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Cruise to the New Year | Daily Life

We have been talking about doing a car cruise for the longest time in 2018, but never got around to it. It’s 2019, we won’t talk about it, we’ll be about it. Even thought my SC wasn’t running, I was going to make sure I was coming to the cruise, so I took out the IS.

We met up at a Target at the bottom of the mountains and I even brought my new pup, Moscow along.

Like always, Nimo was on Filipino time and was 2 hours late. Fortunately, Steve and John were down to chill and eat while we waited.

It did not feel good to drive the IS on these roads.. The excessive camber and soft suspension felt unsafe at high speeds. I’m going to keep the IS as just a grocery getter from now on.

High up in the mountains.

Another car on bags and excessive camber, Andy’s GS350. Both of our girls were feeling nauseated from the drive.

We decided not to go all the way to the spot where we usually do the night drifting and cruised back down to this opening. Surprisingly, there was a group of enthusiasts down here trying to flag people down for a group photo shoot.

John found his family.

It’s 2019, let’s get shit done.

-NGUMINH

January 14, 2019

Royal Origin Presents GIVING SZN | Event Coverage

Sorry for the late coverage of our Giving SZN event with Greddy Performance! Sometimes Stance Magazine request photos for events I go to and I can’t release the photos until the magazine releases. Check out this month’s Stance Magazine for the coverage of this event!

We had Kenji’s family helping us receive the canned foods from generous donors.

The streets started to fill up early before the event even started.

Big Steve’s LS400 from Auto Fashion.

Amir’s time attack M3 was on display in our vendor area.

This Pandem E30 with the BMW classic livery was looking really nice.

Sparkle’s Rocket Bunny S13 still in great condition.

New member of Royal Origin, Sang’s Porsche Cayman on Fiften52 wheels.

Fresh from winning the GT award at SEMA is the Greddy’s Pandem FC.

Weird to see Kevan in the states, I used to only see him driving me around in Japan in his Chaser.

Someone donated 345 cans of Vienna sausage. Wow!

MC Celso Nimo.

This artist goes to car meets and draws cars for fun, Ashton’s E36 was the lucky car this time.

Another weird thing to see was Chris’s 350z back from the midwest.

Check out this tiny little car, peep the guy standing next to it for reference of size.

Greddy had the Boost Brigade store open and had tons of good deals!

Check out this E36 with the massive tuck!

Feels like Japan.

The CEO of Greddy thanking everyone for coming out to the canned food drive.

The winner of our ugly Christmas sweater contest won $50 and a tree that Kevin made.

The prize everyone was going for was this racing suit that was worn by Ken Gushi during the 2018 Formula Drift season. Luckily the person who won also fit the suit!

We were able to collect 1,907 lbs of canned food for South County Outreach! A big thank you to all of the vendors who supported this event and to Greddy Performance for hosting the event.

Also shout out to Kevin for coming to us with this idea and planning everything! Thank you to everyone who came out and we wish you all the good fortune and success for 2019! See ya’ll at our next event!

-NGUMINH

January 11, 2019

TOYO TIRES X SUPER STREET 2019 CALENDAR LAUNCH | Event Coverage

Our first post and first car meet of the year! Toyo Tires and Super Street had a car meet for the Toyo Tire calendar launch at the Honda Center. It was a pretty close event, so we decided to swing by with the Karuma crew to see what’s good. You can check out our vlog here ..

We planned a meet up with some of the boys from Karuma, here we have Adry’s cat killing IS, Taylor’s LS400 and Frank’s Miata.

The internet has gone crazy for Taylor’s LS400 and you can definitely see why.

Vu ditched his Civic after a hydro lock incident and got into a Subaru. In my opinion, the Subaru is an upgrade from the Civic and more enjoyable to drive.

Vu already rocking our new Royal Origin banner and you can too! Get our banner here at shop.royal-origin.com!

Ashton’s Pandem E36 on Work Meisters and John’s Corvette on mag blue TE-37s. It’s always a beautiful thing to see Japanese wheels on various makes and models.

This sick bagged GTR on TE-37s, coincidentally was meeting up with a friend at our spot too.

When you see an NSX on the way to a car meet, it’s usually a good sign that the turn out is going to be good.

First time in a while there is more than two Royal Origin cars out.

