Customize this

[DXJP]

As some of you know I am now going tobe building cars in Saudi Arabia as well as here in Japan.* Well there is a forum there with over 45000 members who wanted a look at what I have done.* So I threw this vid together for them.

Have a look and hate if you want

WTF we cant embed vids here* well here is the linky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ1gMPaAXuQ

[jonja]

props man. theres lots of familiar cars there that you were involved in. curious, how did you get discovered and chosen to work on these projects?

[DXJP]

props man. theres lots of familiar cars there that you were involved in. curious, how did you get discovered and chosen to work on these projects?


SKILLZ

[AME_VIP]

some wild rides man good luck with your venture. I'm a fan of the FD

[ua2]

how much would you charge for a custom body kit?

[gmckey]

More than you can afford... first off you gotta be a Saudi prince ready to fly him out all expenses paid and let him party it up every night :laugh:



damn man, can't watch vids at work, but I know you do killer work. you used to work for MB right?

[ua2]

lol probably, i just can't seem to find anyone in my city who knows how to make a custom body kit.

[gmckey]

any shop who can mold or custom make vents/cutouts should be able to customa kit... the problem should be finding one who can do it WELL.

[swifty949]

Your looking in the wrong spots, go check out some hot rod shops.

[firelizard]

wowaweewa, I just wish you'd post here more! :P

[boost_me]

Dude who do you work for???, or do you do sub-contracting??? Are you a fibreglasser or what??? What part of the rides did you perform?? Suspension, Kit's, Paint, Interior's??? Or just from A-Z???? You do awsome work I would love to see more of what you do too.......

[ARGETNIA]

nice rides.

[gmckey]

Dude who do you work for???, or do you do sub-contracting??? Are you a fibreglasser or what??? What part of the rides did you perform?? Suspension, Kit's, Paint, Interior's??? Or just from A-Z???? You do awsome work I would love to see more of what you do too.......


I know he does amazing paint work, but I think he pretty much does it all too ;)

[swifty949]

Dude who do you work for???, or do you do sub-contracting??? Are you a fibreglasser or what??? What part of the rides did you perform?? Suspension, Kit's, Paint, Interior's??? Or just from A-Z???? You do awsome work I would love to see more of what you do too.......
A-Z, although he usually lets others build expensive race motors. He works for himself and any opportunities to make some scrilla as well.

[DXJP]

A-Z, although he usually lets others build expensive race motors. He works for himself and any opportunities to make some scrilla as well.


HAHAH yeah I guess I can pretty much do it all. It is alot easyer to have some heavy components subbed out to trusting hands. Sometimes I have to inspect them though. Im putting my name on it. And right now thats all I have, No TV show, No mass following, But I do have pride in my work.

This isnt something I learned over night I have been doing this for over 20 years. Some of the cars you see in the vid I didnt even get a nano second of recognition but Oh well. It was a learning tool. Not ony for buisnes but for my tool box of skills. I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the top people lean from them as well as give them some of my talents and tricks as well.

Putting one of these cars togeather takes allot of planning not just before the build but durring the build. How will it fit togeather what do I need to do now that will prepare something else. Its kinda like Chess you need to see 20 moves ahead.

The Z I just built in Saudi actullay came out pretty good considering what I had to work with. Like the audio I had a Jig saw and made the the aparatis to cut circles. I had to sand out angles becouse I didnt have a table saw. I had to basicly router with a sanding block to make Identicle peices.

Also look at the wide body. I used a compas and a straight edge to get it exact on each side. Its these little things that you need to plan for. I will say this though I really enjoyed doing that car and I would say its about 86% of my best work. More tools and I could have made a car that could compete on the world stage.

When I won the Mothers award not only did I not know about such a prize I didnt even know that my work was even considered. To stand next to some of the finest painters in the worls was a real high point in my carrer. The award didnt meen shit compared to who I was chosen among and who I beat out.


When I was a kid I would alsway say " I wish they made this" or " I wonder if they make that". Then I realized as my tallents grew that I was they and I would have to persue these things. I will also have to say I have really been F ed by Japan as far as advancment of the indestry.

I built the first fiberglass speaker box in Japan and spent 6 months teaching others how to do it yet someone else got the credit. The same with my suspension I had to beg for magazine space yet when the boom hit I had to turn away magazines becouse it conflicted with my work. Infact when I built the suspensin almosy everybody said it wouldnt sell Then those that said it wouldnt sell came to me on advice so they could make their crap hack versions to profit from.

