High Level Meets..

Pic ctto Sir Pow Lo and C Magazine. Thank you!

If I said that 2020 pretty much had a rough start that would be an understatement. Multiple calamities, the death of an icon, and of course the pandemic which we are all experiencing worldwide. It has made an impact in our lives and had greatly affected how we live and most importantly how we perceive our love ones, our lifestyle, what we possess and a realization that no matter how many achievements, no matter how much money we earn, that no one is immune to God’s hand. May it be a painless death during sleep, or a global pandemic which levels just about everyone, no matter who you are, no matter what country you live in, or kung estado mo sa buhay. You’re humbled.

Meets. Gone are the days of disoderly meets. Nowadays, these gatherings are so well organized its oftentimes comparable to a high quality car show or reminds you of those meets in the states. Minsan pa nga the likes of JDMU and Legends meet, or the recent Stance Ph meets easily outshine that of your usual carshow I will not mention the event of course as not to offend anyone. From preparation, to the way they do invites, car slots, to ingress and engress, to the organizer’s time to address the attendees, of course the quality cars and that certain feel in gives you being surrounded by the “real” best in the field. 

Kaya nga pag meron nag rerev or nag buburnout during such a well prepped meet, parang gusto natin kutusan e. What the hell are you doing? Are you stuck in those times? 

These meets, has taught us a number of lessons actually. 

To name a few, it taught us that when you put heart to organizing a meet and your core group are real enthusiasts, purist, JDM or Euro Lovers etc, you’ll probably attract the best atendees and the best crowd. It’ll flow naturally, from media outlets with those high res pics and albums which we all can take reference from, to shared pictures snd discussions. All these trickle down to the existing, would-be’s and the learned. The result is, a meet of people who are “in” if you know what I mean. People in the know, movers, shakers, the influencers, people we sometimes despise but in reality we respect for their fearless compliance of the truth, no matter how it hurts to some. Kung puro peke at Lazada parts ka, labas ka dito. Ganun ka sakit, pero ganun din kasarap yung realization for motivation..

It taught us the true meaning of recognition. That no trophy bought from Cubao or Recto can match a moment in a purist meet. With crowds drawn to your project, mix of praise and awe, multiple snaps pro and non pro, friends gained, shempre ang di maiiwasang inggit and critisim, which is normal. Hindi mo na kailangan yung model mo na ubod ng ganda, ke maghubad pa yan or magsplit sa harap ng kotse mo, you wouldn’t be needing that if you’re running on original limited ed CE28s, Spoon Monoblock, Spoon Gauges, Spoon Buckets, that rare JDM interior, a freshly swapped K series, some beautifully mounted Defi gauges and that paint na halos 1 year mo pinatigas before you had it finalized. 

I remember my friends, their standards, that before you call something a TRD car, Spoon or a Mugen car, my god, the specsheets usually reached the floor. That’s how tune cars are built back then, and hopefully till today with the new generation. 

That when you put heart over money when organizing a meet, everthing falls into place, and that is into every enthusiasts heart. That these attendees are clearly knowledgeable, to know who’s who, and which project car to aspire and learn from rather than trophy which for me signifies fake recognition, just to please everyone, to justify, somehow, the entrance fee. That these meet ups are kinda brutally honest more than anything if you think about it. Get noticed when the build is best, on the other hand left in the dark if yours don’t deserve it. 

So there you go my 10 minute blog salamat sa pagbabasa. By the time you read this I’m probably done with my jog and enjoying chef tania’s breakfast. Stay safe! Be good. :)

Soiree

Joining groups are no different from entering yet another relationship. We are immersed unto various experiences, similar or unique to that girl or that certain group. May your car be a Jazz, an Sti, a BRZ or a Lancer, or even the Miatas or the old school Corollas, you are bound to have your place. To belong, to feel comfortable, an escape from the hassles of work, to exchange ideas, for the funruns, for the parties. 

Some women are more of the adventurous type, while some are meek, and prefer being at home choosing Netflix and bowl of cookies over that night out at Makati. Some are just so damn beautiful, but boy do they give you hell most of the time. On the other hand some are simple, and you’d often embrace moments where you see across life’s horizon, settling down, taking it easy and living a well and stress free life. There are women who share the same passion such as you, she likes to drive your cars or convoy you to Tanay’s Katerina, and there are some who do not comprehend the things that drive us, but nevertheless things work out because of that thing called Pag-ibig. There are trophies if you know what I mean, in our industry its usual, we’re not simply talking about go-see’s here but real interaction, real relationships, tired, fast paced, shallow and often heartless. Your world completely made a 360 turn maybe for the worse, maybe for the meantime. And then there’s this wife material, wherein finally you can take a step back, hang that jersey and witness superwomen. Women who lead, women who work, women who shape the world on and off the the keyboard. Unafraid, free and veering away from that veil which most often hide from in the interwebz. Through the years, relationships taught me so much that my grandkids could be proud, and possibly, make money out of my narrations. Kidding aside, I know most of us men, we’ve seen the world, we’ve been through wars, had the good stuff and even the bad. As Kobe said, we’ve left everything on the court. Knowing we’ve maxed the hell out of our single lives and ready for the next chapter. Maibabalik ba ang oras? Hindi. Nasagad mo ba? Oo. Then congrats at isa ka na din alamat. 

