Burgers with a side of Japanese heritage

It's about that time of year where burgers are cooked and invites are last minute, the lads at Juicebox began as all great things do small but full of character. I've been a fan of they're work since I've first stumbled across them on YouTube and it really spoke to the inner car nerd in me so to speak. The vivid memories of a short film I had seen while delving various automotive rabbit holes that will always stick with me is a video titled "the night life". That video was posted 10 years ago and my want to create visuals and be involved in that organic car scene grew year by year to the point I had to buy a camera and try my hand at it.

Naturally when I got invited down to this years BBQ I grabbed the opportunity with both hands, hit the road at sun rise in the hopes of capturing all I could from the day.

Expectations are easily deflated unless of course it's a yard full of high quality Japanese classics.

As the BBQ is invite orientated due to restricted space kindly given by a neighbouring company it really does filter down to the highest calibre of cars. Ranging from RB swapped mazda rx7 to samsonas sequential gearbox in a mkii chaser. Every car that makes it into this yard has a story or two ready to be heard and that's what these gatherings are for when it comes down to it.

Within 2 hours cars from all over the country would fill the yard fitting in any vacant space that could be found, resembling a game of Tetris but with 90's four doors and coupe's. Those who couldn't get a space started spilling into the surrounding car parks.

Of course not all cars were going to be of different makes and models but even similar models like these jzx100's all styled differently in some way or another just to have the individuality.

Is it really a japanese car orientated BBQ in Ireland without the mention of what is possibly the biggest love affair with Japan in Irish car culture, the AE86.

With Ireland holding 86fest every year and holding the record for most ae86's gathered in one place (outside of Japan) it's fair to say it's not just an acquired taste.

The love and respect for these cars is shown through a couple different variations. Suprisingly the UK spec variation takes the top money spot but being a Japanese enthusiast the Japanese styling does it for me.

By no means are these cars represented as fast but it's not speed these are designed for, nobody spends the huge mark up it takes to attain one of these pieces of history to go fast, they spend that money to experience what every 86 owner experiences before them, that raw authenticity of the 80's.

Anyone that has experience with an AE86 knows the wheather is key to its survival in which Ireland isn't exactly favourable. That is why seeing an example such as Adrian Walsh's AE86 is that beacon of light in the dark shadows. This car is quite possibly cleaner than most cars being sold in most dealerships to date, no pesky plastic covers or trims just the fundamentals. Of course he has gone that extra mile introducing an ITB set up and a very flamboyant manifold but who said function and form can't mingle?

The AE86 is definitively a car that has earned its way into the top tier of Japanese automotive hierarchy.

From 80's to 90's and with it the birth of the mk4 supra, this example is somewhat of a unicorn boasting a fully built factory 2JZ GTE bolted to a factory Manual gearbox. Pushing out a frightening 700bhp this is an understated OEM monster.

If 70's Datsuns are your pick of poison look no further for this gorgeous nut and bolt restored Datsun 240z. A modern minimalist twist on what the 240z would be imagined in todays world. The engine bay nothing short of a generational masterpiece.

If I had the key to any car in the yard I think I would have to give in to Flips fc rx7 this machine scores big jdm points in my book. From the wild arches to the totally impractical wing mirrors it just signifies this car was designed to stand out and I'm yet to see another one grab my attention in the same way this does.

Cars like these are gonna be a thing of the past in a not so distant future and to a lot of us our hobbies and passions are gonna be a distant memory. its a sad truth but all the more reason to enjoy it while we have it.

Cars are where conversations are held, ideas brought to life, personal preferences expressed. We can all remember nights sitting in a car till stupid o'clock talking about future plans and dreams. For some cars are a mode of transport to get from A to B but to someone who appreciates a car for what it is for what it stands for and intended to do it's more than transport it's like a home with 4 wheels and an engine.

Countless hours and funds get thrown at these cars for them to look, sound and perform how we imagine they should. A lot of people assume people who build these cars have some sort of hidden funds to spend but when in reality these cars are built by not indulging in the finer things in life or not going out for that wild weekend session and it's that dedication that ties us all together.

The sacrifices of luxury's for painstaking hours under the bonnet or under the car itself is what make standing back and appreciating they're pride and joy all worth while.

While a majority of cars in the yard are pre 2000 they're are some exceptions particularly when mentioning a r35 GTR a future classic in its own right. It's cars like the R35 that acts as the stepping stone towards a bright future for Japanese car enthusiasts although they may be the last attempt at saving high performance petrol engines with the introduction of electric cars. The hope of future Japanese classics no matter how desolate it may be is still alive.

As the day came to a close and the yard started to clear out I knew I would have to dedicate the time next year to do it all again. Not enough of these meetings take place for genuine enthusiasts and maybe some times that's the real trick to keeping a certain standard of people and cars. "What's seldom is wonderful" as the saying goes.

Please enjoy some honourable mentions from the day below.