Queued Up

Varis Kamikaze-R

JDMphasis... Innovation over Imitation

Varis Japan through the lens of Daniel Olivares

Shokunin - The Varis Japan Story by Daniel Olivares

THIS is why I love the Japanese tuning culture. This video is precisely the reason I love this stuff. Ingenuity, masterful craftsmanship, attention to detail, and unparalleled pride are just a few of the qualities that make Varis one of the top aerodynamics companies in the world. Their fresh and innovative designs are not only beautiful but functional. They are truly pioneers of the tuning industry. 

I love these behind-the-scenes sneak peeks into the tuning culture of Japan because we become witnesses to how things are done. We can soak up all that goes into a design or a shop build. I love that short documentary videos such as this one by Daniel Olivares can help to change attitudes. It can inspire. Videos like this have the ability to show people that the true talent of the industry is in companies like Varis. For example, this video allows us to see with our own eyes the molding by hand of aero designs. It allows us to see the workspace and interior of the Varis shop. It allows us to see that Varis has 14 employees. Fourteen! Let that sink in. Fourteen employees. Hand-made components. There are no conveyor belts pumping out bumpers. There are not hundreds of people bubble-wrapping fiberglass and carbon fiber before loading them onto freight trucks for delivery. One of the common points made by pro-replica "enthusiasts" is that knock-offs and replicas are the way of the world and that we all need to get used to it. There are often comparisons to knock-off products like generic drugs or off-brand sodas. This video allows us to see for ourselves just how absurd those arguments really are. Again, Varis has 14 employees. When someone purchases a Wal-Mart brand soda or generic baby powder, Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson are not going to feel the effects quite as strongly as Varis does when people purchase replica aero components from the hack companies who copy their designs for the sole purpose of turning a profit. This video allows us to see for ourselves that Varis is not a multi-billion dollar corporation. In that way, it shows us that purchasing replica parts can actually harm the vanguards of the tuning world. It shows us that there is real pride and real passion behind these designs, something that cannot be said about replica and knock-off parts.

This really is why I love the Japanese tuning industry. This stuff is what it is all about. I will stop fanboying now. Daniel Olivares and Varis Japan, keep doing your thing!

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation 

Big things coming from Varis...

Admittedly, I am not very knowledgeable in most things Evo. I do know that I like the Evo VIII and, maybe more so, the Evo X. Especially when it has received the Varis treatment.

Remember this beauty?

(Capture Credit: Rob Shaw, Back from Leave Spark)

And a render of the new widebody set to debut at SEMA this year. This is going to be epic!

(Artwork: Naohiro Yahagi)

I implore you to point me in the direction of a company selling replica parts that is doing the R&D and bringing designs like this to the market. You cannot.

Be Real. Buy Real.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Project Z33: One [Small] Step at a Time...

Last week was a good week as it relates to the Z project. Personally, my week was awful. Automotive-ly, very good.

As many of you know, I began purchasing parts for the Z minutes after I arranged transport of the vehicle from Pennsylvania. (I may have even made a few purchases before I even owned the car.) I have parts piled up here in Massachusetts. I had parts piled up in Bulletproof Automotive's warehouse in California. They had been there for well over a year just collecting dust. I had been in semi-serious conversation with, at this point, three different people from Bulletproof about the prospect of shipping my Z out to the West Coast in stock form and having them execute the build top to bottom completely transforming the car in a sort of radical 'Before and After' experiment. However, ultimately, I decided against this, in large part, due to the financial implications.

Anyway, I received a few large boxes last week. It was like Christmas morning as a little kid. An enthusiasm for this build has been heightened. I elected not to unwrap every single part, as I knew it would be a chore to re-wrap and box everything up again for storage, as I have a strong feeling it will be a while before I am able to begin work on the car. 

Just imagine - had I chosen a replica body kit, eBay exhaust, and Varrstoen wheels, I could already be rolling around in an e-famous Z build. Doing things right with legitimate parts is such a drag!


A few teasers of the newly acquired swag:

Amuse Super 'Custom' Legerra R1 Black Titan Exhaust w/ Long Tips… YUP!

I love this stuff!

I'm really diggin' the mean and clean look of this exhaust system. 

INGS+1 Type-E Rear

INGS+1 Z-Power Wing Type II. Stoked for this thing!

Runduce.

Front 8-POT caliper w/ 380MM rotor. (The color is more of a traditional orange than these pictures suggest.)

The $20 is for scale… And to illustrate my remaining build budget.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Soaked.

Love this beast by Varis.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Varis Kamikaze-Z

Just a small photographic collection of the awesome Z34 built by Varis. Perhaps a little over-the-top for some, but I am definitely a fan.

Oh, and a shot with the big guy… Street dreams are made of these.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Happy Thanksgiving from JDMphasis...

