Wekfest Seattle 2026 Pre-meet
This year, I was attending Wekfest Seattle not as a spectator but as an exhibitor with my Championship White Honda Civic Type R. Joey Lee from The Chronicles was bringing up Team California to the show to bring some of the best builds from California to the Pacific Northwest. Doghouse Garage was also coming up and a pre-meet was organized at Burgermaster.
I got there just after the meet started and the parking lot was already pretty full. There was a good mix of cars, it was also a preview of the Wekfest show the next day. As the evening moved on, the sun was starting to set and the lighting got better. I took these photos with a Leica Q2 and a Fujifilm XT20 with a Sigma 56mm f/1.4 lens. As you can see, it's a very Honda heavy event but it is to be expected for a Chronicles meet. Hope you enjoy the photos and thanks for visiting! Wekfest show photos are coming up.
Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3RS
This Porsche 911 GT3RS has the Manthey Racing aero kit with its carbon fibre aerodisc wheel. It was at GPFX Graphics for PPF and wrap. Andy had finished the car to the point where we rolled the car out of the shop for some quick photos. Some key features that you’ll notice is the lack of rear window which is replaced with the signature carbon fibre shark fin that leads up to the large rear spoiler. I’ve included some work in progress photos when Andy was working on the car so you’ll see various stages. Photos were taken with a combination of my Fujifilm X100VI, Fujfilm XT20 with a Sigma 56mm f/1.4 and Leica Q2.
Royal Ocean - RWB #1 Canada
Royal Ocean. The first RWB Porsche built in Canada back in 2012. I even have a photo of this car way back I took at a Revscene meet. It was at GPFX Graphics to remove the wrap for something new and upcoming for the livery. There’s some more photos of the car from a RWB build at Porsche Centre Richmond about few years ago on this post.
Andy from GPFX Graphics messaged me this morning and told me he had the car at the shop and to come shoot it. Away I went and took the car nearby for a quick shoot. Photos were taken with a Leica Q2.
Air Water 2024 Extra Wide
I’m late. Like…over a year late in posting more photos from the Air Water event in Costa Mesa California that took place in 2024. I took a lot of photos during the event and while I posted some of the photos on my social media. Most of the photos are unpublished and unviewed. It’s late in the evening and I’m going through photos. Lately I’ve been taking a liking to the 65:24 aspect ratio format. Unfortunately I don’t have a camera that can shoot in that aspect ratio as there are only a few that can out of the camera. For now I’ll just have to rely on some creative cropping. Here is a small sample of photos from the event back in March of 2024 in California. Most photos were taken with a Fujifilm XT5 and a Fujifilm 27mm f/2.8 WR.
Cars, Camera, Matcha
This morning I went to the Supermotion meet at Whisk and Wrench Matcha. If you haven’t been there already, it’s on the second floor of Mike Auto, a shop that specializes in Porsches and other European cars located in Richmond, BC. I took two cameras out today to shoot with, my recently acquired Leica Q2 as well as my Fujifilm X100VI. I’ll break up the gallery between the two cameras, leading off with my Leica Q2.
The meet was pretty chill, only one incident where someone was parking and backed into Reggie’s BMW wagon and left a dent. Insurance was exchanged and Reggie will have to deal with that now. The gallery below was photos taken with the Fujifilm X100VI.
Brats and Bavaria 2025
I haven’t been to a Brats and Bavaria event since its first inception when I still had my Volkswagen Golf R. If you didn’t know, Brats and Bavaria is a local car show with some of the nice German cars in the Pacific Northwest. This years event was held at Classic Garage at Autowest BMW. Always a fun event with a good mix of German automobiles though this year, there were fewer Porsches. I haven’t shot with my Leica Q in awhile so that was my camera of choice for todays event.
The sun was hitting hard today and it was hot! I used the ShortStache Polarpro filter for my shots. It acts as a polarizer and black mist filter and can be used for everyday shooting. The Leica Q is a 10 year old camera but I love shooting with it. I’m hoping to upgrade it to a Q2 eventually. I’m already looking forward to next years show. Enjoy the photos!
Motors and Matcha
This morning I saw an instagram post about a Motors and Matcha event at Mike Auto. The matcha drinks being served were by Whisk & Wrench. It was a small gathering with a small selection of cars. Here’s some photos I took this morning.
Today was the first time I’ve been to Mike Auto but I’ve followed them on Instagram for awhile. I didn’t realize how big the shop was and how many cars Mike could fit in the service bay and in the back lot. Definitely more cars than I was expecting.
From Golf R to Civic Type R
I bid farewell to my beloved Golf R. Meowta 3.0 was born, and its legacy lives on in a 2024 Honda Civic Type R FL5. While I thoroughly enjoyed my Golf R, I never truly felt a deep connection to the European automotive community as I had anticipated. Japanese cars remained my steadfast first love.
