The Japanese vintage Japanese car club that redefines automotive culture at the

While Savant Young carefully wipes his Mazda RX-3 gray charcoal in 1973 inside the vintage clubhouse in Motor Union, he stops to apologize for being so focused on his car. “It becomes so dusty here,” he explains, making a gesture around the space located in an industrial pocket bordered by Boyle Heights. The youngster smoothes a microfiber cloth on the hood, then leans in close collaboration to inspect him. His meticulous attention to details does not only concern the presentation. He reflects a deep and permanent passion for cars.

“Since the age of 5, every Christmas, I would have track sets and RC cars,” explains Young, dressed in a B-Sedan baseball cap. “It has always been cars in my life.”

A Toyota Celica model.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Although the toys light up its spark, it is the street racing days of its uncles and the Japanese cars they were driving, which ultimately shaped its taste. The RX-3 he polishes now, once presented in the television series “Jay Leno's Garage”, is not only a vintage jewel. It is the same model belonging to one of his uncles, and the first that caught his ear. “I liked it because it seemed racy,” he said.

What started as a childhood fascination finally accelerated in something much more. Young, 49, is the co-founder of Vintage Japanese Motor Union, a flourishing community of cars enthusiasts, dedicated to the preservation and celebration of exempt cars from SMOG before 1975. The rallies often attract hundreds of vintage cars that line the block as a retro shoot. The VJMU clubhouse, a paradise for car lovers that mixes a vintage aesthetic with the practical sensation of a work car shop, welcomes everyone who wants to relax and spend time with other people in the car.

The interior of the Japanese vintage clubhouse Motor Union.

The brick walls on display are decorated with photos and retro posters of vintage cars and racetracks, as well as traffic signs, running costumes and brand memories, Michelin in Mazda. A Miniature Goodyear Blimp is suspended from a steel beam. Automobile parts are intelligently woven in the decor, with vintage grins and steering wheel displayed as industrial illustrations, while stacked tires serve as the basis for glass tables.

A panel on the wall sums up the hub ethics: “Come for cars, stay for vibrations.”

But Vjmu is much more than cars. It is also inclusiveness, mentorship and community building. What distinguishes the club is the emphasis on the culture of automotive culture accessible to everyone.

Two men hang out in a space with a car and various ephemeral cars

Becoming a member is simple. No application. No annual fees. Introduce yourself and atmosphere. The only requirement is to have a Japanese vehicle before 1975. In Young, having an unshakable dedication that defines the club, as well as a deep respect for the inheritance of these cars. “They will do any more,” he says. “What we have is what is there, and the preservation of the line is important.”

Cars do not need to be in perfect condition. Vjmu embraces a raw and shamelessness shamelessness that the young person compares to “underground hip-hop”. This ethics is reflected by VJMU putting prices in its car salons such as “Best Patine” and “Best work in progress”.

For Young, what matters more than an immaculate restoration, is the way in which the car presents the unique style of its owner, reflected in the club's motto: “Fresh S— only”. “This is an individual expression through your construction,” he says. “Where's the turn with your personality?”

The concentration of VJMU on the manufacture of a personal declaration with his car quickly turns into a movement with his own dynamic.

In 2009, Young just wanted to have fun with friends. While he was still a professional mixed martial artist, Young – who owns and teaches courses at Fight Academy Pasadena – organized a relaxed Potluck style meeting place for friends who love cars outside one of his matches. After that, he launched meetings from time to time, each a little larger than the previous one.

Things became more serious in 2014. Hoping to create something more intentional but still personal, he has teamed up with friends obsessed with the car: the mechanic of forklift Jaime Cabral, the high -end retail director Damian Barbachan, the computer professional Marlon Trujillo and the Honda Sales Tech Henry Mendez.

A supervised photo of the members of the VJMU club is hung on the wall.