If you ever want to check the strength of your front lip, try hitting a cat like Adry. PETA would be outrage.

Tom from Speed Image’s BMW M3 on ZE40s looks great!

Bagged Tesla Model 3 by our good friends over at Air Runner.

Clean S15 on TE-37s.

Kenji brought out the Pandem Mazda FC and got the prime parking spot.

Parked next to the Greddy FC was this bad ass Datsun Z.

Still the best Honda.

Jerald’s brand new LC500. What is it like to be this rich?

NSX on VS-XXs.

Junction Produce GS,

We were drooling all over this wide Miata on Work Meisters.

Thanks for the long time support Kouki Jacky!

This FRS pulled off the classic AE86 look with a 4 lug watanabe wheels and thick tires.

This track ready Datsun 510 looked like a beast in the back parking lot. It should have definitely been in the Toyo lot.

This IS looked pretty wild and the tail lights are so sick.

Keith aka k3ychain made it out and people were asking him all day what car he drove.

Nimo’s wagon on Koenig Monsters.

Rodeny’s Cressida with the new Mark 2 front end.

My IS250 still for sale…

Rounding up the boys to go eat.

America.

I hope you finally got your stickers Calvin!

athanks for stopping by and it means a lot that you got this far in the post and with us through out the years. Whenever we see someone rocking our sticker it still trips us out. I hope you enjoyed the photos!

Photos by NGUMINH

January 8, 2019

Taylor’s BN Sport LS400 | Car Feature

Taylor from Karuma just recently got his car back from the paint shop and boy did he get some work done. Taylor had the body shop mold a BN Sports IS300 kit to his LS400 and it looks so good! We met up after work to get some quick shots in, but because of day light savings we didn’t have enough time for an extensive shoot. Check out what I got though with my limited time…

***********BONUS ROUND***********

I got some shots of Adry’s Lexus IS at the Chino Airport. Too bad Taylor’s car was too low to get into the driveway.

We’re definitely going to plan a re-shoot soon!

-NGUMINH

November 16, 2018

The Chronicles 10 Year Anniversary | Event Coverage

We’re back here already for our annual coverage of The Chronicle’s Year 10 anniversary! I feel like you could just scroll a couple of pages back on our site and you will have the Year 9 anniversary. Even though we’re not as active anymore, I wanted to make an effort to swing by the meet. So, I met up with Brandon, Rodney and Ashton and we cruised together to the meet.

My SC400 and Rodney’s Cressida with a new Mark II front end.

So many beautiful Hondas as always here at The Chronicle’s meet.

The owner of this S2000 came down all the way from Canada for this meet.

This bagged R8 on 305 Forged wheels really caught our eye at the meet with its intricate wrap. This R8 also made the journey from Canada!

I’m sure this Civic has a ton of mods, but the way it is put together looks effortlessly simple and clean. Great job by Battle Craft.

This Civic EG was so sick! Pandem Kit paired with a J’s Racing hood and rolling on TE-37 SLs, What a combo!

I love Poacari Sweat.

I literally followed this CRX to check it out. My love for CRXs runs deep.

Tracked ready S2000 on Advan wheels.

On the other spectrum a bagged S2000 looking sleek.

Spoon S2000 from Spoon USA.

We found another member for the Red or Dead crew.

Becky not knowing why she’s at a car show.

We couldn’t stay long at the meet, so most of us cruised home together. Rodney and his beaten up Cressida.

When you’re friend is in another tax bracket and you can’t follow him on the Fast Track…

Congratulations Joey on Year 10! See you in 4 pages for Year 11!

November 15, 2018

AP Garage S14 | Car Feature

When I used to look at the car scene in Hawaii from Dohc Research, Wekfest or SpoCom coverages. I would always see amazing cars being built on the island. Crazy VIP cars, beach backgrounds all the time, the shrimp runs and the crazy H3 highway rolling shots.

Sad to say that the car scene isn’t what it used to be ever since law enforcement has cracked down on modified cars. They used to do cruises into Ala Moana Park and down Waikiki, but as soon as a cop sees a modified car, you’re going to get pulled over. That’s why places like AP Garage is so special, it’s a safe haven for drifters and upcoming car builders.