Nagsimula ka sa Civic because it was the in thing, nag Silvia ka, nag Z because of drift fad, nag Lexus for that pure corporate feel at nag Evo to fulfill your villain fantasies of Initial D. Nagattempt ka din mag 4wheel pero bumalik ka sa kotse dahil na dun talaga ang puso mo at nag S2000. Inaway ka ng girlfiend mo, binenta mo ang s2000 because of the memories, nagkabati at bumili ng 86, for some reason  nabitin ka and you repurchased your S2000. Aren’t the best car stories written that way? 

Groups are a hard thing to follow if you think about it. You get inducted, you meet new friends, you interact and find a mixed bag of personalities, attitudes, tendencies and styles which are either alien to you or somewhat familiar. Surely there are disagreements here and there, group chat debates, constant jarring and cryptic post. Mga parinig, mga payabangan, konting cold war between officers and members. How about sponsorhsips and would be sellers. The problem nowadays is everyone wants a piece of the pie, sabi nga nila lahat gusto magbenta. How about breakaway groups, and at the opposite spectrum are new and binding  and lasting friendships, mga nagligawan at nagkatuluyan. These groups are like tests or somewhat like an experiment wherein you’re forced into a pool of people, to see you interact, gain enemies and allies, how it brings the best or worst out of you, how to excel, its a test if humility, or a perfect stage for some to brag. Kung mayroon taong bagay at sobrang active sa Lets Eat Pare primarily because he dines out everyday and occasionally cooks for himself, of course mayroon din taong bagay talaga sa Lets Yabang Pare, yung parang suddenly nilagay mo si Iverson sa isang basketball court. Mayabang, Natural, at kahit natutulog at nagagawa pa din magyabang sa panahinip. 

Thats it for now, a 10 minute blog by yours truly. Take care. Be good.

Legends of the 90s

Why the 90s was awesome? Well I could think of a few random reasons such as people had pagers and cellphones but our eyes weren't glued to them. We had a social life, and we talked and shared stories during lunch or dinner. We had mixtapes, we recorded songs and played them all day long, sometimes we forwarded the tape to reach our favorite song. We rented movies, there is this unique and fulfilling feeling of going to a rental store, finally getting that movie you always wanted. And finally for me are the animated Marvel and Xmen cartoons which ruled our Saturday and Sunday mornings, oh don't forget your Nintendos and Segas.

The greatest feeling in the world as a car enthusiast is to be invited to an event, and your project approved to be shown and displayed together with the chosen. In the same time people become bitter about why they were not approved, to the point of calling for resbak that he knows this guy or that guy or probably a woeful post on Facebook, trying to appeal, trying to convince himself that its OK and that he deserves better. At the other side of the spectrum are are the chosen, more than thankful and further inspired.  The reality is, if JDMU spear-headed these high quality meets while on the other hand, Legends of the 90's in its own right was pretty much straightforward about it. It clearly wanted the best out of the 90's era, though not perfect, clearly exemplified a high quality build or restoration that best represents. Instead of a free for all meet, it was either black or white for the Legends meet. It either approved your submission or disapproved. Thats it. It sent QR Codes for entrance, the chosen trickled in at the venue, poses are done and positions are made. It ruled the interwebs for weeks following the "event", everyone clamored, shared and saved pics from different media outlets, it sent a message to the unschooled why Legends is not for everyone, of course in its own candid way. Sabi nga ng Nintendo during the 90's N64 days, quality over quantity.

In closing, the Legends of the 90's is an icon of meets. Sir Aurick hit the jackpot on his pioneering event. It touched the lives of the car ethusiasts whose projects belong to an era loved by many. In my opnion it was designed to push enthusiasts to yearn for greater things, improve taste and most importantly build better 90s projects.

Nostalgia is such a powerful thing nowadays at halos nakakarelate, hindi nahahawakan, hindi nakikita, pero pwede natin maramdaman sa pamamagitan ng mga bagay tulad ng mga kotse natin, mga gamit sa bahay, maaring mga larawan, mga tao mula sa ating nakaraan, shempre kasama na din dyan ang mga lugar and lastly for me is music and videos. All these, though old, though faded, though damaged ( of course often restored)... vividly brought us back in time.

