Random stuff…Nisei, Nostalgia, Sportcar Motion, etc…

I’ve had a sense of accomplishment lately. Not necessarily in everyday life because there are still quite a few things I’d like to figure out but as far as this site goes, things have been very good. There’s actually been so much content, thanks to the homies by the way, that I don’t really have to do these random posts as much to use as fillers. I remember awhile back when this site first got up and running where there would be weeks at a time when shit was just so slow that I had to just talk about random stuff. Sometimes I would even draw like stupid pictures of things and some of you guys would find it more amusing than the Honda-related stuff. Haha, I look back at it with a smile because those random ass posts actually gave this site a bit of an identity and personality. I’m actually doing one of these posts today because it’s original, genuine thought and the guy that’s been biting off my site won’t be able to copy my shit for a change.

Anyway, I’m supposed to go have lunch with my homie Billy and Jay from JDM EGO today. I wanna say we’re gonna discuss business but we’re not. Probably gonna go off on a tangent about something and then get nothing accomplished. I’m actually trying to convince him to bite the bullet and get a Honda for a change. The guy has seen his fair share of hate-fodder so imagine the shit storm that would come if people found out he got rid of his R34 Skyline for a Honda…haha. Oh man, I love it. I can see the controversy already…I also asked him about possibly getting license plate frames made but at this point in time, it just doesn’t seem plausible or smart to make them. I would just end up making too many and have a bunch left over and lose money. Not like my pockets are super deep at this point either so it’s definitely not in my best interest to do that. I told him that maybe if this site is still up and running another year from now, I would revisit the idea but for now, ehhh…not so good. Big-ups to Jay at JDM Ego though, super cool dude with a wealth of knowledge of the industry. He’s been in this shit so long that I don’t even think I had a car when he started, haha….

Speaking of the homie Billy, he’s actually the official Nisei Showoff flyer car for this year. It’s sad to think that this might be the last year for Nisei but let’s hope that it is a memorable one. I noticed that alot of people have been asking me about where the show will be held this year. The lot that it had been previously held at the last couple years is now near completion and is actually a parking lot for what looks to be a Metrolink station. Not really too sure on that, and I’m also not really sure why everyone is asking me about it, but if you’ve been to the Nisei shows, then you know that the lot was kinda like partially dirt and not complete on the outside. I was curious myself because I didn’t even know that the location was unknown until people brought it up. So I actually hit up Showoffcafe on Twitter (If you want to follow The Chronicles btw, click here) and asked them. And unlike Miley Cyrus, who Mikeyyyy’s girl Tina randomly tried to talk to, Showoffcafe actually responded. They’re actually pretty easy to get ahold of too. Turns out that the location never changed and Nisei Showoff will indeed be held at the same lot on 100 S Alameda, Los Angeles, CA 90012….Don’t believe me? Well here’s the flyer so you can see for yourself….

You’re welcome by the way. I actually cruised by the lot over the weekend when I was in Little Tokyo and the spot does indeed look alot better. There’s actually a sidewalk now and not just gravel and shit, and everything looks alot cleaner. Hopefully the driveway isn’t as fugged up as years before. They had a wood board for a ramp one year and when I drove over it and stepped on the gas, it like, launched the board into the street and I grinded my way in. It was like an underaged girl getting down with R. Kelly….rough, uncomfortable, and I cried afterwards…I have a good feeling about Nisei this year though. The level of competition is definitely up this year and with it being the last Nisei ever…possibly…everyone is coming out and showing support…

What else is going on? Hmmm….well Big Mike text me this morning and told me that he went over to the bodyshop and they were already set to paint his Prelude. I can’t disclose the color because I don’t even think I know, but I’ll definitely get some more updates on his build as he sends it my way….

The Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge is actually going on this week and I’m very excited to see how Honda Tuning and the Sportcar Motion Civic hatchback will do….

It’s an interesting event so I’m excited to see the results. The two shots above are some cell phone shots that Loi took. You’ll notice that the Advan RGs are now gone and have been replaced with some 15×9 949 Racing wheels. The 350z you see next to it in the second picture is the car chosen by Super Street magazine. There was some grumbling in the comments section when I first introduced this Civic on the site from Mustang owners about how unfair it is to have this car in the challenge. Apparently it’s not enough of a “street car”…Ehh. I’d bother to respond but I’ve had more than a few friends that have had Mustangs in the past and you all sound the same. Whenever you feel like you’re at a disadvantage you like to bitch about it. When you don’t know anything about the car and you’re making some power, a Honda is inferior. Heard it all before…Let the results speak for themselves. Did you guys fail to notice the Evo that might be making 7-800hp that’s participating? Is that car not a street car?….If the Mustang does somehow end up winning the whole thing, believe me, I won’t be the first to apologize either. I’m not the one whining about it and crying to other Mustang-owners for support. 5.0 Mustang and Fast Fords mag probably isn’t even sweating it and you fanboys are up in arms about it…

Damn, this is getting kinda long. More than enough crapper-reading material for you guys…Before I go, I was looking up pics of my old car when I was discussing wheel fitment and tire sizing with Big Mike for his next set of wheels. I found a folder where I had pics of a valve cover I did in my garage awhile back. Back around that time, Honda-Tech users were having valve cover contests regularly and I decided to participate. I had the whole Bride gradation theme going on throughout my car back then so I came up with the idea to do a Bride gradation-themed valve cover. It actually came out pretty good for being rattle canned in my garage and I had it on my car for quite some time. Looking back now, it’s a reminder of how much I miss owning and working on a Honda. Just the ingenuity aspect of it and being able to create stuff you know. It was so fun. I ended up having to strip and repaint the valve cover again too because I initially wanted to keep the “DOHC” when I shaved my cover and the paint just didn’t sit right on it. Here are the old pics that I documented for the valve cover build-off. I ended up winning that month too which was pretty cool. The prize was like a K-series t-shirt or something and I didn’t even want it so I just told the guy to hold on to it and give it to someone else. I don’t have anything against K-series engines or anything but I don’t want to rock that shit on my chest you know, haha…just not my style…

The concept drawings I did while I was in class….

The stripdown and shaving of the cover…

Shaved and filled…

Priming…

Base was a metal-etching primer…

2nd hi-temp primer…

Horrible job of masking…

The finished product (before I had to redo the entire thing. The finished 2nd version had the red “B” on it and no “DOHC”)

Finished…

Not bad for a rattle can job…=P

That’s it for today guys, hope you enjoy reading a bunch of random shit….

July 2, 2009 | Categories: Personal, Random | Tags: castrol syntec top car challenge, JDM EGO, Nisei Showoff, Sportcar Motion | 9 Comments »