Being able to have a full on car conversation. I love chatting all things car but more and more often it seems like the second I ask a technical mechanical question it’s met with blank stares. It’s that, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, I just paid the guy who did the work” look. There are still PLENTY of built not bought folks everywhere I go but the number of people who don’t know why the decided to go with a closed vs open deck block or why they went titanium vs steel valve springs is definitely growing.

Great question and definitely a complex one to answer but here’s my two cents.

In the tuning scene, the two biggest focal points for evolution and preservation are the takeover vs. track debate and the core philosophy of craftsmanship.

The most critical shift required is moving away from street takeovers and back toward structured, safe environments like the track and sanctioned events/meets. Takeovers have led to severe crackdowns, including new laws allowing for vehicle seizures and impoundment for both participants and spectators.

These events are widely seen by the public as "terrorizing" towns and risking lives, which creates a negative stigma that threatens the entire car community. When I was growing up and getting into the scene even the street racing was done with more respect and consideration. We went to places far from traffic and away from residential areas where the noise at night is obviously a disturbance to people who have families or just sleep early because they work in the morning. Even when we raced on the highway we waited till after midnight when traffic was minimal and when we did get around regular traffic we would ease up. Us enthusiasts need to advocate for a return to the track, where the focus is on driving skill and technical precision rather than reckless behavior. Illegal gatherings will never disappear but we need to show the kids there’s a right way and wrong way to do things and if we’re going to be doing things we probably shouldn’t be doing then let’s do it the best possible way we can. With respect, decency, and not putting bystanders at risk.

What Should Never Change? The Philosophy of Craftsmanship!

The heart of JDM culture imo is the obsession with individual expression and technical perfection I think it’s what defines the scene and should be preserved at all costs. Innovation and personalization. The art of creating a unique build through custom fabrication as opposed to cookie cutter builds all using the same trending bolt on parts. Even when just buying bolt on parts and having no custom work done I at least make it a point to avoid just buying all the same stuff I see on every other car so my car doesn’t just look and sound exactly like everything else on the road and at meets/shows.

Mechanical soul! Despite the rise of modern day laptops on wheels, we need to keep the community's love and knowledge for raw, mechanical machines alive. Digital is cool but analog feels better and has more soul and gives a greater connection to our machines. Knowing how to rebuild carburetors and reading spark plugs to know how to change jetting and manually turning distributors or removing mechanical/vacuum advancers to change timing was the original way of tuning and we can’t let these things just be lost to time!

As far as things like ego and gatekeeping it’s something we can’t be rid of and comes with its pros and cons. Ego fuels competition and should be used to help us keep pushing each other to get better to keep advancing and pushing the limits of what is possible. Not to look down on others who haven’t gotten to where we are yet. Similarly gatekeepers are necessary. Veteran enthusiasts need to do their part to preserve the culture. However instead of looking down on those doing things the wrong way let’s teach them the right way so we can keep the culture alive and growing! We also have to embrace new technology and not be too stuck in our old ways because it helps us advance the scene. What doesn’t grow and evolve will eventually die.

Clout chasers seeking social media validation. I don’t think we should worry to much about these people. Actually the best thing is to pay them no mind and they’ll go away all on their own. Car culture and building is hard work anyone who’s been in the scene for a while knows the struggle of late nights and the busted knuckles. Laying on your back holding up a transmission trying to get the input shaft ligned up properly putting in and taking back out an engine because something didn’t go according to plan. Hot slag popping you on the neck and sizzling in your ear. The feeling and smell of your flesh burning on a hot exhaust or engine. Drilling out and taping holes because a bolt broke. That’s enough of a deterrent to keep the posers away as long as we don’t give them the attention they’re seeking!

This is just my opinion what do you guys think?

Can’t wait to get this rolling 😮‍💨😮‍💨

Whoop whoop 🙌🏼🙌🏼

Congrats man!

I tried but she threw a code and went into limp mode. Ugh. But thank you for the motivation.

We should pick a Thursday night to roll out to Asbury Park Circuit next summer.

Try to make the Englishtown Raceway Park events better, since they've really died off the last few years but showing out at them.

Cars & Coffee events around NJ, including the big Millstone one, and there's a good one up in Somerville, NJ as well.

Or we can start our own meets! Get the word out, make it somewhere rad and get our own event going!

Yes!!!!

Nice collection you got there! Bang Bang 9ER gang!

Lookin good!

Man, this really does bring the whole car together Nicely!!

The cabin lighting😮‍💨