N.I.C is a phrase coined by myself, which stands for “Nah I’m Coo.” This phrase is used to represent disinterest when offered an item or service. The way in which this applies to our industry is with sponsorships. Stick with me, I’ll come full circle and explain how N.I.C can quickly become a part of your vocabulary. Until then, here’s some suggestions for those wanting to get sponsored:

#1) Shellfish is tasty, SELFISH is YOU: The biggest issue I see today with those who seek sponsorship is a bad case of SELFISH poisoning. Too many that seek sponsorships are concerned with how it AFFECTS them, rather than how they can EFFECT positive results for the company. Always think about the best interests of the company, since as a business, they are not sponsoring you for moral support, they want RESULTS.

#2) Front your own money: In the same regard that it takes money to make money, it takes money to get sponsored. If a sponsor has seen that you’ve put in your own money, then it’s a much more convincing argument to ask for help. If you want to open a business, a bank isn’t going to lend you money based on hopes + dreams + promises. But if you’re putting in $50k of your own money, then maybe the bank will be more willing to hear you out and meet you half way.

#2.5) You can’t ask for what you don’t have: If your car is stock, then you shouldn’t be asking for sponsorship. Period. The only case where you can, is when you have…

#3) Track records like Jackie Joyner Kersee: It doesn’t matter what shows you PLAN to attend, what modifications you PLAN to make, or what horsepower you PLAN to make. What you’ve actually ACCOMPLISHED in the past is a much better indicator of what you can do, so if you’ve got no track record, you have no grounds to make promises you might not keep.

#4) “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”: I remember learning this in money management class in middle school, which essentially means that you can’t get something for nothing. This should be tattoed to your fo’ head if you are thinking of getting sponsored. Since don’t for a second think that the free set of ______ (whatever you got) came with no price tag. So make sure you cover that price on the tag, ya dig?

#5) Hustler is not only a wonderful magazine: It can also be used to describe the nature in which you need to act after being sponsored. If you promised to do a bunch of race events, or appear in show competitions, or magazine shoots, DO NOT under any circumstances not fulfill those duties. In addition, try to go above and beyond, don’t just do the bare minimum. The more exposure you generate for a company can never hurt, except when:

#6) You confuse EXPOSURE for GETTING RESULTS: Just because you put something sponsored on your car, and run all kinds of stickers doesn’t mean diddly doo. Is that going to generate more sales for that company? Who is going to see it? Is the event going to get coverage? If people see it, will they even take notice, or be influenced to want to find out more or make a purchase?

#7) Mo Money, Mo Problems: Just for example, say that a company gives you a free set of wheels. How many wheels do you think they need to sell to pay for the cost of your sponsored set? Don’t get it twisted though, it’s not about the amount either. Even if the part is something small like a shift knob, you should still give your best effort, regardless of value of the item.

#8) This industry is TINY: I’m talking about aftermarket automotive specifically. Manufacturers and shops don’t have oodles of money to spend giving out to sponsorships, simply because that money goes into RUNNING THE BUSINESS. This industry isn’t filled with high profit margins, and this shouldn’t come as a surprise. All you lowballers (who also have Selfish Poisoning) make it worse, by trying to squeeze every last dime of profit from shops, just so that your wallet stays fatter. I like getting a good deal as much as the next guy, but you gotta remember that as a consumer you get what you put in.

#9) Ali G Says: RE-SPEK. At the end of the day, it’s all about respect. You don’t want to be the “dude who we sponsored and wasted our marketing budget.” You want people to hold you in high regards, and speak highly of you and your capabilities. It doesn’t matter how much $$$ you’ve got into your car, how fast it goes, or how rare the parts are. If people don’t like or respect you, then you’ve got nothing. (Did that sound too Toretto-like?)

#10) Privateers owe nothing: The best part about paying for everything on your car yourself is that the only person you need to report to is: YOURSELF. So sometimes it’s better to just do it on your own dime.

But what do I know? Beats me (hope you brought salt grains). All I know is the value of making it worth someone’s time. If it’s not going to be worth the sponsor’s time, then I would rather not accept it. I gotta sleep at night, and having a clear mind is much more valuable to me than a free set of ______.

So when someone offers you free parts, and you know you can’t come through on your end of the bargain…what do you say?

NAH
I’M
COO.

People need to stop running smoked lights/lenses. My reasoning you ask? Cause there is no good reason for doing it. I hate to sound like my mom, but smoking the lenses poses a safety hazard to yourself and those around you. I see this on a daily basis (here in Socal), on EVERY kind of car, from piles to pieces. In addition, the whole “black out everything” theme was only cool when Michael Knight did it. It doesn’t make your car look good. Just leave your lights ALONE. Leave the “stealth” look to the U.S military. Yep, don’t look so shocked, I can still see you. It takes very little effort to just take a car and make everything black from the wheels to the lights. Try harder, use color combinations to create a theme, rather than saying to the world that you’re from Snoozetown.