The group of native Ingenos linked to their common love of Japanese cars before 1975, in particular Mazdas, because of their rotary engines. Young explains that they have fewer mobile parts than traditional piston engines, which makes them easier to maintain, while offering surprising power for their relatively compact light and light size. In addition, the cars of that time are considered to be exempt from Smog, which means that they do not require smog vouchers, which saves the cost and the hassle of conformity. In addition, by young people, builds can be modified with less paperwork.

Alongside the RX-3 of Young, the Mazda RX-2 of Barbachan '72, while Trujillo brought a vintage rotary engine truck to the mixture, just like Cabral with its sky blue 74. Mendez did not drive a Mazda, but its Toyota Corolla of 1973 is still adapted in the Japanese car shooting before 1975.

A Japanese Vintage Motor Union sticker surrounded by vintage cars Models.

The group gave itself a name – Vintage Japanese Motor Union – a logo, and a small company, printing the VJMU decals and selling them for $ 5 each during local car and online meetings. “We wanted to see if we could extend our scope in the community, to launch events that reflect our style and monetize the brand,” explains Young.

The basic mark has contributed to fuel the momentum and expand their influence. It also showed them their potential as a legitimate car club.

VJMU organized its first official automotive fair in 2019 outside a body workshop. But it is their follow -up, held outside during the pandemic, with registration fees of $ 40, which attracted 140 Japanese vintage cars and several hundred participants. The overwhelming participation rate clearly indicated that it was time to establish a permanent home base.

This marked the turning point in what has become a distinguished automobile club and brand – with major sponsors like Falken Tires, Sunoco and Hagerty – as well as a marketing and event company organizing large -scale rallies, such as Soho Warehouse FiveDayary Party last October, which presented shows by notable artists Talib Kweli and walls.

Race posters and photos are displayed on the walls.

VJMU also has nearly 24,000 social media subscribers. An aberrant value in the classic Japanese automotive space as a prominent black influencer, Young recognizes the importance of this visibility. However, he explains, it is less recognition than representation. “I don't really see that as a distinction, but I see it as a necessity for people to know that automotive culture crosses all neighborhoods,” he said. “It turns out that I grew up in the South Center, and some people just did not notice us in general, but we have always loved the same things.”

Young is particularly proud of the identity of VJMU as an automotive club belonging to the black and Latino, in team competition in a sport which is traditionally dominated by rich white participants. During a recent show race-meet-car-car at Willow Springs Raceway, Young says he was deeply moving to attend so many black and Latinos children welcome in a space where they could not only be reflected, but start to imagine their future in a world that has not always given way for them.

This inclusive spirit is the next phase of VJMU. Young has developed an internship program in schools that would offer academic credit and paid experience to young locals, granting access to a world in which they could never have entered otherwise.

Even for those who do not have cars, VJMU creates space. The location, supervised by the picturesque Viaduct of Sixth Street, was chosen with a scale and a style in mind. Its outdoor space is adapted to the meetings and crowds of large -scale cars, and its cinematographic environment corresponds to the grainy aesthetics of the club.

The spot also embodies Deep Los Angeles Pride. “We are rooted in our 100%La-ann,” explains Young. “Customization of cars, car cultivation, different aesthetics … It is always something that came from Los Angeles, whether it be Lowriders to Boyle Heights or by leading to the coast with the top.

“Where we are, it's like the middle vein, with the separate bridge on the east and west side,” he continues. “We are at a rather central point.” Soon, the clubhouse will house two racing simulators available for rental, with sponsored community days covering costs for those who cannot afford the costs.

In the meantime, Young is preparing for the next big event of the Clubhouse, a May Cinco Street Celebration May 4 with live music, local food sellers and, of course, many vintage Japanese cars.

Looking further, he hopes to close the sixth street viaduct for a complete VJMU takeover for the two years of the clubhouse next year.

Wherever the road beyond it leads, it is clear that the VJMU wheels are in motion.

A reflection in a car window by Savant Young.

Source Link