Barry works a day job and has his shop open from 8PM – 4AM for anyone who wants to get their car worked on or if you just want a place to hang out and watch him wire tuck a SR motor. Here is a look of AP Garage..

The passion for cars in Hawaii has always been strong, even if the scene has changed over the years. With fewer places to cruise and stricter enforcement on modifications, having a trusted spot for tuning and repairs is more important than ever.

That’s why experts like ECU Maverick play a crucial role in keeping builds running smoothly, offering specialized repairs for both mechanical components and electronic systems. From troubleshooting ECU issues to fine-tuning performance mods, having the right expertise ensures that car enthusiasts can keep pushing their builds to the next level without constant breakdowns.

Just like AP Garage provides a space for the community, professionals who understand the intricate balance between software and hardware in modern cars help keep the spirit of the scene alive, making sure every ride is dialed in and ready to hit the road—legally or otherwise.

The fusion of community and craftsmanship in the garage scene is more than just about wrenching on cars—it’s about creating a space where passion meets precision. Whether it’s fine-tuning an engine for peak performance or ensuring that a classic build retains its soul while embracing modern advancements, the right professionals make all the difference. Top One Garage embodies this ethos, offering expert garage door installation and repair services that keep these creative spaces secure and functional.

A well-maintained garage isn’t just a place to store tools and parts; it’s a haven where enthusiasts bring their automotive visions to life, free from the worry of faulty doors or compromised security.

In the same spirit of dedication and expertise, mobile mechanics bring professional-grade service directly to the driveways and garages of passionate car owners. Rather than dealing with the hassle of transporting a vehicle to a shop, enthusiasts can rely on skilled technicians to perform everything from routine maintenance to complex repairs on-site. This convenience ensures that automotive projects stay on track, allowing builders and restorers to focus on their craft without unnecessary interruptions.

With platforms like https://autofordable.com, finding reliable mobile mechanics has never been easier. These experts arrive equipped with the tools and knowledge to diagnose issues, replace worn components, and fine-tune performance—all while respecting the integrity of each build. Just like a secure and well-maintained garage, access to dependable mobile repair services keeps the automotive passion alive, ensuring that every project runs smoothly from concept to completion.

Most of the cars here are owned by Barry. He has an extensive collection of 240s and 240 parts. Barry’s passion for cars and late-night shop sessions reflects the deep connection that car enthusiasts have with their vehicles. It’s not just about getting a car fixed—it’s about the experience and trust that comes with expert care.

That’s why places like Billingsley Ford of Ardmore are essential for car owners looking for reliable service and quality vehicles. Offering a range of new and used Ford models, financing options, and professional maintenance services, Billingsley Ford ensures that customers have the support they need, whether they’re buying their first car or upgrading to a new model.

Doing a wire tuck for this customer’s SR20. I can’t wait to see this thing done!

A 240 fan boy’s heaven.

AP Garage is powered by Monster Energy drinks.

Japanese car magazines for inspiration.

Besides having a plethora of 240 parts, Barry is also a TE-37 collector. He has almost every color variation there is.

A couple of Nissan SR20s would pull a premium a week before race wars.

Barry is such a nice and modest guy that eats more syrup than pancakes.

We got into some light painting at the shop. I didn’t have a tripod, so we had to use a stack of boxes for these shots. Not bad if I say so myself..

But no matter how well a car is built, the finishing touch is always in the details—literally. That’s where North Phoenix Detail comes in, bringing the same level of dedication to preserving and enhancing a car’s exterior as Barry does to its performance. From paint correction to ceramic coatings, they specialize in keeping builds looking as flawless as the day they rolled out of the shop.

Whether it’s a VIP cruiser, a drift machine, or a meticulously restored 240, a proper detail makes all the difference. After all, nothing complements a perfectly tucked bay or a rare set of wheels better than a deep, mirror-like shine reflecting under the city lights.

Thanks Barry for letting me tour the shop! I’m glad we met in Osaka 4 years ago! I’ll definitely be coming back to visit soon.

-NGUMINH

November 12, 2018

ROYAL ORIGIN x JSPIRIT Car Meet | Event Coverage

Hello friends! I’m sorry these photos of our collaboration meet with JSpirit took so long! It’s because we submitted these photos to Stance Magazine and they decided to publish it for their November issue. Now that the magazine is out, I can finally post the photos online!