Logan typically writes about the “suggestions” we have for our customers, but the other week I - well.. lets just say I had some inspiration to write my own. Lets make sure we all know where I’m coming from before I let the hammer drop. I started at Endless because I love the brand, the company, everything that Endless stands for. Four years later I still love Endless, but now for far more specific reasons. With all my recent rambling about racing, I think you all can figure out what those reasons are without me having to spell it out again.

Unfortunately in the US, the majority of people who own Endless calipers do not use them as their creators intended. This is something I’ve simply HAD to accept. I do breathing exercises and meditate every morning before I go to work so I can pretend it doesn’t bother me. However, every now and then someone will push the envelope by doing a number of things; asking for a bigger brake system than we offer because they need to fill the space in their 19″ 2-piece wheels, or because some other company makes a 380mm rotor and those extra 10mm’s will get them more points at HIN.. Of course, they say they’ll track the car, they always say that, but do they? I’d put good money on “no.”

So, I’ve come up with the following idea: From here on out we’re going to employ an approval process for brake systems. Yes, you must submit an application to be allowed to purchase a brake system. What kind of car do you have.. What other brands are on the car.. How are you going to use the car.. What wheels do you have.. What tires do you have.. How good of a driver are you.. Do you belong to a “car crew”? Are you ugly.. (j/k)

In all seriousness, we’d never get away with doing something like that (no matter how much I really want to do it) and who should deny those with money to spend it how they wish? But you know what? I really think I’m doing some people out there a favor by saying they shouldn’t buy Endless. Because if you’re really not going to use it, why buy it? Why reinforce the hearsay that Endless is merely “JDM Bling”? Why spend $7,200 on a front and rear brake system if it never even gets up to temperature? If you’re out there reading this and you think you love Endless, then do the brand a favor and really use the products as they’re intended. Hell, do me a favor and help me prove Endless’ legitimacy by outbraking someone in turn 9. Just don’t ask me for a 8-piston fuschia caliper with 380mm Takata green rotors for your Scion xD.

So yeah, today was real surprising, but in a good way. We got a phone call earlier today from a forum member, saying that he saw Francis’s 86 parked in L.A. Long story short, being a good samaritan allowed us to RECOVER THE CAR IN ONE PIECE. The guy staked it out, until the LAPD was able to arrive on scene and we were able to head down there. Thanks to the LAPD as well, for being extremely courteous and helpful!

Safe and sound. The wheels, bumpers, all vitals intact. They did take the Trueno emblem though, bastards (rice points lost). The sounds are gone, but oh well, that’s well overshadowed by the fact that it’s back to its rightful owner! Oh, and they stole all of Francis’s trance and J-Pop cd’s, along with his prescription sunglasses. I hope the thief uses them to stare into the sun.

Thank you to everyone who helped, this is definitely a refreshing taste of justice. I’m sure I speak on Francis’s behalf when I say how grateful we are to have the support of the community to get this car back! Keep those cars safe!

This morning, my coworker Francis’s ultra clean AE86 GTS coupe was stolen near his house in Monrovia, CA. This totally sucks, what a bad way to start off a week.

Wheels are Wedssport MA86 15×8.5 -10, has a fresh silver paint job (with custom bodywork), and also has new Trueno front and rear bumpers. Sideskirts are OEM replica.

I wish the worst to those who steal and ruin the hardwork and effort that people put into their possessions. Karma will serve all.

Can someone tell me why some show cars have air jacks in them? Potentially for rapid application of tire shine before judges roll by? Or perhaps they’re there because of the LCD screens on the bottom of the car that need watching. I know rice takes inspiration from race, but can you believe this? Blasphemy. Please leave air jacks for those who make use of them.

For awhile I’ve been wondering, how do alot of these cheap, knock-off wheels have JWL and VIA marks? How do they get approved? It turns out, many don’t. What you see here is a fake sticker written in Japanese. When they produce the wheel, they simply incorporate the JWL and VIA logo marks into the mold and add a fake sticker to give it “legitimacy.” I believe this was a Volk knock-off. Sneaky.

Here’s a real sticker approved and received by JAWA. All companies officially registered with JAWA are given a registration number. AME’s happens to be #202. So, from now on, if you see a wheel with the JWL and VIA marks, but you sense something wrong, look for the sticker on the back. It should look just like this and have a number. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen fake copies of this sticker as well. How do we know? Someone complained about a defect and the number on the back indicated that it was an AME wheel. Turns out it wasn’t. The sticker looked real and used our JAWA registration number, but it was in fact, a fake. Super sneaky.

If I can find a listing of JAWA registered companies, I will post it.

Okay, so it was actually Charles Caleb Colton way back in 1820.. and he actually meant it in an ironic fashion to refer to those who do as such. So kudos to him.
In any case, these first four photos are from HIN Nightshift three weekends ago. While walking around looking for our AME sponsored cars this one particular booth caught my attention. By now, seasoned readers know I don’t hold back. For those who don’t, prepare yourself for a gang of hating.

Some shop decided to make a lousy attempt at copying Bride seats. Here’s their attempt at the Mazora colored shell.

And here’s their insulting swing at the GIAS..

As if they hadn’t dug a big enough hole for themselves already; their name is F1SPEC. How would any self-respecting motorsports enthusiast have the cajones to name their company this?

