I know here at The Chronicles we usually take a look at things from a bit of a more comedic perspective. Sure I take things seriously sometimes but for the most part, I like to just have fun and bullshit with you guys. Well today, is not gonna be one of those days. Nothing serious happened or anything and no need to attack any certain individuals but I think it’s time somebody addressed this issue…
I’ve been working in the industry for a couple years now and have had the pleasure of seeing and writing about some of the best builds the country has ever seen. The guys that build these cars are brilliant. Seeing these cars immortalized in print is a beautiful thing. I remember back when I first got my feature in Honda Tuning, man I was so shocked and surprised. I didn’t believe anybody wanted to put my car in a magazine. That surprise later turned into a great amount of pride once I finally had the issue in my hand. It’s like, no matter what people say or do, they can never take that away from you, you know? Somebody actually thinks well enough of you to say that you deserve to be in their magazine. The car that you probably built in your garage for fun, for you to cruise around in with your friends is gonna be in print for the world to see. It’s not tainted or biased. Car show trophies are cool, don’t get me wrong, but the feeling you get when you win a piece of plastic at a car show is fleeting. You take that thing home, it collects dust, and eventually you don’t even know what you want to do with the thing because it’s in your way. Either that or the shit breaks and you lose parts of your trophy. It’s just not the same feeling. When you make a mag, damn, everytime you look at it you remember the sense of pride you felt when you first saw it, when your friends saw it….you remember the smile that was on your face.
That might have been the way things were back then, maybe a different generation of builders….
Today, man, I’m sad to say…it’s just not the same anymore. People don’t build cars for themselves anymore, they don’t build it for fun. It’s become so competitive that people don’t even spend time to sit back and enjoy their cars anymore. Cats build cars for fame. They build for a magazine feature. They build cars to make a name for themselves and then they try to cash in. That’s sad. My point is…
Why does everyone sell out the moment they get any amount of notoriety?
People are so quick to go and sell their cars the moment they get their features, that it’s fucking ridiculous. I see people lately who are literally sitting in front of their mailbox waiting for their feature to come out so that they can post their car for sale on the internet. They’ve taking everything fun out of being in a magazine. Shit, try to enjoy it…flaunt that mag, show everybody you know, relatives that probably don’t even care shit. Drive it around, enjoy your car, enjoy the hard work. Why is everyone so quick to cash in? I see guys who are putting their cars up for sale before the features have even come out!! Shits getting outta hand…
I remember entertaining the thought of selling my car back then too, don’t get me wrong. A couple months after my mag came out, somebody hit me up to buy the car and I seriously thought about it. But when I asked some of the guys that I looked up to about it, they kinda treated me different, you know? I just kinda asked around and talked to some of the others who had been doing this longer than I have and I just felt like they looked at me differently. It’s hard to explain. But it’s like they looked at me and said “Oh alright, I see how it is, you’re just in it to cash-in”. It wasn’t until then that I realized that it’s just not the right thing to do, it’s a bad look… I guess it’s kinda just an unspoken rule…If you sell your car right after you get featured, you’re selling out. You look like the guy that built the car just so you could make money off of it, it’s not a hobby for you, it’s a side job… I mean, if you don’t care what your peers think, they do what you gotta do, but I’m just saying, it’s not a good look.
The current crop seems to be doing that a lot. Build it, sell it. Build it, don’t even drive it, sell it. If you need emergency money, then by all means, do what you have to do. I’m not talking about those guys. It’s just sad to see people selling their cars as soon as they get magazine coverage. Kinda takes away from the feature itself…as if the owner used it as a means to an end. That feeling of pride, sense of accomplishment, that shit doesn’t mean anything…it’s all about the $$$$.