I built the first sport compact car in japan it was a civic coupe EVERY BODY I meen EVERYBODY said "It will naver take hold in japan" yeah right. Like most of the things I have done here it wasnt a japanese person who invented or brought it to the market so its all crap. The same with the VIP cars. I will admit I didnt think the VIP vans would be so big but it turned out to be my best market over the sedans.

I enjoy my work and really wouldnt call it work but a way of life. I dont consider myself a artist but I try to build a car that nobody can just go out and buy. Like most cars I have done I use allot of aftermarket parts but incorperate my own thing into them like the Wide body on the Z. Infact I looked high and low for a set of fenders for the back and nobody had them except Top Secret wich they wouldnt sell seperate. So I said to my self SELF lets do this and pull some molds. " Glad I did I have a buyer for my Z kit which is almost complete but not that same as the Z"

I also dont know of any cars running all the video and audio off a Ipod. This is something I have done about three times. When I proposed this to the Saudies I only asked them if they listen to the radio. They said Hell no and I suprized them when I built the pod into the dash. By the way it has a full function remote and you can take it with you. I used the new 80 gig and an we ended up with a simple unit thats portable as well the audio dynamics really compliment the rest of the install.

I used to be an avid IASCA competiter here and have made it to the finles and competed with some really overpriced cars, and I would put this system up against them today. I didnt spend alot of money on parts infact they are off the shelf low budget Alpine components. Using my philosaphy "position is 90% of the dynamics" The head room and clarity of the system well its live you dont feel like your confined in the cabin of a sports car.


I know I have been going on and on here but I guess what I want to say is that anything is posible if you have enough money. Thats all that pretty much restricks my abilities. Can I build cars like West coast customs Any day of the week. Can I build as good as say Chip Foose Yeah if I have his bank roll. Like Ray said yes A to Z I do it all. I dont have 15 guys in my shop one exelling in each area I have myself My wife and one helper. When a car comes from me I am the one that has built it all in most instances. Like ray also mentioned I will sub out a engine or tranny not that I cant do it but I dont have the proper tools or it helps me put more time into what I need to do on the build.

I was in Saudi for three months of that time I spent 2 months building that Z and a month of playing. I did it all from the twin turbost to the finle wash. I know of famouse shops that couldnt of pulled that off in that amount of time with 5 guys and all the tools.

I express my self threw my work its a vice like Crack or me So thats why you dont see me here as often as some of you would like. Im working I have to be buisy. But now at this stage in the game Im done practicing I wanna get paid. I dont know how many more years I can do this. Im old I need to plan for my future. I dont want to end up like Ed Roth Who is my hero and my reson for doing this. I dont think he had alot ov money when he died and nobody really missed him when he passed I know I did. Look at the cars he made look at the enginuty he used to bring us some of the most outstanding cars of our time. If it wernt for seeing his work when I was a little kid I would have been somehing else a docter or a Gynacoligist.

To most a car is a acsses to point A and B to me its a palet for my imagination and the customers. Im not Davici or Betoven but the work really speaks to me.

Ok I got logged of was only able to save this much will post more latter

[username]

i just wish you win a ridler award.

[jonja]

wow man. your really an inspiration to me and seems like it would be cool to meet you. the only thing that seems weird about what you said was that you built the first sport compact. what about mugen who has been building hondas since the '70s?

[ua2]

u sir are king! i hope to god i win the lottery! because ur getting a first class flight to my garage to build me a dream machine

[DXJP]

wow man. your really an inspiration to me and seems like it would be cool to meet you. the only thing that seems weird about what you said was that you built the first sport compact. what about mugen who has been building hondas since the '70s?


Dude have you ever seen a mugen honda on air with a shattered paint job and a system that makes their eyes look round. Not even spoon or Jun, or even twin cam dropped it like that

But thanks for the props.

[swifty949]

wow man. your really an inspiration to me and seems like it would be cool to meet you. the only thing that seems weird about what you said was that you built the first sport compact. what about mugen who has been building hondas since the '70s?


He's talking about the spo com movement...his car was the first in japan to be built like that.

[jonja]

o i c. cool

[Ender-DI]

Whatever happened to your 2dr convertible Aristo? I was dying to see how that turned out!

[bonta-kun]

ever finish the two door drop top aristo