 This is my 5 minute blog, today was awesome. Good night and have a great week ahead.

Expecting

Maybe nagkamali ka lang ng sinalihan na show?

Because you might be thinking that your straight JDM that's catalog complete car will win you an award at a second stringer show. That no matter how much hype the supposedly yawnfest of a carshow it is, now matter how big the sponsors are, how wide the coverage or how influential its media partner is, no matter how grand the venue and the judges are, the sweet whispers of the car show model, no matter how many magazine appearances or 20,000 messages of encouragement that you received, remember that you are still subject to the ins and outs of a "small time" carshow. Bakit namin alam? Dahil 10 years na kame sumasali sa ganyan, we won, we lost, we lost respect for the organizer, we made amends, we reconcidled, we considered it as a tool or excercise for our clients, to experience and gain ground, for exposure to a certain segment in the market, to penetrate a certain car group and as we learned as it is more important above all, to be present, kahit paano in the small shows, not being too confident with our paid online marketing, word of mouth or the entity's longevity. For the regular car enthusiast its a different thing ika nga, its either black or white lang, a win or a loss. Masaya or luhaaan ka uuwi.

The pinnacle of shows, if you will allow me to give you my humble and honest opinion is the SMX Shows, Transport Show and Autosalon. Do you believe your car is the best? Feeling mo its the best kept secret ng inyong lugar, town and city? Do people drool over your IG posts that much and gain more than 1k likes every post? Well if you think it deserves the recognition that you kinda expect, then send it to those shows "para may makatapat ka". I think thats the simplest statement to tell someone who yearns for the best and who wants to gain exposure at the big stage. Those SMX shows are in a world of its own, and an experience I wish everyone can have access to. And through that experience, at the end of the day you will then say to yourself...

Kulang pa pala ang tindi nung tumalo sakin... or simply... I finally won, that simple.

Take care guys, safe driving maulan. Your 5 minute blog by yours truly...

Role

I realize that our role in this industry is to serve mostly the current generation of cars. That by looking at my position in the market and the parts that I carry are for the current generation of Civics, Jazz, City, and so and so forth. That as much as I would like to be able to serve the older models, there is no turning back as the only option to reach out to the older market is sell surplus and that is one thing I try to avoid. More and more, parts manufacturers from Japan and the USA, the big name brands have shifted their inventory towards the newer models. Ease of install, sure fire bolt on components, snap on parts are the game and have enabled selling these items easier and faster coupled by walk throughs via Youtube. Searching using the forums ika nga is a thing of the past. 

If there's on thing thats constant, is change and that holds well for wheel and tire sizing. Back in the days cars would be proud in their 14s, but nowadays obviously cars roll out of their dealerships on 18s as default. That's quite a solid and significant example on how cars and parts have evolved. 

The money involved with these new parts and the cars that they cater to is quite huge. Current generation exhausts and intakes from a reputable brand will set you around 25,000 to 100,000. That is the reality that has set upon these cars. Thats quite unheard of in the past, and will often shock a common enthusiast shifting from his Civic EK then now on a Subaru BRZ. Rare parts are a differnt story all together as EG/EK and AE enthusiasts held pride for parts which are very hard to find, and hold a significant value. So paano pa kaya yung mga variable exhausts which you can control through your Phone or Tab? That will set you around 150-500,000, bog brake kits on the other hand as they grow bigger matched by their equally massive wheels will set you around 90,000-400,000 depending on the set and model. 

Its such an awesome time to live if you are a car enthusiasts. Imagine a factory turbo-charged Civic, with tons of parts and tuning potential, thats something one could only dream of 15-20 years ago. With that much excitement, is truly equaled by one's longing for the cars of past. That's why nostalgia is such a powerful thing nowadays. We enjoy today's technology, we are spoon fed and given such ease that as humans, as enthusiasts and hobby masters, long for cars and parts that remind us of the times of was difficult. Times that required a bit more work, thinking and patience. 

JDM Underground's Yabangan Nights

Of course hindi na maari isuko nung taong taga Batangas yung Yabangan nights ay dahil ginawa na niya itong sariling hanap buhay, at kaalinsunod nito, like in any other provincial government, was easily given recognition and blessing to operate solely or in conjunction with a local fiesta and/or similar event. Such titles, which he claims through plaques and certificates are proof and are real, but it doesn’t automatically translate his Yabangan Nights to be recognized as the real, authentic and transcendent event that has touched the lives of a lot of purist, has challenged norms, and has often slapped you, waking you up, pouring water over your face, telling you throw away those fake parts, put on some real and authentic ones.