People and close personal friends of mine have approached me before to ask me what I thought about this before too when they thought about selling, and I tell them straight up; “It’s a bad look. You’re trying to build relationships with other people who love cars like you, people who respect you and enjoy what you do. You don’t want to be the guy that looks like he’s only in it for the money.” It’s a hobby afterall people, let’s try to enjoy ourselves alright? I know it’s very competitive out there but people respect the guy that builds for the love of it before anything else. I’m not saying don’t sell your cars because we all have to move on to other projects eventually but damn, it’s funny how a lot of cars go on sale mysteriously around the time when they get mag coverage. I can sit here and name guys off the top of my head that are itching for a magazine feature so that they can make some money off of their cars. They think that being in a magazine makes your car worth twice as much and that’s fucking idiotic. You really think people want to pay you twice the value to drive around in a car that other’s obviously know that they didn’t build? It doesn’t work that way.
I don’t know, take what I said as bullshit or however you like, I’m just saying. It’s sad to see so many people selling themselves out. It’s disappointing to follow a build for months on end and then before they even debut the car, they’ve already traded it away or sold it. You should build cars because it’s your hobby, not because it’s a bargaining chip to get something else.
Holy fack! I couldn’t agree more fool! I love when people do it tho. It really weeds out the “heart and soul” people from the “in it to win it” people. Every time people I’ve known have asked for my advice on the subject, I always tell them to do it. It’s funny because they’ll sell their car and buy a truck or something non car related. It boggles me. I wonder why did they even get into it in the first place? In my case, I traded my car for my “dream car”. Always wanted one andvthe opprotunity arose. So I snatched it up. Building a Honda for fame is retarded. Do it for the love people
Joey your the man..period.
the only justifiable way to sell a “finished” project, is to fund a new project. =)
or like u said, what’s the point in building one in the first place?
I am with you on that Joey, back when I had my hatch and it made it into readers rides section of HT man it was the happiest moment of my life yeah I wanted to get a full feauture but I was happy that it made it into HT in anyway it did.
Those that know me know I built that hatch for me cats looked up to me and admired what I did with it I guess so much that it was stolen but yeah I built the hatch because I loved it the work that I did the time I did and all those nights I got no sleep.
I was with out a car for 2yrs after the hatch was stolen then last year in March I went to Canada and got myself a 97 Acura 1.6 EL which I want to build as nice as the hatch was or even better but yeah I do it for the love for the hobby.
I have been into cars since I was a kid watching my pops and his friends do auto to manual conversions back in Puerto Rico.
Joey, glad I woke up this morning to do my daily devotional, read the Word, and get a fresh & clean thoughts from you. Everything you said is so true! My DC2R build right now is amazing, and the car itself it being built, but the friendships involve it, is like building that 1st!
Wow, you nailed it exactly. Perfectly worded. Keep it up! This is why I read The Chronicles!
Damn! That’s sad to hear. I’ve never had or am friends with someone who has had one. So I didn’t know their were THAT many people people the build their cars for the money over the love of the game :-/. Guess that’s the difference between an enthusiast and person who’s in it for the money
Took the words right out of my mouth! My cousin is like that. Builds cars just to flip them and move that money. He goes through built cars like underwear. Not one single mile on every car he has built. It’s facking gay! I been a dedicated honda builder since 1993 but moved on to japanese classic cars since this is where my heart belongs. I have done races, shows, but never got in a mag, but I can say that it was all heart and love for my car. I never thought shit like this would ever get this bad. I hope enough people read this blog you wrote Joey so that we can spread this “Unspoken Rule”. Thanks Joey and your peers for continuing to keep it real!
Tell it like it is man, you can’t be anymore right. People do it for the fame and not the game.
JOEY!!! Man I totally agree with you. Gotta do it for the passion doggie. I cant stop touchin damn cars I love it soo much…
I completely agree man. Sad to see the state of things and that few build for the love anymore. All people want is money and recognition. I’m still in it for the love, glad others are too.
I love this. I have got annoyed with people who build cars, get features and sell their cars, or as soon as they get a feature they tear down and rebuild in another direction to try and achieve another feature. I just wish magazines featured cars that were built with someones soul into, a dream car that was built with one direction in mind and the purpose of driving and enjoyment
cheers to that
LJ Garcia STILL has his feels widebody civic… i’m just sayin.