It wouldn’t be a Royal Origin meet if we didn’t come late. The parking lot was already full by the time we got there.

Cruising around with Brandon’s S2000 has been the high lite of my trip. This thing is so clean!

Hawaii is flashy.

One of the things I wanted to see was the VIP car scene in Hawaii, glad I got to see some nice Lexuses out here.

Davin doing car things for once.

All types of cars came out like this lifted GMC with an underground light show.

Shout out to those who support us in Hawaii! It’s always a trip to see our stickers outside of our own group.

Brandon was helping pass out our collaboration sticker with JSpirit. I hope everyone got one!

The fun police finally arrived.

Super clean S13.

Her: Wyd?

Him: Installing my quarter panel.

Her: There’s a Royal Origin meet tonight.

Him:….

We were worried HPD would kick us out, but they were just making sure no one did anything stupid.

Nicole and her friend’s RX-7s. Very nice!

Another awesome VIP Lexus. I wish there was more light for me to see this thing.

Thank you to JSpirit for throwing this meet with us. Also a big shout out to everyone who came out! Ya’ll the real MVPs! Make sure you guys get the latest Stance Magazine for photos of this meet.

-NGUMINH

November 12, 2018

Hawaii Explore | RO Explore

This post will be about some of the good food I was fortunate enough to try while I was in Hawaii for Aron and Meilani’s wedding. Shout out to Sara for all of the food recommendations!

The first stop we did was Yogurstory for their ube pankcakes. Which was really good! I thought it would be too sweet, but the pancakes were made to perfection and we didn’t get over the taste.

Afterwards, we went to Ala Moana State Park and it was our first experience of a Hawaii beach and it was perfect. The water was so calm because they put a wall out in the barrier for the waves to crash early.

After relaxing on the beach, we continued our exploration of Oahu. Hawaii is a great place to explore at your own pace, and thanks to Sara’s recommendations, we found some delicious hidden gems.

One option for getting around the island is to look into moped rentals. This can be a fun and affordable way to experience the sights and smells (and delicious food!) that Hawaii has to offer.

You can cruise down the scenic coastline, stopping whenever you see something interesting, or navigate the charming towns at a leisurely pace. No matter how you choose to get around, Hawaii is sure to leave you with lasting memories.

We also went to Cafe Musubi Isayume and got a eel musubi to enjoy on the beach.

For dinner we went to Tsurtondan Udon, Davin treated me out to a wagyu beef curry udon.

The funny thing about this restaurant is that me and Davin actually tried this spot 4 years ago when we met in Osaka. This restaurant happened to be a chain restaurant brought to Hawaii from Japan.

The next day was Aron and Meilani’s wedding. I didn’t get to take photos at the wedding, but I got a shot of the setup which was really nice. Congrats to the both of you!

We decided to actually go on on a hike to Manoa Falls. My wife used to hike as a hobby and go on all of these dangerous adventures. Now that she’s with me, I turned her into a couch potato.

This is actually my first time seeing such a big waterfall. California is literally always in a drought, so our waterfalls are just dry rocks.

Chivas out here filming for Animal Planet.

After the hike, we wanted to try Hawaii poke and stopped by Ono Seafood. We didn’t think there would be a big difference between Hawaii poke and the one back at home, but damn we were so wrong. Julia doesn’t even like tuna, but she loved it here. Wish the line wasn’t so long because we messed up not ordering more than one plate.

For dessert we went to the famous Leonard’s Bakery for their malasadas. Julia loves pastries, here she is with her babies.

Meanwhile, I saw that Konos was next to Leonard’s and I had to try their kalua breakfast burrito. Delicious!

While in Hawaii, you have to go to Giovanni’s shrimp truck. I never knew how much I loved garlic butter and shrimp until now. I literally can’t stop thinking about it.

I’m in the process of learning how to cook this. Wish me luck!

Papa Ole’s Kitchen for their loco moco. Julia’s new found love.

The Sunrise Shack was a spot we frequented often on the way to town since we were coming from Kahuku.

It’s such a beautiful place to start your morning and their papaya bowl is so good!

We met up with Brandon and Sena for breakfast at Cinnamon’s. You can see a rare glimpse of a local Hawaiian eating a basic hamburger.

The guava pancake and the kalua benedict at Cinnamon’s.