Picked these up from LOT yesterday. This is how its done.

For my driver side, the Zeta III full bucket.

The shell is FRP and the entire unit weighs just 16lbs. This seat is FIA approved.

For the passenger side, the much more flamboyant Stradia.

Carbon-Kevlar shell. Immaculate weave. My passengers shall ride in style.

Here’s something you definitely won’t get with the F1Spec copies.. Certificates of authenticity, serial numbers and a warranty for both the seats AND the rails.
My dad, who reads this blog, sporadically mentions to me that we often “complain” about fakes and copies. He tells me that we shouldn’t be so mad about these copies because really, what can we do. And it’s true, we’re all small companies with no budget to carry out legal prosecution against others who steal intellectual property. It’s for that reason that I make it a personal vendetta to help the public be aware of such. For all of you out there that make a living off other people’s work, beware: you will be chastised by myself sooner or later.

Lastly, whilst I write this, Kent and I are furiously running around trying to get everything ready for this weekends trip up to the bay. I’m excited because I finally get a chance to catch my breath during the long drive up and over the weekend with fam / friends. If you happen to be in the bay, I’m having a kickback at my old pad in Milpitas. As long as you don’t work for Rota, Subydude or F1Spec, feel free to drop by.

It’s sad that there are so many cheap looking wheels out there. I’m really tired of seeing it. Yes, I understand, it’s mainly a Wal-Mart society, but come on.. I’d rather not have a set of aftermarket wheels on my car then. Cheap wheels have a thick, almost industrial look to them. The rim portion has that same boring, cheap looking finish and that same boring bend. It makes it easy to pull out of the mold, polish and produce in mass quantity. The same rim is used on all designs and the focus is on copying the disk. Curved rims are much more difficult to develop since it is a key structural area for impact testing. An even polishing throughout a nice, smooth, curved rim is much more difficult to achieve. You can notice a set of cheap wheels on a car even when it’s in motion.

And can’t you spot a cheap brand immediately? Maybe it’s just me, but I really dislike certain words and logos. Especially words used to make a wheel seem Japanese. Even worse, kanji. It’s like those sushi restaurants with names like Bob’s All-You-Can-Eat Sushi that use Wonton typeface for their signs. I’m in no way discriminating against other ethnicities. I’m just anti-cheap wheel. Anti-cheap product for that matter.

I understand that not everyone can afford an expensive, quality wheel. I just hope that kids that want to dress up their cars know what they’re getting themselves into. I’m getting really tired of the “DUB” style wheels also. The whole “big” lip thing doesn’t work for me if the wheel looks cheap. It’s just 4 more inches of cheap lip to look at. Cheapens the car. 300C’s, Chargers, SUVs, big body Benzos with big, cheap looking chrome wheels..ugh..

Norio was mentioning the fact that he loves the new BMW OE wheels. Deep set centers and long flowing spokes. No lip. Looks great in motion. Hopefully, these’ll make it harder for the cheap manufacturers to copy/produce this style of wheel due to its structural integrity and weight. We’ll just have to wait and see..

When we first started the OG blog, we weren’t exactly sure of our focus. The focus is becoming more clear. Here’s a fine example. Take a look at this side mirror. Craftsquare? I think not. Let’s point out the differences without naming names.

Imperfect mounting holes lead to unaligned bolts.

Not a perfect fit. Unaligned and a bit wobbly. The base you see here is painted a gloss silver. Possibly plastic, but not quite sure. Craftsquare mirrors are aluminum.

Totally off. Good from far, but far from good. Honestly, I didn’t notice these things initially. I had to be told what to look for. Comparisons make things really clear. I would’ve bought these and then been unhappy afterwards. For most, it’s too late. So we do what we can to educate by pointing these things out. (One of our focuses)

Here is a Craftsquare mirror. None of the above-mentioned issues apply. And we haven’t even had a chance to discuss the mirror or housing yet. In the past week, I’ve had 3 people tell me how amazingly perfect these fit. Like OE. Once again, attention to detail is everything. Oh, and let’s not forget the most important thing..the shameless copying of intellectual property is not cool..

I got the panicked phone call an hour ago. Representatives at ENKEI were at a trade show in Taiwan spying and researching. Their jaws must’ve dropped when they saw this. An FS-01 copy!

Japan was shocked, annoyed, and surprised that the FS-01 was copied so quickly. Yet, I don’t quite feel the same negative sentiment as the majority of our Japanese counterparts. Why you might ask?

1) Less and less want copies because more and more are realizing the difference between real and fake.
2) It’s a sign that this wheel might do really well in Japan.
3) Imitation is the best form of flattery.

In all honesty however, for Enkei / Kyoho / AME, it’s quite the slap in the face. Better that we bring you the news before anyone else does. Besides, copies always look cheesy. What else can I say except..

1) Don’t judge a book by its cover
2) Shame on you copycats
3) KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING AND DO NOT SUPPORT COPIES (You’ll regret it in the end if you do)

Talk about picking the right name for your wheel brand..someone please e-mail me if you know the meaning of that character..I’m so wanting a set right now. This post has led to creating a new posting category.