Funny to hear this I just talked to my friend about this same thing while doing my 4×114 conversion.. yeah this is all too true!! Building the same car for the last 6 years ive seen a growing trend of features for a car and the next month you see it up for sale like Wtf!? they part their cars out like enjoy the car man. I drive my car daily and invested at least $8k or more over the years and still continue doing so. I work hard to make my car that much better not to compete but for the fun, love, dedication, passion and addiction I have for the Honda scene. I dont garage my car like most people do I drive it daily to show my piece of art and let my hard work pay off by letting others notice it like I do when I go to show, meet or car event. With these heads doing a build, making a feature, and selling their car after they want their spot light I see as almost like a waste of time.. just everyone wait till all the OG’s come back and show everyone how its really done!! Shout out to the “amseven” crew cos they really showed me and others how its really done especially Mike G and his “tank.” This crew was around ever since I got into the scene which was 10 years ago.. Build a car because its your passion, greatest interest, and what you enjoy doing not just for the flame and glory..
I agree completely. Obviously, there are times that there’s a valid reason to quickly selling a car. After all, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans” and sometimes money is needed so a car has to go; but it seems like magazine features are now being seen as advertising instead of as rewards for the late nights spent turning wrenches.
People who are in it for the money also take away the opportunity of being featured from those that are truly in it for the love of the hobby and who want to showcase their creations to the world. The results of their blood, sweat, and tears are being overshadowed by those of individuals who just care about turning a profit.
This is truly sad. This is meant to be a hobby to enjoy, not a worldwide used-car lot. If all you care about is making money, instead of the pride of sharing something you built with your own two hands, then you’re not an enthusiast, you’re just a businessman.
i’m agree with you, but what about the people who buy a car already done. where’s the love of building a car? that sucks !
once you’ve made it to this blog, life is complete. what can i say? big things in 2010?
Couldn’t have said it better.
I have always been puzzled why someone would spend all the time, money, and effort to sell after a feature. Why not enjoy your hard work for a little while. Or simply change it up a bit for another feature since there are alot different magazines out there. It has been 15 years since my first(of ten) feature articles and I still own my car.
thats straight up real talk. i dont really comment on alot of blogs but this is the truth. if i put my time and money into my car theres no way ill go and flip it if a get a few trophy or hit some mag’s. good shit man!
shitz true..another good point by you
man, you hit this one out of the park! I know a guy that built a very expensive custom that turned out beautiful and hit the time period he was shooting for perfectly but it turned out that he was building a car to get into his idea of the top magazine for his car, the holy grail as put it. Well he finished the car never drove it, like he said he would, got the magazine feature of his dreams and then put it up for sale. Funny thing is, is that now he can’t sell it for what he build it for and keeps lowering the price… what a waste!! I just think he should drive the car and enjoy what he has accomplished…instead it’s sitting wasting away when a car like this should be driven and enjoyed to it’s fullest…
like I said, you hit this one home!!!
I definitely agree with Joey! It’s been about 5 years since my car grace the cover/pages of Import Tuner and I can’t see myself in parting ways with my ride. Keep up the good work. Love your blog, it is one of my daily rituals reading what you have to say…
Is an amazing job!
is there really that many people out there that do this to warrant such an uprising? if joey is saying it then i guess so, which makes me sad. at this rate this hobby will get enveloped into all this mentioned where dollars talk more than passion, ingenuity, creativity, and downright love. it truly is sad…
to be honest, your blog is definitely a good read. but your too revolved and caught up with what people do in the “car scene.” who cares what people do with their cars, it’s their car. if they want to build it and make magazine, then sell it, then let it be. does it really bother you that much? it seems like your too caught up in the scene. just let people do what they want.