Julia and I decided to go to take a nap at the beach after lunch and found this little private beach.

Hot tamale.

Hawaii afternoons.

We got dinner with Davin and Brandon at Helena’s.

Helena’s is known for their home style cooking and it did not disappoint. It really felt like eating at someone’s grandma’s house except no one was saying you need to eat more. We really take those moments for granted because now if we want to eat more, we have to pay.

Portuguese sausage and garlic shrimp at Da Bald Guy.

Another food spot we had to try was Liliha Bakery for their mochi poi donuts.

Mochi donuts is a must get if you’re in town.

Ichiban special at Matsumoto Shaved Ice.

I wanted to take Julia to a romantic restaurant while we were in Hawaii and found Michel at the Colony in my research. I wanted a spot where we could eat with a beach view during sunset and this place was the spot! I really loved the view and service, the food however was okay to me. Julia loved the seafood though.

My hot date.

Found the china man hat.

We saw the sun setting during our drive home and we had to stop to try and get a photo.

Chivas also got a new Tinder photo.

Probably my favorite place to eat was at Aiewa Bowl The Alley Restaurant. On the way to LAX, our Lyft driver told us to go to a bowling alley to try the best loco moco he’s ever had. I thought that was weird, but when we went to go eat with Mei’s parents, they took us here for lunch. It was so good and probably the cheapest food I had on the island. I recommend getting the loco moco and the crispy chicken.

Thank you Hawaii for the beautiful memories. I wish I had visited Hawaii sooner. I will definitely be make a return soon! Shout out to Brandon, Davin and Barry for showing us around and taking us to eat. Also a big congrats to Mei and Aron for getting married! Thank you for allowing us to be apart of your wedding!

Also if you want a list of food spots that I was recommended to go eat at in Oahu, check out my spread sheet here!

Hawaii Food List

-NGUMINH

November 5, 2018

AP Garage and Friends | Hawaii Car Feature

The greatest thing that ever happened to me is that I got into modifying cars. Almost every good thing that had happened to me has a connection to me modifying cars. From the friends I’ve made along my life to the bad situations I’ve gotten out of and to the growth that I’ve made in life, all of this has been because of my love for cars and making it low as possible. One of the good things in my life was meeting the J Spirit crew when I was in Japan 4 years ago. It took me a while, but I finally visited them in Oahu, Hawaii. I really wanted to get a chance to shoot the local cars here, so Brandon and Barry planned a shoot for some of the cars that have been built out of Barry’s shop, AP Garage.

Davin, Brandon and Barry planning where we’re going to head to for the photo shoot.

Brandon’s Voltex S2000 on Volk TE-37s. So sick. It’s the twin of Sara’s Voltex S2000.

Brandon’s S2000 got even more sick with our “Scribble” sticker.

No more twinning with Sara, because Brandon’s S2000 just got a lot better.

Barry’s 350z on all polished Work Meisters.

Barry also took out one of his S14s out of the man cave. It was a bit risky since his car wasn’t registered.

It was also risky because this car is stupid low.

We went down the street to get some still shots since finding a spot in Honolulu might be difficult because of a recent incident. The cops here have been on high alert with pulling over modified cars because of an accident when someone went drifting in the mountains and hit a triathlete. Check out the article here..

https://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/triathlete-grateful-to-be-alive-faces-long-road-back-after-tantalus-crash_20180306071942876/1012663174

Brandon’s S2000 and Barry’s 350z.

Both owned by AP Garage.

Afterwards, we went cruising on H3 which is a popular highway in Hawaii for car enthusiasts.

Man Barry’s S14 looks wild cruising on the freeway.

The sun wasn’t so kind to us today and it started to rain! Good thing I’ve always wanted to do some rain rollers.

Respect the locals.

TE-37 porn.

We were so hungry from shooting on the highway that we went to the Highway Inn for some grinds. We definitely had a mop sesh because Barry and Brandon wanted us to try all the food at Highway Inn. Pictured here are the kalua pork nachos.

Brandon happy he got some guava juice.

Thanks Barry, Brandon and Davin for letting me shoot your cars! We went to the car meet right after we ate, but I can’t release that post until Stance Magazine releases the issue with the photos. So… K den shooooooooooots.

-NGUMINH

October 25, 2018