The Top 7 Show Cars of Wekfest San Jose 2016
Walk the aisles of any Wekfest, and you are guaranteed to see the local community's best imports on display. But in recent years, it's gone beyond the JDM and Honda elite; now there are Euros, domestics and even lowriders, all vying for a chance to take home trophies and become a fixture on your social media outlets. NorCal is home base for the Wekfest crew, and locals support this event heavily when it comes back around to provide its yearly fix.
Here are our top seven show cars from Wekfest San Jose 2016:
1. PlusOne/Automation LED FD3S RX-7 | Albert Zheng:
There were a handful of FDs, fitted with Rocket Bunny kits and a LS swap (or some other type of engine) but this RX-7 from Albert Zheng hit all the right feels with its bright neon green/yellow paint, air suspension, Corvette LS engine conversion and Volk Racing wheels.
2. ATS*Garage DC2 Integra | Philip Sison:
Parked alongside the stunning Rywire DC2 is this ATS*Garage DC2, owned by Philip Sison, and took home the Chronicles 1st place award for its simplistic approach. Normally it's a JDM front end swap that's most common but seeing the USDM front end debadged and smoothed out, along with a lower lip and splitter, is good switch-up.
3. 1961 Chevy Impala SS | Danny Torres:
Most people who come to a car show with an Impala already have a rarity on their hands, but when you show up with a '61 (as opposed to the more "common/affordable" '63s/'64s), you're telling everyone else that you mean business...and that you're a true lowrider. Danny Torres lifted his up high by using 18" cylinders, four pumps and 10 batteries, and the original frame is wrapped with a second layer of sheet metal boxed around it so that he can hit the three-wheel motion, hop or lift it up high like you see here. His Impala took home First place in the Lowrider category, presented by Deadend Magazine.
4. Nissan S14 240SX | Julia Duong:
You will find no specimen of the S-chassis cleaner than Julia Duong's S14. Fitted with only top shelf parts, upgraded with a S14 SR20DET engine conversion and the rarest of all TE37s (Magnesium Blue that took a couple years of searching to complete the set), it's a true standout in a sea of widebody conversions and stanced-out projects.
5. Fatlace Nissan Hakosuka | Mark Arcenal:
Up until recently, we had no idea that our friend Yogi actually helped Mark secure this Hakosuka for his personal fleet of collectibles, but he did. Sitting on a chunky set of Work CR01s, this will always be one of our favorites from the Bay Area.
6. Rocket Bunny/Pandem Boss Nissan S14:
The big talk on social media during and immediately following Wekfest SJ was this car, and it wasn't just the body kit, RHD configuration or the wheels that got people excited, but the motor. Look closely. Not a SR20DET, not a LSx...not something common at all. It's a BMW N54 that's been turbocharged by Gearheinz.
7. Speed Element Toyota Sienna | Cary Inayoshi:
You've seen Cary's Sienna before in our Toyotafest coverage, so it should be no surprise to find his van here again as one of our favorites. This time he added a Voltex wing to the top of the rear hatch, a mod we normally see on track cars. Dropped on prototype Cusco coilovers versus an air suspension, and Vossen wheels all around.
(Photos: Justin Pagtalunan)