Although I had never owned a Honda before, I had always harbored a desire for one since my high school days when I was captivated by the CRX Si (I must admit, I was a bit of a self-indulgent teenager). As my Golf R approached its eighth birthday, I began contemplating the possibility of replacing it. I sought a vehicle that offered more space for my growing family, sporty performance, and Japanese heritage. Above all else, I yearned to regain my passion for manual transmissions. The Civic Type R seamlessly ticked all these boxes.
Despite my enthusiasm, I had reservations about purchasing one due to its limited availability. Honda had even discontinued the option to order it.
I had made deposits at several dealerships for the Acura equivalent, the Integra Type S. One dealership offered a deal that seemed promising, and with the assistance of Steve, we embarked on a negotiation process. However, the deal fell through, leaving me feeling disappointed and disillusioned with the entire dealership experience.
Just when I thought all hope was lost, my friend’s company, DealerShift, unexpectedly acquired a slightly used Championship White 2024 Civic Type R. Remarkably, it came equipped with some of the modifications I had been planning to make anyway. They offered me a trade-in value that I was pleased with, and they made my dream of owning my first Honda, let alone a Civic Type R in iconic Championship White, a reality.
I firmly believe that this car will be a cherished companion for years to come. I have no intention of selling it. Instead, I envision passing it down to my children, Zoe and Ian, when they grow up, so they can experience the joy of driving a vehicle that holds a special place in my heart. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Kevin and Steve for their unwavering support and assistance in helping me achieve this remarkable dream.
When I acquired the car, it had already undergone some modifications from the previous owner. These included PPF work (which I’m having some parts redone or added by my friend Andy at GPFX Graphics), lowering on Swift Springs, and the addition of OEM components like window visors and rubber floor/trunk mats. Since then, I’ve made a few more modifications. I installed CTS Turbo 20mm spacers to flush out the wheels, changed the stock intake to the PRL Intake for enhanced induction noises and power (which I acquired from the previous owner of my car), on the way is a front lip and a set of wheels from Japan, which should arrive in the fall. The factory shift knob is quite good, but I swapped it for a teardrop-shaped one I bought at Garage Five’s 25th Anniversary event. Interestingly, this knob was intended to be the first mod for the Integra Type S, but since that project fell through, it’s now going into the Type R.
I’ve been asked how I compare the Civic Type R to my old Golf R. The Golf R had a quicker acceleration due to its DSG transmission and AWD. There’s no way I can shift as fast as a DSG transmission. My Golf R had about 310 horsepower, making it definitely quicker in terms of pure acceleration.
The CTR handles better, allowing me to corner at speeds I might be hesitant to in other cars. The suspension is more comfortable on a daily basis. I can retain the stock shocks and struts, along with Swift Springs, to maintain the dampening. On the other hand, I had KW Clubsports suspension on the Golf R, which was set somewhat firm. I did install the Integra Type S suspension module, which added comfort and sport modes, but that was done about three weeks into ownership.
Now, let’s talk about the car’s practicality. It’s my daily driver. The CTR has significantly more interior and storage space compared to the Golf R. The trunk is double the size, so I’m likely to sell the roof box from the Golf R. The back seats also have more legroom, which is great for my two kids who sit in the back.
However, there are a few things I miss from my VW:
Heated seats: The CTR sport seats are fantastic, but creature comforts like heated seats will be missed. They’re also manual-adjusting, unlike the power-adjusting seats on the Golf R.
Rear USB ports and AC vents for the rear passengers: A modern car should have these as standard equipment.
Interior design: Don’t get me wrong, the CTR interior is nice, but the Golf R’s interior design and quality felt a bit more premium.
I’ve had this car for almost two months now, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. It’s a joy to drive, and my kids love it too (though my son Ian still misses the Golf R because it was blue). It’s an excellent family car with ample space for hauling stuff. I can also have fun with it, taking spirited drives and enjoying its fantastic transmission, which makes it easy to drive even for a mediocre manual transmission driver like myself.
Garage Five 25th Anniversary
Today was Garage Five’s block party as they celebrated 25 years in business. A staple of the Greater Vancouver import scene, one of the most respected local Honda shop in the lower mainland. I felt it was only appropriate to attend in a Honda product to such a special event. So naturally I borrowed my friend Jeremy’s Acura NSX….again. I got to see some old friends and check out some cars from the local scene. Here’s a gallery of some of the cars in attendance.
Fort Langley - Antiques
Yesterday, I walked around the Fort Langley area with my brother and niece. Decided to take the Leica Q out as my camera for the day and grabbed some photos of around town and some of the antique shops in the area.
We started off having lunch at the Planet Java 50s Diner, the burger was alright, fries were good cause they use the Cavendish fries from Costco =D.
The antique shops around Fort Langley are pretty neat and lots of things to look at and photograph.
It was a great way to spend the afternoon as the weather was great. I am enjoying shooting with the Leica Q more and more.