Thank you Joey!
man what can I say you are always on point. I think the love is what its all about man. Sometimes people get bored with their car and I understand that. Its like a long relationship, sometimes you need to find something to ignite the flame again. I got bored with my car for a while even after the rebuild but I could not let it go. So many people have come through to help me with that car. It showed me what real Friends were about and who they were. I could never let them down man. I found what I needed to get that flame back in my ride and you helped me capture that man. I love that car and will have it forever. I think a car should evolve with you or stay timeless if you got it like that. I love this man, and I love how you are always on point. I am always thinking of what to build next but it will never take the place of my coupe.
thank you Joey and I hope you continue to help the community realize where it is going. Maybe one day things will be back to normal and the guys who really love this hobby will come back around because they realize the love is back in it.
Dpk*David…
No problem homie, I’m glad I could help you find that spark again to continue on with your car. I think it’s a shame that people are so quick to let their cars go especially with what you said. The memories and all the friends that came out to help you put it together, you can’t put a price on that kind of stuff. We tend to take that for granted sometimes and forget what is really important.
I couldnt agree with you more!….so many peeps down here in Texas have built some quality cars but as soon as they get the credit they are ready to sell! Sometimes i just dont get why you would go through all that hard work and just to sell it once its all done! i even a homie who has an EF that has such great potential to make mag but ever since he got his new luxury car it all went down hill! he wanted to sell it and move on but we told him to keep it! sad part is that its in storage just collecting dust and who know when it will be done! its crazy how some people just build for fame when it should be for the love of the game and homies and who cares about how many trophies you get! lol
you take my thought and put it into words. seriously. god bless ya dawg.
Coming from a guy that has had his Teg for 8 or so years now. Once you have a car that you’ve invested thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, gallons of blood, sweat, and yes tears even, you don’t just go around and sell it. For me it has something to do with how you’re raised, if your parents made you make your own money and buy your own shit, you learned to seriously love your shit. I had a Sony Playstation that I bought by hustling gum in middle school and I still have it to this day. What I don’t like about this trend is kids are buying up civics faster than ever and bringing up the value of untouched dc’s eg’s and ek’s.
word.
hey joey, after reading this,i must say that i can see your point & i know i’m one of the persons that your refering to so i feel i must speak in my defense. i have many reasons for why i do what i do w/ the cars that i build & this is clearly just to speak my peace so to speak. i really don’t mind what people think of me when it comes to cars or anything else, but i see this as an opportunity to let you & others see where im coming from. i did post one of my cars up for sale & yes i did think that a mag feature would help bring in window shoppers!(guilty) but i don’t feel like i should be looked at like im in it for the money.i honestly love honda’s!!!! im just so untamed when it comes to fixing them up. im straight up addicted & can’t seem to ever reach a satisfied state of mind w/ my cars… so far. but i have my hands full w/ family life, work, schooling, & 2 other builds that i really wanna finish before i call it quits.one project is already 4 years MIA. there are alot of people who know me & know how i am. i just don’t know how to leave my cars alone & thats my own fault. the main reason why i posted the car up is cuz it was just a distraction from my other cars. my wife got it as a daily & i just couldn’t leave it alone. i put alot time, money & energy into it that i wouldn’t even let her drive it! then when she finally could she got hurt (ankle surgery) & couldn’t drive it. we just decided hey why not let it go cuz i can’t drive it where i work (construction) & w/ the garage full w/ 2 other projects. we just didn’t wanna see a nice car seat outside & watch the weather beat down on it for months. i’d rather see someone else enjoy driving a nice car that we can’t! on another note, i recently got a storage unit to keep 1 car in so now i have the room to keep this one! & once again i have already tore it down for a new makeover!! see, it’s never ending!!LOL!!
Thanks!
-j
I can’t agree more. It was something that we talked alot about in the Netherlands lately, and how we don’t get the people who do that. You have just put the words in my mouth man.
staight up truth! i sacrificed alot to hold onto my STi, 86 and Teggy. i can’t sell them. they will be buried with me. the Teg is my baby. had it since 92