non electricity. It was in short, an instant tent on wheels. 

London weather is so nice, and is my ideal weather. Gloomy but not too much. There’s a bit of drizzle just enough to keep things cold. They also call it ramen-weather nowadays. The detailing guys probably hate it, but in my case I always make it a point to wash my own cars, sort of like a bonding with the machines. 

I was talking to my good friend as I was driving, then I had to stop on a gas station to finish the conversation since it was becoming more intense and I had to best convey what I had in mind without being bothered by the obstacle-like buses o the left lane. I just though that car groups aren’t always built with the pure intention of just forming one at first though. I come to realise that most car groups are also built with the intention to start something better, something o the side, something which opposes, probably as revenge, or maybe a breakaway thing. Am I right? Car groups are built that way nowadays, through competition, by conflict of past members and the like. Look around you, I don’t want to name a few as respect to them. 

That in the end, whatever group an individual chooses, what is important is he’s comfortable with it, since that is one of the main goals of car groups, not the conflicts, not the annual fees, individuals often look forward to EB’s, to fun runs, to basketball games, and billiards, to drinking sessions and birthday parties. 

I got to grab my massage now my friends, take it easy this weekend. I heard Ortigas is buzzing since its a payday weekend and the malls have a 3 day sale. Spend you money wisely! Put them on car parts haha!