This is why we believe what we say.

The most hipster thing I have ever done.

I must be pretty board.

How can the value of life be measured?

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Soichiro Honda had a good measure. I would imagine a NSX could stir my soul quite a lot. Oldie but a great one. For sure worth the watch.

FourPlusOne EVO X

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I love this video, there is just something about this car that grips me. The way the video is shot in general plus the music which I usually wouldn't care for. It all works so well.

The Feeling

Just a little short script a member of ours posted. I need to learn how to do this again sometime.

You cruise with no reason at all, after work, after school, or when you've got nothing else to do. In the darkest of night, or the lightest of day. You have no direction, as you'll go where the road takes you. You have no perception of where you're going to end up, but no matter where that may be, it's where you're supposed to be.
It's just you and the beast. All windows down, and the sunroof open. The radio tuned to your favorite station, and just loud enough so that it's louder than the crickets outside. Everything is on cool mode. You can't be annoyed by others on the road, because they don't matter. You won't see them where you're going.
It doesn't matter what will happen, or who will be missing you when you're gone. Anyone calling will be ignored, even close friends and family. Just lay your phone down, and turn it to mute.
It's just you and the open road. The gentle breeze through the open window, and the sun glaring inside. Just look at the scenery. Listen. These are the sights and sounds of the world stopping, for you. It's better than any movie you've ever seen.
You're in a numb state of mind. You don't care about the world around you; all you care about is the connection between man and machine. It's peaceful. Sometimes, you'll end up at beaches; other times, at provincial parks. Sometimes, you'll have just driven in large circles around other counties, for no other reason than 'because'.
There’s something metaphorical about it, isn’t there? It’s midnight, the clouds are sparse, and the moon and stars light up the miles of black highway. Rev’s climb, wind rushes in through every chassis opening it can find. You’re flying. You’re flying now, and nothing can touch you.
But, no matter how fast you go, no matter how much your heart races with the speed, the stars never get any closer. They just keep lighting your path, leading you to nowhere. No closer to them or anything.
It’s just that feeling; you, your car, the open road, and a full tank. Nobody or nothing to worry about. All your troubles disappear because you’ve stolen these few minutes or hours from society. You’re in charge, and nobody is going to tell you what to do.
It’s liberating; the engine revving softly, the wind through the sunroof, and the sun beating down.
There’s a place that you often end up at, as if it’s calling your name, and you really don’t know why. It’s some sort of hidden place. It surrounds you, and brings you to your ultimate calm. If it’s dark, you can see lights in the distance, reminding you of the world you came from. It’s peaceful here.
This is freedom. Nobody can take these moments from you, and it is when you realize this, that you realize you truly are free here. You can come here to escape the madness of day-to-day life.
When you leave this place, you drive home as smoothly as possible, attempting to keep the peace within you. After all, it must last until you have the next chance to get away from it all; to drive.
Your car is waiting...

Starting to get into the culture.

Put in a toe first. I am a beer snob and this past weekend Bobby and I decided to try some beer from Japanland. Hitachino Nest Beer XH is was we ended up with and boy oh boy were we in for a surprise. This beer is matured in sake casks among many other things but to me that makes it very special. It is hard to explain the intense flavors I tasted. All I can say is the amazing beer plus the experience is getting it, (driving in a red 350z while listening to M.O.V.E.), made for a good BBQ.

I strongly recommend giving this one a try if you are any kind of snob like me.

Never was so much owed by so many to so few

Does this amazing quote from Winston Churchill make sense in the context of the current realm of modern day car culture? To me it does with my recent decision to change automotive ideologies. My story of automotive obsession begins as many others I'm sure have. A board high school student with a perceived sports car (NA Dodge Stealth) and watch Fast and the Furious too many times and buying into the Need for Speed Underground games. Before you could say cliche I had a 3000 watt sound system, ebay ram air intake, midas exhaust, heavy black wheels with polished lips, and green under body neon lights. Maybe it was a different time back then...but mainly I like to think of that as my awkward teenage phase. I didn't know what I was doing or where I had developed those tastes from.

Believe it or not it was Tokyo Drift which originally sparked my interest in changing my ways. The constant close ups of Rays Engineering wheels had me gripped. All I knew was they were expensive wheels, I didn't realize it would help launch me in a new direction. I then decided to get a new car, ditch style and try for a little more function...this is when I picked up my 2007 Nissan Sentra SER Spec V. Unfortunately a car without a single JDM weld in its chassis. A series of comedic tragedies if you think about.

Shortly after buying the Spec V I had a chance to pick up a set of Rays Engineering wheels and I took it. The Nismo 57F's in Bronze, identical to the Gram Light 57F; I am not a part of the elite with TE37's unfortunately but a 18"x8.5" 17lbs wheels is a great start. The B16 Sentra platform in general hasn't been able to really make it off the ground since its launch. Most of our support comes from companies like KSport and Megan Racing, I myself have an entire Megan Racing exhaust system on my car. A Injen CAI is one of the few intakes available for our cars.

Things improved again. Bought Falken Azenis for the Rays, Rays Engineering Lug Nuts etc. I bought the Twin Turbo Swap 3000GT as a side project and that is when the decision really started to be made for me. It's a Japanese car...why not use Japanese parts to play with it? An Apexi filter quickly replaced the ebay one on the 3000GT, I sourced a difficult to find Carbing/Pitroad M front strut tower bar, my plans continue to blossom.

The Spec V was now receiving oil changes using only ENEOS motor oil and Greddy OXO4 Oil Filters. I try to do the best I can with a nonJDM car and trying to do something that is different and matters. The Injen oiled air filter came off and an Apexi dry flow with a customized adapter went on in its place. I shift with a Carbing High Grip Shift knob. I have a Cusco oil catch can waiting in my parts closet and I fully plan on piecing together a turbo kit using as many legit parts as I can fit.

With patience and money the 3000GT will be fine. The same goes for the Spec V but will people understand what I'm trying to do??? I'm trying to support a fight, resistance, revolution for an idea that seems to be in trouble. With the knockoff companies stealing sales away from the craftsmen in the industry I feel that is where this quote fits. Never before was so much owed by so many to so few. I've been on the wrong end of this before and luckily I woke up.