Alignment SPecialty Repair Pop-up Meet
Author/Photographer: Kai Her - October 22nd, 2024
Look what I found, guys!
If you’ve been up to date with my blogs you’d probably remember reading the blog on my totaled EM1 about me losing these batch of photos. Apparently, as I was cleaning up my computer hard drive to make space for more pictures, I found a folder with these photos in it. LOL! I declared from my previous blog that I may have lost the files due to the high heat of leaving my camera in the trunk of my S2000. Reflecting upon everything that occurred, I may have tirelessly transferred the photos to my hard drive, deleted the photos off the camera memory card and then not remembering that I have done that. Since I type up the blogs late at night, I tend to be a bit brain dead and forget things.
Well, now that I have a handful of photos to share about it, I’m delighted to present and write about what occurred that morning!
It was an emblematic Saturday morning. I recall the only difference was that I had to get up an extra hour early to get ready, fed my daughter, not wanting to be the last one to show up to Simon’s house (our premeet) because of a deal we made with each other on sushi later that day; that whoever was the last to show up would have to be treating everyone out. LOL! Evident that the entertainment within NnovatioN never seemed to get old. Well, after I finished my morning dad duties, I expeditiously inspected the S2000, then backed it out of my garage and drove down to Fresno with haste.
Being a resident in the central valley, you don’t get a lot of pop-up meets like this. Judging from what I have seen in Socal and being surrounded by aftermarket automotive companies and JDM part distributors, it seemed a lot more lively than what you will get compared to the valley. So when Kong had shared with us about All-Star’s new shop: Alignment Specialty Repair, a few of the NnovatioN brothers decided that it would a neat idea to go out and support their grand opening event with our cars.
Since Kong and Brian knew some of the guys pretty well, we went out and showed as much support as we could. It was a good turn out! A lot of the local Honda guys also came out to show support and catching up with some of the people you don’t see so often. We invited friends and acquittances to roll out with us to the shop and also were the first ones to arrive. Which was surprising because NnovatioN is quite notorious for showing up late. We’re always running on “Hmong time.”
Whether were early or late, it’s always a good time to be around cars, some good coffee and unlimited supply of free donuts. Like the big cities in California, there are pockets in central California that embraces the JDM car culture quite well; and when they all come and meet together, you’ll get to see something like this!
First off is this clean and well executed Rx-7 that was parked right at the entrance of the driveway to the shop. The Rx-7 wore track equipment and I think the owner actually tracks this car from time to time. Later on that morning, I also heard the owner was also responsible for the body work and paint on the car. In person, the car looked like it was wrapped, but I could be wrong. The reflection looked a bit “oranged peel,” but maybe the owner left it like that purposely since it’s a track car more than a show car. What an amazing build and car!
Inside the alignment shop, you will be greeted by a couple Integra Type R’s. This white one in particular at the corner is tracked around the central valley events. At a distance, the ITR was wearing some OG Desmond Regamaster Evo’s. A Voltex Racing GT wing is perched up at the end of the trunk. Either than the wheels and big wing in the back, the ITR is gutted to shave weight as much as possible.
The other ITR was this black one with some OG Mugen MF10’s in an bronze finish. Clung behind the front wheels is a pair of Spoon Sport twin block calipers. The ITR was stock, lowered, and retaining the USDM front end. The interior was also kept stock as well.
On the lift is the last ITR in the shop. This one wearing some CCW’s and giving off more of a stance early 2000’s vibe than what were used to seeing now on these Hondas and Acura chassis’.
The last Honda inside the alignment shop was All Star’s tracked EG Civic. You can definitely tell that car is greatly appreciated and widely utilized for track events by the battle scars visible throughout the chassis. Wearing a whole front spoiler for downforce, a splitter was also added on. The fog light space have been cut out and acted like air duct for more air and cooling efficiency. The stock side skirts are swapped out and the PCI skirts made it’s way to the chassis. The fenders have been cut for more aerodynamic travel. The side mirrors are also no longer stock and been swapped out with Spoon Sport side mirrors. A chassis mounted GT wing sat in the back of the hatchback. Suspension has been upgraded and been swapped to a 5 lug conversion. The bronze Ce28n’s looked perfect on the EG.
Further inspecting the car, the car housed a Bride Low Max racing bucket seat only on the driver side and also caged for safety and suspension purposes. The hood has been custom cut and vents were inserted for more air and cooling efficiency.
On the side of the door was a door banner and their track number. The sponsors resided at the bottom of the banner on the Civic.
