Japan's got the Bosozoku look. Them Yankees got the Rat Rods. Euros got the "rusted out" thing going on. So what do Pinoys have to offer the classic car scene?
BURI STYLE!
"Buri" is a self-deprecating term coined from the words "burara" and "marumi". It isn't a literal term though. Owners of buri cars like to poke fun at themselves because, more often than not, most of their rides are not garage queens that are trailered to shows and gatherings. They use their cars daily and have the dirt and scars to prove it. However, it doesn't mean they don't take care of their rides. Like all knowledgable classic car owners, they set up their rides to "period correct" standards and make sure that their rides are in top condition, since fun runs to Baguio and other far away places are the norm.
So far, the main exponent of this genre are the group called DORATEKU, pigdin Japanese for "Driving Technique", of which I am a part of. The club chose the name because, as stated above, they are not averse to taking their cars out everyday, or to some distant location at a moment's notice. They drive hard, drive fast, and, most importantly, thumb their noses and flip the middle finger at purists and rice boy racer/drifter wannabes. If you think this is your cup of tea, then check out http://dorateku.ipbfree.com/ or stroll by Petron Westgate Alabang every Friday from 9:00pm onward. Don't worry, we all are a friendly bunch.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Purista Ka Ba Kamo?
It's funny that quite a few of the "new generation" old-schoolers ( I know, it sounds so contradictory), when engaged in casual discussion during classic car meets, will brazenly describe themselves as "purists" who like to keep their car "period correct". For those in the know, that last bunch of words I just put down is already a sign of ignorance on their part. Normally I smile and politely excuse myself, but there have been instances that I've had to put people in their place. So why all the fuss, you ask? Easy. The classic car scene is something YOU TAKE PRIDE in enjoying. It isn't some club you think you can just enter and then try to get away with pretending to know shit by throwing big words with little meaning. It's amazing how many people think they can fool others who actually know the history of their cars and the hobby.
But back to the "purist" topic. Most newbies don't have a clue as to what the word really means. Simply put, a purist is someone who will NOT alter anything on their car. Or if they restore their ride they will go to great pains in making sure that their vehicle will only get the exact parts, making sure the year and, to some extremes, the MONTH of manufacture is correct. Down to the last SCREW. To help explain further, I have come up with a checklist of what a purist's car should look like as explained to me by a concourse car show judge.
1. Are there any added-on accessories on your car, like a non-stock air filter or map light? Sorry to disappoint, but that isn't a purist's car.
2. Got '82 tail lights on your '87 Box, or is that a '74 grille on your '72 Sprinter? You're out of the running bro..
3. Lowered? Forget it.
4. Are those non-stock wheels and tires on your ride? No chance that's gonna win you anything.
5. Any lacking, replaced or incorrect parts, trimmings or emblems? Take your ride somewhere else..
6. Anything added or removed from your car that was or wasn't there when it left the factory? Disqualified!!!
If you did not meet all of the requirements listed, then please don't go around claiming to be a purist, because you aren't one. Most of us, including yours truly, are PERIODISTS. We like to customize our cars using period correct parts, and we normally do not like being tied to such conforming standards of puritanism. Unless you happen to be one of those obsessive compulsive car geeks, but then again if you are, then you probably won't be reading this...
So, still want to be a purist?
But back to the "purist" topic. Most newbies don't have a clue as to what the word really means. Simply put, a purist is someone who will NOT alter anything on their car. Or if they restore their ride they will go to great pains in making sure that their vehicle will only get the exact parts, making sure the year and, to some extremes, the MONTH of manufacture is correct. Down to the last SCREW. To help explain further, I have come up with a checklist of what a purist's car should look like as explained to me by a concourse car show judge.
1. Are there any added-on accessories on your car, like a non-stock air filter or map light? Sorry to disappoint, but that isn't a purist's car.
2. Got '82 tail lights on your '87 Box, or is that a '74 grille on your '72 Sprinter? You're out of the running bro..
3. Lowered? Forget it.
4. Are those non-stock wheels and tires on your ride? No chance that's gonna win you anything.
5. Any lacking, replaced or incorrect parts, trimmings or emblems? Take your ride somewhere else..
6. Anything added or removed from your car that was or wasn't there when it left the factory? Disqualified!!!
If you did not meet all of the requirements listed, then please don't go around claiming to be a purist, because you aren't one. Most of us, including yours truly, are PERIODISTS. We like to customize our cars using period correct parts, and we normally do not like being tied to such conforming standards of puritanism. Unless you happen to be one of those obsessive compulsive car geeks, but then again if you are, then you probably won't be reading this...
So, still want to be a purist?
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