Southrnfresh 13 Photo / Video Coverage

Another Southrnfresh event has came and gone, and it was a great event as usual.  You all made it what it is and have always been the reason why our annual event has been so successful, and we could not have done without your support.  

I am tired of hearing about how the “scene” is dead or how it is dying or how it is being “ruined” or it is not the same anymore with some of the madness with events that has happened over the last year.  I can confidently say that none of that affects my love and sincere dedication to anything automotive and it has not prevented or pushed me away from anything.  I still want to go to events, I still want to look at automotive content…still want to scroll marketplace for hours , still want to shop on JDM auction sites.  And I still have an urge to buy and build.  And I can’t possibly see it ever coming to an end.

The import culture took a big turn years ago when it changed from an underground scene to a big profitable powerhouse.  I didn’t see the long term impacts of it at the time. But the shift to me started when our precious forums were bought out and they slowly died.  Our magazines and media outlets at one point had actual journalists who were part of the culture and knew what they were talking about. We lost that, and instead of proper journalism and someone with a true history of the culture we got the witty leftover writers from big name companies to spread our culture to the world.  While this gave the import culture the popularity for it to grow and be brought to the light, it was never the same.   The look was different the words were not right and the authenticity was lost.  They didn’t treat our culture with care, respect and the depth that we true enthusiasts do. It was presented to the very watered down. The history was abandoned and the true organic roots were shortcut to when The Fast and Furious released.

It never really got its proper dynamic like other cultures.  The authenticity took a hit when the love turned profit, and it became a reaction style of journalism that fed off what people were already doing instead of leading the way with something new.  It wasn’t their fault… they just didn’t know better because they were not part of our culture.  It wasn’t portrayed as anything that could have evolved or shifted, it was buried in a dome of young and wreck-less behavior.  This is no shade or shame against anyone , but just an observation of what has happened and what I really think has gotten us to this point.  And people feeling like the scene is dead or dying.

My journey into the import culture started in the prime years of 99-2000, when I got my license.  I dove into the culture via several local forums and just going outside and meeting people.  I got a not so desirable car, and spent hours and a lot of money trying to get it to where I wanted it.  It was terrible and a lot of mistakes were made. But the process showed me the way and forced me to learn more about the culture and the scene as a whole not just what mainstream showed us.

Being a culture fueled by youth it was always portrayed as a young persons game.  As the current scene grew all the newer generations missed out on a big gap of history and nostalgia of how the culture started and why it was so important for us to cherish it.   All those points got lost in translation along the way.  The scene went from true passion, pride and knowledge to a need for quick gratification and the constant want for approval from strangers. The car culture in general was built on self gratification and what you want and how you want to be represented.

 

And maybe that’s where we are now… not at the end, but at a reset.  Because despite everything, despite the noise, the watered-down representation, the constant claims that the scene is dying the foundation never actually disappeared.   It just got buried under trends, algorithms, and outside influence.  The core values that built this culture, passion, individuality, trial and error, and doing it for yourself never left.  They just got quieter, but now it feels like they’re starting to surface again.

You can see it in the builds that aren’t chasing attention, but telling a story.  You can see it in the people taking the time to learn, to research, to understand where things came from instead of just copying what’s popular.  You can see it in the shift away from instant gratification and back toward intention.  Southrnfresh 13 wasn’t just another show it felt like a reminder.  A reminder of what this culture looks like when it’s done with care, when it’s curated by people who actually understand it, and when the focus is put back on the cars, the details, and the community. It didn’t feel forced or manufactured. It felt right.

That’s what gives me confidence moving forward.  The culture isn’t dying it’s correcting itself.  It’s finding its balance again between growth and authenticity.  The spotlight may have changed, the platforms may be different, but the heart of it is still here.  And as long as there are people who genuinely love this, who are willing to put in the time, make the mistakes, and build something that represents them, it’s never going anywhere.  If anything, this is just the beginning of it finding its way back home.

Thank you all again for a great show and the continued support. 

We have a bunch of photos captured by my good friend Whips By Wade on the SF Flickr