As you stepped outside the shop, another EG Civic was parked right in front of their shop. This one, a bit different and more subtle than the tracked one inside the shop also wore a 5 lug conversion. However, instead of going through with some aftermarket wheels, the owner stuck with some EK9 Type R wheels. Behind the OEM wheels is yet another set of Spoon Sport twin block caliper. The Civic was a very clean example of a well executed Civic.
The EG Civic was powered by a K series motor. The setup reminded me of Brain’s (Smurf) engine bay. The engine bay was also tucked. I think my most favorite part about this particular build was the wrinkle red valve cover. It brought back a lot of nostalgic moments when I had my EM1 that was t-boned. This set up was absolutely amazing to stare at.
Next to the EG Civic is another All Star track car. This time, a second gen RSX with some Volk Ray’s Re30’s. With the door banner stuck onto the side of the door, the 7 represented the car proudly.
Blong came out to show support too. This time, the Te37’s are long gone and he’s back to the white trusty Advan RG’s. The motor, also a k series was tucked properly inside the engine bay wearing a J’s Racing theme valve cover. The Integra was wearing an Exceed V1 front lip and Aztec side skirts. I think this car doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. In my opinion, it a very clean and well executed Integra. Gets my like!
Ricky’s FL5 sitting on some Spoon Sport wheels, the Civic Type R is accompanied by a Honda motocompacto. Covered in a Spoon livery to go along with the rest of the Spoon parts seen throughout the Civic.
A Nissan Silvia S15 was parked next to a GTR at the corner of the parking lot. This one had a body kit surrounding the chassis and sitting on the Volk Ray’s Te37’s.
Running back to the front of the shop was the NnovatioN line up. Kong up front with his show winning set up. Not much to say than how clean the NSX looked with the Mugen wheels!
Since I needed to be home sooner than later, we left a bit earlier than what we have envisioned. However, we wanted to grab more content of our cars, so we decided to go to Kong’s secret photo spot and lined up for another shoot.
Jackson’s Civic still rocking the Mode Parfume front end with a carbon fiber hood. The J’s racing GT wing evens out the aggressive and low front end and front splitter.
Peter, a local good Fresno-ian friend came out to the show with us. Red, like Kong’s NSX, Peter relied on some staggered Advan RG’s to execute his subtle exterior scheme. The wheels have been redone and instead of the famous blue strip on the lip where the spokes met, Peter decided to get it refinished in red. The targa top was taken off to enjoy the summer heat and sun before it comes to an end.
Xou’s PY ITR also came out with us to the meet. Still rocking the same set up from wekfest, not much has been done to the car.
We also invited Sua out with us to the show, since he only lived one block away from Simon’s house. Sua’s car didn’t fit the line, but he got a special space for himself. Which in my opinion was better. LOL! You can easily capture the whole car at a glance.
Another angle of Kong’s NSX. Unlike Peter’s NSX, I believe Kong’s NSX doesn’t have the targa top. I always used to tell myself that if I ever get an NSX, I will try to get the targa tops, but after seeing much of Kong’s car and how well his NSX looks without the top off, I think I’m having second thoughts about how I actually feel about the targa top.
The Mugen MF10’s in the new reissued sizing and embraced by the Stoptech trophy big brake kit. The blue center caps were substituted with the black ones, which in my opinion, worked quite well with Kong’s car.
This concludes the coverage of this meet. It was a short two hour meet as our main goal was to show support and have a good morning chat with car people before heading out to lunch and then back home. It was a great opportunity to be surrounded by some of central California’s hidden gems at the meet.
At this point of time, I continue to be hopeful that the car scene in the valley grows because I think we have a lot to offer or even as much as those in the bigger cities in California. I guess one last thing to say about the pop meet was the chance to also get reacquainted with other enthusiasts you chat with regularly online directly in real time.
Thank Alignment Specialty Repair for inviting us out and allowing us to enjoy your weekend grand opening event with you. We hope big successes in the future and that your business blossoms into keeping our community’s vehicle accurately aligned and safe on public roads.
Thank you for reading another coverage. I know this was a shorter coverage, but in all honestly, I was desperate to get out of the house, so although, I knew it wasn’t a big event like the ones I usually attend, it was worth while to see the smaller and local meets still popping! The atmosphere seemed a lot more “homey” as well. You recognized most of the faces there and everyone just seemed to know each other and their history of their build so much more because everyone is within driving distance.
Signing out! See you in the next one!