This post is a day late, but I just want to wish all the readers/followers of JDMphasis a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your families, friends, and loved ones. Enjoy the day. Enjoy the season.

A random shot of the sick Varis Kamikaze-Z to get you going…

Though I often struggle to keep this blog updated, I am thankful for my readers and followers. There are a select few of you guys who have been around since day 1. I truly appreciate all the support. That said, anyone who would like a JDMphasis sticker, please shoot me a message at JDMphasis@gmail.com (include a mailing address). I am happy to send you some free of charge.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Buying Varis parts? Take heed.

A public service announcement from my friends at Bulletproof Automotive…

Due to some shady consumerism, there are counterfeit Varis parts circulating the market. I know - everyone is shocked. If you are in the market for Varis parts, make sure you look for the gold Varis badge of authenticity.

Be the Funk. Don't Fake it.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

I am not a speedhunter.

I came across a blog post yesterday entitled "We're Killing Automotive Media." I will be honest and preface what I am about to write by stating that I have never read anything published on this blog until yesterday, main reason being, quite simply, that the name of the blog is not one that particularly draws me in. (I am not going to link the article. If you are that curious, you can Google the blog post.)

The post focuses on the ease with which bloggers and online publishers can develop a following and how those individuals lack passion and, ultimately, harm the truly passionate content crusaders of the automotive publishing industry. 

I read and re-read the post three or four times, as well as the blog post that it links. I have to say, I found myself perplexed. I found myself perplexed by the glaring hypocrisy present not only in the content of the article, but in perusing this particular blog's website. I was also a bit confused because I found myself questioning myself and JDMphasis. The author of this post calls out "micro bloggers,""talent-less hacks," non-photographers, and "content-stealers" urging his readers not to follow, link, LIKE, or click on their web or social media pages.

Perhaps this blogger is painting all bloggers/page administrators with a broad brush. Perhaps I am a bit paranoid in considering that I may be lumped into this group of irresponsible, uncreative, and uninspired contributors to the purported death of automotive media. In fact, there is a good chance I am. However, in reading this blog post multiple times, I believe this an ideal opportunity to describe JDMphasis as I see it.

I am not a writer. As much as I would love to write for a living, I do not. I have a degree in English Language and Literature, but I am not a writer. Writing does not pay my bills. In fact, I started JDMphasis almost 6 years ago on the advice of a couple people who work in the industry. I still maintain friendships with both of these people. One of these guys is the man behind Bulletproof Automotive. 

I remember, as a teenager, reading a column in a Japanese tuning magazine entitled ‘The Real JDM.’ I was hooked. Then, a couple years later, after it could no longer be found on the pages of Modified magazine, I started following the electronic means of distributing this information: the blog. This lasted a few years. Fast-forwarding… When I finished undergrad, I started working in an office. I did not particularly love my job, but it was a job. I knew I was lucky to have one. One night, while browsing the blog, I remember being like, “What the hell… Why not?” I decided to shoot an email to the author of all those cool articles and blog posts about the industry I love. I spent some time over the course of a few nights drafting what I thought was a coherent, thorough, and all-encompassing message to the founder of a business that seemed to me to be the best place of employment on earth, a veritable JDM parts heaven. 

My goal with the email was not only to convey my passion for the industry and to express that I shared the same ideals that he preached on a regular basis of ‘Representing the Real,’ but I also wished to see if he might be willing to provide me some professional advice on how I might be able to break into such a small, tight-knit industry. The love of literature and writing, as well as a passion for the Japanese tuning industry, I thought it only natural to seek out a “dream job” in writing about Japanese automotive parts. Who better to query than a person who has excelled in both of those spheres?

I hit that ‘Send’ button and, frankly, did not expect a reply. I figured this person had far too much on his plate and not enough time in his day to respond to my gushing inquiries. 

I was wrong. 

It was a matter of hours and I had a lengthy response in my inbox. I was overwhelmed to have received such a thoughtful and appreciative answer to my message. After a few emails back and forth, I had developed a friendship that has remained quite strong to this day. Well before inviting me out to the Bulletproof Automotive facility in Hawthorne, California a few years ago, Ben asked me to write a few posts for ‘The Real JDM’ at that time. I did and, ultimately, I started JDMphasis. 

My goal for this blog, as outlined from the very first post, is to chronicle my own builds, share my experiences, and my opinions. I believe I have remained true to that goal over the past six years. As I stressed above, I actually doubt that I am one of the culprits guilty of “killing automotive media” referred to by the author of the post of that stance blog. If I am, this post shall serve as my rebuttal.

