The parking garage out of Tokyo Drift, but in QUeens...
CHapter 1: Intro
I gotta say I was a little hesitant as always to go to some meet anywhere around New York City.
For NYC residents, the car culture they receive is a very mixed bag. On the one hand, you have very faithful import builds driving around and being appreciated. On the other, there are German-makes cutting up the highway while listening to mumble rap until they get mack'd (written off). Alright that was a jab, but a factual one. So that brings me to my point of why it's difficult to find a decent park & chill event unless you're going to New Jersey. But that was until I went to a certain parking garage in Queens and got to enjoy a good, mostly JDM, atmosphere.
Chapter 2:variety
After navigating the treacherous roads around the city, I came up on my destination.
I was looking for a specific entrance to the paid garage, and it wasn't long until I heard the cars echoing throughout the different levels of the garage. The cars made their way to the top before crossing over a bridge to the other building. As the cars crossed the open bridge into the enclosed garage, they were immediately greeted by spectators. 'It was something out of a movie" is what I'd like to say but that has sadly become overused. Well, I already did mention it in the title.
The parking spaces consisted mostly of a JDM variety. But you could still find your VW Golfs, and BMW M's. A car that instantly stood out as my personal favorite was a Nissan 280ZX. It wasn't just a normal 280ZX because this one was a Fairlady. I mean that it was, in fact, a RHD car. The owner had it done up in a very authentic kaido-racer style. It was low, on small Watanabe wheels, and stretched rubber. The front has a chin spoiler, while the back has a pair of angry taillights. Those angry taillights are Nissan Cherry taillights that are rotated inward. You could appreciate the detail that went into the build because there were various little pieces that made it more authentic. Upon peeking inside, you would spot the old-logo Asahi beer can in its holder. There was even a little metal fan in the passenger dash area. All of these things made the car feel like a period-correct Kaido racer. I'm sure I could point out more on the car, but I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner. So you'll just have to bear with my current JDM knowledge and observations.
The amount of VIP cars present made me realize that there is a rather large appreciation for them in the area. Your usual suspects were the Toyota Celsiors (Lexus LS), Toyota Crowns, Nissan Cedrics, and Nissan Glorias. A VIP build is defined by large luxury sedans that are stanced on large and flashy wheels. My knowledge on VIP wheels is limited but it seems they are usually deep, multi-piece, and polished.
There were a good number of Kei cars as well. A pair of Honda Beats caught my eye as I never saw them in person before. Kei cars are tiny because they usually have 660cc or smaller engines to fit into a smaller tax bracket in Japan. They are very fun for that same reason as owners enjoy thrashing them around a track or drifting them. You will typically find them in their car, truck, or van form.
Chapter 3: Outro
The meet ended without a major issue, and the crowd slowly dissolved.
It was definitely a welcome surprise since I set my standards low. But the car variety alone made it worth the trip. Overall it was a great atmosphere to be around and I would do it again. Well… I did do it again. Stick around for the feature of the “Part II” meet which I ended up attending.