Like I said in my blog, a year or so ago, that JDMunderground is the Pioneer of cool. These guys started the year 2008, it was an invite for a run and meet, composed of one of the best looking cars out there, it was undeniable that it was dominated by Hondas. But through the years, we saw more purposeful and brilliant builds by the Nissan, Mitsu, Subbie and of Toyota enthusiasts.

What makes JDM Underground’s YN super untouchable is the quality of cars. Yun lang ang masasabi ko. Maaring isapuso ng taga Lipa ang kanilang Yabangan Nights tuwing fiesta, gawin nila hanap buhay o di kaya parte ng kanilang kultura doon, but at the end of the day, mga kaibigan ko mga taga Batangas, I appeal to you, I invite you to see, though pictures, through live meets, through the SMX shows kung ano ang kaledad ng mga kotse ng JDMU cars at ano ang kaibahan nito sa mga kotse ninyo sa Lipa Yabangan Nights.

Straight catalog Mugen , Feels, Spoon, Js Racing Civics ITRs and Jazz, full on Toms and TRD Corollas, a slew of nasty R35s, Zs and Silvias, couple of RX7s which you might have only driven only in the arcades (hehe I have a soft and kind heart for the RX7s), the boys of AWD Squad joining the fray with their tastily modified and/or restored Evos and WRX/STIs, K20’d Civics na parang normal at walang ka effort effort, loaded modern build facing their counterparts, equally loaded 10-15 -20-25 years apart, cars that make you even think if you can afford one in your lifetime, cars that make you think if you can see through its limited numbers and ever see one or have one in your lifetime, SMX Show-ready cars, the people: owners, enthusiasts, the movers and shakers of the industry all present and supportive, wheels, gauges, brakes, collectors items that can easily buy you a house and a brand new car and a lot more its too much to mention my whole blog session isn’t enough.

I absolutely have no intention to ridicule, to spark a fight or to rally the other side, that’s not my style everyone knows that. I just want to make things clear and to invite our fellow enthusiasts from Lipa Yabangan Nights, to see and witness what makes JDMunderground so damn great. Builds and projects so great that the international media has taken notice even years back. So damn great cars have landed in Magazines and various media outlets, so great they win Best of, Best in, best of at the biggest shows, so damn great that it has taught a lesson to a lot of enthusiasts and has sparked the formation of a clean culture, so damn great nahihiya ang iba pumunta at nagaalinlangan, so damn great that its exclusive, so damn great, yes you guessed it, its not for everyone…..

10 minute blog by yours truly. Good night. :)

Classic.

Bakit kailangan ng lumang proyekto in a sea of new and modern builds which are way faster, stronger and better handling with parts which are easily accessible which just a click of the mouse. Because besides the nostalgia factor and the meet where you can “yabang” its hard to find parts, kailangan natin matuto and tanggapin sa sarili natin that no matter how difficult or seemingly impossible a build is, no matter how complex the mechanicals and the parts behind it or the cars inability to make it to the street corner or even its early morning tantrums, pwede natin ito ayusin and every part has a match, and every difficult task has a corresponding person and skill who is up for the job and the challenge it brings.

I was misunderstood as upholding newer models over the old ones, that at the shop we rather cater and service newer car models for its ease of parts, less chances of malfunction and not inheriting any previous problems as a result of wear, tear and age. But in reality I always had this heart for keeping a side project obviously an older car model may it be a Civic or a Corolla. Keeping myself busy, fixing, maintaining and collecting the essential parts for the build. Because like I said, hindi lang tayo nandito just to earn, and blindly talk to clients just to make money out of them. At its core, I am still an enthusiast, and I also build the things that they also build. I know how it feels to buy something which doesn’t show you the performance you expect, or  blown away by price which is dictated by brand not by its use, or the need to get something installed or running as soon as possible, lack of patience, maximum gigil, traits which are painfully common amongst “us”.

Ilan ba sa mga kaibigan ko, cliente at kakilala ang isanabuhay ang pagkakaroon ni Takumi ng isang GDB and still having his trusty AE86. That through owning both the old and the new, one comes to a realization of sorts from response, handling and agility. 

Don’t get me wrong newer models are good, and technology triumphs over any excuse maybe except that clear feeling of Nostaliga but old car projects or its more democratic way of saying it, Classic car projects teach you a lot. It enables you to appreciate the blessings of today’s cars and indulges you to car building and parts sourcing not dictated by money but by passion and attention to every (catalog) detail.

Written and completed overlooking the sunrise by the sea.