To the same end that I am not a writer, I am not a photographer. I suppose I may be one of the few automotive bloggers out there who is not a self-proclaimed photographer. I own a camera. I own a phone with a camera and, yet, I am not a photographer. I have a “nine-to-five” that commands my time for 50+ hours a week and provides me a bi-weekly paycheck and health insurance. I am not a photographer traveling from venue to venue snapping pictures of cars to share on the internet. As exciting as that would be, I have a job and taking pictures is not it. The vast majority of photographic content featured on this blog and the affiliated JDMphasis: Innovation over Imitation Facebook page is not my own. To those people who take issue with re-posting something I have discovered somewhere else, I apologize. I do not claim it as my own and I certainly do not go to any length of effort to thwart due credit. I have never knowingly denied or begrudged credit to a photographer (or writer).

Additionally, I do not have advertisements anywhere on the blog. I do not profit from pageviews or clicks. I blog and post random pictures of Japanese cars for no other reason than because I enjoy it. I would like to think I am doing a miniscule part in advancing a message of encouragement. Encouragement and acknowledgement of those enthusiasts who refuse to cut corners with their builds. I write about supporting the pioneers of the industry by buying authentic parts because I believe in it, not because I wish to make enemies with every keyboard warrior rocking Shine or AIT aero and/or Rota or Varrstoen wheels. (If anything, I lose LIKEs when I post about buying real… HA.)

Over the years I have had a few different stickers/decals made for the blog. I can remember posting one message on the blog and linking the site's PayPal address. I asked for donations in exchange for decals. I received a few from different readers/followers of the blog ranging from $2 to $10. I made less than $50 in those donations and I sent out a bunch of decals. Needless to say, I have spent close to 20x that amount in having the stickers made. My point in relating this information is to make it clear that this blog is not about putting money in my pocket. I love when I get a request for decals from a reader and I am happy to send some free of charge.

This little blog of mine is about reaching people in a way more substantial than someone sharing a random picture I have reposted. On a few separate occasions, I have received pictures of cars in different parts of the country featuring JDMphasis decals on their windows. That is pretty awesome for me. I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago that was shared by an employee of Varis. Varis! One of the best aero companies in the world. Maybe, to some, that is not an accomplishment worthy of note. To me, however, that is rewarding. And humbling. And just plain cool. I have friends on Facebook that I have never met in person. I “know” them through blogging and a shared interest and passion in Japanese cars and parts. That is special. That is what JDMphasis is about for me.

JDMphasis is not an enterprise. It is not about piling up LIKEs, followers, views, clicks, or money. It is not a means to an end.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

I want a Supra...

Yes, it is that simple. I have had a thing for these cars from the time I was a teenager. An acquaintance of mine owned one and I remember being incredibly envious. Here, 15+ years later, I still love this car. It is much like the RX-7 in that it has that timeless feel. They still look as great in 2016 as they did in the 90's, especially when they are adorned with Ridox aero… Enjoy this small sample of sexy Supras.

(Capture Credit: Tokyo Tuner)

Maybe someday...

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

GaleForce Z34...

I love Nissan cars. Yes, I am biased. I will not apologize for it. Though the Z33 is the car that made me fall in love with Nissan and the JDM culture, as well as the car that I have chosen as my next project (My second Z33, at that...), I fall more and more in love with the Z34 the more I see those that are modified properly. By "properly" I mean with quality, authentic parts. This is another prime example.

The GaleForce Z34, much like Gene's Z34, is all over the internet. My friends at Bulletproof Automotive took on this project with, as I understand it, a great client from our North American neighbor to the north. From the absolutely beautiful paintwork to the monoblock Japanese wheels - Volk Racing TE37 Ultras, to the stunning Varis Arising II aero and the Boosted Performance turbo set-up, this Z34 is one of the nicest in North America. No, dare I say, perhaps the world.

Very well done, Mr. Gale. Again, Z enthusiasts, take note. Take note…

(Capture Credit: Diego Perri)

 Pretty cool shot here...

(Capture Credit: George Bucur)

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Is there a nicer Z34 Stateside?

There are no fewer than a thousand photos of Gene's Z34 floating around the vast cosmos we call the internet. I am not breaking anything new and earth-shattering here by sharing a handful of those photos. However, with all the shoddy and cheaply-built cars that get featured all over social media these days, it is only fair that we give Gene just a little more publicity. I do not know Gene personally, but he messaged me a few years ago. During the course of our correspondence, I learned that Gene shares staunchly the pro-authentic/anti-corner-cutting position of JDMphasis. Gene's build reflects this mentality. No replica parts. Zero corners cut. Varis, Project Mu, Esprit, Work, Amuse, and Craft Square are but just a few of the brands represented on this rolling work of art… This is the kind of build that should encourage, motivate, and inspire. Take note, people. Take note.

Be the Funk. Don't Fake It.

 And probably one of my favorite shots of Gene's Z (mainly because I LOVE the Esprit wing)...

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation