The Low Life Pt.1
Now that we've got the tamed part of this experience out of the way, the fun part of begins. Like I said, I love a well-kept, clean classic and I'm pretty sure there's car enthusiasts that believe in keeping the car in it's original form as much as possible. But what really catches my eye are cars slammed to the floor with wheels so wide they stretch the body fenders just to barely fit snug in the wheel well. The 80's was my favorite era for cars, drivers were experimenting with power and style and came up with some really interesting results. One style that I admire the most in Japan is kyusha - wide wheels, not the huge ones you find on VIP cars, but 15-16inch barreled wheels that poked out and gave cars a Japanese lowrider feel. To compliment the wheel stance and set up, loud exhaust pipes, front mounted oil coolers, tilted headlights, and elongated bonnet noses made a new breed of Kaido racers.
Throughout the years, up until now, there's still a subculture in Japan completely dedicated to that era. The scene has evolved but the style is very distinct and can always be recognized. Although born in the 80's, this pair of black Nissan Cima's have been treated with a more VIP feel but a hint of kyusha still exists. I couldn't keep my finger of the shutter around these two cars, there were so many details that had me drooling over them.
For example, the custom angled, triple pipe exhaust tips that gave the V6 a burpy rumble at idle. And like any well executed VIP car, fatty rear wheels that poked out the fenders and enough negative camber to make use of only half of the tire.
And peeking from behind, the other black Nissan Cima twin was sitting just as low as the front one. Although the wheel setup was not as aggressive, the wheels sat flushed and filled in the wheel gap giving it's clean appearance.
If I wasn't out of saliva yet, I would have definitely would have had a drought from this next car. It's a hard choice for me to choose my favorite car at the meet because so many styles that were executed properly and so many different eras of cars I admire. I guess it's safe to say I've been biased to VIP cars since 2008 when I had my 95' Lexus GS300 which I eventually had plans of building my own VIP ride. Word of advice for people building a VIP car: DON'T CUT CORNERS! You're going to have to suck up the fact that to build one properly and to earn a VIP title, you're going to be spending a lot of money. Don't settle for less, don't buy knock-offs, and do it tastefully once you do your research. Real VIP owners will recognize the details so don't half-ass it.
What really caught my eye about this second generation Toyota Aristo was this rare Vertex bodykit and color paint. The black OZ wheels were tastefully powder coated in black and the wheel rivets were left in aluminum to contrast against the black. By looking at the front, you'll notice a front mount intercooler snuggled behind the front bumper. This Aristo breathes through a V8 and a single turbo which made it the loudest car at the meet.
The carbon fiber exhaust tips are one of my favorite details on this car.
Just so you know it's real, an authentic Vertex badge.
The carbon fiber accents on the exhausts, the window sills, and the carbon fiber hood all blend in smoothly with the body paint.
Another favorite part of this car, which I fancy on race cars for functional purposes, are these fender louvers that help the car's brakes cool off. Judging by the brake set up, this car is not just for looks, it's got the power and stopping force to do some driving.
After spending most of my shots on this car alone, I was approached by the owner who was curious of what I was doing with the pictures. I was in shock - the owner was a girl! Not too many girls tune their cars to this level but she was passionate about the scene and coming out to these meets. I asked if she was the mastermind behind the overall build and she admitted she had some help but the fact that she drove this as her daily blew me away. Hats off to you, Lady!
つづく
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